by Cee, DW
“Really? I don’t know about that, Dad. I’m feeling pretty old and beat up already. Nolan’s thrown me every ball in the softball pitching manual. I don’t know how to dodge him any longer.”
“What is it that you truly want?”
“I want to marry Rhys. I want to join Nolan as a business partner. I want Elizabeth to be happy with John.”
“Why can’t you have all your desires?”
“Because my fiancé has put the kibosh on me working with Nolan, which effectively puts the kibosh on me helping my cousin.”
“Talk to Rhys one more time and explain yourself and the situation with Ellie. He might be more amenable.”
“I don’t think so, Dad. He’s threatened by Nolan. It bothers him that he’s in London and we’re both here.”
“Rightly so. It would bother me if my woman was so far away and there was another suitor.”
“I don’t understand, Dad. All twenty-two years of life, I lived peacefully on Reid Place with no major upheavals.” Dad snorted when I said this. “All right, I caused a few issues within the family, but for the most part, I was a good girl. Within a few months, I meet a man, get myself engaged, and then find another man who desperately wants to engage himself to me and with me. What gives, Dad?”
“Life, Baby, life. Welcome to adulthood.”
If this is adulthood, I want to go back to the glory days of worrying about nothing but my next midterm and paper.
Donovan Taylor: “‘Cause girl you’re amazing, just the way you are...” ~Bruno Mars
“What was with the serious convo between you and our baby girl?”
I loved it when my wife showed no reservation of sitting on my lap in front of her entire family. “She’s contemplating adulthood.”
My princess giggled. “Poor baby has come to the realization that her decisions mean something now? She’s been too coddled by you. Her older brothers spoiled her rotten, too.”
“I’d have it no other way, Princess.” Family be damned. I made out with my wife on the bench with too many onlookers to count. “Every time I look at our family, I know I made the right decision going after you so many years ago.”
“Those were some good times, huh?” My princess looked dreamy recalling our past. “To say I was shocked to see you knocking on the door in Belgravia would be putting it mildly. I woke up sick on my twenty-third birthday. My boyfriend, at the time, had no idea I was ill and that it was my birthday—not to mention, he was far away. I missed home. I missed my parents. And deep, deep inside, I missed you. My heart ached whenever I thought of you.”
“Damn Woman. You put me through hell when you left me without saying a word. I hurt too, Princess. Through our softball games and all the unintended dates, I fell in love with you.”
“Do you remember when you took me to that concert at the Griffith Observatory? I felt so cherished when you held me during the performance. That might have been my favorite unintended date.”
“Mine might have been the day we spent at Giverny making out on the bridge. Even though I was in deep shit with you by the time we ended up at the chateau, that was a magical experience. We need to head back there again, just you and me.”
“That was a special place.” My wife glowed. She was so spectacular in every way. “There truly isn’t a moment I don’t revel in and smile. Even the sad moments make me smile. Do you remember playing cards with me, my date, and Jake, and losing $800?”
“Yes, you card shark.” I tickled my wife before holding her tightly. “Jake and I were supposed to play tennis but it drove me nuts to see a guy walking into your house, ready to take you out.”
“Ooh, how about the time you showed me the beach house for the first time? That day was absolute perfection, though it didn’t start off that way.”
“There were very few days where we started off right. However, you were always special to me, even if I couldn’t quite understand why.”
“Needless to say, my love for you never died.”
“Speaking of why, I’m wondering why you’re championing this Nolan kid when our daughter is set to marry another man? It’s not like you to encourage her to cheat on her fiancé.”
“I don’t want Lilah to cheat on anyone. However, I want her to have some options. She’s twenty-two. She should be dating and having fun. She should be going out with girlfriends and meeting different guys.”
I knew there was more. “That doesn’t sound like you, Princess. You never went out and met random guys. Why would you want that for our baby? Tell me what’s really spurring this on.”
She looked to Nolan who was getting along famously with Henry, Scottie, and DJ. “When I see Nolan, I see myself.” Now I understood. “He’s the underdog. He’s quirky. He’s rough around the edges. He says all the wrong things. But, his heart is in the right place. It’s clear that he loves our daughter. He wants to lay the world at her feet and I like that. It warms my heart to see him trying so hard. It takes me back to all the times I tried to get your attention but was looked over because your taste ran more along the lines of the glamorous Ms. Beauvais. I was the underdog who won the jackpot when you noticed me.”
