“I'm gonna ride my bike to the park,” Aaron said.
“Me too,” Thom said.
“Do you ride that far by yourselves often?” Jay asked the boys, while looking at their Mom.
“They go there all the time,” she said with a shrug.
“Hmm.”
“Hmm, what?” Alex asked.
“Well, I have to work some stuff out, but I can do that from the backyard and watch the kids while they swim if you like. If it's okay with you,” Jay said.
“I'd like it. I'd like it a lot!” Aaron said enthusiastically.
“Can we Mom?” Thom asked. “Please.”
“Are you sure you don't mind?” she asked.
“I'm sure,” he said with a grin. “I'll watch the boys, and you try and organize something for our date.”
Alex stopped mid-mouthful. The word date hadn't been used in regards to her for a very long time. The bet was dinner, but she hadn't thought of it as being a date. But what else would you call it? A man and a woman going to dinner in a restaurant by themselves. It was a date. She was suddenly overcome with nerves. Not that she didn't want to go. She did. A lot, but she didn't know if she'd even remember how to act on a date.
“Okay,” she managed to squeak out finally.
“I'm looking forward to it,” he said.
“Me too,” she added, and she meant it. God, she hoped she had something to wear. Maybe she should get her sister to bring her something.
* * *
Alex started to pick up some of the laundry from the sofas and tossed a couple of toys into a basket. She sighed. She really didn't have time for this now. Alone in the room now that Jay had taken the kids to his house, she was starting to see what Jay must have seen when he walked in here. A mess. Maybe she should work on that. Later. Right now, phoning Kelly had to be the top priority.
* * *
“Hi!” Kelly said brightly. She was breathing heavily.
“Um, hi,” Alex said. “Did I interrupt something?”
“Nope,” Kelly said. “Nothing that I didn't want to stop anyway. Treadmill.”
“Oh. Sorry,” Alex said. “I can call back later.”
“No! It's fine,” her sister said. “What can I do for you? Something happened to tear you away from that damn computer?”
“Well, I was wondering. I wanted to ask you a favor.”
“Uh huh,” Kelly said. She was intrigued.
“I need you to babysit the kids.” She held her breath while she waited for the answer.
“Of course,” Kelly said. “Why? What's happening?”
“I'm going out to dinner,” Alex said.
“Oh, really!” Kelly said. “About time! Who with?”
“Does it matter?” she said with a grin, knowing full well that it did.
“Um yeah!” Kelly giggled. “I'm
not
minding your little devils, much as I love them, while you have dinner with just a neighbor or something.”
“Oh. Out of luck then,” Alex said trying to keep the amusement out of her voice. “It
is
a neighbor.”
“Oh,” Kelly said trying to keep the disappointment out of her voice. “You know I was only joking, Al. What time do you want me?”
“Oh, I don't know,” Alex said. “Why don't you come over about three, and we can have a coffee and talk first.”
“Okay. That sounds good. Rick's working today anyway, so I don't have anything else on,” Kelly said. “See you then.”
“Yep,” Alex said. Some coffee time with her sister would be good. Give her a chance to think out loud a bit about what she was feeling. Her sister would be about the only person in the world that she could talk to about any of this.
* * *
“Hey!” Alex said suddenly appearing over the top of the fence. “You still okay?”
Jay raised an eyebrow. “That ladder still there?” he asked after he swallowed a bite of his sandwich.
“Yeah,” she said. “I'll move it later.”
“I'll move it when I bring the boys back,” he said.
“So, have they been okay?” Alex asked, choosing to ignore his bossiness.
“They're fine,” he said. “As you can see we're having lunch. Want to join us?”
“Well, my sister is coming at about three, so I better be here,” she said.
His face lit up. “I'll make some reservations. What would you like to eat?”
“I don't mind. Surprise me,” she said.
“Okay,” he chuckled. “I'll bring the boys back at about three-thirty so you can get them settled. I'll pick you up at six?”
“Okay… yikes!” she squealed and disappeared from the top of the fence.
Jay got up to see if she was okay when another head appeared at the top of the fence. It was so very similar to Alex's, and he had to smile. “The sister?” he asked.
“The neighbor?” she asked, her mouth agape while her eyes travelled the length of his bare chest and tight abs.
“The very same,” he said.
“Okay, then. I guess we'll see you soon,” she said happily as a smile started to spread across her face. “I'm Kelly, by the way.”
