Olly, Olly

Chapter 4. Eightball

Somehow while on the patio last night I had agreed on joining his family for 'family dinner.' I hesitated for a while and didn't agree to exactly what Sunday, but agreed I would, 'someday.' Just the thought of that made me uneasy. I hadn't stepped foot into the Cartagena household in a long time. At least since high school. I do remember that they took their Sunday dinners very seriously though. Mr. Cartagena made it mandatory that they all meet every Sunday at five p.m. for dinner. They also tried to do that as often as possible throughout the week but sometimes work and school activities would get in the way, but Sundays at Cartagena home was mandatory. In our household, Sunday dinners meant dad in-front of the TV, possibly watching the latest ball game. Me, in my room and mom cleaning up in the kitchen or on the phone taking a bite in between words. Making my belief entrenched towards the thought of family dinners.

I had a day camp coming up in the next couple weeks. I usually taught some form of science that I'd tried to relate to everyday life. I planned on basing it around the kitchen. Leaning more on the food side. Somehow younger kids paid more attention when food was present, especially in the sugar form. The older kids, especially my high school kids, like to break and blow things up, they seemed to be more alert when they knew that some form of destruction was the final result. I was definitely bringing ice cream soup to the day camp to end the day with astronaut ice cream and lemon volcanos. I spent the morning on the kitchen table organizing my agenda for that event. It was only a one day visit but sometimes they would call me back throughout the summer. The summer camp was for kids between the ages of six and thirteen. I'd been doing summer events for this camp, for the last three years and I enjoyed it very much. I would be working with the younger kids this time around, so in agreeing to Ollie's request of attending a family dinner in the Cartagena household, he agreed to accompany me to the day camp.

As I finished lunch, Oliver knocked at my front door.

"Hey, gorgeous!"

"Hi! Are you hungry? I just made some lunch!"

"No, I'm good!"

"So what are we doing today?" I asked him curiously.

"I figured we could figure it out, along the way." He replied as he leaned in. "I see you're up to creating a mess again," he stated as he looked at my table setup.

I smirked, "Yep, I'm a little behind on planning my agenda because someone has been taking up all my time, the last couple of days."

"Really, I'm taking up your time? —I don't recall you putting up much of a fight." He said as his eyebrows arched up.

"I told you, its that smile of yours. It's hard to say no to you. See there it is!" I gently covered his mouth, with the palm of my hand, to hide his smile. I could feel him press a kiss on my palm as I did.

"I do have some things I want to show you. Some of the things I have planned for the day camp coming up, but I am all done for the day. Next time you should try and get here a little bit earlier. I only have one show time." I said sarcastically.

"You know, I can,— but of course, if its easier for you— for me to spend the night, well— I am willing to make the sacrifice." He smirked mischievously in my direction, leaning in and kissing me on the cheek.

"Yeah, well aren't you so considerate! Always willing to sacrifice for the cause, huh?

He shook his head up and down as his lips puckered and eyes opened wide, "All the time. I'm a soldier!"

"—Slow down! Let's go, let me just grab my bag."

"I'm only trying to make things easier for you— that is!" His sarcasm continued.