Roadside Assistance

by Marie Harte

  “Yeah, well, I would have gotten you your favorite gift, but I thought the darts and beer would be better. And I figured you don’t need a blowup doll now that you have your own girlfriend.”

  Foley chuckled. “You’re an ass, you know that? Hey, Mom, did Santa put coal in Sam’s stocking or what?”

  “Hmm. I’m thinking he probably put it in both your stockings.” She tugged at his ear, and Foley yelped. “Holding back on me, hmm? What’s this about a girlfriend?”

  “It’s Christmas. No badgering on Christmas,” Foley pleaded. “At least not until we’ve had your homemade cinnamon rolls.”

  Eileen stared at him, then sighed. “Fine. But I’m going to get you to talk, boy. See if I don’t.”

  “Love you, Mom.” Foley smiled at his mother while giving Sam the finger.

  Sam laughed. “Yeah, Eileen. I love you, too.”

  She rose and smiled. “This is what the holidays are for. Spending time with the people you love.” As she puttered in the kitchen, she said, “Oh, and tomorrow? Be here at two. We’re going to brunch with Jacob and his family.”

  Foley and Sam looked at each other.

  “What’s that?” Foley asked and stood, in search of caffeine. She hadn’t added that part about Jacob’s family, had she? Dealing with Jacob would be bad enough.

  “You heard me. Now, I didn’t bring Jacob here for Christmas, even though I wanted to share our happiness with him. Because this is our time—for you, me, and Sam.”

  Sam grunted his approval.

  “But Jacob means something to me. I want you two to get to know him. So tomorrow, both of you dress nice. Sam Hamilton, don’t you even think of scrubbing down.”

  “Come on, Eileen.” Sam paused, then sang in tune, “Come on, Eileen.”

  Foley tried not to smile at the reference to a popular song his mother loathed.

  “And, Foley,” she continued on a tear, ignoring Sam, “I want you being nice to Jacob. No death glares or threatening looks.”

  “Hey, I’m the nice one. Blame Sam for that.”

  “I don’t think so. He follows your lead. Always has.”

  Sam didn’t argue. “That’s true. I do.”

  “Ass.”

  “This is important to me.” She turned to look both of them in the eye. “I want you to like him, and I know you will if you give him a chance.”

  Foley couldn’t resist her hopeful expression. “I’ll try, but no promises. If he’s a jerk and he’s not good enough for you, he’s gone.”

  “That’s fair. Just remember, your girlfriend has to jump through my hoops too.”

  “And mine,” Sam added.

  “And Sam’s. So you might want to keep that in mind while you’re running Jacob through the gauntlet.”

  She had him there. “No problem. Cyn can hold her own.”

  “So can Jacob.”

  Oh, it was on. “Merry Christmas,” Foley said with forced cheer.

  His mother gave him her best insincere smile. “Ho, ho, ho, my little elf. I can’t wait to meet your lady friend.”

  Sam stared at the two of them and shook his head. “Love is for suckers.”

  Eileen stared at him for a moment in silence then chuckled. “Oh, honey. You know what you just did?” She turned to Foley. “When they say it and they mean it, that’s when it happens.”

  Foley agreed. “Sam, you just signed your own relationship warrant. You are now officially doomed to find yourself committed.” Just as he’d been blindsided by an angry redhead in heels after thinking no way in hell would he ever have what Liam, Del, or Johnny had.

  “Huh?” Sam blinked, baffled.

  “Don’t worry, buddy. You have your looks. Brains aren’t a requirement.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “Hell if I know.” Foley was dying for a cinnamon roll. Something sweet to remind him of Cyn. “I’m just a sucker.”

  * * *

  Cyn sat in a comfortable pair of jeans and her favorite sweatshirt, one of Matt’s old castoffs that was worn, soft, and huge on her. So nice to not worry about clingy fabric or looking perfect as she sat with her family at her parents’ house Christmas afternoon.

  Having attended Mass earlier that morning, they’d returned home and eaten a big brunch, enough to tide them over until dinner.

  She’d spent her time glued to Nina’s side and eaten whatever the heck she wanted. She’d ignored her mother’s frowns, and fortunately, Ella said nothing about Cyn’s consumption of sweets and all things bad for her.

