"Dad, why are you being so mean?" RJ asked as they sat at the metal counter doing homework.
"I'm not being mean RJ, I'm trying to help you so you can figure it out on your own." Roger said sitting over his son looking at a math problem.
"I hate math. I don't need it anyway. When I'm a rich rock star, I'm gonna hire people to do all my math for me." he said looking up at Roger.
"Well you can't be a rich rock star until you get out of third grade, so let's go." Roger said pointing to the math book.
"When's Uncle Collins coming home? He's more fun to study with ." RJ asked throwing his pencil down.
"Fine, let Uncle Collins help you with this. I'm going in to help your mom. Just study your spelling words." Roger said getting up frustrated as he went into the bedroom.
"Is he done with his math homework?" Marty said putting the laundry away.
"No. When did he stop worshipping me?" Roger asked laying down on the bed.
"Somewhere around 1st grade when he started getting real homework, then you became the mean daddy." she said smiling down at him.
"He is so frustrating. Do you believe he's still trying to con me into doing it for him?" he said putting his hands under his head.
"He's as stubborn as his father." she said leaning down to kiss him.
"Very funny. He actually said that Collins is more fun to study with." he said gazing into her blue eyes.
"Honey, don't take it personally. He's 9. Your mom said you were no picnic when you were 9." she told him sitting next to him as he put his arm around her waist.
"Yeah well that was different." he said pulling her to him.
"How?" she asked laughing.
"Because I'm cooler than my dad is." he said leaning up to kiss her.
"And sexier too." she said as she kissed him deeper.
"You are bad, Mrs. Davis." he said pulling her on top of him.
"I know." she said laughing out loud as there was a knock on the door.
"Dad, can you help me with my math please?" RJ called out sheepishly.
"I'm not doing it for him." Roger said quietly as Marty rolled off of him.
"I think he knows that Honey. Go help him. I have to finish putting away the laundry away anyway." she said as he got up.
"I'm coming RJ." he said as Marty smiled.
"Thanks dad. I'm sorry I called you mean." RJ said as Roger came out of the bedroom.
"I know little man. I love you you know." he told him putting his arm around his sons shoulders.
"I know dad. I love you too." he said reaching up to hug him.
"And I'm sorry I said Uncle Collins is more fun than you. You're fun. You're the most fun dad ever." he said as Roger kissed his sons head.
"Thanks man. You're the coolest kid ever." he said as Marty watched from the doorway. She loved watching them together. They were so much alike it was scary sometimes. Roger was giving RJ guitar lessons and had actually given him his beloved Fender. They butt heads a lot in the last few years, but that was only because they were so much like one another. They were both pig headed and stubborn. It made her laugh when they fought. She found it amusing that Roger was essentially fighting with himself. They had the same golden blond hair and same green eyes. RJ was a carbon copy of Roger.
"So what do my boys want for dinner?" she asked coming out of the bedroom.
"Mom, can we have pizza? Please." RJ asked looking up at her as Roger wiped his eyes.
"Yeah mom, please?" Roger whined joining in.
"Sure. Anything my boys want." she said as she and Roger smiled at one another.
"Come on RJ, let's get that math done so we could help your mom put the laundry away, OK." Roger said smiling down at his son.
"OK dad." he said climbing back on the stool at the metal counter.
"Now, you have to times these two and then add 125 to it." he said as RJ picked up his pencil and started writing the problem on a piece of scrap paper.
"Oh cool. That was easy." he said looking up at Roger, proud of himself.
"I told you. Now did you study your spelling words?" Roger asked as RJ put his book in his book bag.
"Yeah, ask me anything." he said handing Roger his spelling sheet.
"OK get a piece of paper out and we'll do your practice test." Roger said as RJ dug in his bag for his notebook.
"Dad, are you gonna make up funny sentences like you usually do?" he asked writing his name at the top of the page.
"Of course." Roger said as he and Marty looked at each other smiling.
"Hey Davis'" Collins said coming in the door.
"Uncle Collins." RJ yelled as he jumped off of the stool and ran towards him.
"Hey little man. Are you done with your homework?" he asked hugging his nephew.
"Yeah I just finished. Dad helped me and now we're gonna do a spelling practice test." he said as Collins let the boy down.
"Cool. I got something for you when you're done, so don't give your old man a hard time." he said as RJ ran back to the metal counter.
"Hey, who you callin' old? I'm younger than you." Roger said laughing.
"Yeah, but I'm still cool." Collins said laughing as he plopped on the couch.
"Dad's still cool." RJ said looking back at him.
"Thanks kid. You're pretty cool too." he said smiling at his son.
"No problem dad." he said smiling as Marty went over to Collins.
"Why don't you boys do that spelling test and then we'll call for the pizza." Marty said sitting next to Collins.
