The Walshs

Chapter 3

KAT'S POV

The camp had fallen back into routine after the small quarrel about the Atlanta group and whilst no one was happy with the decision, no one continued the argument further. I was sat with Jason and Shane, my son sat in front of me with a checkered towel draped around his shoulders and my husband busy scrubbing the body of his shotgun with a small green brush. "Baby, the more you fidget the longer this is gonna take. So, don't," I said running the scissors along the longer hair at the back of his head.

Jason huffed quietly but I still heard him. "I'm trying Momma," he replied, which earned him a chuckle from Shane. "You think this is bad bud? Wait until you start shaving. That stings," Shane commented running a hand along his own stubble with a comic smirk. I smiled as a memory of my brother came to mine. Rick and Shane took a set of razors, shaving cream and a bottle of my dad's good aftershave to the bathroom and I'll never forget the girlish scream that emerged from behind that door along with the sound of glass shattering. I chuckled to myself, a half smile creeping onto my lips whilst picturing the event.

"Shaving certainly does sting honey. Daddy learned that the hard way," I added glancing at my husband who now had a slight embarrassed blush spread across his cheeks. Shane sat up in his camper chair and cleared his throat, "anyways bud. When that day comes you'll be begging for one of your momma's haircuts."

Jason still seemed unconvinced by Shane's words of wisdom, his baby blue eyes staring up at the man he idolised. Shane cracked a smile before resting his gun at his side, grabbing his electric razor for me to shave the sides of Jason's head. "Tell you what, you get through this and we can go catch those frogs I was talkin' about," Shane offered handing the electric razor to me. He had been conserving the charge by using manual razors for his own beard, we only ever brought the electric on out when Jason required a haircut.

"I've caught a frog before Daddy," Jason answered finally holding still long enough for me to skim the back of his head with the razor.

"I know kiddo but I'm talkin' about frogs. Plural," Shane corrected. "It's an art and it is not to be taken lightly. There are ways and means that very few people know about. I'm willing to share my secrets," my husband continued sounding very much like his fourteen year old self who would brag and gloat to my very impressionable older brother. Jason glanced back at me with his eyes full of curiosity but I shook my head with a little laugh. "I'm a girl. You talk to him," I replied motioning to Shane who was sporting his joky smug smile.

Jason turned back to look at his father with complete wonder in his expression. "It's a one time offer bud. Not to be repeated," Shane stated. I pointed to my leather toiletries bag that was sat inside of Shane's police bag and Shane leaned over the side of his chair, grabbing it and handing it to me. We rarely had communication errors in our marriage, the only time we argued was during my pregnancy but both of us realised it was the hormones creating tension and all our issues were resolved before bedtime. None of my previous relationships had that same unspoken understanding between us, only one other sprung to mind.

I shook my head and retrieved styling gel from the bag, scooping some up onto my fingers. "Why do we need frogs? Plural?", Jason asked doing well to pronounce the bigger word. He was only a kindergarten student and had even been struggling there, so it was a proud moment to hear him speak so confidently. I smiled and kissed his cheek gently before running the gel through the longer hair on top of his head to spike it up. "Good job honey," I praised him causing his little freckled face to light up.

"We need frogs because we could cook up their legs," Shane explained.

"Ew Daddy," Jason exclaimed in disgust only causing me and Shane to laugh a little at his reaction. Shane relaxed back into his chair and kicked one leg up over the other leg firmly planted on the ground. "No, yum!"