“I don’t need saving,” Skylar insisted. She turned and started for the picnic table. He pinched her butt and she squealed. She flashed him an evil look over her shoulder. “Stop that.”
“You used to like it when I did that.”
“I was young and stupid then,” she told him.
“Is that right,” he said. She nodded.
Skylar took a seat between Dalton and Benji. They both looked at her strangely then shrugged. Luka glanced at her with frustration then took a seat by his mother. Ava sat next to him.
“What did you find baby girl?” He knew she had something in her hand.
Slowly, Ava opened her hand. Luka jumped back against his mother. “You know Ava, that is a real nice grasshopper you have there. I think you should put it back in the grass though sweetheart.” His brothers were trying not to laugh at him.
“Ava,” Skylar said. “Put the grasshopper down.”
“Daddy,” she squinted her eyes and cocked her head. “Are you afraid of my grasshopper?”
“No darlin, I’m not afraid.” He looked like he wanted to swallow his tongue. “Why don’t you listen to your Momma and put the grasshopper back,” he looked around. “How about over there in the woods.” He pointed across the grass a-ways. “Then we can eat.”
“Daddy, I think you are afraid.”
“He’s terrified,” Dalton told his niece.
“Shut up Dalton,” Luka told his younger brother. “Or I might tell Ava what scares the bejesus out of you.”
Ava rose and walked over to the edge of the woods where Luka had pointed. He watched her until she bent over and dropped the grasshopper back into the grass. His mother started pushing on his back.
“Do you think you could move a little or are you afraid that the grasshopper might come back and I’ll have to protect you because you are practically sitting in my lap Luka and you are twice what I weigh.”
He moved glancing over at his mother apologetically. “Sorry Mom. She startled me.”
Ava returned to his side. She put one arm around his shoulder. “All better Daddy?” His brothers all burst out in laughter. The loudest was Dalton.
“Ava, sweetheart, if you ever find a really wooly caterpillar Uncle Dalton would love to see it.”
She laughed. “He would not. He hates caterpillars.”
“Uncle Brett likes frogs.”
“Not going to work,” she told him. “I know he’s afraid of frogs too.”
“Never mind.” He rolled his eyes.
Ramona was looking at Brett. “I’m not afraid of frogs,” Brett declared.
“You are too,” Ava told him. “We were fishing at the pond that one time and a big ole bullfrog jumped out and you almost peed your pants Brett.”
“Thanks Lil Mess.” Brett glared at her. She just giggled.
“What are you afraid of Miss Ava?” Luka asked.
“I’m not afraid of anything,” she declared.
She began eating her Grammy’s cold, fried chicken one of her favorite picnic lunches. Two of her uncles cleared their throats. Luka glanced at them then at her. Skylar spoke up. “She won’t ride since the two idiots put her on a horse and she broke her arm at age three,” she told Luka.
He glanced down at Ava. She looked up at him. “I’m not afraid. I just don’t want to break my arm again. I’m smarter than that.”
He put his arm around her. “Ava, you can’t be a Shaw and not ride a horse.”