“We have a dishwasher, you didn’t have to do the dishes by hand.” Jason wasn’t sure what to think, but a mental checkmark went against Rose’s name, and a plus sign went into Natalie’s column.
“If I am to be a part of the family, we need to do things as a team to bond together.” Natalie smiled.
He was liking her more and more. But his kids’ opinions mattered, and if they didn’t agree, there might not be a new mom. And there still was that secrets problem.
As the movie ended, Jason shifted in the easy chair and glanced around the living room. They’d watched a cartoon that Larissa had chosen, and the kids were snuggled up with Natalie on the couch. Or perhaps, they’d simply sat next to her because Miss Jenkins was in the other easy chair and George was in his recliner with Emily in his lap. The couch was the only place left to sit.
But Natalie had sat right in the middle of the couch and Larissa, Joe and Adam had claimed the spots, surrounding her, so it seemed they’d chosen to sit by her.
Anna and Stone lounged on the floor pillows, content to stretch out at the base of the couch.
Which made Jason wonder. If they’d all chosen Miss Jenkins already, why wouldn’t Anna and Stone have chosen to lounge at her feet instead of Natalie’s?
Oh, for crying out loud! What was wrong with him? He was losing his mind. The women hadn’t been here long enough to clear a pool table, let alone long enough to make an impact on his children. He was insane. Desperate. Jumping to conclusions like some idiot in a badly-directed B-movie.
Wasn’t he?
“All right, bedtime.” Jason told the kids.
Everyone trooped upstairs, except George, who said goodnight and went out to his little cottage.
Jason corralled the two youngest, and got them going with their baths.
Miss Jenkins seemed at a loss, but when Anna asked her to read a princess book, she accompanied Anna to her room. The drone of her voice over the shouts from the bathtub were comforting. Chalk a plus in Miss Jenkins’s column.
The kids’ playroom overlooked the living room. Stone, Larissa and Joe took Natalie to the open area to show her their treasures—the case filled with fossils and rocks they’d collected at an archaeological dig for children.
Natalie delighted over their finds, and seemed pretty knowledgeable about some of the rocks, too. A plus was chalked up for Natalie.
The older kids jumped in the shower one after another, and soon, Jason was kissing everyone goodnight, and tucking in the little ones.
Miss Jenkins tucked in Anna.
“Goodnight, you all,” Natalie’s soft tone echoed in the girls’ room, and then the boys’ room. She stopped at Stone’s door and whispered a goodnight to him, too.
“Goodnight, children,” Miss Jenkins called.
The two women went to the stairs as if to go down, but stood there, uncertain. Miss Jenkins looked tense, Natalie seemed pensive again.
“Well, I guess I’ll head to bed, too,” Jason said awkwardly, wondering what to do.
“Goodnight, then.” Natalie disappeared into her own room.
“Yes, goodnight, Jason,” Miss Jenkins murmured. She closed the door to her room.
As Jason started down the stairs to the master bedroom, a horrible gargling noise came from Natalie’s room and then a loud thump. He paused, uncertain. Was she choking? There was no other sound. He started towards her door, but then a tap turned on. Apparently, she hadn’t strangled herself, so he moved to the stairs and went down.
He refused to think about her oddities, instead concentrating on how she’d interacted with the children so easily.
In all fairness, Miss Jenkins had seemed smitten with Anna, too. Miss Jenkins had not had the opportunity to spend time with the others, but it would come.
They had three weeks.
7
Natalie decided against another shower. Slipping into her nightgown, she grabbed her tablet to check email.
Working from home had its perks. She could sew anywhere, and her family rarely came to her little apartment, since it quickly became crowded. Besides, as her sister said, a lot of times her apartment looked as though a fabric shop had blown up.
Her family didn’t know she was gone, but she could break away from the mom tryout to check on things at home as needed.
She’d decided against telling her parents or her sisters about this…experiment. She’d simply present them with her readymade family.
