“Hanging out here. Reed picked out a few movies and a bunch of candy and popcorn to eat. That sound okay?”
“Sounds great, as long as there is no Frozen. If I hear any of those songs, I may stab my ears. Sadie played it all day yesterday,” she complains.
“Well…he did pick it up because he said Sadie loved it, but there are a couple others too. We can hide it and hope Reed doesn’t mention it?”
She shakes her head. “Oh, these kids. At least Reed was thinking of her. That’s sweet of him.” I have to admit that even I’m surprised by how often he wants to get something because he knows that Sadie likes it. “Oh, I went to Sadie’s parent-teacher conference and do you know what she said?”
“That she’s the most well-behaved kid ever?” I guess.
“Ha! She almost shoved a kid because they were dissing you. So, I don’t think she’ll be watching any more hockey games for a little bit.”
“I don’t believe you. Sweet little Sadie?” I can’t see her being mean to anyone.
“Yes,” Lexie confirms, “but I sat her down and we talked about not using violence when someone doesn’t like the Bears. She seems to understand.”
“Maybe you should have told her that it’s not nice to be mean to people who like, or play for, the Bears.” I give her a pointed look.
“I’m not mean to you. I just like Vegas better.” She shrugs.
“You aren’t mean to me now, you were before. But the past is the past and I forgive you.” I grin, making her roll her eyes. “We should probably go check on them. Things are too quiet.”
“Wait one second.” Lexie peers down the hall, confusing me until she smiles and briefly kisses me. “Now, we can go.”
She shouldn’t have kissed me because now I want more. “Are you sure? They are good kids, I’m sure everything is fine.”
Lex laughs and starts pushing me down the hallway. We peek into Reed’s room, but it’s empty. Where are they? It’s then that I can hear frantic hushed talking from my bedroom. I push open the door to see them hovering over my replica of the Selke trophy I won last season, which is now on the floor.
“What are you two doing in here?” I ask in my best parent voice.
They turn with horror at being caught, and Reed starts to rapidly explain. “I just wanted to show her, Dad. We didn’t mean to knock it over.” His voice rises with his panic and he suddenly points at Sadie and blurts, “She did it!”
“I did not!” Sadie protests. “You picked it up!”
“Sadie Tiffany Allen, you best tell the truth, young lady,” Lexie orders.
“Reed,” I start, knowing Sadie couldn’t have reached it by herself.
He drops his head, looking down at his feet. “I helped her. I got down like a human table and she stood on my back, but she lost her balance.”
“Sadie, I can’t believe you. You know better,” Lexie chides.
“Reed told me it was okay, Mommy,” she says.
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“Reed should have got me.” I give him a pointed look. “You know I don’t mind if you show her, but if you can’t reach something, you go get someone. What if one of you had gotten hurt? And you don’t lie either. That gets you in more trouble, not less.”
“Sadie, are you listening to Mr. Ashton?”
“Yes, Mommy.” She nods.
Reed looks to his best friend apologetically. “I’m sorry I blamed it on you, Sadie. Sorry I knocked your trophy down, Dad.”
I glance at Lex and then face the kids. “You know we don’t lie in this house, so your punishment is that no one gets to watch Frozen or sing any of the songs for a while. Don’t you think so, Lexie?”
She tries to hide her smile as she nods and adds, “Even at Brooke’s too. Nowhere. For a month.”
Sadie frowns. “Can we still watch a movie today, though? Reed said you had popcorn and candy, Mr. Ashton.”