Beginnings

by Bernadette Marie

  "That makes you nervous though, doesn't it?"

  "Sure it does."

  "Maybe you should talk to Russell about that. He took on Lucas."

  "I'm not looking to take on anything," Ben assured him. "It's just nice to be in her company."

  That seemed to pull a laugh from his brother. "Nice to be in her company. Oh, hell man. You're screwed. You've got it in big time for this gal. Why not just make a move on her?"

  "I kissed her. That's a move, right?"

  "Sure. An opening move."

  An opening move, Ben kept that in his head as he and his brother continued to unload the trailer. What was the next move? Had he been out of the dating scene long enough that there was something new? He had no idea, but he had to assume then neither did Nichole. She'd be as new to the scene as he was.

  He'd see how Wednesday went with the kids, and then he'd decide on how to make the next move.

  16

  Could a single day get any more chaotic? Nichole had been called out of work to pick up Zane because he'd spiked a fever and complained of stomach pain.

  Audrey had stepped in and taken over her clients for the day, and Nichole headed home to take care of her son. The day suddenly became a blur as she organized Katie to pick up Wyatt from school and take him to the park for an hour, just to keep him away from the house. But then Katie carried a sick Wyatt into the house.

  "I'm so sorry," Katie apologized as she set Wyatt on the couch. "He was playing and having a great time. Then he just looked at me and ran to the trashcan and threw up."

  "Oh, baby, how are you feeling now?" Nichole sat down beside him on the couch and pressed the back of her hand to his forehead. "Yep, you've got this crap too."

  "How can I help you?" Katie asked.

  "I don't know. Maybe you'd better get home so that you don't get this too."

  "I hate to leave you with all of this. Is Laura sick as well?"

  "Not yet," Nichole said gratefully. "I think I'll set her up with a movie and put these guys in my bed with a movie, too. That'll isolate them."

  "Call me if you need my help. My immune system is pretty good."

  Nichole smiled wearily at her. "I appreciate it. There is nothing worse than a springtime sick," she said sweetly to Wyatt whose cheeks were flushed.

  Katie left, and Nichole arranged her little family to maximize the potential of the boys getting better and Laura not getting sick.

  She settled Laura in the living room on the couch with Paw Patrol, a few snacks, and her favorite toys. The boys were both in her bed, a trash can on either side of the bed. Wyatt's fever had gone down once she'd given him some Tylenol, and Zane had finally fallen asleep. They'd asked for an Avengers movie, and she made that happen for them.

  Deciding that they'd need to eat something, she hunted up a few cans of chicken noodle soup and some crackers. Laura had chanted something about wanting macaroni and cheese.

  Nichole went about making it all happen in her tiny kitchen, all the while listening to the baby monitor she usually had in Laura's room but had carried in with the boys, just in case.

  Just as the water began to boil, she poured in the noodles, and the doorbell rang.

  Blowing the strand of hair from her eyes, she set the wooden spoon over the pot to keep it from boiling over and hurried to the door. Seriously, the solicitor on the other side was about to have a rude awakening.

  As she passed through the living room, she gave Laura a stern look to keep her perched on the couch with her teddy bear.

  * * *

  Ben rocked back on his heels as he stood on the small porch of the cottage like house. He'd been by the house numerous times, but he hadn't known that Nichole lived there. The swing set in the small backyard gave him a flurry of happy memories. His father had built them a fortress in the backyard, and it had become one of the greatest childhood adventures of his life.

  Just as he considered ringing the doorbell again, the front door flew open, and a wild-eyed Nichole stood there staring at him. Her hair was piled atop her head, with wisps that hung over her face. She had on a pair of sweatpants that said San Diego down the leg, and a T-shirt that looked as if it might have been used for painting at one time.

  When she registered that it was him standing on the front porch, the wide eyes grew terrified. She pushed open the screen door and stood there looking at him.

  "Ben, hi. What are you…" her words trailed off and her hand covered her mouth. "Oh, God. It's Wednesday."

  "Yeah. Are you doing okay?"

