The Promise | Michael Conor

Chapter 44

     "Brynn," Mason says, tapping my shoulder. I'm observing everyone in the pool, dangling my feet in since I shouldn't get my hair wet. Mason has his little arm floaties on in order for him to be able to swim. I'm still wearing my bathing suit, but I'm not getting in.

     "Yeah," I respond, smiling at him. 

      "Can you lift me onto Michael's shoulders. We're going to chicken fight," he asks, slightly tilting his head.

     "Against who?" I ask.

     "Brooklyn and Chance," he points across the pool over to where Brooklyn is on top of Chance's shoulders.

      "Of course," I answer.

     "When did I say I agreed to this?" Michael asks him from his spot right next to me. He's leaning against the side of the pool.

     "Michael pleeeeaaaasssseeee," he begs with the little puppy eyes.

     "Hop on," Michael laughs. Mason smiles and nods, swimming over to me. I lift him up out of the pool before placing him on Michael's shoulders.

     "Win for me," I joke. 

     "Weeeelllll, if we do loose it'll be Michael's fault," Mason says, making me start to laugh.

      "Why would it be my fault?" he asks the three year old.

     "You'd be the one who dropped me," Mason states as if it's obvious. Michael teasingly rolls his eyes before going over to Chance.

     "Michael Conor," Brooklyn smiles once she sees Michael coming over.

      "No Brooklyn you're trying to beat Michael," Alex laughs from the side of the pool. A couple of the guys brought their girlfriends or "friends."

    "Come on Brooklyn take home the win," Devin encourages from the side, drying off his hair since it's almost time for him, Drew, Jaden, and Andrew Butcher to go to rehearsals.

     "Ready. Set. Go!" Cam yells, and it starts. Brooklyn and Mason both try to knock each other off, but they both have little baby arms, so it does nothing. It stays like that before Michael randomly falls.

     "We won daddy!" Brooklyn declares, throwing her tiny arms into the air.

     "Gosh Michael why'd you have to loose?" I joke as soon as he comes back up  from the water.

     "I got leg swept," he laughs, fixing his hair. 

     "Brynn are you going to open your presents before we leave?" Devin asks from behind me. Oh shoot, I've forgotten to open my past couple of presents.

     "Yeah. I'm going to now," I tell him, walking over to my presents. Mason gets lifted out of the pool and runs over to me.

     "Can I bring you your presents?" he asks. Jay walks behind him and drapes a towel over Mason's shoulders.

     "Of course. Just ask the boys which ones to grab," I answer.  He runs over and picks up the ten o'clock present without any help. The rest of the boys have all made it over here.

      "That ones from Lily and me," he smiles, gently kissing her hand. I nod happily before opening it up to a cookbook.

     "I heard you talking about how you wanted some good recipes, so we found a good cookbook," Lily says. Mason brings me my next present, which is a $25 iTunes gift card from Cam. I thank him before he brings over the 11 o'clock present from Jay. I open it up to a pair of designer sunglasses along with a little card.