Chapter 30 Ears
"Seeley, that movie Padme and I saw last night might be one you and Tempe would enjoy," said Jared as he and Booth sat drinking some beer while watching a Flyers/Capitols match on television. Christine was playing with her Legos on the floor at Booth's feet. "It stars Will Smith and some Australian actress named Margot Robie. She's got a great body. Padme and I had a fun night acting it out after seeing it. It's got a pretty intriguing plot, but it also has some hot se-" "Oof!"
"Jared, Geez, man!" Booth punched Jared in the side and cut his brother off with a growl as he dove to cover Christine's tender ears. "Don't you have any sense around kids? You're gonna have to learn to control your mouth! Joe may be a baby now, but you and Padme won't want him hearing that kind of stuff when he's Christine's age! Grow up! Bones would have a cow if she heard you!"
"Okay, Okay, Seel, I get it…Sorry." Jared mumbled.
"Ha, Uncle Jared, Dad's right!" laughed Parker, coming in from the kitchen to join them. "I spent a lot of time with my hands over my ears humming to myself when I was little and I had to go to Dad's office. I guess they had to discuss stuff a kid shouldn't hear. Not sure what, I never could tell what they were saying over my humming. I guess I should have asked Bones to teach me to read lips."
"Oh, Lord, thank God you didn't have that brainstorm back then, Bud," Booth grinned at his blond son who had grown nearly as tall as he was lately. Parker lowered his lanky frame into the recliner and leaned back to raise his feet.
"This new chair Bones bought you for Father's Day is really comfy, Dad."
"Parka, Parka, will you build Legos with me?" Christine begged her older brother with a miniature smile just like he had instinctively used to coax favors out of his parents when he was younger.
"Okay, munchkin. Or would you rather go out to our tree house? I bet I could lift you up and set you in there, so you don't even have to climb the ladder! We can do Legos tonight when it's dark before you go to bed. I have to leave tomorrow morning, so let's use the sunshine while we can."
"Okay!" his little sister agreed, and he swung her up on his shoulders, striding toward the back French doors.
"Parker, you take it easy with her," Booth cautioned.
"I know, Dad. 'Be careful' has been your mantra that I've been hearing for years."
"You and Rebecca did a great job raising him, Seel," Jared complimented his brother. "I hope we do as well with Joey. Padme's got him off to a great start. We're both lucky we found good women."
"Yup, Padme's been a godsend for you and Bones has been the biggest blessing in my life, even though she'd refute that if she heard me. 'Booth, I don't believe in blessings, or deities, or any of that' she'd say. But despite her protests, that's the way I feel about her," Booth declared.
"Are you two talking about us behind our backs?" Padme asked as she and Brennan came in from the garage carrying shopping bags. "I feel my ears burning, so you must have been discussing us A girl can't go shopping without coming home to some commentary. And people say women are the ones who gossip!"
"Honey, don't worry, it was all good. Seeley and I are fortunate guys to have you both in our lives!" Jared assured her as he and Booth clinked their beer bottles together in a toast to their wives.