Family Ties

“Nice to finally meet you, Christy,” my mom said smoothly. “Paul’s told us a lot about you.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Christy said. “Paul’s told me so much about your family.”

I wanted to laugh. Hysterically. Two of the most important women in my life were lying to each other, just so I didn’t look like the jackass that I was.

Mom and Christy made small talk about school and art, and I realized that Wren must have been a major conduit of information to Susan, who’d fed it to my mother.

“Sorry to interrupt,” I said, “but I need to refuel the plane.

you wanna come with me?”

I gave her an insistent look.

“Oh, right,” she said in a monotone. “I’d love to.”

I kissed Christy and left her to talk to my mom. Erin and I headed out to the plane.

“I wasn’t,” I said as I bent over the wing and opened the fuel door.

Erin berated me with a sisterly lecture, but I only listened with half my attention.

“Yeah, I know,” I said when she wound down. “I’m a dweeb, a doofus, and a dork. Now, tell me what Mom knows.

“Hold on… Mom and Susan must have talked about her.”

“Probably. But… um… I haven’t been listening as much lately. Like, not at all.”

“Seriously. It… didn’t seem right.”

“Don’t tell me you have a newfound respect for Mom’s privacy.”

“So? We’ve been getting along better since the Night at the Limelight.”

“No kidding.” I grinned at her capital letters. I did the same thing.

“Shut up. And tell me about Christy. She’s totally gorgeous. Wow! And tiny! She’s like a little doll.

“What’s she like in bed? Does she like girls?”

“Erin, whoa! You seriously need to get laid, don’t you?”

“Why? Are you offering? Is she into that? Cool.”

I rolled my eyes and closed the fuel tank. “Come on,” I said. “Let’s get back before Mom and Christy run out of lies to tell each other.”

Mom smiled when Erin and I returned to the waiting area after I paid for the fuel. Christy was in a good mood too, just short of bouncy.

“We’re fueled and ready to go when you are,” I said.

“Would you like to ride up front?” Christy asked her.

“No, but thank you. You can sit with Paul.”

“Actually, it’d make my life easier if you did,” I told Mom. Then I felt the force of three curious looks. “It’d help with trim,” I explained quickly.

“To balance the load.”

“Did you just call us ‘the load’?” Erin said.