  She pulled the door behind, leaving it open just a crack. "I'm so sorry. Things kind of fell apart around here today. I don't think I'll be able to go for pizza. None of us. The boys came home sick. I'm making soup and macaroni and cheese. And look at me." She looked down at her shirt and brushed off something he didn't see. "Never mind. Don't look at me."

  Ben chuckled. "You look fine. It sounds like you've had a hard day."

  Nichole pursed her lips and batted her eyes. Then he watched as she quickly wiped a tear that had fallen. "Sorry," she said again. "I guess it just got the better of me. Maybe we could reschedule."

  "Of course we can. But why don't you let me come in and help you."

  She shook her head. "No. I don't want you to get sick."

  "I’m not worried. So, the boys are sick?"

  "I picked Zane up from school sick. Then Katie picked up Wyatt, and he got sick on the way home. They are isolated in my bedroom watching Avengers and Laura is on the couch watching Paw Patrol, staying away from her brothers."

  "I happen to be an aficionado on the Avengers. I'd really hate to miss a showing," he joked. Then he raised his hand to her cheek, just needing to touch her and offer her comfort. "You're not alone, Nichole. Let me help you."

  Her eyes damp, she reached up and covered his hand on her cheek. "Are you sure?"

  "Yeah."

  The door behind her opened, and Laura stood there looking up at them. "Water, Mommy."

  "God! I left the noodles boiling."

  Turning quickly, Nichole hurried into the house.

  Laura stood there looking up at Ben. Now he was out of his element, but he decided it was the perfect time to get over that.

  "Hey, Laura. What are you watching on TV?"

  Laura took his hand and pulled him into the quaint little living room and walked him to the couch.

  "Paw Patrol," she offered as she climbed up on the couch and sat down. Looking up at him, she handed him a stuffed puppy. "You sit there," she said pointing to the other end of the couch. "Hold puppy. He likes it. His name Ben, too."

  The conversation about the puppy, that seemed to share his name, warmed him.

  Ben did as instructed by Laura. He wasn't completely unfamiliar with Paw Patrol. It had been on when his nieces and nephew were around. His nieces were infants, but it seemed that regular TV was out of the question when they were in the room.

  He could hear Nichole in the kitchen cursing at the noodles, and what a mess it had made. Then she muttered something about juice for one of the boys.

  "I'm going to help your mommy for a minute," he told Laura. "Can puppy stay with you?"

  Laura took the animal with a nod and then focused in on the animals on TV who were setting out to rescue someone. Hopefully, there wouldn't be a quiz on that, because he hadn't been paying that much attention.

  Nichole was at the sink with steaming noodles in the strainer. She looked half mad with her hair pulled back and her glasses fogged over.

  Ben took a moment to appreciate the raw moment before he spoke. "Where can I help you? And don't tell me you don't need it."

  Nichole let out a breath. "Zane wants juice. I have the baby monitor in there with him, so I can hear him."

  "Okay. What kind of juice and what kind of glass?"

  She motioned with a nod of her head. "There are plastic sip cups in that cupboard with lids. And don't lecture me on giving my seven-year-old a cup with a lid. I can't afford to have my mattre
ss cleaned if he spills it."

  "I wouldn't judge you at all," he said reaching into the cupboard for the cup and lid. "Juice is in the fridge?"

  "Yes. Apple juice."

  "Got it," he announced with some triumph as he opened the door to the refrigerator, which was decorated with artwork and stickered homework. "Just one glass? Does Wyatt need one too?"

  She smiled when he asked. "He's asleep."

  Ben poured the juice, affixed the lid to the cup, and replaced the container in the refrigerator—not to impress her, but he could hear his mother say, "If you took it out, put it away."

  He contemplated tapping on the door before walking in, but he didn't want to wake Wyatt. Slowly he opened the door and the unmistakable sound of Hulk yelling, "smash" filled his ears with joy. Who didn't like the Hulk?

  "What are you doing here?" Zane looked up at him with hollow eyes and rosy cheeks.

  "I was supposed to take you all out for pizza tonight. But it looks like you had different plans."

  "Pizza?" His eyes lit for a small moment before they sank again. "I don't think I want pizza."

