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“Well, you got any ideas?” I call out. “I really wasn’t expecting to be full-time dad today. I didn’t have a lot planned…”
“I guess we better get used to it,” Jack shrugs. “It may be a while till we get a nanny again. We can do this. Right? It’s not like we will ruin them for life or anything?”
Ned stands suddenly, then stomps through the middle of the remaining blocks, challenging Matthew with a direct glare. Matthew leans back on his hands again and kicks his heels against the floor, plainly outraged.
“Oof,” Jack calls out. “You better do something about that before you have a riot on your hands.”
Leaning down, I sweep Ned up and take him under one arm like a football, relieved to hear him laugh. But can I really keep this up? Certainly I can’t carry them around like this all day. I do have to come up with something.
Matthew stands up and grabs hold of my opposite leg, plainly demanding that I pick him up too.
“Yes,” he insists, raising his arms over his head. I dip down and grab him around the waist. Now I have both the fellas kicking gleefully on either side of me.
Jack raises his eyebrows and nods, squinting. “Good plan, Chance,” he smirks. “I see you’ve got this handled.”
“You guys want to go for a walk? Bikes?”
“Bikes! Yeah!” Matthew grunts, twisting against my grip until I release him to the floor. He hauls ass toward the garage, churning those chubby little legs like a real trouper.
“Okay, Ned, you too,” I announce as I follow Matthew’s lead. Ned is dead weight under my arm, happy to be hauled around.
Once in the garage, I get the bikes, helmets, and elbow pads. This was all Maddie’s idea. I didn’t think that helmets were good idea. Certainly not elbow pads. But after the first time that Matthew dumped his bike in the yard and skinned the rosy flesh right off his elbow, I definitely got on board. It’s weird how much it hurts when your kid is injured, even a little bit.
The boys are good about letting me strap their helmets on, standing in front of their miniature two-wheelers complete with training wheels. I get them all strapped into the safety gear and the appropriate footwear before Matthew tries climbing on top of his.
Jack comes strolling through the garage door, squinting against the sunlight. He’s got his phone in his hand and a strange smile on his face.
“I’ve got this!” I say defensively. “We can ride bikes until lunchtime, okay? You don’t have to check up on me every fifteen minutes.”
“She’s coming back,” he smiles, half breathless.
“Wait, what?”
My heart begins to race.
He nods quickly. “The driver texted me. No details. But she’s coming back, Chance. Seriously.”
“She’s on her way? Right now?”
“Two hours,” he affirms. “It’s all going to be fine, man.”
I don’t even know what to say. Relief washes through me. I didn’t even realize how concerned I was. But it’s going to be okay. I look at these little guys, this four-man household with a giant piece missing right in the middle, and think he’s probably right.
Chapter 12
Jack
“I really hope you brought some Girl Scout cookies with you or something.”
Chelsea quirks an eyebrow at me and crosses her arms in front of her, tapping the toe of her sneaker against the flagstone.
“Very funny, Jack,” she smirks. “Think you can let me in?”
Not yet, I think. I would like to play with her just a little bit more.
“I’m not so sure,” I shrug. “Those cookies are a serious thing.”
“Jack.”
