The Lighter Side of Life and Death by C. K. Kelly Martin

Author:C. K. Kelly Martin [Martin, C. K. Kelly]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Published: 0100-12-31T22:00:00+00:00

Dad and I do lunch and a movie on Sunday afternoon. It turns out he’s not overly into the engagement shower idea himself. He says we can make celebrity guest appearances at the end and then everyone will be happy.

When we pull up to the house later, it’s surrounded by cars and there’s a collection of white and purple helium balloons floating from the mailbox. From outside I hear a baby wailing. I can’t remember the last time we even had a baby in the house, and for the first time I wonder if Dad and Nina will have kids together.

“The boys are home!” someone cries as we walk through the front door.

I glance across the living room and search out the face belonging to the voice—Nina’s younger sister, Andrea, who’s driven over from Peterborough to play hostess. Aside from Nina and her kids, Andrea’s the only person I know in the room. I wave hello to everyone and let Andrea introduce Dad and me to at least twenty women and a handful of kids. “There’s plenty of food left in the kitchen,” Andrea tells us.

“Great,” I say. I’m one of those people who can eat forever and not gain weight. It got me ballistic when I was about twelve and sick of being smaller than other guys my age but now that I’ve seen some of those guys pack on excess pounds, I like to think of it as a bonus.

“I’m okay, thanks,” Dad says. Unfortunately for him, he doesn’t have my metabolism. “Any coffee?” he adds as an afterthought. “Decaf?”

“Actually”—Andrea raises her finger—“there is decaf. Let me get you a cup. Sit down next to the guest of honor.”

Dad strokes Nina’s hair as he takes a seat next to her on the couch. The two of them are surrounded by a fresh set of boxes (partially wrapped this time) and Andrea and I head off to the kitchen together. “Looks like you guys had a good time,” I say.

Andrea motions back to the pile of presents on the coffee table. “Nina made a killing—wait till you see all the terrific stuff people gave her.”

Inside the kitchen there’s a ton of leftovers spread out on the table and counter. Two women are talking by the sink and I smile at them as I grab a purple paper plate and start piling on meatballs. “This is Thane’s son, Mason,” Andrea tells them. “Mason, this is Patricia and Colette.”

I exchange hellos with Patricia and Colette as Andrea heads for one of the coffee machines set up on the counter. “Try the chocolate cheesecake,” Colette advises me. “It’s divine.” She throws so much emphasis on that last word that I have to laugh. So okay, looks like I’m trying the cheesecake. I lift a heaping piece onto my plate, right next to the mound of meatballs.

Patricia excuses herself, leaving Andrea, Colette and me in the kitchen. “So how do you know Nina?” I ask Colette, leaning back against the counter.

“Colette’s my best friend,” Andrea says, holding up Dad’s cup of decaf.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.