“Da, down. I go! I go now,” Peyton commands.
“Just a second, son.”
“I go now, Da da!”
“How about I just toss you!” Thatch begins to play-throw Peyton into the snowbank, pulling him back safely at the last minute as Peyton squeals in delight. Thatch nuzzles him, his face alight with adoration as Peyton belts out more demands.
“I go, Da da!”
“You’re exhausting, son.”
“You sasting!” Peyton counters, and we both chuckle.
The front door closes, grabbing our attention as Whitney descends the steps with Serena on her heels as she calls out to Gracie and Conner. “Kids, lunch!”
Conner immediately discards her cookie sheet into the small pile we have sitting next to us and heads upstairs and into the house.
“One more turn, Mommy!” Gracie screams, securing herself into the pan for another go.
“After lunch. Get in there. Grammy made soup, and it’s getting cold.”
“Ewww,” Gracie calls back over her shoulder. “I don’t like soup.”
“You will eat it, and you will thank her for it,” Thatch scolds.
“Fine. One more go,” Gracie fires back, opening negotiations.
“Now, young lady,” Thatch barks. Outraged, Gracie stands and tosses the pan on the driveway.
“Pick it up, right now,” Serena orders.
“Gah, I was having so much fun!” Gracie whines, turning and picking up the pan before walking it up and handing it to me.
“We’ll be here when you get back,” I assure her.
Gracie surprises me with a hug. “Thank you, Eli.” I can only imagine the hairy eye she’s giving her parents.
“Welcome,” I say, patting her back.
“Gracie,” Thatch says, “now, go eat.”
“Yessir,” she sasses, making her way up the steps.
“Ti Whit, do it!” Peyton holds out his arms and grunts as she approaches.
“I’m going to clean out the garage,” Serena says, turning to her husband. “Thatch?”
“I’m good, babe.”
Serena’s expression falls. “Really?”
Whitney grabs Peyton from Thatch. “I’ve got him, Thatch. Go on. Take a time out with the wife.”
“You two need help?” I offer, looking between them.
“Uh, no, man,” Thatch says with a chuckle. Confused, my gaze follows them as they disappear into the partially open garage before closing the door. I glance over at Whitney. “Are they…you know?” I raise my brows.
“No,” Whitney replies with wide eyes. “We try our best not to make an announcement to the family before fornicating in broad daylight feet away from each other, Eli.”
“Then what am I missing?”
Whitney flashes a rueful grin. “Cleaning out the garage is code for adult-only activities. Activities you aren’t into.”
“Ah.”
Erin appears on the porch with two thermoses in hand, eyeing Brenden, who is distractedly repacking snow at the end of the driveway. Erin grins, handing one of the thermoses to me. “Ruby said you boys would probably keep busy out here and wanted you to get some lunch.”
“Thank you and thank her for me,” I say, biting off one of my gloves by the finger and warming my hand around the thermos as Whitney makes her way down the steps with Peyton while he jabbers orders at her.
“Maybe it’s because you never come out here,” Erin and I hear Serena snap to Thatch behind the closed garage door.
“Serena, I really don’t need this shit today. I was having a good time.” Thatch fires back as Erin and I glance at each other, both of us growing uncomfortable hearing the heated exchange. Just after, the garage door starts to open, and we both look over to see Thatch’s lower half coming into view.
“We aren’t done talking.” Serena appears behind him, gripping his arm before the two begin to bicker heatedly, voices low but still within earshot. Clearing my throat, I take a hearty sip of the soup as Erin increasingly grows wide-eyed at Thatch and Serena’s bickering.
“Good stuff,” I mutter in a shitty attempt to make conversation.
“Isn’t it?” Erin says, shooting a fearful glance past my shoulder towards Serena and Thatch.
It’s Brenden’s fearful shout from the bottom of the driveway that has me turning back to see Whitney and Peyton sitting on the roasting lid.
“I’ve got this, bro. Jeesh,” Whitney assures him as Brenden flails his arms, heading up the steep driveway just as Peyton finishes a countdown.