Page 15 of Ripped & Shipped
“What do being fun and being a family man have to do with one another?” I ask innocently enough.
“Family life is plenty of fun,” Aiden says. “I’ve had the most fun in my life laughing with the kids … and that doesn’t begin to match the fun Em and I have after they’re in bed.”
“Fun times over here,” Trevor echoes.
“Nothing but fun,” Duke chimes in.
“Ditto,” Rob adds. “Well, not nothing but … But yeah. Fun. And so much more.”
“I need new friends,” I grumble.
“Who would bring the fun factor if you found new friends? We need you, man,” Duke says with a lightly taunting laugh.
“What’s new with the goats?” I ask Aiden in the lamest attempt ever to shift the topic.
“Nope. Not taking the bait. Why are you questioning if you’re fun?”
“I’m not. At all. Can we just drop it?”
Duke displays one of his rare moments of sincerity. “Seriously, Chris. You want to know if you’re fun?”
“Not really.”
Duke ignores me.
“You’re not as fun as you used to be. I’ll give you that. But maybe you’ve been through more than the rest of us. I take that back. You definitely have been through more than the rest of us.
“After seeing whatever you’ve seen, I’m sure it’s hard to let yourself go. Or maybe the military trained some of the spontaneity out of you.” He pauses, giving me a warm smile. Then he goes in for the kill. “It’s like something invisible’s always got you in its grips. I’m not complaining. Just answering the question. But you’re still fun. It’s just not the first word I’d use to describe you.”
I think he’s finished, but he adds. “... or the second. Or third. It’s a bit down the list, really.”
Duke seems to forget he’s even talking to me as he rambles on about how far down the list my fun factor rates in my overall qualities as a human being.
But then he obviously remembers I’m here. And he stares at me, unflinching. His face softens and his eyes refuse to leave mine. I’ve had years of being stared into by drill sergeants and other officers, learning not to crack, not to look away first. This stare-down feels far more intimate. I shift my gaze toward Aiden.
“You’ve been through a lot,” Aiden affirms. “You’re still fun. You just dole it out in rations. You laugh. I’ve seen you. And you smile. You’re just not free with it like Kevin the Minion over here.”
“Seriously, man?” Duke asks. “I’m a minion?”
I look over at my best friend, turned brother-in-law. Then I picture Duke with a yellow face and blue jean overalls on, talking in that nonsense language, saying, “Papoy! Papoy!”
I start to chuckle.
Dukeisa minion. He’s a mischievous, silly sidekick. He laughs at everything, and he turns life into a party. I never saw it before and now I can’t unsee it. The image of Duke wearing goggles, with his eyes wide and a crazy smile on his yellow face turns my smile to laughter. I laugh hard, tears even coming to my eyes.
“See,” Aiden says. “You’re plenty fun.”
“Yeah.” I say, wiping the tear from my eye. Then I mutter, “Kevin,” and start laughing under my breath again.
Duke shakes his head. He mutters, “That nickname’s not going to stick.”
“Wanna bet?” I ask, chuckling again. “It’s sticking, Kevin.”
Rob speaks up, drawing the group’s attention away from me and Duke the minion. “Laura and I have been doing a lot of talking lately. Speaking of family fun …” He pauses and looks at each of us. “We’ve decided to adopt a baby.”
And just like that, the conversation around the table shifts from my residual insecurity after bumping into Ella Mae at the grocery, to the logistics of Rob and Laura’s adoption. All the guys chime in with thoughts about fatherhood, and I sit back, knowing I’ve got nothing to offer on the subject.
Duke looks over at me and nearly whispers, “You ready to be an uncle?”
