“Is today the big day, daddy?”

Dale looked down at his six-year old daughter and nodded. “It is, sweetie. Our special day.”

She jumped up and down in excitement and began running in circles until she crashed into her brother.

“Hey, Carla! Stop that!” Robbie shouted, clenching his fists.

“There’ll be plenty of time for that later,” Dale said, handing Robbie a hammer. “Hold that tight, and be careful until we get there.”

“I want one too!” Carla called, grabbing a slim knife from the lower kitchen counter.

“I’m ready, darling!” Stephanie called from down the hall. Dale looked up expectantly at his wife. He smiled when he saw she was wearing his favorite outfit: a simple black t-shirt and jeans, with her hair pinned up in a bun.

“Beautiful.” He hugged and kissed her. “Let’s go?”

“Let’s go,” she smiled back. “Are the guns already in the truck?”

“They are. Carla has a knife, Robbie has a hammer. I think they’re old enough to hunt now.”

“Hunt?!” Carla jumped excitedly. “That’s the surprise?”

“Yes, baby,” Stephanie knelt in front of her daughter. “Your first hunt!”

“I’m going to be the best hunter this family ever saw!” Robbie laughed on his way out to the truck.

“We’ll see about that, boy.” Dale nodded at them all, secure in the truck. “Where to, you think?”

“Hmm,” Stephanie thought, running her fingers across the barrel of her favorite gun. “The mall.”

“The mall is good hunting,” Dale agreed. “Kids,” he said, looking in the rear view mirror. “You’ll make the news tonight.”