Page 98 of Mister Mom

“I got it.” I hand Payne a five-dollar bill.

“Me!” Via shouts.

“You’re too little,” Payne says and then runs over to the game.

Payne inserts the money. Good boy.

“It’s out of order,” Layla calls over, but Payne moves the crane.

“Guess not,” I say and Layla shrugs, looking over the menu.

She’s so calm, I’m certain she has no idea what’s about to happen.

“Me!” Via says again.

Layla’s hand instinctively moves to her daughter’s arm, her eyes not even coming off the menu. But Via is having none of it.

“Me play!” Via is on the verge of a scream.

“Let’s just order.” Layla dips her menu down, her gaze finding mine with a look that says, This was a bad idea, we should all be at home.

“It’s fine.” I smile.

Our waitress comes over and Layla orders for her and the kids. Then I order for myself. The entire time, we’ve both tried to calm Via down, but she keeps trying to free her legs from her high chair. I think she might be trying to bungee-jump from the thing.

“Come on.” I stand up, and unbuckle her.

“She won’t get back in now.” Layla shakes her head like Via will be my problem, stirring her Splendas into her coffee.

Via tries to use the crane one time and Payne tries, but neither can get it, which is good.

“Go ask your mom to come over,” I whisper to Payne and he nods enthusiastically, running over to his mom.

Layla’s attention is stuck on her phone.

“Mom!” Payne yells and she startles, her hand gripping her heart.

“You scared me.” She laughs and her eyes find me and Via over at the machine.

“Will you help me?” Payne asks, portraying his best ‘please, Mommy’ face.

“Vance is there. Can he not get it?” She’s already sliding out of the booth.

I knew she couldn’t resist the urge to beat me at something. If she thinks I couldn’t get the animal and she can, she’d jump at the chance.

“No, I need your help, Mommy.” Payne waits outside of the booth while Layla gets up and heads over to the machine.

“You couldn’t do it, huh?” she asks in a cocky voice.

I shake my head. “Don’t be too sure until you get the animal yourself.”

She shrugs one shoulder. “I’ll get it.” She weaves her fingers together, stretching them to crack her knuckles. “Want to see the master?” she asks Payne, who’s jumping up and down.

If she doesn’t get the loosely placed blowing-kiss-faced emoji pillow I’ll be the one reaching my hand up there like Payne did.

“You want the angry face one?” She looks down at Payne.

“No!” he yells, his face transforming into an ‘are you stupid’ expression.

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