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“I have an idea for Easter,” Angela says to Tim. “The kids are older and Jack is a little old for Easter egg hunts.”
“Right,” Tim says. “I don’t think my kids will ever be too old for that.” Angela gives him a look but she is still smiling.
“Well I saw this thing online where these guys tape eggs to them and run around the yard.” Angela says. Tim knows where this going and he’s not sure he likes it at all.
“And you think it’s a good idea to send me running around the yard?” Tim asks. “With my kids? Have you seen Levi run around?”
“He’s very you coded yes.” Angela says. “Look it wouldn’t just be you. It would be Wesley and James. Maybe Aaron and Nolan could join in.”
“Nolan is so slow.” Tim says. “All the kids would catch him no problem.”
Angela shrugs and grins at him. “Well Wesley and James would do it.”
“Have you asked them?” Tim asks narrowing his eyes at her.
“No.” Angela says and she still has a grin on her face. “But you can.” Tim sighs and runs his hand through his hair.
Great.
Just great.
***
Tim: How would you guys feel about being hunted by our kids?
Wesley: What?
James: what?
Aaron: That’s weird for even you Sergeant.
Tim: I mean we tape Easter eggs to us and run around the yard.
Wesley: This was Angela’s idea huh?
Tim: Yes.
James: We have no option but to say yes.
Tim: Basically.
Aaron: I’m in. They won’t catch me.
James: Don’t be so sure… have you seen Levi run?
Tim: that’s my boy.
Aaron: I’m more scared of Ava.
Wesley: Who isn’t?
Tim: She’s 13. She’s not that scary.
Wesley: Jack would agree. He adores her.
Tim: …
Tim: I’m going to go now. So we are all in on this.
James: Yes.
Wesley: Yes.
Aaron: Yes.
Smitty: Yes.
Tim: oh my god.
***
“This is the best idea you have ever come up with.” Lucy says as she helps secure the eggs to Tim’s shirt.
“It wasn’t my idea,” Tim says giving her a look. “And I’m really too old to be doing this.”
“You are young at heart baby.” Lucy says giving him a kiss on the cheek. Tim sighs and looks over at Wesley and James. Angela and Nyla are getting them ready, while Celina is helping Aaron. No one is helping Smitty and his eggs are askew.
“Ava was giving me a look,” Aaron says. Tim looks over at him and rolls his eyes.
“You really need to get over being scared of my teenager Thorsen.” Tim says.
“She jumped on me when she was little!” Aaron says. Lucy snorts and Tim looks back at her shaking his head.
“All ready!” Angela says. “We will release the kids as soon as you are in position.” Tim looks at Wesley and James who suddenly look nervous.
“You guys ready?” Tim asks them.
“As much as we can be.” James says. Tim nods, and maybe this was a terrible idea but it was for the kids.
For the kids.
It was Easter and it was for the kids.
***
“Ready! Set! Go!” Lucy yells. Tim’s eyes widen as all the kids from Jack to Ava. Daisy. Levi and June. To Aria and Leah.
James, Wesley and Aaron take off running and Tim is right behind them. He sees Levi whiz past him and huffs out a laugh as he grabs onto Wesley. But Wesley manages to get away, someone grabs onto Tim and he looks to see Daisy.
“Daisy!” Tim says aghast. His daughter just shrugs and rips an egg off his shirt.
“Thanks dad!” Daisy says and she skips away. Tim starts running again, his chest is hurting a little but he keeps going.
He watches as Ava chases after Aaron who jumps behind a bush. Tim rolls his eyes a little.
“Dad!” Tim freezes and sees June behind him. She looks out of breath and doesn’t have any eggs.
“Hi Junebug.” He says. “Are you having fun?” June sighs deeply and ducks her head down. Tim tilts his head at her a little.
“Yes but I don’t have any eggs. Everyone is too fast for me.” She says softly. Tim looks around the yard. All the dads and Aaron are still running but they have that many eggs left on them. All the kids are laughing as they carry their baskets.
“I think everyone is getting tired June.” Tim says gently. “Just go rip one off of—”
“Thanks dad!” Another voice says. Tim turns to look and sees Ava, Daisy and Levi behind him. “Good job June!”
