Players, Bumps and Cocktail Sausages (SAMPLE)

Players, Bumps and Cocktail Sausages - Chapter Four

“Something about sorting out school trip shit.” I shrugged my shoulders. “I dunno. Everleigh ready?”

“Cole’s just getting her shoes on. Do you want to talk about it?”

I glared. “There’s nothing to talk about.” Oakley smiled one of her smiles that made me want to throw tomatoes at her. “Seriously, it’s fine. If she wants to waste Sunday morning talking about work that’s her stupid choice.” I could see in my sister’s eyes she was thinking but what about spending time with you, blah, blah, blah. Would I prefer to spend time with my wife in the morning, yes, of course, but she had shit to do. I’d survive.

“Everleigh,” I shouted past Oakley, ignoring her one raised eyebrow. If she kept raising them I was going to shave them off.

“Uncle Jasper!” Everleigh screamed, jumping up and down as she made her way to the front door. “Pancakes! Can I have chocolate?”

I grinned. “You can have whatever you want.” After what the arsehole sperm donor did to our family Everleigh was like glue, fixing us all. I’d literally do anything for her.

“Yeah,” she cheered, jumping outside in one big leap that made Oakley tense up. “Lets go, Uncle Jasper.”

I unlocked my car and she ran to her door, letting herself in. Cole appeared behind Oakley, wrapping his dirty little hands around her. “No kiss goodbye?” he said to Everleigh. She turned, shook her head, waved and got in the car.

“Too eager for food. She takes after you,” Oakley said, kissing Cole’s cheek over her shoulder. That was my cue to leave. I didn’t need to be seeing any of that crap.

“So what’s wrong, Uncle Jasper?” Everleigh asked, leaning her elbows on the diner table. She barely reached so it looked more like she was just laying her arms out but I knew the effect she was going for, tell all.

“Nothing’s wrong, Noodle. I promise.”

She sighed and shook her head. “Uncle Jasper, you just told a lie.” My three-year-old niece was disappointed in me. Wow.

“Just grown up stuff. Nothing for you to worry about.”

“But I love you.”

There was nothing that could keep me down when she said that. I smiled like a fat guy locked in a McDonalds overnight. I was suddenly so glad Oakley didn’t have anything planned and let me take Everleigh for a bit. She was my antidepressant.

“I love you too, but you don’t have to worry about me.”

“Are you sad?”

“If you ask your dad...” She frowned, my joke going over her head. “Never mind. I’m not sad.”

“Is it Aunty Abby? Are you in the dog house?”

I laughed, my eyebrows shooting up. “What?” Where the hell did that come from?

“Mummy said Daddy was in the dog house when he broke her favourite mug. Did Aunty Abby break your favourite mug?”

I loved her weird little, innocent mind. “Yeah, she broke my favourite mug.”

She nodded. “Don’t worry, Uncle Jasper, I’ll buy you a new one. Ooh can I have a chocolate milkshake? I promise won’t tell Mummy and Daddy.”

“Sure, you can have whatever you want.” She grinned a face-splitting smile and pushed her empty plate away.

Oakley informed me her and Cole had popped to The Centre to sort something out for a couple hours so I was to take Everleigh there. Going into work on your day off felt wrong. “Where’s Mummy and Daddy?” Everleigh asked as soon as we got out of the car as if I had some radar.