The Reunion Read Online Free Page B

ingredients and pans then when Mike came down.  She had everything started and he was in his "play" clothes. “Whose turn is it Garcia or Monkey?”
    “Chunky Monkey!”
    “How many?”
    “Five.”
    “Three.”
    “Rock, Paper, Scissors?”
    “Sure.”  He won with paper over rock.  “HA!  Five, I get to start.”   She took out the container and put it on the counter between them.  He took a spoon full and she took a spoon full, each in turn to five spoons full each.  Then he put the carton away and she put the bread under the broiler.  Mike punched up the inbox to the project's e-mail account.  “What are the messages like?”
    “We have over two hundred confirmations, some are up to six to a room.  That’s not including the motor homes from Texas, Arizona and here.”
    “What’s on the itinerary?”
    “Friday they'll have the Blue Man Group, Mamma Mia and Stomp tickets reserved.  They have several vans and limousines and almost every car Avis, Enterprise and Budget have [rented]; and, they have just about every seat on every airline known to man booked. Friday arrivals, informal mixer at the open bar area of the Lexor.  Saturday morning brunch, Saturday night formal dinner/dance in the ballroom.   I think its green lights all the way.”
    “Fabulous.  You’re a genius!”  She kissed him on the nose.  “Who's missing?”
    “Kaseburg, Stark and Wilson are hold outs.  They think they can do better than the rates we got them.  But we think most of them are coming.  The Rizzolis are bringing their wives and Uncle Pete's kids this time.  Someone said Uncle Pete has a daughter older than me.”
    “That was his first marriage and she’s older than me now too.”
    “That’s because you lie about your age.”
    “Smart ass.”
    “Old broad.”  He punched some keys on the laptop.  “Josh says to get the monkey off the keyboard and type your own damn messages.”
    “I think he’s referring to your short hand.”
    “He doesn’t get these symbols and quick-types.”
    “It’s that you can’t spell worth a damn.  You need to find a spell check program for that messenger or use the editor to spell check and cut and paste in.  He’s a teacher, he gets offended when I have typos.”
    “He said you all turn 15 when you get together.  Is that what happened at Aunt Mae’s funeral?”
    “Exactly.”
    “What about Uncle Connor?”
    “Uncle Connor is a hypercritical, oaf and shouldn’t cast stones.”
    “I don’t get it.”
    “Biblical references.  Let whomever is without sin cast the first stone… It’s a bible story.”
    “Yeah, so?”
    “He upset the cousins when he started calling people names.”
    “The only one he called any names were you and me.”
    “Well that matters to me and Uncle Josh and Ty… Pete, Toni and Tommy; and Ryan and Stacy.  It wasn’t nice, what he called you.”
    “But it’s true.”
    “Yes baby." she sighed.  "I didn't marry your father and to some people that makes you what he called you.”
    “But you call Uncle Josh that all the time and it’s not true.”
    “Yeah but he’s that or a son-of-a-bitch and grandma gets tired of me calling her a dog.”
    “You’re so stupid mom.”
    “You know it.”  She put his dinner in front of him and dished up her own.  “When I call Uncle Josh or any of the cousins names or use bad words they're just words, not meant to hurt anyone.  The way Uncle Connor was talking to you was to hurt my feelings specifically.  It just wasn’t nice.”
    “It’s ok.  I don’t need a dad.  I’ve got all the cousins and the best aunts and uncles in the world.”
    “That you have.”  She nodded.  How did he get to be so smart and so special?  She blessed every day she had him and that he was part of her life.  She wouldn’t have traded him for all the husbands and shitty marriages and asshole step-uncles in the universe.  He was hers and she was his and that's what’s most important.

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    Emily