Chapter 35
“I can’t believe you told Joy that you didn’t like her pie.”
“I said that I don’t like pumpkin.”
“You should have just said that you were allergic!”
“Is anyone allergic to pumpkin?”
“Joy took it personally. They all take everything personally.”
“Joy’s the oldest, right?”
“No, Joy’s the fourth, right after me.”
“And Honny’s the first?”
“Honny’s the second. She just acts like she’s the oldest. When Hope got married young, Honny usurped her.”
“It would help me if only one of your sisters had an H-name . . .”
“I’ll see if one of them is open to changing.”
“I appreciate that, thank you. So Honny’s the first—”
“No, I just told you—Hope’s the first, Honny’s the second.”
“Then Joy.”
“No—then me. Joy’s the fourth. And Faith’s the fifth.”
“You sound like you’re listing queens. Honny the First. Hope the Second.”
“Tom. Hope is first.”
“And who’s on second?”
“Ha, ha.”
“It would also help if all your sisters didn’t look like the same person . . .”
“Next time I’ll wear a name tag.”
“I don’t need a name tag to identify the cutest.”
“Pfft. Everyone knows that Joy’s the cutest.”
“Who is this ‘everyone’?”
“Your cupcakes were a big hit.”
“They were your cupcakes, Cherry. I just did the finish art. Next year I’m making fancy Jell-O; I promised your nephew . . .
What are you smiling at?”
“Nothing.”
“You should be smiling at the road.”
“My mom said you’re invited to Christmas, too—but I told her you’d probably want to spend it with your own family.”
“My family doesn’t do holidays.”
“What do you mean—what do you guys do?”
“Nothing. My dad doesn’t think they’re worth the effort.”
“What about your sister?”
“She spends them with her girlfriend’s family, in Des Moines.”
“You and your dad could come to Christmas with us?”
“That’s sweet of you. Am I invited to come without him?”
“Tom. Of course.”
“Does your family go all-out for Christmas, too?”
“What counts as ‘all-out’?”
“Turkey. A tree.”
“A tree isn’t all-out. That’s the bare minimum. Your family doesn’t have a Christmas tree?”
“I told you, my dad doesn’t do holidays.”
“Not even when you were a kid?”
“Sometimes when I was a kid. But nothing like today. Thank you for inviting me.”
“You’re invited next year, too.”
“I’ll be there.”
“You’re invited all the years, Tom.”
“Eyes on the road, baby.”