Page 25

"Is that your new Daddy?" Quinton asks after we all start painting. I nod, smiling hard.

"He is. We got the keys to our new apartment today." I'm too excited to not share that information any chance I can.

I pick up the paint brush for the orange and try to paint a cat. It gets a little smudgy, but I use the black paint carefully to add ears and a tail. Austin snickers across from me. "It looks like Fluff is a pumpkin!"

The others look at my painting and I join their laughter too because it does. I made him more like Garfield than Fluff actually is. "Oops."

We continue painting for a few more minutes. I can feel the sun beating down on my back and sweat is already starting to form on my neck and forehead. Before I can get up to ask Daddy for water, Rachel has a whole tray of water bottles coming our way.

"Make sure you all drink plenty of water if you're out here, okay?" We grab a bottle each and I chug a fourth of mine before Mommy Rachel speaks again. "Tyler, can you come over here so I can put some sunscreen on you?"

I nod and stand up from the table. It's not a full sized picnic table but it isn't one of the plastic kiddie ones either.

My Daddy is sitting in the shade with the others.

Daddy Garrett and Orion have a big backyard.

The patio is spacious and covered enough to have a table big enough to fit everyone.

I like it, but I'm also excited to sit with my Daddy on our little balcony and watch the water flow by.

Mommy Rachel sprays me down with sunscreen and dabs it on my face too. I laugh when she even rubs some onto my ears. "Can't be too careful," she says with a playful wink. Once she's done, I'm instructed to sit in the shade for it to soak in properly.

I take the opportunity to sit in my Daddy's lap. He has Fluff on his leash and Riley is still trying to figure out how to play with him. They're cute together.

"Well hi there." Daddy rests one hand across my thighs and the other remains around my back.

"I was told I have to sit in the shade," I say. It's a bit sulky because I want to finish my painting.

"You do," he agrees. "You also need to remember that you have to limit how long you're in the sun and drink lots of water. I brought a couple of your electrolyte packets to add to your cup if you start feeling too hot, okay?"

I nod and rest my body against his. If I have to sit here, I'm taking advantage to cuddle.

"I like your bracelet, Ty,” Vaughn says. "What is it?"

"It's a medical alert bracelet." I hold my wrist up for all of them to see it. "If I get really sick again, it will tell the emergency people that I have Addison's."

"Your Daddy was telling me about it," Remington chimes in. I look at Daddy and then back to Remington. I didn't know they talked that much for him to tell them. It makes sense though, since Remington was already in the room with me at the hospital.

"I wanted to make sure you were around people that understood what could happen," Daddy says. "You can tell them as much or as little as you want about it, but I need to make sure you're safe."

"Thank you, Daddy." I don't look at the others when I say that because I'm already feeling shy. I don't mind that Daddy told them.

"Are you excited to move into the new place?" Garrett asks the question this time. I nod quickly.

"So excited! I'm painting a picture for my play area right now." I look at Mommy Rachel. "Can I go back and play now?"

"Sure, Ty. We'll call you back in for lunch soon."

I give Daddy a quick kiss before heading back to the table. I'm wearing a green shirt with a matching pair of shorts and my favorite sandals. If I stay out in the sun for too long, I get funny lines across my toes. I look at what everyone is painting.

Orion is obviously painting Riley. Garrett loves to tell the story of how Orion painted eyebrows on him. Quinton is painting a beach scene. I know him and his Daddy are going on vacation soon. Austin is painting a bunch of different animals. Luke's painting is…

"What is that?" I ask, looking from Luke's paper to his face. He's smiling and the whole group laughs.

"I don't know," Luke says with a shrug. "I wanted to see if I could mix all the colors, but I just created a blob."

"Bob the blob!" Aussie shouts, raising his hand holding the paintbrush. Blue splatters land on my arm and across a couple of our papers. "Oopsie!"

"Aussie, are you causing trouble over there?" Remi calls out across the yard. We all look over at them in unison, which seems to amuse them. I spot Riley and Fluff calmly laying beside each other. Fluff is laying on his back and is swatting gently at Riley's face.

"No way, Daddy!" Aussie calls back.

"It's raining blue!" Luke shouts. His paper is speckled with blue dots from Aussie moving his hand around. It makes me laugh.

"Let's try to keep the paint on the paper, okay?" Remi nods at Aussie, but I see his eyes meet each of ours. "I know Garrett is the cool Daddy, but we don't have time today to clean all of you off with the water hose again."

"Best birthday ever!" Orion shouts. This time, in his excitement, he flings purple paint and it lands directly across Quinton's face. We all start laughing, but I see the others stand up. Painting time is over.

"Okay, I think we've had enough painting today." Vaughn reaches the table first. He grabs a napkin from the roll we have on the table and starts wiping Quinton's face. It isn't a lot and it comes off easily.

"I'm sorry." Orion looks and sounds like he is close to tears for accidentally flinging the paint. He looks up at his Daddy. "I didn't mean to. I just got excited."

"I know, baby. We're just going to go ahead and do something else, okay? How about you all go on the playset for a bit? It's in the shade so not as hot."

Orion nods and we all stand up. The playset is big, sturdy enough to hold adults.

There's a slide and two swings attached.

The main part is built like a castle and it's all in a light wood color.

Only part of it is in the shade right now.

I can feel the sweat trickling down my back and I fan my shirt away from my chest. I don't make it a few feet from the table before my Daddy calls my name.

I turn back around and see him motion for me to come to him. I look back at my friends, all who are picking what they want to do on the playset. Quinton's Daddy is over there with them, too. Daddy calls my name once more, in a much more serious tone, so I know I can't ignore him.

"Yes?" We're standing off to the side. Still in the shade, but if we keep our voices low enough no one can hear us.

"I think you need to sit over here for a little bit, okay? Your face is already red and I want you to drink some more water before you go play."

"I'm okay," I say. I might be a little hot, but it's super sunny out today. Everyone is sweaty.

"Ty, I'm not asking." Daddy's face is serious. "Just for a few minutes and see how you feel after that."

"But I want to go play," I whine. I look over my shoulder at my friends laughing and running around. I turn back to Daddy. "Please?"

"I'm sorry, but you need to remember that you have to be more careful than most people."

I pout my lip and look at the ground. I know, in the back of my mind, that he's right but the biggest part of my brain just wants to play.

"You can sit and play with Fluff and Riley, okay? I'm going to mix up your drink."

"I don't want to," I say. I cross my arms, still avoiding Daddy's eyes.

"Tyler." His voice is leaving no room for argument, but I still don't look at him. "Look at me."

I don't look at him. Instead, I turn around and sit right there on the patio floor.

I can feel tears threatening to show themselves.

Daddy's shoes come into my vision and then his knees when he squats down in front of me.

It's only when he puts a finger under my chin and makes me look up at him that I meet his eyes. He doesn't look happy.

"Turning your back on me is not nice, is it?

" He's waiting for an answer. His finger and thumb squeeze my chin a little bit harder and I know I'm in the middle of a tantrum, but other parts of me kind of like that.

This is not the time for grown up thoughts.

"I know you don't like it, but you just changed your medicine this morning and we have to keep an eye on how you're going to react to it.

Daddy isn't trying to be mean and keep you from playing.

You know that. If you keep acting like this, we can go back home. Do you want to do that?"

The thought of going home so soon is enough for me to let go of this little fight. I shake my head. "I want to stay."

"Then you need to listen to me, okay?" I nod. "You can stay right here or go sit in the chair. I'll be right back with your water."