Senior Year Box Set

I pulled the painting out of the box and examined it. It showed me lying at the bottom, facing Duke. Four of my kids were piled around him, taking naps, while Coby was in the process of climbing a fence to escape. The baby mommas stood off to the side, talking, oblivious to my son’s escape attempt.

In the center-top were my parents, watching over us. Greg and his three little ones were in a top corner, feeding ducks at the pond near our house. In the other corner were my two grandmothers, pointing at my son’s escape attempt. Above them in the clouds, looking down, were my two grandfathers.

Frick! I was becoming a wuss. I started to tear up. Instead of saying anything, I simply turned the portrait around so everyone could see it.

“Thank God they got your good side,” Greg quipped.

I didn’t even retaliate. It gave me a jolt to get me out of my melancholy reaction to seeing my grandfathers, who’d left us too soon.

Allana had nailed it, in my opinion. I loved the take she had, with the focus being on my family. I made a mental note to call her and thank her for what she’d done.

◊◊◊

After we ate, Greg and I walked to the river with Phil. Greg had his three little ones with him.

“Unca David,” Mac said to get my attention.

“Yes, Princess.”

“Momma says you don’t like her, but you’re toilet-training her for me.”

I looked at Greg for a translation.

“Tolerating,” Greg corrected without much thought.

Angie had begun to be a problem. She had started to slowly poison my niece against me.

“I like your mom just fine,” I said to Mac and then turned to Greg. “Did you know that Zoe and Johan are moving onto the farm to help out?”

“Mom told me,” he admitted.

“Zoe and I are going into the horse-breeding business together. Do you think I could get Angie off my back if …”

“Stop! Don’t say it,” Greg said with a panicked look on his face.

The last thing Greg wanted was for me to buy a horse for Mac. If I even breathed the words, my niece would be on Greg until it happened.

“Then perhaps you can fix my little problem with your ex,” I suggested.

“I’ll have a talk with her,” he assured me.

Then he quickly changed the subject.

“So, numbnuts. When do you head off to be free labor for Uncle John?” Greg asked Phil.

Phil almost said a bad word. Greg and I both raised our eyebrows to warn him he was about to end up in the naughty corner. At the very least, Mac would make him put money in the swear jar.

“Numbnuts,” Nate parroted.

That made my day.

“Did you ever have to spend the summer with Uncle John?” Phil asked Greg.

“Not the whole summer. I wasn’t the troublemaker the two of you turned out to be,” Greg said, acting superior.

“Want to see your daddy swim in the river?” I asked the little ones.

They seemed to want it. Kyle began to take his pants off.

“Whoa there, fella,” I said to slow him down.

Yep, he was a Dawson.

“Was it worth it?” Phil asked.

“You heard David today. What do you think?” Greg asked.

“I suppose.”

“Make him take you to the coffee klatch at the diner. The old guys are hilarious. It was the best part of the stay,” I advised.

Greg smiled.

“I missed out on that. Uncle John had just moved to the farm when I stayed with him,” Greg shared.

“Why didn’t I go with you?” I asked.

“If I remember right, you and Tami went to a summer camp that year. Mom decided that if she could get rid of you, she would pawn me off on Uncle John. Something about needing a break from kids,” Greg explained.

I could hear her saying just that.

“David said he taught you … things,” Phil said.

Greg and I both smiled when he blushed.

“Ask him. He knows … things,” Greg said, being careful what he said in front of the big little ears.

“Speaking of things … Joey plans to put the moves on you after Scarlet leaves,” I shared.

“Interesting. I take it she shot you down,” Greg said with a big smile.

I picked him up and dangled him over the river. Man, he sounded like a little girl. I sat him back down and dared him to say more.

“Has anyone said they planned to put a move on me?” Phil asked.

“Maryanne Webber. She said you’ll get drunk tonight and be easy pickings,” I said.

“Peanut butter girl?” Greg asked.

“Yep.”

“She got hit by the ugly stick one too many times,” Phil complained.

“What a ugly stick?” Mac asked.

“On that note, we should head back,” Greg said to stop us from going any further.

◊◊◊

Back at the farmyard, Tami pulled me aside.

“I have to get going. I’m taking my brothers out to a movie tonight.”

“Okay,” I said.

“I plan to go visit Jeff’s grave tomorrow. Would you go with me?” she asked.

“Sure. That’s a good idea. I need to say goodbye to him before I leave town.”

“I love you,” she said and kissed my cheek.

“Love you, too.”

She gave me a tight smile and then left.

All I could think was that we’d messed up in so many ways. If our lives had gone according to plan, we would be a couple, one of the few that lasted through high school and college. I’d learned, though, that you couldn’t live your life asking ‘what if?’

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