If she passed the test.
If she got to know the kids well enough to stay.
If she found a mutual respect for Jason.
She flung the covers back to climb into bed and choked down a scream as she stumbled away. Her feet tangled and she landed on the floor with thump.
Three snakes, their tongues lolling, their beady eyes glowing, stared back at her from the bottom sheet.
Heart in her throat, pulse hammering loud enough for her to hear, she stared at the reptiles, repulsed and disgusted.
For long moments, her mind was blank with fear. But then she noticed the garish colors, their stillness.
Cautiously, she stood up. The snakes didn’t move. Sucking in a deep breath, she grabbed her shirt and waved it. The snakes didn’t move. Summoning courage from her deepest soul, she reached out. With a move worthy of a magician, she snatched all three snakes by their heads, scooping them together and tightening her fist. The snakes dangled, their beady eyes the same and split tongues flopping. Rubber snakes.
The kids’ war had escalated.
3 points – kids.
0 points – Natalie.
8
The next morning, Natalie met Miss Jenkins on the stairs just as Stone came out of his room.
“Hi,” he said, ruffling fingers his hair.
Natalie wasn’t sure, but she could swear he gave her a piercing look, as if he expected something from her.
“Good morning.” She refused to acknowledge anything. Of course, she needed to start working on her strategy if she expected to remain a part of this family. Her children couldn’t continue getting the best of her.
Miss Jenkins had already started down the stairs, so Natalie followed.
Jason was in the kitchen cooking bacon and hash brown potatoes. A bowl of scrambled eggs sat on the counter. He turned at their entrance.
“What can I do to help?” Natalie asked.
“Cut up some fruit?” He raised his brows with the question.
“I can do something, too.” Miss Jenkins’s tone seemed affronted.
“Could you set the table? The dishes are in that cupboard, the flatware is there. Stone can help you.” He added as his son entered the room.
They went about their tasks as morning sunlight flooded the kitchen.
“What a lovely view,” Natalie exclaimed, gazing out the window at the rolling pasture and the horses, already out of the barn.
“Yes, part of the reason we bought it,” Jason said, obvious pride in his voice. “Did you sleep well?”
“Oh, yes.”
Stone shot a look at her, but said nothing.
Emily and Adam toddled in, still in their pajamas and rubbing sleepy eyes.
“I’m hungry,” Emily announced, pouting.
Jason picked her up, snuggled his face into her neck and kissed her on the forehead. “Well, breakfast is coming right up.”
“OK.”
He set her down and picked up Adam, going through the same routine.
The little boy laughed. “The stickers tickle!”
Jason set him down and rasped a hand over his face. “Guess I should’ve shaved first.”
The other children filtered in, came over to their dad and received hugs and kisses.
George came in, looking as if he’d been awake for a while. “Got the horses their grain and let them loose in the back pasture.”
“Thanks, George,” Jason said, patting Larissa’s shoulder as she went by with a cup of juice.
It seemed
a routine morning to Natalie, the children expecting to be loved, their sleepy good mornings echoing around the room. Warmth suffused her. Her family was the same, everyone greeting and cuddling over breakfast, especially the kids. This had to be God’s plan for her, to mother these children and…she looked at Jason. Yes, she was certain God would help them love each other, too. Families were built on love.
Jason finished cooking, plated everything, and then set it on the table.
Stone said grace.
Breakfast was loud as the kids chatted, grabbed bacon and asked for seconds.
“Thank you all so much for the chocolates you put on my pillow last night,” Miss Jenkins said at a break in the conversations as she beamed at the kids. “I enjoyed them very much.”
Natalie looked down at her plate, wondering miserably how she’d failed. What had she done to upset them? It was almost as if they’d known her before she got here, considering the egg thrown at her car as she came down the drive. She thought back to her online presence, wondering if the older kids had looked her up. But what on her quilt and sewing website could have set them off to dislike her?
