Emily glanced over their shoulders and dropped her voice. “I heard the neighbors were complaining because he came out shirtless and in his boxer shorts.”
Suzie grimaced. “Don’t remind me. At least he was wearing boxers. The other day, when I stopped by to pick Mom up, he answered the door in his tighty whities and wouldn’t change.”
Jonathan choked on his drink. “Oh, God. I thought I was the only one who had that image burned into my mind.”
All of them exchanged a quick look before bursting into laughter.
Someone handed Sophia a plate with a piece of corn, some mashed potatoes, and chicken drizzled in sauce. She inhaled and talked to her cousins in between bites of food, the rich flavor dancing on the tip of her tongue. Halfway through her food, the cousins all ended up on their own table, clutching their sides and swapping stories of their adventures.
Sophia couldn’t stop smiling or laughing.
Emily wiped her mouth and turned to face her. “So, cous, I heard that Nora changed her mind about wanting Valerie as her successor. You’re going to say yes, right?”
Sophia choked on her bread, and her eyes watered. “How did you know about that?”
“I’ve got eyes and ears everywhere.” Emily shrugged, her eyes never leaving Sophia’s face. “Does it matter how I know? What matters is I do.”
“Yeah, I wouldn’t ask too many questions,” Tara teased with a quick look around the table. “Or you might not like the answers.”
“Are you in the mob or something?”
Emily cast a quick glance around the table and leaned forward. “If I were, I wouldn’t tell you, would I?”
“Or you would, just to throw us off your track,” Sophia joked, earning a few more snickers from her cousins. “I’m just saying… We don’t really know how far your reach extends.”
Emily’s expression turned somber. “And you never will. Not if I can help it.”
When the cousins erupted into laughter again, they earned a few curious looks from the other members of the Wilson clan, especially the grandparents. Grandma Jen and Grandpa Frank wandered over and gave them all a bright smile before they were pulled away by the aunts.
Then Sophia and her cousins were arguing about anything and everything they could think of. For the first time in a while, Sophia felt herself begin to relax, the knots in her stomach loosening until she was able to sit back and let the feelings of joy and contentment wash over her.
Although she was still no closer to figuring out her next professional move, especially after the surprising turn of events with Nora, Sophia liked that she still had her family to depend on. Even in the midst of the chaos and confusion, she knew they had her back no matter what.
It was something she was immensely grateful for.
As she glanced around her Uncle Frankie’s backyard at the steady stream of people coming out, her eyes welled with tears.
When her phone vibrated in her pocket, bringing her back to the present with a jolt, she fished it out, and her heart gave an odd little lurch once she saw her son’s name. Mumbling under her breath, she weaved in and out of the throngs of people till she was inside the blue-colored living room with its matching couch set.
She lowered herself onto one of the armchairs, pausing to wipe her hand on the back of her jeans. After exhaling nervously,she sat up straighter, tossed her blonde hair over her shoulders, and held the phone up with both hands.
As soon as Zac’s face emerged on the screen, Sophia burst into tears.
“Are you okay? What’s wrong? Is it Dad? Is it Zoe?”
Sophia hiccupped and fanned her face. “Everyone is fine, sweetheart. Nothing is wrong. I’m just so happy to see you.”
Zac’s expression softened, and he pulled the camera back, revealing a plain brown wall behind him and a few men and women in shorts and t-shirts milling in the background. Slowly, he set the phone down on a table and leaned back in his wooden chair.
“I’m sorry that if I’ve been a jerk the past few days,” Zac began, his eyes softening around the edges. “I know I shouldn’t have treated you and Dad like that, especially when you were just trying to help.”
Sophia sniffed. “I know, honey. Your dad and I will do whatever it takes to make this right, okay? You just tell me who I need to talk to and consider it done.”
Zac waved her comment away. “It’s water under the bridge, Mom. They’re over it already. I was just upset because I’m trying to prove myself to them, and I want to find my place in the world, and you know I love you and Dad, but…”
“You don’t want us to pull strings and interfere?”
Zac grimaced. “I’m sorry. Please don’t be mad at me.”
