Chapter 25
To Rob it was just a visit from his sister, but Danny had been keyed up since he got up that morning, and Julian made sure everything was perfect for the lunch they were serving her, down to the last detail. Rob was getting regular updates from Christie on her trip over, even a picture of the car and driver that Julian sent to pick her up. In return, Rob sent her a picture of Danny and Lenny impatiently waiting for her.
"Christie is coming," Danny said, bouncing on his toes as he kept looking out the front window for her.
"You know, she's our first guest here," Julian told him, coming out of his office to join them.
"That's a special honor. I'll let Christie know," Rob said. Then a little later, he let them know that she was only a few minutes away.
That's when Danny and Lenny took a position right by the front doors. They were the first thing Christie saw when Rob opened the door to her.
"I know you. You're Christie!" Danny said, then he got shy and tried to hide behind Rob.
"I know you too, Danny. And I know Lenny," she said and got down to pet him. "What a good dog you are."
"He is," Danny confirmed.
It didn't take Danny as long to warm up to her as it did with other people when he first met them. Rob had them talk on the phone and Skype, so Christie wasn't a complete stranger.
After introductions, Rob picked up her bag from the foyer and took her upstairs so they could have a minute alone. "Check out your room."
"Wow. It's amazing," she said going straight to the window. "And the view of the river is incredible."
"Mine has the view of the orchard," Rob told her and pointed across the hall."
"You seem so different," Christie said while she took a seat on the windowsill and stared up at him.
"Me? No way. I'm the same old Rob."
"You're more..." She had to stop and think. "I don't know. More you."
"What? You're not making sense," Rob told her and set down her bag by the bed.
"I know. I mean you're more the way you used to be before Mom died." As always there was a catch in her voice when she mentioned Mom. "You look like you're ready to take charge of the whole world."
"I'm only in charge of Danny and Lenny," Rob told her.
"I can't believe I get those two cuties all to myself tonight," she said and rubbed her hands together.
"Danny will be asleep, hopefully," Rob told her.
"I guess he will, and I still can't get over you being a manny," she said.
"It just kind of happened."
"You know, I was sure you took this job because you were giving up, backsliding. Another dead end job so you don't have to face the future," she said with a sad smile while Rob glared at her.
"But now you see you were wrong," he told her.
"I see you're coming to life more, but I'm still not sure all of this is right for you," she said and pointed all around. "The big house, the small town, a job with no future."
"Christie," Rob said with a heavy sigh. "I get that you're trying to be a good big sister, but knock it off. I'm where I want to be." To Rob this wasn't just a job, this was Julian and Danny right there every day together with him.
"Fine," she huffed, giving up for now.
"Lunch is ready for you. Let's go eat. We'll see if Danny and Lenny will let you boss them around."
Christie didn't try to boss anyone around. Danny and Lenny disarmed her. She was putty in their hands and pretty good company as they all spent time together for the rest of the day.
