This is written solely for pleasure. I don't get paid for this. The events are not based on any true events or persons. There is no intent to violate any copyrights. I don't own these folks, I just take them out to play.
Father Throws Best
By Rosalind B
"Okay Daddy, I've got the balloons," she whispered.
"Good, good." Chester B. Kelly was about to teach his daughter the fine art of water bombs. He held the pink one under the bathroom faucet.
"Okay, turn on the cold tap, not too strong…yep perfect. You only need to fill it half way. The weight of the water will be more than enough."
"Daddy, will Uncle Johnny be mad? I love Uncle Johnny and Uncle Roy. And Uncle Hank and Wayne too. Come to think of it, I love all my Uncles." Lizzie twisted her hair around her finger and knitted her brows. Chet held the balloon weapon in his hand. He looked at his little girl. He ran his free hand through her curly brown hair.
"Uncle Johnny won't be mad. He might chase me around a bit, but no, he knows we care about him, and this is just fun." Lizzie pondered her father's words for a moment.
"Daddy, can you get away though? You don't run as fast."
Chet glanced at his walking stick, the reminder why he no longer faced the "beast". The fire that almost took his friend Marco. The beam that fell and only by fate ruined his hip instead of his life. The long recovery and hip replacement. Bitterness over the loss of his active duty disappeared when the surrogate was found and his twins were born. Transferring to public relations was in retrospect the best thing. If there was something Chet Kelly excelled at it was talking.
"Don't you worry sweetheart, I can always swing my stick."
Roy turned the jeep into the Kelly's driveway. Peter awakened from his nap in the back seat. John turned around to look at him. "Hey buddy. You're awake now huh? Ready to visit your cousins?"
"Can't wait! Lizzie and Brad are a riot." Peter grinned, his blue eyes sparkling. "And Aunt Roxy's going to teach me how to make homemade beef patties. Yum!"
Roy grinned at his partner. "He's adopted but has your appetite. Go figure." John shrugged his shoulders.
"You know Chet's going to water bomb you," Roy continued.
"Yep."
"Are you going to chase him?"
"Yep. He still has his pride. And the kids love watching me chase him. I can't believe they bought this place." He looked at the Kelly's summer home, set by the expansive Coles Lake.
"Roxy was always good with investing. Besides Marco needed to do something after the-you know. Buying out Roz's Place was a blessing for him and Lisa."
Chet and Lizzie took their place on the balcony above the front door.
"Shh..here they come. Now watch me sweetheart." Chet peeked at the guests walking up the driveway through the slats of the balcony fence. He put his hand over the edge, dangling the balloon over the door. John walked up the drive, knowing he had a wet welcome.
"Mommy, Uncle Johnny and Uncle Roy are here!" Bradley Kelly called out to Roxy from his window seat.
Roxanne made her way to the front porch.
"Coming!" She stepped through the door, opened her arms to Johnny, and then-
SPLASH!
Roxanne found herself with a head of wet hair.
"Um, Daddy?" Lizzie tried not to giggle as she watched the balloon miss its mark.
Johnny, Peter, and Roy looked at their wet friend standing on the porch, arms open.
"Oh Uncle Chet, you've got a problem," Peter sang up to his uncle Chet.
Bradley ran up to the second floor bedroom.
"Dad! Run! You got Momma wet!"
Chet looked at his son, then his daughter, then over the top of the rail. His now annoyed, wet wife looked up at him.
"Chester! Chester B. Kelly! Don't let me get my hands on you!" Roxy ran inside. Brad grabbed his sister
and they ran down passing their mother on the stairs. The children made their way to the porch.
"Hi Uncle Johnny! Hi Uncle Roy!, Hi Pete!" The Kelly children traded hugs with their visitors as another car made its way up the drive.
Hank and Wayne hopped out of their car to hear Roxanne. Hank shook his now salt-and-pepper head.
"What is wrong with you? Water balloons? I just had my hair done!" Roxy shook her head, sending water drops at her husband.
Hank hugged Lizzie and Brad while asking, "It was meant for you John right?"
Johnny laughed "Yep, but the Phantom done got caught."
"Babe, honeybun, sweetie I'm sorry. I thought you were in the kitchen." The group watched Chet try to appease his wife. He put his arms around her.
"I'm real sorry sweetheart," he murmured in her ear, "Your hair looks fine. It's not that wet." He stroked her twists, then kissed her behind the ear.
"You had to kiss me there didn't you?" Roxy's annoyance began to fade. "Sneak."
"Hey, hurry up and make up would ya? We're hungry!" Wayne called up to the balcony. The group laughed. Chet kissed Roxy, grabbed his cane, then offered Roxy his arm. "Shall we feed the hungry masses?"
