Chapter Five
"I don't even want to know how long it took to fill up all these balloons," Melissa said as she stared at the bucket full of different colored balloons filled with water. "I imagine their hands were quite pruny afterward."
"They were compensated well for their time," Justin grinned as he gathered his team around. There was a slight break before the next event. They had just finished the relay races. Team Justin had come in second; Chris just crossing the finish line ahead of Justin. The relay race was a dash a hundred meters. Each participant had to run up to the fifty meter line and back. When they reached their team, the next runner had to do the same. But they didn't just run. One member had to bear crawl, another had to crab walk. Two members had to do the wheelbarrow and when they got to the halfway point had to switch. The adult women on the team had to do summersaults down and back. The men had to give piggy back rides to the women.
The races had been full of laughter, especially the women starting off with summersaults. Melissa and Kat had rolled into each other once, losing seconds as they laid there and laughed. When they reached the finish line, sending the next member - a child- they all laid on the ground, wishing the world would stop spinning. To give the woman a chance to right their equilibrium the guys were the last to go.
The day was shaping up to be great. It had been a long time since Melissa had this much fun, laughing and giggling and cheering on not just the members of her team, but all the kids. They were what the day actually about. This was put on for them and it warmed her heart to see them having such a great time.
"Everyone doin' good?" Justin asked giving each child a high five. "Alright," he smiled at the excited screams and shouts. "The next event, well, we might get a little wet." He grinned giving Melissa a sideways look.
"Oh no," she held up her hands. "The object it to fill the glass up, not soak your teammates. If you do, I'm gonna send you to the other end and make you hold the glass."
Justin grinned. "We'll see." He turned back to the children. "Now, we have to throw the water balloons to the other end," he pointed to where the contraptions were set up, roughly ten yards away. It looked like a giant funnel and the spouts went into a jar. "We have to toss the balloons at the funnel and fill the jars First team to fill the line wins."
"Do we all throw at once?" Michael, the oldest of the group asked.
"No, we will take turns." Melissa answered. "Two people will start off throwing, a boy and a girl. You throw until you hear a whistle. When you hear the whistle, you switch. You'll keep switching at the whistle until someone wins."
"Michael, you and Megan will start off first." Justin said, giving them each a first bump.
"What if we fill it before you and Melissa get a turn?" Kristy asked.
Justin laughed and grinned. "That's what I like to hear!" He gave her a high-five. "Melissa and I aren't in this. This is just you guys. When you fill it to the line and win," Melissa grinned widely at Justin's proclamation. "It's over."
"But not to fear," Melissa cut in. "We will have to toss the balloons too. Once you guys are finished, they will move the glasses back and we have to try to fill them from further away."
When Michael and Megan started throwing balloons, Justin and Melissa stood back cheering them on, throwing out helpful hints, encouraging, but mostly cheering. It was a tight race the glasses all looked to be at the same level. In order to fill the jars, the balloons had to make it into the funnel. A lot were missing and falling on the ground.
"Alright Megan!" Melissa yelled when the girl threw her red balloon right into the tunnel. A burst of water dropped into the jar.
The whistle blew. Michael and Megan ran back to Justin and Melissa while Kristy and Logan ran up to start throwing. Melissa hugged them both. "Awesome job. We so got this!"
Megan giggled and stepped away and that should have alerted her that something was amiss. She shrieked causing the kids around them, from her team and the others, to laugh uncontrollably as the cold water drenched her head, soaking the top of her shirt. She heard Justin yell out about the same time.
Wiping the water from her eyes she swung around to glare at the culprits. Rachel and JC stood behind them grinning, water dripping from their hands.
"That was for tripping us in the three-legged race!" Rachel grinned, the cut on her lip more pronounced now.
"I hope that was my elbow that caught your lip," Melissa she glared playfully. "I hope it swells up, turns black and falls off."
Rachel laughed. "You're such a dork."
"I hope you guys end up two balloons short of filling your jar," Justin threw at them.
"We stole them from Lance's team," JC laughed. He took Rachel's hand, leading her back to their team as the whistle blew again and the kids changed.
"They'll get what's coming to them," Justin said as he watched them walk away.
*~*~*~*~*
The day was winding down. All events were completed and they converged around the pit for the tug-of-war. It was an elimination style with simple rules. If you lose you're out. Winner moves on until there is only one team left standing - and mud free.
The day was full of laughter and great times. Wonderful memories for all the kids - adults too - to take home. Each kid had an outstanding time, even if they weren't the ones that crossed the finish line first. Before the tug-of-war there were races so the kids could complete individually. And they were also broken up by gender and girls competed against girls. The adults tried too and it was comical. There was more laughter and trash talking amongst the guys than actually competition. And when the girls were completing, the guys were at the finish line cheering them on.
Melissa laughed to herself as she remembered competing in the obstacle course against the other women. They had to hurdle over things, crawl under logs, cross monkey bars and a whole slew of things to reach the finish line. She was as uncoordinated as they come and when she reached the obstacle of having to run through the tires, her feet going in each one, she knew she was doomed. Sure enough when she tried to pick her foot up from the second tire, she stumbled and fell.
Rachel won that event, she recalled. JC there to meet her as she crossed the finish line. The smiles were huge as he wrapped her up in his arms and swung her around. When Melissa had seen that, she faltered, almost stumbling off the log she was running across. When had her friends developed feelings for each other? The smile grew on her face as she climbed up the wall and dropping to the other side. She decided she was happy for them. They deserved to be happy and knew they would be right for each other.
Justin had met her at the finish line with a grin and teasing eyes. He gave her a hug but it wasn't as spectacular as the one JC gave Rachel. ‘You also didn't win,' she chided accepting his hug.
"Next year we'll think of some non running events for you," Justin laughed softly. "Are you okay?"
"Nothing hurt but my pride," Melissa laughed stepping away from him. "And my tush."
Melissa laughed remembering the showing Justin had made checking out her behind before he determined it to be okay.
She frowned as she went back to the hug JC and Rachel shared at the end of the race. Their faces had radiated happiness. She couldn't help but feel a little sad at the fun she could have been having today. Not that Justin wasn't fun... he just wasn't - Joey. She sighed longingly.
"You ready for this, Chica?" Justin asked, bringing her back to the present. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders. He had caught the far off look on her face and the sadness penetrating her eyes. He had done a good job keeping her laughing and happy today it hopes to keep her mind off Joey even when the man was sometimes feet away from them.
"Oh yeah," Melissa sent him a grin, shaking off her thoughts. "Did you see who we are up against?"
Justin looked over at the other side to the team gathered around and smirked. The green team. "Payback."
"Payback."
