Always [under editing]

Fourth of July

The next day was the fourth of July, I was wearing this. We woke up at sunrise and we rose the flag and we let Becky’s bird fly away. I was hanging out with Andre and Greg when I saw Mr. Hillard kick my Dad in his private. I grab Gregs hand and we walked over to them.

“Ok me and him? Ok maybe I flirted with him but.” Jasmine said.

“What about his snoring?” Mr. Hillard asked.

“I heard it to.” Amber said walking up the steps to the dock. He kicked my dad in his privates again.

“We heard it from three rooms away.” Bridget said.

“Ok now Marcus is off the hook you know he would do that with your daughter. Not that she’s, you know what I’m saying. ” Mr. Feder said

“Well then what happened to your head?” Mr. Hillard asked Jasmine.

“When I was changing into my PJs I got the feeling that some perv was looking through my window so I went to go close the shades and I tripped and hit my head. Andre and Greg looked at each other and they went down a step. I hit them both on the back of the head and continued to listen.

“Oh together like Lenny, oh please I answer your phone. It was your assistant, I ask him if he canceled the flight to Milan, and he said he did before we even came here!” Mrs. Feder yelled.

“He said that? Why would he say that? I mean-“

“Oh so he just made that up huh?”

“I’m not saying he made it up, I’m thinking that in his head he believes it was true.”

“Don’t try to agent me Lenny! Stop trying to handle everybody and everything and start taking responsibility just once!”

“I’ll take responsibility alright. I thought it would be better for our family to be here with normal people than in Milan.”

“Wait we’re normal?” I asked.

“I was scared to tell you. It was easier for me to keep it a secret.” Mr. Feder told his wife.

“If you peel back any marriage there are secrets.” Mr. Lamonsoff said, he looked at his wife and quickly added, “Mine is that I love you very much.”

“Roxanne I didn’t. Our kids are becoming notty, snotty, spoiled, I, we got a Nanny we-“

“So she is a Nanny?” Mr. McKenzie cut in.

“No no no no no she’s not a Nannu she’s a-“

“Of course she’s a Nanny! When does the lying stop?” Mrs. Feder asked.

“It stops right after this, she’s more of an opar, not really an-“

“Lenny!”

“Alright that’s it the lying stops now. I won’t lie to you ever again. I love you.”

“Men lie!” Mama yelled from the porch, we all turned to look at her, “They can’t help themselves. Kurt sure as hell lies!”

We all turned to look at Mr. McKenzie, “What do I like about Toe J Simpson?”

“Oh please. The Nanny.” Dianne said

“What about the Nanny?” He asked.

“You have a thing for her!”

“I do not have a thing for the Nanny. I’m a married man, period. But did I enjoy having a nice conversation without a woman going ‘Where’s this?’ and ‘Did you pick up that?’ Yeah.”

“You can have nice conversations with me.”

“When? You work all day and when you come home you’re tired all the time. You barely even touch me, or look at me.” He sounds like the girl in their marriage.

“He sounds like an old woman!” Mama yelled again, “Dianne you should have married Emvirto Denutzio( I have no idea what she said) like I told you.”

“Yeah and if I had stayed with him you’d be the one that’s pregnant right now Mama”

“You probably right sweetheart I’ll just butt out.”

“Thank you!” Mr. McKenzie yelled

“Look maybe I do take you for granted and I’m sorry. Hows about I take you out every Thursday for date night?” Dianne asked.

“No Thursday’s graze ananomy, but any other night would be beautiful.” Mr. McKenzie replied.

“As long as we’re being honest, I might as well be honest too. I’m actually not a part owner of the lawn and furniture store. I don’t even work there any more, I got laid off in April. I rented the Caddie and acted like a uh big shot because I didn’t want you guys to know.” Mr. Lamonsoff said.

“Lamonsoff you don’t have to hide anything from us. I’m sorry” Mr. Feder told him.

“Since we’re getting things of our chests here I got a confession to make.” Mr. Hillard said, “I’m wearing a toup.”

“No shit.” The Nanny said and I snickered.

“I have a confession to make.” Gloria said, “I’m really a man.”

There was a bunch of ‘I knew it’s’ and ‘I told you so’s’.

“I’m just kidding I’m just kidding. I’m a little hurt that you all believed it.”

“Never the less.” Gloria said, “I know it’s not my place, but after all I am older than anyone here-“

“Hell yeah you are” Mama yelled once again.

“Dispite the joking and the hassling I see a lot of love here, and with love comes hostility. Like Rob when he snapped at me the other day, that was scary. And you thought I was so calm the other day, but on the inside I was like Gloria Newnan do not call him a bug eyed sociopath with a little complex. Do not say that his hair makes him look like a dirty cue tip, or that he resembles an older gay Jonas Brother-“

“They get it.” Mr. Hillard said.

“ Or a midget Filipino Fonzie. I didn’t say any of that. Life can be difficult sometimes. It gets bumby, with the kids and things not going the way you want it to, but that’s what makes it interesting. And life the first act, always exciting. The second act, that’s where the depth comes in..”

“Why didn’t you ever tell us she gets it?” My Dad asked Mr. Hillard.

“That’s what I’ve been trying to tell ya!” He said walking over to Gloria and hugging her. They started a group hug and Greg dragged me over and pulled me into the group hug.