Page 23 of Anchored Love
“Casey wants to watch the magic show.” Jess shoveled oatmeal between her lips as she talked, and I closed my eyes. I hated when she talked with her mouth full.
“Don’t you girls forget tomorrow is our day. We planned a little something for Kelsey since she didn’t have a proper bachelorette back home.”
I completely forgot that the party hats were in my lost luggage, but maybe they’d have something in the gift shop. We weren’t doing anything fancy. Dinner and cocktails, and I had no doubt Kelsey would sneak off the first chance she got to be with Drake. They were attached at the hip always. Part of me envied that they had found their someone, then the other half of me was terrified at the thought of being dependent on anyone for bringing me happiness.
* * *
“To Kelsey,”Jess shouted, her mixed drink sloshing over the brim as she pumped her arm in the air.
Kelsey raised her water in the air. She said no to any liquor. Said she wanted to stay hydrated and fresh for the wedding.
“I’m so happy to get to do this with you,” Mom gushed over her. “Who knows if either of my girls will ever say I do. I’ll be dead and gone before they decide to settle down and grow up.”
Jess was too buzzed to notice or care, but those words stung.
“I keep trying to set Everly up with nice men, but she keeps turning the offers down.”
I bit my tongue, but I wanted to yell at her. She had been drinking wine, but it was no excuse to be a jerk, and she was being awful. Mason might not have truly been my boyfriend, but she didn’t know that. For all she knew, I’d been seeing him at least a few weeks; no matter what the truth might be.
I stomped off to the bar to get another drink before I was tempted to say things I would regret later. I loved and respected my mother, but in that moment, part of me wished I’d never come on this cruise. I understood she wanted the best for me, but she wasn’t even giving Mason a chance. Fake boyfriend or not. I slurped on my drink through the tiny red straw. Jess collapsed on the stool next to me, bumping her shoulder into mine.
“Okay. What crawled up your butt?”
“Did you not hear anything that just came out of our mother’s mouth?”
“You gotta ignore her; it’s what I do. She is always on my case. ‘Why don’t you find a better job. Why haven’t you and Casey bought a real house? Why do you rent?’ Blah. Blah. Blah. You just gotta do what you want. Besides, wait ’til she sees what I bought Kelsey for her wedding night.”
Jess wiggled her brows. “Crotchless panties and sex dice.”
My hand flew to my mouth. “Shut up. You did not.”
Her tongue rolled around her straw as she tried to get a hold of it. “I so did.”
Our mother, love her heart, was one of the world’s biggest prudes on the planet. She didn’t want to allow us to watch PG-13 movies growing up. I can only imagine how red her face is going to get when she sees those dang panties.
I sucked down the rest of my drink and rejoined Mom and Kelsey.
“Open my gift first, dear.” Mom handed her a gift box.
Kelsey gave her a smile and ripped the bow off then lifted the lid to reveal a thick brown leather photo album.
Mom grabbed it from her and started flipping through the pages. “This book has all our family history in it. Pictures of Drake through the years. There’s a space for you to add yours, and then for the wedding and when you start a family. It’s something you can pass on to your children some day.”
“It’s perfect. Thank you, Jane Lynn.”
“Please call me Mom.”
“Okay. Thanks, Mom.”
“Me next.” Jess thrusted her gift bag toward her.
Kelsey excitedly tore away the tissue paper and held up the skimpy white lace. “What’s this?” she mused, turning them every which way.
“Crotchless panties. You know, easy access for tomorrow night.”
Mom’s face turned thirty shades of red, then all the color drained from her cheeks. “Jess,” she hissed. “That is so inappropriate.”
“Oh come on, Mom. We all know you’ve had sex, or else none of us would be here.” My sister slapped her knee and cackled.
Kelsey looked away, biting her lip in an attempt to stop from laughing, but it was no use. The three of us were in a fit of giggles.
“I don’t know why you find it necessary to embarrass me, Jess.” She started cleaning up and muttering to herself about her terrible daughters.
“That includes you,” I teased Kelsey. “Welcome to the family.” Then I handed her my gift. A sister necklace, because she was like the older sister I’d always needed.
“Oh, Ev. Thank you. I’m touched. Honest.” A tear trickled down her cheek. Kelsey was an only child and didn’t speak of her family often. It was all good, though. We had adopted her into our fold, and she fit in seamlessly.
