Capsized at sea

“Mom! Dad!”. Jordy’s shrill voice pierced the silent atmosphere with the loud noise of his little feet running across the room in contagious excitement and ecstasy, as he ran across the large sitting room with a huge smile on his lips and laughter in his eyes. He stopped to dash across the room again to get a glass of juice from the fridge, which he gulped down and licked his lips before he ran into the dining room; pausing slightly for a breath. Still bent over for a breath, he remembered his father’s advice about doing good to others so good will be done to you. He titled his head with a scrutinizing gaze, as he thought about what he could actually do for his father.

He rushed back to the fridge he forgot to close, and did a quick scan of what he could put together for his parents. He used his little hand to ruffle his wavy blonde hair before he smiled and grabbed the milk and cereal. Ten year old Jordy could whip up a decent breakfast since he spent much time with his mother in the kitchen, but the eagerness that coursed through his veins would not let him that much patience to make homemade pancakes with his mother’s recipe. He was so eager to remind his father. It was barely 6am on a Friday morning but Jordy could wait no longer as he bubbled with excitement. He grabbed the cereal bowl from the dining table and poured some cereal into the bowl before he added milk. Then he dipped a spoon into the cereal and smiled, “perfect.”.

Without further ado, he made his way into his parent’s room, just to find them sleeping. He was disappointed because he expected his dad to share his excitement with him. But that disappointed disappeared as fast as it came when his dad sat up and rubbed his eyes with his hand still groggy from sleep, “Hey buddy. What’s wrong? You can’t sleep? “. Not long too, his mom also sat up and disengaged from the warm cuddle of her husband’s arms and yawned, “honey, what’s wrong? Come here.”.

Jordy smiled and padded across the room to his mom’s side of the bed, he stretched the bowl to her and shrugged, “I made you breakfast.”. He said and leaned in for a hug when she stretched out her hands to him in adoration and gladness. Then swiftly he moved to his dad’s side and stomped his foot on the ground before folding his arms as if in protest, “You’re still in bed and it’s summer already! I checked through the weather forecast and it’s summer. It’s also weekend! And you promised to take me to sea on a weekend in summer!” He protested.

His mom looked at his dad and they shared a conspiring look, his mom’s look said, ‘I told you not to get his hopes up too early’ and his dad’s look replied, ‘remind me to listen to you next time’. But Jordy knew nothing of their silent conversation which lasted for not more than two seconds, before they let out silent smiles and his dad sighed before facing Jordy. He scratched his head as if thinking of what to say then behaved like he finally remembered something, “hey look!”. He said, pointing at nothing in particular. That was enough to distract Jordy from his defiant stance for a second and he grabbed him and started tickling him while he tried to figure out what his dad was pointing out to him. Tickling him nonstop in all his responsive spots, Jordy laughed and giggled and chuckled at the same time. His dad made funny sounds at the same time like, “groooo.. Boohoo.. Diaaaaa.. It’s the genie from Aladdin’s lamp.”.

Breathlessly, Jordy continued rolling in the sheets between his parents. His father did the tickling while his mother just sat there laughing and taking her cereal, contented in watching both father and son play. The sound of laughter filled the air as the voices of the three of them rhymed in beautiful harmony. Jordy’s voice was the tiniest as he gave squeals of delight, his dad’s was the deepest as he kept muttering unimaginable and funny things, sounding like different funny characters in many movies, while his mom’s voice was very silent giving satisfied smiles and sighs as she was contented to just watch Jordy grow into such bundle of energy and love. She couldn’t almost believe he was ten years already. So fast? She reasoned. For her, ten years marked the beginning of his real adventures. He was no more her little baby; she acknowledged that painfully. It was like losing that sweet little bundle for a big armed protector and son someday.

She was content watching father and son until Jordy began to cough amidst the mighty giggles, and she got worried a little, “babe that’s enough.”. Nick caught the concerned look in her eyes and used his right hand to gently pat his son’s chest until he stopped coughing and laughing altogether. “Dad, tickle me again! Do it again.”. Jordy demanded as he smiled, but he was disappointed as his dad scooped him and dropped him at his bedside. ‘but I want to stay between you and mom.”. Jordy pouted and stomped his little feet before folding his arms, “uh-huh. What did I say about being a big boy?”. Nick asked as he ruffled Jordy’s hair and his demeanor changed as his father ruffled his hair, he always loved that gesture. “so about being a big boy, when am I going with you on sea? Let’s go this weekend, it’s summer already. You promised dad. “.

Smiling, Nick grabbed his son and carried him out, putting him on his shoulder. “Thanks for the breakfast hun.”. Ashley called out before they moved out, “it’s breakfast in bed!”. Jordy yelled back and Ashley laughed out with the tip of the spoon in her mouth, “thanks for the breakfast in bed.”. She corrected herself and dropped the bowl on the small table beside her bed. She was about to drift off to sleep when she heard drowsily Nick’s voice, “now about the sea trip, the first thing is preparation. You can’t just waltz off on a Friday morning because it’s summer to the sea without preparing.”. Those were the last words Ashley heard as she drifted off, with a smile of contentment.

