Tom Kazansky: My Snowman

Day Ten

Friday July 18th, 1986

I woke up that morning with my head spinning. I was still trying to process what Nick had told me last night. 

BANG! 

I forgot I was on the couch as I rolled over onto the floor. 

Damn it. That was going to leave a bruise. I looked up at the clock on the wall, five thirty in the morning. Why in the world was I waking up this early all of the sudden? It's alright. It just sucks because once I am up, it's almost impossible to get back to sleep. 

I went to the kitchen to make omelettes for Nick and Pete. Pete normally got here at six and they left at six thirty. At least on Fridays - apparently they do a lot of Hops on Fridays. The sooner they start, the sooner they get done. So all the pilots in their class agreed to getting all the flight work done in the morning when it's cooler up there. 

I had just finished making breakfast when Pete came in the door. Nick was just coming downstairs as well. 

I sat their plates in front of them, and began to make some for my sister and my nephew. 

"Thank you Hale, they're wonderful as always" Nick smiled with a mouth full of food. 

There's my sweet brother in law. He was back - for now. 

"How do you still remember how I like my omelettes?" Pete asked. 

I scoffed and faced the stove returning to cooking my eggs, "Only you Pete would want omelettes post sex" I rolled my eyes. 

Nick laughed so hard at this I had to turn around to remind him that his son and pregnant wife were asleep upstairs. Pete's face was beat red as he tried to hold in his own laughter. I'm glad he was warming up to our jokes again. I just hope Tom saw that Pete held absolutely no competition to him. 

Soon it was time for them to go, Carole and Bradley came down to eat. I sat down to eat with them. Then Carole was off to her job. 

Finally it was just Bradley and I in the house. "What do you want to do today Bud? In the afternoon we're going to the beach to see Uncle Ice, Uncle Mav and Daddy" 

Bradley got a huge smile on his face and gave an excited squeal, "Yea Daddy! I loves my Daddy so muches." 

I couldn't help but think about what Nick had said last night. I tried to push it to the back of my mind though as I answered, "I know you do BB, I know. So what should we do this morning before we get ready for the beach." 

He thought about it for a second, "Can we finger paint?". 

I nodded, "You go and get the supplies from the Daycare and I'll get the table set up."  He quickly did as I said. I cleaned the table with a rag, dried it off. Then I laid down some news paper. I got some paper plates to put the paint on, and some bowls of water to wash our hands in. Bradley was very particular on not mixing the colors. 

He brought out the paper and paints. I was quick to set them up. We were still in our pjs, luckily they had no sleeves to worry about. I put my hands on my hips, "Alright so what are we painting today?" 

"I want to make a picture for Daddy, Uncle Mav's and Uncle Snowman's" He smiled getting out three pieces of paper. "I want to do hand prints!" He put the entire palm of his left hand into the orange paint and pressed down on the first paper. He did the same for the second paper. However, he skipped the third paper and went back to working on the first paper. 

"What about the third one BB?" I asked. 

"That one's for Uncle Snowman's, You have to makes it sillys" He laughed, throwing his clean hands up in the air.