Seasons of Change

34

Labor Day weekend, Marcus had invited his kids over for a cookout at his house. Krist hadn't wanted to go but he knew Rocco would have fun. Even Brad was attending with Madison. his new PO had allowed him to remove the ankle monitor since he had moved to Vancouver and felt like Brad was on a good path. Krist was a little concerned as to how the night would go being that Brad was free to drink if he chose to and Marcus was a complete idiot when it came to alcohol and drugs.

"Baby, you seriously don't need to worry about getting all dolled up," Krist told Atira as she stressed about looking presentable for the barbecue, "It's my dad, he hella white trash."

Atira sighed, "I just get anxiety if I go anywhere looking like...crap."

Krist pulled her into her arms, "You legit couldn't look like crap if you tried, I ain't even telling you that because you're my wife. You're fine as hell no matter what. And you know fuckin' Madi gonna be wearing the same stanky ass leggings she always does."

"Krist," Atira sighed, tilting her head, "Don't be a turd. Besides, she was all happy about the stuff I gave her."

She couldn't believe she was sticking up for Madison given the fact that the girl had been so nasty towards her initially but after the hike around the lake, Atira felt differently towards her. In fact, everyone did...well aside from Krist but Atira understood that his experiences with Madison were different and that he more likely than not, stick with his opinion.

"So what should I wear?" Atira asked her husband.

"Just some jeans and a shirt or something, I don't know. Nothing you would worry about getting ruined," he told her.

Krist threw on his usual, khaki Dickies shorts with a white tee shirt and Nikes, spritzed himself in Diesel cologne, and called it good.

They stopped off at Safeway to grab sides and steaks before heading to Marcus' little house off Pacific. Brad and his family were already there, he was standing near the grill with Marcus while Madi sat looking disinterested with the baby.

Rocco had unbuckled himself and was trying to jump out of the not completely stopped vehicle, eager to go play with his child uncle.

"Rocco!" Little Markie yelled, jumping out of a tree and running over to the car before they could even open the door. Rocco had been so excited, he would have kept through the window to play, had it not been rolled up.

"Hey, don't be doing nothing stupid and hurting yourself," Krist called to the boys as they darted off, overhearing something about Markie finding "lotsa snakes".

"Naveah is inside of you want to go sit with her," Marcus told Atira, twisting the top off a Coors Light and opening his mouth, basically pouring it down his throat.

Atira looked at her father-in-law with a mixture of what the fuck and amusement.

"You can drink it faster that way," Krist laughed, quoting his father's explanation of why he guzzles his beer that way.

"Aha," she said with a slow nod.

Now her dad was drunk too, he was just a more sophisticated drunk. Marcus was white trash in its full glory.

"What's good, B-Rad?" Krist grinned, "Off your lil tracking device I see."

He could tell Brad was annoyed by the nickname but tried to hide it behind a smile, "Yes, finally."

"I'll bet that's a relief," Krist told him.

"You don't realize how nice an actual bath is until you can't have one," Brad said, taking a sip from a plastic cup, "There's vodka in the kitchen if you want some."