Page 29 of Flying

He shrugs his shoulder, continuing to keep sipping and delay. “Something like that, yeah.”

River:

Wish me luck, it’s family dinner night and Dad wants an update on the bar.

Lily:

You don’t need luck, you’ve got places to run away to

Made it to Vancouver earlier today. Going to edit some photos and get things unpacked. Should this be the place I finally invest in an actual laundry basket?

National Geographic called this one of the world's most iconic places to stay :)

Vancouver?I thought she was staying in Utah?Fumbling for a reply I sidestep my thought because I don’t want to spook her.

River:

Isn’t citizenship hard to come by?

Lily:

True, maybe not the time for a laundry basket afterall…

Mom lovesher Monday family dinner, since the family business makes our weekends Monday-Tuesday. She staunchly believes that any home cooked meal made to a Sinatra song can improve even the worst day.

“Smells amazing in here, Mama,” I gush, bending to give her a kiss on the cheek. She turns to the beat and grabs the bottle of red and shoves a small glass in my hands.

“Try this, it’s new from Harry.”

My eyebrows lift, curious why the distributor went to her.

“He still brings me the samples, River, and I will not correct it when it means free wine. I pushed your large head out of me and you can pry sample bottles from my cold dead hands.”

She winks and I give a playful salute. “Yes ma’am.”

Sipping, I hum a pleased note. “This is good,” and I reach for the bottle.

“See. I help you test only the good ones. It might be worth looking at the inventory list and swapping this in as the house red for the holidays.”

Nodding, I settle in for her updates on Gary, Dad’s nurse, and my brothers’ lives.

I am about to tell her about the lingering effects of Lily’s visit and my subsequent trip north when we’re interrupted.

“Betty!” Dad hollers his nickname for her and we leave the wine to help him up.

“Hold that thought and help me,” she waves me over and we set our glasses on the counter.

Given Dad’s extremely opposite disposition to hers, I won’t let him hear about the Salvatore delivery change earlier. If he could, Dad would personally deliver Lily to the town leadership. Instead I stick to the usuals like the accounting from our Halloween party and holidays decorating plans at the bar.

“We’re completely booked through the new year too.” I’m ecstatic, but he just nods.

“Good, as you should be. If you find you are slowing down, let me know and we’ll review things together, Son.”

The night passes this way,without much opportunity for anything else. As I’m slipping into my coat and shoes to leave I hear mom following me out onto the cold porch. Maternal instincts are on high alert, she’s lightly sweeping the hair off my forehead before looking in my eyes for a long beat.

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