“A cheeseburger with bacon. And Fries,” Dominic said. “I haven’t had a good one like that for a long while.”
“I can cook,” I said. “If you get what you want, I’ll cook it.”
“Really?” Why did he seem surprised?
“Sure,” I shrugged. “Someone will have to.”
“Hey now! I can cook,” Zevon huffed. “Sorta. I may burn stuff more than I make edible meals, but I can cook.”
“I’m all for it. I can only live off frozen crap for so long,” Collin said. “I know I can’t cook if my life depended on it.”
“We’ll make a list later, then. But you have to put stuff on there that you like too, got it?” Dominic said.
“Okay,” I said. I could do that, at least.
“Still waiting for the last thing you want,” Collin said, getting us back on topic.
“To never move from this spot,” I said, feeling the most comfortable I had in my entire my life.
The sun was out, shining high in the sky. The blue and black birds fluttered around the bird bath at the edge of the yard. I loved sitting here, high up in the playhouse and seeing the entire yard.
Here, I felt like a true princess. One that couldn’t be touched from the things that went bump in the night.
My feet dangled over the edge, high above the ground. It wasn’t that far up. If I could get away with it, I’d climb up to the roof and be even taller.
“Be careful, sissy,” Peyton, my older brother, said. I sometimes hated how he was so bossy. He constantly worried about me. He was worse than Mommy.
I stuck my tongue out at him, swinging my feet harder and hitting my heels on the wood below.
“I mean it. If you get hurt, Daddy will chew me out. Again.”
“Wimp,” I muttered.
“I heard that!”
The slight summer breeze blew through my pigtails, making them tickle the sides of my neck. I tipped my head back, looking up at the clear blue sky.
“Peyton!” someone yelled out the door for him. “You have a phone call!”
“Coming!” he yelled. “You don’t go anywhere. I’ll be right back.”
“Where would I go?” I asked, tilting my head to the side.
“Your name should be Trouble. I know you, Scarlett. Do. Not. Leave. This. Yard.”
“Yes, sir,” I said with a giggle. I thought it was so funny when Peyton got all bossy and thought he could tell me what to do.
“I mean it. If you do, I’ll tell Daddy. And then you will be in big trouble.”
“I’ll be good,” I said, rolling my eyes as he ran off.
I didn’t like when Daddy was told I was naughty. It wasn’t my fault that trouble found me.
Bored of sitting there, I stood up with a bounce and decided that going down the slide would be fun.
This playhouse was built for me and Peyton. It had three slides, four swings, monkey bars and a climbing thing. I was out here whenever I possibly could be. Sometimes, I even got my brother to have a tea party with me. Sometimes.
Next week, I’d be five years old, and I couldn’t wait for the birthday party I knew my parents were going to have for me.
