Adrenaline Junkies

by Julia Talbot

  They told stories on each other, each brother going out of his way to top the other. Lloyd set up the croquet set and the kids went nuts, colored wooden balls flying everywhichways, the dogs chasing after some of them and snapping them up to play with.

  Little Robbie fell down and skinned his knee, and Lloyd's hand, Brodie rescued the pup called Mop from the baby, and Ross just sat on his ass with his third beer and grinned at all of it, feeling at home and happy and just right.

  "It's good, huh?"

  "Yeah. Real good." He glanced over where Kev was talking to mom, waving his lemonade cup around as he expounded. "Right. You happy?"

  Jed shot a look over at Eli before grinning over. "Happier than I've ever been."

  Ross nodded, face just about to bust he smiled so much. "I hear you, brother mine. I hear you."

  End