All of this past

Summer night

I chuckled as four pairs of feet scrambled past the terrace tiles, running behind the blue and white football Sam had gotten for his last birthday while trying to score in their improvised goals. It wasn't exactly a very tactic game, but their laughter told me they were having a lot of fun. I turned around to get the meat for the barbecue out of the fridge in te kitchen, and got us some soda and a few bottles of beer as well. A wide grin spread on my face as I saw Harry lying on the grass, rolling back and forth while clutching to his leg. Kate stood next to him, eyes widened and a worried look on her face as Jude kneeled next to him. To me it was very obvious that he was exaggerating and just fooling around, but they seemed to believe he was really hurt.

"Dad!" Sam caught my gaze as I opened the door to the garden again and came running up to me. "Dad! Jude tackled Harry and now he's hurt!" His startled expression changed into downright confusion when he saw my grin. "Why are you laughing dad? He's hurt! Maybe he has to go to the hospital!"

"Haz stop scaring my children and get up, will you?" I shouted at him, my grin mirrored on his face as he finally got back up on his feet. The worry on the kids' faces changed into confusion and then into slight anger at being fooled as soon as they caught on to his joking. Jude was moping around for a little while longer, Kate being her good spirited self was already trying to score another goal, which Harry let her. A few minutes later they were all playing to win again. Harry ran past me, Sam hanging down by his arms as Harry let him kick the ball while running towards the opposite goal.

I smiled at their harmless banter and fooling around, turning the meat on the grill and warning them food would be ready in ten minutes. I got the vegetables I had prepared in the morning and put them on the table, together with plates and cutlery. By the time I was finished, the first load of meat was cooked, so I piled all of it on two plates and called everyone to the table to eat while I put on the next load.

"So, who won and who's the lucky loser to do the dishes tonight?" I asked as I walked around the table to serve everyone their meat.

"It's a tie Liam, so I guess that means you'll have to do the dishes." Harry smiled proudly of his witty idea.

I huffed. "Oh that's nice, first you guys have fun while I cook, and now you leave me with the cleaning up too. Consider this the last time you're ever invited to dinner Haz." I tried to hide my smile as a round of protest sounded from around the table, resulting in all three of my kids offering to do the dishes. That's a first. "Well, I suppose we could just do it all together then, if you're all so keen on having Harry over again sometime."

I sat down and sliced my meat, trading plates with Sam when I was finished. It's not that he couldn't slice his own food yet, but he always struggled with steak so it was easier if I did it for him. And I just like babying him now that I still can. Sue me.

"So Hawwy, dontchoo fink I'll be a goof candidafe fow Man U?" Sam asked, his mouth full of steak and lettuce.

"Sam, don't speak with your mouth full," I warned him with a stern look. He rolled his eyes at me but continued chewing before repeating his question.

"Oh yeah, you should just keep on practising and then you'll be brilliant at football! I'm sure of it!" Harry replied smiling.

The rest of the time at the table was spent with random chit chat, the three of them asking Harry about his job and how it worked when he didn't have a day time job but didn't perform every night either. I just let them talk, interfering here and there when I felt they were being too nosy or heading towards plain rudeness but I had to admire Harry for his skills at dealing with the three of them. When they ganged up on you, they weren't exactly the easiest ones to handle, but he did brilliant.