Page 39 of Sour Brew Face

“I want thatEndermantoy.” Our oldest points at a stuffed black toy with long arms and legs that resembles a creature fromMinecraft. Yay! AnotherEndermanto add to his growing collection. Honestly, I’m just happy he’s made a decision, he’s usually the one that takes forever to decide on something even if its just what he wants to drink. I nod, adding the two ticket amounts in my head.

I squat next to our youngest so I can hear him better. “Have you picked something out yet?” He nods solemnly, like hundreds of lives depend on his choice.

“I want the giant strawberry.” I smile as I follow his hand up to the top shelf and find a very large squishy strawberry next to an equally large squishy piece of cake.

“Not the cake?” I ask.

“No, the strawberry.” I stand up in time for Langston to join us, having added the last of his winnings to our card. We have about 9,700 tickets to spend. I eye the options and giggle to myself when I see a little version of the cat and unicorn, but it’s a pig in a cow costume. I don’t know why but it’s cute as hell and I want it.

“Have you all decided?” A young man approaches us with all the enthusiasm of someone about to get a rectal exam with a hot poker.

Langston has been fun to watch the last few days. We all enjoyed the water park but chasing around our 6-year-old while our 9 and 12-year-olds played together was exhausting for Lang and I. Especially when the little punk would dart past us and climb up the rope net losing us in the large maze of water features.

However tired we were, everyone seemed to perk up as soon as it was arcade time. No one more so than Langston. Over the years, I’ve been happy to give him the chance at the childhood he never had. With our boys, he’s experienced and done so much more, insisting that they have the opportunities he and Emerson didn’t. And when the two of them get together, Kylie and I know we’re in for an adventure.

“Yes.” Langston says nearly pushing our older boys out of the way in his exuberance to cash in his winnings. Each boy says what they want, then Langston picks out a blue neon-light howling wolf lamp. As the young man collects the lamp from the back, Langston turns around to me and wiggles his eyebrows suggestively.

“We’ll put that on my nightstand. We can turn it on whenever its business time.”

“Can’t wait. Will you howl like the wolf?” He grins a bit wolfishly, but the clerk interrupts before he can respond.

“You have 50 tickets left.” I sag in disappointment, my pig/cow is 950 tickets.

Langston grins at me and says, “What do you want, babe?”

“Well, I guess not that pig/cow.” I sass, then smile to the clerk and ask, “Can I have anAirhead?”

“Mo, why didn’t you say anything? I didn’t know you wanted that.”

“I’m just teasing, it’s cute, but I’ll live. I’ll munch on my…” I pause as the clerk hands me my candy, “blueAirheadwhile you all enjoy your prizes.” Lang frowns but there’s not much to do about it now, and it’s really not a big deal.

We leave the arcade. And I’m already thinking about packing up since we’ll be leaving in the morning.

“I’m sorry you didn’t get the pig/cow mama.” Our middle son slows down to walk next to me. I place my arm over his shoulder and draw him into my side.

“It’s alright, buddy. As long as my babies are happy, I’m happy.” I quirk an eyebrow at him, “You happy?” He nods and shoves his giant cat at me.

“Feel how soft she is.” I run my hand down the fake fur, surprised by the softness.

“She is soft, what are you gonna call her?” He scrunches up his face as he thinks. “What about kittycorn?” I offer and the three boys giggle.

“That’s good, Mama, I like it. Kittycorn.”

We get back to our room and I spend the next little while ordering the boys around to gather dirty laundry, our shoes, pick out their outfits for tomorrow and pack up the rest. The boys crash not long after we’re finished, and Langston isn’t far behind them.

When I wake up in the morning, Langston is already up. He’s an early riser since he doesn’t work at the bar as much. Jesse has been managing it for years now, leaving the administrative work to Langston. I look through the patio doors, but he isn’t there. I check the bathroom, not there either. Figuring he must have gone out for something in the resort, I gather my things and prepare to take a shower.

Before I turn the water on, I hear the door to our suite open. Stepping into our rooms, I find Langston looking out the patio doors. He turns around when he hears me.

“Hey, stranger, where were you?” I ask, leaning up to kiss him, then settle my arms around his trim waist for a hug.

“Arcade.” He says and I grin against his chest.

“Couldn’t stay away, could you?” I tease. He pushes me back gently, and points to the table next to us. Sitting upright is the pig/cow from the arcade. My breath catches and my eyes well with tears. “You went back to win this for me?”

He nods, bringing me back into the safe embrace of his body. “It didn’t seem right you not getting what you wanted, babe.” We hold on to one another for a long time, neither of us in a hurry to move. He clears his throat, eventually, “I was wrong, Mo, so very wrong.”

“What do you mean?” I ask puzzled.

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