Page 88 of Three Not-So-Little Words
I hear my mother’s voice on the other end. “Hello, Veronica.”
“Mom?”
“Who did you think it was? Don’t you have caller ID?”
“Yeah…but…nevermind. What’s up, Mom?”
“We’re doing family dinner tomorrow night.”
“Tomorrow’s no good for me,” I tell her.
“Attendance is mandatory. Jo is in town, so I want to get everyone together.”
“I have plans.”
Even though she’s working at the bar and only half paying attention, she is still engaged enough to argue with me. “Bring your boyfriend. I’d love to meet him. He can even bring his son.”
“He won’t have his son, and he’s not my…how do you know everything”
“Veronica, I have five children, and all of you have big mouths. So, I’ll see the two of you tomorrow.”
“Mom, I really don’t want to—”
She cuts me off. “Jo is rarely ever around these days. She took a page out of your playbook in that way. I don't know when everyone will be together again. You’re coming.”
I start getting a call and see that this time, itisDrew. I know if I don’t agree to my mother’s terms, I will never get her over the phone.
“Okay, fine. And I’ll ask Drew, but I’m not going to force him to come.”
“Alright. See you tomorrow, sexy.” And she hangs up.
I knew she wasn’t going to let that go.
“Hey,” I greet, answering the other line.
“Hi, beautiful.”
“Thank God it’s you. I just got shanghaied by my mom.”
“Yikes. Everything okay?” He asks.
“Yeah. My youngest sister is in town, and Mom wants to do a big dinner tomorrow.”
“Oh.”
“She invited you to come, but I know it’s probably weird for you.”
“Sure, I’ll go.”
“I wouldn’t blame you if you—” I stop because I’m just now registering what he said. “What?”
“I said I’ll come. I mean, if you want me to.”
“You would do that for me?”
“Of course. Ronnie, the other day, you made the effort to come over and hang out with my son. I think I can have dinner with your family.”
“True. But I just had to deal with one wolf. You’ll have to contend with a whole pack.”
