WATCHING BRAD
Part 92
Brad stayed home Saturday morning to change the tires on his bike and to be there in case Mark needed anything. I suspected Mark was as busy helping Brad as he was cleaning my house, but I didn't mind too much. I liked Mark, and Brad seemed to have taken him under his wing. Brad had only a few more weeks left of school and I had a feeling Mark would become more of a fixture around the house.
He was such a good kid, and worked his ass off to please people. The kids loved him and I often caught him ‘wrasslin' with the twins. To be more correct, the twins often tackled Mark when he least expected it. He never got angry with them and would play around with them for only a few minutes before he'd tell them he had to get back to work.
So, there I was on Saturday morning - just Daddy and the kids. The twins rode in the shopping cart. Lindsay stood on the lower rack and held onto the handle as I pushed them along. We went on a ‘Summer Backyard Fun' shopping spree. We found the kites easily enough and I let the kids pick out their favourite colours. I'd never seen those types of kites before. There was no framework to keep their shape, but, they were made for kids, so I bought them. I picked up two patriotic ‘grown-up' kites for myself and Brad, each resembling the Canadian flag. I thought they'd be impressive against a blue sky what with all that red and white.
I picked up one of those Slip ‘n Slide mats that you hook up to a garden hose and you run and do a face dive on the mat and slide to the other end. The kids would have a ball with that. I bought a six-player croquet set and a baseball set with balls and bat soft enough not to hurt anyone who got bonked on the head. I bought a water sprinkler which was really a hose with fifteen jets which twisted and turned like a runaway water hose. That would keep the kids cool on a hot, summer day. The kids picked out a Super Soaker each and Lindsay was particularly taken with a nature set which included nets and little containers for all the bugs she caught. At her request, I got her a new skipping rope and a badminton set. Of course, I had to buy the perennial favourites - Frisbees and bubble makers.
I grabbed up a few other outside toys, but I forget what they were at the moment. I'm sure I'll remember them when the kids start playing with them.
On the way home, I took the kids for a soft ice cream at Dairy Queen, then I pulled into the Tim Hortons Drive-Thru and picked up some Timbits and some apple fritters for our ‘surprise' picnic lunch. The kids didn't know about that yet.
As I had guessed, Mark was helping Brad with his bicycle. As Brad pumped air into his tires with a hand pump, Mark was busy washing the bike down for him. Of course, the twins were content to stand back and watch a ‘man working with tools'. Lindsay couldn't be bothered. She helped me carry the packages into the house and into the livingroom where we began opening them together. It was like our own private little Christmas.
"Have you thought about what you want for your party?" I asked her.
"I'm still thinking, Daddy," she answered. "I don't know what kind of games to play. I've never been to a pyjama party before."
"Neither have I," I smiled. "Why don't you ask Terry on Monday? She should know."
"Do you think there were pyjama parties when she was a little girl?"
"I'm sure there were."
"Oh, I asked one other friend," she said. "Is that okay?"
"That's fine with me, Sweetheart. It sounds like you're going to have a lot of fun."
"I hope so."
"I'm sure you will."
We finished opening all the new toys and bagged up the garbage and sorted out the recyclables. I left Lindsay to examine her new Nature Kit and went into the kitchen to begin preparing our picnic lunch.
Brad came in with the boys a few minutes later with Mark tagging along behind. As Brad went to wash up in one bathroom, Mark went to the other and the twins joined Lindsay with all the new toys. I took a short break to tally up Mark's hours and to write him a cheque, then sent him on his way.
So, about forty minutes later, we on headed for the park down the street. Brad walked in front carrying the big plastic cooler with the food and drinks and three helmets piled on top. He wore a backpack full of rollerblades and knee and elbow pads. Lindsay walked beside him carrying her new badminton set and kite. I walked behind with the twins. They carried their kites and I carried everything else in my own backpack.
I had been worried that morning when we woke up. The sky was overcast and rain threatened, but, by late morning, the clouds had cleared and the sky was blue. A gentle breeze was blowing in off the lake. Good kite-flying weather, yet not strong enough to cause serious problems for badminton.
The park was quite busy. Lots of people wandering the paths and plenty of kids playing in the play area. We found a spot out of the way of everyone which would give us plenty of room for our kites and badminton. I pulled the blanket out of the backpack and spread it out and we set everything at one end. We decided to do the kites first. I was a little worried. I'd never seen kites like these before. With no supporting frames or anything, it seemed the wind would inflate the kite and help it to hold its shape. But, they were recommended for kids, and the little boy on the package had looked like he was having fun, so I took their word for it.
