by Regina Duke
“Of course! My sister is going with her husband and their little one. We’ll set up shade and put the babies in a playpen while we barbecue.”
Callie was tempted, but the image of her laundry pile haunted her.
As if he could see inside her head, Andrew said, “Please say yes. If you come Saturday, I’ll come over and help with your laundry on Sunday.” He offered to do laundry like some men would offer drugs.
Callie laughed. “Okay, you’re on. I can’t resist that laundry offer.”
CHAPTER 3
Saturday dawned with the baby fussing, and Callie wondered if she should cancel. “Oh sweetheart, are you going to fuss all day?” She’d just about decided that they shouldn’t go when Andrew knocked on the door.
“Ready to go?”
Callie was embarrassed. “I’m sorry, I need a few minutes. Louie is fussy. Maybe I should keep him at home.”
“Sounds like you could both use a change of scenery.” He pulled the baby gently out of her arms and talked to him as if he could understand. “Listen, little dude, your mom needs a break, and you need to start making some friends. I happen to have a nephew just about your age, and the two of you will have a great time laughing at us adults as we run around in the sun like crazy people. How’s that sound?”
The baby’s eyes grew big and he stared up at Andrew in surprise, as if to say, “You talking to me?”
Callie had to laugh.
“Okay, okay, we’re coming,” Callie surrendered gladly. “Let me get his bag ready.”
A few minutes later, Andrew opened the door to his Jeep Wrangler and fastened the baby seat in the back. Callie looked around, hands on hips.
“I thought we were going with your sister and her family.”
“We’re meeting them at the lake,” he said, strapping the baby seat in the back like it was no big deal. “Four adults and two babies might feel a little crowded in one car. Besides, this way if you get totally bored or the baby hates my nephew, we can escape.”
Callie fastened Louie in his car seat. “Well, I can’t argue with your excellent planning.”
Forty-five minutes later, they pulled in beside another Jeep in the beach parking lot. The motion of the drive had put the baby to sleep, and Callie was pleased that Andrew was comfortable driving without much talking.
Andrew’s sister was a head taller than Callie, slim and muscular, wearing a Marine Corps tee shirt. Callie felt a flash of jealousy as she realized this woman had given birth around the same time she had, and yet there was no sign of residual weight anywhere on her body. But her jealousy evaporated when the woman embraced her.
“Thank goodness, another female,” she said. “I was feeling overwhelmed with all the testosterone around me.” She gave Callie a squeeze and released her. “I’m Tracy, and that’s my husband Roy, and he’s holding little George.”
“Nice to meet you,” said Callie, feeling comfortable at once with Tracy. She hefted her son in her arms. “This is Louie. Is that your shirt or your husband’s?”
Tracy straightened a bit. “Mine,” she said. “I’m Andrew’s older sister. Decided I better get out of the service and have a family while I’m still young enough.” She reached for George, who squealed and gurgled. “He’s not talking yet, but he makes all the sounds.”
Callie smiled. “Do you get to stay home with him?”
“So far, yes,” said Tracy, “but I’m itching to do more. Get a job. Something.”
Andrew and Roy busied themselves moving two coolers toward the picnic site. Roy had already erected an E-Z Up for shade, and George’s playpen sat beneath it.
Callie said, “Well, don’t get too excited. I have to teach starting Monday and I can’t stand the thought of leaving the baby. I had a sitter lined up, but she bailed on me. I have no idea what I’m going to do Monday morning.”
Tracy nodded. “Let’s enjoy Saturday,” she said cheerfully, “and Monday will take care of itself.”
Callie felt a sharp response rising, but quelled it. After all, Tracy had a husband and probably already had George enrolled in pre-school or daycare or something. But it was the first time since little Louie was born that she’d been invited out for the day, or felt like socializing, so she stifled her doubts and resolved to enjoy the day.
Roy and Andrew got the barbecue going, put the steaks on, and then started throwing a Frisbee back and forth. Tracy brought Callie a Coke in a can, and they sat down in folding chairs next to the playpen. Callie tried to pretend she was not staring at Andrew’s muscular legs. He looked tanned and toned in his navy blue shorts.
