Confessions Of An Owl

Eighteen

To say the evening was amusing would be an understatement. It was hilarious. Mason was passed on from a cousin to an uncle to an aunt back to a cousin. The man's determination astounded me. He smiled through it all. When he was questioned by Ethan and Travis, when he was forced to eat anything my grandmother could find on the table because she claimed he was too skinny, when my 1-year-old cousin Rick barfed on his hand, when he slipped on my other 1-year-old cousin Mike 's toy car and fell face first, when his belief of being one of the tallest was shot to hell the minute my cousin Freddy walked through the door, whenever Riley shoved Mickey in his face which was every chance she could find because I accidentally told her that he is a cat person. But, most importantly, when he decided to sit on the ground and play with the babies and Pluto decided to waltz in and sit on his lap. I was sure he's going to run for the hills then and there. Surprisingly, my Mason just smiled.

He also complimented my grandma on her cooking, spoke French with my mom, spoke politics with my dad, charmed the pants off of all the females in the family and won Travis and Ethan over with stories about the AFL, apparently Mason attended games anytime he could. He worked his way through the nuttiness of the family like a new rooster in the flock and I fell in love with him more and more by the second.

"Riles!" I call out from behind her and she turns around which was enough of a distraction for me to snatch the pigs in a blanket from her hand "Thank you" I stuff it in my mouth

"Aw man! Come on there is a tray full of them right there" She points to the table in the corner

"Then go get another one" I smile at her

"But it's too far away" She whines

"Oh put a sock in it will you?"

"I could've put food in it but how is that possible with you around!"

"Riles focus" I hold her shoulders " Did you finish the designs?"

"Get me another piece and I'll tell you"

"Don't make me slap you" I give her a stern look

"Sorry, my memory doesn't work when I'm hungry" she pulls her innocent face

"Give me the designs right now before I shove the tray up to your ass"

"I'd prefer it in my mouth, thank you"

"Fine! Damn you. I'll go get the stinking pigs in a blanket"

"Great" She smiles as I march to the table and grab a few pieces then march right back to her "Perfect" She smiles again and gives me the paper I've been expecting

"Wow you've really outdone yourself with this one," I say while staring at the paper

"Well, of course, it's me! Now put it away before your boyfriend sees you"

"Oh right" I hide it in my purse "Where is my boyfriend anyway?"

"I saw him talking to Richard a few minutes ago"

"Richard? Like Maria's fiancé, Richard?"

"Yeah! I have to hand it to him, he knows his targets well"

"You think Mason's asking him about his first time meeting the family?"

"Well I thought that but I was proven wrong when I eavesdropped on their conversation"

"You eavesdropped on their conversation!"

"Well of course! I'm Riley, you moron"

"How could you do that? It's so rude!"

"Do you want to know what they were talking about or not?"

"Of course!"

"They were talking about business"