The Kings IV II

1

five years later

Josiah

"Alright, run to Henry," I said, closing the door of my Escalade.

"Henry!" Hero yelled, a broad smile on his face.

"I brought my soccer ball!" Henry yelled.

I shot Fred a wave and walked around to the other side of my truck, opening the other door.

"Come on, sweetheart," I grunted, pulling Francesca out of her car seat.

"I don't know how Mommy does that with her nails," I muttered, kicking the door closed.

I pressed a kiss to her cheek and began walking across the open field, nearly getting taken out by the soccer ball coming towards me.

"Henny, chill it, dude," I said, rubbing the top of his head.

"Sorry!" He yelled, running to grab his ball.

"Hi, my little Josie," I said, pressing a kiss to her head.

"Hi, uncle Jo," she greeted, "hi, Francesca!"

I chuckled and Francesca smiled, hopping down from my arms. "What are you drawing?" She asked, barely understandable, but somehow, Josephine understood her word for word.

"I'm drawing Daddy," she said, patting the spot on the bench next to her.

"Hero!" I yelled, "you've got to be easier, man, your leg's going to go out from underneath you."

"Got it, Dad," he yelled.

"What's up, Pops?" Fred greeted, sitting on the table behind us.

I chuckled, shaking my head. "Hero's a little too aggressive."

"Well, at least he's not sliding down the staircase railing," Fred said, looking down at Josephine.

"I only did that once," she muttered, her eyes fixated on her drawing.

I sat next to Fred and we both watched the boys like hawks. They were carbon copies of us when we were their age.

"Henry," Fred yelled, "watch out for the people walking by. You can't be kicking it twenty feet in the air and expect it to not hit somebody."

"Got it," Henry said, obviously not having it.

"I don't think you do, but okay," Fred yelled back, getting off of the picnic table.

"Why don't you go play with the boys, Jo?" Fred asked, looking down at Josephine.

"I'm almost done with this drawing of you," she said, "I've just got to color your eyes green."

I smiled, earning Francesca's big, brown eyes.

"Can I go play?" She asked, smiling up at me.

"No ma'am," I said, scooping her up into my arms, "that's an accident waiting to happen."

She sighed, resting her head on my shoulder. I smiled and rubbed her back, looking over at Fred.

"Hey, Josie, remember those days?" Fred asked, "when you could stay in one place for more than five seconds?"

She giggled, shaking her head.

"Come to uncle Freddy," he said, holding out his hands. He grabbed Fran and pressed a kiss to her cheek, resting her on his side.

"You look more and more like your mom every day," I said, sitting next to Jo.

"You think so?" She asked, looking up at me.