Little George was trying hard to make friends, gurgling and pointing at things. Tracy spoke in a high-pitched voice, pretending to verbalize his random sounds. “These are my toys. I like you. We have a lot in common.”
Callie laughed and popped the top on her Coke. “I’m afraid Louie has been a bit isolated,” she said. “He’s not sure exactly what George is.”
Tracy grinned. “Give them time. They’ll figure it out.” She popped the tab on her own soda. “What happened to your babysitter? Andrew said you’re having a problem in that area.”
Callie nodded. “Evidently her mother went into the hospital and she has to go help out.” She dug through her purse. “Oh darn! I forgot my phone. I needed to call a couple of my fellow teachers and see if their childcare arrangements have room for one more. I guess I’ll have to do that tomorrow.”
Tracy pulled a multi-colored set of plastic keys out of her baby bag and dangled them in front of George. He squealed and grabbed them, shaking them hard.
Callie smiled. Louie was staring at George as if he were an exhibit at Madame Tussaud’s.
“He looks so serious,” said Tracy. “Adorable face.”
Callie’s heart warmed. “And George is incredibly animated.”
“He probably thinks his mom is a wind-up toy,” said Tracy. “I got in the habit of exercise every morning in the Marines, and I’m on the treadmill a lot.”
“How do you find the energy?” Callie was floored. Then she pulled herself together. “Sorry. I’m just so exhausted all the time, taking care of Louie.”
Tracy glanced in her husband’s direction, then said kindly, “Having help makes a huge difference.”
Callie nodded. “I guess so.”
Tracy asked carefully, “Your mother doesn’t live close?”
Callie shook her head. “She’s in Phoenix, and I’m up here because of my job.” A touch of bitterness crept into her voice, as she added, “Although she did find time to help my sister out when her second baby came.” Then feeling ashamed of herself, she added, “My sister lives in southern Utah. Much closer to Phoenix.”
“I see.” Tracy fiddled with her baby bag, retrieving a small baby bottle filled with water. She set it in the playpen next to George. “My brother has been talking nonstop about you since he met you.”
Callie brightened. “Really?”
Tracy smiled and lowered her voice. “He thinks you’re freaking adorable.”
Callie blushed. She wondered if she should admit her similar thoughts with regard to Andrew. She looked away, shyly. “I think your brother is very handsome.”
Tracy grinned. “Good. I was thrilled when he said he was bringing a date along. It’s nice to see him thinking about something other than Afghanistan.” She drank her soda.
Callie was wary. “Is he okay?” she asked.
Tracy made a so-so gesture with her hand. “It’s a rough go over there. He came home better than most, but this is the first time he’s started talking like there might be a future for him. You know?”
Callie was touched. “Are there any topics I should avoid?”
Tracy shook her head. “No, not at all. Just treat him like a normal guy. He says that’s the hardest part about coming back. People tiptoe around him. That’s why he took the security gig. He wanted a job, but some people are afraid to hire him.”
“Why?” asked Callie.
&nbs
p; “You know. PTSD. Afraid he’ll go over the edge.”
“But you said he came back better than most.”
“Exactly. He has a nightmare now and then, but as soon as people hear he was in Afghanistan, they’re all, ‘Oh no, he could go ballistic and he knows how to use military weapons.’ They get creeped out.”
“That’s a shame,” said Callie. “I, for one, am thrilled to know he’ll be guarding the grade school, because he knows what he’s doing.” She smiled at Louie when he began to gesture and wave his arms in response to George. “And he’s great with my son. I guess I have you to thank for that.”
“Do you Frisbee?” asked Tracy.
“Not since college.”
Tracy laughed. “We cannot sit here and let the men do all the fun stuff. Come on.” She whistled at her husband. “Roy! It’s your turn! We’re going to get wet!”
Callie was unsure. “I just have shorts and a tee shirt.”
