“We’re going to get in trouble,” Thomas says.

“We are not,” I mumble, ignoring him. Thomas is my younger brother. He’s only three. I’ll be six...well soon.

“We will. Mom said we needed to clean up for the krissy’ing.”

“It’s not krissying. It’s a ba’tismum.”

“It’s silly. They pour water on Hawk!” he exclaims. Hawk is Uncle Dancer’s boy. He’s one-year-old today. He was really sick when he was born, and almost died. Aunt Carrie said she wanted to make sure God knew she was thankful he saved him. Adults are strange.

“Maybe he’s dirty.”

“Jazz said her mom and dad baffed him. She doesn’t like her brother. Says he smells.”

“Jazz is dumb.”

“Her daddy won’t let you say that.”

“He’s not here.”

“What you doing?”

“Watching Gabby.”

“Gabby’s here?”

“Yeah,” I tell him, my eyes glued to the girl we are talking about.

Gabby came with her dad, Skull, and her mom. She’s so pretty. She’s got hair the color of sunshine, and she’s always so sweet. She’s the prettiest girl I’ve ever seen. Prettier than even my mommy. Her skin is lighter than mine. Not as light as Jazz’s is, but it’s her eyes I like the best. They’re dark like mine, but they sparkle.

Thomas is walking to Gabby, so I quickly follow. She looks up at us when we get there and she smiles really big. Thomas sits beside her, so I go to the other side and sit down.

“Hi. I didn’t know you were here,” she says, looking up from where she’s playing with the sand.

“You want ta’ play?” Thomas asks, holding out his favorite purple dinosaur.

“Sure. I got to go soon though. I’m going to Papaw Tucker’s.”

“Why?” I ask. Not wanting her to go. Those big brown eyes of hers jerk up to look at me. Girls usually annoy me, but not Gabby. Gabby is cool. She even likes catching frogs.

“Papá is taking mama on a trip.”

“But not taking you?” I ask, helping her fill up her bucket with sand. Thomas is helping add to it too, while she holds his favorite dinosaur studying everything about it. Thomas must really like Gabby too. He never parts with that dino. I’m the only other one besides dad and mom who has touched it. Gabby looks over at me and shakes her head no.

“No, they celebrating being married.”

“Why do adults celebrate that? It’s silly!” Thomas answers.

“I don’t know,” Gabby says, stretching her arms out and shaking her head. “I guess cause they’re happy. When I grow up I’m going to get married.”

“You are?” Thomas asks. I watch them. I don’t talk as much as Thomas. I like watching. People are interesting.

“Yeah, cause then you can be happy, and have a house, and play all the time. Papá and mama are always playing.”

“What do they play?” I ask, wondering. Dad and mom are happy too, but I don’t know that they ever play. Well, besides with Thomas. I’m too big to play a lot. At six I need to be the big boy and take care of my brother. It might be fun to be married and have someone to play with though. That way I can still be big, but have fun too.

“Papá says they place house.”

“That sounds boring,” Thomas says, and Gabby scrunches up her nose at him.

“You can have fun playing house. You can even be attacked by dinosaurs!” she defends, and I have to admit that does sound like more fun.

“If dinosaurs attack your house, then you will need a strong man to protect you,” I reason.

“I can protect myself,” she says, shaking her head. “I’m a big girl now.”

“You can marry me,” Thomas tells her. “I know everything about dinosaurs! I can help you.”

“But, you’re younger than me. Husbands are ‘posta be older.”

“You can marry me. I’m older and Thomas can stay with us.”

“That’s not fair. I wanna marry too!” Thomas growls, crossing his hands at his chest.

“Cristo Dragon! You keep your sons away from my hija!” Gabby’s dad growls, standing beside me. Dad laughs, and I think he even winks at me. I stand up quickly, and I kick Gabby’s dad. I don’t want her to be kept away from us.

“We like her,” I growl at him. I can growl good. Mom says I growl as much as my Dad.

“Yeah! We like her! She’s kwind!” Thomas says, and he kisses Gabby on the cheek, then hugs her tight. I stand behind them giving her dad the face I always give the other kids when they pick on Thomas because he doesn’t speak real plain sometimes.

“We’re claiming her!” I announce. I heard Dad tell Mom once that since the moment he claimed her he’s been the luckiest man in the world. I don’t understand exactly what it is. I reckon it’s something like asking someone to marry you. Thomas did that, and as brothers we stick together. “She’s ours.”

“Jesus,” Skull growls back and his growl might be louder than Dad’s, but Daddy says we can’t show fear, so I don’t. “Get your niños under control!” He moves around me, trying to grab Gabby, and I move quickly in front of her to block him. Thomas joins me and does his best to give Gabby’s dad, Skull a mean look too. His isn’t as mean, but it’s a little mean. I’ll have to teach him better. For some reason, this makes Dad laugh louder.

“Dragon,” Skull snaps. Dad can’t stop laughing, but he puts his hand on my shoulder and one on Thomas’s and urges us to come to him.

“Dad! We’re keeping her,” I argue.

“Hijo de puta,” Gabby’s dad says, and I don’t know what that means, but it must be a joke cause Dad laughs harder. Skull manages to pick Gabby up, and I hate that I’m so small.

“One day I’ll be bigger and no one will take her away!” I mumble and Dad, even laughing bends down and hugs me and Thomas.

“Yeah Me…me… me…too!” Thomas says, stuttering like he does sometimes when he gets excited. Mom worries about the way he talks, but Dad keeps telling her he’s only three and it will get better. I worry though, because sometimes when we’re alone, Thomas can’t say the right words. He needs me, his big brother to watch out for him.

Skull is walking away with Gabby. Her pretty hair is bouncing with each step. He’s holding her close to his chest and she’s looking back at me, Thomas, and Dad over his shoulder. She’s still holding Thomas’s dinosaur. She drops it with a smile.

“I’ll marry both of you,” she declares and my brother squeals, running to get his dinosaur. I feel happy. Happy and warm. We’re definitely claiming Gabby.

“Christo. I’m never coming back here, Dragon. Never. What the hell are you teaching your chicos?” he mutters, and Dad just laughs harder—especially when Gabby blows us a kiss.

Kisses are yucky…but I think I might like them from her.

A lot.

To be continued way, way into the future.

Xoxo

J