c a g e

Dad did, you just forgot about it because it was traumatic to always be losing your middle finger like that. Maybe if you didn't start sticking it up the moment you realized it was a bad thing, we wouldn't have that problem. It's my job to not let you forget. Sometimes I just want to...hire the summer interns year round so I never have to do it. But at least they're here now.

Why would it have to be my middle finger that's getting lost? Unless this is some sort of social commentary about me sticking up my middle finger a lot, and then... I guess you're not entirely wrong, yeah. Fair. But it's just so fun to use a middle finger! Why wouldn't someone want to do that? Getting up and moving and making sure things are running is probably the toughest part, until you get into a good routine.

Eh, you're still young enough to change your mind about your career. Plus, you'd still be a craftsman so you might be able to keep some of your clients. With five kids it's inevitable, yes. That's the reality of having so many- one or two, sure, they might not give you a grandkid, but with five it's definite. Of course you do. You're a dad after all, that's what dads do. Or so I hear.

Young enough, sure. Ambitious enough...? That's the real question here, Elise. And the answer is definitely no, I like what I do, so we're going to have to find you a stonemason to build your fancy cat staircase. Or... settle for your best friend building you one out of wood. Yeah, exactly. Kind of like a "ready or not" sort of thing, where I know it's going to happen at some point. True. I was going to say that I'm the #1 Dad, but Father's Day isn't here yet.

"Hey, I'm not in any rush." JJ shrugged, laughing softly. "I don't think I'll ever be ready for my little girl to grow up." But then again, it was inevitable. "My heart still breaks when I have to leave Mia at daycare. I can't imagine how it's going to be once she starts kindergarten." Of course, they still had two years until that day would come. Until then, he was perfectly content with enjoying his daughter's toddler years, even if he did complain about it to anyone who was willing to listen. "I try not to bring Mia to the store with me when I'm doing the shopping these days, so it might take me a while to get there," he admitted with a laugh before playfully rolling his eyes. "Hey, you'd be surprised at how many kids have asked me to convince their parents to let them take woodshop at school. Some even go as far as asking me to write a note saying it's okay, even though it's not my call." That was one of the challenges of being a pediatrician. He would always advocate for his patients when they couldn't advocate for themselves, but that meant working with the parents and not against them. "Now that my parents have both retired, they've been keen on making it to all of the meetings. With the two of them being more involved now, I didn't mind taking a step back." Hearing Cage speak about his father, he nodded. "I'm sure your dad's proud of you for being involved, Cage. I'm sure both your folks are."

"No one is," but it didn't matter how ready you felt; time could be cruel in that it kept marching, regardless of whether or not you wanted someone to grow up, whether or not you were ready to see someone become an adult in your eyes. Plus side, Mia would always be JJ's little girl, no matter how old she got. "It's a lot until it isn't," he tried to explain, "eventually, you realize that they're enjoying themselves and learning a lot and making friends, and suddenly it's a lot less hard to watch them head into their classroom." He had struggled with the girls entering kindergarten, remembered what it was like when Colton had started school, too, but… that felt like forever ago, now. "Yeah, I don't… think that's how it works," he let out a stifled laugh, "unless they need a note from a physician about a wood allergy or something, it's pretty much up to the parents and the shop teacher, unfortunately, so they have a lot of begging to do if they want to get in there," Cage had never had to beg, and god, was he grateful for that. It was weird to think of what his life could have been if his father hadn't allowed him to chase those dreams. Or make his own mistakes. Because plenty of those happened, too. The corner of his mouth twitched into a small smile at the idea of his father being proud, though that was a whole can of worms he tried not to think about, and he nodded with gratitude.

"You should," he confirmed with a smile and a nod of his head, "you can try your hand at another plate, see if you've improved your skills in the past eleven years." While art itself hadn't really been something Cage was into -- exception being drawing, he had always had a knack for it, drew up his own tattoo, could whip up a house design in the blink of an eye -- he still found it to be relaxing, sitting back and watching something come to life, and then getting to choose how it would be presented to the world. Who would have known that pottery would have been the thing he enjoyed come stressful times? "It could definitely be a good bonding activity, and like you said, if she got to make something that she'd actually get good use out of… kids like that, right? Getting to say that they made something themselves?" Colton had a napkin holder he bragged about on the kitchen table, Cage knew he'd never get rid of it. He was sure Navy would feel the same way about anything that Sadie made, too. "I'm a wood nerd," he confirmed with a nod of his head and a laugh as he patted the wood in question. "Sometimes that's okay, too, if you know that you're just going to replace it all the next year, but if not, might as well clean it up good, make sure it'll last." Less wasteful that way, he supposed. "Exactly that. Straw and hay ain't cheap these days, unfortunately, so it's a little money saved for me, and if it helps out the local farmers by making sure they can get lots of crop… I feel good about that."

