Chapter 17
seventeen
Tristyn
Tristyn!”
“Hey.” I walk out of my bedroom, wringing the water out of my hair with a towel. “When did you get here?”
“A couple of minutes ago. I promised Henry I’d take him to the summer festival down in Rockford, but he just informed me that you no longer have to work today, which means—”
“I’m not coming with you. Henry was very excited to have a boy’s day, and I’m not going to ruin that by tagging along.”
“Mama, you have to come with us!” Henry grabs my hand.
“Henry has spoken. Go get changed, we’ll be waiting in the car.”
“Vince.”
“No arguments.” Vince holds up his hand. “You always talked about wanting to bring Henry to an amusement park, and this is like the next best thing.”
I know this is an argument I won’t win. I have to admit it will be nice to take Henry to this festival and get to see his face light up as he sees all the rides, the food, and the entertainment.
“Fine. Give me ten minutes, and I’ll meet you at the car.”
Vince flashes me a wide grin as he wraps an arm around Henry and pulls him toward the front door.
Hopefully, this will help me get my mind off the fact that my job messaged me early this morning saying my presence wouldn’t be necessary today and to enjoy a long weekend.
Maybe my presence at work isn’t necessary for you, but it’s more than necessary for me.
Since I’m an hourly employee, I miss out on today’s pay, and since I have no more PTO due to my injury, I can’t even use some of that to cover today.
But, in some ways, I guess it’s a blessing in disguise. For the last few years, since Henry started preschool, I’ve felt like I don’t see him as much as I used to.
He has school, and then I have work, so we’re stuck on a schedule… a routine.
And because I have work, we’ve never been able to enjoy a summer. I work, and he gets to go to whatever summer program I can afford, or a program that’s being offered, like the church’s program.
We were supposed to have a trip this year. Our first family trip ever.
And by family, I mean Vince, Henry, and me.
I had been saving up for nearly two years, and everything was perfect. We were going to fly to Florida and spend a week there. We were going to go to Disney World, the beach, and swim in a hotel pool.
But instead of spending the money on that, I spent it on a stupid hospital bill. One that still isn’t paid off.
I guess this festival in Rockford is the closest we’ll get to Disney World for a while…
I guess it’ll have to do.
You didn’t have to pay for our wristbands.” I fidget with the paper band secured a little too tightly on my good wrist. “But I appreciate it.”
“It’s the least I can do since I dragged you out of your house to join us.” Vince throws an arm over my shoulder and pulls me into him. Henry is a little ahead of us, taking in all the festival has to offer.
I guess there’s a band here later tonight or some kind of live show.
“Plus, I was the one who promised Henry we’d come to the festival, so it’s only fair I pay.” He stops dead in his tracks, forcing me to stop with him. “And that means everything else is on me, too.”
“Vincent.”
I don’t use his full name often, but usually when I do, it’s because I’m angry with him. Or in this instance, trying to prevent him from doing that.
“Tristyn.”
My face falls, and my eyebrows raise.
“Don’t do that.”
“Do what?”
“Tristyn.” I mock his tone. “I don’t need you to pay for everything today, okay?”
“I know you don’t need me to, but I also don’t have another mouth to feed.
My money is all mine. The least I can do is spoil my favorite people.
Especially my wing woman.” He keeps walking, looking around the festival as he does.
“I know my future husband is here, and you’re going to help me find him. ”
Now it’s my turn to stop.
“I thought you didn’t want to get married.”
“A man can change his mind.”
I shake my head as we work to catch up with Henry, who’s stopped at one of the many food stalls.
“What’s a funnel cake?” Henry’s face scrunches together.
“It’s delicious, that’s what it is.” Vince grins, messing up Henry’s hair as he walks up to the cashier. “Two funnel cakes, please.”
Vince pays for the funnel cakes, and within minutes, two extra-large funnel cakes get handed to us over the counter.
“Whoa.” Henry’s eyes go wide and fill with an excitement I don’t think I’ve ever seen before when it comes to food.
He tears a piece off and throws it in his mouth. Powdered sugar covers his face but nearly disappears as a smile grows, and he reaches for another piece. A larger one.
“I think we’re going to need another one,” Vince whispers.
I chuckle.
“You’ve created a monster.”