“Thanks daddy!” June says and she goes and grabs an egg off his shirt.
“What the—”
“You just got played Tim!” Lucy yells across the yard. “By your own children.”
“Damnit.” Tim mutters and then turns to look at June who know has a basket full of eggs. And he realizes Lucy was right.
He did get played.
“I hid the basket for her.” Daisy says looking smug. “Ava told her to use her best puppy eyes and to get you distracted.”
“I wanted to do it.” Levi grumbles. Ava rolls her eyes at her brother.
“Levi, you are a mini dad. There’s no way he would believe you didn’t have any eggs.” She says.
“Hey!” June says. “I got eggs!”
“Yes,” Daisy says. “But dad’s more likely to fall for your puppy eyes than ours.” She gestures between them.
June shrugs her shoulders, and she’s grinning so Tim figures it’s not bugging her too much. Because of course Ava was the ring leader and roped her siblings into this.
“You guys—” Tim starts but then there’s a yell across the yard and he turns to see Ava standing over Aaron who look defeated.
“I got Aaron!” She yells. “And the last egg!” Tim sighs and looks up at the sky but he’s smiling. All the kids run and gather around Ava, while Tim walks back to the porch.
“I can’t believe you got played by your own kids.” Angela says. “I saw June climbing on everyone’s backs to get the eggs.”
“That’s my girl.” Lucy says and she stands up making her way over to Tim. “How do you feel?”
“Betrayed. Sore. Tired.” Tim says and he sits down in an empty chair. “I wish I had that much energy still.” He gestures to the kids in the yard, and they are all running around.
“Sometimes I do too.” Nyla says. “But it’s nice seeing a new generation of us running around.”
“I agree.” Lucy says. “We need leaders like them.” Tim looks over at her and smiles. Their kids might be chaotic but they were god kids and they were the future.
“Come here,” Lucy says and she tugs him away. She leads him inside the house and then reaches into her bag that’s on the table.
“What?”
“I saved you an egg.” She says. She puts the plastic egg in his hands and he frowns a little.
“Why?” He asks. “This is for the kids—”
“Just open it.” She says. Tim raises his eyebrows but opens the egg. A piece of candy and a piece of paper falls out. He opens the piece of paper and reads:
Tim,
I know this wasn’t your top choice for f being chased by teenagers and pre teens. But you are an amazing dad. So this is a invitation to chase me around and take all my clothes off.
(You get the point).
I love you.
Lucy.
Tim looks up at her momentarily stunned. “We can’t do that—”
“Not now babe.” Lucy says and she stands on her toes to kiss him. It lasts a little longer and he doesn’t want to stop. “Later.”
Tim grins to himself and pulls her in for another kiss. “Later sounds perfect.”
Absolutely perfect.
***
“Does anyone know where Smitty went?” Lucy asks. “He was here wasn’t he?” Everyone exchanges a look.
“I think so?” James says. “Maybe he gave up and ran.”
“Some of those eggs had $50 in them.” Lucy says. “He can’t just—”
“Oh my god.” Tim says standing up from his chair and everyone looks at him. “You got played by Smitty!”
***
“I’m sorry for tricking you dad.” June says later as she sits crossed legged on the floor. She’s looking at all the goodies she got rather than him.
“It’s okay June,” he says looking around at his other three kids. “You did a good job.”
“She did.” Ava says looking up with a big grin on her face. “Because you are a sucker and softy. Mom’s words not mine.”
Tim shoots Lucy a look but she just shrugs her shoulders. “You are and if one of the kids is sad you melt almost immediately.”
“Thank you,” he grumbles but she’s not wrong. He would do anything for his kids and Lucy. Even if it means running around the yard with eggs attached to him.
“We love chasing you dad.” Levi says and he hands June a chocolate egg, she takes it and unwraps it. “Can we do it again next year?”
Tim groans but he has a feeling that it will happen next year. And he doesn’t mind one bit.
“We will see buddy.” Tim says. “I might be too old to be chased.”
“Then you will be easier to take down.” Ava says nonchalantly. Tim rolls his eyes and glances around at his family.
The chaos and the storm but the best things that ever happened to him.
“Happy Easter Tim.” Lucy says smiling at him. “It was a good one.”
“Happy Easter Lucy.”