“Connie, did you get a dog?” I ask, more surprised than ever. She’d vowed never to get an animal, especially after having her three kids.
She blows out a breath and says, “Yes. We caved. Jamie saw a posting on an animal adoption site and convinced us to get him.”
“Way to go, Jamie,” I say with a wide grin. “Maybe I need to ask her for advice the next time I need something from you.”
The fact that my eleven-year-old niece had done the unthinkable is a signal of how persuasive she can be.
“Well, she taught herself how to make a PowerPoint presentation and put in all the information. She even calculated how much food we’ll need per year, adding more as the puppy grows. I couldn’t say no.”
“I’ll make a mental note of that. PowerPoints are the way to Connie’s heart.”
There’s a little chuckling and then a hesitation.
“What’s up, Connie?”
“Are you going to make it back east at any point in the next few months?”
I use my blinker before changing lanes. “I’m not planning on it. Field lacrosse is starting. I could probably come back after the championship series at the end of the summer. What’s up?”
“Mom and Dad want to do a family trip at somepoint. I’m willing to take the kids out of school for it, but Ceci doesn’t love that idea.”
My second oldest sister was the first to get married in the family and has four kids. Camille has one with one on the way. Connie has three.
And then there’s me, the only boy, and the one who hasn’t settled down.
What if having nieces and nephews is enough? I know that’s not true, but the spiteful part of me feels that way. I can handle all the pressure in a game, but things I can’t fully control outside of sports is harder for me. And my parents tried to dictate most of my life. Maybe my bid to stay single is an act of defiance.
“What does Ceci want?” I ask.
“That we go in the summer no matter what your schedule is.”
I breathe out a sigh and shake my head. “I might be able to work out a time in the middle somewhere, but maybe it would be easier to go without me.”
“Are you kidding me? My kids will whine the whole time, wondering where Uncle Court is. You’ve got to be there. I’d rather have you than Ceci.”
I laugh and grin, grateful to have Connie in my life. Even though we’re twelve years apart, she’s always made me feellike I’m important.
“What do Mom and Dad say?” I ask, nervous about the answer.
They’ve finally stopped bugging me about when I’m going to get an actual job and settle down, like where I’m at in life isn’t even worth the breath to negotiate now. Their words relayed through Connie.
“They want to stay out of the drama.”
I nod. “Which means you have to plan it and coordinate everything.”
Poor Connie. Being the youngest and the only boy had its own challenges, but seeing what Connie had to go through to get here, well, she had to break my parents in on everything from being born to getting married and having her own kids.
She lets out an audible breath. “Pretty much. Part of me wanted to rebel and tell them I was no longer planning anything, but it’s their fortieth anniversary this year. So, I feel like they deserve a big shebang before I retire.”
I chuckle. “You retire from meddling? I think you’ll die before that happens.”
“You’re probably right,” she says, groaning. “So…”
“Spit it out, Connie. Did they ask you to ask me a bunch of questions?” I pull into the parking lot and put the truck into park.
“Yeah, sadly. But you can give me the real details, and I can filter any out you don’t want passed along. I mean, I’m the gatekeeper of your gossip so it doesn’t get all the way to Aunt Karen.”
“I appreciate that. Nothing really to report. I’m still working at Vincenzo’s and playing lacrosse. I have great roommates and am overall happy.”
