Better Than Nothing: Part 3 of On the Edge Series

Chapter 3

"Dad?" The slam of the front door followed James' voice. "What are you doing on the floor?"

"Nothing," Tim started to pick up the albums, carefully keeping them in order. "Do you remember Lily?" He asked.

"Lily? Like, the Lily..." James' eyes grew wide.

"Just Lily," Tim corrected with a stern tone.

"No, not really," James straightened at his father's tonal correction.

"Hi, James; it's been a long time," I stood and held a hand to him.

"Yeah, sorry, I don't remember you too well." He had his mother's sympathetic eyes.

"Of course, you don't. I barely remember ten years ago, and I was an adult," I smiled, trying to comfort the concern in his eyes.

"You were an adult?" Tim teased, breaking some of the tension.

"I was of an adult age," I corrected.

"I thought I heard James," Tess said from the doorway. "Dinner is ready."

Awkwardness scattered the conversation at first as everyone spent an excessive amount of time staring at their plates. Even with Tess and Tim, the most skilled awkwardness diffusers, there were still starts and stops. Their lives were so intertwined with Billy that nearly all roads led back to him. Even James struggled with topics that didn't end with Uncle Billy.

"Okay, let's just get over it," I finally announced. "Billy is a person you all see every day. He's a person who can't even look at me. But I don't burst into flames at the mention of his name, so go about your normal conversations."

"Are you sure?" Tim asked. "Maybe it takes saying it three times like Beetlejuice. We should try," he laughed to himself.

"Billy Collins, Billy Collins, Billy Collins," I shot at him.

"Wait for it," Tim sat back in his chair. After a few seconds, he added, "well, I'll be."

"Thanks, Timmy." I rolled my eyes at him.

"Well, now that we got that out of the way." Tess let out a breath she had been holding all afternoon.

"Okay, so tell me all the shenanigans. I miss the mischief the most." I smiled.

"Mischief, Uncle Billy is so serious!" James laughed.

"What? Billy Collins is serious! Timmy, have you dropped the ball?" I prodded.

"Hey, don't blame me!" Tim threw his hands up.

"I have some stories about your uncle I could share, and I'm sure your father has loads more."

"I need stories." James' eyes lit up with excitement.

"Timmy?" I looked at him.

Tim let out a sigh and sat back in his chair. "Well, James, once upon a time, your uncle and I were young and, dare I say, cool."

"Well, they were definitely young, but the jury's still out on cool," I added.

"Oh, right, the peanut gallery is in town. Are you telling this story, or am I?"

"Depends on what story?" I winked.

"Chinese restaurant dumpster," Tim laughed.

"Oh no! Not the Chinese restaurant dumpster that makes us look terrible and Billy look sweet," I argued.

"Guys, I hate to burst your bubble, but most of the stories with the three of you have you two looking like assholes and Billy looking sweet," Tess added.