âHeyyyy there, buddy. Whatcha doing?â Cooper asked.
âClimbinâ the net! Iâm Batman! There are bad guys on the other side!âÂ
âSo I see. But I thought you were Robin, squirt?â
âNO. NOW IâM BATMAN.â
âAnderson! Get your kid brother off the field!â his teammate called.
âIâm working on it!â he called back. He turned to his brother, who was reaching the top of the net and its metal frame. âBlaine. Itâs time to come down. Weâre playing right now.â
Blaine frowned. âIâm playing, too.â
âI can see that. But I donât want you to get hit in the face with the ball, squirt.â
Blaine sighed and allowed his brother to pick him off the netting and walk him over to a tree. âI brought your coloring books and crayons.â
âI want to play on the swings!â Blaine moaned, looking forlorn. Cooper looked over to the swing set a distance away on the lot.Â
âAnderson!â A voice belted. âGet back in the game!â
âComing!â he called. He turned to Blaine. âAfter, I promise. Just sit tight for a half hour. And then later we can watch Batman and make a Batcave fort out of the couch while mom and dad are gone, and Iâll make mac nâ cheese for us.â
He watched as Blaineâs face lit up like he had somehow gained another birthday.
âYeah,â Cooper smiled. âReally.â
âCOOP!â his teammate bellowed.Â
âBe good, Blainers. Iâll be done soon,â he said, and rushed back out to the field.
âHe canât do this during a game, you know,â his friend said, tossing him the ball.
âHe wonât. He knows better than that. Blaine knows whatâs real and whatâs practice.â
âCouldnât you just leave him home?â
Cooper looked flustered. âLook, thereâs not much I could do today. My parents are out of town and they forgot to leave money for a sitter.â
âDonât your parents know you have practice?â Cooper just shrugged. âWow. I thought you rich kids got everything.â
âNope. Well, yes. Everything but parents. Weâre delightfully neglected.â