Dad, Dad, and Dad?

Chapter 24

Snow covered the ground one foot deep. Everything lay undisturbed as one giant blanket. The streets were yet to be touched keeping the snow clean from dirt and asphalt.

"It must've snowed pretty hard last night." Josh commented.

"Weren't you up all night?" Simon asked wondering how Josh didn't notice it then.

"Yesh, I was staring at my window computer not my actual window." Josh answered. "You know what's something fun we should do today?"

"No."

"We should play in the snow with Riley. It's her first snow with us. She'd have lots of fun." Josh said.

"It's too cold for my liking but I'm down. I'll go wake her up." Simon nodded. He quietly walked up stairs and into her dark bedroom. Riley laid on her side with her blankets almost covering her entire body. "Riley..." Simon spent a few minutes gently waking her up.

"Simon I'm too tired." she mumbled.

"Riley come look outside. There's something cool I want to show you." Simon coaxed.

"Oo! What is it!" Riley instantly perked up.

"It's snow!" Simon pulled back the curtains on her window. She scrambled out of bed and ran up to the window.

"It's so pretty!"

"Do you want to play in the snow with me and Josh?"

"Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!" She clapped her hands together.
~
Josh struggled to pull up the last zipper on Riley's many coats. She stood stiff with two pairs of pants, gloves, a hat, two shirts, and two puffy jackets.

"I forgot the scarf." Josh remembered.

"Josh I don't think she can breathe." Simon notified. She seemed lifeless, just standing there.

"But she needs to be warm or she'll get sick." Josh said. Sometimes Josh goes into this super protective dad mode which can be really annoying cause he gets all strict and fun-less.

"She'll get warm once she's rolling around out there." Simon said. Josh shook his head. He was going to be a good dad and dress his daughter appropriately for the weather.

"Daddy I can't move." She mumbled through the layers.

"What did she say?" Josh asked.

"See? You can't even understand her. She said she can't move. At least lose one jacket and don't make her wear that ugly scarf." Simon bargained. Josh thought about it.

"Fine. But it's not my fault if she gets frostbite." Josh freed her. Some. He couldn't believe he let Simon persuade him again. "Alright let's go before the snow melts."

"Guys wait up, I'm coming too!" Vik shouted. He came bustling down the stairs as he pulled down on his hat. Josh and Simon looked at him confused for they hadn't invited him. "I heard you guys so I decided to join in."

The two older men shrugged and opened the front door. Guess everyone's coming. Except JJ who's sleeping this one out.

Simon and Vik ran into the yard, tripping because of the dense snow. Josh held Riley's hand as she took her time marching through the white stuff. She bent down to touch it and tried picking it up. Josh made her a snowball and handed it to her. She looked at it before weakly tossing it five inches in front of her.

"Hey guys!" Vik interjected. "Do you wanna build a snowman?" he sung.

"Shut up, Lachlan!" Simon jokingly yelled. "But yes, I do." Luckily the snow isn't too soft so it's easy to pack and build with.

As Josh taught Riley how to make a snowball and played catch, or more like toss, with her, Simon and Vik built a lopsided snowman. It's face was misshaped and elongated rather than round. So they named it Calfreezy.  

Riley took a few steps on her own. When she stopped she wobbled and fell onto her back.

"Help!" she squeaked.

"Riley stay there, and start moving your arms and legs up and down." Josh instructed. She gave a confused look. "You'll make pretty snow angels. Watch me." So Josh laid down in the cold and made a snow angel. Riley tried herself. It came out less than perfect but it was still recognizable.

"That's Jide's window right?" Simon checked, pointing up.

"Mhmm." Josh nodded.

"Do you think we could wake him up by throwing snowballs?" Simon wondered.

"I don't know if you'll reach it." Vik said. Simon winded up his arm and threw the ball as hard and as high as he could. He hit just the window with a low boom noise.

"You're gonna break the window!" Josh exclaimed.

"No, I'm not." Simon ignored him and threw another snowball. Vik decided to join the quest to disturb JJ. They kept going, laughing along the way, until the curtain at the window moved aside.

JJ's sleepy, angry face looked down upon them.

"Scary!" Riley cried out.

"It's just JJ. Don't be scared." Josh said. JJ held up one finger symbolizing one minute before disappearing.

"Where did he go?" Simon questioned. It had been a minute since he said one minute.

"Do you think he's coming down?" Vik inquired.

"He might be. Let's get ready for him." Josh grabbed a snowball in each hand. The other two followed. Riley got one herself. When JJ opened the front door he got pelted.

"Yeah! Eat my balls!" Josh shouted. Everyone looked back at him, disgusted.

"What? No! You can't say that. Not with a three year old next to you." Simon pointed out. Riley threw her one snowball at Simon's stomach.

"I did it!"