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“I just think it’s cute that you loved your goat that much to take its photo all the way over there.”
Son of a bitch, Frank was going to die.
I hopped to my feet, but she blocked me so I couldn’t get by.
“No, you can’t. I promised!” She could barely talk through her laughter as her warm hands pressed against my arms. I felt a rush of love and the will to deliver some payback. So, I played dirty. I hooked her hands, pulled her in like I was going to hug her then snagged a huge towel from the sand and tied her arms around her body. All the while, she laughed, unable to save herself.
“No, Daniel,” her words were slurred from laughter, “they’re my only source of good stories besides your parents!”
“It’s true!” Dad called from somewhere, sending Sue into an even harder fit of tears.
“You’re next,” I winked and tore off toward the water.
“Frank! I’m sorry!” she called, trying to warn him. Frank suddenly tuned in to us, tossed the kid, and ducked under the water. I dove in after him.
We wrestled and shoved each other under. It was great fun, and then Zack got the kids involved, and suddenly we were being attacked by little humans who used us as mountains to climb. It felt amazing to just let loose again.
“You think you can stop us?” I roared, making the kids scream with excitement. “Just try to stop us!” Frank, Zack, and I started grabbing a kid at a time, tossing them over our heads, only to have them come back for more.
Finally, when we were exhausted, and the kids had no doubt swallowed half the lake, we came in to fuel up again.
“Who knew kids like to be knocked around so much?” Frank grabbed a leftover burger and downed it in two bites.
“I think one of them bit my neck.” Zack felt around his skin, and Frank and I smirked. “Savages.”
I glanced at Sue talking to Mom and Dad at the other picnic table.
“She seems to fit right in.” Zack wiggled his eyebrows. “She really is something special.”
“Yeah, she is, isn’t she?” I hoovered some fries, washed them down with water, and headed in their direction, but not before hearing…
“I’m really happy for you, Logan.” I smiled at Frank’s warmth before starting to gather my things.
A while later, our stuff was packed up and the lake looked as if no one had a party.
“Sue seems really nice.” My father found me later as I returned with some dry towels from my truck. I dropped them on a rock, and we enjoyed our first moment alone since he’d met Sue. “I haven’t seen you laugh like that in a long time. She must be special.”
“Dad,” I turned to face him head on, “I know I barely know that girl, but I’m gonna marry her. You watch.”
“Like father, like son. When we know, we know.” He grinned around his cigar. “I can’t tell you how good it is to see you like this.”
“I can’t tell you how much I missed being normal.”
Famous last words…
Daniel
“I’ve got steaks, I’ve got bacon, I’ve got sides, I’ve got it all.” Zack burst through my front door with a massive cooler.
“You got beer?” I looked up from my pathetic attempt of trying to fit my sleeping bag back into its ridiculously tiny pouch. Whoever thought up the idea to make a nearly impossible pouch to carry a sleeping bag in should be taken out back and taught a lesson. I never could understand why things that came out of a package so easily could never be put back in the same way.
“Hello, boys. Your hero has arrived.” Frank came in behind Zack with two cases of beer held high in the air.
“Nice.” I let go of the pouch to slap his hand, and the bag sprang back out. “Screw this.” I tossed it on the chair and grabbed my army one. “I should know better than to stray.”
“What is that?” Frank looked at the bag in disgust. “Did you get it from the local hardware store?”
“Yeah, and the only thing it has in its favor is it has a hole so you can get into it.” I kicked the nylon heap.