  "No, but I have juice for you. I'll take you for pizza another time," he promised as he skirted the bed and handed Zane the juice.

  "So Avengers, huh?"

  "Yeah. You wanna watch?"

  He did, but he wondered if Nichole needed more help. He decided on sitting for a few moments.

  An upright chair sat in the corner of the room. Ben carried it to the side of the bed next to Zane.

  "Do you like Bruce Banner or the Hulk?" Zane asked as Ben sat down.

  Ben contemplated. "That's a hard one, bud. I wish I were as smart as Bruce Banner. But, do you know how much stuff I could get done at the ranch if I were as strong as the Hulk? Man, I could throw bales of hay out into the pastures from the truck instead of driving back and forth."

  "Why do you have to do that?"

  * * *

  Nichole listened to the conversation that played out on the baby monitor. He'd sat down with her son and made conversation. They were having a full discussion on the Hulk and the kinds of damage he could do.

  She covered her mouth when a sob wanted to escape. Ben was telling Zane about his brothers and how they would play superhero when they were younger. A laugh broke through the sob when he told him that even Eric would pretend with them once in a while, even though he was much older.

  "Mommy," Laura's little voice startled her, and she realized she was leaned into the monitor listening to the conversation. "Noodles and cheese," she said, demanding.

  "Yes, baby. I have it for you. Come climb up in your seat."

  Laura walked to the table and did her best to climb up the chair and into the booster that was strapped to it, but not without Nichole's expertly positioned hand on her rear to give her the right direction should she need it.

  Nichole pushed her up to the table and set the small plastic bowl and spoon in front of her. "Try not to make a mess, okay, princess?"

  "Yup," she agreed as she took her first spoonful and most of the noodles fell to the table before she reached her mouth.

  It was worth a shot Nichole thought as she tried to tidy the small kitchen which had seen its better days.

  The conversation on the monitor continued, and soon there was another voice. A wide-awake Wyatt added his opinion on Ironman.

  Nichole poured a cup of juice for Laura, who was making her way to the bottom of her bowl of noodles. Then she poured one for Wyatt. She would take it into him when she took Laura for her bath.

  Once Laura had finished her dinner, she let her down from the table and cleaned up the mess she had made trying her hardest to be a big girl. Who was Nichole trying to fool? She was a big girl and getting bigger by the minute. What a thing to cherish—watching her daughter grow into a little girl. The thought only seemed to anger her. How could her ex not have wanted any part of that? His loss. He would regret the day he didn't see her spill four noodles for every one or two she got in her mouth. There was a lot riding on that.

  She heard Wyatt ask for a drink on the monitor just moments before she heard the bedroom door creak open and Ben walked down the hall toward her.

  Lifting the cup, she had filled earlier toward him she smiled. "This is for Wyatt."

  His brows drew together in confusion. "Are you psychic?"

  She gave a sideways nod with her head toward the speaker on the counter. "Baby monitor."

  "So, you've been eavesdropping? Talks about superheroes are sacred male conversations. I don't know if you have what it takes to keep up."

  Nichole pushed up her glasses and planted her fists on her hips. "Wonder Woman was no slouch, and I could keep up just fine on the superhero front. Don't make me show you all what I have under all this fine exterior." She fanned out her hands to encompass the messy shirt and sweatpants, which now had macaroni and cheese on them. "This is all a facade."

  The smile that spread over Ben's mouth warmed her. "I had no doubt that was what was buried beneath the common exterior of a super mom. I stand corrected."

  Nichole tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Thanks for the help, Ben. It means a lot."

  "I haven't done much but keep two young men company. What else do you have to tend to tonight?"

  "I need to give Laura her bath."

  "I'll sit with the boys then. They're both awake, and not looking too bad. But I'm sure they'll be ready to go back to sleep by the time the movie is over. You take care of Laura. Do you put her to bed after?"

  "Yes. I'll read her a little story first, but then she usually falls asleep."

  "I'll stay and hold down the fort. When Laura is asleep, why don't you run yourself a nice warm bath. You could use one. You've worked extremely hard here today. I'll just be an ear to the ground in case the boys, or Laura needs something."

