Sticks and Stones

Twenty-One: Is There a Cure for Chronic Eavesdropping?

Bit of a filler chapter but need some calm after the storm before the storm before the big storm.

I got soooo close to posting this and the next chapter together but you know what? Restraint. Daily updates is enough, my lovelies. Maybe tomorrow for Thanksgiving you'll get two chapters that I love. In the meantime, a bit of a filler :)

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As previously established, Tatum was a woman of her word.

When she made a promise, she kept one.

That was what she told herself like a mantra as she watched the teenager at the ice cream shop ring up the most absurdly built, expensive ice cream cone she had ever seen in her life for Jamie.

His eyes were as wide as saucers, lightning up exponentially as the girl handle him the cone. He needed two hands to hold it and Brady snatched a large cup for when it inevitably would start to fall. Tatum wasn't even aware it was possibly to fit this many scoops and toppings on an ice cream cone. It was defying every law of physics. She did her best to not look absolutely horrified when his ice cream cost her thirty dollars alone. And she had still offered to pay for the others as well, a kindness she was coming to regret.

God, when she did start being this nice?

"Thanks, Tatum!" Jamie called out cheerfully as he ran over to where Kinsley was holding a table.

"Can't believe the kid wanted ice cream, it's forty degrees out," Tatum huffed out as she rubbed her hands over her arms.

"It could be a blizzard and he'd still want ice cream," Brady told her with a chuckle. She smiled in amusement before pulling out her debit card. The others had all gotten considerably smaller ice creams, which helped the price a bit. But not by much. Brady's face scrunched up as he put his hand over hers, stopping her before she could hand it to the cashier. "Let me get it?"

"A promise is a promise, Parker," Tatum told him pointedly, moving her hand to tap it against the screen to pay.

"Stubborn," he murmured in defeat, picking up the cups of ice creams to carry.

She raised an eyebrow. "Just now realizing?"

He snorted. "Yeah, you were really good at hiding it before now."

Tatum chuckled in amusement before they headed over to where the other two were sat. Her eyes subtly darted between the two older siblings. She was surprised that they both agreed to Jamie's request of them coming for ice cream. But then again, they would do anything to make Jamie happy, it seemed. Kinsley pointedly avoided Brady's gaze as she accepted the ice cream, slouching in her seat. Brady wasn't acting much better, honestly. It seemed like he was trying to be discreet about it all, but he went out of his way to avoid the seat next to her.

Jamie, thank god, was oblivious to the tension. He was happily chowing down on his ice cream, making progress at an alarming rate, if Tatum was being honest. She wasn't sure if this was the best thing for him almost immediately after surgery, but she figured it was deserved after everything.

It had been a couple of days after Jamie had been discharged now. The operation had gone on without a hitch. He was in perfect health. She had never seen the boy so happy. He was jumping around and running as if he hadn't just had heart surgery. She took it as a sign of good health instead of being concerned that it was all too soon. Besides, Doctor Porter said it was fine, and Tatum trusted her judgment. And Jamie was happy, so there wasn't much to argue.