Daddy Next Door

by Judy Christenberry

  No, it was gone. Why hadn’t he heard them leaving? He stuffed his hands in his pockets and began pacing the floor, which made him think he was a lot like Jennifer’s mother.

  But he certainly wasn’t going to lay down ultimatums.

  When his phone rang, he was surprised to hear his agent’s voice. “Jim, what are you doing calling on a Saturday?”

  “You’re not going to believe this, Nick. I got an emergency phone call from Hollywood. They’re having trouble adapting a scene to film. Several of their hotshot writers have tried, but they aren’t satisfied with the results. They thought they’d give you a chance.”

  Nick could hardly believe his ears. Hollywood wanted his help? “What scene?”

  “I have no idea. They want you to fly out right away.”

  “Fly out? To Hollywood?”

  “Yes. They’ll pay for your expenses. They’ve got a ticket waiting for you. Just go check in.” He gave Nick the flight information.

  “I won’t have to be there very long, will I?”

  “Why not? You’re single. Hollywood will be great for you.”

  “Are they talking a couple of days or a week?”

  “I have no idea.” Jim hesitated, then he asked, “Nick, are you okay?”

  “Yeah, I’m fine. I’ll get out to Hollywood.”

  “Here’s the number to call before you board your flight. That way someone will pick you up.”

  “Right. Thanks, Jim.”

  Nick hung up the phone and stared at it for several seconds without moving. Here was the opportunity he thought he wanted. Strange, his heart wasn’t racing. He was thinking about leaving Jennifer and her girls.

  He shook his head as if to banish the thoughts and went to his bedroom to pack.

  When that was done, he took out some paper to write Jen a note. That wasn’t how he wanted to leave, but he had to tell her what was going on.

  He was halfway through his note when he heard some noise in the hallway. He sprang to his feet and threw open his door.

  “Did we disturb you?” Jennifer asked as she urged her children inside her apartment.

  “I’ve been waiting for you.”

  “You have?”

  “Yeah. I’ve got to leave.”

  “Where are you going?” Missy asked, stepping out into the hall.

  “I have to go to California,” he said, squatting down beside Missy. “Will you give me a goodbye hug?”

  “Yes,” Missy agreed, throwing her arms around his neck.

  Annie and Steffi followed Missy. In the meantime, Missy was asking when he would be coming home.

  “I’m not planning on being gone longer than a week. But I won’t know how long until I get there.”

  “We’ll miss you,” Annie said.

  “I’ll miss all of you, too, but I’ll be back. Now, I need to talk to your mommy for just a minute, okay?”

  Jennifer, who had backed up to her apartment door, opened it and told the girls to go wash up for lunch.

  She stood there, not moving toward him. He crossed the distance between them in two strides. “I should’ve given you all this information before, but here are my sisters’ names and numbers…just in case something goes wrong.”

  “Are you sure you’ll be coming back?” she asked, staring at the paper he’d given her.

  “What do you mean?”

  “You’re going to Hollywood. Anything can happen.”

  “I’m not sure what they have in mind for me, Jennifer. They may need me longer, but I’ve only packed for a week.” He smiled and ran a finger across her cheek. “But I’ll be back eventually,” he said, leaning just a little closer.

  “Okay.” Jennifer couldn’t think of anything else to say. If she tried, she was afraid she’d say something she shouldn’t. But it disturbed her how much his departure upset her. Even though she’d expected it.

  “I’ll miss you,” he muttered, and then kissed her. He took her in his arms and pulled her close, needing to feel her. She opened up to him and deepened the kiss.

  She put a finger to his lips. “Don’t, Nick. I—I have to go inside. To be with the girls.”

  “I know. Take care of them until I get back.”

  “I will. Take care of yourself.” She backed into her apartment and closed the door.

  Nick stood there for a moment reliving that kiss. Then he went into his apartment to grab his suitcase and called a taxi to take him to the airport. He was on his way to Hollywood!

