Page 32 of One Timer With A Wingman

“I don’t want you feeling bad. I’m really having a great time. We’re about to go on an off-road buggy ride and later we’re all going to have dinner together,” I say.

“Are there any pretty girls on the trip?” She giggles. I know she would have liked me to meet someone. She hasn’t been quiet about her wishes but I was never in the right headspace, and I never met anyone who held my attention for more than one night. Except for Briar. I seem to be interested in multiple rounds with her.

“Uh, there’s always pretty girls around,” I say with nonchalance. I don’t want to give Mom false hope when Briar and I have an expiration date.

“I heard some hesitation,” she says because who knows me better than my own mom.

“There may be someone I’m into but it’s nothing serious. I don’t want you reading into anything,” I caution. Before Mom got sick, I was the hookup guy. I felt like I had all the time in the world, but when Mom started mentioning not being at my wedding, it got me thinking of my future, but it’s not like I could just make myself fall in love with someone. It wasn’t that easy and after having my parents as such good examples it was a hard act to follow.

“Okay.” She blows out a breath. “I’ll keep praying my son finds the perfect girl and falls hopelessly in love.”

“Like his father,” I hear Dad say in the background and my heart twists. I don’t know what he’s going to do without her. I don’t know what I’m going to do but I’m not going to worry about that now. The doctors said we could have anywhere from three-to-five years, and maybe by then there will be a new medicine on the market.

“Merry Christmas, Aaron. I love you and hope to see you soon. Dad and I will be spending the night in Rome.”

“Enjoy, Merry Christmas,” I say to Mom.

“Here’s your dad.” She passes him the phone.

“Hi, Son. I hope you aren’t getting into too much trouble there.” He chuckles.

“Nah, just the usual stuff,” I assure.

Dad barks out a laugh but beneath it I hear the strain in his voice. He’s putting up a strong front for Mom, but his insides are being torn apart. I know because mine are too. The only reprieve I’ve had lately are the moments spent with Briar. That girl manages to put a smile on my face. “Love you, Son. Have a Merry Christmas and don’t get into too much trouble.”

“Same goes for you, Dad,” I say, and he laughs again.

I end the call and walk back to the group. The tour guide is handing out bandannas we are supposed to use to cover our faces because we are headed down a river and it can get very muddy.

The buggies are two seaters. Briar and I take one together because everyone has already branched off into pairs.

“Everything okay?” she asks.

“As okay as it can be,” I reply, sounding cryptic.

Briar frowns.

“We’re having fun. No frowning now,” I urge. I know Mom wants me to be happy. She doesn’t want me walking around sad all the time. It’s taking a strong effort, but I’m determined not to let her down.

“You aren’t a crazy driver, are you?” Briar asks as we buckle in. The thing is covered in a thick coat of mud so I don’t understand what we’ve signed up for.

“I’ll keep you safe, Buttercup.” I wink. “But I can’t promise things won’t get dirty.”

Glenn comes around to make sure we are wearing seat belts, and then he gets into the front buggy because he’s going to be leading us through the trail.

Briar and I are the last buggy. Everyone takes off through the off-road trail. I hit the gas and we take off. The road is bumpy and wet. We are both wearing bandanas over our mouths, which is good because mud is flying all over us. Briar is hanging on for dear life as I floor it and we take off after the group. We drive through some crazy river.

Briar is laughing her head off and so am I. It’s an adrenaline rush to be driving through the trail, but it’s the sound of her sweet laughter that makes something inside me feel light and airy.

We head up a hill and we can see at the bottom there is a huge mud puddle.

“Drive around it,” Briar warns.

I don’t relent on the peddle and we get soaked as we drive through it. Briar is screaming but she’s laughing her head off.

By the time we get back to our starting point, it’s been a good hour and every inch of us is covered in mud.

Glenn tells us to rinse off in the showers. He guides us toward a water cave.

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