Page 28 of Rich and Bossy

I turn back to Brody and wink at him. “Okay, one more time for you.” My eyes widen. “Then we’re even, right? Everyone has the same flight time?”

He starts bouncing up and down. “Yes, yes, one more! One more and even!”

I snatch him up before he realizes what happens and start making the jet noises, running him around the living room. His arms immediately shoot out and he’s once again in heaven.

It hurts like hell, but I love these two. I love watching them smile like this, knowing I get to be a part of their lives.

My sister laughs, watching from the sofa while I jog around with him.

I fly him right at the wall, then bank at the last second so he damn near takes a framed picture off the wall.

“Pax! Be careful! For crying out loud!”

We both laugh at her reaction. “Oh please, we used to jump off the roof all the time. You kidding me?”

“Do not give them ideas!” She tries not to laugh as she scolds me for that.

It’s the great thing about being an uncle. I can get them all amped up then send them home with their mother. Avoid the hard things, like actually having to parent them.

I send him up over the mantle, damn near to the ceiling.

“Pax! God, I can’t watch.”

Brody is laughing his ass off, loving every second of this.

“You’re worried about them?” I bring Brody low and fly him right at his mom then swerve off at the last second when she ducks for cover on the couch.

“I’m the one who’s gonna feel this all week! The heck are you feeding them? They get five pounds heavier every time I see them.”

“You’re telling me. They eat like garbage disposals.” She wears that loving, thoughtful expression mothers wear when they think about how their kids are growing. Our mom used to do the same thing when Poppy and I were young.

I make the mistake of zooming him over the grand piano at the far end of the room. Mom’s prized possession.

“That is enough! What do you think you two are doing?” Mom comes storming around the corner.

“Uh oh.” That’s all I say in Brody’s ear. “We might be in trouble now.”

“Wuh oh,” he repeats.

I bring him in for a landing on the same runway I just landed Brayden on.

“The flying is done!” Mom says in a mock-angry tone.

Now that we’re past the piano, she seems to have calmed down a little.

“My living room is not an airfield.”

I stand up, now rolling both of my shoulders, grinning at her. “Sure it is. Look at this place.”

“What were you thinking, flying him over the piano?”

“We needed some aerial shots. Gotta know the lay of the land to be a good aviator.”

The boys both start giggling, mainly at the fact I’m getting in trouble. God knows she’ll never discipline her two little angel grandkids.

She points right at me. “Don’t do it again. And you’re getting a little too old for this. Look at you.”

I glance down at my body. “What? I’m in my prime.”

---