“Like father, like...” Brody began, but his eyes widened in horror when he realized the epic mistake he was about to make. Nervously, he lowered his head a mumbled incoherently around a mouthful of French fries. “Sorry, it was a slip of the tongue.”
Avery watched as a multitude of emotions flashed across his face: sorrow, hopefulness, and remorse. Deep down, after seeing the two of them together at the museum, and knowing how much they love each other, she knew that the time had come, just not today, and not while sitting in the middle of a public park. Lowering her hand beneath the table, she placed it on Brody’s knee and gave it a gentle squeeze. “It’s okay, but can we discuss this later, in private?”
Brody’s head snapped up and the corners of his mouth creased as a huge smile spread across his face, reaching a pair of eyes that widened in surprise. “Really?”
“Really,” Avery replied, and looked down at Parker, his smiling face covered with ketchup. She knew deep down that the time was right, that this was the next logical step.
When the last hotdog was eaten and the last soda drank, Brody rummaged through the little blue backpack that Avery had brought with her and pulled out a package of wet wipes. Expertly—as if he’d done it a million times before—he wiped Parker’s face, catching all of the grime and ketchup stains in a single swipe. It wasn’t Brody’s expert parenting skills as much as it was his natural instinct to take care of Parker that further convinced Avery that she’d made the right decision.
“Are you ready to go, Buddy?” Brody’s booming voice drowned out the sound of laughing families and children at play, and startled everyone in the immediate vicinity.
An exuberant look flashed across Parker’s face as he slid off the bench, ran around the picnic table, and came to a stop in front of Brody, his arms flailing wildly in an attempt to let Brody know he wanted to be picked up. “Piggy back! Piggy back!”
Brody glanced at Avery with a look of mock horror on his face. “I think I’ve created a monster.” Then turning his attention back to Parker, he hoisted him to his shoulders and slung the backpack over his arm, chanting “Bwa-ha-ha-ha-ha” in a maniacal voice as they ran off in the direction of the carnival.
“Hey, wait for me,” Avery called out for the second time that day as she struggled to untangle her legs from the picnic bench.
Chapter 12
A multitude of lights every color of the rainbow flashed in time to the twangy carnival music as The Screamer circled backwards again and again and again on its track. The howls from the guys and the shrieks of terror coming from the girls—some green faced from the 80 mph backwards motion of the ride—made it evident to the onlookers how the contraption got its name.
Ahead of them in the distance the back section of the parking lot now played host to a variety of games. Parker watched intently as a man with a plastic bag full of stuffed animals scuttled off in the direction of the nearest game booth. Anxiously, he tugged at Brody’s hand, urging him to follow the man.
Brody looked down at Parker and saw him pointing towards the bright orange booth where the man with the bag of teddy bears had just disappeared behind the counter. Asking the question was a bit of a moot point, but he did it anyways. “Do you want to play a game?”
“Yes!” Parker screeched, and nodded excitedly as he tugged harder on Brody’s hand.
“Are you sure you don’t want to go on the rides first?”
Avery could tell by the look of pure joy on Brody’s face that he was as excited as Parker to be there, but she wasn’t sure if it was the carnival or being with Parker than made him so happy. Her guess was the later. But Parker had never been on a carnival ride before and now was not the best time for his inaugural trip on The Screamer, if there would ever even be such a time. So rather than bursting Brody’s bubble, she tried to diplomatically diffuse the situation. “Maybe we should let the hotdogs settle before we attempt that,” she suggested, and nodded over her shoulder to where a young girl wearing a white top and cut off blue jeans had strategically placed her lunch square in her boyfriend’s lap.
Brody looked from the green faced girl to Parker and then back to Avery. “Maybe you’re right.”
“Bwoodie, come on,” Parker said in a tiny, exasperated voice, and gave his hand a final tug.
It took no more convincing on Parker’s part, and without wasting another second, the boys eagerly raced off in the direction of the games, once again leaving Avery to chase after them.
