Page 85 of Here's to Tomorrow

Joey shifts. “I heard that, Nana. Seventy-five cents,” she says, her throat scratchy from sleep. She pokes me in the forehead. “She got ninjas in her head again, Daddy?”

I decide it’s time to “wake up” now. I shift and open my eyes slowly, scrunching my eyebrows. “You poke hard.”

“You looked dead again,” Joey reasons.

Instinct apparently kicks in and I tickle her. Her laughter makes my heart sing, and it brings me a joy I never knew I was missing—never knew I wanted. I laugh with her because it’s impossible not to.

“I was sleeping, silly,” I tell her through our giggles.

She gets smart enough to try to tickle me back. She succeeds. We’re both now rolling around the couch, barely breathing from laughing so hard.

“Okay, okay. I give, I give,” I gasp out.

She stops immediately and bounces off the couch. She stands in front of me and crosses her arms over her chest, giving me a smug grin. “That’s what I thought. I win.”

I look to Elle and Hudson for help. They both just laugh.

“All right, girls. As much as I hate to break up your bonding, it’s bedtime. You have school tomorrow, bug.”

“Ugh,” she groans. “I HATE school!”

“You little fibber. School is your ‘most favoritest thing in the whole wide world ever’ as I recall,” Hudson tells her, now in his “dad stance”.

“Fine,” she drags out. “Only if Rae will tuck me in, though. I like her more than you right now because she’s not making me go to school.”

I smother a laugh. Hudson glares at me.

“You turned my kid against me? That’s messed up, Rae,” he says, slowly approaching me. “You know what happens when that happens, don’t you?” He has that stupid smirk on his face again.

I burrow myself into the couch as far as I can go, but it’s no use. His hands are on my sides in an instant and he recruits Joey for help.

“White flag! White flag!” I yell. “Elle, your son is a monster!”

“You’re on your own with those two. I’m going to bed. Night, Joey. Night, Hudson. Make sure you clean up after your weirdo friends. Great meeting you, Rae.” And she’s gone.

“That’s so messed up, Rae. You tried to turn my own mother against me too. That didn’t help your case at all,” Hudson threatens, tickling me even more.

“Please,” I gasp, barely able to breathe through my laughter. “Plea—”

Hudson backs off and Joey follows his lead.

“You good?” he says, extending his hand to help me sit up.

I manage a nod. “Holy wow. You’re good at that.”

He points to Joey. “I’ve had a few years of practice. Speaking of…scoot, kiddo. We still have to tuck you in.”

Joey lets out another sigh and trudges upstairs. I stand and start picking up our trash and cups.

“You don’t have to do that. I can take care of it.”

I shrug. “It’s no big deal.” I hand him an empty cup. “Here, you can help.”

“Slave driver,” he mumbles. I throw a napkin at him. “Rude, too.”

I huff. “Whatever, you crybaby. Keep it up, I’ll turn this whole family and your friends against you with my wicked ways,” I say, waggling my eyebrows.

“Evil woman,” he teases with a grin.

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