  Nichole couldn't help but stare into those compassionate eyes. He'd stay—he had stayed. He'd driven that far to have plans changed on him, and he'd stayed to help nurse sick children. He was a blessing to her, and you never saw blessings coming. This was a beginning. Not just for her and her kids in Georgia. But a beginning for her heart, a chance for it to mend.

  "I really appreciate all of this, Ben."

  He reached his hand out to her arm and gently slid it from her shoulder to her hand where he grasped it in his. "It's a minute gesture. Your job here is ginormous. It's the least I can do. Now go. Get her that bath and story. Then you take one."

  "I will."

  "I'll go sit with the boys."

  As she turned to walk to toward the bathroom with Laura, she gave his hand a squeeze. Seriously, how was she going to deal with the way her heart pulsed at that moment? A nice night out and a kiss at the end of it had been one thing, but this attention to family, that was another. It was just what she wanted, and she didn't want to be let down when he wasn't as strong as he seemed to be right at that moment.

  17

  Ben moved to the bedroom where he could hear the boys chatting. There was an intense conversation brewing about Superman and Batman now, and it reminded him that he and Gerald would go rounds on which one was better. He had to hold to his opinion, when a superhero was super and didn't have actual powers, he was the more superb being.

  Both sets of eyes looked up at him when he walked through the door and the conversation broke off. They looked so little in Nichole's big bed. It was then he took a moment to look around the room. How intimate it was to be standing in Nichole's bedroom, he realized. It wasn't just a sick ward, and the thought had him chuckling.

  The boys were buried under a mass of tan sheets and a comforter that looked as if it had been purchased to match the paint on the walls. With the pile of small pillows on the floor, he decided, when made, the bed was feminine and beautiful, just like its owner.

  "Where's Mom?" Zane asked.

  "She's going to give Laura her bath and then take one too."

  Wyatt sipped from his cup of juice. "We want to watch another movi
e," he said with a slight whine. "Can you ask her if we can watch Thor?"

  "Thor? You have Thor?"

  "The new one," Zane added. "It's funny too."

  "It sure is," Ben agreed. "Let me ask."

  * * *

  Nichole had set Ben and the boys up with Thor, and all three of them seemed to be satisfied with their choice.

  She knelt down near the bathtub, as Laura splashed in the bubbles, and thought about what was happening in that other room. There was a bonding happening that she hadn't expected.

  Ben had seemed easy when he'd arrived. And even though the kids were sick, the house was a mess, and she, having given herself a look in the mirror, was a complete wreck, he'd stayed to help and to comfort. Did men do that kind of thing? Did they step in when a woman and her children needed help? There was nothing he could gain from having stayed, and she wouldn't have faulted him had he turned to go either. With some resentment, she thought about the fact that her ex-husband had never taken care of the kids when they'd been sick before. No excuses or anything, he just disappeared into his own man-world. Ben hadn't done that.

  As Laura captured bubbles between her hands, Nichole wiped a washcloth over her own face and removed the traces of makeup which had smeared her eyes.

  She supposed if Ben stuck around, he'd see her worse off than she looked right at that moment. Sick kids and a chaotic house was nothing. He'd only seen her with clients or at the salon being professional. Even on their evening out, she'd been put together and managed to keep any personal angst at bay while she'd drunk craft beer, ate enchiladas and ice cream, and she'd kissed the man.

  The thought of that kiss still made her head swim. She certainly wouldn't mind doing that again.

  Laura called to her and she turned to see her daughter standing in the bubbles, her arms held up to signal she was finished.

  "Let's get you rinsed off."

  * * *

  Nichole could still hear the movie playing in her bedroom when she'd tucked in Laura. Thor and Loki were having a brotherly battle, much like her sons would often. One of the reasons she liked Thor and Loki was because they had normal brother issues. Oh, sure, one would want to kill the other. One was defiantly good and the other evil, or the story would go. But how many times did she see one of them lend a hand to the other out of brotherly bond, even if they then went back to trying to expel one another out of some galaxy or something.