frightened by the unknown. Maybe Rebecca could help Chelsea get to know Joey, so that when Joey spent time with Chelsea and Jeff, it wouldn’t torture Rebecca with fears of neglect or mistreatment.
When they all finally left the zoo, Rebecca felt ithad been a day well spent. But she was exhausted, as was Joey. He’d fallen asleep on Jeff’s shoulder as he carried him to the car.
Bill interrupted Jeff’s attempt to get everyone in his car. “Jeff, why don’t you let me take Chelsea home so you can get Joey to bed as soon as possible? The little guy is obviously really tired from his full day of excitement.”
“Chelsea, do you mind? Joey needs to get to his bed for a little sleep before dinner,” Jeff said, concentrating on his son.
“That will be fine,” Chelsea agreed calmly.
Rebecca watched Chelsea, amazed that it didn’t bother her that she was being passed off to Bill because of Joey. Rebecca wanted to tell Jeff that wasn’t smart, but before she could decide what to do, she found herself in the front seat next to Jeff, with Joey asleep on the back seat, belted in.
As they drove, Rebecca finally said, “Jeff, I don’t think it’s a good idea to shuffle Chelsea off to Bill. She may blame Joey for separating the two of you.”
Jeff turned to stare at her until traffic demanded he pay attention to his driving. “Chelsea understands that I need this time to bond and form a relationship with Joey. Otherwise she would’ve thrown a fit. Overall, I think things went well today.”
“Yes, they did. I didn’t expect to like Chelsea, but I do. I see why you like Chelsea and chose her for your wife-to-be. I’m going to teach her about little boys, so Joey won’t frighten her.”
“You could teach me, too.”
Rebecca looked at him, sure he was teasing her. When he appeared to be serious, she said, “You don’t need any teaching. You seem to know what to do instinctively. Joey has taken a real liking to you, and you didn’t seem to be struggling with what to do next with him.”
“He’s a smart little boy. Happy, too. You’ve done a good job, Becca. You could’ve taught him to hate me, since I wasn’t around, but you didn’t do that. I really appreciate that.”
“Why would I do that? It would only hurt Joey.” To say nothing of herself. She didn’t want Joey to hate Jeff. She couldn’t hate him, either.
Jeff parked his car in front of Vivian’s house. “I’ll carry Joey up to his room.”
Rebecca followed him into the house, waving to Betty as she admitted them. Upstairs, Rebecca turned back the bedcovers and helped Jeff put Joey in bed. The little boy never opened his eyes.
“He had a wonderful time today, Jeff. Thank you,” she whispered.
“It was my pleasure,” he assured her as they left Joey’s room. “And you? Did you have a good time as well?”
She could only answer honestly. “I did. Bill and Chelsea are both nice people. I enjoyed getting to know them better very much.”
“I had a nice time, too.”
By that time, they’d reached the bottom of the stairs. Vivian appeared and asked Jeff to stay for dinner.
“I don’t want to put you to any trouble, Vivian,” Jeff said.
“Don’t be silly. Betty always makes too much food, anyway. Besides, we’re celebrating tonight.”
“Oh? What are we celebrating?” Rebecca asked in surprise.
Vivian’s cheeks flushed. “I can’t tell you yet. We’re waiting for Vanessa to come home. She’s been at the library all day working on a paper.”
“Well, with that kind of enticement, how can I do anything but accept your invitation to dinner, Vivian? If you’re sure I won’t be intruding?”
“Oh, no. You will need to know, anyway, Jeff. It’s just so exciting!” Vivian gushed, her cheeks again red. Then she swayed slightly.
Rebecca reached out and took her arms. “Are you all right, Vivian?”
“I just felt a little dizzy for a moment. I’m fine.”
“Let’s go sit down, Vivian. Where’s Will?”
When they all finally left the zoo, Rebecca felt ithad been a day well spent. But she was exhausted, as was Joey. He’d fallen asleep on Jeff’s shoulder as he carried him to the car.
Bill interrupted Jeff’s attempt to get everyone in his car. “Jeff, why don’t you let me take Chelsea home so you can get Joey to bed as soon as possible? The little guy is obviously really tired from his full day of excitement.”
“Chelsea, do you mind? Joey needs to get to his bed for a little sleep before dinner,” Jeff said, concentrating on his son.
“That will be fine,” Chelsea agreed calmly.
Rebecca watched Chelsea, amazed that it didn’t bother her that she was being passed off to Bill because of Joey. Rebecca wanted to tell Jeff that wasn’t smart, but before she could decide what to do, she found herself in the front seat next to Jeff, with Joey asleep on the back seat, belted in.
As they drove, Rebecca finally said, “Jeff, I don’t think it’s a good idea to shuffle Chelsea off to Bill. She may blame Joey for separating the two of you.”
Jeff turned to stare at her until traffic demanded he pay attention to his driving. “Chelsea understands that I need this time to bond and form a relationship with Joey. Otherwise she would’ve thrown a fit. Overall, I think things went well today.”
“Yes, they did. I didn’t expect to like Chelsea, but I do. I see why you like Chelsea and chose her for your wife-to-be. I’m going to teach her about little boys, so Joey won’t frighten her.”
“You could teach me, too.”
Rebecca looked at him, sure he was teasing her. When he appeared to be serious, she said, “You don’t need any teaching. You seem to know what to do instinctively. Joey has taken a real liking to you, and you didn’t seem to be struggling with what to do next with him.”
“He’s a smart little boy. Happy, too. You’ve done a good job, Becca. You could’ve taught him to hate me, since I wasn’t around, but you didn’t do that. I really appreciate that.”
“Why would I do that? It would only hurt Joey.” To say nothing of herself. She didn’t want Joey to hate Jeff. She couldn’t hate him, either.
Jeff parked his car in front of Vivian’s house. “I’ll carry Joey up to his room.”
Rebecca followed him into the house, waving to Betty as she admitted them. Upstairs, Rebecca turned back the bedcovers and helped Jeff put Joey in bed. The little boy never opened his eyes.
“He had a wonderful time today, Jeff. Thank you,” she whispered.
“It was my pleasure,” he assured her as they left Joey’s room. “And you? Did you have a good time as well?”
She could only answer honestly. “I did. Bill and Chelsea are both nice people. I enjoyed getting to know them better very much.”
“I had a nice time, too.”
By that time, they’d reached the bottom of the stairs. Vivian appeared and asked Jeff to stay for dinner.
“I don’t want to put you to any trouble, Vivian,” Jeff said.
“Don’t be silly. Betty always makes too much food, anyway. Besides, we’re celebrating tonight.”
“Oh? What are we celebrating?” Rebecca asked in surprise.
Vivian’s cheeks flushed. “I can’t tell you yet. We’re waiting for Vanessa to come home. She’s been at the library all day working on a paper.”
“Well, with that kind of enticement, how can I do anything but accept your invitation to dinner, Vivian? If you’re sure I won’t be intruding?”
“Oh, no. You will need to know, anyway, Jeff. It’s just so exciting!” Vivian gushed, her cheeks again red. Then she swayed slightly.
Rebecca reached out and took her arms. “Are you all right, Vivian?”
“I just felt a little dizzy for a moment. I’m fine.”
“Let’s go sit down, Vivian. Where’s Will?”
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