Page 96 of Boston
Blankets, camp chairs, Abby’s enormous canvas bag. Mel’s backpack, then Carver’s, then Pippa’s. Tex started to sweat as he leaned forward over the open tailgate to reach the rest of the chairs.
His parents had been saving a plot of grass for the Fourth family get-together for years, but they couldn’t haul in all the chairs, tables, and food anymore. This year, Adam and Joey, along with Mav and Dani, would be going over to Momma and Daddy’s condo to get all the equipment that needed to be brought over to the park.
Momma could still handle the big red umbrella, but Daddy didn’t walk well anymore, and she needed to be his crutch.
Tex expected them to be there ahead of him and his family, and he wasn’t disappointed. No one else had arrived yet, and hetossed down the four chairs he’d brought to help Mav with the table. Momma brought two now that the family had grown so much, and he moved over to where she stood talking to Dani and Joey.
“Howdy, Momma.”
She grinned at him with all the force of the sun, moon, and stars. “Mm, my tall son.”
He chuckled as he hugged her. “That’s what I am now? Your tall son?” He stepped back and grinned at her. “I seem to remember I used to be yourfavoriteson.”
Momma laughed too. “You know that label rotates.”
“Still,tallseems like a long way to fall.”
“Go ask your daddy,” Abby said, and Tex turned toward the sound of her voice. She sometimes didn’t have as much patience with Pippa especially, and he found her talking to Carver this time.
The boy turned toward Tex, and he lifted his eyebrows. Before his son could ask him for anything, he nodded to the chairs. “Come help me with the chairs, son, and then we’ll go get the rest of ‘em.”
“I want to go over to the candy market,” he said. “I broughted my dollars for workin’ with Uncle Wade, and Momma said I could go.”
“Sure,” Tex said easily. “But we have to help Grams and Gramps get set up first. We have to have dinner first.” He glanced over to Abby, who’d probably already told him this. “The candy market is open until eight-thirty,” he added. “And you can’t go yourself anyway.”
Carver frowned and stomped over to the chair Tex held out for him.
“Hey, buddy, take a few seconds to think about what you’re doing.” Tex pulled the chair away from his son as Carver reached for it. Their eyes met, and Tex lifted his eyebrows. “If you act likethis, I can guarantee your mother isn’t going to let you go over to the candy market.”
“Daddy, I worked real hard to save this money.”
“Yeah, I know you did, bud. And I’m not saying you can’t go. I’m saying you need to think about how you’re acting. How do you get what you want?”
Carver made a face like he’d swallowed dish soap. “I don’t know.”
“Here’s a hint,” Tex said. “Stomping around and demanding that you get your way when you want it isn’t helping you.” He handed his son the chair. “Help me set up, and do it with a smile on your face.”
Carver took the chair and moved over to where Adam had set up several chairs. “Hey, buddy,” Adam said in a bright voice. He looked at Carver and then over to Tex, who followed with two chairs.
More people arrived, first Trace and his family of three little kids. Everly carried her niece, Savannah, and that meant Kassie and Reggie were only a few minutes behind them.
Dani spread out a blanket, and so did Georgia when she arrived. She gave a stuffed cat to Anaya and said, “Stay here for a few minutes.”
“Momma,” she said, and oh, Tex had heard that whiny voice from his kidssomany times.
“If you ask me about the candy market one more time, I will literally light your allowance on fire.” Georgia gave her daughter a glare and turned away. “Whoever came up with this candy market idea has never had a child.”
Tex chuckled, because he agreed wholeheartedly.
Luke and Sterling arrived with their kids, and he got his two boys throwing a Frisbee to keep them entertained while Sterling set up a playpen. She put their daughter, Mattie, in it, and thenstepped over to Joey. “Will you keep an eye on the kids? Luke and I have all the sandwiches still in the truck.”
“Of course,” Joey said, and she moved over to sit on the blanket with Anaya and Mattie.
Tex took Carver with him back to their truck, and they collected the last four chairs and headed back. “I’m smiling, Daddy,” Carver said.
Tex pulled his son right over to him and squeezed his shoulder. “You’re a good boy, Carver. Remember, if you want things your way, you have to look at the big picture. It’s not all about you. We’re all trying to make sure everyone has somewhere to sit, that Grams and Gramps are taken care of, and that we can all have a nice time.”
“I know,” Carver said. “I’m sorry, Daddy.”
