Z/L Lorne's nephews!jenna_thornAugust 18 2010, 19:19:08 UTC
“Mommamommamommamomma!”
Leah sidestepped the dog with practiced ease and turned. “Once is sufficient, Jacob, we’ve discussed this. Now, what?”
“Frisbee’s on the roof again.”
She sighed. “Evan, if you would, please.”
“Got it.”
A quartet of miscreants stood at the corner of the house, looking upward. The youngest looked forlorn, the oldest, calculating. “Ah, good. See boys, your uncle comes to my rescue, yet again. I was thinking if we had something elastic enough, I could ---”
“Family home, Radek.”
“Ah, yes?”
“Do you know how many times I’ve put stuff on this roof? Kevin, come here. You put your foot here in my hands, I lift you up, you hit it with a stick. Mark, see that stick? Hand it here. Ready? Go.”
The boys scrambled after the toy when it slid off the roof. Radek smiled, then toed the abandoned stick. “A simpler solution than mine.”
“I’ll let you build a slingslot later. Maybe even a trebuchet. There are plans on the internet.”
“We were discussing vectors.”
“You’re teaching a six year old physics.”
“Don’t be silly. Basic geometry.”
“I thought you didn’t like kids.”
“I don’t like children. I do like family. There is a difference.”
Evan’s smile was bright in his surprise, then he faced the boys. “Kevin, Jacob, Mark, c’mere.” He squatted to put an arm over Jacob’s shoulders and pointed outward. “See there? Big field? Nothing in it?”
“Uh hunh.”
Even gestured behind him, not looking. Radek stepped to the side to avoid an inadvertent backhand to the ribs. “And behind me, the house? The porch with chairs and your dad’s guitar?”
“Um, yeah…? ”
“Where would be the better place to throw the Frisbee?”
The older two rolled their eyes in eerie unison and trotted off. The youngest, eyes wide, clutched the Frisbee and answered, “Away from the house?”
Kevin called back, “Jacob, throw the Frisbee!” and Evan leaned against the house.
“Sometimes it feels like a different world.”
“This is where I remind you that it is a different world,” Radek answered, but his voice was gentle. “You no longer live here. And were we to go to my brother’s home, we would also drink tea with sugar and break bread and yet, that would not be home either.”
“Supper’s on!” cried Leah from the porch. “Inside and wash hands, now, no argument, no backtalk and yes, I’m going to check. That goes double for you, baby brother.”
Evan spread his hands for inspection and after a beat, so did Radek. She laughed and let the screen door swing shut behind her. Evan pulled it open, gesturing Radek forward, but he was cut off by a trio of hellions, trailing untied shoelaces and one panting dog as they clattered to the bathroom.
Evan crowded his sister away from the kitchen sink with easy familiarity, washed, then handed the blue checked towel to Radek, taking it back and pulling it through the handles of the refrigerator. Radek picked up a bowl of greens and led the way to the table. He sat, and Jacob moved to sit next to him. Radek looked down. “I’m sitting next to you,” Jacob announced.
Leah sidestepped the dog with practiced ease and turned. “Once is sufficient, Jacob, we’ve discussed this. Now, what?”
“Frisbee’s on the roof again.”
She sighed. “Evan, if you would, please.”
“Got it.”
A quartet of miscreants stood at the corner of the house, looking upward. The youngest looked forlorn, the oldest, calculating. “Ah, good. See boys, your uncle comes to my rescue, yet again. I was thinking if we had something elastic enough, I could ---”
“Family home, Radek.”
“Ah, yes?”
“Do you know how many times I’ve put stuff on this roof? Kevin, come here. You put your foot here in my hands, I lift you up, you hit it with a stick. Mark, see that stick? Hand it here. Ready? Go.”
The boys scrambled after the toy when it slid off the roof. Radek smiled, then toed the abandoned stick. “A simpler solution than mine.”
“I’ll let you build a slingslot later. Maybe even a trebuchet. There are plans on the internet.”
“We were discussing vectors.”
“You’re teaching a six year old physics.”
“Don’t be silly. Basic geometry.”
“I thought you didn’t like kids.”
“I don’t like children. I do like family. There is a difference.”
Evan’s smile was bright in his surprise, then he faced the boys. “Kevin, Jacob, Mark, c’mere.” He squatted to put an arm over Jacob’s shoulders and pointed outward. “See there? Big field? Nothing in it?”
“Uh hunh.”
Even gestured behind him, not looking. Radek stepped to the side to avoid an inadvertent backhand to the ribs. “And behind me, the house? The porch with chairs and your dad’s guitar?”
“Um, yeah…? ”
“Where would be the better place to throw the Frisbee?”
The older two rolled their eyes in eerie unison and trotted off. The youngest, eyes wide, clutched the Frisbee and answered, “Away from the house?”
Kevin called back, “Jacob, throw the Frisbee!” and Evan leaned against the house.
“Sometimes it feels like a different world.”
“This is where I remind you that it is a different world,” Radek answered, but his voice was gentle. “You no longer live here. And were we to go to my brother’s home, we would also drink tea with sugar and break bread and yet, that would not be home either.”
“Supper’s on!” cried Leah from the porch. “Inside and wash hands, now, no argument, no backtalk and yes, I’m going to check. That goes double for you, baby brother.”
Evan spread his hands for inspection and after a beat, so did Radek. She laughed and let the screen door swing shut behind her. Evan pulled it open, gesturing Radek forward, but he was cut off by a trio of hellions, trailing untied shoelaces and one panting dog as they clattered to the bathroom.
Evan crowded his sister away from the kitchen sink with easy familiarity, washed, then handed the blue checked towel to Radek, taking it back and pulling it through the handles of the refrigerator. Radek picked up a bowl of greens and led the way to the table. He sat, and Jacob moved to sit next to him. Radek looked down. “I’m sitting next to you,” Jacob announced.
“Yes, yes you are.”
“And Uncle Evan is sitting next to me.”
“I am, am I?”
“Yes, and now I’m gonna say grace.”
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I do so adore David Nykl's thinky face.
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