Page 25 of Happy Trails & Honey Pots

AJ came down the stairs and set the table as I went into the front room and started to wake Walter up.

I walked over and shook his arm. “Walter, dinner’s ready.”

He didn’t move.

“Dinner’s ready!” I said a little louder.

Beside me, Daisy’s butt was wiggling like crazy with excitement.

“Walter!” I tried one more time, giving his arm an even more forceful nudge. “Dinner’s ready!”

Nothing.

“Okay,” I gave Daisy the green light. “Wake him up.”

Daisy hopped up placing her front legs on the armrest and began licking all over Walter’s cheek.

His hand flew up in the air. “Huh! Hey! Stop!”

“Good girl.” I patted Daisy’s head as she lowered down to her feet, clearly proud of her achievement.

“That dog!” He grumbled as he pushed out of his chair. “I told her I don’t do kisses.”

“It’s the only thing that wakes you up.” I smiled.

“What are you talkin’ about? I was just restin’ my eyes.”

“Sure you were.” I helped Walter out of his chair and to the dinner table.

Daisylovedgiving everyone kisses, but I think she loved giving Walter kisses the most because it got the biggest reaction.

Once we were all settled at the table and had begun eating, I took a deep breath. “We need to have a family vote on something.”

AJ sat up a little straighter, looking excited at the prospect. He was still young enough that family votes intrigued him. I knew when he was a teenager, he probably wouldn’t be as invested in times like these, so I was not taking these times for granted.

“After your game the other night, Miles came and talked to me and told me that he would only make the movie if he had our blessing. So, we all need to say whether or not we want Fallen Hero to be made.”

“I do.” AJ’s hand shot up in the air.

“Okay. Walter?”

“You know I said that it’s not for me to say.”

“Yes, it is. Austin was your boy. We are your family. Everyone in the family gets a vote.” I handed out papers to AJ and Walter and kept one for myself. Then I gave them both pens. I had a feeling Walter wouldn’t want to vote, so I figured this would make him. “We all need to vote yes or no on this paper and then put it in the bowl.”

I could see Walter wasn’t happy about being forced to take a side, but the truth was, he should have a say in it.

“So, we all have to vote yes, or they can’t make the movie?” AJ asked.

“No, it is going to be majority rules.”

AJ just stared at me.

“That means that if two of us vote yes, the movie gets made.”

AJ nodded his head and wrote his vote.

I stared down at my paper, really asking myself what Austin would have wanted. Tears filled my eyes as I wrote my answer and folded up the paper. We all put our papers in a bowl.

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