Swing and a Mishap (Summersweet Island 2)

Ever since Emily moved away four years ago to follow her dreams, Birdie and Tess never make me feel like a third wheel when I’m with them, but I always feel Emily’s absence. Especially when Birdie, Tess, and I get together at my family’s ice cream shop, the Dip and Twist, for something we like to call Sip and Bitch. A time to gather and drink vodka slushes from the ice cream shop while sitting at the purple picnic table we carved our names into as children, complaining about whatever is troubling us.

Usually, Emily is able to FaceTime with us for every Sip and Bitch, but she’s been busy the last few months and we haven’t been able to reach her on those nights. I’m such a good friend that I thought inviting her to my own private Sip and Bitch in the comfort of my own kitchen while my son is at school was a brilliant idea.

“Stop being sad. And for fuck’s sake, stop watching the recording of your sister’s proposal on national television,” Emily demands.

Turning away from my phone guiltily, I pick up the remote control from the table, aiming it at the small TV that sits on my kitchen counter and switching it over to a baseball game. Right as Birdie was reaching into the cup on the 18th hole in a tournament Palmer played in Hawaii a few days ago, where I know she’ll pull out his ball from his winning shot, as well as a small, black ring box.

The most romantic thing I’ve ever witnessed, and I’m probably biased, because it happened to my baby sister. Palmer worked it out with the golfer who shot before him in the tournament to slip the ring box into the hole after the guy sunk his putt so it would be there when Palmer made his own shot next. Since Birdie and Palmer have this thing where she runs and jumps into his arms at the end of whatever tournament he plays, Palmer set her back down on her feet after he made his shot and asked her to grab his ball out of the cup for him. All of the spectators on the golf course in Hawaii and everyone in the world watching on television let out a collective gasp and an “Awww” when Birdie stood back up with a confused look on her face as she held the ball and the ring box in her hand then turned around to find Palmer down on one knee on the green.

My mom and I knew the proposal was going to happen. Palmer Campbell, being the sweet guy he is, came up to the Dip and Twist a few hours before he and Birdie were to leave for the airport and asked our permission to propose to her while they were in Hawaii. My mom and I both burst into tears immediately, and Palmer apologized for not asking us sooner, but he was afraid we’d… well, act just like that every waking minute we were around Birdie until she had the ring on her finger. Which made sense. Mom and I barely kept it together when we said goodbye to them at the ferry dock. Birdie could tell something was up with us and jumped right to the conclusion that we were acting all fidgety and weepy saying goodbye to her, because we knew something bad about the plane she didn’t. Palmer had to literally pick her up and put her on the ferry to take them to the mainland, with Birdie shouting the entire way about how that was the last time she would let him pick her up and put her where he wanted her.

Since my mom and I knew when the proposal was going to happen—and after fifteen years of unrequited love, Birdie was finally going to get her happily ever after—of course I set my DVR to record the entire thing. I was beyond happy for my baby sister and the love of her life. She deserved to be happy with a man who treats her like a queen. I was only a little bit sad and a tiny bit jealous that I’d probably never get to experience something like that. I had my shot, and I blew it by keeping my mouth shut for entirely too long.

“I have to continue watching that proposal until I’m numb from it all,” I explain to Emily. “I’ve calculated that twenty-seven more times should do the trick. Birdie and Palmer’s plane landed a little bit ago, and she’s coming straight here to show me the ring, where I will happily and dutifully sit by, while my sister recounts every single tiny detail of the proposal at least five times before pulling out a binder I’m sure she made on the flight home filled with pages and pages of wedding planning ideas. I really am so very happy for her.”