“Hey,”Milessays, “Iwasn’t in the office to catch you adding another tally mark toZoe’sside of the board, butIheard you bit the dust so hard they had to scrape you off the floor.”
IfIdidn’t currently haveHeidion my shoulders,Imight grab his baseball hat and hold it just out of reach, or do something equally childish and every bit as brotherly.
“Hey,”Jacesays, walking over from the table. “Savethe smack talk for the court.”
“Court?”Isay, cocking my head at one of my favorite words.
Jacegrins. “Wethought that maybe you’d want to burn off a little steam after being trounced on earlier today.”
Ishoot him a look at the use of the word “trounced,” but then he adds, “Sowe thought a little footvolley is in order.Wecan go to the sand court atShadowridgepark.”
“Really?”Heidistarts squirming, soIreach up to lift her off my shoulders and set her back on the ground.
Milesnods and claspsBlakeon the shoulder. “Weeven managed to talk this curmudgeon into joining us.”
Allthoughts ofZoebesting me flee my mind— okay,mostof them do— andIgrin asIsay, “Allright man.”Ihold out my fist forBlaketo bump, but he just grumbles. “Youthink you can swing those legs of yours high enough to be any real competition?”
“Youbetter hope so, because you andIare on a team.”
Ilook toJaceandMiles. “Youpaired ‘oldest and youngest’ against ‘middle children’ again?”Idefinitely said “middle children” with a lot of sarcasm.
“Wefigure it’s the fairest pairing,”Milessays. “Experienceand youth teamed against good looks and skill.”
“Youth?”
Milesshrugs. “Iwas born on a different day, adifferent month,anda different year, so you’ll always be the ‘youth,’ bro.Evenwhen we are eighty.”
“You’reolder bytwelve minutes.”
“Olderis older.”
I’mglad that we weren’t born in the years 1999 and 2000 because ifMilescould also claim being born in a different decade and a different century than me, he’d be unbearable.Ican tell by the mischievous smile on his face that he’s just saying it to get a rise out of me, soI’mnot going to give it to him.Instead,Irespond with, a very calm, “That’sokay because we all know who got all the ‘FirstBabyof theNewYear’ accolades.”
“Yeah, but we were both in those pictures, andI’mthe one who was the most photogenic.”
Iam still bitter about those pictures.Imean, they could’ve waited untilIstopped wailing to take them.SinceHeidi’sno longer on my shoulders,Iwrap my arm aroundMiles’sneck in a fake choke hold.Whichis easy, sinceI’ma good six inches taller than him.
“Boys,” my mom says. “Areyou ready to stop flexing?BecauseCarterQueBarbequemade a beef brisket that smells like heaven, andI’mhungry.”
Blakegoes to where it’s warming in the oven and pulls it out, and my stomach immediately growls.Itdoes smell like heaven.Idrop my arm from aroundMilesand turn toCharlie. “Areyou going to play?”
Charlieshakes her head. “Nope.Usgirls,” she says, motioning to our mom,Mackenzie, andHeidi, “have plans tonight.Mackenzie’sfriendLiviis coming over, and we are giving each other pedicures.”
“Oh, fun,”Isay, not meaning it.Iturn toMackenzie. “Areyou sure you’re okay with us taking your man tonight?”
“SillyLedger,”Mackenziesays, wrapping her arm aroundJace’swaist and gazing up at him. “Wecan handle being apart.”Thenshe puts on an exaggerated expression of fear. “Wecan, can’t we?”Andthen they kiss.
Yeah,Jaceis definitely on the path to becoming boring.
Notme.I’mgoing to eat that delicious brisket, mac and cheese, and baked beans, and thenBlakeandIare going to showMilesandJacejust how much trouncing “youth and experience” can do.
Whenwe get to the park, the sun has set, but there are plenty of lamps lighting the area.Thesand volleyball court is being used by a group of high schoolers, and not a single one of them is playing like they are trying to win.Sucha waste of a good court.
Butthere is a pickleball court available and in a pinch… well, a court is a court.
“Thiswill work,”Blakesays, assessing it.
Milesnodded. “You’rejust happy that you’ll actually be able to get it over the net, old man.”
