"Let's go check out Mr. Jasper's barbeque," Sam said after the kids had settled in next to Mr. Jasper, eagerly waiting for the fish to start biting.
In answer, Wyatt offered him his hand.
Sam took it and smiled. "We can make the fish together."
"Sure, but I got my barbequing gene from my dad. Lloyd always had to rescue whatever Dad was making before it got turned into a charcoal briquette. So I'm pretty sure I can reliably burn some fish. If you want it done right, you'll have to supervise me very closely." Wyatt tugged Sam closer to show him how close.
As they arrived by the side of Mr. Jasper's house where the fence hid them from sight, Sam turned in Wyatt's arms and kissed him. Too soon, Sam let him go with a regretful sigh then he frowned at him.
"You're not allowed to scare me ever again. You can't get hurt or sick and nothing bad can ever happen to you," Sam told him deadly serious.
"Only if you promise the same thing," Wyatt challenged him.
Sam grumbled, rolled his eyes then he quickly turned away and started inspecting the small barbeque. He found it in order and they went back to join Mr. Jasper and the kids.
On the way there, they stopped and took in the view. The river snaked through the countryside, its waters flowing in shades of deep green and sky blue. Below them on the slope, the boys were sitting on some rocks next to Mr. Jasper's folding chair.
As they went closer and waved to everybody, Sam stopped a few feet from them and asked Wyatt, "So this is the life for you, fishing and barbequing by the river?"
"What could be better? I like doing anything with you and the boys, but I do feel sorry for the poor fish that are about to be our dinner," Wyatt said to him.
"I don't think the fish are in much danger," Sam said and he was right. Riley was constantly pulling his line out of the water and checking to see if he caught anything.
"That kid is so impatient. Reminds me of me," Wyatt said.
DJ was more successful, but not at catching any fish. "I always catch a branch," he complained as he pulled it off his hook.
"That's more than I caught," Wyatt told him as he went over to help him.
Thanks to Mr. Jasper, they ended up with enough fish for dinner. Wyatt made the salad and Sam grilled the fish. It was delicious though Sam and DJ weren't big fans.
Done with after dinner clean up, they went to sit by the river and drink lemonade and eat some pound cake a neighbor brought to Mr. Jasper.
It wasn't long though before the old guy dozed off in his folding chair. All that fishing must have been tiring for him. He looked happy though, and Wyatt imagined him dreaming of his boyhood days fishing with his cousins.
Looking past him, Wyatt noticed that DJ kept peering down the river. He and Sam went to join him and Riley where they were sitting so they could leave Mr. Jasper to his nap. Wyatt was about to ask DJ what he was looking for when Riley piped up with his own question.
"Is he there?" he asked DJ.
DJ shook his head and looked sad.
"Who are you talking about?" Wyatt asked.
DJ didn't say anything just looked down at the water splashing a few inches from his feet. Riley answered instead. "Frogman is out there. He's DJ's friend and he's green, but he wasn't allowed to keep him."
"You had a pet frog?" Sam said.
DJ shook his head then spoke in a sad, mournful voice. "He wasn't real. He was just imaginary, and Dad said I'm not supposed to like things that aren't real, like imaginary friends."
"So Frogman was your imaginary friend?" Sam said while Wyatt went to sit closer to DJ.
"Yeah, but I had to send him away. I put him on a boat," DJ said.
"A boat?" Wyatt said to prompt him to keep talking.
"I made him a boat and put the boat in the water. Then I waved to him," DJ said and his voice cracked.
Wyatt put his arm around him. "So he's traveling the world on a boat. That sounds like fun." He wanted to make sure DJ didn't get too sad about it.
