Page 43 of Despite It All
“Yeah, Little Bee.”
“After sunscreen, little girl. You’re not getting out of sunscreen,” Wyla adds, and Stevie groans.
“It’ll be quick, Stevie, come on.” I let Wyla lead to our umbrella to set our stuff down. I take Anna’s bag as she says she wants to sit in the sun with Waverley.
“Hey, Jett, happy you’re here,” Waverley says as I pass with a sincere smile.
“Nowhere I’d rather be,” I reply honestly.
Wyla goes under the umbrella at the far end beside Graham and Winry. They’re both sitting in the shade while Georgia is passed out on Graham’s chest.
“Hey guys, join the party. Some of us can’t hang,” Graham says as he brushes back Georgia’s brown hair.
Stevie squats by them and smiles at the sleeping baby. “Hi, baby Georgie. We’re at the beach, it’s fun. Wakey, wakey, baby Georgie,” she says softly.
Graham chuckles. “I think she needs some more sleep, Stevie, but she’ll wake up soon. Don’t worry.”
“I shouldn’t be jealous of my baby, but I am.” Winry laughs.
“Of her nap or the location of her nap?” Wyla jokes.
“Both,” Winry snorts.
Graham smiles at her and takes her hand in his, bringing it up to kiss the back of it.
I haven’t seen a whole lot of Wyla’s family, but I did get to officially meet her sisters and their husbands earlier this week at Wyla’s over some pizza. For the most part, no one—minus Wyla’s dad—has really made a big deal about me entering the picture.
I set the bags down and take the open seat in front of me. I reach over and scoop Stevie into my lap. “Come here, Little Bee, let the baby sleep.”
Stevie giggles. “Can we go in the water now?”
“Sunscreen first,” Wyla says as she crutches in front of us, a little unsteady in the sand. As she is about to fall back on her ass, I reach out grabbing her arm.
“I got ya,” I say, probably letting my hand linger a little longer than necessary as she steadies herself.
“Thanks.” Wyla gives me a tight smile. She seems to shake off whatever thought crosses her brain and focuses back on Stevie. “Here, Stevie, face me.”
Stevie groans, but listens… sort of. She wiggles insistently, how Wyla got it all over her is an act of God. “Alright, Stevie, while this dries, why don’t we go say hi to Mamaw and Papaw?”
“Then I can go in the water with Daddy?” Stevie pesters.
“Yes, sassy butt. Now, come on.” Wyla holds out a hand for Stevie, and I’m not entirely sure if I should go with them or not. Feels a little rude to not say hi, but it’s painfully clear that Mr. Bennett doesn’t like me… but I need to try to win him over too, right?
I try to stand but Wyla rests her hand on mine. “We’ll be back.” Well that doesn’t bode well for me, does it?
I nod, and fall back in the chair as they walk over to the umbrella farthest away. Yeah, that checks out.
“Don’t worry about it, man,” Graham says. “Chief can be a hard-ass, especially when it comes to his girls. Hewasn’t crazy about me in the beginning either. He’ll come around.”
I huff a laugh. Seems hard to believe he wouldn’t like Graham, he's probably one of the nicest people I’ve met this week. “You got any pointers?”
Winry laughs. “Don’t make out with Wyla in front of him.”
Graham rolls his eyes, clearly there was a story for them there. “That was your fault. You didn’t tell me he was coming over.”
“I was clearly preoccupied! You’re the one who left the front door open,” Winry retorts.
Graham shakes his head, then turns back to me. “Chief is an action man. Take care of his girls. If they’re good, he’s good.”
