The Anniversary

Toby glanced at Simone with a raised eyebrow.

“You’re twelve, Craig. What do you want a dirt bike for?”

“Kyle Graham has got one and everyone thinks he’s cool.”

Toby could see the reasoning behind this. Craig was at the age when he wanted everything because somebody else had it and it raised their status at school. He sighed.

“So you want a dirt bike to be cool as well?”

“That’s his logic.” Simone gave Craig a stern look. “But I’ve told him that dirt bikes are too dangerous and he’s not getting one.”

Not to mention that children under twelve were not allowed to ride a dirt bike, certainly not alone. Kyle Graham’s parents were breaking the law by letting him have a dirt bike if he was riding solo. Toby hoped they weren’t.

Craig pouted.

“Mom!”

His nine-year-old brother Nick grinned around the fried bread he was stuffing into his mouth.

“Ha ha.”

Craig stuck his tongue out at him. Toby had to laugh at them. He loved his sons. Because of their mixed race heritage, all three of them had Simone’s black hair and light brown skin with his eyes. It caused some contention and friction with a lot of their neighbors and most of Toby’s family because he had married an African-American instead of a white girl they had picked out for him but Toby didn’t care. He had the woman he wanted and their children were bright, vibrant kids and never failed to make him smile. They did him credit.

Except, for now, his eldest. Something was wrong with Carl and Toby had noticed him pulling away from the family recently, choosing to stay in his room and refusing to interact unless he couldn’t avoid it with his brothers and his mother. This upset Simone because she and Carl were close but Simone was careful not to show it. She didn’t care what people thought in public but she still had to keep her head up; there were people in among those who loved his wife who would rip her apart.

And knowing that their eldest son was being a rebel would give them ammunition. Especially his family. Toby’s relationship with them had been strained for several years despite efforts to get them to like Simone. They had just about accepted the children but the comments made Toby squirm.

Maybe it was that. They had visited Toby’s brother Mike for a barbecue and his new girlfriend Candace had made a few off-handed racist comments about Carl, who had been innocently talking to a neighbor’s daughter, who went to the same school. Carl had been visibly upset about it. It had been some weeks ago but Carl was still grumpy about it.

“Morning, Carl.”

All he got in response was a grunt. Carl didn’t even turn around. Toby sighed. The teenager who had been the chattiest person on the planet had done a complete turnaround and it was strange.

They ate in silence for a while before Toby broached another subject he had been trying to get Carl to talk about for nearly two weeks now.

“By the way, Carl, did you get your report card sorted? Did you get the coffee stains off it?”

“I haven’t got it, okay?”

“Why not?”

Toby tried not to raise his voice but Carl’s disrespect towards him was testing Toby’s patience. Carl pulled his earphones out and stood, leaving the TV on. Even at a distance Toby was slightly intimidated by his size. A short lad until he was fifteen, Carl had shot up suddenly. Now he towered over Toby’s five-eleven as he topped six-three easily. Normally he was a gentle giant but with the hump he had been carrying for a while he was a little scary.

Toby didn’t like that feeling. He wanted his son back.

“I just haven’t, Dad.” Carl didn’t look at them as he picked up his bag and slung it over his shoulder. “I’m off.”

He passed by them on the way to the front door, ruffling Nick’s hair as he went past. Even with his current mood, he didn’t take it out on Nick and Craig, especially Nick. He showed the most affection to his baby brother. It was at Toby and Simone had aimed his animosity.

Toby winced when he heard the front door slam. Simone looked pained, her coffee cup halfway to her lips. Toby sighed and reached for a slice of toast.

“I hope this isn’t over a girl. It sounds like she’s not worth it.”

Simone smiled.

“Girls like guys fighting over them.”

“Did you like it?”

“No.” Simone put her hand on his thigh and Toby felt his body stir. “And you didn’t have to fight anyone.”

If the children hadn’t been there Toby would have leaned over and kissed her. But seeing the glare Craig was giving them he decided against it. It was embarrassing enough when they got caught kissing but it was worse when their middle son kept telling them off.

*****

Simone pulled the car up to the curb outside the school. Waving at the teacher standing at the school gates to marshal the children into the grounds, Simone looked back and grinned at her two younger sons.

“Have fun at school, guys.”

“When is school ever fun?” Craig grumbled as he unbuckled himself. He tried to hide a yawn but failed.

Simone bit back a smile and a teasing scolding about staying up until past midnight when he had school the next morning. Craig had got a PS4 for Christmas from his grandfather and he was addicted to it. Even Toby had problems getting him to put it down when he was engrossed in a game. Simone had gone in to Craig’s bedroom several times the night before to tell him to go to bed but she heard the games going again the moment she closed the door. Toby had told her to leave it and Craig would figure it out on his own that staying up late was a bad idea.

Simone was worried his good grades would slip due to lack of sleep but she trusted her husband. Nevertheless, she made a mental note to find the PS4 when she got back and hide it where Craig would never think of looking for it.