Page 56 of Before We Say Goodbye
“So you like her?” Otis asked. “It’s the first I’ve heard her—”
“He mentioned her the other day,” Bec said, reminding him of his absentmindedness. “He met her at Isaac’s birthday party. She’s the one in red.”
“Ah, yes.” Was it him or was everything she said coated in a thin film of condescension? Either way, she did a great job of socializing the kids to counteract the homeschooling.
Little troublemaker that he was, Mike rolled down the window and called, “Oh, Melanie, Cam’s in love with—”
Otis turned in time to see Cam punch his younger brother in the gut. Mike started crying, as Cam yelled, “The bloody wanker asked for it!”
“Cam!” Bec said, whipping her head around. “Watch your mouth!” Then she set angry eyes on Otis.
“What? I didn’t teach him that.”
“Who else would teach him to saybloody wanker?” She cracked a smile. Otis smiled back, then did something that he thought might surprise her.
He got out of the car and climbed into the back. Both boys looked at him with wide eyes, the toes of their bare feet clenched. He’d never sat in the back seat before. Though he wasn’t one for spanking his children like his own father, Cam and Mike looked at him like he might strike.
“What this is, gentlemen,” Otis said, “is the start of your experience with women. It’s a long, hard road of joy and pain, but this is why I’m here, your dutiful parental coach.”
Bec let out a laugh. “Oh, you’re going to teach them about women?”
“Naturally.”
“Hopefully not about the birds and the bees.”
“What about the birds and the bees?” Mike asked, his newly missing front tooth causing him to slur his words.
“Nope, we’re not going there,” Bec said.
He put an arm around Cam. “I wasn’t going there. What I thought I might bestow on them was a bit of my hard-earned wisdom from my years chasing women.”
Rebecca pressed a palm to her forehead. “Boys, don’t listen to a thing he says. He’s never chased a woman in his life.”
Otis eyed her in the rearview mirror. “Let’s pause for a moment and consider the fact that I did land the finest catch in the ocean. I might have been rough around the edges, but there is no denying my skills.” Otis winked at the boys.
Mike let out a giggle.
“Here’s the thing. That Melanie over there, she might not act like it, but she wants you to say hi to her. To make conversation.”
Cam shook his head sternly.
Otis pulled his arm away and smoothed his hands together. “Hear me out. You, too, Mike. Your time will come soon enough. If you master this now, you won’t have trouble the rest of your life.”
“This is rich,” Bec said, shining the way she did whenever Otis gave the boys his all.
“Never mind her. Cam, I want you to go out there and strut your stuff and say, ‘How’s it going, Melanie?’ Or can we call her Mel?”
“No,” Cam said. “I’m not getting out of this car till they’re gone.”
“I’ll go with you.” Otis put a hand on the door handle.
Cam knocked it away.
“Fine, she’s all yours. Tell her you like her shoes. Then maybe ask about the weather.”
“Theweather?” Bec said. “You’re so lucky that I found you charming.”
“In addition to handsome, sharp, quick-witted. Talk about a catch, boys.” Otis jabbed his own thumb at his chest. “Back in the day, every chick on the block would turn my way.”
