Notes: Thanks to Mari and Sammy, as always, for being the best. Huge thanks to Mari for bouncing ideas for this one when we were both sleeeeepy :-)
Readers and REAL McRollers - Thank you for your amazing support!
Hope you enjoy!
The Right Teacher (A McRoll in the REAL World Story)
"You gotta put the bigger ones on the bottom so the LEGOs don't fall over," Jacob explained as he put a large, flat yellow block on the table. "Well, actually, these are DUPLOs, but it's okay to call them LEGOs. They're kinda the same thing, it's just these are for littler kids like you." He was hunched in one of the small chairs designed for toddlers and preschoolers at the LEGO table in the library's play area.
"Ah bah!" Angie said, standing next to him. She held on to the edge of the table with one hand and banged a red block on the blue surface with the other.
"You might swallow an actual LEGO and that wouldn't be good, right, Aunt Catherine?" Jacob said, looking over at Catherine who had pulled one of the slightly larger library chairs over to sit by them.
"Right," she said.
"Mama," Angie said, offering the block to her, then pulling it back when Catherine put out a hand to accept it.
Catherine smiled at her. "Tease."
Angie grinned at the tone if not the meaning of the word and put the block on its side on top of Jacob's before picking up another one.
He turned the block right side up and connected the two.
"You remember the first time we came here, Aunt Catherine?" he asked, putting a matching block beside Angie's.
"I do." Catherine smiled wryly. "I remember you fit in those little chairs better back then."
He grinned, shifting on the chair, his knees almost reaching his chest.
"And I remember we were a little early for the actual LEGO program so we played here first," she continued.
"Yeah," he said, stacking another block. "I used to think this was the best part of the whole library when I was little. That's why I thought Angie would like to play here."
Imitating him, Angie reached over to put her block on top, this time upside down. "Bah ee."
"This way, Angie," Jacob said, turning the block to fit it in place.
She reached for it, taking it out of his hands.
"It was really sweet of you to invite Angie along with us today, Jacob," Catherine said.
"I know she likes the play area. And even though I'm kinda big for it now, it's still fun." He grabbed another block from the table and attached it to their slowly growing creation.
"Ah bububub," Angie said, putting her block on top again, moving it around when it didn't attach as Jacob's had. He helped her turn it the right way.
"Well, I just want you to know that it's still okay for you and me to do things together, just the two of us, okay?" Catherine said.
Jacob looked at her and smiled. "I know. Like how we went putt putt golfing." His face brightened at the memory. "That was so fun."
"That was fun," she agreed.
"That's why it's okay," he said with a little shrug. "Sometimes it's you and me, and sometimes it's you, me, and Angie. And sometimes it's everybody, but we always have fun together."
"We do." She smiled, happy that he was so confident in their relationship that he didn't mind sometimes sharing their activities.
"Like this, Angie," Jacob said, again turning the block she'd put on top of their DUPLOs. "See, you gotta put the open part down so it fits together." He touched the open part at the bottom of the block to demonstrate and Angie reached over to do the same.
"You know, you're really growing up, Jacob," Catherine said, smiling softly. "I'm glad Angie has you to learn from."
He beamed. Looking back at the table, he said, "LEGOs are kinda hard when you're little, but you gotta keep trying."
"That's good advice," Catherine said.
Angie took the block from him and put it on the others, laying it on its side.
"Other way, Angie," Jacob said, and she managed to turn it.
"Bu bah!" As she tried to clumsily press it into place, it skittered out of her hand and she lost her balance. Jacob caught her and steadied her on her feet.
"Here," he said, keeping one hand at her back, he reached for the piece and gave it to her. "Try again."
Catherine shook her head in wonder at the exchange. "You're getting to be just like Cody."
Jacob looked up at her, his eyes wide. "I am?"
She nodded. "That was just like something he would do."
Jacob fairly glowed with pride at the comparison.
"And you know something else that was very Cody-like," Catherine continued. "At Angie's party, when you all were going to play down on the beach with Cammie, you invited Joan to come with you."
He smiled. "Even though we didn't end up going down there."
Catherine grinned. "Well, Angie decided she wanted to come, too, and took her first steps so it got a little lost in that excitement, but it was very thoughtful of you to include Joan. And definitely something your brother would have done."
Jacob straightened proudly, his smile bright.
"Bu bah," Angie said, knocking the block against the table. She flapped a hand at Jacob to get his attention and touched their small creation.
He adjusted the block in her hand so it was facing the right way. "Put it on there, Angie," he encouraged.
When she put the block on top, he helped guide it into the correct position to press down and attach.
"Yay! You did it!" he cheered, clapping.
"Ah eee!" she echoed and clapped as well, beaming happily.
"High five!" he said, holding a hand up.
Angie blinked at him.
"She doesn't know that one yet," Catherine said. "We tried a couple of times to teach her but she wasn't really into it."
He gaped. "High fives are the best, Angie," he said. "Like this." He slapped one of his palms with the other. "High five!"
Angie bubbled and clapped. "Eee!"
"That's just clapping," he said, realizing that wasn't the best demonstration. "See, your mom and I can do it." He leaned over and held a hand out to Catherine. "High five!"
Catherine gave him a high five as Angie turned her head to watch them. "High five!"
Angie held the edge of the table, bouncing in place excitedly at their energy. "Ahee!"
"You can do it, too," Jacob said. He gently took her free hand and patted it against his own. "High five!"
"Ahee!" she said again and pressed her hand to his.
"That's it!" he cried. "High five!"
She put her hand on his again, squealing when he cheered.
"She did it, Aunt Catherine! Did you see?"
"I did," Catherine said, smiling broadly. "She just needed the right teacher."
"High five, Angie!" he said, holding up his hand to her again. She pressed her hand to his palm. "Yes!" He suddenly remembered where he was and covered his mouth. "Oops," he said more quietly. "I mean, 'Yes'!"
Angie clapped, smiling brightly, still feeding off of his excitement. "Ah bah bah bub."
Jacob sighed happily. "I know you've got lots of people to teach you things, Angie. But I'm glad I taught you this."
Catherine smiled, reaching over to squeeze his arm fondly. "I can't think of anyone better."
Hope you enjoyed!