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“Bored, Dad!”
“Bor da!”
Boromir heaved a sigh and refused to turn around to look at his oldest daughter, Finduilas. There was no point, as he already knew she was standing with her arms crossed and tapping her foot. He also knew that his niece, Galuwen, was standing next to Finduilas and holding onto her dress. He wasn’t sure what his youngest, Aerdis, was doing since she was so quiet, but she never got into trouble so he wasn’t too worried about her.
“You just came in from swimming and I’m making your lunches,” he said calmly, as though he expected any of that to matter to her.
“Still bored, Dad.” He sighed again. When was Faramir going to finish changing Elboron?
Boromir and Faramir were on babysitting duty while Anael and Éowyn were having a girl’s day. Fortunately, the weather was nice and the kids could burn off some energy in the pool. After bringing them inside when he could have sworn that he saw gills growing on their necks, Boromir started making lunch while Faramir helped the kids get changed into dry clothes. And then Elboron decided to leave a surprise in his underwear. So, Boromir was dividing his attention between lunch and the three girls, hoping he didn’t chop off one of his fingers while his head was turned.
After what seemed like an eternity, Faramir entered the kitchen holding Elboron, who had his head resting on his dad’s shoulder. Boromir noticed that his brother’s hair was somewhat disheveled, which indicated that Elboron didn’t make it easy for him. Ah, the joys of fatherhood.
“Booooored Daaaaaad!” Finduilas groaned.
“Bodaaaaaa!” Galuwen echoed. Now that Faramir was here, Boromir was able to search for Aerdis and found her standing on the couch and looking out the window.
“What time are they coming home again?” Boromir asked, earning a chuckle from his brother.
“Not for a while yet. And they deserve some time to themselves, if you ask me.”
“I know they do.”
Compared to Anael (and Éowyn), Boromir hadn’t been as involved in childrearing as he would have liked. Sometimes his family came to home games during the season, mainly the ones on Friday or Saturday nights or Sunday afternoons, but when the Capitals were on the road—sometimes three to four games in a row—he wouldn’t see them for a week. Now that it was the off-season, with the exception of a few days in late June, Boromir had most of the summer off until training camp started in September.
Boromir cut the PB&J’s in half or fourths, remembering to remove the crusts this time, and then opened a container of pre-cut fruit and arranged them all on plates. He handed Galuwen’s and Elboron’s plates to Faramir and then placed the others on the table.
“Lunch is ready. Aerdis, come sit at the table.”
“Yes, Papa,” the girl said in a soft voice before hopping off the couch, her limp ponytail swinging back and forth as she skipped into the kitchen. Anael had shown Boromir how to do ponytails, but his always clung to the back of his daughters’ necks. She had also offered to show him how to braid, but he declined. He helped her up and then pushed in her chair. “What would everyone like to drink?”
“Chocolate milk,” said Finduilas around a bite of PB&J.
“Choco mik,” said Galuwen. She always copied whatever Finduilas said or did, which was somewhat terrifying.
“We don’t have chocolate milk or chocolate syrup, just plain milk,” Boromir said.
“Juice, please,” said Aerdis.
“Can I have soda?” Finduilas asked.
“No. Your options are milk, juice, or water.”
“Uh, brother? I think Anael left this for you.” Boromir turned and saw Faramir holding up an empty plastic pitcher with a packet inside it. Lemonade.
“Who wants lemonade?” Four arms shot up.
“Mememememememe!”
After Boromir finished making the lemonade, he found four child-sized plastic cups and filled them with ice cubes and the sugary drink. He wondered if he should have given it to them before they went swimming, that way they could burn off their sugar rush in the pool.
“Something wrong?” Faramir asked when Boromir looked out the sliding glass door to the back yard and sighed.
“I need to mow before someone complains to the HOA. Maybe I’ll do it after Anael gets back.”
“If my weather app is accurate, it’s supposed to rain later and most of tomorrow.”
“Great. When is it supposed to start?”
“A couple hours from now.” Boromir hummed in thought and rubbed at his chin.
“Think you can watch the kids by yourself?”
“Yes, of course. But what are you going to do?”
“I’m going to mow the lawn,” Boromir said with a grin.
~*~
Elboron, being the only one facing towards the backyard, was the first to take notice. His eyes were drawn to the glass doors when something passed by. When nothing happened for a couple of seconds, he went back to drinking his lemonade.
“Hmm?” he uttered when a shape passed by the door again, going in the opposite direction. He frowned slightly. This time, he kept waiting instead of going back to his lunch. And then, a few seconds later, the shape appeared again, only it wasn’t a shape but Uncle Boromir riding past on his lawn mower, standing up on it with his hands on his hips like a superhero. Elboron giggled.