Nick sighed as he bundled Jordy off on his shoulder away from the room. Of his two boys, Jordy was the outgoing and talkative bundle. He didn’t want to say he actually loved Jordy more than Wes, he loved his two sons equally, but Jordy’s character demanded more attention. Jordy’s younger brother- Wes was more quiet and reserved but he loved him anyway. “So, son you should get down from there now. You’re a big boy remember?”. Nick reminded his son, before he set grudging Jordy down on his feet. “growing up sucks dad.” Jordy grumbled and furrowed his eyebrows immediately Nick set him on his feet. Nick let out a throaty laugh at the remark of Jordy and patted his son’s cheek playfully. “well son, one thing about growing up is the addition of responsibilities.” He ruffled his son’s hair playfully and crouched on his legs to Jordy’s height as he drank in the features of his ten year old son. Nick was proud of Jordy as he grew each day beautifully. It was then he noticed that Jordy had grown taller than he was before.

Grooming Jordy had a trying and wonderful experience for him. He cleared his throat as he maintained eye contact with pouting Jordy and smiled, “do you take a five weeks old puppy out as a guard dog?” he asked. Young Jordy narrowed his eyes as he thought about it for a while before he shook his head carefully, “uhhh, no. I’ll just take it for a walk.” He replied in his sweet little voice. Nick nodded his head and smiled, “good. Correct answer. What about a year old German shepherd?” he asked and chuckled dryly, anticipating Jordy’s reply as he tilted his head to the right side. Jordy’s eye shone in excitement as he rolled the reply offf his tongue, “of course! I’ll take it to school and scare my classmates with it.” He paused a little before he added thoughtfully, “except it is an alien dog from mars. With fangs and claws, I’ll only use it to scare the criminals who are after the golden scepter.” He added with a laugh.

Jordy was obsessed with alien characters from the movies he watched with his dad and younger brother on boy’s nights out. They had boy’s night out every Friday since he was five. His dad always told him that was the only time they could have together away from their mother who he described as, ‘bear mommy’; a name coined out of one of the characters of the movies they watched on boy’s night out. On boy’s night put, they watched movies, ate popcorn, talked about the girls Jordy liked or did not like and the super heroes Wes loved. Nick also spent time teaching his sons about principles of life and at ten, Jordy spoke like an adult most times, like in class when he told his history teacher that what goes around comes around.

Nick laughed at Jordy’s wild imagination of the alien dog and remarked, “not an alien dog.” Before he bent fully on his knees and straightened, “what’s the difference between the five weeks old puppy and a year old german shepherd?” he asked. In a swift moment of teasing about alien dogs, Jordy’s attention shifted back to the topic at hand and thought carefully before he replied, “ a five weeks old puppy is too small to guard me. I’ll have to wait till it grows old.” With that, Nick ruffled Jordy’s hair again and replied, “growth is the difference. With growth comes bigger expectations. You’re not five anymore. You’re my big boy. I won’t take you for a walk, I’ll take you along to scare my friends.” Jordy dropped his arm as he watched his father in puzzlement. He couldn’t tell if he really understood what his father said, but he understood one thing – that he was growing and there were bigger things he could do. “so, does that mean I can ride your car now? Or go with you on sea? Please?”

Nick looked at his son again and laughed, wondering if he truly understood what he meant. Although he seemed hung up on the idea of the sea trip, Nick was sure Jordy got something from his little explanation. He stood on his feet and took his little hands in his as he guided him to Wes’ room which was right next to Jordy’s room. “about the sea trip. Like I said, you don’t just waltz off without preparation. The way you prepared for your exams before writing them, it’s the same way you have to prepare for the sea trip.” Jordy held on firmly to his father’s rough and large hand before giving his reply, “do we have to prepare for everything? You could just call uncle Thomas and we”ll be off on our way. No much drama dad.” Nick stopped at Wes’ room and placed his hand on the door knob silently before he replied curious Jordy, “of course you have to prepare for everything. You’re in school now because you’re preparing for your future.”

He turned the door knob and walked into the room with eight year old Wes sound asleep. He could tell from the drawing book left on the desk, and the drawing pencils scattered on the table that Wes had stayed up late again to draw his favourite super heroes. For a second Nick wondered if the boy’s night out was such a good idea since Wes spent so much time drawing without sleeping, while Jordy spent over half of his over active imagination thinking about alien invasion, and what would happen to the earth if aliens from mars and mercury stole the special golden scepter and rushed down to earth to destroy it. He walked over to Wes’ bedside and brushed the hair that swept across his face away, as he stared at the blissful image of his son sleeping so peacefully, probably dreaming about superman and spiderman coming to save him from the red devil.

He raised his head to the clock on Wes’ table and saw that it was some minutes after six am. He covered Wes with the blanket and bent to kiss his cheek before he moved out of the room silently, in order to not wake sleeping Wes. He placed his index finger on his lips as he motioned to Jordy to be silent, and they tiptoed their way out of the room. When they made it out of the room, they burst into soft giggles and shared a high five as if congratulating themselves for making it out of the lion’s den without waking the lion.