Chapter Six
“So, Nick- when are we going to Disney World?” Kara asked through her final mouthful of hamburger.
“You cheated! Kevin took a bite out of one of your burgers, and we all know what a big mouth he has!” Nick protested. Kevin glared at him in mock anger.
“Fine.” He picked up the half-eaten burger on Nick’s plate and took a bite. “Ith’s even.”
“You gonna finish that burger, Nicky-boy?” Kara asked gleefully. He groaned, clutching his stomach.
“ I can’t!”
“ In that case, when ARE we going to Disney World?”
“And when are you going to eat the hockey puck, Frack?” AJ asked. “I ain’t missing that!”
“Next barbecue.” Brian asserted.
“Disney World is gonna have to wait until after tour.” Kevin reminded them.
“So what… April? May?” Kara asked.
“Somewhere in there. I can’t believe this!” Nick whined.
“Well, you better, ‘cause I’m not gonna let you forget it!” AJ gloated, giving Kara a high-five. “You go, girl!”
“Okay, okay- we’ve rubbed it in enough… for now.” Kara grinned. “ I wanna hear about this trip around the world in four days, guys.”
“It was awesome!” They chorused.
“Kevin just about gave us all heart attacks when we were in Rio, though.” Howie told her.
“What?”
“Decided he was just going to ‘hang’ with the fans- literally! He climbs out on this thing, like, 100 feet above the crowd, hanging on with one arm, and waves.” Nick confirmed. “It was crazy!” Kara reached over to Kevin, punching him playfully on the shoulder.
“And you say I worry you? At least I don’t go hanging off of unstable scaffolding!”
“Yeah, well…” Kevin grinned sheepishly. “You know I love to climb.” It was the wrong thing to say. Kara grinned evilly back at him as she remembered a story, eyes twinkling.
“Sure do! Bri, remember when Kevy climbed to the top of that big old oak tree out back at MaMaw and PaPaw’s?” Brian nodded, laughing, while Kevin shot a glare Kara’s way.
“We really don’t need to hear about this. It was ten years ago, and…”
“ I think we do!” Nick grinned brightly, earning him yet another of Kevin’s glares. Kara smiled sweetly, then continued.
“So, anyway, Kev-“ His hand clamped over her mouth, silencing her.
“Climbs to the very top of the tree” Brian continued, not missing a beat. “Which is about 50 feet up. He looks down, and freezes. I mean, the guy was totally petrified.”
“I was not! Shut up, cuz!” Brian ignored him.
“So he’s sitting on the top of this tree, refusing to come down. We called the fire department, but he STILL wouldn’t budge!”
“So what’d he do, jump?” AJ asked, laughing.
“Nope. Our little Ker-bear here had to climb the ladder and talk him down!” Howie’s eyes widened in disbelief.
“You’re kidding!”
“Nope!” Kara said gleefully through Kevin’s hand. They all burst into laughter, and Kevin’s face reddened with embarrassment. For once, he was speechless. He quietly picked up the mustard bottle next to him, aiming it toward Nick, who was laughing uncontrollably.
“Oh, hell no!” Brian grabbed the ketchup, and Kara intervened.
“Kevin, put the mustard down and back slowly away from the bottle. You’re surrounded.”
“Uh-uh!” AJ gloated. “You are, girlie!” Kara glanced around. He was right.
“Oh, man!”