Something In Between: Sequel to On The Edge of Tomorrow

Chapter 12

"Yahtzee," Tim bellowed.

"Timothy, we're playing Monopoly," Tess calmly corrected.

"That role was a Yahtzee," Tim shot as he moved his piece to Boardwalk and started counting out his fake money to buy it.

"Who wanted to play this stupid game, anyway?" I grumbled to no one in particular.

"You," Billy and Tess reminded me in unison.

"Play Monopoly, she said. It'll be fun, she said." Billy continued.

"I know how to make it fun." I mischievously smiled.

"Just like your dad?" Billy confirmed.

"Just like good ol' Dad," I agreed.

"What are you two losers talking about?" Tim absently asked, without looking up from his money.

Silently Billy mouthed, "one, two, ..."

On the last count, we both picked up our sides of the board and flipped it into the air as we shouted, "earthquake!"

"No!" Tim roared as the board and all the pieces flung around the room. "Cheaters!" He added as the clang of game bits landed around us.

"Never underestimate a natural disaster." I smiled.

"Natural disaster? That was more like a natural savior," Tess giggled.

"I'm never having a game night with you again," Tim pouted.

"Okay," Billy shrugged. "Anyone up for Spades?" He added to Tess and me.

"Oh, I'm a killer at Spades. I'm in!" Tim eagerly spoke.

"I'm going to rest my case right there." Billy smugly smiled.

"Why don't we do something less competitive?" Tess suggested.

"What do you suggest?" I asked.

"A nice calm movie?" She offered.

"Can things blow up and there be dinosaurs?" Tim hopefully asked.

Billy and I exchanged glances at how terrible it sounded.

"You can pick this time. You were the biggest victim of the earthquake." Billy agreed. "I'll make some popcorn."

"All right. Extra salt and butter on mine. Oh, and a cream soda," Tim yammered as he got up from the table.

Before Billy could argue, I offered to help, which seemed to quell his annoyance.

"This movie will be terrible," he began as he pulled the popcorn from the cabinet.

"For sure, but the company will be nice." I smiled.

Billy's eyes snapped up to mine. "Will it?" It was a lurid question, and not what I had intended.

"Billy..."

"I know, I know. But you have to admit; it's not a bad way to kill a couple of hours otherwise spent watching dinosaurs blow things up."

"Do the dinosaurs blow the things up? I just assumed people blew things up around the dinosaurs," I pondered.

"Really?" Billy grumbled as he returned to making the popcorn.

"Hey," I offered as I neared him at the stovetop.

"Hey," he shot back with an air of apology at his annoyance.

We both watched the kernels sizzle in the oil.

"Saying no to you; to that part of us... it's really hard," I admitted.

"Really? because my spotlight seems to disgust you," Billy noted as he slid an arm around my waist.