Bad Games

13



“Who’s ready to go fishing?” Patrick asked his brood.

Caleb looked delighted, Carrie looked mildly amused, and Amy looked repulsed.

“I’m not putting any worms on a hook. And we’re not keeping anything we catch,” Amy said.

“But what if we catch a beauty? It could be our dinner,” Patrick said.

Amy closed her eyes and shook her head. “First of all, I prefer my fish to be served to me on a plate, in a restaurant, thank you very much. I am not about to bring one of those smelly things into our cabin and gut it myself.”

“I’ll gut it. It’ll be—”

“Second, I doubt there is anything living in that man-made lake that can even remotely pass as being edible.”

Caleb looked up at his father. Patrick looked back down and rubbed the top of his head. “Don’t listen to her, champ. We’re gonna catch a million of ’em.”

“A million of what is the question,” Amy said.

“Can Oscar come?” Carrie piped in.

“Sure, why not?” Patrick said. “I’m fairly certain he’ll eat anything we catch. He’s like a fuzzy garbage disposal.”

Carrie burst out laughing. Patrick leaned over and kissed the top of her head. He then asked, “Who’s coming to the bait shop with me?”

“Me!” Caleb yelled.

Carrie shook her head. “I want to play with Oscar some more.”

Patrick looked at Amy. “Do you mind staying here with her, honey?”

“Not at all. You go buy your slimy worms. Besides I want to make some final arrangements with Lorraine and Norm.” She looked at Carrie and Caleb. “Are you guys excited to go to the movies with the Mitchells tonight?”

Both kids nodded.

“Are they taking us to dinner too?” Carrie asked.

“Yup. Dinner and a movie. Sounds better than the plans your father and I have. We’re just doing dinner.”

Carrie laughed. Caleb offered his mother and father to come along to the movie. Patrick and Amy exchanged an our-son-is-so-freaking-adorable look, and took turns telling him how thoughtful he was to consider them, but, regrettably, they would have to decline.

“Alright, brother-man,” Patrick said to his son. “You ready to go buy some worms?”