Page 48 of Surrender
“It’s called the act of a desperate man. I’m old, Vi.”
“You’re not old. You’re seasoned.”
“In football terms, that means the care home is on standby.”
“Stop,” she scolds, swatting my shoulder. “I’m just happy you’re not alone.”
“I am alone!” I nearly roar, annoyed that she’s already getting grandiose ideas in her head with basically no tangible information. When Vi gets like this, the only course of action is deflection. “You’re the one putting off your wedding with Hayden.”
Her jaw drops. “I’ll marry him eventually!”
“When? After you have a couple more kids and have to buy a bigger place, as well as a people carrier?”
She frowns and shrinks in her seat, chewing her lip nervously. I instantly feel guilty for winding her up because I’m sensing it isn’t a simple issue. “What’s the problem there, Vi?”
“Nothing!” She forces a bright, toothy smile. “We just need to get through this World Cup business first.”
“Not you, too,” I groan, running a hand through my hair.
“It’s all anyone has been talking about this week! If they select all four of my brothers, it will be the most amazing thing that’s ever happened to our family.”
“You mean after the birth of Rocky.”
“Yes, after Rocky.” She rolls her eyes. “Rocky wants you guys in the World Cup as well. She’s your number two fan, after me.”
“Obviously.” I can’t help but laugh. Rocky is Vi’s miniature in appearance already. In time, she’ll be shouting expletives at the refs like her mummy.
“So the World Cup is more important than you getting married?”
Vi growls like a little dog. “Why does it matter? Hayden and I are happy. We don’t need a piece of paper to tell us that.”
“I think it matters to Hayden,” I reply, watching her curiously. She’s hiding something. I can tell by the way she’s gripping the wheel and refusing to look at me. “What’s going on? Why the odd face?”
“My face isn’t odd!” she peals, her voice higher pitched than usual.
“Yes it is. Spill it. You know I’ll get it out of you eventually anyway.”
“You’re going to laugh at me.” She groans and stops at a red light, glancing over at me with a serious look on her face. “You have to promise not to laugh.”
I roll my eyes. “I promise.”
She pulls her lip into her mouth and mumbles something I can’t fully understand.
“What did you say?”
“I said I don’t want to stop being a Harris, all right?”
My jaw drops as I stare at my sister. I don’t know why I’m shocked. Vi always says she is the glue that holds our family together while I am the rock that keeps us upright. And no one is a bigger cheerleader for our family than her. But I’ve seen the way she looks at Hayden. I’ve seen their love firsthand. They had a rough go at one point, and I thought I was going to have to commit my first murder, but he got his shit together. He’s become an incredible source of happiness for her. Watching them as a family has been a beautiful thing to witness. What is going on in that head of hers?
“Vi—” I start but don’t get to finish.
“Don’t tell me I’m being overly sentimental, all right?” she argues, her posture stiff and defensive. “I love being a Harris. I love having our mother’s name. It used to give me anxiety, but I feel differently about it now that I’m a mum myself. Proud even.”
My throat tightens at the mention of our mum. She was such a source of light, even in the end. I hate that our father tainted her absence with a wake of darkness.
Sadly, I’m really the only one who knows much about her. Vi was only four when she died. All she really knows of Mum is that they share a name and happened to be born on the same day. We’ve always struggled to celebrate Vi’s birthday as a result. But when Vi gave Rocky the middle name Vilma, I could see that Vi found peace with her name somehow. Mum would have been so proud.
“I don’t think you’re being overly sentimental,” I reply, my voice thick with emotion. “But I’m wondering why you don’t just tell Hayden that you want to keep your name when you get married.”
