Friendly Dating 2 - Ethan

Chapter 26 - Mudflats

Today, Church was even more fun than it's required to be. I always love going because I get to be among warm people coming together for a common goal and enjoying each other's company while they're doing it. 

Starting the week without going to church the day before always feels like I'm starting the day without brushing my teeth. 

Well, there are the odd sour prune and hypocrite in there as well, but they just make the others shine more brightly in contrast and teach us all about tolerance and patience; besides, we go there to support each other, have a chat with God and hear what's on His heart, not to argue about nonsense.

We argue about nonsense when we're playing human ten-pin bowling or action chess or have wheely bin races... but those arguments usually only involve my friends, and they're not prunes or hypocrites... so that probably doesn't count...

Most of my friends were there this morning, and so was my family, which is always a plus. I'm content when all the people I love are near me. Jet seldom goes, though; he often says stuff like his life is too messed up to be welcome there. He doesn't get that it is the perfect place for messed up people to gather and become loved and un-messed up.

I held Kicks' hand for almost the entire service. I think she would've taken up Deli's nasty habit of pinching me if I didn't keep her fingers trapped with mine. It was so awesome! 

Our parents saw it!

My mom was smiling sweetly, and I could see that she was thrilled about it. Uncle Joe pretended not to see, but he kept pushing his glasses around the way he often does when he is trying to digest something weird I've said.

It's all good. I know he appreciates me being open about how I feel about his daughter. If I'm holding her hand in front of him, I'm less likely to pinch the cat in the dark behind his back... He said something like that last night when I asked him if it would upset him if I did stuff like holding Kira's hand and hugging her and so on... 

No, it made no sense to me either... 

Seeing it, my dad just gave me a look, and I swear it contained a 2345-word speech, all the lines ending with the words: "I'm watching you, Boy!" Yeah, as if I would pinch the cat where he can watch me.

Wait! Pinch the cat? Why the hell would anybody want to pinch a cat?! Shouldn't it be cuddle the cat? After all, I want to cuddle Kicks, not pinch her, so...

Well, I got to hold Kira's hand for hours and hours - something like 45 minutes - and after a few of those minutes, she finally relaxed into it and stopped trying to un-hold mine. I can almost forgive her for sitting on the opposite side of the Earth to me while we were having lunch at our dining table after Church. Next time, I'm not letting her get away with that.

The Crofts always have Sunday lunch with us. Mom and the girls cook, and Dad does the meat. It's the only thing he can make; he is seriously good at it. Uncle Joe and I set the table and do the general clean-up since neither of us is much good at cooking, and I've been told that I'm a menace in the kitchen. Uncle Joe makes really good scrambled eggs, though.

I love Sunday lunch! 

After Church, I helped Uncle Joe make all the lizard-friendly openings in Kira's section of the garage less inviting for a little cat hell-bent on wreaking havoc. I believe that Kicks' ecosystems and ant farm are now safe from furry invaders. I hope... Scamp is a crafty little fellow.

Kira is sitting in the kitchen having coffee with my mom and Deli when I run down the stairs, carrying two motorcycle helmets. I changed my clothes, figuring that my mom would not be happy if I went to the mudflats dressed in the decent jeans and shirt I wore to church. Kira also no longer wears the long skirt and pretty floral top she wore this morning, looking pretty enough to take my breath away. She changed into shorts and a T-shirt she's owned for forever to go mud-hunting with me.