"Thank you." She said and took a seat beside Cage as the boys started to go through the bag. "All the pads, at least for today, Fin." It was her son's turn to roll his eyes, but she watched as he picked up a pair of knee pads and sit on the concrete to put them on. Maybe she was being too much, but she didn't want to see something happen to when he was learning. She'd back off and let him have his fun when she knew that he wasn't going to send the board flying out from under him.

Cage did his absolute best to keep a smile at bay as Finley was told to put the pads on, knowing that it was every kid's worst nightmare. How many times had Cage been told by his own dad as a kid to put his helmet on before he could go out on his bike? Or lectured about wearing a life vest when they took the boat down to the lake to do some fishing? It had always gotten under his skin back then… but now, he understood it. He had been the same way with Colton when he was younger, had worried and fretted and bought brand new everything to keep him safe and protected. "He can take it home, too," Cage said with a nod towards the bag, "if he wants to practice in the driveway or anything. I know you'd feel better if he was suited up."

Amber's gaze lowered for a moment and she shook her head before she spoke again. "Not at all," she said. "Everyone's different. I remember exactly what I did." Mainly because she'd spent it with Dan; her memories of him were very much etched into her mind. She hadn't forgotten a single moment with him. "Ahh, yeah. I feel like I'm not really missing much there," she chuckled. "I don't exactly need another job. I think watching everyone else take care of their kids will do for me."

"I was on the road, I remember that much," staying in one of those sleazy hotels, which did make him laugh as he finished the thought, "I actually do remember a little bit, but it was just that the room I was living in at the time had those vibrating beds? What a way to hit twenty-one." At least it was something he could look back on and laugh at, now. His smile softened a bit when she said that she remembered what she did, tilting his head to one side, "so not overblown hangover for you the next day after the big two-one, then? If you can remember it, I mean." Not everyone could, clearly, himself being a shining example. "It can absolutely be a lot," Cage would never be one of those parents who dreamed of telling someone they were missing out or they must be unfulfilled, or any one of those platitudes some people leaned into. Kids were hard. Being a dad was hard. Rewarding, yes, but that didn't take away from it being a tough job. "… besides, that means you can just buy all the cupcakes I work so hard to make for the bake sales."

"Me? Keeping them in line? If anything, they'll spend even more money. Wouldn't be their money that they're spending but hey," Dylan said with a chuckle, knowing that if they ended up hanging out with the two boys just so they could win something, they'd be the one paying for most of them and told the two to use their money on something else. "Ha! You know if I do that, they'll judge, right? I think that tactic only worked when you're a child. Or technically still a child." Or if they had a child, that might work too. Unfortunately, neither of those scenarios apply to them. But maybe they could give that strategy a try anyway. "Nah. Peanut butter sandwich and ice tea," they said with a straight face, watching Cage tapping his pockets for something. They then raised their eyebrows at the sudden demand, standing up to follow Cage out of the tent. "Hold on. I don't remember agreeing to that. But I suppose I should. You gotta save your money for the kids. I could get you a sugary drink this time," they shrugged and gave a mischievous grin. "Water with an insane amount of sugar sound good?"

"What a weird way to choose to go broke, Dyl," Cage said with a grin, knowing that those boys could absolutely blow through money if they wanted to. But… they were also responsible and would probably at least share their winnings with Dylan if it came down to it. Letting out a laugh at their insistence that bribing only worked with small children, he knew that they weren't entirely wrong, but… "they have secret weapons in their little sisters." That was entirely true, and he was sure it was part of the reason why they were spending so much time with Rosalyn and Cienna at Spring Fling. On top of this being one of the last events in town before Shawn would be heading off to college, but both could be true at once. "You agreed to it when you wandered by, it was an unspoken thing. You know, sibling shows up, sibling buys drink? It's what happens." He pocketed his hands with what he hoped was a sheepish grin, maybe hoping to do some of that bribing, himself. "Does the sugary water have flavor?" he asked as they started walking, "or is this just… literally sugar water? Do you think I'm a hummingbird?"

Lottie sighed a little and nodded, "Why do you have to be so wise Cage?" She giggled a little as she looked over at him for a moment, and smiled at the offer, "Thank you, i appreciate it. If you ever need someone to look after them, I am here to help as well." She smiled looking over at him for a moment. She couldn't help but laugh at his comment about his daughters and shook her head, "That really doesn't surprise me." She smiled over as she took a hold of Cage's son and she couldn't help but smile with the connection, him and Cordelia had created something beautiful and she kind of envied what they had together. She nodded, "You should get up there, we could ride together it will be nice. Also if you ever want your daughters to be taught you know who to ask, I am always available to teach anyone in the family. Including this little one when he gets a little older." She smiled, she was very excited for the day she could take her daughter out on a horse with her and teach her but she was waiting until she was at least five.