“That was very thoughtful of all of you,” Jason said, but his face had a perplexed expression, as if he was just as befuddled.
“Thanks,” Stone spoke abruptly, after casting his siblings a quelling glance.
“But it won’t get you out of doing the dishes and cleaning off the table this morning.” Jason grinned. “Because we were interrupted last night, I will take Miss Jenkins and Natalie around the property now, and all of you can join us when you finish up.” He scooted his chair back.
George smiled at the women, winked at the kids, and slapped a ball cap on his head. “See ya outside somewhere.” He went out the door.
Natalie set her napkin on the table and stood.
Jason motioned to her and Miss Jenkins and held the door open as they went out into the sunshine.
“What a beautiful day.” Miss Jenkins sucked in a deep breath. “Do I smell honeysuckle?”
“Right over there.” Jason pointed at the fence line, where a large bush laden with flowers meandered through the rails.
For the next half hour, they toured the barn, walked around the pond, and checked the outside of the small cottage that housed George. Jason showed them the enclosed gazebo, and even took them upstairs over the garage to show off the mother-in-law suite.
Miss Jenkins sat on the bench at the bottom of the stairs, fanning herself.
“Would you like to feed the horses some carrots?” Jason asked.
“I’ll wait here.” Miss Jenkins smiled as perspiration beaded her temples.
Natalie walked with Jason to the corral fence.
He stepped inside the barn and came out with a handful of carrots. “We buy large bags from the farmer’s market so the kids can feed the horses without spoiling their trim figures.”
“Good idea.” Natalie grinned at him.
“How are you adjusting so far?” Jason asked.
“Well, your kids are likable, but they seem to have taken to Miss Jenkins more than me. I’m not exactly sure why.” She wouldn’t tell him about the tricks being played on her. It was something she had to settle with the kids, otherwise they’d never accept her.
“You aren’t ready to give up, are you?”
“Oh, no. It’s only been a day. I plan to give it a good try, I come from a big family and I’ve always wanted one of my own.”
“So being a mom to another woman’s children won’t bother you?”
“As long as it doesn’t bother them. Two of my sisters married men who had children of their own, and they couldn’t be happier. We love the kids, they are adorable, and my parents have instilled in all of us that every child is a gift, whether it’s yours, or not.”
“That’s a good way to look at it.”
“May I ask what happened to their mother, your wife?”
“Car accident. Killed instantly. Last year.” His terse tone indicated he didn’t want to talk about it.
“I am so sorry.” Natalie’s heart broke. Those poor, motherless children. And Jason, losing his wife at such a young age.
“My children know she is in heaven and that they will see her one day. Life goes forward, and I think they all need the steadying hand of a mom again. I’m…I’m ready to think about it, too.”
“And do you believe she is in heaven?” Natalie needed to know if he was faithful to God. She didn’t want to be yoked to an unbeliever.
“She’s there. She couldn’t not be. She was the sweetest, gentlest soul. She loved God and every one of our children. She saw them as a gift from God, too.” His voice was soft.
Natalie held her silence, thinking of gifts, loss, and all the family times she’d miss if she’d lost someone so dear. It was time to change the subject, the bright day called for the somber moment to pass. “I love their names, too. Stone’s is a little unusual, but it suits him. He seems like a very responsible older brother.”
“It’s his mother’s maiden name. And he is a fantastic example to his younger siblings. They adore him and they do whatever he asks. Fortunately, he uses his power for good.” Jason smiled as he joked.
Natalie begged to differ, but then again, she couldn’t be absolutely certain that Stone was behind the kids’ antics against her.
A gaggle of children raced to the fence.
“Can we feed the horses, Dad?” several of them shouted the same question as they came up.
“Yes, go get some carrots.” He turned as they chattered, answering their questions and lifting Adam and Emily to sit on the fence rail.
Natalie moved a little further down, petting an Appaloosa that seemed intent on befriending her.
