Prompt: "You kept this?"
The sky was a beautiful orange as the sun set. Vince smiled as he looked up and basked in the glory. His eyes weren't what they used to be, but he could see this, and he was grateful.
The guys would be coming over.
Now in the seventies, and retired after too many injuries (Joel's jumping days were over), they spent Sundays together. It was like the old days. The whole family would gather once in a while. It was great, the way they managed to create a community like this.
Weddings. Anniversaries. Holidays. Funerals.
They were spent together, Smallbones and Smallbone-abjacents.
Warm memories. And not-so-warm memories.
"Vince!"Kara yelled. "They're here."
It was his birthday. Seventy-two, dang, was he old. Breakfast with the wife, lunch with the whole DiCarlo gang (including his adorable granddaughters), and dinner with the fkac family.
"Dicky!"Ben yelled.
"Backy!"
Kara rolled her eyes.
"Look what I got!"Ben exclaimed, taking something out of his denim tote, inexplicably larger than his stomach.
Vince froze.
"You kept this?"he asked, taking the black jacket from Ben.
"Well, duh,"Joel said, entering the kitchen. He dropped off the lemon cookies, before heading to the guys.
The black jacket, impeccably tailored, and beautifully embroidered, was the first outfit he'd worn with the band. He thought he'd lost it ten years ago.
When he'd voiced that thought, Luke, having come in with the other stragglers, explained,"it was somehow in our attic. Evie found it when going through her great-grandmother's jewelry."
Bless Evie and her love of antique jewelry, Vince thought, caressing the jacket.
"Thank you,"he said, through tears.
"Of course,"Joel said.
"Group hug?"Ben suggested.
So they group hugged, a staple part of their pre-show routine, continued on into retirement.
