Wilson Mooney Eighteen at Last by Gretchen de la O Page B

at
me.
    My heart swelled and
fluttered. He liked me. Maybe Camille had to deal with the dinner
inquisition when she’d brought Dan home, but for me, maybe this was
my big test. If I could pass being Frank’s partner, then maybe
I’m in with the
Goldstein family.
    “ Ah, come on Dad. you and
Camille won fair and square. You two are still the champs. Let’s
call it a game and see if Mom needs help with dinner,” Max
said.
    “ Are you kidding me? The
last time I was Max’s partner, he cost me two hundred and fifty
bucks. Remember that? When we played the Vaughns? It was you and me
against Emily and Jeff,” Camille whined.
    “ Well, we aren’t playing
for money. Unless you want to,” Frank interjected.
    “ Yeah, but that isn’t the
point. I don’t feel like playing another game. And besides, Wilson
might be tired.” Max looked at me.
    Suddenly I was on the
spot. What should I say? Frank wanted me to play pool. Maybe if I get in good with him I can avoid the anxiety of
the dinner inquisition. But then Camille
didn’t want to partner with Max, and Max didn’t want to play any
longer, and all the while, here I was filling in for Calvin. So
what was I supposed to do? I’d never been in a situation like that
before. A family divided, pressured by a game that was supposed to
be a tradition.

Chapter
Eleven
     
    Standing around the pool
table waiting for someone to make the first move was as torturous
as watching Cindy fake her friendship with Jacky Burlington. Worse
yet, the people around the pool table were waiting on my decision to play pool
as Frank’s partner or not.
    God, if only the phone
would ring for Frank. Or Dan would call for Camille. Or, better
yet, maybe a meteor will crash into the earth. I needed something to break the bitter standoff.
    Max pulled his iPhone from his pocket.
I didn’t hear it chime or ring so when he started texting, I
assumed it must be a ritual he used when he wanted to avoid arguing
with his father.
    “ Frank, could you come
here please?” Nancy called from the kitchen. Thank God!
    “ Sure, honey,” Frank sang
back to his wife before he gave Camille and Max a disappointed
look.
    Camille, bent out of shape, tromped
off upstairs.
    “ Geez, that was beyond
awkward,” I whispered to Max.
    “ Yeah, my dad and sister
both have a pretty competitive streak.”
    “ Well, what about you? You
don’t seem to be that competitive.”
    “ No, I’m more like my mom.
That’s why I couldn’t work with my dad. I’m not cut-throat; it’s
just not in my character,” Max said plainly.
    “ Is Calvin more like your
mom or your dad?”
    “ Oh, man, Calvin is a
perfect mix of both of them. In business, he is like my mom—not
competitive at all; but when it comes to family, he’s super
protective. I think he and my dad fight so much because they are
both are very stubborn. He’s punishing my dad, you see. That’s, why
he isn’t here.”
    “ Well, doesn’t he know
it’s only punishing your mom?” I asked.
    “ He knows. I’ve told him
it hurts Mom. It’s just not in him to let my dad win, and in turn,
my dad can’t let him win.”
    “ Wow, that totally sucks.
I feel bad for your mom—having to deal with being torn between
them.”
    “ I’ll give him another day
or two, then I’ll call,” he mumbled.
    I could tell Calvin’s actions had
affected him. His energy tanked when we talked about his brother. I
could almost see the muscles in his shoulders tighten and his
demeanor become hopeless.
    “ Wilson, Maxi...dinner is
just about ready,” Nancy sang from the kitchen.
    “ Okay, Ma,” Max answered.
He grabbed my hand and pulled me up against his chest. “You ready
for dinner?”
    I felt my gut twist and a chill flash
across my skin. I wasn’t ready for Frank’s inquisition. What if I
failed?
    “ Sure,” I answered
reluctantly. “But didn’t we just eat lunch?”
    “ That was just a sandwich
a couple of hours ago—besides, my family likes to eat