“What’s so funny?” Faramir asked.
“Uncle Bomir is being silly.” The three girls and Faramir turned to look outside, just in time to see Boromir ride past again with the back of his shirt pulled up over his head.
“What on Middle-earth…?”
All four children hopped down from their chairs and ran over to the couch, ignoring Faramir’s pleas to come finish their lunches. Knowing he was defeated, Faramir sighed and joined them. Now, Boromir had his feet up on the steering wheel, drawing another set of giggles. Faramir didn’t know if Boromir usually did this when he mowed or if he knew that, eventually, the kids would notice him. The corner of his mouth ticked upward and he pulled out his phone. He turned on the camera and started recording.
~*~
Anael and Éowyn shook out their umbrellas and left them on the front step before entering the house. It was just starting to sprinkle when they made it to the car, but by the time they were on the road, it turned into a deluge.
“It smells like Boromir mowed recently,” Éowyn commented as she sniffed the air.
“At least he doesn’t have to worry about it anymore. It's been bothering him ever since he saw the HOA president in the driveway taking pictures of the lawn.”
They paused when they reached the doorway to the living room, both glancing at each other in unison. It was quiet… too quiet.
“I hope the kids are miraculously lying down for a nap and haven’t been forgotten.”
“I don’t think Boromir would forget. Even if he does get side-tracked sometimes.”
“Oh, I was talking about Faramir. If he manages to get a book in his hands, he forgets about everything else.”
“Oh dear,” Anael giggled. Sure enough, when they entered the room, they found Faramir sitting on the couch with a book in his hand.
“Oh, you’re back,” he commented, glancing up at them.
“Uh, babe? Where are our children?”
“Napping. Can you believe it?”
“Barely.”
“Where is Boromir?” Anael asked.
“He hopped in the shower after he finished mowing. Oh, I’ve got something to show you.” He set the book aside and turned on his phone. After tapping the screen a couple times, he turned the phone around. Anael and Éowyn leaned in close.
The video was about ten minutes long, and it showed Boromir pulling different poses as he rode by on the lawn mower. At some point, the kids had all gone outside, and he set them in his lap and took each one around a few times. By the time the video ended, both women were in tears and trying to stifle their laughter so they wouldn’t wake the kids.
“I think I’m dying,” Éowyn said as she wiped at her eyes. “Oh my Eru, why is he like this?”
“He just likes to make people laugh, I guess,” Faramir replied. “Especially children.”
“And what’s wrong with that?” came a voice from the doorway. Boromir entered the room, wearing a new shirt and shorts. His hair was still slightly damp from his shower. He went to Anael and gave her a peck on the lips. “Did you have a good time?”
“Yes, we did. I got some things for you and the girls. Hopefully you like them.”
“I have no doubt of it.”
“Oh by the way, brother, I got it all on video,” Faramir said, waving his phone in the air.
“Please don’t show my teammates.”
“I’m definitely showing your teammates. And your coaches.” Boromir’s hand darted out, but Faramir dodged at the last second. “Did you know you drive your mower like a Zamboni?”
“Do I?” Then there was a slight shift in the brightness of his eyes. “Huh…”
“Brother, what are you thinking?” Boromir’s only response was a grin. “Boromir, whatever it is, no.”
“Relax! It’s a brilliant idea!” He hunched his shoulders when he realized how loud he was being.
“What is a brilliant idea?” Anael asked with trepidation.
“You’ll have to wait until October.” She furrowed her brow and blinked up at him. Why did she have a bad feeling about this?
~*~
It was the opening night of the new hockey season, and the Minas Tirith Capitals were at home. After a low-scoring first period, with the home team scoring the only goal, the skaters left the ice and headed for their respective locker rooms. The loyal fans were already buzzing with excitement about a new season, but there were a few—four to be exact—who had another reason to be excited.
As was customary, when the Zamboni went out after the first period, there was usually a child or a couple of children from the stands who got to ride on it. On this night, there were four, and any diehard fans who had been in attendance during family skates recognized the two daughters of the captain. Strapped in next to them and wearing matching helmets were their two blond-haired cousins. When the PA announcer said their names, the camera focused in on them and they appeared on the jumbotron. They waved up at the screens and at people in the crowd who waved at them as they passed by. The smiles never left their faces, and by the time they were unbuckled and helped down, their cheeks were sore. Anael, Faramir, and Éowyn were there to meet them and take them back to their seats (after a stop at the concessions).
“That was so cool, Mom!” Finduilas screeched.
“Coo Mom!” said Galuwen before being lifted into Faramir’s arms.
“Were you scared at all?” Anael asked as she picked up Aerdis and they exited ice-level and headed towards the escalator that would take them to the concessions.
“Nope! It was just like riding with Dad!”