Page 2 of Painting Together a Family
Micah appeared at his side, grabbing his arm and yanking it. “Daddy! Daddy! There’s chocoberries and I had twenty-leven!”
Oh lord. He hoped that didn’t actually mean anything close to twenty. And that there were actually berries in whatever chocoberries were because he didn’t need both kids hopped up on sugar for the rest of the evening, but especially his four-year-old.
“Cho-co-la-te straw-ber-ries,” Dylan sounded out slowly like only a six-year-old older brother could. “And you had four.”
“Uh-uh. Twenty-leven,” Micah insisted.
“And how many is that?” Bry asked.
“Lots!” Micah let go of him and bounced in place. “Lots and lots.”
Bry was going to have to bring some chocolate-covered berries with him next time they came, given it sounded like his son had eaten more than his share. “I guess you’re stuffed then. Probably too full to eat tacos?”
“No! No, Daddy! I put the chocoberries in my dessert stomach. My taco stomach is empty.”
Bry had to bite the insides of his cheeks to keep from bursting out laughing.
Dylan gave his brother an arch stare. “You are always empty. All. Ways.”
“Uh-uh. My o-meal tummy gets filled up every morning!” Micah wasn’t going to let it go.
“Are we really having tacos?” Dylan asked, eyes wide with hope. “Can I have mine with no matos and extra smooshy beans?”
“You can have your tacos any way you want them.” He grabbed his bag and slung it over his shoulder, then held his hands out to his boys. They each grabbed one as they headed out.
“I want a s’mores one, Daddy,” Micah told him.
“I’m pretty sure Lucia’s Cantina doesn’t have s’mores tacos.”
“Gummi worms tacos?”
“They don’t have those either.”
“Ice cream tacos?”
“Maybe for dessert, but not for supper.”
“But you said we could have any tacos we wanted,” Micah insisted.
Damn, but you couldn’t get away withanythingwith a four-year-old.
“Any tacos as long as they have the ingredients for it and it’s not dessert,” he amended for his son.
Micah sighed in apparent disappointment, but Bry knew both Micah and Dylan were big fans of tacos and then they’d share some deep-fried ice cream for dessert. Even if Micah had had twenty-leven chocolate-covered strawberries.
“I loves you, Daddy.” Micah beamed at him. “This is the best day!”
“Me too! Me too!” Dylan bounced along next to him. “I love you too.”
“It is a good day, isn’t it? And I love you both.” He squeezed their hands in lieu of hugs, which were hard to accomplish as they were walking. Being with his sons was the best balm for his anger and upset, and he loved them both so hard. Especially when they had more ‘best days’ than not. It was a good reminder to enjoy each moment as it happened.
The restaurant was between the community center and their place, so they walked to it, the day beautiful. It wasn’t too hot today—he could feel autumn in the air, but the wind didn’t havethat bite yet that it would come November. He kept tight hold of the boys’ hands so they didn’t get lost in the flow of people on the sidewalk, thinking again how wonderful it was to have them in his life.
So he figured he shouldn’t complain. Life was getting better every day.
And his boys were happy. Truly happy. In the end, that was what really mattered.
CHAPTER TWO
