𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐞//𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐮𝐩𝐬

Fancy Ice Cream

After Talia and Alex's small argument, the brunette had decided to go on a run claiming he needed to clear his head, from what Talia didn't know, and she told herself she didn't care, but the blonde couldn't help but feel guilty.

Talia sat on the bench outside on the porch as she watched Lenny lay a piece of bacon on the bug zapper that he had spent thirty minutes cleaning.

The bacon sizzles on top of the electric machine, Talia had to admit she was impressed.

"Yeah," Lenny grins as he pulls another piece out of the pack laying it down next to the first piece. "Now this is how you cook bacon," Lenny speaks up pointing a finger at Talia.

"Yeah," Talia nods "And how to catch malaria," she tells him causing the older man to laugh.

"You can't catch malaria unless a mosquito bites you," he counters.

"Touché," the blonde replies as her eyes catch Keithie picking a rock up "Lenny get a camera, Keithie grabbed his first rock," Talia says gesturing to the curly-haired boy.

"That's it, buddy," Lenny mumbles to himself as he watches his son "Okay, throw the rock. Skim it, throw it at a tree."

"Throw it at the lake," Talia joins in.

"Throw it at one of your brothers," Lenny suggests. Talia had an idea of which son of Lenny's she'd hit with the rock.

"Hit your head with it," Lenny continues "Just do something," the man sighs in disappointment as Keithie drops the rock again.

"He's getting there," Talia tells him with a gentle smile.

As if on command, the second oldest Feder boy comes walking by, Talia raises an eyebrow at the boy's choice of clothing.

"Gregie, what are you doing dressed like that? Y-You hanging out with Jiminy Cricket?" Lenny questions the boy.

"We were supposed to be going to Milan, remember? That's what I packed for." The boy answers, slightly annoyed.

"Come on, just cut those into shorts. We'll play some hoop later" Lenny suggests.

"Pass, dude," Greg answers.

"You don't want revenge for the last time I whupped you?" Lenny questions as Eric and Owen come over, Eric standing behind Lenny and Owen plopping next to Talia.

"That was for years ago, homey. All I want is to fly to Milan and have some fresh-made gelato," Greg tells his father before storming off.

Talia snickers and Owen shakes his head "What the hell even is gelato?" Owen questions looking at Talia.

"Just fancy ice cream, but from Italy," Talia answers as Eric and Lenny talk the two quietly listening to them.

"Wow. What would your father have done at that one?" Lenny questions Eric.

Eric takes a sip of his coffee before answering "That one would've been a backhand to the side of the head and possible bleeding from the ear."

"My father would've thrown me down the stairs just for using the word "gelato"," Lenny adds causing Eric to laugh.

"They're just trying to adjust, give it some time," Talia shrugs as she gets up, she wanted to go sit by the dock, and maybe see some ducks if she was lucky.

Talia makes her way to the dock and sits down, the back of her thighs getting hot as she sits on the edge of the dock, she takes her flip-flops off and sets them beside her, letting the tips of her toes touch the cool water.

She lets her head fall back as the sun hugs her exposed skin, wrapping the blonde in something that feels like a protective hug. She wishes she could stay in a peaceful state forever.