blossom ↣ joshler ✓

13. Ice Cream

"—and we'll be home by midnight—"

"Ma," Josh laughed. "I've sat with them before. It'll be fine."

"I just," Laura sighed. "I feel bad because you 'babysit' Tyler all week and now you have to 'babysit' your siblings on a Saturday night—"

"Hey, you and Dad deserve a night out," Josh insisted. "They're all capable of watching themselves if I did wanna go do something. I'm fine. I just wanna sit at home and chill."

"Honey," Bill walked out of their bedroom. "Stop fussing," he chuckled. "They'll be alright. Let's go have fun."

Laura sighed but smile nonetheless. "Okay," she kissed his forehead. "I love you!" She yelled up to her kids. "I love you," she said to Josh.

"I love you too," he smiled.

"Love you son," his dad pat his back.

"I love you too, Dad."

He watched the two go out the door and waited for the car to start and pull out out of the driveway before turning to the staircase.

"Alright! Everyone down here!" He called.

A few moments later both his sisters came down, curious looks on their faces. "Everything okay?" Ashley asked.

"Everyone!" He called again. "That means you Jordan! Everyone is a collective verb!"

There was a loud groan and the sound of a door opening before Jordan appeared as well.

"Noun," Ashley corrected. "It's a noun not a verb."

"Same thing."

"Not really."

Josh rolled his eyes playfully. "The gang's all here!" He smiled. "My favorite sisters in the whole wide world and then Jordan!"

His brother flipped him off.

"I kid," Josh assured. "Anyway Mom and Dad gave us money for pizza so I was thinking we order that for dinner and then I could take us out for ice cream later and use my money from babysitting."

Abbie gasped excitedly. "Really?"

"Yeah," Josh smiled. "I love you guys and I feel like I haven't seen you in forever since I'm working and I dunno I wanna do something fun with you guys if you want."

"Of course," Ashley smiled and nudged his shoulder. "We love you too."

"Yeah," Abbie agreed happily.

Jordan sighed. "I guess," he added but there was a smile on his face.

"Great," Josh nodded. "One cheese, one pepperoni?"

---

The four Duns sat at a booth in Dairy Queen. Although it was nearing the end of January, Josh couldn't pass up ice cream. He loved it too much.

"Bub, can I have a bite of yours?" Ashley asked hesitantly.

"Of course," he held his brownie blizzard out and she took a spoonful with her own spoon. "Dude if Tyler was here... I think he would combust from someone sharing food."

"Mom told us about Tyler," Jordan piped up. "And how she tricked you into babysitting a sixteen year old," he snorted, taking a bite of his own blizzard.

"He was terrible at first but now he's not all that bad," he shrugged. "He called me a not so nice word though..."

"What word?" Abbie asked.

"The f word."

The three siblings stopped. "And you just let him?" The youngest added softly. "That's not okay, J."

"I know but what am I supposed to do?"

"Beat his ass," Jordan shrugged. "You beat the shit out of that football player who made fun of you and Brendon holding hands last year."

"This kid's a wimp. All I'd have to do is breathe too hard and he'd flinch," Josh scoffed.

"What's his deal then?" Ashley asked.

"Hell if I know. I don't wanna talk about him anymore he's a mood killer. When are you performing at open mic night again, Ash?"

"Uh..." the mentioned trailed off. "I don't know. They only have them once a month so I might perform at the one in February. I might not."

"Well I think you should. Your poetry is the best damn written work out there."

"Josh, you don't read," Jordan teased.

"So? I still know it's the best."

"Thanks, Josh," she smiled. "I love you."

"I love you too, Ash."

"Gag," Jordan made a retching noise. "Imagine loving your sibling."

"Imagine being a good brother," Abbie retorted making Josh bust out laughing.

Jordan gasped and shoved his spoon into her ice cream, taking a big chunk of it and shoving it into his mouth.

Abbie did the same and pretty soon all four Dun kids were attacking one another's blizzards.

Eventually, a piece fell off a spoon and landed on Jordan's nose. They stopped and it was silent for a moment before Josh started cackling.

His sisters began laughing as well and even Jordan cracked a smile.

Josh took his finger and swiped the ice cream off of Jordan's nose before licking it.

"This is nice," he smiled. "I'm glad you guys don't hate me. Well, I'm glad Ash and Abs don't hate me."

"I'm glad they don't hate you either," Jordan grinned.

"Hey," Abbie interrupted. "How'd you do on that math test you were complaining about?"

Jordan's face went from relaxed to worried. "Uh... lets just say we're not telling Mom what I got and we're just gonna wait for her to find out and ground me."

"Maybe being bad at math just runs in the family."

"I'm terrible at math I back that statement up completely," Abbie nodded.

"I'm great at math," Ashley shrugged.

"Okay yeah and you actually have brain cells unlike the rest of us," Jordan told her. "Abbie, Josh, and I all collectively share one brain cell."

Ashley tried not to laugh but a giggle came out anyway. "I'm not gonna disagree with that."

"Maybe it's because Ashley's the only one who doesn't do sports," Abbie suggested. "Maybe exercising ruins brain cells."

"That's it," Josh nodded. "That's what it is. Abbie's cracked the code!"

The four all laughed once more and Josh's mouth rested into an easy smile. He really did love his siblings and he's grateful they loved him back. Times like these were what made Josh the happiest.

He didn't even think about Tyler after that. He didn't think about their issues or how much they bugged each other.

But maybe a small part of Josh wished he had this same relationship with him.

He wouldn't admit that though.