THREE DAYS AGO
Earlier in the week, Caitlin had cornered her two little brothers, Jack and Justin, just after they stumbled through the door, backpacks askew and cheeks pink from the brisk spring weather. She had been waiting for the right moment, carefully rehearsing what she’d say, pacing her room and imagining their expressions. The way she saw it, this had to be exactly right—otherwise they might chicken out before she could even finish.
Caitlin caught them in the basement, where they’d plopped onto the couch to goof off with video games after school. Before they could protest, she’d clicked off the TV and fixed them with her most persuasive big-sister smile. Jack and Justin looked up as suspicion immediately settled over their faces. Sitting side by side, the two boys watched their big sister from across the coffee table.
“I have a GREAT idea for Mom’s birthday, which as you know is Saturday,” Caitlin began innocently.
Jack knew that tone of voice. Caitlin could be sneaky sometimes, and his guard was up. “We’re listening,” he said cautiously, his tone indicating he expected a catch. There was almost always a catch.
Justin nodded, crossing his arms and slouching back.
Caitlin’s smile widened, and she clasped her hands together, deliberately dialing up the charm. “It’s also the day of the Easter Brunch at the country club.”
The twins exchanged a wary glance, clearly trying to sniff out her intentions.
“We know you’re going with her and Aunt Patty and Stephanie,” Jack replied evenly, “she’s really been looking forward to it.”
Justin added cautiously, already sensing the trap, “and it’s the Mother-DAUGHTER Easter Brunch.” Preemptively, he added, “Sorry, sis, but Christmas was a one-time deal.”
“Well brother dear,” Caitlin continued, her voice softening as she completely sidestepped the first refusal, “since you brought it up… what if it WASN’T a one-time deal?” She let the question hang for a second, and then continued almost nonchalantly, “I just thought it might be nice if Mom got the chance to have ALL her ‘daughters’ with her on her birthday!” She knew it was going to take extra coaxing to rope them into this again, but she was confident she could play on their reluctance to refuse a challenge. She figured her best shot was to be direct instead of trying to trick them somehow. She also planned to lay it on heavy about what a treat it would be for their mom.
Judging by their body language, Jack and Justin’s initial reaction to her proposal was exactly what she had expected: reluctance and skepticism. Jack leaned forward, elbows on his knees, and glanced at Justin, silently communicating his apprehension. Justin crossed his arms and slouched further, barely hiding his discomfort. As Caitlin pressed on, both boys began to fidget. They’d been caught up in Caitlin’s schemes too many times to count. For some reason, her big sister superpower seemed to be a knack for talking them into shenanigans they’d otherwise never agree to. They braced for her irresistible persuasion.
She flashed them her most endearing smile and added, “come on, she hasn’t stopped talking about how happy she was at Christmas. I don’t think you two know how much it meant to her. She tells me over and over how sweet you both looked and how it was the best surprise she’s ever had.” Caitlin let her words linger, carefully watching her brothers for any sign of weakness.
A silence fell over the room as the boys digested this. Justin toyed with his shirt sleeve, trying to look resolute.
Jack scratched the back of his head. “So… you mean… like Christmas? With the dresses and everything?”
Justin sighed inwardly as his twin brother made the classic mistake of asking for details. He had practically invited Caitlin to keep on talking.
“Yes, that’s right Jack,” Caitlin said brightly, leaping at the opportunity to agree with her brother. “Exactly like Christmas except with Easter pastels. Only this time, I get to be there too. I was so bummed to miss it last time! I could see Mom’s face in the pictures, but it’s not the same as being there. Can’t you just imagine how happy she will be to get to see her three ‘daughters’ all together for the very first time on her birthday. Think about how much fun it would be to make her birthday extra special?”
“Plus,” she added slyly, “I know you two love a good wacky challenge… you can’t deny that!”
The boys chuckled involuntarily. Another misstep. She played on their adventurous sense of humor and got them smiling in spite of themselves. The two of them were well known at home and school for never passing up a good-natured dare.
