Doorstep daddy

by Cajio, Linda

  She needed to sort this out herself first. Or else she was a coward. She leaned toward the latter. It made more sense.

  "Hi, Aunt Callie," Joey said with a welcoming grin when he answered the door.

  She bussed his cheek. "Hi, kid. How's school?" "Good. But we lost the soccer playoffs. One and out." Joey made a face. "Amanda's school is going into the semifinals for South Jersey."

  Callie smiled. "Talk to your mom and dad." Joey looked heavenward. "Dad does whatever Mom says. I'll never get on a good team."

  "There are other things than soccer teams," Gerri said, having overheard the gist of the conversation while coming out of the kitchen.

  "There's college-scholarship money in soccer, Gerri," Callie said. "If Joey's on a good team, maybe he can get recognized for his talent."

  "He's in a very good school," Gerri countered, looking like she'd swallowed lemons. "That will count for more in the type of college Joey can go to. He needs Harvard or Yale."

  "I do?" Joey asked, wide-eyed. "Yes, you do," Gerri said firmly. "Your aunt Callie would know that if she ever stopped playing mother hen and had children of her own."

  "Well, I've been properly spanked," Callie quipped, ready to do the same to her superior-minded sister. But she set the annoyance with Gerri aside. Gerri would never learn, anyway.

  Joey, obviously knowing when a good retreat was needed, waved goodbye to Callie and disappeared upstairs.

  Callie smiled at Gerri, to show she wasn't too annoyed with her. She held out the garment she carried. "I brought back your dress. I had it dry-cleaned - "

  Gerri snatched it out of Callie's hands. "Oh, no!"

  " - at a one-hour service," Callie finished lamely. "Why? What's wrong?"

  "A cheap dry cleaner could ruin the dress," Gerri said, flipping up the filmy plastic bag. She examined the dress closely. "Thank God! It's okay,"

  "Oh, too bad," Callie muttered under her breath. If she were to be hung for a lamb, she might as well have ruined the dress and be hung for a lion. More loudly she said, 4'Thanks for baby-sitting the other night for Richard."

  "What choice did I have?" Gerri asked. "I couldn't very well refuse him. He's a diplomat and shouldn't be offended. But I know you put him up to it, Callie, even if he didn't."

  "Me!" Callie gasped.

  "Oh, don't act the innocent," Gerri said, looking vexed. 4'You've been shameless with Richard. It's embarrassing for me and the children. All the neighbors have noticed and they've made comments. Callie, I hate to bring this to your attention, but why would a man like Richard, with his position, have a relationship with you for any reason but one? He's not going to stay with you, toou know. A man like that wouldn't."

  Callie looked at her sister, ready to strangle her. Only the penalty stopped her.

  "Oh, don't give me that look." Gerri sniffed dramatically. 4'You were always above yourself. Mom should have reeled you in, instead of letting you lord it over the rest of us. The others in the family can kowtow to you, but I certainly won't. I don't care if you make a fool of yourself over a man. Just don't do it so blatantly in front of my friends."

  "Gerri, you're nuts!" Callie exclaimed, finding her voice at last. "I don't know what your problem is, but back off!"

  Callie stalked out of the house, afraid if she stayed longer, she really would do physical harm to her spoiled-rotten sister. She couldn't believe how Gerri had attacked her. It was all nonsense, but it hurt. Hurtful words. Gerri had always been good at that. Still, the notion that she was somehow beneath Richard gnawed at her. She'd never seen him act superior about anything or anyone. He was no snob. She was certain of that.

  Yet, she didn't feel she measured up. Maybe that was a reason she wanted her distance. Yes, she needed to get a degree before she considered anything with a man and family. But she did have feelings of inadequacy. Callie shook the notion off. Gerri was nuts, plain and simple.

  As she drove out of the area, she passed by Richard's house. Making an instant decision, she turned the car around and parked in front.

  When she climbed out, she glanced around the houses, then made a rude gesture. "Take that, you bunch of nosy nasties. If you think I was crude before, just watch out."

  She smiled to herself, feeling instantly better. She walked up the walk and knocked on Richard's door.

