Read Divine Blood (Vampire Love Story #6) for Free Online Page B
Authors: H.T. Night
that he was.
Once, we were spending the
weekend at Uncle Tommy’s house in Anaheim Hills. I wanted the boys
to look at Tommy as a legitimate uncle, because he would have been
if he would have had the opportunity to marry my sister,
Maya.
Lena usually didn’t make
these trips because she viewed them as “guys’ weekends,” even
though we were taking care of two five year olds.
The boys loved Tommy. He
was funny and playful and knew how to take the role as fair and
funny uncle.
It was a typical Saturday
night at Tommy’s. We had ordered pizza and wings. We were all
having a good time just being guys, watching cartoons and any movie
or show that was rated G. Tommy was a good sport about the fact we
needed to accommodate the boys and they would want us to watch at
least one movie with them. After one movie, if Tommy and were
lucky, we went in his den to get some video games in as the boys
fell asleep to the second movie, but this wasn’t one of those
nights. This was going to be an active evening.
There was still a good
hour of sunlight left. “Can we climb Tommy’s eucalyptus tree, Dad?”
Joshua asked.
“ I’m impressed that you
can say the word ‘eucalyptus,’” I said.
“ I’m just impressed that
either of your kids can talk,” Tommy joked.
I gave Tommy a sharp look
to be nice, but that’s the way he was. It didn’t matter who you
were—a guy at the bar or my five year old son—Tommy would find a
way to get under your skin and tease you. It was his way, one of
the reasons why I loved him. Just keep my five year olds out of
it.
On to what
happened...
Tommy had an exceptionally
huge tree that I hadn’t yet allowed the boys to climb. But because
they were both getting pretty good at climbing, I decided to let
them give it a shot.
After the sun went down,
the four of us went into the back yard. Tommy and I each had a beer
in our hands, watching my two sons climb a tree, as if we were
watching the Super Bowl of tree climbing.
“ So, what’s the deal with
your little monkeys?” Tommy asked. “Are they so bored on that
island that they turned primitive and now want to hunt and
gather?”
“ You watch, Tom. They are
going to climb the biggest of the trees.”
“ I don’t doubt it. What’s
a kid to do on an island except climb palm trees for
coconuts?”
“ We don’t have palm trees
or coconuts on our island.”
“ That’s too bad. Coconut
crème pie is so good. You know, I have some chocolate mousse in the
fridge?”
“ You wouldn’t lie to a
father of two five-year-old boys would you?”
“ I never joke about
pie.”
I grinned at my best
friend and then we both watched my boys prepare to climb Tommy’s
gigantic eucalyptus tree. It was at least thirty-five feet
high.
Both boys were tall for
their age.
Before we knew it, Jason
hopped up and began climbing. Joshua was right behind him. Jason
climbed to the left side of the eucalyptus tree and Joshua climbed
to the right.
They were both showing off
for their dad and uncle, and I should have been wiser about the
scenario. It was the old competitor in me that craved to see
competition, even with my own boys. It seemed like harmless
entertainment. At first...
“ My money is on Joshua,”
Tommy said.
“ I’m not going to pick
sides, but watch how slick Jason moves up the tree. The good money
is on him.”
“ Put your money where your
mouth is,” Tommy laughed.
“ I don’t want to encourage
your gambling and it’s not right for a dad to pick sides by betting
on his kids.”
“ Man, you’re no fun
anymore,” Tommy scoffed.
“ I’m plenty of fun. Just
grounded,” I said indignantly.
“ Unless I make the
headlines breaking the law, I’m not going to see my friend in
action.”
“ What kind of action do
you want to see? If it’s a strip tease, I just might do it if you
promise to tip well.”
“ You know what I’m saying.
You are no longer a recluse.”
“ And that’s a bad thing?”
I asked.
“ I
Once, we were spending the
weekend at Uncle Tommy’s house in Anaheim Hills. I wanted the boys
to look at Tommy as a legitimate uncle, because he would have been
if he would have had the opportunity to marry my sister,
Maya.
Lena usually didn’t make
these trips because she viewed them as “guys’ weekends,” even
though we were taking care of two five year olds.
The boys loved Tommy. He
was funny and playful and knew how to take the role as fair and
funny uncle.
It was a typical Saturday
night at Tommy’s. We had ordered pizza and wings. We were all
having a good time just being guys, watching cartoons and any movie
or show that was rated G. Tommy was a good sport about the fact we
needed to accommodate the boys and they would want us to watch at
least one movie with them. After one movie, if Tommy and were
lucky, we went in his den to get some video games in as the boys
fell asleep to the second movie, but this wasn’t one of those
nights. This was going to be an active evening.
There was still a good
hour of sunlight left. “Can we climb Tommy’s eucalyptus tree, Dad?”
Joshua asked.
“ I’m impressed that you
can say the word ‘eucalyptus,’” I said.
“ I’m just impressed that
either of your kids can talk,” Tommy joked.
I gave Tommy a sharp look
to be nice, but that’s the way he was. It didn’t matter who you
were—a guy at the bar or my five year old son—Tommy would find a
way to get under your skin and tease you. It was his way, one of
the reasons why I loved him. Just keep my five year olds out of
it.
On to what
happened...
Tommy had an exceptionally
huge tree that I hadn’t yet allowed the boys to climb. But because
they were both getting pretty good at climbing, I decided to let
them give it a shot.
After the sun went down,
the four of us went into the back yard. Tommy and I each had a beer
in our hands, watching my two sons climb a tree, as if we were
watching the Super Bowl of tree climbing.
“ So, what’s the deal with
your little monkeys?” Tommy asked. “Are they so bored on that
island that they turned primitive and now want to hunt and
gather?”
“ You watch, Tom. They are
going to climb the biggest of the trees.”
“ I don’t doubt it. What’s
a kid to do on an island except climb palm trees for
coconuts?”
“ We don’t have palm trees
or coconuts on our island.”
“ That’s too bad. Coconut
crème pie is so good. You know, I have some chocolate mousse in the
fridge?”
“ You wouldn’t lie to a
father of two five-year-old boys would you?”
“ I never joke about
pie.”
I grinned at my best
friend and then we both watched my boys prepare to climb Tommy’s
gigantic eucalyptus tree. It was at least thirty-five feet
high.
Both boys were tall for
their age.
Before we knew it, Jason
hopped up and began climbing. Joshua was right behind him. Jason
climbed to the left side of the eucalyptus tree and Joshua climbed
to the right.
They were both showing off
for their dad and uncle, and I should have been wiser about the
scenario. It was the old competitor in me that craved to see
competition, even with my own boys. It seemed like harmless
entertainment. At first...
“ My money is on Joshua,”
Tommy said.
“ I’m not going to pick
sides, but watch how slick Jason moves up the tree. The good money
is on him.”
“ Put your money where your
mouth is,” Tommy laughed.
“ I don’t want to encourage
your gambling and it’s not right for a dad to pick sides by betting
on his kids.”
“ Man, you’re no fun
anymore,” Tommy scoffed.
“ I’m plenty of fun. Just
grounded,” I said indignantly.
“ Unless I make the
headlines breaking the law, I’m not going to see my friend in
action.”
“ What kind of action do
you want to see? If it’s a strip tease, I just might do it if you
promise to tip well.”
“ You know what I’m saying.
You are no longer a recluse.”
“ And that’s a bad thing?”
I asked.
“ I