Page 117 of My Best Bet

_________

We spent the next day in our pajamas, putting up our fake Christmas tree and watching Christmas movies.

I argued it wasn’t Christmas season yet since it was still only mid-November, but Mer was of the opinion that Christmas season started the day after Halloween, which meant we were actually late to start. Lucy loved all things Christmas, so it was a losing battle for me– not that I was upset about drinking hot chocolate and stringing up Christmas lights. I’d do whatever made them happy.

While handing the two of them ornaments to place on the tree, my phone rang. Pulling it out of my pocket, I cringed. It was Sunday. I’d totally forgotten about brunch plans with my mom, and now I felt like a shit son.

“Hey Mom,” I said, wedging my phone between my shoulder and ear so I could continue helping.

Mer and Lucy, who were both giggling a second ago, went quiet and avoided looking at me.

“When are you and Lucy coming over?” she asked in a sad voice. “I was waiting for you guys.”

I squeezed my eyes shut. “I’m sorry. It totally slipped my mom.”

She went quiet.

“I’m really sorry.”

Now I felt like all three women in my life were uncomfortable and I hated it.

“How about dinner?”

“Okay,” I said quickly.

Lucy shook her head at me and motioned around looking frazzled, but I had no clue what she meant. I looked to Mer for clarification, because I was clearly missing something.

“Movie night with her friends,” she said quietly.

My head fell back.Damnit.I completely forgot. Lucy was so excited about it, too. Mer was taking Lucy to dinner and a movie with her skating friends and their moms. They planned it a couple weeks ago. There’s no way I was stopping her from going.

“Lucy’s going out with some of her little buddies,” I relayed to my mom, closing my eyes, waiting for the guilt trip. “The two you met at her birthday. Sophia and Charlotte.”

“Oh, well,” my mom started, “that’s good then, right? They seemed like nice girls.”

My chest loosened. “Yeah, it’s good.”

‘Well… are you busy?” she fished. “Can we get dinner?”

“Sure,” I said, feeling relieved. “That’d be good. How about 6pm? Want me to pick you up?”

“No, that’s okay. I’ll come to you,” she said before saying her goodbye.

After hanging up, I looked up to realize Mer and Lucy were nowhere to be found.

“What’s going on?” I asked, looking around the tree for them. “Mer? Lu?”

A second later, the two of them popped up from behind me and threw a box of fake snow at my face.

Standing there, I blew it out of my mouth and wiped it from my face. “That funny to you guys?” I asked dryly while the two of them cackled loudly. “That’s it!” I yelled before running after them. I struggled to keep a straight face because I loved the sound of their laughter as they both ran from me.

________

Later that afternoon, I kicked back in bed and pretended to watch TV while they got ready for their “girls night out.” They completely took over my bathroom– spreading out all their clothes and a bunch of different hair sprays and makeups– but I honestly didn’t care because I loved listening to them discuss their hair and outfits together. Mer listened to Lucy’s opinions and feelings and treated her like a best friend rather than a little kid. Lucy looked at Mer like she hung the moon.

I knew Mer had maternal instincts, even as a teen. It was obvious in the way she was always trying to take care of the people around her. She loved to feel needed. Lucy had clearly been wanting a maternal figure, and I hadn’t even realized it. It was like the two of them were meant to find each other.

At one point in their getting ready routine, they started blasting some music and dancing in the bathroom, and that’s when I crashed their little party.

---