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“Movie night.”
“In the fort?” I asked, pointing towards the giant blanket that took up the entire living room.
He nodded. “Yea, wanna watch with us?”
“Depends, do you have poor man nachos?”
Dustin pinched his eyebrows at me and looked at his grandmother. Janet's eyes flipped from me to her grandson as she tried to contain any comment she may be holding in. Her lips were in a tight smile.
“What are poor man nachos?” Dustin finally asked, his voice completely monotone.
“Janet,” I turned to Janet who instantly gave me her full attention. Jamie looked so much like her mom. Same eyes, same hair, same expressions. “You wouldn’t happen to have potato chips and shredded cheese, would you?”
“Well yes, Daxton, I do.” She turned, opening the fridge and pantry.
“Dustin, why don't you go take the drinks in the fort and come back and I’ll show you how to make the best movie snack you’re ever going to eat.”
Dustin’s eyes widened as he took off towards the fort, ducking his head inside to drop the sodas. I heard him say something to his cousins and siblings before making his way back to the kitchen. Janet had pulled out a large glass platter and the bag of potato chips. Once Dustin was back, I opened the bag.
“Now,” I began, “The goal here is to get every single chip covered in cheese.” I dumped the chips on the platter and then began to sprinkle the cheese on top. “Once every chip is covered, you pop it in the microwave.”
“The microwave?” Dustin repeated.
“The microwave.” I popped the platter in and set the timer. “I watch it, because the cheese will melt fast and you don't want it to burn.”
“But burnt cheese is so good,” Janet added in her own two cents.
“Not on chips Janet, trust me. Not. On. Chips.” I opened the microwave before the timer was done and showed Dustin the platter of bubbling cheese and chips. I took a chip from the platterand pulled, watching as the cheese pulled off just like you see in pizza commercials. I couldn’t tell if Dustin was in love with this idea or disgusted by it, but he took a chip and stuck the whole thing in his mouth, nodding as he chewed. My snack was approved by an eleven-year-old and it brought me great joy. “Poor man nachos.”
“Not bad Daxton, not bad.”
“Uncle Daxton!” Phillips' head popped out of the tent, “Come watch with us!”
“What are we watching?”
“How do you feel about treasure hunting?!” Dustin answered as Phillip’s head vanished back into the fort.
“Is Nicolas Cage involved?”
Dustin rapidly nodded his head.
“Count me in. Dustin, can you grab me a coke?”
“Sure!” he exclaimed as he went back to the fridge.
Inside the fort were mounds of pillows, and a laptop sat propped up on a small table. The darkness of the blankets caused the right mood for a movie, and the snacks laid out in front of all the kids was a treasure trove. I placed the platter of chips next to the popcorn and candies and settled in next to Phillip, who instantly cuddled up to me. Once Dustin was in and all six of us were ready to go, they hit play on the movie, and we all watched as Ben Gates and his sidekick managed to survive a ship being blown up.
Close to the end of the movie, I had a sleeping Phillip laying on my lap, and the platter of chips was completely gone, as was all the popcorn. Out of the corner of my eye the blanket moved and Jamie’s head appeared.
“What are you doing?” She laughed, taking in the sight of me amongst all the kids.
“Watching a movie, and you’re letting all the light in.” I reached up and pulled the blanket back down. I could hear her laugh, stronger at first but softening as she got further away.
I tried to listen as she talked to the others, all of them joking about how“Daxton was in the fort, channeling his inner child.”Jillian mentioned something about how she thinks it’s sweet—how good I had been with all the kids. Then her dad’s voice appeared, the one person I had yet to really win over. To be fair I hadn’t spent that much alone time with the man. We had talked about my firm here and there, the new aspects to the field, but other than that we hadn’t spoken much.
Granted, it hadn't been that long.
Maybe he would have opinions on selling my company, maybe I could go over a few things with him. Ask advice since my own father wasn’t able to give it.
