“We’re going for the picnic. I don’t usually participate in the ridiculous grown-up water balloon fight. I save that for the overzealous parents who are too competitive for their own good.” I turned down the street where the school sat by an enormous green field.
“Charles, I’m the overzealous, competitive grown-up currently wearing a themed outfit. Harper said the water balloon contest is like dodgeball, and the last man or woman standing gets the prize, which happens to be a rainbow unicorn stuffed animal. And our girl wants it. So guess who is playing dodgeball with water balloons? This girl right here. And I am not above kicking and scratching if it means I get the gold.”
I barked out a laugh as I pulled into the parking lot. “God damn, I love you, Firefly.”
“You’re going to love me more when I walk off the field carrying that unicorn. Buckle up, Charlie Huxley—you haven’t seen me in competition mode yet.”
I came around and opened her door and helped her out of the truck, interlacing our fingers as we walked toward the field.
Harper waved us over to where the kids were all sitting on the lawn. She came running toward us, her nose and cheeks a little red from all the activity.
“Wow! Vi, I like your outfit.”
I couldn’t help but chuckle, seeing as they were dressed the same, but Harper’s tee saidRosewood River Field Day, which all the kids were wearing. But she had on the skirt and the sneakers, and her hair was in the same high ponytail.
“We’re twins,” Violet said. “How did it go?”
“My class got first in the tug-of-war and second in the water balloon challenge,” my daughter said, beaming.
“A gold and a silver, that’s impressive,” Violet said.
I didn’t have the heart to point out that there were only two classes in the competition, so the only options were gold and silver.
“Yes!” Harper exclaimed. Her cast would finally be coming off in two weeks. “I didn’t get to do the tug-of-war, but Mrs. Wharton let me run up and down and cheer for my class.”
“Of course you did,” my girlfriend said.
Mrs. Wharton walked over with a smile on her face, and I didn’t even know the woman was capable of smiling. “Charlie, Violet, nice to see you both.”
“Nice to see you,” we said at the same time.
“I hope you’ll both be staying for the picnic and award ceremony after.” The elderly woman smiled down at my daughter.
“We wouldn’t miss it,” Violet said as she grabbed her foot. She was bending one leg behind her to stretch when she noticed other parents heading out to the field.
“Violet is going to do the water balloon challenge, and me and Daddy will be cheering her on,” Harper said.
“Good luck. The competition is steep this year.” She chuckled.
Mr. Zambo blew his whistle before shouting for all parents participating in the water balloon competition to make their way over.
Violet high-fived Harper and me before jogging out to the field.
“She’s the best, isn’t she, Daddy?” my daughter said as we found a good spot to cheer.
“She is. And so are you.” I rumpled the top of her hair.
The whistle blew, and the next fifteen minutes were the most entertaining of my entire life. At least thirty parents were out on the field. Half were taken out in the first two minutes of the competition. Violet stood out as she ducked and jived, like dodgeball was her day job. The next group was out fairly quickly as well, as most of the parents just sort of stood there throwing balloons before getting pelted and taken out.
Five people were left standing, and of course, Violet was one of them. I wasn’t the least bit surprised. She was determined and driven, and I fucking loved it. The four men competing against her didn’t stand a chance. The kids were all cheering, and most of them were shouting Violet’s name. They now called her the “demon slayer” in Harper’s class.
Violet ran all over the field, with water balloons being hurled in her direction, and she looked like a rock star out there.
The last two men on her team got nailed back to back, and they sulked off the field.
It was down to three. Two against one, and my girl was the only one left on her team.
They were firing off shots, and Violet took her time. She jumped over a balloon that had been launched at her ankle, just as she spiraled one at Steve Peterson, hitting him right in the chest. He chuckled and high-fived her as he jogged off the field.