  Alex and Vinnie bolstered her good cheer, asking a dozen questions about Foley, wanting to see him again.

  “I swear, I’m still shocked that they liked him so much.” Cyn shook her head while the boys played with their new electronic gadgets. “I mean, I like him. But Vinnie can be a tough one.”

  “That’s because Matt coached him to be mean to your boyfriends,” Nina explained. “Only the ones who can tolerate bratty nephews are worth keeping.”

  Jonathon, her ex, had taken to Alex more than Vinnie. But he’d been patient enough, and over time, Vinnie had warmed to him. But both boys had taken to Foley right away.

  Matt joined them on the couch, having left his father in the kitchen with his mother. “What are we watching?”

  “Miracle on 34th Street,” Cyn answered. “I love this movie.”

  “We were just talking about how much the boys like Foley,” Nina told him.

  Matt frowned, physically picked up his wife and moved her over, so he could sit between Cyn and Nina.

  “Hey.” Nina huffed. “All you had to do was ask.”

  “But then I’d have no excuse to put my hands on my delectable wife.” He wiggled his brows like a lecher.

  “Ew. There isn’t going to be any kissing here, is there?” Cyn teased, sounding a lot like her nephews.

  Matt kissed his wife then shoved Cyn back by her forehead. “Kiss that, twerp.”

  “Cut it out or I’ll take all your presents back.” She’d gotten him a baseball cap with his favorite basketball team’s logo on it, a matching team jersey, and a real girlie calendar, one without grandmothers wearing Christmas sweaters.

  “I’m sorry, I swear.”

  Nina gave a mock growl. “I can’t believe you bought my husband a nudie calendar.”

  Vinnie looked up from his phone, and his eyes grew wide.

  “It’s a joke, Vinnie. No boobs for you.”

  He flushed. “Not funny, Aunt Cyn.” Then he left the room.

  Alex followed, still playing his game and tripping along the hallway.

  “Speaking of boobs…” Matt paused. “I know what happened with Foley and Vinnie.”

  Cyn sat back and, not seeing her mother, put her feet on the coffee table. “Now what are you talking about?”

  “It didn’t make sense to me that nothing happened on your date with the boys. They never like anyone new, and especially not your boyfriends.”

  “You act like there have been so many.” Cyn frowned.

  “Yeah. We all know she’s perpetually dateless,” Nina offered with a grin.

  “Don’t help, Nina.”

  Matt sat with a weird look on his face.

  Cyn sobered. “Well?”

  He glanced around. Not spotting his parents or the boys, answered, “Apparently Vinnie had a run-in with Jim Nelson, that jerky kid on the basketball team who has disciplinary issues at school.”

  “Wait. When was this?”

  “When you were at the movies.”

  Cyn had thought Vinnie had been an awful long time in the bathroom. “I knew it. He and Foley were gone a little too long.” Foley, that liar. Wait until she had a word with him about keeping things from her.

  “What happened?” Nina asked her husband. “Man, you take forever to
tell a story.”

  “He does,” Cyn agreed.

  Matt scowled. “Shut up. Not you, honey. You, Cyn.”

  “Because he knows I’ll make him pay later,” Nina said.

  Cyn rolled her eyes. “Still not hearing the story.”

  “Apparently Foley found Jim picking on Vinnie outside the bathroom. Then Jim’s father joined him and got a little aggressive.”

  “What?” Nina’s eyes grew round. “A grown man picking on my son? Let’s go kick his ass. Christmas or no Christmas, no one messes with my boy but me.”

  “Simmer down, She-Hulk.” To her brother, Cyn asked, “What did Foley do, exactly?”

  “Your badass boyfriend jacked the elder Nelson up against the wall and nearly broke his arm. Then he made Jim and his dad apologize and swear to leave Vinnie alone. Vinnie didn’t catch what Foley said to the kid’s dad, but whatever it was had the dad nearly running from the theater. Vinnie said it was awesome. Foley looked like a prison escapee on a rampage. Vin’s words, not mine.”

  Nina sighed. “I love Foley. If you won’t marry him, I will.”

  “Ahem. Bigamy is illegal in Washington,” Matt reminded his wife.

  “Only if you get caught.”