Red, green, and orange booths—some festooned with clown heads and water guns, while others were decorated with painted milk jugs or empty soda bottles—surrounded them. In front of them a toothless man stood waving a bb gun high in the air above his head and screamed at the top of his lungs, “Two bucks for a hundred shots.” Avery couldn’t blame Parker for shying away from the man and burying his head in Brody’s leg, because, quite frankly, the man frightened her too.
They continued walking past the toothless man and making their way to the edge of the parking lot where only two game booths remained, one a water pistol game operated by a bear of a man with bright red hair and freckles, and the other a ball toss game managed by a young girl with a large snake tattoo that spanned the length of her forearm. Parker came to a halt in front of the ball toss, looked up at the girl, and smiled.
“Well, hello there, young man,” the girl said in a cheery voice, and leaned over to pinch Parker’s cheek. “Do you want to win a bear, or maybe your daddy could win one for you?” The girl’s glance drifted from Parker to Brody and her smile widened as she tried to adjust her ample cleavage as nonchalantly as possible.
But cleavage was the last thing on Brody’s mind. At the mention of the word daddy, both he and Avery froze and stared at Parker, watching for any signs that he might have understood the girl, but like any other child in his situation would do, he stared open mouthed at the large blue teddy bear hanging from the wall.
Brody breathed a sigh of relief before kneeling down on the pavement beside Parker. He pointed at the big blue bear and asked, “Well, Buddy, do you want me to win you one of those?”
“Yes!” Parker squealed with delight and jumped up and down.
Brody stood up, dug into the pocket of his jeans, and pulled out a ten dollar bill. He walked over to the booth and placed the money on the counter.
“Three balls for five bucks,” the female carnie heckled.
“I’ll take three,” Brody jeered and cast a wink at Parker before picking up the first of the three balls. He stretched, winding his arm back, then let go. His arm shot forward and he released the ball, knocking over all but two of the bottles on the baseball. He picked up the second ball and was about to throw it when he felt a slight tug at the hem of his t-shirt. Looking down, he saw Parker standing at his side, his face alight with anticipation. It was a face no father could resist. “Wanna give it a try, Buddy?”
“Pweaseeee,” Parker replied politely, albeit a little eagerly.
He hoisted Parker into his arms and handed him the second ball. “Okay, hold your arm like this,” Brody instructed, but before he could show him what to do, Parker threw the ball, knocking over the last two bottles that stood upright on the wooden pedestal.
“Holy shit!” the carnie gushed. “Your son has one hell of an arm on him.”
In the blink of an eye, Avery was at Brody’s side, her hands tightly covering Parker’s ears. “Mind your language, would you?”
‘I’m sorry ma’am. I’ve just never seen a kid throw like that before.”
Brody heard Avery reprimand the game attendant. He knew that he should step in and say something, but his attention faltered the second the girl called Parker his son. That was the second time today it had happened. Did they really resemble each other that much, or was it just a coincidence? It wasn’t until the kid in the booth hollered “Hey, Mister” a third time that Brody snapped back to attention.
“Sorry, what did you say?”
“I said, if you can knock over all
six bottles with your last ball, I’ll give you one of those.” The girl pointed to a bear hung high up on the wall of the booth, the very same bear Parker was gawking to earlier.
Brody glanced up and found that the bottles had once again been neatly arranged in a pyramid. Balancing Parker in one arm, he leaned forward, picked up the third ball, and smirked at the young girl behind the counter. “Deal!”
Avery stood back and watched the boys, amused by Brody’s sense of playfulness. He was still a big kid at heart. No wonder Parker was slowly becoming more social. How could he not when he had someone like Brody to look up to?
An intense look swept across Brody’s face as he studied the pyramid of timeworn, battered soda bottles, mentally calculating the perfect angle in which to knock them down with one single ball.
