“That’s exactly what Trina said,” Robbie agreed.
“Look at me being smart and sensitive in my time of need.”
“So what are we going to do about you?” Robbie asked.
I shook my head, the wood of the dock giving the back of it a strange sort of massage. It made me think of Daisy, of lying in the grass with her and wanting to kiss her and that damn mouse ruining the moment. I felt like I wanted to cry, but I was too miserable to cry.“Usually, this is when I would go out and get laid,” I said. “But I don’t even feel like it.”
Parker made a knowing sound.
“What does that mean, little brother? Say what you have to say.”
Parker sighed and his face appeared over me, in my line of sight. “I know you don’t like hearing this, but sometimes if you want a relationship to work, you have to fight for it.”
That was an interesting thought. “I need more.”
“Mason,” Robbie said, “if I left every time Trina and I had a little fight we would have been divorced the day we got married. If you love her, which I think it’s clear you do, you have to fight for her. Women like to be fought for.”
“Yeah,” Parker agreed, his face still in my line of sight. “You should fight for her.”
“You need a grand gesture,” Robbie said. He was now leaning over me too, both their heads upside down.
“Boys,” Aunt Tilley said, “if you need a grand gesture, you have come to the right place.”
Parker and Robbie moved enough that I could see she was holding a pie plate and three forks. “I made an apology pie for Robbie, but I thought perhaps it could help rehabilitate Mason, too.”
“Gee,” Robbie said sarcastically, “lied to me my entire life about being my mother, but a pie! Wow! I forgive you now.”
Parker punched Robbie’s arm, which made me kind of proud. Parker wasn’t really the alpha-male type. Probably because he had grown up in my shadow.
“What kind of pie?” I asked, deciding whether I could muster the energy to sit up.
“Pecan,” Tilley trilled delightedly.
Yup. Yup. Tilley’s pecan pie was worth the blood that rushed to my head when I sat up.
“He lives!” Parker said.
Robbie gestured for the pie pan, which Tilley handed over. He sat down beside me, Parker followed suit, and Tilley handed us the forks. Robbie put the pie on the dock, and we all proceeded to dive in like the animals we basically were.
“So?” Tilley asked when we took a breath.
“I feel a little better,” I said. I wasn’t lying. Maybe it was the sugar rush.
“I feel a little more forgiving,” Robbie said.
“Really?” Tilley asked.
“He’s not really even that mad,” Parker said. “Don’t let him extort pie from you to pay penance for something he’s basically come to terms with, Tilley.”
Robbie punched Parker over me, and she smiled. “I love you all,” Tilley said. “But especially you, Robbie. I would never hurt you on purpose, and I only want to make it right.”
Robbie looked up at her. “I know.”
I felt kind of dumb because this was obviously more important than my thing, but, even still, I was in Daisy mode, and I needed to know what to do to get her back.
“So, uh, back to me?”
Tilley’s face softened into something resembling pity. “Honey, have you heard about Maisy?”