We got the twins going first. As Brad carried the kites away from us, I unreeled about twenty metres of string. "We'll do Jeremy first!" Brad called out.
I handed Jeremy his spool of string and showed him how to hold it as Justin looked on curiously. I put my hands over Jeremy's hands. "Now, hold your arms out." When he did, I shouted, "Slack, Brad!"
Brad took up the slack and I felt the spool begin to pull away. "Okay, hold tight." I looked up at Brad. He was holding the kite into the wind. Miraculously, the wind caught it and filled it with air. The kite took shape. The string divided into three near the end and each thread was tied securely to three small, triangular wings beneath. It looked like a kite!
"When Brad lets go of the kite, pull the string toward you, okay? I'll help you."
"Okay, Daddy," Jeremy said.
"Ready when you are, Brad!"
"Okay! On ‘three'!" he yelled back. "One. . . Two. . .
Three!"
Brad released the kite and I pulled Jeremy's arms toward his chest. The kite soared into the air and Jeremy began bouncing and squealing his excitement.
I moved Jeremy's hands away slowly again. "Now, if the kite starts to fall, or you want it to go higher, pull in again, like this." I tugged on his hands and the kite flew higher above us. I showed him how to let out more string and to let his kite fly even higher, but Justin was getting very impatient, so, I told Justin to hold on tight and I released his hands. I kept them there for a moment, just in case, but he held on fine.
I grabbed up Justin's string and moved him away a bit so the kites wouldn't become horribly entangled, as Brad picked up Justin's kite. We repeated our actions and soon Justin's kite was as high in the sky as his brother's kite. We did the same with Lindsay.
Our kites required some assembly, what with the three supporting arms, but they were quick and easy. Brad carried them out as I unreeled the string. He set them on the ground, then he returned to stand beside me. Together, we ran backwards until the wind caught our ‘Maple Leaf' kites and lifted them into the air, and then we moved back to stand near the kids in case they needed us.
It wasn't quite the scene in
Mary Poppins, but we were gathering quite a little crowd of people around us. The kids kites were very colourful and shiny in their nylon, neon hues and glistened against the blue sky. Brad and I kept an eye on the kids. Fortunately, the wind was strong enough and the kites were designed well enough to keep them in the air with very little effort on their parts.
We flew our kites for about twenty minutes before Justin suddenly shouted to me, "Daddy, I'm hungry. How do I crash it?"
"Hang on a minute," I told him as I began reeling in my kite. Brad did the same. He was faster than I was and had his on the ground and was bringing in Justin's kite before I got mine back to Earth. I helped Jeremy after that as Lindsay reeled in her own kite by wrapping the string around the spool.
The crowd dispersed as the fun drew to a close and left us to our blanket and picnic lunch. Brad packed away the kites and I unpacked the cooler. Within minutes, we were all sitting around on our blanket enjoying our lunch. Dessert, of course, was Timbits and apple fritters.
* * * * *
As Brad put on his new rollerblades, I put the skates, helmets, and pads on the twins. Lindsay, meanwhile, was waiting impatiently for me, a shuttlecock in her hand and two badminton rackets under her arm. She didn't have to wait long. Soon enough, Brad was ready and, holding the twins by the hand, walked them to the paved walkways and set out skating with them.
Lindsay handed me a racket and we took our places. She served. It took us a few serves to get into the groove of the game, but soon we were chalking up pretty healthy volleys. I knew Lindsay played badminton in school, but I had never played with her before. I was being gentle with her at first. I mean, I'm three times her age, and I'm her father. I'm supposed to be gentle. Before long, though, she had this old ass of mine scrambling to make returns.
A half-hour later, I admitted defeat. "I'm sorry, Sweetheart," I said as I walked toward her. "You're too good."
Lindsay smirked. "You're too old, Daddy," she replied.
I stopped in front of her and knelt down to give her a hug and a kiss. "Yes, I am, Sweetheart," I said. "I wish I wasn't so I could play with you longer."
"Will you swing with me instead?"
"That I can do." I gave her another kiss.
We put the rackets and birdie back into their box and walked hand-in-hand to the swings. I set myself into the leather strap seat and lifted Lindsay into my lap. She sat with her back against my chest, her legs straddling mine.
