AllFreeNovel
Share Us
David outstretches his arms to take her.
“You don’t have to—”
“I want to. Besides, Joe isn’t here yet,” David says.
He takes Addy in his arms, and she huddles close to his chest, transfixed by his silvery tie.
“You’re getting so heavy, Addy,” David says. “My old man arms may not be able to carry you much longer.”
At his voice, Addy looks up at his face. She giggles, and before I can stop her, she reaches up for David’s left ear.
“Addy, no!” I yell and try to grab her again, but her chubby little hand latches onto the single stud earring.
“Ow-ow, ow!” David complains, his head tilting toward Addy’s hand as she pulls on his earlobe.
“Addy, no!” I scold again as I pry her tiny fingers until they unfurl, then take her back in my arms.
David’s now-free hand flies to his ear to make sure she hasn’t yanked it right out. He checks his hand for blood, but luckily there is none.
“I’m so sorry, David,” I say, completely mortified. “We’re in the ‘loving shiny things’ stage.”
He laughs. “Girls and their diamonds,” he teases, and we both laugh, Addy joining us with her own little giggle.
I shift into a baby voice when I talk near Addy’s ear. “You’re going to buy your own diamonds when you grow up, aren’t you, Addy? You don’t need a man to get them for you, do you?” I tease, arching an eyebrow at David.
“Or steal them,” David jokes, palming his ear once more.
“Gaaah,” goes Addy again, and we all laugh.
“Are we going to see you tonight at the party since you’re in town?” I ask David.
“Wouldn’t miss it,” he says. “Got her a present and everything.” Then David grabs Addy’s tiny hand, and she wraps it around two fingers. “Sorry it’s not diamonds, kiddo.”
Joe and Lola arrive at the bar within minutes of each other. Joe greets Addy with a gentle squeeze of her chubby cheek, and David excuses himself for their meeting.
“Addy, girl,” Lola coos as she takes her into her arms.
Addy says something that sounds like ‘ia,’ which we are thinking is her way of picking on what I use to reference all her aunties:tía.
“Thanks so much for watching her until the party. I have so much to do, and there’s just no way I could get everything done with her.”
Lola bounces Addy in her arms. “I’m happy to. She’s the least troublesome kid I sit for,” she says, not so subtly jabbing at Ileana’s son Isael who she also babysits.
I laugh. “All right, everything you need is in the diaper bag; if you could have her back by six, that would be great. Guests start arriving at six-thirty.”
“Yeah, yeah, we got it. Right, Addy?” Lola says in a baby voice way more ridiculous than mine.
I walk behind the bar to take inventory of the party supplies I stored under it and make sure I didn’t miss anything.
“Can’t believe she’s a year old today,” Lola says.
“I know. Time flies. Oh! Thanks for reminding me; I couldn’t find a candle with the number one in the color I wanted, so I have to stop by the party store too. Do you need help getting to the car?”
“Nope. I got it.”
I duck behind the bar to organize some of the party supplies and take inventory when the doorbell rings. Assuming it’s Lola leaving, I yell out a ‘see you later.’
“Um,” Lola says. “We’re still here.”