God, I loved this woman. I had to kiss her a few more times to express my gratitude for her love. “You must be kidding me, Dr. Taylor.” This was my time to pay homage to my phenomenal partner in life. “You were never an underdog—a top dog would be a better description. You were and still are beautiful, graceful, a damn genius, the best mother, and the sexiest wife—you are perfection, Delaney Reid Taylor. Without you, I’d be breathing but not living, my heart beating, but not loving—I am nothing without you, sweet wife.”
“Jackpot, Donovan Taylor. You are the once-in-a-lifetime jackpot and I love you.”
“I love you, too, Mrs. Taylor.”
Nolan: “We are family, I got all my sisters (and brothers) with me...” ~Sister Sledge
This gathering was the best. I’d met every one of Delilah’s cousins, and I could say, except for a few of the girls, they all liked me. The younger girls, like Maxine and Nicolette, were still too dazzled by Rhys to come over to Team Nolan. I asked, but they told me they were staying Team Rhys forever. Oh well.
Of all the cousins, the one who had the most interesting profession was JR Reid, the younger brother of James and Elizabeth. Not only was his job the bomb, but he also presented us, especially me, with a crazy, good idea.
“Hey there little cuz. How’s my favorite blonde-haired, blue-eyed girl doing?” JR had great taste as this woman was my favorite blonde-haired, blue-eyed girl, too.
“JR, I’m the only blonde-haired, blue-eyed one on Reid Place.”
“Whatever. You’re still my favorite.”
“Auntie Emily must be thrilled you’re home. She misses you when you travel. What do you exactly do, JR? Isn’t it about time you told us?”
He had a very manly smirk on his face. “You know what they say in my profession...I could tell you...”
“...but then I’d have to kill you,” Delilah imitated his voice and tone. “Yeah, yeah. Whatever. Come on, JR. Tell us what you really do for the government.”
There was a lull in the conversation and this was where I came in and introduced myself. “Hey. I’m Nolan O’Shaughnessy, Delilah’s future husband.”
That was when Delilah yelled, “You are not my future husband. We are nothing to each other.”
“The little woman here can get a little hysterical when things don’t go her way.” That’s when Delilah socked me in the gut. “Damn, Delilah. You’re strong,” I coughed out those words.
JR, along with all the male cousins, laughed. “Wasn’t your fiancé English? He had that funny name no one knew how to pronounce.” What a kidder JR was.
“He is English and his name is Rhys, like peace.” Delilah spit out each word.
“Then he is...?” JR looked to me. Before anyone could answer, he said, “No matter. Whoever you marry is fine with me, Lilah. You’ll make any man a lucky fella
.”
“Thank you for taking my side.” I put out my hand in thanks for his support.
Delilah slapped my hand down but little did she understand that I expected that move. So rather than slapping my hand, I grabbed it and placed it in mine. She was ridiculously strong for a girl, but I was able to keep hold of it.
With a grin JR said, “I’ve an assignment in New York in a few days. Anyone want to join me in the city that never sleeps?”
That’s when all the cousins began jostling their schedules. Nicky was the first to say, “Lilah and I can join you. I have my first appearance in New York this weekend. What fortuitous timing.” His grin was as easy-going as his cousin JR’s. “And if it’s all right with you, I’d like Nolan to join us. I need his help at this conference.”
“Hot damn! Hell yes! I’ll be there.” How in the world did I get so lucky?
“Wait!” Delilah cried. “He can’t join a family trip. Why would you invite Nolan?” she asked her cousin.
“Because I’m hoping to learn a thing or two from him concerning investors. This next project, I need some outside investors.”
“But you have tons of money, Nicky. You can do everything on your own. Why would you want someone who knows nothing about inventions to get in your face?”
“I’d like to keep my ‘tons of money’ dear cousin, and Nolan knows a little more than ‘nothing about inventions.’ Anyone have any objections to Nolan coming?”
No one said a word but Delilah. “Fine. I’ll be there and I’ll invite Rhys to join us. I’m sure he can spare the weekend.”
Damn. That wasn’t what I wanted to hear. However, I’d work around that obstacle somehow.
“Ellie and James?” JR asked his siblings. “Ian will be there as well. He’s coming back from Reykjavik, tomorrow.”
“I wish the two of us could take off like you and Ian. What I’d do for a vacation. At least Ellie got a month off in London.” That was the first time I’d heard James complain. Thus far, he was the quietest of the Reids. Regardless, all these guys were laidback and fun. I would dig being amongst these people.
“Go, James. I’ll cover for you.” His twin offered.
“That’s all right, El. You go if you like. I’ll stay back.”
That was when their father and Delilah’s grandfather jumped in. “We’ll cover for the both of you. Send our love to Ian.” Dr. Jake Reid answered. “You can leave any time after you’ve checked on your patients tomorrow.”
