“Savanna.” Ford said, and Sawyer looked up between the two. “Do you know what you want?”
“I do. I do,” Gavin burst out with enthusiasm.
“Gavin,” Sawyer started, trying hard not to laugh at his brother’s antics, “it’s rude to interrupt like that. Please wait your turn.”
Gavin looked back down at his menu, slightly deflated, and whispered, “Sorry.”
“That’s okay, Gav.” Sawyer smiled at his brother, and Gavin perked back up.
Savanna waited a moment and then placed her order. “Can I have a cheeseburger and fries, please?”
“Of course, hun,” Gina said with another smile. She looked at Gavin next, and he asked for an order of chicken fingers.
Ford ordered next. “I think I’ll have the same thing as Savie… a cheeseburger and fries.”
“Well, that’s gonna make three of us. I’ll have the same, thank you. With all the trimmings. And for this little guy here”—he pointed at Callum—“let’s get an order of chicken fingers as well.” He leaned closer to Cal and asked, “Does that sound good? Chicken fingers?
“Shi-ken,” he repeated and began to giggle. Everyone else at the table laughed, and Sawyer began to collect the menus and handed them to Gina, who took them and went back to get their dinner started.
“So, Savie.” Sawyer began. “How is everything going at school.”
She looked up from her phone and responded, “Good. I made another friend, Chloe? I actually was going to see if we could hang out soon, either have her over, or I could go over to her house.”
Sawyer didn’t feel comfortable letting her go to someone’s home that he had never met, so he told her, “How about we all go to lunch together and then she can come over. I’d like to meet her and her parents before letting you go over there.”
Savanna nodded, but then Ford spoke up, “Why don’t we plan on having them all over for dinner?”
Sawyer looked back over to Savanna. “What do you think?”
“Sure.” With that, she went back to looking at her phone.
The food came only moments after that, and conversation was sporadic while they were eating. Once they were all finished and Sawyer had paid the bill, and they turned to leave with Ford carrying Callum this time. Savie asked if she could have a malted milk shake from the soda fountain. Ford shrugged when Sawyer looked at him.
“Sure, let’s go grab you one. You want one, too, Gavin?” Sawyer looked at his brother who nodded eagerly.
The three of them walked over to the counter, and Sawyer placed the order to go. While they were standing there, several waitresses and guys from the kitchen came out to the space in front of the counter and began dancing the jitterbug to “Rock Around the Clock.”
Sawyer looked to Ford first, who had a big smile on his face as he watched them, then to Savie, who had her phone out recording, all the while bouncing to the music as she watched the show. He was impressed himself with the energy they put into the routine.
Before the number was finished, his number was called by the man behind the counter letting him know his order was up. He grabbed one and handed it to Savanna, then asked for a tray for his and Ford’s. He looked around to give Gavin his, but couldn’t find him.
“Where’s Gavin?” Savanna asked
“He was standing right next to us,” Sawyer said as Ford came over, looking around, frantically.
Savanna continued to call out his name again, and Ford chimed in this time. “Gavin? This isn’t funny. Where are you?”
Sawyer could feel his heart pounding erratically in his chest. He hurried over to the hostess who had just finished dancing, and told her that their son was missing.
“He can’t have gone far. This place isn’t that big,” Sawyer was almost in a state of panic.
Ford went to the door and opened it up, then stepped outside. “Gavin!” he called out. He looked around, but still couldn’t see him. He went back inside. “Gavin!” he called out again.
“Sawyer, can I buy this? I’ll pay you back.” Gavin came running up to him. In his hand, he had a miniature model 1957 Chevy Bel Air
Instinctively, Sawyer was just so happy he was there. He pulled him into a hug. “Where were you?” he then scolded. Backing up from the hug.
“I went over to the gift shop on the other side of the counter,” Gavin said. “Can I have this?” He had no idea of the worry he had put everyone through.
Sawyer took the car from him. “No!” he snapped. He took Gavin’s hand and pulled him towards where Savanna and Ford were standing, watching them. “He was in the gift shop,” he told them when they got over there.
“Oh, thank God,” Ford said. He reached out to Gavin to pull him into a hug. until Callum got restless and started to whine. “You had us worried sick,” Ford scolded.
“I’m sorry. I just went over there for a few seconds,” Gavin pouted.
Sawyer took Callum from Ford and asked if he could return the car to the gift shop while he got everyone out to the car. Ford nodded and went off, while he led a subdued group out to the car.
A few minutes later, after everyone was buckled in, Sawyer saw Ford coming out of the diner with a small bag in hand. When he got into the car, Sawyer looked just looked at him, and Ford had a sheepish look on his face.
“You didn’t,” Sawyer said flatly.
“What? It was cute. For another time as a reward when he’s done something we’re proud of.
Sawyer shook his head as he pulled out, but he couldn’t find it in himself to be mad at Ford. Deep down he was glad his man had done that, knowing Gavin liked it. So they would save it for the future, but first, he needed to figure out how to talk with Gavin about what he did wrong.
It was hard for Sawyer to discipline Gavin