“Look, I need to tell you something…” Stone’s voice cut off as one of his siblings called to him. “Be right back.”
Well. She’d almost found out why the kids were against her. Stone seemed ready to confess all. If his reasoning was sound, perhaps she’d give up the battle to Miss Jenkins, and move on with her life.
Her single, lonesome life that stretched before her with endless emptiness. Oh, stop being melodramatic. You’ll find the right person to share a family with…maybe even here. Of course, it didn’t appear that way. Appearances are deceiving, though.
Maybe the kids had a good reason to scare her away. Maybe Jason was an ax murderer and they were trying to warn off any potential victims. She giggled at that thought.
“Share the joke?” Jason’s baritone startled her, even as her spine tingled.
“Oh, just thinking about things.”
“Well, before we were so rudely interrupted by my kids, I wanted to tell you a little about myself. I’m not crazy, and I’m not an ax murderer or anything like that.”
Natalie giggled again.
“Is that what you were thinking?” Jason laughed.
“Not really. I was thinking what a strange set of circumstances, and how it’s such an odd way to find a wife. Why aren’t the single women in your church bringing you casseroles and trying to get into your good graces?”
“Well, not to scare you off, but I can think of six good reasons. Most of the single women in my church are under twenty, and the thought of a herd of children boggles their minds. They’re going to college and exploring the world, they don’t want to be saddled with my wild bunch.”
“And you think an older, more desperate woman might be?”
“Are you desperate, Natalie?” His look was intent.
“No.” She grimaced. She supposed that sometimes some of what she felt could be described as desperation. How pathetic was that? Were expediency and desperation the same thing? Because what she truly felt was a deep calling that needed to be filled now—a longing for a husband and children to complement the life she already enjoyed. “Well, I do want a large family. I came from one and I love it. So many people with whom to share one’s joys and sorrows. And I have no prospects on the horizon for the same reasons you’v
e stated. A lot of men I meet don’t even want children. So when I saw your ad…well, the rest is history.”
“Good. I’m glad we’re on the same page about the children. If they do not approve of my choice, we cannot be a family, because their needs must be met, first.”
“You’re a good father to think of them first.”
“God has blessed me with children I love more than my own life. It is easy to be a good father when He is a shining example of one.”
Natalie nodded, thinking of her Savior and His Father. She moved on to the uppermost question in her mind. “How is it that you manage to serve meals and can take care of the kids without help? Even my Mom has to have some help, whether from we kids or my Dad. And she’s pretty organized.”
He laughed. “I have plenty of help. The housekeeper comes three days a week to clean, and she also makes a couple meals that she freezes for us. I am an early riser, so when the kids started coming, I just naturally started making breakfast for all of us. As each one was born, I just added a little more food. I have breakfast down to a science. Olivia, my wife, took care of dinner…before…before the accident.
“The older ones have lunch at school, and Livvie…well, we used to work together, making sandwiches or something for the little ones still at home. I’ve always helped with household chores, although I did have to learn to use the washing machine…that one Livvie did on her own. I vacuumed and dusted.” He grinned.
“That’s great that you helped out. A lot of men don’t.”
“I had the advantage of working from home part of the time, so it wasn’t like I was away at work all day. We had our kids together. Each of them was planned in the sense that we wanted more than one or two. With the exception of when I had to travel, I pretty much dictated my hours so I could spend time with our kids. It wouldn’t have been a great example if I’d sat around while their mom did all the work.”
Natalie smiled at how easily he talked of doing what many men considered women’s work. “So what do you do for a living?”
“I’m in computer security. I hack databases looking for places to get in. Then we discuss measures of security and encryption for which the companies I hack pay me the big bucks. And I inherited some money from my grandparents, too. Let’s just say we’re comfortable, so you wouldn’t have to worry about ending up homeless in the event this worked out.”
Christmas Mom Tryouts Page 3
