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The next day, Shay isagain outside with Jacob, trying to teach him how to ride his bike. I come outside and put my hands in the back pockets of my jeans. I watch Shay let go of his bike seat, and Jacob swings wildly back and forth before tipping over again. I’m not happy about this, but I know the only way for him to learn is if you let go. A few more narrowly averted wrecks, and I decide to put a stop to it.
“That’s enough, time for dinner.”
“Aw, Mom. Not yet, I almost had it.”
“I saw. Which means you’ll get it next time, since you’re close.”
“Aw, sometimes you’re no fun, Mom.”
“Yeah, Mom. Sometimes you’re no fun,” Shay mimics him, making a face at me.
“Hey, I was fun mom last weekend when I took you to the New Mexico Land of Enchantment fair. I let you sample every flavor of cotton candy. Ten!”
“That’s why I said sometimes, Mom.”
“The sometimes when I don’t let you have your way?”
“Yeah.” He smiles.
I laugh. “Get yourself into the bathroom and wash your hands.” He runs off, and Shay and I join mom at the kitchen table.
“I have a surprise for you,” Shay says to him a few minutes later, as we’re eating.
“What is it? A new set of trucks?” He looks up expectantly.
“Better.”
“What is it?”
“Remember I said when I have time off I was going to take you to the most fun, loudest, muddiest place you can go to crash cars and trucks, as big as King Kong—”
“Monster truck smash rally!” He bounces in the chair, eyes lit up like it’s Christmas and his birthday, all rolled into one.
“Heck yeah, we’re going!”
He’s chattering on and on about what he’s going to see, if he can touch the trucks, and the one question that has him nearly levitating out of his seat with excitement is “Can we drive in the trucks?”
“We’re in, kid. I’m tight with some of the guys. I’ve worked on some of their cars. Not the race ones though.”
I love seeing my kid happy. He loves his Aunt Shay. She loves him to death and would do anything to make him happy. She’s the cool aunt, which is great. It truly comes in handy for me. I don’t do dirt or worms. I‘d rather deal with a garden snake.,as absurd as it sounds. Shay can deal with the worms.
“Can Jackson come? Please, Aunty Shay.”
Oh nooo.
“I don’t see why not? Sure. If it’s fine with your mother, Grandma can set it up. She usually does the playdates set-up.”
“Grandma, you can do that. Mom, can he come?”
“I don’t know…”
“He’s my best friend. Pleeeease.”
Oh, Lord. I look over at my mother. Her head slightly tilts and eyebrows go up. I hear what the look says. That’s Mom code for “I told you” without words.
“Jacob, I don’t know. His parents—”
