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“Mama,” he tapped Ayesha on the wrist, “it Joel. Hi, Joel! It Theo!”
“Hi, Theo. Where’s your brother? Where’s Jojo?”
“Jojo? Jojo insower.”
“He’s in the shower?” These days, he went from his usual self to tear-filled and weak-voiced within minutes of talking to or being around the boys. “Buddy, I can’t believe you called me Joel. You have no idea how happy that makes me. I miss you.”
“Imittyou. Lub you!”
“And I love you more, Theo.”
Gage poked his head inside the tent, phone to his ear. “Lattimore. Five minutes.”
He nodded.
Gage left.
“Syd, can you finish getting Theo dressed for me real quick?” he heard Ayesha ask, though her face had yet to appear on the screen.
Sydney agreed, set the tablet on the nightstand, and held up Theo’s pajama bottoms in front of him. “Okay, SuperTheo. Are you ready to make a mighty leap into your jammie-jams?”
Joel watched them and was hit with the feeling that Sydney wasn’t telling him the truth about motherhood. Still, what would have been the point in her saying she didn’t want to be a mother if she genuinely did? It wasn’t as though he wouldn’t have been on board, unless he was the problem.
Josiah raced into the room, making speeding car engine noises and wearing a dark blue kid’s robe.
He popped his head in front of the tablet and opened his mouth.“Joel, look!” He pointed to a space where a canine used to be. “It fell out last night. The,” Josiah crooked his index and middle fingers on each hand, “‘tooth fairy’ left me a twenty-dollar bill, but then the ‘tooth fairy’ forgot my tooth on Ma’s dresser.”
Joel laughed. “Good help is hard to find these days.”
Mike appeared this time, letting him know it was time to go.
“Guys, I have to go,” he said, rising to his feet. “I just wanted to call because I haven’t talked to you since I left, and I wanted to let you know how much I love you and can’t wait to see you again.”
“Did you open my gift yet?” Josiah asked.
“Not yet. I’m saving it.”
Josiah grinned.
“Ayesha?”
The tablet jerked.
He heard Josiah say, “I’ll hold it, Ma,” and then Ayesha’s face appeared. She still had braids in her hair, but whereas the last ones were completely straight, these had curly pieces between the braided strands.
“Be safe, Joel,” she said.
“I will.”
“I’ll see you when you get home.”
Josiah turned the tablet to where Theo had taken a seat on Sydney’s lap.
“See you when you get home, babe!” Sydney yelled. “Love you!”
“Tee you, you home, babe!” Theo echoed. “Lub you!”
“Love you, Joel!” Josiah added.
