Page 52 of The Leaves In Autumn
“No kidding! I have to send you gas money every month!”
We laugh at the unvarnished truth, while Dad fans himself with a menu, then twists his hair and sticks it under his hat.
“What’s happening with the wedding? It’s getting close. Are you all set?”
“Iam. Not sure if everything else is one hundred percent ready.”
“What? Why not?”
Van chuckles at himself.
“The wedding is Layla’s thing. I mean you know how woman are. She wanted to control it all, and that sounded good to me. I just want to marry her.”
“That’s how I’d be,” I say, eating the last fry. “I’m finished with my bit. The tux is altered, shoes ready. The only thing left is for me to write the Best Man toast.”
“You bringing a date, Uncle Aargon?” David asks.
“Nope. I’m going solo. What about you? Is little miss sunshine coming with you?”
“I’d rather eat glass.”
“Good. I didn’t like that one.”
My father is not afraid to say what he thinks.
“I will never bring a date to a wedding. It’s man code,” Tyler adds.
“What did Jillian think of that?”
“I don’t know. I never brought it up.”
Dad lifts a finger and points it my way.
“Van said you were thinking of asking that woman at the café. Why didn’t you?”
Van purposely looks away from me. He wants to kill our father right about now.
“I only said you had mentioned it,” he says under his breath.
“What happened? Why didn’t you ask her?”
“Because getting to know someone right now just doesn’t sound good to me. And I’d rather not have to make small talk with a relative stranger, at my brother’s wedding.”
“Aunt Barbra’s the Maid of Honor, right?” Sam asks.
“Yeah.”
“You won’t have to hang with her all night then. You can scope the place for single hot women.”
“I’ll be your wingman,” Teddy says.
The comment from my son surprises. Is he unaware, or is he trying to find out how into her I might be?
“Or, I could just have a good time enjoying the music and food.” Turning to Van, I change the touchy subject. “Are you going to have those lobster rolls we had at your last party?”
“You think I know? I couldn’t tell you one thing we’re having.”
Dad starts laughing. And we don’t know why. It wasn’t that funny. But it makes us laugh too.