“Don’t worry, if our balance is good, we may not get wet at all. We’re going to paddle board.” She gave her husband a quick kiss in passing, then pulled Callie toward the Jeeps. “You can use Roy’s.”
The men busied themselves with checking the barbecue and entertaining the babies as Tracy pulled the paddle boards off the top of her Jeep.
Callie said, “I’m not sure I know how.”
“No problem,” said Tracy. “I’ll teach you.” She led the way to the water. Callie followed reluctantly. When she caught up, Tracy lowered her gaze and said quietly, “Peek over there and see how cute Andrew is with your baby.”
Callie’s heart warmed. Andrew looked like he was really enjoying himself. As she laid the paddle board on the water, she said, “Okay, show me what to do.”
“Just kneel on it and keep your balance. It’s not that hard. Once we get out of the shallows, I’ll stabilize you so you can stand up. Then you move yourself along with your paddle. Tons of fun. As long as you can swim, I mean. You can, right?”
Callie nodded. “Yeah, sure.” She tore her eyes loose from the men and the playpen. “I never thought I’d be doing recreational sports again,” she said. “At least not until Louie goes to kindergarten.”
Tracy laughed. Once they were out on the water and Callie was standing up and feeling more confident, Tracy said, “Roy and I are trying to figure out what kind of business to go into.”
“Gee,” said Callie, marveling at how quiet and peaceful it was out on the water. “I’m surprised Andrew didn’t want to be part of that.”
Tracy moved her paddle quietly. “He’s thinking about it. He already came up with a couple of great ideas.”
“Cool,” said Callie. “Like what?” Behind her, one of the babies squealed and she whipped around to see what was going on, forgetting where she was, and a moment later she was in the water.
Tracy jumped in beside her. “You okay?”
Callie blew water out of her nose and coughed. “Yeah, I’m okay.” She’d fallen sideways, and she was soaked, head to toe. Tracy helped her climb back on the board. “The babies are fine,” she said. “It’s okay to enjoy yourself for a few minutes.” Her tone was reassuring.
That was what Callie needed to hear. “I feel guilty every moment I’m away from him. The idea of going back to work has been so nerve-wracking,” she said, regaining her standing balance on the board.
Tracy swung herself back up on her own board and nodded. “I understand,” she said. “If it weren’t for Roy, I’d never let little George out of my sight.”
“What were you saying when I so rudely fell off my board?”
Tracy laughed. “I’ll remember eventually, but it’s gone now,” she said. “As long as we’re wet, let’s race.” She used her paddle to splash Callie, and they were off.
The barbecue was great, and the food tasted even better because of the exercise and the new friends.
CHAPTER 4
Sunday morning, Callie awoke from a wonderful dream. It took her a few moments to realize it hadn’t been a dream after all, but rather memories of a delightful day at the beach. She sighed heavily and attempted to lull herself back into another ten minutes of slumber, but Louie had other ideas. She heard his hungry cry and rolled out of bed.
The night before, she’d sorted three baskets of laundry, feeling embarrassed about having Andrew in the apartment with dirty clothes scattered in every room. They were still dirty, but at least she looked like less of a slob. She wondered how long he would actually stay, once he realized how small her washer and dryer were.
She propped Louie on her bed with pillows and a bottle and spent ten minutes deciding what to wear. Needless to say, the volume of laundry cut down on her choices. But one whole basket was baby things, so she didn’t feel too bad about the buildup. Late summer temperatures made shorts and another tee the only choice, especially since the A/C in the apartment was less than iceberg quality.
If her life were a romance novel, she would have arranged things differently. She would have preferred a formal introduction through friends at Church (though she hadn’t had the energy to go in weeks) and her second date would have been a night of dinner and dancing (something with noodles and scampi, a gown to make up for the one she never had for the prom, and a surprising spurt of confidence and choreography, making the whole thing “big screen” romantic). But that was not her life. She settled on khaki shorts and a pale yellow tee paired with her old running shoes (because her newest ones hadn’t yet dried from her dip in the lake). Louie let out a big belch and she scooped him up before he could dribble recycled milk and rice cereal all over her pillows.