“Are you sure, Dad? I can stay back.” James protested.
“I can too, Dad. I’ve already had a vacation.”
“Your mother and I’ve had our days of travel. You and your brother go enjoy yourselves. It’s been a while since the four of you have been together.”
“What about me?” Jacob, the youngest, complained. “How come I’m always the one stuck at home?”
“Jakey,” Mrs. Emily Reid said, “we’ll go see your brother another time when you don’t have summer school and SAT prep classes. This is a very important time in your life. You need to prepare for your future.”
“Mom,” he whined.
She placed her arms around him and said, “When you and your generation of siblings grow up, you can travel too. For now, you have to pay your dues.”
What an amazing family!
In the end, it would be the four eldest Reids, Nicky, myself, and Delilah on this fabulous trip to the greatest city in the world. Even with Rhys supposedly joining our crew, I was pumped to spend more time with Delilah.
Delilah: “Welcome to New York, it’s been waiting for you...” ~Taylor Swift
Basically, being a jobless freeloader who “worked” for her cousin, I had time to travel with JR the very next day, while everyone else had to jostle their schedules. Nicky, Ellie, and James would leave the day after. Lucky for me, Nolan couldn’t make it until the weekend. A further plus to this story was that Rhys was going to join us, but for one day only. He’d fly in Friday morning and leave Friday night. Due to his commitment to school and to a family event in Edinburgh, Friday was it.
“Ian!” I ran to, quite possibly, my favorite cousin. “I can’t believe how long it’s been since I’ve seen you!”
“I see you’re as pretty and as tall as ever, little cousin.” He greeted me with a tight hug.
If James was the calm, responsible one, Ian was the fun-loving, don’t-give-a-damn one. It wasn’t that he wasn’t sweet to all of us, and a great son and sibling to his family, he just had a different outlook on life.
While the rest of us went to school, Ian decided high school was enough for him. Unlike the overachieving Reids, Taylors, and Davises, Ian broke open his trust fund and decided to enjoy life early.
Let me explain a few details before I talk about our stay in New York.
First, our family is overflowing with overachievers. The Reids set the example. Ellie and James are heart surgeons. They finished school earlier than most and just finished their residencies last spring. They are now full-fledged staff members of the hospital my great-grandpa, Jerry, helped build. Their brother, JR, graduated from college and was scouted by a government agency—the CIA we believe. He trained under them and now he travels the world on missions for them. He’s like a real-life James Bond.
Ian, twenty-six, 6’3”, black hair, blue eyes, identical-looking to Uncle Jake and JR and Jacob, is a lady killer just like the rest of his siblings. JR, who looks like his father, but eerily like his mother when he smiles, might actually be the best-looking male in our family—that’s saying a lot since I think all my cousins are super good-looking.
There’s no one in our family who doesn’t like to travel. We are all spoiled with homes that our great-grandfathers left us, and the use of a private plane if Dad deems the occasion worthy. Of all of us, Ian loves traveling the most. Thus, he decided after high school that he wanted to see the world before settling down with a job and family. His parents were all right with his decision but for the fact that they wouldn’t see him often enough. With modern technology, Ian did his best to keep in contact with them, daily.
“Tell me about Iceland, Ian. I’d like to visit one day.”
“Why don’t you come with me? I’m going back in a few weeks.”
“That sounds really good, Ian. Let me make sure I’m not needed somewhere. These days, my life’s been turned a bit upside down.”
JR and Ian shared knowing looks. “Let’s go out and you can tell us about the two men ardently pursuing you.”
“Oh Ian, I don’t think I have the energy for that.”
“You better since both men will be here this week. You’ve turned into quite a femme fatale, Cuz.”
“Stop kidding, JR. My life’s a combination of a love story and a nightmare all rolled into one. I don’t know which scenario will present itself at which hour.”
Both my cousins laughed. “Let me take you to this cool café where the best indie performers show up. We can have dinner there and you can bemoan your comical life,” Ian suggested.
“First, we need to shop. We can’t come to NYC without taking in a few boutiques.” What insane woman would pass up shopping in this fashion-conscious city?
As expected, the men didn’t complain. I went from store to store, not able to leave any one without a bag in my hand. My cousins were good sports watching me try on dresses and shoes. According to my family, I took after Mom in the dress-obsessed department and Auntie Jane in the shoe-obsessed category. I loved them both equally. Soon, Ian and JR had enough bags to resemble my personal assistants/bodyguards. Embarrassingly enough, we had to walk back to the apartment and drop off all my goodies.