"It's old age," he promised her with a lopsided smile, "eventually, you'll be an old woman and feel sage and wise, too." Or maybe it was the whole brood of kids that he had in his life that had taught him so many life lessons, made him feel smarter than he had any right to feel at any given point in time in his life. "Yeah, of course," he offered her another smile, "you know you're always near the top of our babysitters list." Even though he had trusted sitters to call when they needed, and knew there would be many interviews for a now-and-then nanny, Cage would always prefer knowing his kids were safe and sound with trusted family when they needed someone. Watching as Lottie got settled in with Ronan, he settled himself back into his chair and let out a laugh, "don't tell them that, they've got Kenzie teaching them dance, they'll have you teaching them about horses… they ask for a pony a lot, I let them ride Beanstalk every now and then, but he's an old gentleman, I don't like to push it too much." The donkey was a big guy, a mammoth jackstock, but also a rescue and living out his happy retirement, Cage didn't want to cause him any harm. Lessons with Lottie wouldn't be a bad idea at all, when they were ready for it.

When Finley has asked if he could hang out at the park with Colton, Allison had excitedly agreed. It would get him out of the house, and she could make some time to deal with the chores that had piled up over the last week. But when she asked for more information, she knew that clutter in the attic would have to wait a little longer. The skate park made her nervous. As far as she knew, Finley had never even stepped onto a skateboard, and it sounded like the perfect way to end his field hockey career before it even got started. "And you're sure that Colton said they have an extra helmet for you?" Her son sighed and looked at her. "I'm just trying to keep you safe."

Finley reminded him of Colton. Young, ambitious, eager. It wasn't to say that his son wasn't still that way sometimes, but he was going into his senior year of high school, dating, thinking about jobs and college and the future… and there was a part of him that was beyond grateful that he still wanted to go hang out at the skate park. Even more grateful that he had someone like Finley to do it with.

"Probably not," Amber said, laughter slipping from her lips. "But I suppose it is a rite of passage, so to speak. The same as when you turn eighteen... or twenty-one, sorry, if you're here. It's been years and I still forget. But you have to, y'know? Same kind of thing." Not that you could compare being twenty-one with forty, not really, but when it came to age-restricted bars. Her nose wrinkled for a moment and she laughed. "Isn't that what they do already, anyway?"

"I don't even remember how I spent my twenty-first birthday, is that bad?" Cage screwed up his face, searching his memory. He was sure it was in a bar somewhere, tucked into a corner with friends he was working with at the time, or maybe flirting with someone he had eyed across the room and decided to make a target. Funny how it all changed; now he was forty and out celebrating with friends at one of the more classy bars in town, going home to five kids and a wife. "Absolutely," he heaved a sigh, "bake sales, car washes, those little cards that people buy and then they get a certain percentage off at restaurants in town? Mums, wreaths… fundraising never really ends as a parent."

"Do you ever do pottery up at the Wheel?" he asked, reaching to clear away some brush from the box that they were working on, pulling out weeds that had taken some pretty deep roots and shaking them off before tossing them onto one of the piles to be composted and gotten rid of later, "I know it's not really the same kind of painting, but I find that therapeutic, getting to watch something get built with your own two hands, then painting it, giving it a little more life." Granted, it was all done in stages, but sometimes that was good, too, teaching you patience when it came to the projects in front of you. "Trust me, we'll put some on," he nodded, "otherwise all of this wood is going to need ripped up and replaced next year, and the cycle continues." How many times had he and his father gone over the fences and garden boxes on the farm, making sure to replace old, worn boards, using products that would let them last longer without damaging the plants, the soil, anything else that they touched. "Hay and straw," he answered with a smile, "that's actually our working deal. I don't ask for money for the land, as long as they don't mind giving me some straw and hay for the animals. Normally I find some sweet corn and field corn on the front porch at random, too, which is nice."

"I'll never say no to baby cuddles." Candice grinned over at him. Even when she was a NICU nurse, she loved to cuddle the babies who needed it. She smiled at Cage's compliment. "Thank you. That means a lot coming from you. You and Cordelia do a great job as well. Definitely something to look up to." She nodded and smiled again. "We both like that we can be there for them at the same time and the kids like to see both of us together."

"Especially since we only have a few years to enjoy them," he said with a laugh, knowing that all too soon, kids grew tired of spending time with parents, got tired of the hugs and kisses and smudging dirt off of their faces. It all happened so quickly, and Cage had learned to make sure to enjoy every moment that he could. "I really appreciate that," he said with a warm smile, knowing that no matter what compliments he got in his life, kind words about his parenting -- and his kids -- meant the most to him. "Definitely makes life easier, too, right? For holidays and everything."