out yelling, “The Tickle Monster is gonna get you!”
“Ahhh!!!” Little Bit giggles latching her body onto my lower leg at the same time I go to pour the contents of the pot I’m holding. “Bubba save me!”
Placing the pot back down, I pick her up and wrap her tightly in my arms. “Bubba will always save you.”
“I know.”
“Tell me why?”
“Family first!” She raises a hand in the air victoriously.
“Exactly.”
Faith giggles again and curls up in my arms. “I’m hungry Bubba.”
“I know.” I return to pouring the contents into bowls.
“Applesauce?”
“Apple slices,” the correction makes her start to pout. “With peanut butter.”
“Yay!”
Megan appears beside us. “What’s for dinner?”
I look her in the eyes, “Spaghettios.”
Her jaw drops and her eyes widen. In an airy voice she asks, “Y-Y-You remember?”
“How could I forget?” I counter. “I only ate them at your house....with you.” My head tilts towards the open living room area that’s connected to the kitchen. “Look.” Megan’s face turns to see blankets and pillows laid out across the hardwood floor in front of the T.V.
Just like when we were kids and her mom would let me spend the night because she had suspicions about my dad beating me. I don’t know if she ever tried to call CPS or anything official, but she never turned me away from spending the night when Megan asked. After a while she just began to assume. She never let me stay away too long either.
“Cheese,” Little Bit whines on a yawn, warning me there won’t be a fight for an early bed time. “Cheese Bubba.”
“Okay, I’ll get cheese and everything else. Can you go sit on the blankets with Pretty Megan and pick a movie?”
Her bottom lip slides out and I get a glimpse of how tired she actually is. “I want my Bubba...”
“Little Bit—”
“It’s okay,” Megan steps in. “You can take her to the blanket and I’ll finish dinner. Just cheese on top right?” I nod. “And veggies? What are we doing?”
“You want carrot sticks or celery sticks.”
Faith gripes. “Bleh.”
I demand, “Pick one.”
“Carrots with ranch.”
“Of course,” Megan says to her kindly. “Pick a good movie okay?”
She nods and rubs at her eyes digging her body closer to mine. With Little Bit in my arms I sit on the blanket and start clicking through her favorite movies until she decides on one. The three of us snuggle together eating dinner and watching a movie I’ve seen for the hundredth time. Midway through the movie, no more than 10 minutes after Faith is done eating, she’s passed out with her head in my lap.
“She’s out,” Megan whispers pointing to her.
“Yeah. She had a long day. Birthday parties tend to wear her out.” Pushing the hair out of Faith’s face, I smile down at my baby sister thankful she crashed earlier than I expected.
I can move up the other aspect of this date quickly.
“I’m gonna go tuck her in. Why don’t you pick us a movie that doesn’t involve singing along?” the comment makes her laugh as she takes the remote from me.
Carefully, I lift Little Bit up and carry her off to her bedroom where I tuck her in, not waking her up once. I leave a gentle kiss on her forehead, a whispered I love you, and shut her in her room.
By the time I get back down stairs, Megan’s putting the dishes in the kitchen after having cleared the space for us to stretch out. The pillows are now propped up against the couch making it easier for the two of us to lay down while watching whatever she picked.
“Did you pick something good?”
“Does that mean not a chick flick?” She jokes sauntering back into the living room as I kill the lights.
“I didn’t say that.” I surrender my hands. “You did.”
“Shut up,” she chuckles snuggling against the pillows until I’m beside her where she instantly shifts those snuggles to me.
Perfect.
Pressing a button to start the movie, I sigh, “Thanks again for
“Ahhh!!!” Little Bit giggles latching her body onto my lower leg at the same time I go to pour the contents of the pot I’m holding. “Bubba save me!”
Placing the pot back down, I pick her up and wrap her tightly in my arms. “Bubba will always save you.”
“I know.”
“Tell me why?”
“Family first!” She raises a hand in the air victoriously.
“Exactly.”
Faith giggles again and curls up in my arms. “I’m hungry Bubba.”
“I know.” I return to pouring the contents into bowls.
“Applesauce?”
“Apple slices,” the correction makes her start to pout. “With peanut butter.”
“Yay!”
Megan appears beside us. “What’s for dinner?”
I look her in the eyes, “Spaghettios.”
Her jaw drops and her eyes widen. In an airy voice she asks, “Y-Y-You remember?”
“How could I forget?” I counter. “I only ate them at your house....with you.” My head tilts towards the open living room area that’s connected to the kitchen. “Look.” Megan’s face turns to see blankets and pillows laid out across the hardwood floor in front of the T.V.
Just like when we were kids and her mom would let me spend the night because she had suspicions about my dad beating me. I don’t know if she ever tried to call CPS or anything official, but she never turned me away from spending the night when Megan asked. After a while she just began to assume. She never let me stay away too long either.
“Cheese,” Little Bit whines on a yawn, warning me there won’t be a fight for an early bed time. “Cheese Bubba.”
“Okay, I’ll get cheese and everything else. Can you go sit on the blankets with Pretty Megan and pick a movie?”
Her bottom lip slides out and I get a glimpse of how tired she actually is. “I want my Bubba...”
“Little Bit—”
“It’s okay,” Megan steps in. “You can take her to the blanket and I’ll finish dinner. Just cheese on top right?” I nod. “And veggies? What are we doing?”
“You want carrot sticks or celery sticks.”
Faith gripes. “Bleh.”
I demand, “Pick one.”
“Carrots with ranch.”
“Of course,” Megan says to her kindly. “Pick a good movie okay?”
She nods and rubs at her eyes digging her body closer to mine. With Little Bit in my arms I sit on the blanket and start clicking through her favorite movies until she decides on one. The three of us snuggle together eating dinner and watching a movie I’ve seen for the hundredth time. Midway through the movie, no more than 10 minutes after Faith is done eating, she’s passed out with her head in my lap.
“She’s out,” Megan whispers pointing to her.
“Yeah. She had a long day. Birthday parties tend to wear her out.” Pushing the hair out of Faith’s face, I smile down at my baby sister thankful she crashed earlier than I expected.
I can move up the other aspect of this date quickly.
“I’m gonna go tuck her in. Why don’t you pick us a movie that doesn’t involve singing along?” the comment makes her laugh as she takes the remote from me.
Carefully, I lift Little Bit up and carry her off to her bedroom where I tuck her in, not waking her up once. I leave a gentle kiss on her forehead, a whispered I love you, and shut her in her room.
By the time I get back down stairs, Megan’s putting the dishes in the kitchen after having cleared the space for us to stretch out. The pillows are now propped up against the couch making it easier for the two of us to lay down while watching whatever she picked.
“Did you pick something good?”
“Does that mean not a chick flick?” She jokes sauntering back into the living room as I kill the lights.
“I didn’t say that.” I surrender my hands. “You did.”
“Shut up,” she chuckles snuggling against the pillows until I’m beside her where she instantly shifts those snuggles to me.
Perfect.
Pressing a button to start the movie, I sigh, “Thanks again for
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