by Cat Mason
Blowing out a breath, I step around the table, needing to put distance between us. “Miss Rae, sit with me!” Jazzie exclaims, waving her hand. “After we eat, you can come see my room, it’s pink and purple and pink!”
“That sounds great, sweetie.”
Stepping around the table, I sit between her and a man with long red hair. He isn’t as tall as Henry, by any means, but he’s built like a tank. “Mack,” he says, holding out his hand for me to shake.
“Oh,” I say, holding out my hand. His big hand engulfs mine and he squeezes his long fingers, his thumb running along my hand in an almost caress. I giggle to myself, instantly pegging him as a manwhore and over-the-top flirt.
Mack smiles, his blue eyes lingering on mine. “Don’t you dare get any ideas, Silver Shagger, your cock is in a time out,” Hunter says around a bite of his sub. “One more unauthorized fuck and you’re goin’ in the cage.”
My eyes widen at the sudden turn in the conversation. What the hell?
“You make me sound like a dog,” Mack huffs. Releasing my hand, he turns and squirts barbecue sauce on his plate and begins dipping his fries in it.
“Well, if it ruts like a dog and humps anything in sight like a dog,” Chase mutters under her breath, getting some chuckles from everyone around the table. “Woof woof, Mack.”
“Maybe we should get a two for one deal at the Vet,” Henry says, taking the seat at the head of the table, his eyes never leaving mine. “We can neuter Bits and Mack both.”
Hunter holds up a cheese covered French fry, pointing it at Henry, his eyes hardening. “The wiener gets to keep his balls.”
“All right, all right,” Daisy says, covering her mouth with her hand. Taking a deep breath, she rolls her eyes. “I don’t know about anyone else, but the escalation of the lunch conversation is making me want to heave. Let’s not scare Rae off on her first official day, okay?”
Discussion turns toward the upcoming trip and wedding for Hunter and Chase. Lists are made of things that have yet to be done and I get lost in the chatter as I begin eating my lunch. Glancing up, I see Henry watching me as he dumps hot sauce on his sandwich, his glasses firmly back in place over his eyes.
Everything about him has me asking a hundred questions to myself about the man, but none that I can answer. Not yet, anyway. Joshua still weighs heavily on my mind, even though I try to shove him from my thoughts and stay involved in the conversation, I can feel that I am failing miserably.
Looking down at my plate, I decide that I’ve eaten more than enough. I need some air and some time with the kids to change the direction of my thoughts. “How about I take Brannon and Jasmine outside for a bit while you finish up lunch and get the last minute details sorted?”
Daisy looks over and smiles at me. “Of course, that’s a great idea.”
“Go ahead, beautiful,” Mack says around a mouthful of food. “I’ll be out as soon as I’m done. I can help ya with the munchkins.”
“No!” nearly everyone shouts in unison, making me jump.
“Thank you, Mack, but I’m sure you’ve got more important things to do. We’ll be just fine.” Standing from the table, I look down at Jazzie. “Are you finished?” I ask, relieved that my excuse is working.
Jazzie tosses her French fry to the plate, a smile spreading across her face. “Yes!” Leaping from the chair, she runs around the table and toward the doorway.
“Wait for Miss Rae,” Hunter scolds. “We talked about this, Jasmine.”
“Yeah, yeah, okay.” Jasmine, mumbles. Leaning against the doorway, she crosses her arms over her chest.
Walking over to the highchair, I smile down at Brannon. “Are you done, handsome?” He doesn’t say a word, but holds his arms out, reaching for me. Removing the tray, I set it aside and begin unbuckling him.
Lifting him into my arms, I feel Henry’s eyes on me again but force myself not to make eye contact. Instead, I look at Daisy as she tells me about the swing set and other yard toys out back and to just let someone know if I need anything.
With Brannon on my hip, I take Jazzie’s hand. “How about you show me your swing set?”
“I have a pink Harley Power Wheels too. Mommy says every girl needs a hot pink motorcycle,” Jazzie says leading me up the hallway toward a set of French doors that lead to a back porch. Taking a much needed deep breath and exhaling, I follow her out to the yard to play.
