Matustos

  A semi-bad band was still pying a series of covers of mostly 00s songs. If only they knew any good ones.

  I sat off in a er, watg my younger sister Marie and her newly minted husband Gee dance. She was a vision of loveliness, in her elegant white gown, though I'd never admit it. She was to me, forever and always, the little brat who went out of her way to make my life harder than it had to be. Gee and I were friends, once, but we lost touch after high school. He went off to some ritzy college in New Engnd, and ended up in finance. I stayed here ao trade school. Now we had almost nothing in on now, except my sister.

  But I knew he was a solid guy, that much hadn't ged. He'd take good care of my sister. She'd be great for him too, she had a knack for keeping things anized. Also it would help him deal with the lost of his parents a few years ago. Some drunk fool had crashed into them. Wish I could have been there for him.

  Actually that's how he re-met my sister she was off at a program in New York, he had gotten involved in order to help take his mind off of things and that was that.

  I had already had the obligatory Big Brother talk with him, I knew Dad had given him the third degree as well. We were all ughing about it at the Bachelor Party st night, between all the beer and the rounds of pool. It was a good time for sure and nobody got lost nor was anybody's tiger stolen. Surprising, I know.

  While being off on my own might look like I was being a loner, I was really just resting my feet. I had danced up a storm earlier. First with Mom, and then Marie. After that all the bridesmaids wanted a turn seeing how well I could twirl them. Then every dy who came by herself ask for a turn. I wasn't so crass as to deny them.

  Sadly though that was as far as it would ever go. In all my 30 years of life I'd never even had oe. Not for ck either. No matter where I went or what I tried not one had ever agreed to go out one a first date. Not a dany prom ended without every girl wanting a da not a one wao actually turn it into a date.

  I wasn't ugly, and I was ier shape than most guys. I had bought and paid for my own house, and owned my car. Ran my own business and had plenty of money ing in, so long as you didn't want to live like the 1%. Hell, I even tried self help books and speed dating. What a bunch of hooey.

  The oime I broke down and asked the dy I was trying to ask out, all I got was, "You don't look like you need anyone." What the hell did that mean?

  Not one womaired to take advantage of me for my money. It was like there was a big sign that said, not this one, hanging over my head.

  It was the ohing my Mom tio give me shit over. She wanted grandbabies to spoil yesterday and hated that I seemed like I wasn't going to provide them. Well, I'm sure Marie and Gee would hahat now. They'd said they be trying for one as fast as possible. Which was my sister's way of saying they had already been going for it.

  The music ged and Dad and Mom were taking a spin around the floor. You might think it was my Mom that had got me into ballroom da hat was my Dad. He used to say it was the best way to get a dy. I believed him and got pretty good at it. My Mom she's the ohat got me into cars. I kept fixing the odd one up here and there for fun these days.

  It was good to see that they still loved each other after 32 years together. I hoped to find someone, someday. I didn't like living alone.

  Work was good, I had been running my own business as a Electri for about two years now. Demand was high, but I had held off finding another qualified Electri or even an appreo help out. Something about inviting people I didn't know into something I built myself just didn't sit right with me. Always busy was good, less time to think, and the money was great.

  Dad hadn't agreed. He was a Lawyer and some part of him still wanted me to go to College and pick up something simir to his path. Sorry Dad, the w didn't i me in the slightest.

  That was one of the surprisingly good parts of st night he didn't say a thing about it and we had actually talked. He was happy to see me succeed, even if it wasn't what he had envisioned for me.

  I thought about hitting the dance flain when I saw Marie and Geetting ready to sneak off. It art of the pn, Mom and Dad would hating everyone and everything where they o be ter.

  Well, I figured I at least could see them on their way.

  I snuck out and was waited by their limo.

  As they finally made their way out, they caught sight of me and we all ughed.

  That was the great thing about my family, we loved to ugh. "A sense of humor will keep you sane." Mom said it all the time, I couldn't help but to agree.

  "Have a good Honeymoon in Hawaii." I meant it too. For all the sibling bullshit, I loved my sister. And Gee and I might just be able to bee buddies again.

  "Bro, you o take better care of yourself. Find a date while we are gone okay." She couldn't help it, she and mom were more alike thaher would admit.

  "Take it easy, Ryan." Gee shook my hand.

  "You too, Gee."

  Then my eyes widened, as I stood there holding the limo door open.

  A sedan had jumped the curve and was ing right for us, but they had their backs to it.

  I pushed them both out of the way. I felt just the barest tact with the front bumper. Then I was somewhere else.