  JENNIFER LEANED AGAINST the door, her eyes closed, thinking about his goodbye kiss. She needed to remember it because she figured once he got to Hollywood, he wouldn’t think of her or the girls anymore.

  “Mommy?” Missy asked.

  “Uh, yes, sweetie?”

  “Why do you have your eyes closed?”

  “I was just resting a minute. Are you hungry?”

  “Yes. But I’m going to miss Nick.”

  “Yes, sweetie, we all will. But Nick may move to California, so don’t plan on him being around all the time.”

  “But I don’t want him to. He’s the daddy!”

  “No, Missy. I told you he isn’t the daddy. He’s a neighbor, but that can change, so you mustn’t count on him.”

  Missy fell silent, a sad look on her face, and Jennifer couldn’t help but hug her. Then she hurried her into the kitchen.

  After lunch she sent the girls to rest. And she went to her own bedroom, taking the piece of paper Nick had given her. She folded it and put it under her jewelry box to keep it safe. She didn’t think anything bad would happen.

  Except that Nick wouldn’t come home.

  NICK WANTED TO GO HOME.

  He was frustrated. Every time he solved one problem, the people doing the film came up with another. He’d spent three long days putting out fires, and three long nights being taken to one club after another. Each one was filled with beautiful women, some single some not. But his guide, one of the writers, said it didn’t matter. They were all available to anyone who had either money or power.

  “But I don’t have either,” Nick said.

  “They’ll think you have power. They’ll think you could get them a job on the set. That’s the way to fame and fortune.”

  Nick shook his head. “Shouldn’t we be working instead of partying?”

  “We’ve told the director we need time to work these things out,” the other writer said with a grin. He was about twenty-six years old and had lived in Hollywood after getting out of film school at UCLA. He didn’t know another way of life existed.

  “Hey, Nick, you work too fast. We don’t want to overdo it.”

  Nick thought about Jennifer and the girls and the time he’d spent with them. That time had been so much more fun. So had the time he had been alone and worked on his book. He’d already learned it was important to enjoy the process of the writing as much as the results.

  “You know, I need to wind up my work tomorrow and head back home. I’ve discovered I’m a homebody.”

  “I should’ve known you were married. You haven’t picked up a woman the entire time you’ve been here. And you have your own hotel room, paid for!”

  Actually he had a suite, in a five-star hotel that was beyond his wildest dreams. Still… “I’m tired of it. I want to go home.”

  “But you could have a regular job writing here. They like your work.”

  The director had told him as much yesterday when Nick had shown up on the set with the rewrites. Nick had been thrilled, but his elation waned when Jen wasn’t there to share it. The director had clapped him on the back and recommended Nick try his hand at writing screenplays. The Hollywood hotshot was well connected, his reputation having drawn some marquee names to this film.

  Nick could hardly believe his ears. This was a break people would kill for and it was being offered to him. This was his chance—to make it, to be famous, rich. But why hadn’t he jumped at it? It was everything he ever wanted… But no longer.

  Now the only
dreams that filled his head had four blondes in them. And he couldn’t wait to get home to them.

  The next day, Nick informed all involved that he was going home after that day. He was amazed how much better he felt after he made his decision. His sleep that last night was so much more peaceful.

  “Man you are the cheapest date we’ve every brought to town,” was his guide’s last comment to Nick.

  “Good. I don’t need to run up the costs of making the film. But I need to get back to Dallas.”

  “You must have one hot lady in Dallas!”

  “Yes, I do,” Nick said, smiling for almost the first time since his arrival.

  “Okay. I’ll see what flight I can get you on. I tell you what. I’ll get you a first-class ticket. Then you can fly in comfort.”

  “That’s a deal.”

  When Nick knew what flight he would be on, he called Jennifer. No one answered, so he left a message. “Hey, Jen, girls, I’m getting in at 3:35 this afternoon. How about I take you out to dinner? I’ve missed you all.”

  Then he hung up the phone, counting on the girls to persuade Jennifer to accept his invitation.

