High.
Low.
High.
Low.
Daddy moaned. “Sneaky boy.”
No giggles.
No giggles.
“I’m Daddy’s good boy.” Sneaky boys had more fun, so I had to give Daddy my serious face. “I’m doing all the work. I’m your good boy.”
Daddy knew I was good but his words got stuck.
’Cause I was good at the game.
Faster. Faster.
Soapy wiggles with bubbles were the best.
Water was wet and slippery.
And back and forth…and back and forth…and back and forth.
Ha.
I won.
Hard work was fun.
I made Daddy moan.
Best boy ever.
Wettest boy ever.
Hard work needed cookies.
Lots of cookies.
****
“Remember the rules, the first rule of tea party is not to talk about tea party with outsiders and the second is to bring good gossip.” Levi was adorably serious as he stared up at his family’s home. “What’s your gossip?”
He was insane.
“If anyone brings up the topic of divorce, I’m going to casually ask how Ms. Robins is doing with hers, and when everyone acts shocked, I’m going to frown and say I didn’t know it wasn’t common knowledge.” She was okay to gossip about because she’d fired her last three housekeepers for sleeping with her husband and we’d just found out that it’d been her sleeping with the driver.
So we didn’t have to be nice to her because she’d let all the housekeepers go without any kind of recommendation.
Rude.
“Good boy.” Levi sat straighter, alternating between worrying and forced confidence. “I usually pour, but I haven’t been home in ages so someone else might have that job. It’s okay if they do. Technically it’s my mother’s house but tea party rules apply.”
I knew the tea parties had clearly been an important part of him growing up, but I wasn’t sure he did and there didn’t seem to be a good way to ask.