The back yard is nearly a theme park. Play sets and battery controlled vehicles are just a few things they have to play with. Why would they ever need to leave here? Jasmine jumps from toy to toy, giving me the run down on why she loves this one or that one, while Brannon goes about his business and heads past all of it to the sandbox.
I don’t know how much time has passed, but by the time Grayson comes out and says that it’s time for Brannon’s nap, Jazzie has told me enough stories to fill an encyclopedia set. Brannon, however, is content burying his cars in the sand. He doesn’t say anything, but his mind is going a mile a minute, the tip of his tongue poking out of his mouth as he concentrates on covering each car. The fresh air and time with the kids has improved my mood. I focus on playing with them and find myself laughing at the things that come out of Jasmine’s mouth, but it reminds me to be very careful what she hears me say.
The kid is a non-stop playback of everything and anything she hears. Brannon couldn’t get a word in, even if he wanted to.
“Miss Rae, do I have to come inside and take a nap?” Jazzie asks, pouting her lip.
“Do you usually take one?” I ask, dusting off the sand from Brannon’s jeans.
“I’m not a baby.”
Looking at Grayson, I watch as he nods, silently answering the question I already knew the answer to. Everything Brannon and Jasmine do every day was written down for me along with restrictions for their diet and playtimes. Even though I am sure it is chaotic living this life, they run a tight ship. Instead of following the rules as she knows them, I’m being played by a pint-sized diva. Okay, that’s fine. “How about this, we can go inside and watch a movie. Anything you want,” I suggest, lifting the baby into my arms. “I’ll get Brannon to sleep and if you’re really quiet while I do, and still awake, I’ll let you pick a game for us to play until he wakes up. Would you like that?”
“Oh boy!” She climbs off her bike, running through the grass ahead of Grayson and me toward the porch.
“Very smooth, I’m impressed,” Grayson says, smiling at me. It’s uncanny how much of a carbon copy Brannon is of his dad. They share the same inky black hair and killer smile. No doubt this little boy will be a heartbreaker.
“It was nothing. Jazzie just needed the obvious choice wrapped in the right incentive, that’s all. It’s normal for her to test the boundaries in a new situation, even adults do that. She’ll find out soon enough that I am not going to be lax on the rules that were already in place.”
“Good to know,” he says, holding the door open for me when we reach it.
Jazzie comes barreling in from the hallway with a Blu-Ray in her hand, nearly colliding with my leg. I shift Brannon from my hip, bracing for the impact that will no doubt knock me on my ass. Luckily, Grayson scoops her up in his arms just before she slams into me. “Jazz, what did we say about running in the house? One of these days, you’re going to get hurt.”
“Sorry, Uncle Gray.” Jazzie’s eyes tear and her bottom lip trembles at being scolded. Grayson sighs, running his thumb over her cheek, he swipes at an escaping tear, and I can’t help smile at the heartwarming moment. They are a very close bunch that’s for sure. It’s very sweet. Pressing a kiss to her forehead, Gray sits her back on her feet.
“Just be careful, sweetheart.”
Jazzie sniffles, nodding her head in silent agreement. Looking up at me, she holds up her movie choice. “This one is my favorite. Usually Uncle Mack watches with me and sings the princess parts with me, but he had to take Daddy to do schtuff for the wedding.” Bouncing on her heels, she smiles brightly. “Dadd
y and Mommy and me are getting married. I get to wear a pretty dress and throw flowers and Daddy will dance with me.” Clutching the case to her chest, she spins in a circle. “Daddy said anything for his princesses.”
“You’ll be beautiful. I can’t wait to see your dress,” I reply, taking her hand. “Let’s go, princess, time to get settled in.”
When Chase sees us coming up the hallway, she tells me that it’s probably best to take the kids down to their basement apartment. “There’s a playpen and diapers set up for Brannon in the living room for naptime since it usually gets loud up here during the day. Make yourself at home, Rae.”
Nodding, I follow Jasmine down the stairs. The living room and kitchen are one wide, open space. A plasma screen is mounted on the wall and fluffy couches and chairs are angled toward it. Jasmine, walks over and flips a few buttons on the remote. The television turns on while she opens the case and I stand in awe while a five year old works something I clearly would have needed help with.