"We don't have to swing, Daddy," she said. "We can just wobble if you want."
So, we wobbled. Digging my toes into the dirt, we swayed forward and back. I reached around Lindsay, grasping her hands in mine and folding them over her stomach. She leaned her head back against my shoulder and we swung there gently, listening to the kids playing around us and watching Brad and the twins skating around the park.
"This is fun, Daddy," Lindsay said softly.
"It sure is, Sweetheart," I said, and I kissed her hair.
She snuggled herself into me and we had our silent fun.
* * * * *
Lindsay and I joined Brad and the twins on the blanket where we changed the boys out of their skating gear and got them into their shoes again. Then, as Brad and Lindsay exchanged volleys with the badminton shuttlecock, the twins ran to the swings and I joined them there, standing behind them and pushing them until they were flying like their kites.
That lasted all of five minutes, then it was off to the jungle gym with its slides and ladders and such. They lasted much longer there, scrambling up and down and in and out and around until their power switches suddenly flipped into the ‘off' position. They came down the slide and, as one, raised their arms to be picked up.
I carried them back to the blanket and began packing things away for the walk home. Brad and Lindsay joined me and, before the twins fell asleep on the blanket, I slid the backpack over my shoulders, grabbed up the boys, and we were on our way home again. Brad followed, carrying the cooler and his own backpack. Lindsay walked beside me this time, holding her cherished badminton set.
Minutes later, with the boys all peed out, I sat down on the sofa with them in my lap. They curled up against me and, within moments, they were asleep. Lindsay changed clothes, then joined me on the sofa and began playing Nintendo. Brad, meanwhile, unpacked everything and put it all away before joining Lindsay for a little one-on-one competition with the Nintendo paddles. I sat there and watched and did my best Daddy Bed impersonation.
The rest of the afternoon was slow and lazy. After the twins woke up, I set about making supper - frozen fish sticks and fries. Yeah, I know. Culinary child abuse. But it's what the kids wanted. Supper came and went, as did the children's baths. Afterward, we curled up on the sofa together and watched Disney's
Shrek one more time.
At last, and finally, the house was quiet. The kids were asleep and Brad and I sat in the dark with only a single candle burning. We sat on the sofa and listened to the silence as we shared a single bottle of beer between us. Later, when the beer was finished, we blew out the candle and shared a hot bath together. I sat between Brad's legs that night, leaning against his hard body and resting my head on his shoulder.
Brad hugged my chest and kissed my ear. "There's only one thing that can make this better," he said quietly.
"What's that?" I asked.
"Me being married to you." He hugged me close again. "I've been so happy since I met you, Pops, but nothing will make me happier than for you to put that ring on my finger. I can't wait for the first day I start spending the rest of my life with you."
I twisted around so I could look into his face. "Neither can I, Tiger," I said. "Neither can I."
* * * * *
We awoke the next morning to grey skies and rain pitter-pattering against the window panes and to the sounds of Sunday morning cartoons from the livingroom. It was time to take off my ‘lover' hat and put on the ‘Daddy' hat, at least until the kids had their breakfast. I rolled to my side and kissed Brad ‘good morning'. The taste of him was still in my mouth and the taste of me was still on his lips and tongue. The sole remains of last night's lovemaking, and they would be all gone with a little bit of toothpaste and mouthwash.
"As much as I would love to stay right here all day, I have things to do besides love you."
"Damn," Brad said with a smile, and he kissed me again. "By the way, there's one thing I'm going to enjoy more than our wedding."
"What's that?"
"Our honeymoon," he grinned. "Just you and me for two whole weeks. Better start taking your vitamins, Pops. You're going to need ‘em."
"I suppose I should stock up on condoms, too, then."
That one earned me another kiss. And then he abruptly started laughing.
I pulled away and looked at him. Brad rolled onto his back and laughed out loud, covering his eyes with his left forearm.
"What?" I asked.
Through his laughter, I caught one word: "Customs!"
I started laughing, too. Of course, that caught the attention of my two newest family members who came running into the room and jumping onto our bed and, ultimately, onto us.
"You're not a good Daddy today," Justin said as he looked down at me from his perch on my chest.
"Why?" I asked.
"We're hungry and you're playing with Brad."
