Chapter 10 #2
“Linc! Did you see how fast we went? Pops, did you see?” Lou asked excitedly.
“That was definitely the fastest slide I’ve ever seen. And those bumps? You were flying, kid!” I told her, and was rewarded with a big, toothy smile.
As the day wore on, I was constantly impressed and surprised at how much energy Lou had.
Her excitement was contagious, and it was turning into an awesome day.
After the first round of rides, we hit the food stands.
For a tiny girl, Lou put away a soft pretzel, a corn dog, and almost a full funnel cake.
Undeterred, I could hear her bargaining with Walt for popcorn and cotton candy as dessert.
“I’ll brush my teeth and go right to bed if I can have some dessert. I’ll even eat extra broccoli tomorrow. I promise, Pops! Pinky swear!”
“Why don’t we try out some games?” I asked, worried about Lou going on a ride after eating that much.
“Really? Do you think you can win a prize?” she asked, her eyes getting big.
“I bet you can win a prize all by yourself, but I’m happy to help out. Wanna start with Whac-o-mole?” I asked, pointing to the familiar game. Lou was scrambling up into a seat before I’d finished the sentence.
“It would be cheaper to just buy her a stuffed animal. You know these games are rigged, right?” Sophie asked, her cheeks and eyes bright from all the excitement.
“Where’s the fun in that?” I told her, and she rolled her eyes good-naturedly.
Neither Lou nor I won at Whac-o-mole, ring toss, or the fishbowl game—thankfully. Determined not to let Lou go home empty-handed, we made our way to the high-striker game. A neon-green teddy bear bigger than Lou dangled behind the tower, and I knew I had to win it.
The teenager manning the game didn’t look up from his phone as he took my money.
“Grab the mallet and hit the lever. Hit the bell, win a prize,” he told me automatically as I picked up the hammer, testing its weight. My first swing was good, but it wasn’t a winner.
“Aww! That was so close, Linc!’ Lou groaned behind me. I was already passing another $5 bill to the kid.
Adjusting my stance, I eyed the machine again and readied my swing. This time, I hit the base square in the middle. The puck shot up and hit the bell, the sound sweeter than anything else at that moment. The kid looked up from his phone, a frown on his forehead, before taking me in.
“Alright, man, you won. Pick your prize.” He pointed to a row of small toys behind him.
“How do we get that one?” I asked, pointing to larger animals.
“Gotta hit the bell three times,” the kid said, finally watching us instead of his phone.
“Alright. Set me up for round two,” I told him, and Lou squealed behind me.
“Mommy! He’s gonna get the big bear! Do you think he can do it?”
“We’ll see, Lulu. You gotta cheer him on, though. I think that would help, don’t you?”
“GO, LINC, GO!” Lou immediately yelled, which had both Walt and Sophie laughing. The mallet was a familiar weight in my hand at that point, but there was a new feeling of pressure, knowing I had to do this two more times to win Lou the biggest prize.
Turning to check out our little group, something inside me melted when I saw Sophie holding Lou as they cheered me on, with Walt smiling and clapping alongside them. Turning back to the game, I swung the mallet, and was rewarded with the sound of the bell.
“HE DID IT! HE WON AGAIN!” Lou screeched, and I thought my eardrums might burst.
Saying a silent prayer, I lifted the mallet once more.
It felt like my future depended on that one game.
It was more than just winning a prize, it was more than showing off.
I wanted to make Sophie and Lou happy. I wanted a small physical representation of how far I was willing to go, how much I wanted to give them.
With that thought settling firmly around me, I lifted the mallet one last time.
The answering bell was like a confirmation of all of my thoughts up until that moment.
“WE WON! He did it, Mama! He’s gonna get the biggest prize in the whole park!” Lou screeched. I was filled with pride.
“Good job, man! Take your pick of the big ones up here. You’re like, really strong. Do you lift?” the kid asked.
“Nah, just stay fit for work. Hey, Lou, wanna help me pick the prize? I was thinking the green one looked good. What do you think?” I asked, wanting to make sure we got the one she wanted.
“I like the green! It’s like a giant gummy bear! They’re my favorite.”
“Alright. Let’s grab it, then!” Lifting Lou up, I helped her get the large bear that had a couple of inches on her.
“THIS IS SO COOL. Mommy, do you see how big it is? Linc, can I borrow it sometime?” she asked hesitantly.
“I was thinking maybe you could hold onto it for me, keep him company,” I told her, and Lou froze before throwing her arms around my neck. As if on instinct, Sophie stepped forward and caught the bear before it hit the ground.
“Alright, you three get together. Let’s document this victory.” Walt took a few pictures on his phone, but I barely noticed. Matching pairs of green eyes looked up at me, warm with laughter and joy, and something in my chest shifted. I made it my mission to keep them that way.