Page 106 of Biggest Player
“Seriously, Mom, you were awesome!” Wyatt chimes in, her eyes shining with pride. But she’s my number one sidekick, so she has to tell me I’m awesome. It’s, like, her job. “You climbed that wall like a pro.”
“Well, I don’t know about that,” I say, glancing up at the towering wall I just scaled. “But thanks, Wyatt.”
Her encouragement feels like a balm, soothing my frazzled nerves.
Most days, she’s the sweetest sweetheart.
Other days, she’s a total monster, but I won’t dwell on that.
Right now I’m focusing on bringing my breathing back to normal and on Dex’s massive hand on my hip as if it belongs there.
Feels like it does.
I feel small next to him, tiny.
Safe.
Wyatt giggles, breaking my thoughts. “Dude, I was like a spider monkey up there!”
He chuckles, shaking his head. “A spider monkey? You definitely looked like one, hanging on to those handholds. Are you sure this was your first time rock climbing?”
Wyatt nods. “I totally want to do it again.”
Dex laughs. “Well, little spider monkey, how about we cool down with some ice cream? My treat.” He glances at me. “If it’s okay with your mom.”
“You mention ice cream in front of her and expect me to say no? As if there’s a choice?”
Rule 1:Never mention sweets in front of a child and expect to get out of it. Kids never forget anything.
Rule 2:I’m the one who looks like an asshole if I say no to ice cream, damn him.
Wyatt, bless her adorable heart, is already celebrating, bouncing on her toes. “Yes, yes, yes to ice cream.”
They high-five.
“Isn’t he just the best?” I ask playfully. “He’s trying to bribe us into hanging out with him longer than I would normally allow us to be out on a Sunday night.”
“Don’t be a party pooper.” He says it with a grin, holding up his hands in mock surrender to make himself look innocent. “So, what do you say? Want to follow me in your car? There’s a place not too far from here.”
There always is.
“I have no choice, do I?”
He shakes his head.
Settled in the car, my child grins. “I like him.”
I give my daughter side-eye as we pull out of the sporting complex.
“Of course you do, he’s your sidekick now, siding with you on everything.” I am the odd man out! She finally has someone to hang out with who acts her age. “Plus he bought you those LEGOs.”
It would be remiss of me not to remind her.
“That’s not theonlyreason I like him,” she says. “He’s fun. And LEGOs are not toys—they’re fuel for my imagination.”
Ha. True.
It’s also true that Dexisfun. But fun isn’t what I consider a building block of a good relationship, although it helps.
