Best of the Best

Best of the Best: Podium

Camila was backed against the couch, on her knees, her thighs and ribs enduring a pummeling from tiny hands and feet. She laughed and twisted, blocking feebly, allowing the strikes through her defenses. "That's it, bud. Remember, knees up before you let loose," she instructed, and the next kick hit her squarely in the hip. "Good one!" She praised, and Thomas beamed.

"Got you!"

"You sure did," she said with a smile. "You're getting so big and strong."

"I'm four now," he declared, chest out.

Camila laughed and gave him a light tap on the head. "And becoming a bigger goofball every day."

"Hey!" Thomas exclaimed, fighting off Camila's hands as she tried to ruffle his hair. "Mama says you're a goof!"

Camila feigned shock, catching Thomas' little foot as he swung his leg. "She said that about me? Well, she must be a goof too, if she loves goofs like us."

"Camila, let go!" He giggled, trying to pull his foot away.

Camila shook his foot around before dropping it. "You want to practice some more?" She asked. "Or you want to play that new game you got for your birthday?"

"Practice!" He hollered, bouncing.

Camila hopped to her feet. "Awesome. I'm gonna kick your butt."

Thomas shook his head emphatically. "No!"

Camila pushed the coffee table out of the way. "You think you can beat me?"

Thomas grinned and nodded. "Then I get the medal."

Camila laughed, and dropped back down to her knees. "You want my medal, do ya? Now you're asking for a fight, mister."

Thomas squealed and tried to block Camila's onslaught of tickles. "Real fighting," he pleaded, trying to kick as he doubled over with laughter. Camila grabbed him around the waist as he struggled and giggled. "Camila! Fight for real!"

"This is for real! This is a real event. I've been to the Olympics. I know."

"I'm gonna pee!"

Camila shook her head, but didn't relent. "Peeing is an automatic loss."

"Camila! I'm gonna tell!"

Camila lifted him over her head. "You're gonna tell on me?"

"Then mama say no tickles."

Camila laughed and brought him back down to floor level and into a fierce hug. "You would do that to me?"

Thomas giggled, and pulled away. "You do what mama says."

Camila sat back on her toes, and scoffed. "So do you."

"Cause I'm little," he retorted, taking advantage of Camila's lowered defenses and launching himself, bowling them over onto the floor.

"Oh, you wanna wrestle now?"

Thomas grinned and pinned one of her arms to the floor with his tiny hands. "Got you," he said triumphantly.

Camila pretended to struggle as she laughed. "You got me, bud. You're the new small fry wrestling champion."

Thomas threw his arms up and smiled. "I get the medal."

Camila sat up and hugged him, lifting him into her arms as she stood up. "You get the medal," she said, walking down the long hall to what was now her and Lauren's room.

Going to the top drawer of her side of the dresser she pulled out the dark wood box, and handed it to Thomas. "Got it?"

He nodded and held it to him tight, as they headed back out. "We need a podium," Camila said, setting him down on the dining room floor. She pulled out two chair and turned them around, pushing their backs against the edge of the table.

Satisfied she took her medal box and lifted Thomas onto the table, his little socked feet sliding on the polished wood. "Don't fall, bud," she said, hands up incase he did. "They don't give you your medal if you fall off the podium."

"I never stood on the table before," he said, looking at Camila with wide eyed amusement.

Camila bit her lip and smiled. "Let's only do with when we play together though, okay?"

Thomas nodded, putting a hand on Camila's shoulder. "I won't tell mama," he whispered.

Camila laughed. "You've got it all figured out, don't you?" Thomas grinned. "Alright, ready for your coronation?"

Thomas bounced and stared as Camila opened the box, golden Nike looking up from the velvet lining. She set it aside as she removed the medal, unravelling its purple ribbon. "By the power invested in me," she started, and Thomas stood straight, chest out as she held the medal up. "By the power of Grayskull, I pronounce you He-Man, and tickle wrestling master of the universe," she finished, slipping the medal around his neck.

Thomas giggled, looking down at it, the ribbon so long the medal hung below his waist. "It's heavy," he said, picking it up in both hands to look at it closely.

Camila nodded. "These ones were the biggest medals out of all the Olympics."

"X-X-X Olym-pi-ad," he read carefully, running his fingers over its surface.

Camila turned it, so Thomas could see the engraving along the rim.

"What's that say?" He asked, squinting.

Camila brushed a curl off his forehead. "It says: Taekwondo. Women under sixty seven kilograms."

"Cool," he said, looking up, head tilted. "You go for 'nother one?"

Camila looked down at her medal, and chewed her lip. "I'm thinking about it bud, but it's a lot of work, you know. And I'm really enjoying being here now with you and your mom. I don't- I kinda wanna focus on you guys. I already spend so much time at the club-"

"But you're the best!" He proclaimed.

Camila's chuckles devolved into a coughing fit, as she heard Lauren's voice behind her.

"She certainly is, isn't she?"

"Mama!" Thomas shouted, holding up the medal. "I won!"

"Of course you did," she said, walking through the open penthouse to the dining room. "Why else would you be standing on the table."

Camila turned, rubbing the back of her neck. "It's the podium," she offered, and despite a familiar look from Lauren still received a kiss on the cheek.

"I assumed," she said, lifting Thomas into her arms. "Did you two have fun today?"

Thomas nodded. "I got the medal," he said, holding it up for Lauren to have a closer look.

"I see that. It must have been quite the match."

"Camila tickled me and I almost peed!"

Lauren laughed. "I missed a real brawl."

Camila smiled. "Tickling was my last line of defense."

"You don't miss actual competition?" Lauren asked, bouncing her son, as he laid his head on her shoulder.

Camila nodded, resting a hand on Thomas' back, her other arm circling Lauren's waist. "Sometimes. I like the idea of defending my title. I like competing, but I didn't think I'd miss it. I meant what I said though. This is my focus now. Training for another Olympics, all the competitions leading up to them, qualifying, it's a lot of work."

Lauren nodded, understanding the desire to focus on family. She ran her finger along the edge of the medal in Thomas' hand. "If you want another one, we'll support you," she said, stepping into Camila's embrace. "But whatever you decide, you'll always be the champ around here."

End.