Team8s and Counting Onwards

228. We Can All Learn

As Coiny unloaded the kids from the car and brought them inside, they couldn't stop chatting about their days at camp.

"I got to go swimming today!" Thread exclaimed. "I even got to go into the deep end because I can tread water a lot better!"

Coiny smiled at her, grabbing some snacks from the kitchen. "That's awesome, Thread! You've been working really hard on that."

"Birdie helped me," Thread added proudly. "He stayed right beside me the whole time. It made it a lot less scary."

"That's really sweet of him," Coiny replied, handing her a granola bar and juice box.

"Uncle Coiny!" Sprinkle exclaimed. "Can I have a pudding please? I already checked my sugar and have my shot ready."

Coiny nodded. "Let me triple check that you have everything measured out right, but yes, you can have some pudding."

"Can I have some too?" Sack asked with big eyes.

Coiny grabbed a second pudding from the fridge. "Yes, you can have one too."

"What about me?" Dimey asked, running into the kitchen.

Coiny looked into the fridge, but couldn't find any more pudding. "Sorry kiddo, looks like Sack took the last one."

"Hmph." Dimey crossed his arms, clearly disappointed but trying hard not to make a scene in front of the others. "That's not fair," he muttered under his breath.

"I know, buddy," Coiny said, still half-focused on putting the pudding cups on the table. "But there's other snacks if you're still hungry. You can have yogurt or one of those applesauce pouches you like."

"I didn't want applesauce. I wanted pudding," Dimey grumbled louder this time, pushing his juice box away.

Bladey sat next to him, trying to calm him down. "I wanted pudding too, but I think my moms are gonna get some more." She looked up at Coiny. "Can I have some applesauce, please?"

Coiny got Bladey applesauce from the fridge. "Of course, thanks for being flexible and asking so nicely."

Dimey scowled as Bladey opened her applesauce with a quiet "thank you." He sat back in his chair and crossed his arms tightly across his chest. "I always get left out."

"Dimey, that's not true," Coiny said, voice still even as he handed Bladey a spoon.

"Yes it is!" Dimey snapped. "Thread got to go to the deep end, Sprinkle got pudding, Sack got pudding, Bladey got applesauce, and I get NOTHING!"

"Dimey..." Coiny warned.

"No! It's not fair! I never get anything first, and no one even notices!"

Coiny took a deep breath, trying to keep his composure.. "That's enough, Dimey. I'm sorry that we don't have pudding right now, but I promise once Auntie Saw and Auntie Gaty get back from the store, you can have some pudding. Would you like anything else right now?"

Dimey angrily slammed his fists on the table. "I. Want. Pudding. NOW."

Coiny's patience snapped. "THAT'S IT. DIMEY COPPER GO TO YOUR ROOM RIGHT THIS INSTANT."

"But dad-"

"NOW!" Coiny looked at his son angrily. The whole room froze up

Dimey's face crumpled as tears welled up in his eyes. He didn't say another word—just pushed his chair back sharply and ran upstairs, the thud of his footsteps echoing as he disappeared into his room and slammed the door.

The rest of the kitchen was silent. Sprinkle nervously stirred his pudding. Sack stared down at the floor. Thread nervously nibbled on her chips.

Bladey looked up at Coiny with wide eyes, clearly shaken. "Why did you have to yell at him, Uncle Coiny?" She tried to hold back tears as Thread wrapped an arm around her.