  JENNIFER WAS DRINKING iced tea out on the deck, sitting at a new table with an umbrella to provide some shade. She and Diane were chatting about the girls and the changes in Jennifer’s life.

  “I think this has been great for you, Jennifer,” Diane said. “I’ve never seen you so happy.”

  She couldn’t help but smile now. “The girls are wonderful. And Nick suggested I take a parenting class that has really helped, too.”

  “Where is Nick? I haven’t seen him lately.”

  “He…” Nick hadn’t told her it was all right to spread the news of his career change and his Hollywood trip, so she kept his confidence. “He had to go out of town.”

  “Really? I thought he was just lazing around for the summer before he started teaching again.”

  “I’m not sure what he’s doing. He has three sisters. He may be visiting one of them.” Then she hurried to change the subject.

  “Why are you off today?”

  “Oh, I just decided to take a vacation day. The summer has become a drag. I needed a day off.”

  “That’s nice. How’d the housekeeper work out?”

  “She’s wonderful! Will Nick be back on Friday when she does his apartment?”

  “I’m not sure. He thought he’d be gone a full week.”

  “You know, I took your advice with him.” When Jennifer shot her a puzzled look, she explained, “I took him out to dinner as you suggested, though he insisted on paying. We had a nice visit, but…he wasn’t interested.”

  “How do you know?”

  “It was easy to tell. I don’t need a picture drawn for me. He was polite, but nothing more.”

  “Well, I—”

  “I hear your phone ringing,” Diane said.

  “It’s probably my mother. She calls constantly to tell me how she hates the idea that I’m adopting the girls. She wanted to set me up with some millionaire’s son. According to her, no one will want me now. I’m a ‘package deal,’ as she calls it.”

  “Maybe your mom could adopt me. I could use that guy!”

  Jennifer laughed along with her friend. “Sounds good to me. The next time she calls, I’ll accept and you can go in my place.”

  “Don’t you think that would make her mad?”

  “Yes, but I don’t care. As long as you and the guy hit it off, we don’t have a problem.”

  “Mommy!” Missy called from down below. Jennifer got up and went to the rail. “Yes, Missy?”

  “I’m very hot.”

  Missy looked flushed. Steffi and Annie were on the swings, but Missy had been running all over with Blondie.

  “Come up here, sweetie. I think you need to cool down.”

  She met Missy at the top of the stairs and felt her face. “Oh, my, I think you’re running a fever.”

  She brought Missy back to her chair and sat down, pulling Missy into her lap. She gave her some of her iced tea and then rubbed the cold glass against her cheeks.

  After a few minutes, when Missy was still hot, Jennifer decided to call the pediatrician. She pulled her cell phone out of the bag she’d brought outside with her and dialed his number.

  The doctor told her if Missy wasn’t any better in an hour, to bring her to his office.

  “We’re going in, Diane. But it was fun visiting with you.”

  “Yes, it was.”

  “Girls?” Jennifer called to the other two. “I want you to come in, too.”

  When they got inside, Jennifer raised the air conditioning and rubbed Missy’s face with a cool, damp cloth. Steffi brought her sister a glass of water and Jennifer got her to drink some of it.

  In a few minutes Missy cooled down some. Jennifer lay back on the sofa with her to watch television.

  “Look, Mommy, there’s a red light blinking,” Steffi said, pointing to the answering machine.

  “Go push it, Steffi,” Jennifer said, her attention on Missy.

  Nick’s voice filled the room and a cheer went up from the three girls when they heard his invitation.

  Chapter Eleven

  The mere sound of his voice sent her heart racing in a rapid tattoo. Her mind furiously tried to calculate how many hours it would be till she saw him, but she could barely concentrate.

  Nick was coming home!

  The girls’ excited voices brought her back to reality.

  “I know you’re excited about Nick’s invitation, but I don’t know if we can go. After all, Missy isn’t feeling well.”

  “I feel much better, Mommy, I promise. Please let us go to dinner with Nick!”

