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“It’s okay, Laura. Peter does sleepovers with my mom. He cooked me breakfast this morning while Mom was sleeping.”
The girl giggled, knowing what he meant. I tried not to blush. “I’m sure Faith will understand. Luke and I can get dinner cooking and get the tree up.”
“You wouldn’t mind?”
“Not at all. What time did you get here?” I asked as I pulled my wallet out. She told me the time, and I handed her a twenty. “I have no idea how much babysitters cost these days; is this enough?”
“More than enough,” she stated.
“Okay, you get to work, and I can take over here.”
“Thank you!” she said and rushed to collect her things and leave as Luke helped me get the tree inside the house.
Luke and I started by checking out the kitchen and seeing what we could make for dinner. There was enough leftover from the night before that we could all eat again. With that decided, we began to work on the tree. We were almost done with that when the house phone rang, and Luke dove to answer it.
“Hello?” He was quiet for a moment and smiled.
“Hi, Mom. I’m fine. Laura had to leave, but I’m okay.”
Her voice raised enough that I could hear it and put my hand out. “Luke, let me speak to your mom.”
“Peter wants to talk to you,” he blurted and then tossed me the phone.
“Hi, Faith, don’t worry, he’s fine.”
“Why are you there, and where is Laura?”
“I stopped by to drop something off, and Laura was getting a little anxious because she had to work at the movie theater tonight and wasn’t sure when you would be home. I told her I’d stay until you did. I was going to warm up leftovers from last night. Are you on your way home?”
“Oh, crap! I forgot about her other job. I got so tied up in what I was doing. Yes, I’m on my way home. I’ll be there in about fifteen minutes. You have no idea how much I appreciate your help.”
“No problem. We will get dinner warmed up and see you when you get home.”
She was quiet for a moment. “Thank you, Peter. You have no idea what this means to me.”
“You can thank me later,” I said huskily, and she chuckled.
“I’m glad you are there. I have a bone to pick with you.”
“Oh, really? Just one?”
“Funny, I’ll see you soon.”
“Okay, Luke, we need to get dinner ready and turn off all the lights.”
“Why?”
“Because we’re going to surprise your mom.”
“Cool!” He followed me into the kitchen, and we set up the plates so that they were ready to warm. I gave him silverware and napkins, and he went to put them on the dining room table.
“Nope, let’s take them to the living room.”
“What?”
“We’re going to have a picnic by the tree.”
His eyes went wide as saucers. “Really? Can we have just the tree lights on?”