When the hell did kids get so damn smart?
Pulling off his sneakers, I quickly change Brannon’s diaper before grabbing the throw cover and settling in the chair while Jazzie lies on the couch closest to the television. Kicking off her bright pink Converse, she lies back on the cushions and dangles her feet over the arm of the couch, kicking them back and forth as the movie begins to play.
I cuddle Brannon to me and begin rocking slowly back and forth. The tips of my fingers run across his forehead causing him to yawn. I hum softly while his sweet blue eyes grow heavier by the second. Continuing to hum as I rock, I listen to Jazzie singing along with the music, her feet moving slower, but still kicking back and forth.
“Is he asleep yet?” she asks, her eyes still locked on the screen while two sisters play in the snow.
“Huh uh,” I sing softly. My index finger runs along his eyebrows then down his nose, causing his eyes to close completely. He sighs softly, his little body relaxing more and more as I repeat the path again and again. By the time one of the princesses goes ape shit and abandons her kingdom to become a hermit in the mountains, Brannon is fast asleep.
I continue to rock in the chair until everything is right again in the world of childhood cinema. Once the credits start to roll, I stand up and walk over to the playpen. Settling Brannon in it, I make sure to tuck the cover around him. He hiccups then begins snoring lightly, making me giggle. After brushing the shaggy black locks from his face, I turn and see that Jasmine’s feet are no longer moving. Her eyes now closed as she naps on the couch, just as I predicted she would do.
Walking into the kitchen, I open the fridge and grab a water before settling on a bar stool. Flipping through the stack of magazines on the bar, I get lost in the Cosmo mag. Not only learning about the top beach destinations of the year, but there is an in-depth interview with a woman who decided that biting off her boyfriend’s penis while he was asleep was the perfect revenge for bad oral.
“Oh please,” I mumble at the magazine, rolling my eyes at her stupidity. “The perfect revenge for a man who can’t properly get you to the O-zone is to lock yourself in the bedroom and do it yourself while all he can do is listen from the other side of the door as you scream Duracell’s name instead of his. Fucker would get wise quick and you wouldn’t be spitting blood.”
5
Pissing Off
Henry
“I think you’re a little too late to give her advice,” I say the minute my feet hit the bottom step. The last thing I expected was to come check on things down here and hear that. Instantly, the thought of Rae screaming anything, especially my name, has my dick ready to start the countdown to launch.
Sorry to get your hopes up, big guy, no one is being called to active duty today. Or anytime soon for that matter.
Rae jumps from the stool, knocking it over, her water bottle tumbling to the floor along with the magazine. “Shit! It’s not possible for someone as big as you to be such a fucking ninja.”
“I thought I was a teddy bear.” I say crossing my arms over my chest. Her face is blood red in embarrassment, no doubt at me overhearing her one-sided conversation. I have to bite back my urge to laugh at how fucking cute she looks all worked up. “Have I been promoted?”
The baby starts to cry from across the room. Rae doesn’t give me a second thought and immediately is at his side, pulling him from the pen. “Oh, shhh now. Everything is all right, handsome.”
Grabbing a dish towel from the shelf, I take a knee and start cleaning up the water from the tile while Rae paces the floor in front of the television. Her hips sway back and forth as she makes pass after pass until he starts to calm and fall back to sleep.
By the time I have the floor dry, and everything righted in the kitchen, Rae is just laying Brannon back down. Closing the distance, I run a hand through my hair. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you or wake up the little guy. I was just checking on things down here. Do you need anything?”
“I’m fine, but thank you,” she replies, walking into the kitchen. Turning on the faucet, she begins washing her hands. “If I need anything that I can’t handle myself I’ll be sure to let you know.”
Drying her hands, she opens the fridge and begins pulling out some apples and grapes. I have to laugh at how poor Hunter would cringe when Rae pushes the package of bacon out of the way in order to reach the carrots and celery. Sitting on the stool, I watch as she rinses everything before settling them on the cutting board that is already on the counter top. She opens a few drawers before pulling out a knife.
