Page 30 of You're All I Need

“Here, I brought them for everyone,” I announce, handing my sister a foil-wrapped hot dog.

Stevie holds up her hand. “No thank you. We ate lunch before we came.”

“I’m taking one,” Jack says, setting two of his three down on the bleachers beside me.

“You ordered eight hot dogs?” Scarlet asks, holding out her hand for one.

“I’m a growing boy,” I counter, handing over the frank.

“Me too!” Christian hollers, dipping another chip in cheese. Holding out my knuckles, he taps it and makes an explosion with his hand.

I hand him a hot dog, even though I’m certain he won’t eat it, and then pass one to Gram. “Thank you,” Gram says, then helps Christian unwrap his and set it on the bleachers between them.

Holding out a hot dog, I wave it toward Adrienne. “Weiner?”

Stevie snorts.

Adrienne’s plump lips tick up in a smile. “Thank you.” Her fingers brush against mine as she takes the snack.

We start watching as the third quarter begins, and I quickly devour two hot dogs while watching the game. Gianna comes down to where we’re sitting and plops down in front of Adrienne. “Will you braid my hair?” she asks.

“You got it, sister,” Adrienne replies, moving up a row so Gianna can sit in front of her. She starts working her fingers through Gianna’s curly hair before reaching into her backpack and pulling out a thick-tooth comb, as well as some fancy ponytail holders. I watch the game, but my eyes keep returning to watch Adrienne work Gianna’s hair.

“Adrienne braids the best because she has curly hair too,” Gianna tells me, kicking her feet casually.

“Us curly haired girls gotta stick together,” Adrienne states, twisting her fingers and entwining the strands into the intricate braid.

“Wanna hot dog?” I ask, handing it over to Jack’s daughter.

“Sure. Does it have ketchup and relish? I only like them with ketchup and relish. No mustard. It makes me gag.” She pulls open the foil and makes a face. “It’s plain.”

“They were all plain,” I inform her, holding the eighth and final hot dog. Holding it up to Adrienne, I ask, “Want the last one?”

“No thanks. I’ve had enough wiener for today.” She flashes me a knowing smile, and if I weren’t sitting beside my bestest little buddy and my gram, I’d pitch a tent in my pants.

Holding out the final dog, I offer it to Stevie, Jack, Scarlet, and Gram, who all decline. “Wanna second one?” I ask Christian, who’s only taken one single bite from his first one but put a huge dent in his nachos.

“Can’t, Uncle Caden. I fullded.” He rubs his belly and pushes it out.

“Hot dogs put hair on your chest.”

He makes a face. “Like Daddy? He’s got tons of hair! It’s black and tickles my cheeks when he hugs me in the pool.”

My lips curl up. “Daddy ate lots of hot dogs when he was little.”

Christian seems to consider that. “Maybe I’ll just have a couple. Then I’ll have hair and muscles like you.”

Grinning from ear to ear, I rub his hair. “Well, we don’t want to overdo it with the hot dogs, so just finish the one you’ve got.”

“’Kay!”

I turn, realizing there’s no one else to eat the hot dog. My eyes settle on the dipshit just over Jack’s shoulder. “Here,” I say, throwing the wrapped hot dog at my sister’s cheating hopefully-soon-to-be ex-husband. “Don’t choke, dickwad.”

“Dickwad!”

Of course Christian yells it.

Gasps are heard around me, mostly from my best friend and his girlfriend, and maybe the older biddies nearby. Adrienne chokes on a chuckle, and Gram just shakes her head, while fighting a smile.

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