The Longer Engagement

65: Fourth of July

Thursday, July 4th, 2024

"Whose daddy's baby?" Sam was saying, holding Brooklyn up to his level, making her smile widely every time he said it. They were hosting the 4th of July this year at their house, and they were going to make hot dogs and burgers and swim and then pop fireworks. He tickled her belly, everyone watching him. She made small sounds, as if she was laughing. He froze for a second and did it again, and her small giggles made his heart swell. He kissed her forehead. Brenda fanned her face. He laughed and kissed her head.

"Alright, whose ready to go swimming?" He asked. Everyone got up and went outside. Brenda took off her dress cover, showing off her body i a two piece. She definitely didn't look like she'd ever been pregnant.

"Stacy, will you take our picture?" She asked, handing her her phone. She nodded. Sam wrapped an arm around Brenda's waist and they smiled for the picture. Then Sam gave Brooklyn to Brenda and jumped in the pool, causing a few drops to hit Brenda and Brooklyn. The water shocked her, and she she looked at Brenda, who laughed. She squealed then laughed at the sound of her squeal. Brenda laughed and sat on the steps in the pool, Brooklyn's legs and bottom touching the water. She splashed her hands in the water and then looked up at Brenda, the look on her face making Brenda laugh, which caused Brooklyn to smile.

"Sam, you're daughter seriously loves the water." Brenda called. He shook his wet hair out and swam over to them, standing and walking the rest of the way in the shallow end. He sat on the step beside her and Brooklyn smiled seeing him.

"I love when she smiles."He said.

"That's like, the only thing she's done since she got in the water." He smiled

"Come out in the water and see if she liked it all over her." He said. Brenda stood up and slowly walked until Brooklyn's shoulders were a little bit above the water.

"Daddy, Mama! Watch!" Kelsey yelled, and ran and jumped in the pool, doing a flip like Sam taught her. Everyone cheered when she came up.

"That's my girl! Do it again, I'm gonna get it on video." He said, picking his water proof phone (the case) up and putting it on video. She pulled herself out of the pool on the side and did it again when he told her to go. Everyone cheered for her again and Brooklyn smiled.

"Uncle Sam!" Julia yelled from the ladder. He went over to her.

"What is it, squirt?" She held her arms out.

"Piggy back ride?" She asked. He laughed and let her get on his back before walking around the deep end for a few minutes with her. Eventually, all of the little kids ended up getting in the pool, and then getting out, and now it was just the guys chilling out in the pool.

"Brenda!" Sam yelled.

"What Squishy?" She yelled back.

"What time is it?" He yelled.

"Time for you to get a watch!" She yelled back. He rolled his eyes as everyone laughed. He pulled himself out of the pool and pulled his trunks up, making sure nothing was showing again. He grabbed a towel and scrubbed his head, checking his phone.

"Why?" Brenda asked.

"I was just wondering." He said." Starting to get a headache from all the swimming and stuff." It was 7 O'clock and they still had about two hours until it started getting dark.

"Why don't you go take two Tylenol and lay down for a little bit with Brooklyn? She's getting a little fussy because she'd tired." Sam nodded and picked her up.

"Wake me up for the fireworks. I have to do them because all the other guys are to scared to light the damn things after what happened last time." Brenda laughed. He went in the house, shutting the glass door behind him, took two Tylenol quickly, and went upstairs. He got a new diaper for Brooklyn and a onsie. He took her in the bathroom and put her in her little bathtub on the sink, and rinsed her off before drying her off and putting on her diaper. She was whining and poking her bottom lip out as if she was going to cry.

"I know you're cold, baby girl. Daddy's almost done." He said, and put her onsie on. He gave her her paci and put her in the bassinet and hopped in the shower and rinsed off quickly, still watching her as he did so. He dried off quickly and towel dried his hair, putting his underwear and clean shorts on. He picked her up and rolled the bassinet out of the bathroom and laid under the covers on his and Brenda's bed. He put a pillow on one side of Brooklyn so she wouldn't fall off the bed, and then put her on her back next to him. He tried to get comfortable, but she rolled into his side. He smiled and moved her back to her spot, but she kept doing it.

"I guess you want to be close to daddy, huh?" She looked at him like he was crazy since she didn't know what he was saying. He laughed and turned over onto his side and put his arm around her head and back. He put his other hand on her back and rubbed up and down gently, humming, until she fell asleep.

About two and a half hours later, Brenda came in the house and up to her and Sam's room, only to see their daughter laying next to him, cuddled into his side, awake. But Sam was asleep. Brenda took a picture of them and put it on Twitter.

Brenda Evans @BrendaEvans

Brooklyn's just chillin' on daddy's side while he snores away!

Brenda crawled up next to them and picked Brooklyn up, holding her with one arm. Brooklyn put her head on Brenda's shoulder, sucking on her paci.

"Sam, wake up baby." Brenda said. He whined and turned over onto his stomach. Brenda chuckled." Sam, come on now."

"What?" He whined, looking at her.

"I know you're tired, but you wanted me to wake you up for the fireworks." He yawned and sat up.

"Did you and Brooky have a good nap?" Brenda asked. Sam made a sound which was a mix between a sniff, cough, burp, and a snort."What the hell was that?" Brenda asked. Sam laughed.

"The hell if I know."He said. He put a shirt on and his shoes and they made their way outside. For the next hour or so, Sam lit fireworks while the kids stared in awe at the fireworks in the sky or the sparklers. Jake decided that ti would be a great idea to throw the football at Sam and cause him to get hit in the head with the ball and drop the lighter, causing some of the grass near him to catch on fire. He quickly start stomping it out, cussing like a sailor.

"Son of a mother fucking bitch!" He exclaimed, kicking the ball into the lake and then angrily walking towards the group."Why the hell did you think it was a great idea to do that? Do you want this place to go up in flames?" He asked, pushing Jake harshly. Jake pushed him back and before long, the two were on the ground, fist fighting. The girls were screaming at them to stop. Sam got distracted for a split second when he heard Kelsey telling him to stop, and Jake managed to punch the shit out of him twice. Sam got to hit him a few more times before his dad, Puck, and Finn managed to pull him off, even though he was struggling against them, trying to get them to let him go.

"Marley, take Jake and the kids home." Brenda ordered. They left, Jake flipping Sam off, causing him to start struggling again."Damn it, Sam! Stop before you hurt yourself even more!" She yelled."You're scaring the kids." She said. She was write, pretty much all of the younger kids were crying or hiding behind their parents. He blinked and took a deep breath.

"I-I'm sorry. Will you let me go now?" He asked, not sounding as pissed off anymore. They hesitantly let him go and he went inside. Everyone followed him inside. Brenda made him sit at the kitchen table and she started wiping his now bloody face. He had a gash right at his hairline on his forehead and his lip was busted. His nose and lip was bleeding and he was already beginning to get a black eye.

"Will you stop? I just want to go to bed." He asked her, sounding like he was miserable.

"No, you can't, because you're lip and this gash on your forehead won't stop bleeding. I think you need stitches."