In the Stillness(104)

“Worth it,” Crank said. “But where did you get two grand?”

“Oh God,” Alex said, starting to laugh.

Crank raised his eyebrows, so Alex leaned forward and said, “Sarah sold her viola. And half her dresses. And her jewelry. And her laptop.”

Julia burst out, “Mom must have gone ballistic.”

“A little bit,” Sarah said. “But I have that effect on her.”

“Trust me, I get that,” Julia said.

An uncomfortable look passed between all four sisters. Carrie had told me a little about her mom, but not much. I chimed in, mostly to change the subject, turning to Julia and asking, “Where did you two meet?”

She grinned, and said, “I don’t know if I should say with two soldiers at the table.”

I raised my eyebrows, and Crank said, “We met at an anti-war protest, back in 2002.”

I shrugged. “I don’t have any problem with that. Even if we don’t agree politically, at least you were engaged in it. Most people don’t even know there’s a war going on.”

Dylan met my eyes, and it was an uncomfortable moment. And then he did something that I never expected. He lifted his glass toward me, and said, “Fallen comrades.”

I winced, and lifted mine to his. “Fallen comrades,” I muttered.

The rest of the table went utterly silent. But Carrie slid her arm around my side, and it was all better.

Dylan and I had just waded into a minefield, so I quickly changed the subject. “So I gotta say, I’m looking at four brilliant, beautiful women. You parents must be really something.”

Sarah snickered, and Julia said, “Well, they’re um….”

Crank said, “Control freaks,” at the same moment Dylan said, “Intimidating.”

“Oh,” I replied.

All four of the women broke into laughter.

“On the other hand,” Crank said when the laughter died down, “Ambassador Thompson seems to have warmed to me over the years. A little. Although the first five years, I thought for sure he was going to get the Secret Service to hunt me down and kill me like a dog.”

“Mom’s mellowed a lot,” Julia said. “We’ve made peace with each other.”

They looked at each other with warm smiles, and Julia leaned forward and said, “The first time they met Crank I thought they were going to have heart attacks right then and there. Especially Mother.”

“I remember that,” Sarah said.

Crank raised his eyebrows. “Really?” he said. “You were wicked young.”

“I growled at you.”

Crank chuckled. “It’s true.”

“Should I be worried?” I asked.

Carrie shook her head. “Just be yourself. I don’t imagine you’ll actually meet them until Alex and Dylan’s wedding anyway. “And as much as I might like to have it, I don’t need their approval.”

Julia looked at her, and said, “While true, I wouldn’t put it past Dad to threaten to cut you off financially if he’s not happy.”

“We’ll see how much I care about that. I’ve got a job. I can live without their money if I have to.”

“Dad did it,” Julia replied. I was having trouble keeping up at this point. Except, did Carrie just tell her sisters that she’d risk financial ruin for me? Holy shit.

“Dad did what?” Alex asked.

“He told me years ago that grandfather disinherited him when they got married. Grandfather changed his mind when the kids came along.”

“I had no idea,” Alex said. “That explains why he didn’t make any similar threats with me.”

Sarah rolled her eyes. “Why would he do that? You’re perfect! Law school… you’re everything he wants.”

Alex gave a wistful smile to Sarah, and Dylan said, “Um… let’s just say, they aren’t too excited about our wedding. Or me.”

This was too much, I thought. I said, “I think my parents are happy to see me walking around still alive. Anything beyond that is gravy at this point.”

Carrie squeezed my hand and said, quietly, “You make me happy. That’s all that matters, Ray.”

Julia checked her watch, then said, “Thirty minutes, Crank.”

“Hope the food gets here soon,” he replied.

I looked at him and said, “I gotta admit, in my craziest dreams I never pictured myself sitting here having dinner with Crank Wilson.”

Crank leaned forward and said, “I’m just a guy from Southie. And if Carrie approves of you, you’re family. That’s the bottom line with me.”

“On the other hand,” Julia said, with a sweet looking, friendly smile. “If you ever hurt my sister, I’ll personally hunt you down and kill you.”

Carrie gasped. “Julia!”

Julia’s eyes flicked to Carrie, then she reached out and took her hand. “Relax, sis. I know it’s not likely. I know we don’t get to see each other often enough, any more. But you need to know… you mean everything to me. So I’m protective. I’d even kick Crank in the nuts if he did anything to make you sad.”

Crank winked at me, then shifted his seat several inches away from his wife. That caused the rest of us to break into raucous laughter, which caused a mildly offended Julia to turn toward Crank. Crank just gave her an innocent smile.