In the End

30 ~ Planet

"I'll kill you." Drew says.

"You're afraid of a bunny video." Gentry laughs. "Bring it on, cuz."

"One, that video is of drunk Drew hopping around like a bunny dressed in nothing but a bow tie and tighty whities." Gabe says. "Two, give me my phone."

"Give me the models number."

"Give me the bunny video."

They have an intense stare off and just when I think things are going to get interesting, they all turn to the adults. "Mom!"

"I was out at tighty whities." Aunt Hallie grins.

"I have Avery's number." Aunt Callie shrugs.

"Don't break his phone." Mom sighs.

Drew and Gabe share a look, "We can take 'em."

"Totally." Drew nods. "We're older."

"Hey, old men." I knock on the counter. "They're gone."

Our moms are dying with laughter as the two idiots run out the garage door.

"We should've had daughters." Aunt Hallie sighs.

"You're getting one in like a month." Aunt Callie swats her. "At this rate, Gabriel will never get married."

"Five bucks he makes you the first grandma." I mutter.

"At this rate, at least it's another baby to snuggle." She sighs.

"What about Johnny's kids?" Mom asks.

My aunts shake their head. "They make Kat and Matty's kids seem like angels."

"Scarlett can babysit them." Aunt Hallie offers.

"Serves John right for always giving our kids bad ideas." Aunt Callie snickers. "But he does have two daughters."

"Be jealous, bitches." Mom winks at me. "My girl is amazing."

It's hard to smile back at her. I'm amazing all right.

"Why are you guys prepping dinner so early?" I change the subject. "And why are you letting mom help."

"Never mind." Mom deadpans as her sisters cackle. "Girls are too much sass."

"Lesson one, little Jo." Aunt Callie grins. "We're not really cooking. We're gossiping."

"So when does the cooking start?" Someone will have to feed us at some point.

"When they leave and the men step in." Uncle Ricardo chirps, rummaging through the pantry.

"You're not allowed in my kitchen." Mom snips.

He grins, "Allie cat, you wound me."

"Not yet." Mom rolls her eyes. "Hand me a knife and we can fix that."

I choke on my laughter. Oh, yeah, I definitely got my sass from my mother.

My aunts raise a brow and I catch onto their silent conversation. That little story Uncle Ricardo told me last night replays in my mind and I decide I should exchange my coffee for tea.

There's no way. Aunt Hallie winks at me, pressing a finger to her lips.

"Ricky, you could go save my son from getting his ass kicked." Aunt Hallie grins. "I'd hate for you to pay for a wedding where the groom is missing a front tooth."

"Who else needs help?" He asks, grabbing a handful of chopped celery from my mom's cutting board.

"My son." Aunt Callie cleans her knife.