Mom and Dad had an orientation meeting at our new school, so Uncle Jared is looking after us today.  We love it when he visits.  He likes to talk about building things.  He’s even designing a scale model doll house for Mackenzie that looks like ours.  

     The boys and I are having a club meeting in my tree house.  Jack and Matt spent the night so we could get an early start.  Mom and dad said we should include Mackenzie, so we thought it would be a good idea for her to attend. 

 

            “OK boys, Mackenzie will be up from her nap in a bit.  What would you like to do?”  Jared rubbed his hands together.  

           “We’re having a club meeting.”  Jake said.

            “What’s the meeting about?”  Jared took the bottle of water Connor offered him.

            Jake shook his head.  “Sorry, that information is for club members only.”

            “I designed your tree house.  So I should to be privy to this information.”  Jared raised an eyebrow.

            “Sorry, club rules.”  Jake shrugged.

            “Can you make us some sandwiches?”  Connor said.

            Jared laughed.  “So I’m not allowed to know what the meeting is about but I am allowed to cater it?”

            “What’s cater?”  Colby asked.

            “Catering is supplying the food and drinks.  So, what do you say?  Can you tell me now what this meeting is about?”

            “It’s Mackenzie’s conduction.”  Connor smiled.

            “Conduction?”

            “Yeah.  Grandpa said some day dad will have a conduction into the football hall of fame.”  Colby said.

            “Oh!  You mean induction.”  Jared laughed.  “That’s very nice of you to let your sister join but I’m afraid she won’t be able to get into the tree house for a while.”

            “We got it covered.”  Jake handed Jared a piece of paper and nodded at his brothers, who left the room. 

 

            Uncle Jared’s eyes got real wide as he looked over my sketch.  It wasn’t my best work, but I thought it was OK.  Connor and Colby came back into the room with the things we needed to get Mackenzie into the tree house.

 

             “So you’re going to attach a pail to the rope and throw it over the banister and then hoist your sister up in it?”  Jared mused.  “Boys I hate to poke holes in your design but she’s too little and she moves around a lot.  She’d wiggled out of the pail and fall on the ground.”

             “I’ll pull her up and Connor, Colby, Jack and Matt are going to hold a blanket under the pail in case she falls.”  Jake added. 

            “I have an idea.  How about we have her induction in her room?  That way you won’t have to go through all this trouble and she’ll get to play with you?”

 

            The boys and I did what dad told us told to do when we had a problem.  We got into a huddle and discussed it.  Connor said Uncle Jared could throw her up in the air and we’d catch her, but I wasn’t sure that was a good idea.  Colby suggested we practice on Rowdy but he heard what we said and ran off to his dog house.   Besides, I was pretty sure Uncle Jared would rat on us when mom and dad came home.  Jack and Matt didn’t care what happened, as long as they got a snack. 

 

            “OK Uncle Jared.  We’ll meet in Mackenzie’s room.”

            Connor handed Jared another bottle of water.

          “Connor, I appreciate the thought, but why do you keep bringing me bottles of water?”

          “To help with your dry spell.”

          “What?”

          “I heard mom tell dad you’re having a dry spell with the ladies.”

          “When did you hear her say that?”

          “She was in the bathroom talking to dad.  He was shaving and she was brushing her teeth.”

          “Did they know you were listening in on them?”

          “No.”  Connor shook his head.

          “So what else did she say about me?”  Jared stroked his chin.

          Colby chimed in.  “She said you don’t want to date because things didn’t work out with Taylor.”

          “Who’s Taylor?”  Jake said.

         “Taylor’s my ex-wife.  We were married and now we’re divorced.  You met her a long time ago but you were too young to remember.”

          “Oh.”  Jake gave his uncle a quizzical look.  “You’re divorced?”

          “Yes.  Let me guess, you heard your parents talking about that word too?”

          “No, Aunt Summer and Aunt Autumn were talking about divorce.  Aunt Autumn said a divorced man should wear garlic around his neck to keep women away because he’s probably emotionally unavailable.”

          Jared laughed.  “I bet your parents don’t know how much you pay attention to adults when they’re talking.”

         “Dad says we’re human tape recorders.”  Connor smiled.

 

            We could hear Mackenzie making noise on the baby monitor, so we gathered our stuff and met Uncle Jared in her room.   He took a seat on the floor with Mackenzie in his arms.

 

            “The Blake Boys club meeting has started.”  Jake began.

            Jared cleared his throat.  “You may want to revise that.  Your newest member is a girl.  How about we swap out boys for gang?”

            “The Blake Gang club meeting has started.  Raise your hand if you want Mackenzie to be a member.”

 

            Everyone raised their hand.  Whew.  For a minute I thought Connor and Jack were going to change their minds again.  Mackenzie seemed happy.  Uncle Jared was bouncing her around and playing with her. 

 

          “Mackenzie, put your hand on this comic book. Do you swear to be a member of the tree house club and keep all our secrets?”

 

          Uncle Jared had to help her. She made some sounds and tried to put the comic book in her mouth.  That seemed good enough.

 

            “It’s official.  Mackenzie Blake is now part of the tree house club.  Here’s your ID card.”  Jake handed her a flash card with a picture of a rubber duck on it.  “Aunt Sam can fingerprint you and give you a real badge later.”

            “Can we eat now?”  Colby said.

            “Sounds like a good idea.”  Jared got up with Mackenzie in his arms. 

           “Don’t worry Uncle Jared.  If you don’t get married again, you can always join our gang.”   Jake said as they made their way downstairs to the kitchen.

            “Thanks Jake.  That’s the best offer I’ve had all year.”

              

 

Hope you enjoyed Jake and the boys’ adventures with their Uncle Jared!

In case you missed it, check out Kangaroo Court with Uncle Channing, Phone Follies with Uncle Tyler, Big Brothers Club Meeting with Uncle J.J., Music Lesson with Uncle Tate, Running Interference with Uncle Robert and Field Trip with Uncle Bubba!

Until next time,

Rhonda

Copyright © 2015 Rhonda Laurel.  All Rights Reserved.

© Can Stock Photo Inc. / curaphotography