Her fingers curl round the top of the apple as the slides the blade through it. My eyes lock on her purple painted finger nails while she strips away the peel. Once she has the apple peeled, she begins cutting it into thin strips before starting to quarter the grapes. She slices the carrots and the celery into strange shapes and I begin to get curious as to what she could possibly be doing.
“I hope you know, Jazzie won’t eat that,” I blurt.
Setting the knife down, Rae exhales. Moving to the dish drainer, she takes the two cartoon plates and begins arranging the fruit on them. She doesn’t say a word, and I start to tell her that she is wasting her time, but I don’t. For whatever reason, Rae is putting a lot of time into preparing this snack so I choose not to rain on her parade.
Jasmine will do enough of that once she wakes up.
After a few minutes, Rae takes a plate in each hand and places them on the bar in front of me. Instantly, I look to the plates and my eyes widen. The pink plate has the fruit and vegetables all arranged to look like a flower patch. Brannon’s plate has the fruit cut considerably smaller, but she’s used the grapes for wheels and the apple, carrots, and celery to make the shape of a truck.
“I’m hungry,” Jazzie says, standing to her feet. Rubbing her eyes, she navigates her way to the kitchen and climbs onto the stool beside me.
“I had a feeling you would be,” Rae informs her, pushing the plate in front of her. “Good thing I made you a snack, huh?”
“It’s so pretty,” Jazzie says, turning the plate as she examines Rae’s handiwork.
Rae pours a glass of juice and sets it down beside the plate, her eyes move to mine, the brown filled with satisfaction at Jazzie’s reaction. Jasmine picks up a grape, popping it into her mouth. Both of us watch and wait.
“Mmm,” Jazzie says, grabbing for a piece of carrot next.
Rae’s eyes are on me again, a confident smile spreading across her face that screams, “I told you so”. “Eat up, then we can play a game while Brannon finishes his nap.” Picking up the other plate, she covers it with plastic wrap and places it in the fridge along with the containers of unused food. Popping a grape into her mouth, she sits down on the other side of the bar and looks at me. “Did you need something, Henry?”
“Big Man,” Jasmine says around her carrot, her fingers wrapping around the glass of juice. “Are you gonna play Candy Land with us?”
My eyes stay locked on Rae, that co
nfident smirk, still firmly in place. “No, Jazz, I think I’ll go make sure Uncle Mack got Daddy back home. Besides, you don’t need to prove to Miss Rae how badly you can beat us guys at that game. Pushing off the stool, I head toward the steps. Unable to help myself, I look back and grin at Rae. “Watch out,” I say pointing at Jasmine, who has nearly cleared her plate already. “Diva there can cheat like a boss.”
“I do not!” Jasmine exclaims. Turning sideways on the stool, she points a celery stalk at me. “I win every time, squares and fairs, like a boss ass bitch.”
I can’t help laughing. The kid is always saying the most inappropriate shit, and sometimes it’s too funny to ignore. Rae immediately stops me, pinning me with a glare that clearly tells me to fuck off into next week with the business end of a rusty pitchfork. Her eyes narrow further, stopping me from speaking, walking, fuck, I’m not sure if I’m breathing.
“Jasmine, those are grown up words,” Rae says, her eyes going soft as she looks over to Jazzie, her tone calm and even. “I don’t think it’s a good idea for a little girl to use them.”
“Sorry, Miss Rae,” Jazzie says, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.
“Okay, go ahead and get your game, honey. I need to talk to Big Man a minute then we’ll set it up here and play.” Rae looks at me and begins to close the distance between us while Jasmine climbs from the stool and disappears into her room. “Look,” she begins, crossing her arms beneath her breasts, forcing them to press against the fabric of her shirt. “I get that you run things, I really do, but that is a behavior we can’t encourage by laughing at her for it. No disrespect, Henry, but I take my job as serious as you do and can’t have every positive step made be knocked back by a negative response. Just because things were working a certain way, doesn’t mean they can’t work just as well with the changes I will put in place at the request of Daisy, Grayson, Chase and Hunter since they are the ones who have set my guidelines to go by.” Reaching out, she flattens her palms against my chest, the warmth of her hands making my muscles twitch beneath my shirt. “I’d appreciate it if you give me room. If I need you for anything, like I said before, I’ll be sure to let you know.”
