Page 167 of The Champion
“I don’t know why I subject myself to this torture.” Tommyrose from the table but grinned despite are verbal abuse and took another beerfrom the fridge on his way out.
Every year when our family is finally all together wetake a big family picture. Imeaneveryone.
We have our family, Spencer and Alley, Aiden and Emma,and then Jimi and Nancy, including all the grandkids.
This was never a good experience in the ten years we’dbeen doing it. Something bad always happened. It was similar to the holidays wespent together.
So that morning around nine, we all met at the CarolinaBeach in North Carolina.
I might point out right about now that Emma and Nancyarranged this every year. No one in their right mind, in our family anyway,questioned anything Nancy said, ever. And Emma, well we just went with theflow, it was easier that way. It was similar to trying to control Axel andCasten’s hair in the morning. If you messed with it, it was worse. Mess withEmma, life became hell.
Getting my family there without an argument was anordeal.
It started in the car on the way there when Arie laidinto Jameson about want to get her nipples pierced. I for one tried to warn herthat today was not a good day to be asking him questions like this but shenever listened to me. I don’t why I thought she’d start now.
“Dad,” Arie caught his attention and he looked in therearview mirror at her. That’s when she went in for the kill with her pleadingeyes and smile. “I was thinking that I would like to get my nipples pierced.”
Jameson’s nervous chuckle rang through the car at Arie’srequest. “She’s not serious, is she?”
I shrugged and pretended to find my cell phoneinteresting. “She’s your daughter. What do you think?”
“Dad, it’s just my nipples. No one will see it but me.”
“Or maybe you just want—” Arie’s hand cut off her youngerbrothers remarks before they could be heard.
“Never mind,” Arie mumbled slumping back into her seat.“I never get to do anything.”
“Oh yeah?” Jameson challenged. “Sway,” he turned to me.“Who is that little girl you take to dance lesson’s each week?”
I laughed and that shut Arie up about wanting a piercing.I had a feeling I needed to school her on when to bring up this sort of thing.But if I was being honest with you, I wasn’t exactly okay with the idea of myeleven-year old daughter having a nipple pierced just because her cousin did.If only Spencer knew that his beautiful blue eyed only daughter had done thisat ten. He didn’t know by the way.
Jameson was grumpy the entire driver because he had tocatch a plan to Daytona in a few hours and then his daughter talking aboutpiercing herself wasn’t exactly helping his mood.
He also claimed he had no time to be taking pictures.
Axel was being just as grumpy because he’d apparentlychanged out the rear end in his midget only to have it leak oil all night.
Arie was not thrilled about getting her picture takeneither. I don’t know why she did this but she never wanted her picture takenand Casten, well he was adding fuel to the fire. Any time he sensed hissiblings annoyed in any way, he tried his hardest to send them over the edge.Nancy found Casten humorous because if you take Spencer, Emma, Jameson, and meand add all those personalities together...yougot Casten Anthony Riley.
“Leave me alone asshole!” Arie pushed Casten on theground when we got out of the Escalade. “You’re such a little jerk.”
“Arie,” Jameson warned in his stern fatherly tone. “Knockit off.”
I cringed at my little girl’s use of words.
“He started it.”
“I don’t give a shitwhostarted it. Just act likenormal children.”
Arie snorted sarcastically. “And how do normal childrenact, dad?”
“How should I know,” Jameson shrugged checking his phoneand Casten chuckled at him picking himself up from the pavement. “Where thefuck is everyone at? Let’s get this shit over with.”
And that it why my children cuss like truckers.
Casten started in with Arie again and Jameson grabbedCasten by the collar of his shirt. “You’re going to behave today.” He told him.
“Yeah, sure.” Casten laughed at his father’s weak attemptat controlling him.
