went back to his sandwich, and I turned my attention back to Nana. From the corner of my eye, I saw him give Jim an annoyed glance before eating the rest of his sandwich in two bites.
From the bags, Nana pulled out a stack of shorts for each boy, several pair of long pants, shirts, shoes, sandals, and swim trunks. She had provided both with a full wardrobe, including brand new underwear and socks. Two of the six bags remained untouched.
“Michelle, I hope you don’t mind, but I found a few things that I couldn’t resist getting for you.” She indicated the bags. “Would you like to see?” She gave me a hopeful look, so I nodded. Who was I kidding? I felt giddy that she’d thought of me.
Like the boys, I now owned several pair of shorts, two additional pair of jeans, and several printed tees.
“I’ll let you look through the rest on your own,” she said, stopping halfway through the second bag. “If something doesn’t fit, just let me know.”
Jim piped up behind me. “What? No suit for her? Come on Nana, tomorrow’s the fourth. We could go to the lake.”
Nana shot Jim a dirty look. “Of course, I bought her one. She can look for herself.”
Jim grunted loudly, and I turned to look at him. Emmitt stood close beside him. Neither met my gaze. Both Aden and Liam smiled down at their plates. Suspicious, I looked down at my plate. Empty. The last two bites had vanished. My lips twitched again, and I shook my head and looked at Jim. Jim widened his eyes and pointed discreetly at Emmitt. Aden burst out in giggles.
I turned away from the foursome. Jim’s antics would bring the boys out of their shell. But what trouble would they learn from him?
Nana apparently had the same thought as she repacked the bags.
“Jim, if you can’t behave, you can go mow the lawn. Boys, put your plates in the sink if you’re finished. Emmitt, can you help me bring these up to their apartment?” She indicated the bags as she picked up two herself.
The way she said “their apartment” warmed me, and I smiled at her as she passed. I liked how she brought everything to order easily.
Jim put his plate in the sink, winked at Aden, and sauntered out the door as Emmitt grabbed several bags from the couch. Aden quickly put his plate in the sink and followed Jim, saunter and all. I caught Emmitt do a double take. His lips tilted at the corners before he left, too. Having Aden out of my sight for even such a short time worried me, and I was glad Liam remained by me. Together, we quickly cleaned up lunch then went outside. I easily spotted Aden.
Jim squatted next to the mower, Aden at his side mirroring his pose. I could hear Jim explaining the names of the tools Emmitt still had laid out beside the now attached deck.
“What do you think, should we take her for a test drive?” he asked Aden. I eyed the mower with concern.
Jim looked up at me. “What do you think, Michelle? If I hold him, can we go for a ride around the yard?”
Nana’s voice rang from inside the house, saving me from answering. “Jim, I think the boys would be better served if you went to the basement to look for some of your old things. I recall seeing gloves and a ball somewhere in that mess.”
Both Aden’s and Jim’s faces fell, but I was relieved that she’d discouraged the idea and saved me from saying no.
“Aden, you and Liam can wait on the porch with me,” she said as she walked out holding two plates, each with a cookie. “It won’t take Jim long.”
The boys walked toward the porch.
Jim scowled playfully. “Where’s my cookie?”
“You had more than your share of food at lunch. If you want dessert, learn to eat what’s on your own plate,” Nana said mildly and patted each boy’s head as she handed over the cookies.
Jim walked passed me and mumbled, “Notice Emmitt doesn’t get a cookie either.”
I smiled and rolled my shoulders. The
From the bags, Nana pulled out a stack of shorts for each boy, several pair of long pants, shirts, shoes, sandals, and swim trunks. She had provided both with a full wardrobe, including brand new underwear and socks. Two of the six bags remained untouched.
“Michelle, I hope you don’t mind, but I found a few things that I couldn’t resist getting for you.” She indicated the bags. “Would you like to see?” She gave me a hopeful look, so I nodded. Who was I kidding? I felt giddy that she’d thought of me.
Like the boys, I now owned several pair of shorts, two additional pair of jeans, and several printed tees.
“I’ll let you look through the rest on your own,” she said, stopping halfway through the second bag. “If something doesn’t fit, just let me know.”
Jim piped up behind me. “What? No suit for her? Come on Nana, tomorrow’s the fourth. We could go to the lake.”
Nana shot Jim a dirty look. “Of course, I bought her one. She can look for herself.”
Jim grunted loudly, and I turned to look at him. Emmitt stood close beside him. Neither met my gaze. Both Aden and Liam smiled down at their plates. Suspicious, I looked down at my plate. Empty. The last two bites had vanished. My lips twitched again, and I shook my head and looked at Jim. Jim widened his eyes and pointed discreetly at Emmitt. Aden burst out in giggles.
I turned away from the foursome. Jim’s antics would bring the boys out of their shell. But what trouble would they learn from him?
Nana apparently had the same thought as she repacked the bags.
“Jim, if you can’t behave, you can go mow the lawn. Boys, put your plates in the sink if you’re finished. Emmitt, can you help me bring these up to their apartment?” She indicated the bags as she picked up two herself.
The way she said “their apartment” warmed me, and I smiled at her as she passed. I liked how she brought everything to order easily.
Jim put his plate in the sink, winked at Aden, and sauntered out the door as Emmitt grabbed several bags from the couch. Aden quickly put his plate in the sink and followed Jim, saunter and all. I caught Emmitt do a double take. His lips tilted at the corners before he left, too. Having Aden out of my sight for even such a short time worried me, and I was glad Liam remained by me. Together, we quickly cleaned up lunch then went outside. I easily spotted Aden.
Jim squatted next to the mower, Aden at his side mirroring his pose. I could hear Jim explaining the names of the tools Emmitt still had laid out beside the now attached deck.
“What do you think, should we take her for a test drive?” he asked Aden. I eyed the mower with concern.
Jim looked up at me. “What do you think, Michelle? If I hold him, can we go for a ride around the yard?”
Nana’s voice rang from inside the house, saving me from answering. “Jim, I think the boys would be better served if you went to the basement to look for some of your old things. I recall seeing gloves and a ball somewhere in that mess.”
Both Aden’s and Jim’s faces fell, but I was relieved that she’d discouraged the idea and saved me from saying no.
“Aden, you and Liam can wait on the porch with me,” she said as she walked out holding two plates, each with a cookie. “It won’t take Jim long.”
The boys walked toward the porch.
Jim scowled playfully. “Where’s my cookie?”
“You had more than your share of food at lunch. If you want dessert, learn to eat what’s on your own plate,” Nana said mildly and patted each boy’s head as she handed over the cookies.
Jim walked passed me and mumbled, “Notice Emmitt doesn’t get a cookie either.”
I smiled and rolled my shoulders. The
Similar Books
