Let's Be Crazy (Oh Captain, My Captain 4)

“Of course we don’t.” Brooke waves her hand like she’s being ridiculous.

“The more the merrier,” I agree.

The kids lead us to the room where we’ll spend the rest of the day. We take a seat at a large round table. Somehow, I’m lucky enough to sit next to Lexie again. A teacher stands up at the front and gathers everyone’s attention.

After welcoming everyone again, she says, “The children have each made something in art class for their mothers. Kids, come on up and find them.”

Reed and Sadie scramble from the table. Not even a minute later, they return. Reed proudly places a little birdhouse down in front of Brooke.

“I painted it your favorite color for you, Mom.” He points at the yellow paint. “I tried to do dots to make it pretty, but I kept messing up.” He studies the sloppy circles and then looks to Brooke. “Do you like it? Where are we going to put it?”

Brooke hugs him. “I love it. We’ll find the perfect place for it this weekend, okay? You’ll have to help me.”

He nods, happy that she loves it. I subtly pay attention as Sadie slides a painting in front of Lexie. She climbs into her lap and explains what she did.

“There’s Pops with his worm cookies, and Grammy is sneaking fairy dust into the cookie dough for me.” Her little finger moves from place to place as she speaks. “That’s me. And that’s Reed. We’re waiting for the cookies to be done baking. There’s Mr. Ashton and Miss Brooke. And that’s you, Mommy. You are talking to them and telling Mr. Ashton that his team sucks. Oh!” Sadie seems like she almost forgot something. She moves her finger to a smiley face in the clouds. “That’s my dad. He’s watching us, like you said he does.” Sadie wiggles around to see what Lexie thinks. “Do you like it, Mommy? I don’t think I forgot anyone.” She frowns as if she might have.

Lexie is close to tears as she wraps Sadie tightly for a hug. She whispers something to her and Sadie hugs her back. When Sadie pulls away, she sticks her tongue out at Reed. “I told you a painting was better than a birdhouse.”

“Well, you wouldn’t paint the dots for me,” Reed says right back.

“You should have said please.”

“I helped you with yours!”

“I said please.”

“Okay, cut it out,” Lexie interrupts.

Lunches are passed out and the kids get distracted because it’s their lucky day. Reed and Sadie pract

ically go nuts over the chicken nuggets.

“Hey, you got one more than me,” Reed points out. “We should split it.”

“No way,” Sadie shakes her head. “It’s mine.”

“Reed, leave her alone. Eat what’s on your plate,” I tell him. What is wrong with these two today?

“Fine,” he grumbles. “But somehow, she always has one more than me.”

Lexie’s mom leans forward, catching their attention. “If you two can get along, there might be some cookies at my house for you. Only the best-behaving kids get to have some, though.”

Reed and Sadie glance at each other, and that’s the end of their bickering - for today, at least. Lunch ends up going pretty well. The kids run the show for the most part. It catches me off guard when Reed calls Lexie’s parents ‘Grammy’ and ‘Pops’. I open my mouth to stop him, but Brooke pats my knee under the table at the same time Lexie does. They must know something I don’t. Her parents don’t seem to mind, so maybe they told him he could when they babysat him for Brooke.

“It was nice to meet you, Ashton, and to see you again, Brooke and Reed, but we need to get going,” Lexie’s mom says.

“Are you sure?”

Her dad nods. Once they leave, a teacher goes to the front of the room again.

“Okay, boys and men. Find who you want to dance with, ask them, and have fun dancing.”

Reed turns to Brooke. “Momma, do you want to dance with me? We’ve been learning how in gym. I won’t step on your feet, I promise.”

“Well, how could I turn down that offer?”

He grins, stands up, and takes Brooke’s hand, leading her to the makeshift dance floor. Moms and their little boys as well as dads and their little girls make their way to dance. My gaze shifts from Reed rigidly following steps he remembered to Sadie, who is watching everyone. Lexie sneaks a worried glance at me before whispering something to Sadie, who shakes her head, not once looking away.