"But mom, I want to eat it there. They have cool video games." RJ said looking back at her.
"We'll see RJ. Now do your spelling test." she said as Collins put his arm around Marty's shoulder.
"Were the kids good today?" he asked laughing.
"For the most part. Roger played video games and watched the Yankee game at the laundromat and when RJ got home from school all he and Roger did was fight about homework." she said putting her feet up on the coffee table.
"Men." Collins said laughing.
"I hear ya girl." she said as he pulled her closer laughing.
"Hey, I heard that." Roger said as he and RJ laughed along.
"Good." she said smiling back at him.
"OK buddy, ready for the next word?" Roger asked smiling down at RJ.
"Yeah." RJ answered putting his pen to paper.
"Double. My mom says me and my dad are double trouble. Double." Roger said as RJ giggled.
"That's good dad." he said looking up at him.
"And true." Marty said looking back at them.
"So when is Mark and Julia due home?" Collins asked looking down as he and Marty got comfortable.
"10 tonight. Him and Julia were meeting with a production company about our documentaries and then they were going out to dinner afterwards." she said laying her head on his chest.
"Good. I'm glad he's finally getting a chance to get them out there." he told her smiling down at her.
"Me too. He's only been working on them for 15 years." she said looking up at him.
"Mom, dad said I got a hundred." RJ yelled excitedly as he brought his practice test over to her and Collins to see.
"Great sweetie. Congratulations. You are gonna rock your test tomorrow." she said looking at it as Roger came over to join them on the couch.
"Why don't you get cleaned up buddy? We'll leave in a few minutes." Roger said sitting on the other side of Marty as she looked up at him.
"OK dad. Uncle Collins are you coming with us?" RJ asked standing next to the couch.
"Yeah little dude. I'm coming too." he said smiling at him.
"Cool." he said running into the bathroom.
"So I hear he's giving you hard time with home work again." Collins said looking at Roger.
"Yeah, typical 9 year old crap. He actually told me you're more fun to study with." Roger said laughing as Marty reached out for his hand.
"Honey, I told you. Don't take it personally. He's just frustrated. Math isn't easy for him." she said bringing his hand up to kiss it.
"I know. I just wish it wasn't so hard for him." Roger said caressing her cheek.
"Face it Roger, your son is exactly like you." Marty said smiling at her.
"God, I hope not." he said as Marty sat up to face him.
"What's wrong with him being like you? You're kind, generous, gentle, loving, you're the most amazing man I've ever known. You're a good man Roger. He's lucky to have you as his father." she said caressing his face.
"That's not what I mean Baby." he said quietly as he leaned in to kiss her.
"I know. But you are a good man Roger. Yeah you've made mistakes, but you have done nothing but treat me like a princess since the night we met." she said wrapping her arms around his neck to hold him close.
"Your love brings out the best in me." he said holding her tight.
"Oh God, not again." RJ said rolling his eyes as he came out of the bathroom.
"Tell me about it." Collins said laughing as Marty and Roger laughed.
"Hey, you should be lucky your parents love each other as much as we do. If we didn't, we wouldn't have you." Marty said holding her arm out to him.
"But do you guys always have to do that. It's gross. And embarrassing." he said sitting on Roger's lap.
"Yeah well I love your mom and she loves me. You'll appreciate it when you're older." he said smiling at Marty.
"But you guys are married. Aren't you supposed to be bored of kissing all the time like Johns parents?" he asked as Roger and Marty laughed.
"Well we're not." Roger said laughing.
"RJ, you got some pretty cool parents and you're gonna have to deal with it like everyone else. They were like this before you were born and nothing has changed. Just ask Uncle Mark, Aunt Joanne and Aunt Maureen." Collins said winking at him.
"Whatever. It's still gross." he said getting up as Marty and Roger looked at each other and laughed.
"Oh RJ, I forgot, I got you something." Collins said reaching into the pocket of his jacket.
"What's this?" he asked opening the little box.
"You'll see." he said smiling as Roger and Marty leaned in to see what it was.
"Oh awesome. It's a chain necklace like dads. Thanks Uncle Collins." he said jumping on Collins lap to hug him.
"No problem buddy. I saw it in a store and I knew you would love it." he said hugging his nephew.
"Me and dad have been looking for one of these forever." he said as Collins helped him put it on.
"That's great Collins. You didn't have to do that." Marty said smiling at how happy RJ was.
"Are you kidding? This is worth every penny." he said looking at RJ's smile.
"Hey dad, now all I need is to get my ears pierced and I'll be just like you." RJ said excitedly.
"When you're 13, like we talked about." Roger said smiling at him.
"Cool only 4 more years." he said jumping off of Collins lap to see how it looked in the mirror in his room.
"He still worships you Roger." Marty said caressing his face.
"I guess he does." Roger said as a tears came to his eyes.