Enjoy the Ride

Chapter 8

The Anniversary Fair was large, filled with bright lights, music, and a lot of fun things for everyone to take part in. When the boys learned about it, they were begging me to take them. I was a little shocked when Venom asked if we wanted to tag along with him and the girls. We met them at the entrance of the fair and the kids had bright smiles. Venom gave Cody, Vanessa, and Tyson each fifty bucks for the games. "You three stay together," Venom said to them. They nodded. "Enjoy your date," Vanessa yelled out as they ran off. "Its not a date," Venom yelled after her. He then muttered, "Damn kid." I suppressed a smile. He looked at me with a raised eyebrow.

"I got the same thing from my boys in the car on the way here," I confessed to him. He sighed, "Why are they so adamant in us getting together?" "I asked them that on the way here," I said to him. "Cody, being the ever blunt one, said because he and Tyson think I've been lonely too long." "Vanessa has said the same thing," he said to me. "It's been six years since their mother left me for some rich hot shot. After she abandoned us, the idea of being in a relationship isn't a fond one."

I nodded in understanding. "When their father passed, I fell into a depression. I flunked out of community college and hated anything involving romance," I shared with him. "It's been ten years since he passed away, and I've been solely focused on the boys."

"Have you thought of going back," he asked me. "Every now and then, but I don't really have the flexibility," I said with a shrug. "Between work and the boys, it's a lot to juggle." "If you were alone, it is," he told me. "But you're not alone anymore." I looked at him then. I could see how serious he was, and I was shocked.

Spark then appeared and picked up Jocelyn, "I'm taking her. You two have fun without kids." We stood there speechless as he walked away with her. "I think the kids have recruited Spark to their cause," I told him. He nodded, "I think you're right."

He ran a hand through his long brown hair, "They're trying to get us to turn this into a date." I nodded, "It's whatever we say it is." He looked down at me and I noticed that in his green eyes he had a ring of blue around his pupil. "You're right it is," he said after a moment before taking my hand, our fingers laced together, and he pulled me towards one of the rides.

It was one of those pirate ship rides that swung back and forth, eventually going all the way around. He lead me to one of the sides that had us sit up pretty high, in the center of the four seats. "You're going to get me killed," I muttered to him. "How is that," he asked me. "I hate heights," I told him. "I got you," he said and I couldn't help my soft smile, my cheeks feeling a little warm.

When the ride started it was fine, until we started to get higher up. Despite the near heart attack from getting really high up, it was a lot of fun. After the ride we went to one of the game booths. It was that game you had to knock down the bottles. After he paid he gestured, "Ladies first." I picked up one of the balls. I had the crappiest aim in the world. I knocked down one entire three stack of bottles, knocked the top bottle off the second stack, but the rest still stood, and I missed the third stack by a hair. 

Venom chuckled softly at me and I stuck my tongue out at hi. Then it was his turn and he knocked down all three stacks. He picked the sand colored teddy bear with a brown bow tie. He handed it to me, "Here." I accepted it, my face feeling warm, "Thanks." We continued playing games and eventually got food. We sat at one of the picnic tables. "For the record, this isn't how I would plan a date," he said to me. "This just happened." I laughed, "And how would you plan a date?" "No kids to push for it for one," he said with a soft chuckle and I nodded. "That's a good start." "As for the date plans, it would very on the weather. If it's nice, then a picnic by the lake under the stars. If it's not good weather for that, then a reservation at a decent restaurant. I don't know how to dress up so don't ever expect that from me," he said to me. "And what would you consider a great date?" 

"Eating at a restaurant that I can wear my jeans and combat boots too," I told him. "I'll even accept a night in with pizza and movies. I'm not a girl who knows how to put effort into her looks. I don't even own a single item of make up because some chap stick." "I don't think chap stick can be considered make up," he said to me. "Okay then I don't own any make up at all," I said with a shrug. "I used to wear it all throughout high school. Mostly to cover the dark circles under my eyes, but after graduation, I even stopped caring to cover that." 

"You deserve to get dressed up every now and then," he said to me. I shrugged, but didn't say anything. 

We changed the topic of conversation to learn more about each other. Later, we were both dying as we cried to the point of tears over various things that's happened to us in our pasts. When it was beginning to get late we stood to go find our kids but Venom received a text from Spark. 

"I have your kids, the two of you go get some fucking sleep. You can have them back on Sunday night. Since they had house keys, we got their things and they're safe at my place for the weekend," Venom read out loud. "What's with him taking our kids?" "He cares," I said with a shrug. "Every time I've seen him he comments on us needing to sleep." He sighed, "You have a point. Do you work tomorrow?" I shook my head, "The diner is closed all weekend so we could all enjoy the celebration." It was Friday so I would have plenty of time to rest. 

"Want to come to my place for the weekend," he asked me. "You'll sleep better on my bed than you will on that air mattress." "I've upgraded to a regular mattress, just so you know," I said to him. "It's still on the floor though, isn't it," he asked me. "You got me there," I confessed. No kids for an entire weekend, and it'll just be the two of us. Every parent's dream just dropped into our laps. I'd be stupid to turn it down so I nodded. 

"Let me go home and get some clothes and I'll meet you at your place," I said to him. He nodded and I went to my car. I got in the car and looked at the teddy. What in the world am I doing and why am I not questioning any of it?