“Are you referring to Barb and her bitch brigade?”Ursula asked.She was a woman with a very dry, monotone way of speaking, and a serious hippy vibe, but I liked her.“Because I told those cows to shut it down when I heard them going on about it earlier.”
“Thank you,” Lennox said.“We appreciate it.”
Ursula smiled and grabbed another cone from the stack to swirl around in the sugar.“I shouldn’t talk ill of cows, though,” she muttered.“They’re lovely creatures.Barb and her minions are more like meerkats.The female leaders in meerkat mobs are ruthless.”
Lennox and I both glanced at her and gave her a quick, curious look.He smiled and turned back to me, rubbing my upper arm and giving it a squeeze.“Don’t let it bother you and ruin the night.”He glanced behind him at a loudwhoopof joy from a kid who shot a rubber sticky hand toy high into the air, before facing me again.“I saw your kids earlier.Austin was soaking wet from the dunk tank, and Honor had a snow cone in each hand.”
That made me grin, and the tension in my chest relaxed a bit.“Austinlovesthe dunk tank.I told him to bring a spare change of clothes this year.So hopefully he remembered.Honor will probably get sick from all the sugar.”
“They’re being kids.Great kids.”He squeezed my arm one more time, and I could tell it was taking a lot of effort on his part not to lean in and kiss my cheek.Then he headed off, stopping to chat with a few students who were blowing bubbles.
“He’s great,” Ursula said.“Well done.”
I snorted and shook my head at her.“Thanks, I guess.”
Before I knew it, my shift was over, and two parent volunteers who had worked the cotton candy machine before came over to relieve Ursula and me.
I was just making my way over to Gabrielle at the silent auction when Austin came running up to me, water droplets flying behind him as he ran.“Did you bring my spare clothes?”he asked, dripping wet and with rosy cheeks and bright eyes.
I gave him a perplexed look.“No.You were supposed to bring them.”
“No.I put them in a bag by the front door and told you to bring them with you.”
My brows rose at the bossy tone of my pre-teen son.“Excuse me?”
“I told you—”
“First of all, darling son of mine, you don’ttellme to do anything.You ask.Politely.Secondly, I specifically asked youlast nightif you planned on getting soaked in the dunk tank today like you did last year.You said yes.So I suggested that you pack an extra pair of shoes and clothes and bring them to school with you.I’m trying to teach some independence and personal responsibility here.”
He went to open his mouth, but shut it because he knew better.He knew he’d lost.He hung his chin to his chest and his shoulders rounded.“Okay.I’m sorry.I remember that conversation now.”
I crossed my arms over my chest.“You’re wet and uncomfortable, aren’t you?”
He lifted his green eyes to mine.“Yeah.”Then he teetered back and forth on his feet, his shoes making a horrific squelching sound.“And my feet feel gross.James said I could get trench foot.”His eyes went wide.“Is that bad?What is trench foot?”
I rolled my eyes and shook my head, smirking.“You’re not going to get trench foot from having wet shoes and feet for a few hours,” I said as he stepped back—not far enough, however—and shook himself like a dog, sending more droplets flying everywhere.“James is an idiot.I’m sorry.I know he’s your best friend, but that kid has two brain cells competing for third place.”
Austin tugged his sopping T-shirt away from his body, and it made a funny slurping noise.Then he gave me his biggest puppy dog eyes because he knew I was a sucker for them.Always had been.Always would be.
Ugh.
“I’m sorry, Mom.You’re right.I was wrong.I should have brought the bag with me and not made it your responsibility.”
My lips twisted in amusement.“Oh, you’re laying it on thick, child.”
His grin shone brighter than the damn sun.
So much for trying to teach independence and personal responsibility.
Ugh.
I’d start the tough love next week.I rolled my eyes again and sighed, resigned to my fate.“I expect the house to be vacuumed, the bathroom to be cleaned, the weeds in the front bed to be pulled,andall your stinky freaking socks to be washed.I’m not touching those things.”
“I’ll do it.I swear.Tomorrow.”
I exhaled again and nodded.“I’ll be right back.”
“Can I have money for pizza?”
