Nothing Personal [*Complete*]

13

After the endless gluttony that was Thanksgiving dinner we all went for a walk to the Fall Festival. It was so odd to see Mr. Emery look so happy. We walked through the crowds holding hands and got on the carnival rides together. As we walked down the rows of carnival games I paused.

"Are we on a date?"

"Everyone's here." Mr. Emery brushed off my question. He glanced at the milk bottle game where Colin was standing throwing baseball at the tower of orange painted milk bottles to no avail.

Oh dear god no. Just walk away. Please dear god just walk away.

Mr. Emery didn't walk away. Instead he approached the booth and gave the worker a twenty leaving me to rub my temples for a moment before standing between the two of them.

"You know this shit is rigged right?" Collin growled as he lobbed another ball at the bottles.

"Mhm." Mr. Emery picked up one of the balls from the two baskets set in front of him. "But it goes to charity."

"What going to write off this too?" Collin threw yet another ball. He was hardly aiming at all it was like he did everything to let off the anger inside of him.

"No."

"I'm sure Natalia would rather be somewhere else than watching you fail at—"

Mr. Emery finally threw his first ball, and the stack of milk bottles toppled over.

"And we have a winner!" The worker grinned. "What'll it be? You can choose any of the big ones on top or get tickets for free rounds at the other games."

Mr. Emery looked up at the stuffed animals and pointed to a massively oversized raccoon.

"I tried to tell you how to beat these things years ago. A bit of brotherly advice, Colin. Aim for the bottom not the middle."

Colin threw the ball as Mr. Emery instructed and they toppled. The look on his face was priceless.

"Well fuck."

"You're welcome."

Colin chose his prize, a neon pink and blue unicorn and started walking with us.

"So where to now?"

"Now I'm giving this thing to Steve for his kid."

"Really?"

"Mhm."

"I just assumed..."

"Yes, well you know what happens when you assume things. You make an ass out of you and me." After we found Steve and his family seated at a picnic table drinking hot cider Mr. Emery walked off and presented the stuff animal to Steve's son who instantly hugged him.

"You thought that he got it for you too. Admit it." Colin snickered.

I sighed. "Yeah, but I'm a little relieved that he didn't. What the hell does an adult do with one of those?"

"Lose a corner of their room?" Colin chuckled and looked down at the Unicorn. "Here." I stared at the unicorn and I didn't answer him by the time Mr. Emery returned.

"Just take it. He'll pout all night if you don't." Mr. Emery chuckled. He then leaned in and whispered, "And I'll win you something nicer later."

I took the stuffed unicorn and put it in my purse.

"Thank you." I offered Colin a small smile and Mr. Emery linked arms with me...and then Colin came up on the other side and took the other.