In the background he could hear Avery and Parker cheering him on, and it was all the incentive he needed. His arm tensed as he pulled it back, the baseball clenched tightly between his index finger, middle finger, and thumb. With lightening fast speed, his arm lurched forward and he released the ball. It spun through the air, losing altitude as it closed in on the glass pyramid, and with a resounding thud, it hit the bottom right bottle, sending it and the others flying through the air.
“We have a winner,” the carnie screamed at the top of her lungs, and held the big blue bear high in the air to entice the onlookers to try their hand at her game.
The people around them applauded, but the loudest sounds to be heard were the squeals of delight coming from Parker.
Brody reached across the counter and took the bear from the girl then placed Parker on the ground and handed it to him.
“What do you say to Brody?” Avery asked Parker, reminding him of his manners.
“Thank you, Bwoodie,” he squealed again, and hugged the stuffed bear tightly to his chest, but with the bear being slightly taller and significantly wider that his petite frame, Parker stumbled backwards into his mother’s legs.
“Why don’t you let me hold onto that for now?” Brody offered, and hoisted the bear above his head, placing it on his shoulders just like he had when he’d given Parker a piggyback ride.
Parker grunted and crossed his arms over his chest, and was only partially satisfied when Brody promised that he could have it as soon as they got back to the car.
“Do you want to go on the rides now?” Avery asked, a little more cheerful than necessary, trying to diffuse an unpleasant situation in the making. It wasn’t like Parker to throw a temper tantrum, but damn, that boy could be stubborn when he wanted to be.
He looked from Avery to Brody and smiled, his voice full of excitement as it was only moments before, “Yes.”
With the big blue bear straddling his shoulders, Brody reached down and took Parker by the hand while Avery took his other. Hand in hand, they headed back in the direction of the rides, stopping every so often to play another game or share a stick of cotton candy.
They passed the tent that housed the bearded lady and passed the fun house where two teenage girls screeched as their boyfriends chased them through the glass maze, but it wasn’t until the neared The Screamer that the hollers of its latest victims grew louder and more terrifying.
“I don’t think this is a very good idea,” Avery warned. “Parker’s never been on a ride before.”
“Nonsense, he’s going to love it,” Brody assured her. He released Parker’s hand and lifted the bear from his shoulders, placing it on the ground beside the entrance to the ride. “All kids love rides.”
“Maybe some kids like rides, but Parker’s too small for this one.” She pointed to a sign attached to the railing that read, “You must be four feet tall to ride this ride.” A huge wave of relief washed over her, and she was grateful that someone had the sense not to allow children on a ride like that. All she needed to do was find a ride more suitable, but what? She scanned the immediate surroundings and found the perfect solution. “Let’s start off with something less maniacal.”
“Like what?”
“Like that,” she replied victoriously.
“The Tilt-A-Whirl?” Brody scoffed. “That’s a kid’s ride.”
“Exactly,” she countered, grateful when realization flashed in Brody’s eyes.
“The Tilt-A-Whirl, huh?” Brody sighed, resigned to the fact that The Screamer would have to wait for another day.
“Yep!”
“Are you coming with us?” Brody asked as he picked up the bear and started walking towards the red spinning buckets.
Avery shook her head from side to side. “I think I’m gonna sit this one out.”
“If I didn’t know better,” Brody teased, and jabbed her playfully in the ribs, “I’d say someone was chicken.”
“I’m not chicken. I want to take pictures of Parker on his first ride, and I can do that much better with both feet planted on the ground.” As if to prove a point, she reached into her purse and produced a small, silver camera.
“Okay,” Brody conceded, “but next time I’m taking you on The Screamer.”
“Fine,” she huffed, and fidgeted with the power button on the camera. Avery stood at the railing and babysat the bear as Brody and Parker climbed the steps and clamored into the round, red bucket, her camera poised to take Parker’s picture the second the ride started.
When the Tilt-A-Whirl operator securely fastened the last passenger in their seat, he returned to his spot behind the control panel and pressed the green button labeled Start. Within seconds the ride began to spin, slow at first, but quickly gaining speed.
