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Merc brings out the last of the food and takes his place in the middle of me and Jack. He doesn’t sit, ding-dinging his wine glass. “If I could say a few words before we begin?”
The loud backyard falls silent. When Merc speaks, people listen—even wild Meyers.
“Thank you for coming here to celebrate our brother Logan with us today. He’s quickly come to mean a lot to Jack and me to the point that I’m my tyrannical self in spades these days—a sure sign I’ve already made you an honorary Meyer, Lo. You always have a place with us, and I hope you know that. To Logan.”
He raises his glass. My anger evaporates and I duck my head while everyone cheers for my long life and short hangovers. Theo climbs across everyone to sit on my lap. “I want to sit with the best guy of the day,” he says.
The corners of my lips tug. It’s hard to fight the smile threatening to crack onto my face.
“Logan doesn’t want you on his lap while he’s trying to eat,” Merc says, making to grab for him.
“Nah, Merc. It’s all right.”
Theo is the wildest Meyer of all. Having him in my lap isn’t a fun time with him standing on my legs and reaching for things, but he’s also got too much energy to stay with me for long. Soon enough, he’s released into the backyard, and I’m left to slowly pick away at what I can eat.
Scott is on my mind. I want to stay in good shape for him. I have a real shot at a career, skating with a guy like Scott. It’s my birthday, though, so I treat myself to ribs and a little potato salad but fill up on greens.
I didn’t want a cake, but Merc said that hell would be raised if there was a birthday party in this family without one. Jack pouted when I said I wouldn’t be eating any, so I agreed to fruit with a little whipped cream.
Everyone brings me a thoughtful present and there are a lot of them, including a hefty supply of makeup remover from Rachel. “So that you don’t use mine anymore,” she says.
“That’s kind of you, Rach,” Merc says, and she beams.
Ari and Bea express how much they want me to come over to each of their houses whenever I want.
“It’s not fair that Merc’s hogging you,” Ari says. “Now he’ll be able to drink with us during business hours.”
“Business hours?” I ask.
“It’s what we call the meeting of the Meyer family elders division,” Bea says.
“Meyer family elder?” I don’t know that I should be an elder of anything.
“Yeah, you’re the same age as Bryce and he’s one,” Ari explains.
“I haven’t talked to Lo about that,” Merc says.
“Since when is it a talking point, Merc? You’re eighteen, you become an elder,” Ari says.
“Oh, boy,” Jack says. “I’m gonna change Stanley’s diaper. I’ll be back when this conversation is long over.”
“What does an elder do?” I ask.
Merc gestures for Ari to go ahead. “Be my guest. You brought it up.”
“Help make family decisions. Like when Merc became coach of the Wildcats so that we could afford Stanley,” Ari says.
“Or when we decided that some of us were moving to Kelowna for the in-season,” Bryce adds. “We’ll be helping with Stanley so that Merc can coach.”
Right, because Jack will be in New York.
Jack, who’s only gotten to standing and lifting the baby out of the captain’s arms, freezes. Even I know that’s the off-limits topic around here. Jack squeezes Stanley to him. “Merc, why don’t you get our present to Lo, and we move on from this conversation, eh?”
It’s not often the sunshine is scrubbed from Jack’s face, but when it is, Mercy’s on it. Like, fuckingonit. He snatches up a gift bag and another larger gift.
“Thought you were changing the baby?” I say.
Jack and Merc exchange a look because, yes, I called the baby a baby.