  Amanda opened it. The teenager grinned widely when she saw who it was. "Callie! Hi! Thank God you're here. Uncle Richard's got to make a squirrel costume for Jason. By tomorrow."

  Callie chuckled ruefully. "I think I'll leave now."

  "Oh, no. We need help." Amanda gripped her arm and pulled her into the house.

  Richard was in the kitchen with the squirrel-to-be. Jason stood on the table. He wore brown pants and a brown shirt. On his head was a Mickey Mouse cap with the famous ears. Sticking out the back of Jay's pants was a feather duster dyed a mottled dun color. Mark was trying to climb onto the table and not yet succeeding because his uncle shooed him off.

  "It hurts, Uncle Richard," Jay whined, tugging at his tail.

  "Leave it alone," Richard commanded, pushing the boy's hand away. "I've got to see it before I can fix it."

  "Guess who I found," Amanda announced, grinning triumphantly as she led Callie farther into the kitchen.

  "Callie!" Mark shouted, and stopped trying to get on the table with his older brother.

  He ran to Calhe and hugged her legs. She reached down and picked the boy up. Mark's arms wrapped around her neck, and Callie hugged him back, kissing his hair, grateful the boy didn't act as if she was beneath him in the social stratosphere.

  "It hurts, Callie," Jason whined by way of greeting.

  Callie grinned at him. "You look like an ostrich with a gland problem, Jay."

  "See?" the boy said to the room.

  She turned to Richard. He stood there, grinning like a fool, obviously very pleased to see her. And not because she could turn Jason from lousy ostrich to good-looking squirrel better than he could. His smile held a hint of knowing intimacy, as if he and she were the only kwo people in the world.

  She remembered their conversation and the way she had scooted off the telephone. He'd dared her to take a risk with him and see where their relationship would go. After Gerri's performance tonight, she wanted nothing more than to accept that challenge. "Hi, stranger," he said.

  She smiled, feeling more welcome here than she did anywhere else. "Hi. I was in the neighborhood and thought I'd stop by."

  "I appreciate that...just for myself - " his grin widened '' - but if you have any advice on how to improve the squirrel costume, I won't say no."

  "Throw it out and start over," she suggested.

  "Yeah!" Jay cheered, and yanked the feather duster out of the back of his pants.

  "I didn't mean the tail," Callie said. "That was the best part."

  Richard laughed heartily. "I thought so."

  "Why is he in brown?" she asked, frowning. "Squirrels are gray...or is he supposed to be one who rolled around in the mud for three days?''

  "I'm s'pose to be a squirrel who doesn't want to store nuts for the winter," Jay said, making a face of disgust. ��� "It's a dumb play we're doing for the kindergartners about autumn."

  "I forgot we had to put a costume together tonight," Richard said. "The play's tomorrow."

  "You've been a little busy," Callie said, excusing him on his own behalf. "But a squirrel rolling around in the mud isn't a bad idea. It shows he's playing, instead of working hard like he should be."

  "You mean I have the body of it solved?" Richard asked, his tone excited.

  "I think we could get away with it." She set Mark on the table and said, "Now don't fall off, big guy," before turning to Jay. She pursed her lips. "The mouse ears have to go."

  Jay flung the hat across the room. "Yippee!"

  "We'll make whiskers, instead, from a brown paper bag, and he can tape them on his upper Up."

  "I'll get the bag," Amanda said, going into the utility room where they were s
tored.

  "He still needs a tail," Richard said. "And this one hurts."

  "He does... Mark, no." CalUe snatched the toddler up as he tried to get down from the table.

  "I knew he'd do that," Richard said, shaking his head. "That's why I didn't let him up there in the first place."

  "Oh, I knew he'd get bored and want to get down," Callie said, then planted a kiss on the toddler's belly. Mark squealed with laughter. "I was waiting for it. This way he's discovered it isn't as much fun as he thought and he won't be trying to get on the table all the time like before."

  Richard bowed. "The master at work once again." "The lording-it-over-everyone-else at work again," Callie said.

  Richard frowned. "Where did that come from?" "An w/rwise woman." She waved her hand in dismissal.

