Epilogue
"Christian, be careful!" Elena called out to her vivacious five year old son who was yelling and hanging off the monkey bars in the relatively large and usually peaceful playground. It was a bright sunny day and Elena and Staci had decided to take their kids to the park so they could burn off some of their excess energy. Jasmine, Kevin and Staci's four year old daughter, played quietly with Elena and AJ's second child, Hannah, in the sand box. Jasmine had acquired Kevin's stunning green eyes and jet-black hair. Hannah had AJ's soulful chocolate brown eyes and Elena's mahogany waves. Christian was an exact replica of his father, a painful fact that both Elena and AJ overlooked but could never forget. Hannah was only one year younger than Jasmine and the two girls were as close as sisters. Hannah was the only one Jasmine would lend her Barbie dolls to. Christian was more of a loner always in his own little world. But he always found ways to make the girls' lives miserable.
"GERONOMOOOOOOOO!!!!"
Christian dashed across the field and jumped into the sandbox sending sand flying everywhere, including the girls' hair. Hannah squealed and Jasmine shot Christian a death glare.
"Christian! Don't do that!" Elena reprimanded him. "You could've hurt your sister and Jasmine!"
The little boy scowled. "Everything could hurt them! They're such girls! Eww! Girls are so dumb!"
"Oh yeah? Boys stink!" Jasmine retaliated sticking out her tongue at him.
"You're a poop head!"
"Christian Howard McLean!" Elena scooped him out of the sandbox and set him down on his feet. She crouched down to his level and gave him a firm stare. "What have I taught you about name calling?"
Christian looked at his feet and rocked back and forth on his heels. "It's not nice," he muttered.
"And what else?"
"And that it can hurt people's feelings?"
"Exactly. Now go apologize to Jasmine."
"Aww, Mom! Do I have to?" he whined giving Elena the sad puppy dog face.
"Yes you do."
"Fine," he huffed. He trudged up to Jasmine still staring at the ground. "I'm sorry I called you a poop head."
"It's ok."
An impish grin curved his lips. "I meant to say that you're a fart knocker!"
"Christian!" He laughed and then ran away before Elena could yell at him again. Elena sighed in frustration and shook her head. "I think I'm getting too old for this."
"Are you kidding? This is only the beginning! Wait until he hits puberty!" Staci exclaimed.
"Ugh, I don't even want to think about it!"
"I don't like girls. I don't like girls. They play with stupid dolls. I like ripping their dolls' heads off. I don't like girls," Christian sang to himself as he swayed on the swings. "Ooh I made up a song. Maybe Daddy will let me have a record deal and I'll become famous. Hehe." He looked down at the dirt and saw a little ant trying to climb over a leaf. He lifted his foot up into the air getting ready to stomp on it. "Ok evil bug, prepare to meet your doom!"
"Don't kill it," a voice said from his right.
Christian's foot stopped in midair. He turned his head toward the direction the voice was coming from. A man he's never seen before was sitting in the swing beside him.
"Why not?" he asked him curiously
"Well how would you like it if someone stepped on you?"
"They can't do that. I'm not a bug."
"But you're a living thing, just like the ant."
"But I'm not a bug."
"But it's still one of God's creatures."
"But it's a bug."
"I know it's a bug."
"People step on bugs. You know that too?"
The man raised an eyebrow and smirked at the young boy's biting wit. "Well aren't you the bold little soldier."
Christian simply shrugged. "People say I get it from my dad. He has his own record company, you know."
"Oh? Tell me more about your dad."
Christian had always been told not to talk to strangers, but he felt a sort of connection to the one sitting beside him. He felt as if he somehow knew him. He liked him already and was eager to chat. He furrowed his brow in thought trying to muster up some facts from his mind. "He has a lot of tattoos and he always wears sunglasses. Even in the dark. He used to be a singer in a group. Have you ever heard of the Backstreet Boys?"
The man nodded his head and smiled fondly. "They sound familiar."
"Yeah, Uncle Kevin and Uncle Brian were in it, too. So was Uncle Nick, but I've never met him. I just see him on TV. He's famous. I've seen videos and stuff. My dad's group was cool. I wanna be in a group when I grow up."
"It's a lot of hard work being in a group."
"No it's not. All you have to do is sing and dance."
"Oh?"
"Yeah and sign autographs and take lots of pictures and stuff. I can do that."
"You think it's that easy huh?"
"Yeah I do. I've been singing since I was three so I know I'm gonna be famous just like my dad."
"Well, I wish you the best of luck in your quest for fame."
"Thanks. Umm, my name is Christian," he said suddenly remembering his manners and sticking out his hand for his new found friend to shake.
"Hello, Christian," the man smiled and gently shook his opened hand. "I'm Howie."
~*~
Chp 35
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