  Cyn wasn’t hearing them. She remembered Foley joking about illegal doings and prison with her mom. What if he’d been serious? What did she really know about him, anyway?

  He kissed like he had all the time in the world. He was protective of those he cared for. He had no problem jacking up a guy threatening her nephew, and he hadn’t bragged about it. He was honest—that she knew—and he seemed to be really into her.

  He’d given her a present, and it sat on her dining table at home, burning a hole through her brain.

  “So are you going to marry him?” Nina asked again.

  Cyn blinked and saw her sister-in-law and brother staring at her. “Seriously? We just met.”

  “But we know and like him.” Nina pinched Matt. “Don’t we?”

  “Ow. Stop abusing me, bigamist wannabe.” Matt rubbed his side. “I like what I know of him. I have to admit, the way he dealt with Nelson has me wanting to give him a medal. Not sure if I like Vinnie thinking violence is the solution to his problems, though.” Matt frowned.

  “Want me to talk to Foley?” Cyn planned to talk to him regardless.

  Matt shook his head. “No. I wasn’t supposed to say anything. Besides, Jim pushed Vinnie around a few times. Then the dad laid a hand on him.”

  Nina tensed. “What?”

  “That’s when Foley about broke his arm,” Matt explained. “So I guess violence was justified.”

  “You’re damn right it was.”

  Cyn imagined she could see smoke steaming from Nina’s nose. “Ah, you might want to relax, Nina. Foley handled it. Vinnie’s fine. And it’s Christmas.”

  “Peace on Earth, yeah yeah.” Nina blew out a breath. “That Nelson is so lucky Foley dealt with him and not me. I’d have gone for his balls.”

  Matt winced. “My Nina does not play around.”

  Cyn laughed. “At work she scares teenagers and grown men and women alike.”

  “Why do you think I do most of my work at home?”

  “Funny guy, aren’t you? Say what you want, but Foley is my new hero.” Nina sighed, saw Matt’s arched brows, and amended, “Aside from you, of course, my darling.”

  Matt shook his head. “Whatever. Can we please watch the movie?”

  “You started it, but fine.”

  A dreaded voice interrupted. “Feet off the table, young lady.”

  Damn. Snagged by her mother.

  Cyn spent the next two hours with family, laughing as they played board games and ate dinner. Fun continued as the day wore on. But she knew she wouldn’t be able to avoid it forever. She found herself helping her mother with the dishes while everyone else played another game.

  The day had gone surprisingly well. Once again Cyn felt conflicted about her mother. Ella had gone above and beyond with her gifts this year, buying Cyn a pricey painting she’d had her eye on since attending a gallery opening months ago with her parents.

  Times like these made it difficult to remember why she hated being alone with her mom. Ella had been fun, sweet, and giving all day. Cyn’s dad had beamed, proclaimed himself the luckiest man on the planet, and bragged about having the best wife in the world.

  A full day of family happiness in a world where couples divorced every minute of every day. She knew she was fortunate to have parents who loved each other and their children and did their best to support one another.

  Hell, her mother had even gone all in on the charity she and her friends supported, donating time and baking for a shelter downtown. She’d spent her Christmas Eve at the soup kitchen, alongside her husband, serving those less fortunate.

  Cyn looked at her mom while drying the dishes. Her mother did look older, but when she smiled, she had a beauty all her own. “I love you, Mom.”

  Ella smiled back. “I love you too, sweetie. You’re such a good girl. I’m lucky to have you.”

  Cyn felt warm inside.

  Her mother continued to wash dishes in silence, then said, “I’m sorry about the other day. I didn’t mean to offend you or your…boyfriend.” That came out stilted, but Ella seemed sincere.

  All of a sudden, Cyn felt guilty for having taken joy in irritating her mother. “Well, I’m sorry for teasing you. Foley was just being funny. He didn’t mean to upset you either.”

  “It’s just… I want you to be happy. Matt and Nina, the boys, they make a family.”

  “Nina’s great.” Matt had certainly gotten lucky with her.

  “I want you to find someone just as special. You’re such a pretty girl.” Her mother lifted a soapy hand and wiped a bubble on Cyn’s nose. “If I ride you about your size, it’s only because I want everyone to see what I see underneath. You know that.” Ella’s eyes looked teary, and Cyn felt awful, both because her mom loved her and because her mom still couldn’t see beyond her size.

