Page 5 of My Stepbrother's Wedding
“We don’t need to see France,” Elizabeth said. “You’ll wear yourself out working sixty-hour weeks.”
“If it would make the two most wonderful ladies in the world happy, I’d wear myself out anytime.”
Dad meant it too. As lame and quirky as he was, he loved me more than anything. Life was better when I didn’t have to share him, of course, but I never doubted he cared. Part ofme was even glad he’d found someone after Mom died. I just wished it hadn’t made everything so complicated.
Elizabeth smiled in a way that made my palms sweat. “I’ve got a surprise also. Will and Irena rented a villa for us on Lake Achris. They want us to stay another week after the wedding, all expenses paid.”
A chill shot down my spine. My perfect plan was circling the drain with no help in sight. Had Will anticipated my scheme and made a preemptive strike? I doubted he could think that far in advance, but I remembered the dork had been captain of the chess team.
“Really?” Dad nodded. “That changes things.”
“But, Daddy, what about Paris?” I said, unable to pretend to read anymore.
“We’ll go to Paris one day, pumpkin, but we can’t pass up a free guest house in an exotic location.”
My heart sank like theTitanicto the bottom of Lake Achris. This was exactly what I didn’t want. The plan was to meet with Karen in Paris and ditch the family. Now I’d be trapped with them an extra week, and in Malegonia, of all places.
“Winifred, you looked disappointed,” Elizabeth said.
“No, Iunderstand,” I lied.
Elizabeth put her arm around me like we were friends, filling my nostrils with her old-lady perfume. “Malegonia is going to be amazing—just wait.”
I smiled outwardly but grimaced inside. She’d won this round, but the fight had just begun.
***
“Winifred, that’s enough,” Dad said, irritated.
I’d tried the subtle approach for over a week, but he’d shown no sign of bending. I was losing patience and decided on a frontal attack once Elizabeth was out shopping. I cornered Dad while he was throwing darts at the board mounted on the basement wall.
“But, Daddy, I don’t wanna go to Malegonia.”
“Half of life is showing up for things you don’t want to do,” he said.
“What about the other half?”
“Most of that, you’re sleeping.” He snorted a laugh.
I frowned, making my displeasure as obvious as possible.
Dad sighed. “Listen, kiddo, I know you had plans to go to Florida with your friends, but family comes first.”
“What about stopping in Paris though?”
“I want to go, but there were already plans I didn’t know about. Besides, we could never afford it anyway.”
“You always say that,” I chided.
Dad clenched his jaw, obviously annoyed. “Listen, if you want to bum around Europe, save up your money from the pool and do it.”
“You’d let me do that?”
“Sure, you’re old enough.”
“Do I still need to come to the wedding?”
“Of course.”