  At least she knew Gerri was an unwise woman, even if what she said hung on like the last tree leaf. She turned her attention to Jason.

  Within twenty minutes they had whiskers on the boy and a tail that didn't hurt. Callie reminded Jay to tell his teacher he was Ding-Dong, the squirrel who played in the mud, rather than gathered nuts. Jason actually liked the notion.

  After Amanda went to her room, Jason hit the shower and Mark was put to bed. All the kids were content with having solved a family crisis together. Richard looked very happy. Callie felt a satisfaction she didn't find anywhere else.

  That gave her pause.

  Richard ushered her into the living room, where they could be alone. "I know you didn't come over to help with a squirrel costume."

  "I came to apologize for what I said the other night on the phone." She knew she'd been too harsh in her assessment of his interest in her - even if, deep inside, she believed it.

  "But you still think it's true," he guessed shrewdly.

  Callie sighed. "Yes, but you don't. That's what matters."

  "Callie, why do you think everything will be taken from you if you find yourself involved with someone? Someone like me with a ready-made family?'' His voice was earnest, his gaze even more so.

  Callie glanced away, unable to look at him directly. "Because it would. Because I would allow it."

  "Then why can't you look me in the eye when you say it?"

  She glanced back involuntarily, startled by his words.

  "Maybe it's something you don't truly believe, either," Richard said. He cupped her cheek. "I'm not after you for the kids. I promise you that. I'll muddle through like I would have tonight."

  "Jason would have been a dirty squirrel with a bad butt," she replied, chuckling, although his words about what she believed bothered her.

  "So he would have muddled through, too." Richard kissed her mouth lightly. "I should be annoyed with you for what you're thinking. But I understand it."

  "I don't." Her sister's disapproval flitted through her mind. Instead of weakening her resolve, it strengthened it. "Maybe we could try a dinner together."

  He smiled and kissed her again. She melted against him, the hard wall of his chest crushing her breasts. Her nipples grew hard in response. Desire flowed through her veins, heating her body.

  He raised his head. "Dinner would be great."

  "Just don't use my sister as a baby-sitter. Ever."

  "Why? Did she complain?"

  Callie snorted. "She always complains."

  "No problem." He traced his finger down her cheek, sending shivers of delight along her nerve endings. "Stay awhile."

  "The neighbors will talk," she murmured, stretching up to kiss his cheek, his forehead, then his mouth.

  "I don't give a rat's behind about the neighbors."

  "That's wonderful to know," she murmured happily.

  He pulled her closer. She knew she should stop things, but she didn't care. She felt as though a door long closed had been opened finally. A door she needed to have opened by Richard.

  Richard was contemplating suicide when his telephone rang.

  It was an idle thought, he admitted to himself. He had no clue where to get a baby-sitter now that Gerri was off the A list. He'd find one before he turned eighty. The trick was, would Callie wait that long? He finally picked up the receiver. "Hello?"

  "Richard? It's Jared - your cousin Jared Holiday. We ran into each other at the ball - "

  "Of course." Richard grinned. "Hey, it's great to hear from you."

  "I'll bet you didn't think it would be this soon. I want to keep in touch, believe me. This family has ties so loose the bow falls right out of it."

  Richard chuckled. "No kidding."

  "How are the kids?"

  "Good." He thought about Jason's turn as a lazy muddy squirrel. The kid had had a ball with the part, despite his complaining the night before. "Very good, as a matter of fact. Two are at school at the moment, and Mr. Mark is down for his nap. It's a great moment in a man's life. How are you doing?"

  ' 'Not as good as you obviously. Cousin Michael talks a lot about when his kids are off with projects or friends. He lives for those moments, I think, which scares the heck out of me about having children. I suppose I'd be thrilled for a few spare moments if I had six like he does."

  Although Richard had only half that amount, he com- 1 miserated. "I know where he's coming from."

  "I bet. Listen, Allison is hosting the family Christmas party this year. We want you and the kids to come, to be part of the newly reorganized Holiday clan. Peter, Michael, Raymond and I have gotten pretty close since we found wives. I know everyone wants to see you again - and especially the kids, under better circumstances than the last time."