  “Mom, don’t cry.”

  “I’m sorry.” Ella sniffed. “I just love you so much, and you have so much untapped potential.”

  Cyn’s eyes watered too, both from seeing her mother sad and from the fact that her mother still considered her inferior. “Mom—”

  “That Foley. He’s handsome enough. Too handsome for you. You can’t trust the good-looking ones.”

  “Oh? What about Jonathan?”

  “He was smart, dear. He liked you for your intellect. But Foley. What can he see in you?”

  “Maybe that I’m special?” she dared say out loud.

  Her mother talked over her. “That mean glint in his eye. And that talk about prison… I don’t know. I don’t trust him. And I sure don’t trust him with my vulnerable girl. A little bit of attention, and he’s in your bed. Oh, Cynthia. You always do give way too easily.”

  Great. Now I’m an ugly, stupid whore. Cyn bit her lip and tried to stay positive. “I’m sure he was teasing, Mom.”

  “A man like that gets looked at and flirted with by a lot of pretty girls. I hope you’re being careful with sex. You could pick up all kinds of nasty diseases.”

  “Mom.” Cyn drew in a breath and let it out slowly. “Foley is a good man. Despite what you apparently think about me, I’m not a cheap date. A handsome man who pays attention to me does not automatically get invited to sleep with me.” She focused on Foley. “I like Foley. A lot. He respects me.”

  “Is that so?” Her mother snorted. “Then maybe when I gently hint that you shouldn’t have another cookie, you should listen. If you want to hold onto this Foley, you’ll need to work at it. Think about it. You were with Jon for two years, and he still left in the end.”

  “Because I told him to go.”

  “Really? I remember your tears after t
he breakup. He tried to make it work, but you wouldn’t listen.”

  Because he’d badgered her for weeks to lose more weight and “stop eating like a pig.” Back when she’d been twenty pounds lighter. He’d also had the nerve to insist she put her career on hold while they supported his rise toward corporate stardom. The jackass needed a skinny trophy wife who stayed at home to take care of his needs. Not a businesswoman with sense and a larger-than-normal dress size. “God, Mom. Can we not talk about this today? It’s Christmas.”

  “I’m trying to help you. Lose a few pounds. Give Tony a call. Lose Foley, sweetie. He’s no good for you. He’ll only break your heart when someone better comes along.”

  As though Cyn wasn’t and would never be good enough.

  Cyn just stared at her mother, wondering how the woman could say and mean the things she did and not realize her daughter would be hurt by them.

  Ella sighed. “I always sound terrible. I know I do.” She wiped a tear. “But I mean well. You’re a good girl, sweetie. I want the best for you. You might not see it, because you’ve been dealing with weight issues your whole life. Just like Aunt Sharon. I loved her so much, but she was lonely. I get scared when I think of you like that, and I can’t imagine losing you too.”

  Her mother cried and hugged Cyn.

  Cyn didn’t know what to do, so she hugged her mother back, trying to comfort her while half wishing she’d never moved back to Seattle. “Mom, it’s okay. I’m not Aunt Sharon.” Who killed herself twenty years ago. I miss her, but can we please let this go? “I’m fine and I’m happy. My life is good.”

  “I’m sorry for worrying. You’re a smart girl. I only wish all men were as good as your father and brother. Jon was, but, well, he’s not here, is he?” Ella sighed, patted Cyn on the shoulder, and stepped back. “I’m sorry. Ignore me, Cynthia. You and Foley will be just fine. You trust him, and I’m sure he’s attentive to you even when other women are around. Skinnier, prettier girls won’t matter in the long run. Not if he’s in love.”

  Cyn and Foley were new. She hadn’t been out with him enough to know if he’d flirt with other women in her presence, or how he’d behave if some skinnier, prettier girl hit on him while she was there.

  On her own, Cyn had looks and grace. But standing next to someone like Nina, she couldn’t compare. Her belly to no belly. Thick thighs to toned thighs. Even her face looked fuller than it should, no doubt thanks to all those gingerbread men she’d devoured in the last few days.