Page 33 of Sour Brew Face

“And who are you, kind sir?”

He glances at his big brother, then behind him to his parents. Emerson gives him a thumb’s up. “Robbie Reynolds.”

“Well, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. Do you happen to know…”, I lean in close and exaggeratedly look around to make sure no one is listening, “if there are any good toys around here?” They both light up and each grab one of my hands, gabbing a mile a minute about everything they have to play with at Gampa and Gammy’s.

As they lead me out of the room, I briefly halt their progress in front of their parents. “Hello there, I’m Mo. Mind if I play with your boys for a bit? I haven’t played with Lego’s in far too long and I’m jonesing for a fix.”

Kylie’s face lights up just like her boy’s, “Be my guest, I’ll just be out here fighting Langston for your honor.”

“What?” Langston and Emerson echo one another in shock.

Kylie shrugs looking between the two of them. “What? She’s hot, she’s a natural with kids, and she’s willing to entertain them while I rest my feet. What’s not to love?” She pins Langston with a playful glare. “So, what will it be, big brother? Arm wrestling, cards, darts?”

The boys lose their patience, doubling their efforts to drag me to their playroom. As we move down the hall, I hear Langston retort, “How about peeing standing up?”

Langston 28.

“V, this is delicious.” Mo gushes after taking a huge bite of dinner, covering her full mouth with her hand.

“Thank you. Do you like to cook?”

“Oh, well, ‘like’ seems a strong word.” Mo says making the table chuckle. “I cook because I love to eat and sometimes, I don’t want to wear real clothing. Going to a restaurant in your pjs is generally frowned upon.”

“Oooh.” Kylie says excitedly, snatching Mo’s hand and laying it on her distended belly. I watch Mo’s face morph from confusion, to disgust, to awe as she feels my niece or nephew move around. She blindly reaches out to grip my hand, squeezing it. My entire body is buzzing with electricity at the thought that I can give Mo something she’s always wanted. Something that I’ve always wanted…a family. People to confide in, trust, depend on, and rejoice with.

“That’s just…like freakishly amazing.” Mo finally stutters out. Kylie giggles.

“Try feeling it from the inside.”

Mo turns to me, and her eyes soften as we hold each other’s gaze. “I’d like that someday.”

“Me too.” I mutter than realize what I said. “I mean, for you to experience that…with children. My children.”

“My brother is a regular Casanova.” Emerson mutters and a moment of stunned silence descends on the table when Mo throws a roll at his head, hitting him square in the nose. The boys break the silence first with high-pitched laughter, Kylie holds her belly as she joins in, V too. My dad grins affectionately at Mo.

“Did you play softball?” She nods.

“I did.”

“Deadly accurate aim.” Emerson deadpans, snatching the roll from where it fell and savagely biting into it.

It took me mere hours when I came here on Friday to settle in and feel comfortable. Not for anything on their part, my brain just needed time to catch up. But Mo…she fits here with my family, like she’s always been here. And I hope I can convince her that she always will.

We finish eating and the boys go to their playroom to wreak havoc. The adults sit around the table talking comfortably but still getting to know each other. I stiffen in my seat when Mo brings up the bar to my dad.

“Rob, do you know anyone who could help Langston with the bar? His mother has co-signed his loan and he’s not sure how to get her off of it.” I don’t know how I feel about her bringing it up, but I relax a moment later when she entwines her fingers with mine and whispers “trust me”.

“Well, actually Veronica and I were talking about it over the weekend.” I sit up straighter when he looks me in the eye. “You briefly mentioned the situation the other day and I called a friend of mine. You can ask for her to be removed if you’ve made enough payments, you can refinance, you can pay it off outright, or you can sell the bar.” I open my mouth to speak but he cuts me off. “I know you don’t want to sell the bar. I’d hate for you to refinance and pay more money. I don’t know how far you are into the loan, but you might be able to ask for her to be removed. Is she on the deed or listed as an owner of the establishment?”

“The bar goes to her if something happens to me. She’s a silent partner, I guess. I’ve definitely paid down the loan, but I don’t have enough to pay it off completely.”

Dad and V share a look, only couples who have been together for so long can share, where they communicate without words. She nods with a brilliant smile.

Dad clears his throat, “We’d like to pay off the balance of your loan for you.”

“I can’t let you—”

“We paid for Emerson’s college, we have money put aside for his children, we helped pay for their wedding. You are my son, our son, just as much as Emerson. Let me do this for you. Please?”

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