Babysitting the Player

Chapter 14

"Are you almost ready?" Mom yells.

"I need a towel!"

"I grabbed you one, it's on the railing! Do you have our bag?"

"Yes!"

"Let's go!"

I slip on a pair of black flip flops and throw the straps of the bag onto my shoulder.

"Here's your towel." Mom grabs the green towel off the railing and puts it in the bag. "And some sunscreen."

"That I won't use."

"And your future skin cancer will be on you."

"Okay." I follow her down the stairs with a laugh.

We walk the quarter of a mile to Grandma Peggy's house and go around to the backyard. A couple people are already in the pool and I see Maggie, Bryce, and Layla sitting at the table on the patio with Grandma Peggy.

"You guys came!" Grandma Peggy smiles when she sees me.

"Of course." Mom hugs her.

"You didn't invite Johnny, did you?" she asks me.

"No. He won't be coming to any of these ever again."

"Thank God. Now if we could just get you to leave him."

"I did."

"What?"

"I broke up with him. He cheated on me."

"Oh, I'm so sorry. Was there another staged attempt?"

"Unfortunately."

"How soon after the cheating?"

"Well, he cheated on me while he was drunk, I dumped him immediately, and he still hadn't sobered up by the time he was moved out of the emergency room and into a standard room."

"He works fast." She shakes her head. "I'm glad you made it out."

"So am I," Bryce says as he wraps his arms around me.

"Oh, so you two are together now." Grandma Peggy smiles. "I can get behind this relationship."

"So can I." Mom agrees.

"And me." Maggie chimes in.

"So everyone's happy." Grandma Peggy smiles. "It's a good day. Well, there's volleyball, Kan Jam, badminton, the pool is open and heated, there's snacks, soda, alcohol. As long as your parents approve, there's plenty of alcohol for you guys to have some. I've got more of everything so if something runs out, let me know."

"Thanks." Mom smiles.

We grab seats at the table, Mom goes next to Maggie and I take the one next to Bryce.

"Swim first or eat first?" Mom asks.

"Definitely swim." I pull my tank top off and put it in the bag and do the same with my shorts.

"Sunscreen?" Mom offers.

"We already had this conversation." I laugh. "My future skin cancer is on me."

"As long as you know that."

Bryce and I head over to the inground pool and I see that Grandma Peggy's daughter, Penelope, and two of the kids, Emmy and Brandon, are already swimming.

"Alex!" Emmy yells.

"Hi, sweetie!" I smile. "Mind if we join?"

"Go ahead." Penelope nods. "It's so good to see you."