Maddie made a face when DJ mentioned the name their mom used to call her. In all honesty, she would’ve given just about anything to hear her mom call her that again. “That name always made me sound like a stripper.” She blew a raspberry.
She looked at Zach when he mentioned the Zack-attack nickname. Her brows rose. “Z-dog’s a way better nickname.” She nodded as if this was a fact they couldn’t argue with.
Zach’s remark about her routinely tying people up was met with an innocent but proud smile. “Maybe I do. You guys aren’t always around me.”
“Aww,” Maddie forced some disappointment into her voice as she coiled the rope up and tucked it in her jeans pocket. “Ruin my fun by being agreeable, why don’t you?” Maddie had always liked the cowboy thing, despite the fact that their home had been several miles away from the nearest farm. “Dude, I agree. I’d totally rather be in a Western movie. Probably not John Wayne, but maybe a steampunky thing like Wild Wild West.” She nodded excitedly.
When the cell opened, Maddie took Zach’s place leaning against the wall. Normally, a comment like DJ’s — making his life hell — would’ve been answered with a laugh, but considering the walls he’d put up for the past little while, Maddie couldn’t find it in her to take it as a joke. She chewed on her lip. “Definitely interesting. We’re the two most interesting people in the family.”
Maddie had no objections to trying to come up with something for them all to do. She’d just wanted to give DJ the option to pick something he’d be willing to agree to. “Well, we could grab some Nerf guns and use each other for target practice. Or we can build one of those maze course things out of dominos…” She shrugged.