Roxy rolled out the dough. "Now you try Pete. Just roll it out gently, you don't want it too thin, or the meat will fall through." Roxy guided his hand on the rolling pin. Outside, Chet and Hank grilled franks, hamburgers and steaks for the guests. Dixie McCall and Cassandra put the salad together.
"I'm sorry things didn't work out for you and Mike Morton," Dixie said. "You guys seemed like a good match."
Cassandra sighed while she cut tomatoes."I thought so too, but once he took over for Dr, Brackett- Well, at least I found out he was a workaholic before it got too serious. How is Dr. Bracket doing?"
Dixie let out a breath. "Well he loves Colorado. He called last week and invited me to come visit. He sounded mellow." Dixie chuckled.
"So are you going?"
"I just might. That's one of the perks to being a nursing professor. Regular hours and vacation time. I love teaching. Never thought I'd say that."
Roy looked up from the chess game he was in with Brad. "Dixie you were always a teacher. Every student nurse and paramedic that came through the ER was your student."
"And you were a natural teacher also. Between the two of us how many people did we teach?"
Roy shook his head. "Beats me Dix. Sure it was plenty."
Peter listened to the two adults. "Uncle Roy, do you think I could be a paramedic?"
"I thought you were going to culinary school?", Dixie patted Peter on the head. "Look at you with that rolling pin. Those patties look perfect."
Roxy watched her nephew scoop the meat into the dough.
"Well, Aunt Roxy said a person should have a back up plan."
Roy shook his head. "You certainly can become a paramedic, but it's a full time commitment. The cooking would have to be the back up. But as smart as you are, I wouldn't be surprised if you did both."
Roxy put the patties in the oven. Just as she closed the door, she heard a motorcycle.
It can't be.
She went to the front window.
Mary Joesph and babyJesus…
"Chet!"
Chet stopped mid burger flip. His wife's voice was too serious.
"What's wrong?"
"Look who's here."
Chet came to the window. "What the hell? Hey fellas come here!"
Lizzie pulled on her father's sleeve.
"Daddy, one dollar for the college fund jar. You said a bad word." She held her hand out.
"Um, I don't have my wallet sweetheart. Remind me later."
Johnny gave his old friend a raised eyebrow. "Chet Kelly and college fund. Never thought I'd hear those words together."
"Shut up Gage," he smiled.
The motorcycle rolled up the drive. The guests watched as the driver parked, stepped off, then removed his helmet.
"Uncle Mike!" Lizzie, Brad and Peter ran to the rider and almost knocked him down with hugs.
"We missed you!"
"I made beef patties!"
"Dad hit Mom with a water balloon. It was funny."
Mike stepped back and laughed. "Whoa! Easy there. I've missed you guys too." Roxy and Chet met the group as they walked up the drive.
"The kids are right, it's been too long buddy," Chet grabbed his friend in a hug. Roxy followed suit, with a hug of her own.
"Sorry," Mike replied with his characteristic shy smile. He looked at Chet's cane.
"Um, how's-"
"Hip's as good as it will be. I'm happy to be walking, man."
"How's Marco?"
"Buddy you really should go visit him and Lisa. They're doing fine. We've got food out back. "
After slaps on the back from the other guys, and hugs from Dixie and Cassandra, the group returned to the merriment.
After the partiers had their fill, they separated into small groups. The children were tucked into a guest room to nap. Roy, and Hank took a stroll around the property. Wayne stretched out in the porch hammock. Dixie and Roxanne did clean up and doggie bags. Chet and John sat near Wayne with beers. Neither man spoke for a while.
"Too bad Marco and Lisa couldn't come," John said.
"Yeah, but this is a busy weekend for the restaurant. We're doing this again for Labor Day. They'll be here." Chet took a sip of his beer.
John looked over his shoulder. "I'm glad Mike showed up. Was worried about him."
Chet nodded. "We were too. Since Marco and I got hurt, he's blamed himself. Roxy had to beg him to at least think about coming up. Last time we saw him-"
Mike stepped out onto the porch.
"My ears were burning," he said. "It's okay. I'm doing better."
Cassandra wandered onto the porch. She sat opposite the guys, punch in hand. She listened to them "talk shop" for a while. Mike watched her watching them.
"What's on your mind Cassie?"
"Oh nothing. Just listening to you guys is fairly entertaining."
Just then, Roxy and Dixie joined in. Roxy looked at her two friends and said,
"Why don't you two take a stroll to the lake? There's a nice path-"
"Honeybun." Chet interrupted "I thought your matchmaking days were over."
Roxy blushed. "I am not matchmaking. Just like you gave up your water bombs."
"Touche, o wife of mine." Chet raised his beer bottle in salute.
A/N: Roxy and Chet "told" me they wanted to wrap things up, at least for a while. I'm keeping the door open though, so I can set another story to fall in the timeline before this one.