“Jay,” he said. “Now both of you get off that damn ladder before you really get hurt.”
“Okay, then,” Kelly said.
“See you soon, Alex!” Jay called through the fence.
Again there was a blonde head peaking over the top of the fence. “Hi, Thom! Hi, Aaron!” Kelly said.
“Hi, Aunt Kelly!” they chorused.
“Is Uncle Rick coming?” Thom asked.
“Later. After his shift,” Kelly said.
“Yay!” Aaron said.
* * *
“How'd you get here so quickly?” Alex asked sliding open the screen door.
“I told you I didn't have anything to do,” Kelly said. “I did everything I had to do this morning after Rick left. He. Is.
Hot
!”
“You think?” Alex asked coyly.
“Seems nice too. A little bossy,” Kelly said looking around at the familiar mess. “You could clean you know.”
“Yeah,” Alex said with a shrug. “I just forget.”
“That's not really a reason,” Kelly said. “Rick would
not
be happy if I let things get this bad. Not if I was at home all day.”
“I just forget.”
“How can you forget? It's right here in front of you.”
“Okay, little Miss Perfect!” Alex said giving her sister a shove. “I'm the big sister remember?”
“Not so's you'd notice,” Kelly said with a grin. “Forget it for a while. Tell me about your hunk next door.”
* * *
“Your Aunt Kelly seems nice,” Jay said, taking a bite of his sandwich.
“Yep, she is,” Thom said. “So's Uncle Steve.”
“He's a bit mean sometimes,” Aaron said. “But he's still nice, mostly.”
“Oh?” Jay asked. “Mean how?”
“He makes us do stuff,” Aaron grumbled.
“Like what sort of stuff?” Jay asked with a frown.
“Like pick up our stuff and put them back in places.”
“Ohh. All
that
terrible stuff,” Jay said with a smile.
“He's okay, Aaron,” Thom said. “They just like their house neat is all. Mom said they're anal.”
“Really,” Jay said. So she thinks keeping your house tidy is anal… still a strange thing to say about your sister to a child. “Did she say that
to
you?”
“Well, no,” Thom said sheepishly. “She said it to Grandma.”
“Then you shouldn't have been listening,” Jay said seriously. “You don't repeat everything you hear an adult say, and you definitely don't eavesdrop on conversations.”
“Okay,” Thom said.
“Can we swim yet?” Aaron asked. “Please, Jay?”
Jay had never heard a better idea. It was hot. “Yep,” he said.
Both boys jumped up and did bombs into the pool, wetting everything in their midst.
“So
that’s
how it's gonna be,” Jay said, following them with a giant leap.
* * *
“Well,” Kelly said. “That's something to think about, I guess.”
“You don't seem shocked,” Alex said.
“It takes all kinds, Al. I mean, I would never urge you into an abusive relationship, but I don't think that's what you’re talking about here, is it?”
“No,” Alex said shaking her head. “I mean, this is crazy, I know. I only met the guy yesterday.”
“But you really like him, don't you?”
“Yeah, I do,” Alex said. “He's bossy and sweet, and he's good with the boys, and he cooks… but he
is
bossy. Did I say that?”
“Uh huh. Twice,” Kelly giggled. “I've never seen you like this.”
“I was once.”
Kelly put her hand on her sister's knee. “Don't go there hon. He's gone. Time to move on. If not with this guy, then with someone.”
Alex nodded. “I know. I feel it too.”
“Those boys could do with a man in their life.”
“I know that too.”
“You're too soft.”
“Okay, okay. What are you, my keeper?”
“Well, I used to think it was
my
role to remind you what your job was,” Kelly said with a giant smile. “But I think someone just took
mine
.”
“Maybe,” Alex said. “We'll see. Got to find something to wear tonight.”
“Hmm,” Kelly said. “You should shave your legs too, honey.”
“Done.”
“Done? Wow, you do like him,” Kelly said. “How about your girlie parts, did you give them a trim?”
“Yeah. Geez. I tried to shave a heart.”
“A heart?”
“Yes, Kel, a heart,” Alex said. “Didn't exactly work out.”
“Uh oh,” Kelly said. “What did you do?”
“It was crooked.”
“Oh?”
“So I shaved it all off.”
“All?”
“Bald.”
“Adventurous,” Kelly said with a small smile.
