Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 83102 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 416(@200wpm)___ 332(@250wpm)___ 277(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83102 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 416(@200wpm)___ 332(@250wpm)___ 277(@300wpm)
“Cruz! Want to go in the bouncy house?”
Never mind that I’m wearing a dress. I’m going to be the fun aunt even if it means flashing everybody at this party.
“Say-ya,” Cruz replies.
“What was that? May May?” I’m forcing it a little here, but get it together, kid!
Cruz tugs on Sawyer’s hand then clasps his little fingers around mine as well, making it clear he expects us both to escort him to the bouncy house.
“Your aunt doesn’t want to bounce with me, Cruz,” Sawyer says once we’re out of earshot of the other adults.
“Yes because Sawyer has been a real poopy head.”
“Oh that’s good. Teach the kid bad words.”
“I hardly think poopy head is anything to worry about. I’m sure Cruz has heard far worse from his father anytime there’s an SEC football game on TV.”
His shrug says, Fair point.
“You won’t even fit in there anyway.” I point to the Sesame Street themed bouncy house that’s taking up a good portion of David and Lindsey’s backyard. The opening on the side is child-sized.
“I’ll manage.” Then his eyes drag down my body. “How are you going to jump in that outfit?”
I toss his phrase right back at him. “I’ll manage.”
I’m the first to shimmy my way through the tiny opening on the side, and it delights me to no end to watch Sawyer try to force his way in after me. His shoulders get stuck for a second and I think, Good, he deserves to die with the lower half of his body sticking out of Elmo’s mouth. But then I feel bad because Cruz is legitimately worried about “Say-ya” so I roll my eyes and hold my hand out for him to take. “Here.”
“I don’t need your help.”
“Fine. Stay down there, but I won’t apologize if I accidentally jump on your head.”
This warning makes him come to his senses. With Cruz grasping one hand and me pulling the other, we heave Sawyer into the bounce house with all our strength. Cruz does most of the work.
I wipe my hands like it’s a job well done. “Of course, now that you’re in here, it’ll be impossible for you to get out again. I hope you enjoy spending the rest of your life in this rented bounce house, traveling from kids’ birthday party to kids’ birthday party, never getting to see your precious vineyard again.”
I can tell he wants to laugh, but he doesn’t. To laugh would be to admit defeat, and neither one of us is prepared to throw in the towel. “That’s some imagination you have.”
“I can go on if you want.”
“Let’s not scare the birthday boy.”
We don’t need to worry; said birthday boy is too busy chewing on the mesh netting to listen to us.
“Err, let’s not eat that, buddy,” I suggest helpfully. Though of course when I tug him away from the netting, he starts to wail as if I’ve completely ruined his life. “Okay, shh!” I push him back in the direction of the netting, giving the poor kid whiplash. “Don’t get me in trouble. Eat the netting if you want to! What do I know?” I look up, terrified that Lindsey will come out of the house and see me standing over a crying Cruz. I’ll be kicked out of the party. Maybe even kicked out of my family. “Shh! It’s okay!”
“You’re a natural,” Sawyer remarks drolly before he scoops Cruz up into his arms and starts jumping around with him. Cruz—of course—loves this, and his crying immediately gives way to adorable high-pitched giggles.
“High! High!” he demands, and Sawyer delivers.
They go all around, and with Sawyer being so much heavier than me, I can hardly keep my footing.
“Stop double-bouncing me!”
“I wouldn’t be double-bouncing you if you weren’t just standing there. You’re supposed to be jumping.”
My knees buckle and I go down flat. Sawyer doesn’t ease up. Suddenly, we’re both ten-year-olds on a trampoline playing crack the egg. “Sawyer! I would be jumping if you weren’t—”
“Everything all right over there?” David calls to us.
“Great!” Sawyer lies with a false smile.
“All good!” I add with a cheerful wave from where I’m being rattled on the floor of the bounce house.
The second David turns back around, we drop the act, but Sawyer’s right. I need to give it my all with Cruz if I expect him to fall in love with me and say sayonara to “Say-ya” forever. With a herculean effort, I get back to my feet, and then I’m bouncing my heart out, really giving it everything I’ve got when a twinkling laugh filters across the backyard. I turn just in time to watch Charlotte arrive through the side gate, and I bounce over to the netting as she strolls in carrying an obnoxiously huge teddy bear.
Oh come on! It’s almost taller than she is! She’s tied a pink ribbon around its neck that matches her cute pink sundress and…a familiar pair of ballet flats. Gasp.