Page 82 of Out on a Limb

“How much is a buttload?” Hobie giggled because no matter what the answer was, he got to say butt.

Walker pointed at the TV. “Your favorite part’s coming up.” Hobie turned away from them. “Tell him you’ll start on this once you get out there.”

“He’s taking a chance on me. I need to prove myself.”

“Can you prove yourself tomorrow?” This was not how it was supposed to go in Walker’s head. They were supposed to have a great two weeks, but it seemed like Cameron was already in Los Angeles.

“Let me just finish this script.” Cameron rubbed his leg, but it didn’t feel like a sweet gesture.

Walker put his arm around Cameron, but Cameron didn’t shift any closer to him. He was deep in some crappy script.

“Hey Cameron, watch this!”

“I’m watching,” Cameron said without looking up, almost as if he were talking in his sleep.

Hobie tap-tap-tap-tapped at Cameron’s knee.

“I’m watching.”

“No, you’re not.” More tapping. Hobie’s eyes bulged into freakish globes as he stared at Cameron. Walker enjoyed his son doing that to someone else for a change.

“Just give me one second, Hobie.”

“One second’s up.”

“Then I need 133 seconds.”

“I can’t count that high up. You gotta see this, Cameron!” His tapping got more desperate.

Walker knew Cameron was waiting for him to jump in and pull the ultimate Dad card. But a part of him was inside Hobie tapping at that knee. Cameron wasn’t gone yet.He couldn’t just ignore us.

“Hobie, please!”

Hobie pressed his palm right on the iPad screen. Walker realized after tonight, Cameron might never come over again. It was time to play the Dad card.

“Okay.” Cameron shut his iPad and slipped it between the couch cushions before Walker could speak up. “Show me whatcha got.”

Hobie zoomed a Lego person through three Lego walls in a row. “My Lego people have superpowers. They can bust through walls!”

“Just likeThe Incredibles?” Cameron asked.

Hobie nodded enthusiastically.

“That is so cool! What if Smort had developed super evil stength and could throw a dragon through a building?” Cameron got on the floor with Hobie and spent a good chunk of the movie helping him stage his next action sequence. They built up elaborate, but fragile, buildings with lots of windows and floors, structures that appreared imposing but would crumble at the slightest hit. It reminded Walker of relationships and how quickly they fell apart.

Cameron didn’t look back at his iPad once. Walker got a warm feeling heating up his chest as he watched them play and laugh. It felt like home.

“Ready?” Cameron asked Hobie.

Hobie launched the dragon action figure into the Lego building, and it crumbled and shattered on impact. They threw their hands up and cheered.

Soon after, they rejoined Walker on the couch for the last part of the movie. It was a tight squeeze, but that was the best way to enjoy couchtime. All together, not spread apart.

“Cameron, are you still coming to my soccer game?”

“You know it.”

Hobie fell asleep on Cameron’s lap before the end of the movie, and Cameron rested his head on Walker’s shoulder. That warm feeling now spread through his body, like he was wrapped in towels fresh from the dryer.