“I thought you told me that's what's expected now.”
“I don't think it's exactly what I said, but it has to be an improvement on the cave woman look.”
“Who's a cavewoman?” Aaron asked as he wandered in ahead of Jay and Thom.
“Hey! What did I tell you about eavesdropping?”
“You didn't tell me, you telled Thom.”
“Well, you heard him,” Thom said.
“No, I didn't!” Aaron whined.
“Then, how did you know what Jay told me?” Thom asked.
“Right now I'm telling you two to go get some dry clothes on,” Jay said.
Alex and Kelly watched in awe as the two boys trudged up the stairs without another word.
“Something I need to know?” Alex asked.
“Nah,” Jay said. “I'll just go move that
ladder
, and I'll go and get ready for our date.”
Alex rolled her eyes. “I'm perfectly capable of moving my own ladder,” she said.
“And yet you didn't,” Jay said in a firm tone but with a twinkle in his eye.
“I've been busy,” she said.
“Okay. Fields of pineapples wait for no one, I guess,” he grinned.
“Oh, not the farm,” Kelly said.
“Gang up on me, why don't you,” Alex said defensively. “Anyway, I haven't touched my farm since last night, even though my vegetables are probably all rotten, and my friends have probably blocked me.”
“Oh?” Jay asked with a twinkle in his eye. “Been busy?”
“A little,” she said with a knowing look.
“I'll be right back,” Kelly said, pointing to the stairs before leaving them alone to talk.
“Close call last night,” Jay said in a low voice.
“Too close.”
“Yeah.”
“You may have to pick your moments,” Alex said with a grin. “Little pitchers and all.”
“Why you listening to Mom and Jay, Aunt Kelly?” Aaron asked.
“I'm not, I'm um, just coming to see how you boys are doing.”
“I'm fine,” the small boy said.
“And your brother?”
“Dunno.”
“Okay. I guess he'll be out in a minute,” Kelly said distractedly.
“Jay says listening to adult conversations is wrong,” Aaron persisted.
“Did he?” she said. “Thanks for telling me. I'll keep that in mind.”
* * *
“I think maybe we should leave this conversation for later,” Alex said.
“Yep. Big pitchers in the house as well as small ones,” Jay said, noticing the leg of Kelly's jeans at the top of the stairs.
“Uh huh,” Alex smiled. Should she tell him later that she told Kel already? “I was wondering what I need to wear tonight,” she said in a valiant attempt to change the subject.
Jay smiled. “We're doing Italian. So whatever you like will be fine.”
“Okay, thanks,” Alex said happily. “I like Italian.”
“I'll pick you up around six,” he said. He bent to give her a quick kiss and whispered in her ear, “You don't want to be late again.”
“I'll be ready,” she stammered, the memory of the spanking the night before springing to her mind.
“I don't think Mom's rule's gonna work with him, somehow,” Kelly said later, from a few stairs up.
“The one about who's really in charge?”
“Yeah. Just smile and agree and let them
think
they're in charge,” Kelly said with a chuckle.
“And then do whatever the hell you want,” Alex added. Did she want that? A henpecked husband like her Dad had been? She wondered. More and more she was wondering if she wanted what Jay had to offer.
Chapter Five
Alex dropped her coffee cup. There was a blood curdling scream from above them. She and Kelly took the stairs two at a time, nearly knocking each other over in the process. “Oh, God, what now?” Alex said. Her heart thumped wildly, and she held her breath as she followed the screams into Aaron's room. Through the window she could see Thom sitting on the edge of the roof.
“Mom, quick!” he yelled. “I can't hold on much longer.”
Alex was out on the roof in a flash, with her sister right behind her. She looked from her eldest son to where he had her youngest's arm grasped tightly. Aaron was whimpering in absolute terror as he dangled from the roof's gutter. “It's okay, baby,” she said dropping to her knees and grabbing his arm.
“Mommy,” he said, bursting into tears when he saw her face.
“Thom, when I grab him you can let go,” Kelly said. She knelt beside her sister and grasping Aaron's arm, she nodded.
Thom finally let go and moved back out of the way.
“On three,” Kelly said.
When they got to three, there was a loud creak just before the guttering gave way. Aaron screamed, but they hoisted him fast, and he was in his mother's arms in a couple of seconds. “Oh, Aaron,” she said, starting to cry herself.