Evans Creek Book 1: Mister Mayor

ELEVEN

Photo Credit: Pinterest. Source unknown.      Arayna changed out of her uniform, took down the ponytail and is ready for her play date with Jesse.  She's laughing at something Betsy said.  What was it, do you think?

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"I have to go by the office first, Graham announced as he watched Jesse buckles his booster seat." I have to let them know I won't be in today."

"Okay." Click went the buckle, "Will Ray-Ray be there?"

"Ray doesn't work in my office, Buddy. She works at the campaign headquarters and at the café."

"Oh." His little face fell, "But how come?"

"How come what?"

"How come she doesn't work in your office?"

"Because there are no jobs open at city hall right now."

"Oh. But if there is a job then she could work at your office?"

"I suppose it's possible." He answered and smiled as his boy suddenly shifted topics.

"Can we go to the zoo?"

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After a twenty-three-minute detour to his office to leave instructions for the day, Graham and Jesse discussed their destination in the parking lot via the rear-view mirror. Jesse really wanted to go to the zoo, but the zoo was an hour's drive. Being the mayor, there was always a possibility Graham could be called in, even though he had called out. The irony was lost on his son.

That's when Jesse had hit upon the idea of going to the park instead. Not just any park—it had to be "the one with the wood fort and the climby thing". With smiles on both their faces, Graham made the ten-minute drive to the park.

'The wood fort' was a series of wooden tunnels and platforms meant to inspire juvenile imaginations. And like the tree-house did in Graham's youth, Jesse was more than adequately inspired by the magic of 'the wood fort'.

Graham was glad he'd changed into jeans as he followed Jesse through the tunnels on his hands and knees. Graham cracked his crown twice—both times he had to bite his cheek to keep from cursing in Jesse's presence. He was pretty sure his knees would sport some magnificent bruises after crawling over these boards.

He truly began to appreciate the resiliency of the human child about the time that he cracked his elbow so hard that he lost feeling in his fingers.

When his eyes stopped watering, he convinced Jesse it was time to move to 'the climby thing'—also known as monkey bars in Graham's youth, but often referred to as a pirate ship, a space ship, a spiderweb, and even the only safe zone from the invisible lava that covered the park grounds. Jesse was in his element as he created great adventures for the two of them.

First, they were pirates—Jesse was Jack Sparrow—and then they were astronauts. After the blast off, they became space explorers and landed on a planet with alien monsters. This particular adventure was surprisingly fun, as Jesse relegated Graham to the role of Alien Monster. Graham submitted readily to the role, performing with abandon to the delight of his son.

Graham chased and growled. He talked with silly sounds and walked even sillier. He made goofy faces and all for the approval of his devoted and enraptured audience of one. Sadly, or rather happily, it didn't take long for this second game to digress into a game of tickle-tag.

Graham couldn't remember the last time he'd laughed so much—either of them. Certainly not enough since Pamela had died. At one point as Graham lay on his back in the throes of a death scene, Jesse announced it was time to go see Ray-Ray.