"Well," I said after I bent my head up to give him a kiss. "Now it's time to take care of
you." I turned to Jeremy and he stretched to get his own kiss. "Now, scoot back to the television and I'll be out in a minute, okay?"
They climbed down from the bed and went running off to the livingroom again. After one more kiss for Brad, I sat up and swung my legs out of bed. "The joys of fatherhood," I said.
Brad sat up and wrapped his arms around me from behind. "Any regrets?"
I put my hand over his. "Not a single one," I said as I pulled his hand away from me. "Now, let me go before I get Jeremy to jump on your nuts."
Brad let me go, but not before he gave me one final hug.
* * * * *
The rain put a bit of a damper on our weekend together. Whereas I had planned on spending Sunday touring the bicycle trails with my kids, we ended up parking ourselves downstairs in the den with a roaring fire in the fireplace to help ease the damp, May chill. I say ‘roaring'. It was more of a ‘purr'. One of those fake logs you can buy at the hardware store.
Brad played with the boys and their race car and train sets as Lindsay and I sat together on the sofa, pad of paper and pen in hand, making out a list of things she wanted for her pyjama party.
The fun really began, though, when Jeremy suddenly tackled Brad and began tickling him. Brad fell to his back on the floor, laughing and giggling wildly as Justin joined his brother. Brad cried out for help and I, being the cavalier fellow that I am, jumped to his rescue and grabbed Justin away from him and dropped him to the foam futon there and began tickling his ribs.
Justin screamed with laughter and twisted and jerked and tried to get away. Lindsay joined the fray and jumped on my back, which took me from my knees to my side. Moments later, I was fighting off two children intent on digging their fingers into my armpits. I fought back and started a bit of tickling of my own. Of course, that made the kids even more determined to gain the upper hand and they doubled their efforts.
Brad managed to grab Jeremy in his arms and crawl over to me, dropping him on me as well. Now I had three kids to contend with, and Brad sat back on his ass and watched, his knees up and his arms resting on them.
I threatened to send them all to bed for the day if they didn't stop. That didn't work. It didn't even slow them down. The only way I could stop them was to wrap my arms around them and hug them all to me and threaten them that I would never give them another kiss if they didn't get off me.
That had the exact effect I had hoped it would have. Six small arms grabbed me and hugged me and three sets of lips found any part of my face that was within reach. I rewarded them with all the kisses they could handle, and, believe me, they could handle a lot of them.
"Now," I said seriously, "I want you all to do me a great big favour."
"What, Daddy?" Lindsay asked.
I paused a moment before shouting, "Get Brad!"
They did.
* * * * *
The rain stopped as we were eating lunch and the sun came out for a short while, but the clouds rolled in once more, so we decided to stay at home and make our fun there. We took advantage in the break in the rain to set up the croquet hoops and to have a round. There were enough mallets for all, but I didn't play. I spent my time standing behind Justin and Jeremy during their turns to help them.
We managed to play two rounds before the rain caught up with us again and we were forced inside. It was a surprise cloudburst, however. The skies opened up and the rain poured down on us. We all got unpleasantly soaked before we could make it to cover. As Lindsay and Brad went to change, I got the twins out of their shirts and pants and got them warmed up with nice, fluffy towels. I got them some dry clothes for them, told them to get dressed, and grabbed up their wet clothes. I went to my bedroom to change and found Brad there, waiting for me.
"I thought I'd toss all these into the washer," he said as I unbuttoned my shirt. "This has been a fun weekend, hasn't it?"
"And tiring," I said. "You sure you still want to marry me?"
Brad dropped the clothes to the floor and came forward and took over undressing me. "I've never been happier in my life, Ted," he said softly as his gentle fingers worked. "I have four people here who I love very much, and I have four people who love me. I have the most handsome and sexy man in the world standing in front of me. I can't imagine anything more in life that I could ever want."
Brad paused with his fingers on the lowest button of my shirt. He looked directly into my eyes. "I do love you, Ted," he said in a hushed whisper. "Don't ever doubt that. It's real, and you're never going to get rid of me. Do you believe that?"
I scanned his green eyes. I could see the love he had for me in them. "Yes, Brad, I believe it."
"Please don't ever stop loving me, Pops."
Brad kissed me for a long time, hugging me close to him until he was ready to release me. Moments later, he had my shirt and pants off and gathered up our clothes. "I'll get Lindsay's clothes and throw everything in the washer."
"Hang her top on the line. It doesn't go in with the other clothes."