  “I can’t promise you, Missy. I’ll take your temperature later and if you don’t have any fever, I’ll consider it,” she said firmly.

  “But if Missy is okay, we can go?” Steffi asked.

  Jennifer doubted the wisdom of accepting Nick’s invitation, but she couldn’t say no to the girls, not when she was fighting excitement herself. “Maybe.”

  Steffi leaned forward and said, “You’d better stay still and drink lots of water, Missy.”

  “I will,” the child replied, already settling herself on the sofa. Her quiet didn’t last long. In a few seconds she popped up and asked, “Will we go back to Chuck E. Cheese’s?”

  Jennifer shuddered. “I hope not. I think we should save that place for birthdays.”

  “When is your birthday, Mommy?” Missy asked.

  “Later in the summer.”

  “What day is it?” Steffi needed more concrete information.

  “It’s August 2, honey. See, that’s much later.”

  “What do you want for your birthday?” Annie asked. “I don’t think you want a dolly like I did.”

  Jennifer smiled. “I don’t want anything. I already have everything I’ll ever need.” She pulled the trio in for a quick, tight hug.

  “What about a daddy?”

  She leaned back and looked at Missy. “What do you mean?”

  “Don’t you want a daddy for your birthday?” Her brown eyes widened and twinkled. “I know just the daddy for you, too. Nick!”

  Jennifer gasped and flushed like a lovesick teenager. “No!” When she noticed the offended look on Missy’s face, she tempered her reply. “Thanks anyway, sweetheart. Why don’t you just pick me some flowers instead?”

  Missy seemed unconvinced. “But—”

  “You need to rest if you want to go tonight. How about I put on a movie for you to watch.”

  “What movie?” Steffi asked.

  “I think Mary Poppins would be a good movie to watch. It’s about two children who need a nanny.”

  “What’s a nanny?” Missy asked.

  “It’s a lady who takes care of children when their parents are too busy to take care of them.”

  Annie frowned. “Why would they be too busy?”

  “You’ll see when you watch the movie.”

  Sh
e went to the hall closet and got the DVD out and started it. The music reminded her of watching the movie when she was a little girl, wishing Mary Poppins had come to her house to weave her magic spell.

  Once the movie got started, Jennifer tiptoed out of the room, leaving all three girls staring at the television screen.

  With the music playing in the background, she kept busy, trying not to think of Nick returning.

  As if she weren’t counting the hours…

  NICK LEANED FORWARD IN the back of the taxi, urging the vehicle closer and closer to home. That thought gave him pause. He’d only lived in the Dallas fourplex a couple of weeks. But it wasn’t the place that was home. It was the people.

  He wanted to see the girls, of course. But he especially wanted to see Jennifer. He wanted to throw his arms around her and give her a kiss that would let her know how much he’d missed her.

  Only she seemed to be disturbed by his kisses. She’d let him get close for a minute, and then she’d pulled away the last time he’d kissed her.

  He frowned. Something was bothering Jen. He wasn’t sure what, but if he ever got some time to talk to her without six little ears listening in, he might have a chance to figure it out.

  When the taxi finally pulled into the driveway, he paid the driver and grabbed his bag to hurry in to his apartment. He unlocked the door and threw his bag inside. Then he closed it and went to knock on Jennifer’s door.

  He heard little feet rushing toward the door, followed by Jennifer’s voice warning them not to open it. He waited impatiently for Jennifer to look through the peephole.

  He heard her unlocking the door and stepped forward as she swung it back. Before she could say anything, he pulled her into his embrace and kissed her.

  “N-Nick, I didn’t expect you back so soon!” Jennifer said as she pulled herself out of his arms.

  Annie and Steffi ran to him, throwing themselves around his legs.

  “Hi, girls,” Nick said on a smile. “How’ve you been?”

  “We’re fine,” Annie volunteered, “but Missy is sick.”

  “But we think she’s well enough to go to dinner,” Steffi hurriedly added.

  Nick went at once to the sofa. “What’s the matter, Missy?”