She barely heard the rap at the door, and nearly stumbled over the baby bouncer in the living room on her way to answer it. Louie found the stumble highly entertaining and gurgled happily. Callie realized he probably had his father’s love of danger, and wondered how long it would be before he began asking for a motorcycle of his own.
She opened the door, and there stood Andrew, the handsomest man in at least four states...or maybe outside of Hollywood altogether. Even in civvies he carried himself as if he wore a uniform. She melted a bit inside and said sweetly, “Good morning.”
His smile made the sun shine brighter. “You look amazing,” he crooned.
She blushed and hefted Louie on her hip. “Now you’re just being kind.”
“Nonsense. You’re gorgeous. This is the kind part.” He pulled a hand from behind his back and a pastry bag beckoned. “I hope you don’t mind.”
Callie nearly drooled. “Let me make coffee,” she said. “Come on in.”
She felt suddenly nervous as he bounced Louie on his knee and watched her every move in the kitchen. She scrambled for conversation. “Your sister is such a wonderful person.” Water in the pot, Callie. Don’t spill it all over.
“Thanks. She’s the reason I went into the military. You can’t let your sister show you up.”
“Very funny. Do you like Roy?” Filter in place. Two scoops? Or three? Maybe he likes his coffee on the strong side.
“He’s a good guy, and they met in the service, so they have a lot in common.”
“I see,” she said softly, looking away. “Is this a good time to tell you I was never in the service?” Just push the start button as if this wasn’t the most important question in the world.
A moment later he was close behind her, Louie on one arm, the other arm slipping around her waist. His voice was warm in her ear. “I love that about you.”
Callie shivered all the way down her spine. “Oh! You caught me by surprise,” she murmured.
“You did the same to me,” he rumbled. “I didn’t expect to meet anyone like you at that faculty meeting.”
Callie felt her cheeks burning. She turned to face him inside his embrace. “I guess I should have warned you that I have a very small washing machine,” she mumbled. “We might be here all day.”
He moved slowly against her, and she moaned. She panted, “I’m not sure we should be getting this warm with Lo
uie in your arms.”
Andrew cleared his throat and took a step back. “Sorry. I’ve been wanting to nuzzle you since the day we met. Bad timing.”
Callie tipped her head flirtatiously. “Not bad. Just awkward.”
He grinned. “Let’s have our donuts, then take Louie out for the day.”
Callie’s face fell. “Laundry?”
He nodded eagerly. “We’ll take it with us. Laundromat. Louie can ride in the baskets. It’ll be like a toddler’s rollercoaster park. He won’t know the difference.”
Callie laughed. “If you say so.”
She’d never had so much fun doing laundry. And what would have taken her all day at home took fewer than ninety minutes using multiple machines. Andrew provided the quarters and the entertainment for Louie, pushing him around in the big wheeled baskets and generally having the kind of fun that Callie loved but, as a woman alone, was too wary to indulge in, in public.
As they loaded the dried and folded laundry into the Jeep, she lamented, “We still have the whole afternoon and I haven’t even started calling around for a back-up babysitter.” She slumped in her seat. “Sorry. I just remembered I have to work tomorrow.”
“We have to work,” he corrected gently. “And didn’t I tell you? Tracy said she’ll watch Louie for you this week.”
“That’s wonderful! But what about…? I mean…”
Andrew pinned her with a look, half teasing, and said, “One hill at a time, Cal.”
Callie was so relieved. “How can I ever thank you?”
He pretended to think hard about that. “How about having dinner with me? You and Louie? He’s ready for a nap, I think. I could swing by around five?”
“Perfect,” sighed Callie.
CHAPTER 5
Going to work was so much easier knowing she had someone to watch Louie during the day. And Louie seemed thrilled to see George again.
“We’re taking care of some business related stuff today, but having both boys along is no trouble. They entertain each other,” said Tracy.
