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Liv
Iwatchthebustleof activity down at the lake as I lean against the porch railing. It’s the town tradition to have fireworks at Sutton Lake during the annual Founders Festival. According to town legend, the nephew of William Travis—one of the founding fathers of Texas—was the first to settle here. It’s a highly debated topic, but nobody lets it stop them from partying. The fireworks are the highlight of the weekend-long festival. The city council provides everything but the beer. A food truck ambles by on the dirt path that the town spent last week fixing. Uncle Mike doesn’t charge them any fees, so they only need to provide the upkeep for the dock and the road leading to the lake. Plus, take care of cleanup and any damage that might happen.
Today is the tenth year of the extravaganza at my uncle’s lake and the excitement for the day buzzes around us. Never one to pass up an opportunity to celebrate Texas, it’s a second 4th of July for the townsfolk where everyone wears red, white, and blue; the colors of the Texas state flag. I love everything about it. My dad meets me on the porch wearing a short sleeve Texas flag button up tucked into jeans with a massive buckle shaped in the state of Texas. I chuckle and take the mug of coffee he offers me. “Looking good, Dad,” I say, and he laughs.
“Where’s your Texas pride?” he gestures to my outfit. I’m wearing black shorts and an oversized gray t-shirt that says ‘Pitch a Tent at Camp Morning Wood’ because who doesn’t love a good dick joke? Vera gave it to me for my birthday a couple of years ago.
“Morning wood isn’t a Texas thing?” I ask, batting my lashes. He grimaces and I burst out laughing, but I can tell he thinks it’s funny. He looks just like John, trying to hold back his laughter.
“How did you end up such a pervert?”he asks, shaking his head.
“What did you expect? I was raised by a man,” I say with a nonchalant shrug, and he ruffles my hair, making it fall out of my messy bun.
“Smart ass,” he says.
“Now that she definitely got from you,” Uncle Mike says as he appears on the porch. He’s wearing a tight-fitting t-shirt with a bald eagle soaring proudly over the Texas flag in the background. His belt buckle is even bigger than Dad’s and his cowboy boots have American flag print on them.
“Uncle Mike, your pride is showing,” I cover my eyes and they both laugh.
“You bet it is!” he says as Garrett joins us.
He’s dressed in a navy-blue Marines t-shirt and blue and red swim trunks. A ball cap with the Texas flag sits perched on his head. He and my uncle fist bump.
My uncle has been talking about this day for months and I’ve never seen him this excited. A group of women stroll by wearing bikini tops and short shorts. All three of them look over and wave at the women. They giggle and flip their hair. My dad is the only one who doesn’t watch them walk away.
“I think you and I both got the pervert gene, kiddo,” Uncle Mike says, not taking his eyes off the retreating women.
My dad smacks him upside the head, and he chuckles and tips his hat to me before they head down the steps to supervise the set-up.
“It’s going to be a good day,” Garrett says with a shit-eating grin.
I laugh and finish my coffee before heading inside to shower. I change into my Texas flag bikini. After I cover every inch of my exposed skin in sunscreen, I pull my hair into a ponytail.I tug on an American flag tank top and slip on my cut off jean shorts.
Towels in hand, I slide into my flip flops, grabbing my sunglasses before heading downstairs. I find Garrett in the kitchen and help him pack the cooler with beer and water. We each grab an end and carry it to the lake. I’m excited for day drinking and relaxing. We set the cooler on the dock. Another perk of hosting the party is prime seating.
Half of the town is already there. A makeshift parking lot decorates the open field across the road. Families with wagons full of booze line up around the edge of the lake. Kids are already splashing and laughing. A few trucks wait in line at the boat ramp to lower their small crafts into the lake. Four boats are already floating, people fishing and laughing as they drink cans of beer. Patriotic country music blasts from speakers in four different places around the lake. There’s a gigantic American flag floating in the soft breeze from a pole at the end of the dock, with an almost equally gigantic Texas flag underneath it, providing an appropriate centerpiece for the occasion.
“Pretty impressive, right city girl?” my uncle says as he hands me a beer.
I take it and nod. “Very. You should be proud.”
He beams at me. “You look great, kiddo. Thanks for getting into it. I fucking love this holiday.” He pecks the side of my head as I chuckle. That must not be his first beer. He only cusses when he’s drunk.Someone gets his attention, and he excuses himself.
My dad is nowhere to be found, so I assume he’s somewhere waiting for Barbara to arrive. Garrett stands and does a double take and whistles low under his breath. I glance up to see Barbara approaching. She’s wearing a bright red string bikini with white stars on it. She looks amazing.
“Sorry, Liv. But your mom is a total MILF,” Garrett says.
I punch him this time. “Argh, fuck,” he hollers, and I grin.
A red welt forms on his arm and he glares at me.
“First, don’t talk about women like that. Second, you’re disgusting.”
He snickers as he rubs his arm and smiles big at Barbara as she approaches. “Hey kids! Liv, you look amazing!”
“Are you hanging out with us today, Barbara?” Garrett asks.
“Oh no. You guys have fun with your friends. I don’t want to impose. I’m too old for partying.” She chuckles, then squawks with laughter when my dad runs up behind her and lifts her off her feet, kissing her neck like they’re a couple of teenagers in love.
