Nothing's Guaranteed

Prologue

"You must always find a reason to disagree with me, huh?"

"If I don't, who will?" My mom smiles over at my dad and I see him roll his eyes in the rear view mirror. I observe my mom grab my dad's hand and intertwine their fingers. Their love is so great, so raw and pure. One day I hope to share something just as great with someone else.

"Was there ever a time you guys could not stand being around each other?" I see my dad meet my eyes in the mirror and then he looks over at my mom. She turns to face me with a smile.

"Baby, when I first met your father he was so annoying and did not know how to take no for an answer. I had a boyfriend and everything, but he absolutely refused to leave me alone."

"Syd, your mom was dating this asshole. Some grade A jock. She did not need that cliche ruining her life. She needed someone fun and spontaneous, not someone so boring." I snort at my dad's honesty, but my mom scoffs.

"Ruin my life? Come on, Jamal was not about to ruin my life."

"So you're telling me everything we have gone through together would have been just as enjoyable with a Jamal." I bust out laughing and it is my mom's turn to roll her eyes. "I am not making fun of your taste in guys back then, we were young, but come on. Jamal was the last guy I ever saw you creating a future with. Mostly because I wanted you to create one with me." I see my dad wink at her and my mom starts to blush. She looks out her window and I fall in love with their relationship once again. My mom can talk for days about any and everything. My countless attempts to render her speechless have failed repeatedly, but somehow my dad always finds a way to stop any words from escaping her. And part of me knows that it is not what he is saying alone. The way she feels about him affects her actions as well. The fact my dad still compliments her and works to make her feel special even this far into their marriage makes me excited. It leaves hope in my soul that someone could even love the train wreck that is me.

"So mom, what made you change your mind and realize that you really liked him?"

"One night Jamal and I got into an argument and he left me stranded at one of the popular diners back then. Your father was there with his friends, and as they were leaving I was standing outside looking helpless and angry. He offered to give me a ride home, but we ended up sitting and talking for hours. About everything. Since that night he has been my little baby love ever since." I watch my mom pinch my dad's cheek and shake it in the way that he hates. He snatches his face from her and pouts as he rubs his now sore cheek. My mom laughs and I just shake my head. My parents act so silly together, but I love to watch them interact, even when they are arguing. They are like best friends. I feel my little cousin start to stir beside me and I try to control my laughter until she settles down again.

"Maybe we should calm down before we wake up China."

"She needs to wake up anyways. She has been asleep the entire time." My mom turns around in her seat just enough to get a look at my sleeping cousin. And shakes her head.

We're on the way to our family reunion in Maine. We live in Chicago, so we're not too far, but it's still a pretty long drive. I love road trips because that seems to be the time my family is the happiest. We have no choice but to put up with each other because there is no where for anyone to go even when they are annoyed with everyone else in the car. China is always the first to get fed up with all of our talking. Especially when she is trying to watch a movie or anything and my parents won't stop asking her questions.

We're all stuck in a car together just enjoying each other's company and enjoying good music.

China, my cousin, changes positions and her head is now in my lap. I watch her sleep for a moment and it almost starts to make me get a little sleepy. I just lay my head back and try to hold my eyes open as I take in the sights. All I see is a few buffalo every now and then and horses, but there's mostly grass.