After a quick stop by the trailer park in town to pick up Josh--the boys' friend who somehow managed to evade summer school--the four of us head toward the park. Might be the first time in my life, but we're running early, and I have to circle the lot a few times before I give up and put the car in park. Keeping three rowdy boys contained in one vehicle without issue takes some kind of special mastery I don't have. By the second lap around the park, all three are unbuckled and Ryan and Josh are wrestling. They probably shouldn't be doing that, but fuck it. They bump their damn heads, they might learn to sit the fuck down. Christ, I don't know how Ruby does it all day.
"Ow!" Ryan screams from the very back of the van. One of his legs is stuck straight up in the air as it kicks relentlessly at Josh's side as he keeps my boy pinned down. The kid deserves it, so unless there's blood, I'm staying in my fucking bubble. Ian's in the seat in front of them, facing the back, and he's actively coaching Ryan in how to get out of Josh's hold. The kid has a surprising amount of knowledge regarding wrestling maneuvers.
"Dad, help!" Ryan screams. I smile to myself and turn around in my seat to get a better view.
"Just tap out. He's got you pinned," Ian says with a sigh. Already bored of the action, he turns around and faces me. "Are you going to help him?"
"Do you think I should?"
Ian thinks on it for a moment before he grins and shakes his head. "No," he says. "He started it."
"You know if you need it, I got your back right?" He nods his head and gives me an unenthusiastic, "Yeah", but I can tell he doesn't mean it. The boy's probably had a lot of men promise him shit they couldn't deliver throughout his life. "I'm gonna show you. Every single day, I'm gonna be here for you. You and your mom."
He doesn't say anything. He just stands there, watching me for a long moment before his eyes get really big and the largest grin I've ever seen spreads across his face. His eyes are firmly focused on something behind me.
Ruby.
When I turn around, I see her. She's standing in front of the minivan, hands on her hips and a smirk on her face. She raises an eyebrow at me and shakes her head. Ian and I fight to see who can get out of the mom mobile first. I think he wins by a hair, but I'm so focused on my own pursuit that I don't push it when the kid jumps out of the side door and screams, "I win!"
"We weren't even racing!" I shout and scoop him up in my arms. My back aches as I spin him around in circles. He's not nearly as small as he was even a few months ago. "You're a cheat!"
Ian squeals in delight and reaches out for Ruby, just barely missing her outstretched arms as we make another circle. He's laughing a full belly laugh that warms my fucking heart. He could probably do this forever, but my head is already spinning, so I set him down and gather my bearings.
"Doesn't matter. Momma cheats all the time and gets away with it."
"Does she now?" My question is for Ian, but my eyes are for Ruby. She's smiling at us in a way that makes it impossible for me to not smile back. It's not the happy, joyful smile I give our boys. It's different. I don't know how exactly. I just know it doesn't feel quite the same.
"She cheated during Monopoly last week," Ryan says, bouncing toward us. Josh follows, rubbing one eyes and using the other to glare at my kid. As Josh passes, his eyes meet mine and I pat him on the back. Josh is a little taller than Ryan, but my kid's a fucking bruiser.
"I did not!" Ruby's eyes are wide as she stares down at Ryan in fake disbelief.
"Yes you did. You also said liars get their butt spanked!" Ryan darts around me with an outstretched open palm, but I catch him before he can smack her.
"Hey, that ass is mine," I say with narrowed eyes at my son. He glares back at me, and I swear to Christ the kid is my fucking clone. God help the entire goddamn world. When I fix my attention back on Ruby, I lick my lips and watch as her eyes heat. Jesus fuck, this woman could kill me with a single moan. She's going to moan for me one of these days, and my heart is just going to give out right then and there.
"Tell me there's a reason these punks aren't in school," she says. Her tone is a mix of hopeful and suspicious, but she's not pissed, so that's something.