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“But, you know, my friends just adopted a baby and my brother’s got a kid on the way.”
“What? Elias?”
“No, Max,” I explained. “Long story, but the point is that I should probably get some experience being the fun uncle. So I can step up to the plate. Get the kids all revved up. Pump them full of sugar.”
“They’re going to love you.”
“Definitely.”
“Their parents, no so much.”
We looked over at Rex. Elias was explaining the ins and outs of the game and Rex nodded along, asking questions. He was smiling and nodding along, intrigued.
“But I think the parents will figure out a way to forgive you,” she added.
I met her eyes, making sure she could too. “That’s good.”
Elias wonthree games in a row. I can’t say I was surprised. My teammate was a six-year-old with surprisingly shitty hand eye coordination. Still, it sucks to lose.
However, seeing Rex’s face light up when he hit the ball and scored points was worth Elias’s bragging. When he got the jackpot and the lights flashed and the machine made all kinds of noise, Rex didn’t seem to be worried about his IQ.
“Ugh,” Rex groaned as the ball slipped through the flippers, ending the game. “Game over.”
“That’s okay, man, you still did great,” I told him. “Up top.”
“Huh?”
“High-five, honey,” Zoe explained, trying not to laugh.
Rex smiled and high-fived me before turning to his mom.
“We should probably get going, shouldn’t we?” she mused. “Say thank you to Carter and Elias.”
“Thank you,” Rex echoed.
“Of course,” Elias told him.
“Anytime,” I confirmed. “You’re really getting the hang of it.”
Zoe caught my pretty blatant lie but laughed it off.
“Elias said that the winner buys the Italian ices,” Rex said. Elias confirmed this with a slight nod. “Is it okay, Mom?”
“Normally, I’m not keen on you having so much sugar before bedtime, but I’ll allow it this once,” she said. “Be sure to tell Eliasthank youagain.”
“Double thank you, Elias.”
“Anytime. Let’s go see what flavors they have,” Elias offered, ushering Rex towards the counter.
“Well, thank you for all of this,” Zoe said. “He had the time of his life today.”
I looked over at my brother and Rex. Rex had a grin a mile wide as the teenage girl at the counter scooped a rainbow Italian ice into a paper cup and handed it to him. I suddenly felt something warm and strange inside as I remembered my dad standing at that very counter laughing as Elias and I ordered ices as kids. Elias always ordered lemon ice and I told him that was the most boring flavor ever. He’d get pissy and I ordered the superior flavor, Bing cherry, and our dad would have to separate us.
“It was fun for us too,” I told her. “I almost,almostget why people do this.”
“Do what?”
“Have kids.”
