Short Stories – The Costume
Tommy phoned Jane and when Jane answered the phone he said, "Dammit Jane, I can't handle his whining anymore. Can you and Maura take TJ trick or treating?" Tommy asked his older sister after TJ had been driving him crazy for over an hour because he wanted to go trick or treating with his aunts.
"What's the matter. I got him the costume he wanted. He said that's what he wanted I thought. Maura helped him try it on and made sure it fit right and that he had all the correct accessories. You know how she likes to accessorize." Jane told her youngest brother.
"Ya, he loves the costume, it is just now he insists he must go trick or treating with the two of you. he doesn't want to be seen with me in my costume." Tommy informed his sister.
"Well, I guess we can take him. We hadn't planned on going out this year but for TJ we would do almost anything."
"That's the problem, he knows you will say yes. You give in to him too easily Jane. You need to toughen up and not be so whipped when it comes to Maura and TJ."
"Excuse me! Since when is providing for my wife or nephew considered being whipped?"
"Since you don't know how to say no to the two of them. They have you wrapped around their little finger. If they told you to jump you would ask how high."
"Bullshit, I say no to them." Jane was trying to think of the last time she told either one of them no. She couldn't think of anything off the top of her head. She will have to table that thought to listen to what Tommy is complaining about now.
"Really, okay smartass, when was the last time you told either one of them no?"
'Oh shit, I was hoping he didn't ask me that.' "I told Maura no last night. I didn't want any salad with my dinner." 'whew glad that thought came to me.' Jane thought to herself.
"That doesn't count you say that every time she tries to give you a salad which is almost every night. Try again."
"Wait why are we having this conversation?" 'Ya, that should throw a wrench into this conversation, let's see how he responds to that.' Jane thought.
"Because you can't say no to either one of them." Tommy responded. He loved giving his sister a hard time. It was fun to do and teasing her about being whipped was his favorite thing to do.
"You called me to bitch at me or for me to take your kid trick or treating? For wanting me to do something you sure are pissing me off which is not the way to get me to respond positively to anything you want me to say yes to little bro."
"I know. Sorry I am just so pissed that TJ would respond to my costume like that. He really doesn't want to be seen with me. He is only three and so full of opinions already. He reminds me of you and how you talked to me when we were younger."
"Hey, I am still young, I'm not sure what you are talking about, I talked to you just fine growing up. Ask Frankie he will tell ya. I talked to you the same way I talked to him." 'so there take that and put it your pipe and smoke it, what ya got for me now?' Jane gave a little laugh at what she was thinking. 'Good thing Tommy is not here to see my facial expressions.'
"What is your costume that TJ is having such an issue with?" Jane asked, now she is curious.
"So, can you and Maura take your favorite nephew trick or treating or not? If you guys can't I have to find someone who can." Tommy explained.
"I see you are avoiding answering my question. It must be a really bad costume if you won't even tell me what it is. Yes, we can take him trick or treating. I will just let Maura know about our change in plans. She will be so happy. She was asking if I heard if you were taking him or if we might need to assist you and take him ourselves. I think she really wants to go trick or treating. I have created a monster now that I am teaching her all the things she has missed out on as a child. Being as we don't have children, she feels funny doing the things without a child present. So yes, I had actually told her no we weren't going trick or treating and you say I don't tell or can't tell my wife no."
"Okay can I bring him by about 3 PM. I have a job to complete so I will have to leave right away."
"You ass, you accepted a job on Halloween, knowing you had your kid. Tommy you can't be doing things like that. TJ has got to come first on certain days of the year and at his age Halloween is a big one."
"I know I know, I screwed up okay. I won't be winning father of the year this year, or any year if things keep going this way."
"Tommy, lighten up, you are trying to make a good home for you and TJ. Don't beat yourself up. That is my job." Jane laughed and he laughed with her.
"And you do a damn good job of it, sis."
"Thank you, thank you! I try hard. I had plenty of practice with Frankie before you, so I think I have it pretty well perfected."
"You do, so I will bring him by about 3."
"Sounds good, are you ever going to tell me what your costume is? You know TJ will tell me if you don't."
"I really don't want to, you are going to laugh at me, like you always to."
"That is my job as your older sister to laugh at you and with you. So, spill the beans, inquiring minds want to know."
"Mario the plumber from Mario Brothers." Jane started laughing just like he thought she would.
"Oh, I got to see a picture of this. Send me a picture of you in your costume!"
"No way, I am not sending you a picture. I will never hear the end of it. Besides I don't have to wear it now that you are taking him trick or treating. So, what is your costume for this year?"
"I have no idea, it is Maura's year to pick the costumes and she has not let me see them yet, so I am probably going to hate it."
"But you will wear it with a smile because you are so whipped and will do anything your wife tells you to do."
"Oh, stop it already with the whipped comments. Wait till you get married you will find yourself wanting to please your wife also. You know the saying 'a happy wife, a happy life.' I plan on having a happy life."
"Ya, I know the saying and I'm not sure I'm ever going to get married at this rate. I seem to attract the wrong women or I am attracted to women that our way out of my league."
"Hey I never thought I would meet the right person for me and look where I am now. I have a beautiful wife and a great life."
"Ya ya, don't rub it in. All of us Rizzoli's fell for her and you landed her and you weren't even trying. That makes me sick. I put out some of my best moves on her and just got a friend out of the deal. Well and now a sister-in-law."
"Well, what can I say, I guess you just don't have the right equipment to please her and man was Nina pissed when she found out that Frankie had tried to be with Maura also. I can't believe you said that during dinner like that."
"Ya, that comment just slipped I didn't mean to out him like that in front of his wife."
"It was funny until Nina gave him 'the look.' I know 'the look' well I have seen my wife with it and I don't want to see it ever again."
"Tommy, you know Mario is no longer a plumber, right?" Jane informed him.
"No, I didn't know that. I thought he was still a plumber. I guess that is why he is not carrying any plumbing equipment and why my son is not wanting to be seen with me dressed as Mario the Plumber."
"You really should research your costumes a little better. TJ is a sharp young man and it is only going to get worse as he gets older."
"I guess I better start planning for next year. I least I get to choose my costume and don't have a wife to tell me what to wear."
"Hey you would be lucky to have a wife like Maura." Jane was proud of her wife. She never thought about dating a woman before, that is before she met Maura. There was just something about Maura that she was attracted to.
"I know, hey I got to get the kid ready for bed. I will see you tomorrow thanks sis. I know we give each other a hard time but I really appreciate everything you and Maura do for me and TJ."
"You are welcome, Tommy and I will see you and TJ tomorrow around 3 PM. Talk to you later." They both hang up the phone.
"Maur, you are never going to believe what Tommy's costume is for this year!" Jane said as she went to tell her wife what her younger brother was planning to wear for Halloween.