  "We'd like that." Richard shook his head while thinking of all four cousins giving up bachelorhood in ( the same year. "This early, I've got every night free, so just tell me when."

  "That's why Allison wanted me to call you now. How about December twelfth?"

  "Sounds fine to me," Richard said, flipping up the wall calendar near the telephone. He marked off the date. Most of his other days were free, too, as he'd surmised.

  "Bring that pretty lady of yours," Jared added. "Allison thought she was terrific. So did I."

  Richard smiled, pleased that his long-lost cousin had liked Callie. "I think she's terrific, too." He paused for a moment. "Jared, you're married... Can I ask you something?"

  "Sure."

  "Do you understand women?"

  Jared roared with laughter. "Hell, no. That's the fun of it. Why? Is Callie confusing you?''

  "Does the sun rise every day?" Richard countered.

  "Man, have I been there. I can see you need help. Let me make a few phone calls and I'll ring you back."

  "Okay." Richard hung up. Jared was a busy man now that he'd launched his own practice. That was good. He thought of his mystery-of-life question regarding women. The creatures were confusing. At least he knew he wasn't the only one confused, which was a relief. Maybe he shouldn't question why Callie had reversed herself and was not willing to pursue a relationship. Maybe he ought to just concentrate on convincing her that her fears were unfounded.

  But first he had to get a baby-sitter.

  When the telephone rang again, Jared was on the other end.

  "I talked to the guys," he said. "We'll be over this evening. Early. Raymond's got to get to bed before nine."

  "What guys? What bed?" Richard asked, totally confused.

  Jared snorted with amusement. "You need help, my friend, about women. Trust me on this. A little moral support among males keeps us from being total idiots when it comes to the opposite sex. Ray's got a wake-up call for four in the morning because his radio show starts at six. That's the bed part. We'll see you later. We're looking forward to it."

  At seven that evening Richard found himself surrounded by moral support in the form of his four cousins, whom he hadn't seen in years, except briefly at his brother's funeral. To say he was confused was an understatement, but he liked the four men seated at his kitchen table. The deep satisfaction he sensed in his cousins - as if each had found the core of himself - intrigued him.

>   "Jared says you're confused about a woman," Michael began after they were all settled with beers. "We're here to see you through it."

  '4Jared is kind to do th - '' Richard began.

  "Jared's an attorney," Raymond interrupted. "He's never kind."

  "Thanks," Jared muttered, shooting his cousin a dark look. "And to think I like you." Raymond just grinned.

  "Listen, love is easy," Peter said. "There's no cure for it. I know. I've tried."

  "Just keep a little perspective on the situation," Michael said. "But not too much. I think I went into shock when I met my wife, because I went way too far the other way. Thank God, Janice is sensible."

  "Callie's sensible, but I don't know about love," Richard replied, pondering the emotion. Maybe Peter was closer to the mark than Richard had ever considered when it came to Callie. Could he be in love with her?

  Or could he be in love with the way she'd helped him out? Was there a difference?

  "None of us knows about love," Raymond said. "Either you are in love or you aren't. Just don't fight it, whichever way you are."

  "Now there he makes a point," Jared observed.

  "I think my situation's different," Richard said, confused.

  The four cousins laughed.

  Now thoroughly confused, he said, "No. Really."

  He explained about Callie's having to raise her younger siblings and how she feared falling back into that and being kept from meeting her goals.

  "No difference from ours, trust me," Peter said when Richard was finished. The others nodded, knowing expressions on their faces.

  Richard gaped at their assuredness.

  "Women are...unique," Michael said. "But their concerns are the same as ours."

  "I'd love to study women's physiological chemistry," Peter said. "I bet it's all over the place."

  "I made a list of my wife's quirks," Jared mused. "She threw it out."

  "Don't even get me started about Holly," Raymond said of his bride. "You have no clue how unique she can be."

  Richard wanted to dispute that. The man had never met Callie. "Well, it may all be a moot point. I can't even get a baby-sitter so I can take her out to dinner."