Avery snapped picture after picture, capturing Parker’s facial expressions that gradually morphed from anxious to unsure and then finally to excited. It wasn’t until the ride had made its seventh go-around that she noticed the greenish pallor of his face. Avery raced forward, urging the operator to stop the ride, but it was too late. Soda, French fries, and chunks of hotdog tinted blue from the cotton candy spewed from his mouth at hurricane force, coating both him, Brody, and the inside of the bucket.
Chapter 13
Brody brought the Volvo to a stop in one of the empty parking spots marked out with a big yellow V, and put the SUV in park. State of the art security cameras surrounded the building and high voltage spotlights flooded the parking lot, but despite the extra security measures, his impression of the building—and the surrounding neighborhood—were less than unsavory. He would offer to rent Avery and Parker and apartment in his building, but she would never agree to that. Heck, she hadn’t even cashed the cheque he’d given her for Parker’s 5 birthday, so there was no way in hell she would let him pay her rent. But what if he asked them to move in with him? Avery wouldn’t be burdened with rent and he could provide for his family without her feeling as if she were accepting a handout. NO! He mentally scolded himself. Don’t be a fool. It’s way too soon for that. He sighed wistfully and ran a hand through his matted hair. If only.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” Brody lied. “I’m just tired.” Sinking further into the seat, he raised his eyes and studied Parker’s reflection in the rearview mirror. The resemblance really was uncanny. Burnished curly hair hung in ringlets and brushed the collar of his t-shirt, and even though he was fast asleep, Brody knew what lay beneath his delicate, fluttering eyelids: chocolate brown eyes full of life and youthful innocence. Parker was the spitting image of himself as a child, right down to the tiny heart shaped birthmark above his upper lip. Veronica be damned! There was no doubt in his mind that Parker was his son. Of this he was 100% certain.
“Tell me what’s wrong or I’ll be forced to beat it out of you,” Avery laughed, but there was a concerned undertone to her voice.
“I swear, nothing’s wrong,” Brody lied again, and quickly tried to change the subject. He stole one last glance at the hot dog and candy coated boy fast asleep in the back seat. His son. “Let’s get him upstairs, shall we?”
“Shh,” Avery whispered, more to herself than to Brody, as she noisily s
lid the key into the deadbolt, trying—unsuccessfully—not to wake her son.
“Mama?” Parker mumbled sleepily.
Damnit! She glanced over her shoulder at the two sun kissed, tousle haired boys and couldn’t help but smile. “It’s okay, little man, we’re home now.”
Avery tucked the bear more securely under her arm and gave the uncooperative key a final twist, and with the nudge of her hip, the door swung open. The crisp, cold air that greeted them was a welcomed relief from the afternoon’s blistery triple digit temperatures. She made her way through the darkened apartment, turning on lights as she went and disappeared down the hallway, returning a moment later unburdened of everything she’d been carrying. “Okay, it’s time for bed.”
“I can put him to bed.”
“You? Put Parker to bed?” Avery tried, but failed to hide the sarcasm in her voice.
“I can put a child to bed. It’s not that difficult,” he replied smugly. “I do have nieces and nephews, you know.”
No, Avery didn’t know. In fact, she knew very little about Brody’s family. But that was a discussion best left for another day. Right now her biggest concern was getting Parker cleaned up and put to bed. “Okay,” she replied hesitantly. “There are facecloths under the sink in the bathroom and his pajamas are in the top drawer of the oak dresser.”
Before Avery could change her mind, Brody hurried off in the direction of Parker’s bedroom.
“Hey, wait,” she called after them.
Brody paused in the doorway to Parker’s room.
“I’d better wash those clothes tonight before a stain sets in.” Avery caught up to them in the hall and began stripping Parker of his soiled clothes, then turned her attention to Brody. “Give me your shirt.”
Inked Page 12
