Re: *Winter's Present* - serialized

On 2/17/2026 5:15 PM, Bryan Simmons wrote:
> 
> 
>              Winter’s Present
>                     .
>                Bryan Simmons
> 
>      Table of Contents
> 
> Silver    9
> Winter    23
> Fast    29
> Wearing White    49
> Sex Kitten    59
> The Party    73
> Turkey Claus    101
> Boy Talk    121
> Scorpions    131
> Ann    147
> Lady Bear    173
> Cinnamon Buns    189
> Sandy Beach    205
> Our Tricycle    235
> Queen of Love    249
> Art    279
> Pillow Talk    291
> A Pink Line to Burritos    297
> Making Love    309
> Solomon    317
> Wearing White Again    323
> Change is Hard    333
> The Letter    337
> The Vapors    365
> Performance Issues    373
> Somebody Else's Daughter    391
> Love Kiss    399
> Bigamy    411
> Equality    425
> Anniversary    439
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Copyright 2014, 2025 by Bryan Simmons
> 
> 
> This book is dedicated to my wife, Betsy, and to my muse, who shall 
> remain nameless.
>                     Winter

It was a three hour drive to meet the train, so they left about 6:30, 
and went through the drive through at Burger King.  Winter got lost in 
her own thoughts--*I usually don't eat like that, fast food breakfast, 
and I'd lobbied for McDonald's because I was mostly interested in 
another coffee, but Dad was driving, and (admittedly) better food won 
out over better coffee.  I had one of those crescent roll things with 
extra sausage.  Drives with my parents aren't bad.*
As soon as NPR started crackling, Winter's father, Richard, stuck in one 
of his mix CDs.  It started out with the 3rd movement of Brahms 4, by 
the Berlin Phil, then some New York Dolls.  After that were his favorite 
Rossini overtures, and then, no surprise, Sugar, Sugar.  *Yeah that one. 
  Dad always joked that Sugar, Sugar perfectly expressed his "deepest, 
innermost feelings."  No wonder why Mom fell in love with him pretty 
much instantly.  Eric always chimed in with comments like, "This man is 
wise," or "My father is the most spiritually evolved man on the planet," 
or some other silly way of seconding the notion.  That apple didn't fall 
far.*

*I had been happy enough without a father, though we really were pretty 
poor.  I had only met Dad a few times when Mom told me we were moving in 
with him.   "I'm getting laid off, Winter."  I asked her what we were 
going to do.  She said we were moving in with her boyfriend, and that we 
really didn't have any better option.*

Natalie:  You know how I think that everything happens for a reason?

Winter:  No.  I know *that* you think that, but not how, or why.

Natalie: Smartass.

*In retrospect, she hit that one out of the park.  About a week after we 
moved, some government grant, or contract, or something...I don't know, 
but she went back to work.  I was nervous at first, but I got my own 
really nice room.  Mom and I had shared at the apartment.  They put me 
upstairs, in my new dad's old bedroom, and turned one of the downstairs 
rooms into a master bedroom.  They were newlyweds, or soon to be 
newlyweds, Eric said, and that's why they wanted the two of us as far 
away as possible.  Several years on, the newlywed thing doesn't appear 
to have run its course.*

When the train arrived, Eric and Chloe were among the first ones off. 
"Mom, Dad," said Eric, "This is Chloe."

After an exchange of perfunctory pleased-to-meet-yous, Eric said, "And 
this is my sister, Winter."

Winter looked Chloe up and down, then said, "Damn bro.  You said she was 
gorgeous, but all I can say is you're lucky you saw her first."

Dad said, "Winter!" but he was holding back a laugh.

Winter turned to Chloe and said, "If it wasn't a biological 
impossibility, I'd want you to have my baby."  Then Winter winked and 
flashed a little sideways smile, and Chloe lost it.  Everybody did, even 
Mom.

Eric was poking Chloe in the arm and saying, "Dishes, dishes."  When the 
merriment died down, Eric said, "I told her that when she met Winter 
that she'd be laughing within two minutes, and that she'd fit in great 
with my family because she laughs all the time.  She said she bet she 
could keep herself from laughing, and said she'd even double it to four. 
  We bet dishes for a week."  He turned to Chloe, "You didn't make it 
past one."

Eric got the middle of the back seat, and Winter put on a fake pout and 
said that she was sad because Eric didn't trust her.  Chloe followed 
that by asking Eric, "Is your sister really that girl crazy?"

Eric looked toward Winter, then back to Chloe, "Girl crazy, boy crazy, 
crazy crazy.  She likes the word, 'gusto,' but I prefer crazy."

On the drive back, they detoured in Columbia, Missouri's big university 
town, and stopped at a pizza parlor.  "Let's get the Masterpiece," said 
Winter.  Chloe said she thought that sounded great.   "I'm so relieved," 
said Winter, "because you always worry when a new person comes into the 
family, that there's going to be something really weird about them, and 
vegetarian is weird."

"Don't listen to her, Chloe," said Eric.  "Her best friend is a 
vegetarian."  Chloe locked eyes with Winter, and sensed acceptance.  It 
was as Eric had assured her.  Winter trusted his judgment without doubt. 
  They sat at a table and waited for the pizza.

"Well there has to be something because you're way too pretty for my 
brother."

"So, Mom, Dad, I've got some happy news. Chloe and I are getting married 
next week, and there's a reason why I'm the only one who's having a beer."

Winter jumped up and exclaimed, "I knew it.  She's an alkie!"  Winter 
and Chloe both laughed themselves silly.  The other three didn't.

When some degree of order had been restored, Eric continued, "We're 
having a baby, and we're both as happy as we could be."

Natalie looked like she was about to burst, and she threw her arms 
around Chloe, "I'm so happy too.  When Richard and I met, we fell in 
love that fast.  Except for these fine children we produced with other 
mates, I almost wish we'd met when we were your age."

Winter added, "She used to say it without the qualifier, until I 
objected, and pointed out the implications for my existence versus 
non-existence.  I am exceedingly fond of my existence."

On the drive back to St. Louis, they mostly just talked, with no music 
or radio until Winter requested Sugar, Sugar.  Richard was happy to 
comply.  Everyone but Natalie sang along.  After it ended Winter asked 
her dad how he felt about the song.  "Winter, you know how I feel.  It's 
the one song that really describes my deepest, innermost feelings."

Winter looked at Eric, and he said, "And your son has also chosen to 
follow that path to bliss."

"Hey, speaking of bliss," Winter asked, "where's the wedding going to be?"

Chloe answered, "We're just going to the courthouse.  We'll have 
another, more formal wedding in a few months, but we want to make it 
legal before the end of the year.  It works better for taxes."

Winter spoke just softly enough to seem like she was thinking aloud, but 
made certain that Eric and Chloe could hear.  "So little time to 
identify and expose her fatal flaw, and save my brother from whatever it 
is he needs saving from."


-- 
--Bryan https://www.instagram.com/bryangsimmons/

For your safety and protection, this sig. has been thoroughly
tested on laboratory animals.

"Most of the food described here is nauseating.
We're just too courteous to say so."
-- Cindy Hamilton