"Okay," he said. "I love you, Ted." He went out the door, closing it behind him. He didn't even wait for my response.
* * * * *
The twins weren't watching television as I thought they would be. I found them on their bed, asleep. All they had on were their socks and underwear. Their clean jeans and shirts lay on the floor. I untucked the blanket from the foot of the bed and folded it up and over to cover them against the dampness. I kissed them on the cheek and left them to sleep.
The rest of the day was equally as quiet and lazy. The twins woke up from their nap and came running out to the livingroom in their socks and underwear. They came to a stop in front of me, all smiles and happy faces.
"Can we have some juice, Daddy?" Justin asked.
"Aren't you forgetting something?" I asked in return.
"Please?" Jeremy said.
"Yes," I replied, "but I was thinking more along the lines of some pants."
They put their hands on their bellies and looked down at themselves. "Oh, yeah," they said, and off they went, back to their room.
"What kind?" I called after them.
"Grape!" one said. "Orange!" said the other.
I glanced at Lindsay. "Do you want some juice, Sweetheart?"
"Apple, please," she replied. "No!
pineapple."
"Do we have pineapple?" I asked, looking at Brad.
"Should have," he said. "If not up here, there should be some downstairs."
"Okey dokey," I said. "One juice from the apple of pine coming right up."
By the time I returned with the juices, the twins were dressed and, along with their sister, had already decided on what they wanted for supper that night. Hotdogs with relish. The one thing we didn't have in the house. I didn't feel like driving to the store.
"How about some Kraft Dinner?" I suggested.
"Yes!" Justin shouted. "KD!"
Whew. Trip to the store averted. Until. . .
"With hotdogs!" Jeremy roared.
"And relish!" Lindsay shrieked.
"I'll get your keys," Brad said with a wide smirk.
I left the twins with Brad. Lindsay came along with me. I let her pick out something for dessert. She scoured the bakery aisle for almost ten minutes before she decided on raspberry Danish. I picked up two packages of six in case the kids wanted a bedtime snack.
After supper, I got the kids into their baths and into their sleep wear before we all settled down in front of the television to watch
Mary Poppins again. I was relieved they didn't pick
Shrek. That ogre doesn't seem so funny to adults after watching him thirty-seven times.
Finally, after the kites were flying and Mary Poppins drifted over the rooftops of London hanging onto her umbrella, the credits began to roll and I hit the ‘stop' button on the DVD player. As Lindsay began watching the Special Features, I carried the twins into their bedroom, folded down their blanket once more and tucked it in, and then tucked
them in as well.
"Goodnight, my Sonskyns," I said, smiling. "See you in the morning." I kissed them and smoothed their hair, then stopped at the door as they curled into their usual sleeping positions. I blew them one final kiss and left the room.
I let Lindsay watch her DVD until nine-fifteen, then took her into bed and tucked her in.
"Did you have fun this weekend, Sweetheart?" I asked.
"Yeah," she replied. "It was fun with just us an no-one else."
"We'll do it more often in the Summer," I said. "Have you decided if you want to sleep in the big bed or on the floor when you have your party?"
"I'll ask the girls tomorrow."
"Okay. Sweet dreams, Sweetheart," I said as I kissed her goodnight.
"Nitey-nite, Daddy," she said. She rolled over to face the window and I left her, turning off the light as I exited her room.
Brad was waiting for me in the livingroom. He held his arm open for me and I settled into it, falling against his chest and shoulder as his arm came around me.
"Where do they get all that energy?" he asked.
"I don't know, but I wish they would share some with me."
"Don't worry," Brad said assuredly. "By the time Summer is over, they'll have you all beefed up and full of more energy than you'll know what to do with. No more Timbit Tummy."
I smacked Brad's tummy with the palm of my hand and looked at him. "Watch it, kid," I warned jokingly. "I can still take you over my knee."
"And do what?"
"Give you a jolly good hiding," I said.
"What's that?"
"A spanking."
"Oh!" Brad's eyes opened wide. "Promises, promises!"
"I can do it, you know."
"I'm sure you could," he replied, grinning. "And would you kiss it and make it all better afterward?"
I grinned back. "That's the best part of a jolly good hiding."
"Well, then. You might was well start practicing." Brad linked his fingers in my hair and pulled my mouth to his.
We practiced until we went to bed an hour later.
To Be Continued