After a moment, Justin groaned out loud but couldn’t quite camouflage the fact that he still hadn’t flatly said no. “Christmas was… a lot. You know all those girly clothes itch, right?” he muttered, glancing at Jack for backup, “and dresses… are… well… they feel strange when you’re used to pants.”
Then, Jack slipped up again by thinking out loud a bit too much. “But dressing up like that was weirdly kind of… interesting too,” Jack admitted before he could stop himself. He shrugged sheepishly as he recalled the day, a reluctant smile tugging at his lips. “Mom did look really happy though.”
Instantly, Caitlin pounced. “Tell you what,” she interjected, “if you go along with it, I’ll lean on Mom hard to fly you over to Europe this summer to visit me. She’s been on the fence about it because of the cost, but I’ll lay on the charm to do it: ‘Oh Mom, please I miss my brothers so much!’” She grinned kindly at them, I really do miss you two troublemakers, you know, but I can lay it on extra thick. Wouldn’t that be worth it?”
The weight of possibility settled over the boys. Justin continued to slouch, half covering his face with his hand as if to hide his thoughts. Jack tapped his fingers against his knee, silent, but his eyes darted between his brother and sister.
By now, Caitlin was convinced she had Jack. “Summer vacation in Paris, anyone?” she threw out there to sweeten the pot.
Looking at his brother, Jack let out a long breath. “I mean… she’s talking about a vacation in Paris, Justin. Paris!”
Meanwhile Justin chewed his lip, his curiosity piqued. He was perplexed at why he and his brother could never tell Caitlin no, but a summer trip in Paris still sounded awesome. Finally, he shrugged with what he tried to pretend was casual indifference, “Easter is just one day. Europe’s gonna be a couple weeks at least.”
Caitlin was careful to play it cool now. Their resistance had softened. The scales had tipped, just barely, toward the adventure ahead. She had to let them finish the thought.
Jack glanced at his brother again, a grin sneaking onto his face. “It was sort of a lark at Christmas, wasn’t it though? The food was good… and we did look super cute if I do say so myself!” he laughed. Then he added, teasing his brother, “of course I looked much better than Justin!”
Justin rolled his eyes at his brother’s wisecrack. In mock outrage, he retorted, “Very funny! We both know that I was the pretty one!” He blew his twin brother a playful sarcastic air kiss.
Caitlin grinned, seeing she nearly had them. “Don’t worry, Stephanie and I will take care of all the details—hair, shoes, makeup, whatever. All you two have to do is smile and look pretty!” she giggled cheerfully. She added more sincerely, “I just really want Mom to have the best birthday ever. For her. And maybe a little for me too.”
She looked pleadingly at her brothers again, and after another moment it was done.
With a final, exaggerated sigh, Justin rolled his eyes in mock defeat. “Fine. But only because it’s for Mom. And because there’s cake.”
Jack nodded, pretending more reluctance than he felt as he remembered their fussy Christmas dresses, “OK sis. Pastels, huh? I guess it’s better than velvet.”
Caitlin clapped her hands, triumph lighting up her face. “You two are the best ‘sisters’ a girl could ask for.” She added with a mischievous grin, “and you’re going to be absolutely adorable in your Easter dresses!”
Jack and Justin looked at each other uncertainly as they remembered all the mixed emotions they had experienced at Christmas.
With a look of near disbelief on his face that they had just agreed to go along with more of Caitlin’s hare-brained antics, Jack asked, “Are we really doing this again?”
Putting on a brave face, Justin said to Jack with a chuckle, “I think we already signed up to it bro… or I guess… sis!”
Unlike Christmas, the boys this time had a fairly good idea what awaited them. Jack giggled nervously in response.
Caitlin squealed in delight, “This is going to be such fun!”
The boys gulped in unison as they imagined what Caitlin had planned.
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Topic: The Mother-Daughter Easter Brunch (Read 425 times)
