He shifted his gaze to safer territory. Her auburn hair tumbled below her shoulders, and the sun pouring in the window highlighted the red. She had a healthy complexion, the kind that said she spent a lot of time outdoors. His glance slid to her mouth – perfect, sensual, exciting, kissable.
Riki glanced up and smiled. Jason felt his heart skip two beats, then it started in on double time.
“Mom.” Andrew said, “Pete was saying curses again.”
“Andrew, what have I told you about tattling?” Riki frowned at her son, then glanced at Pete. “Do you want to be punished again?”
“No, ma’am.”
“Then you better not let me hear that kind of language again.” She stood up. “Okay, gang, I want all the dirty clothes out by the washer. You can go out to play, but this time keep out of the mud. Andrew, you stay in the yard. Billy-Jo, you can help Mommy with dinner. Mr. Nesbit, would you like to join me for a cup of coffee?”
“Okay, and the name’s Jason.”
“Only if you call me Riki.”
She led the way into a huge kitchen that had just about every modem convenience. There was a dishwasher, a microwave, and an assortment of small appliances that Jason didn’t recognize. A large pine picnic table sat in the middle of the room, with benches on either side and a chair at each end. Jason sat on one of the benches. Billy-Jo climbed up next to him and stuck her thumb in her mouth.
“Here, Mom.” Travis, or was that Trevor, said as he laid muddy jeans on top of the washer. The rest of the gang filed in and deposited their dirty clothes.
“Cookies are on the counter,” Riki said, “but only take two. Dinner won’t be that much longer.”
Jason noticed that not one of the kids took more than two cookies. When Charlie entered the room with Tiny, she took two cookies as well. She put one in her mouth and fed the other to Tiny.
Riki chuckled. “He’s going to get as fat as an elephant if you keep feeding him cookies, Charlie. ”
Charlie glanced up at Riki. Jason guessed that was her way of showing she had heard and understood. He watched as she turned and left with Tiny.
Riki was measuring coffee into the drip coffee brewer when Billy-Jo said, “Cook, cook.”
“In a minute, darlin’. Let Mommy finish here first.”
“Would you like me to get them for you?” Jason asked. At Billy-Jo’s nod he got two cookies for her and handed them to her.
“You just made a friend for life,” Riki said as she set a cup of milk in front of Billy-Jo.
“I wish they were all that easy.” he muttered.
“I know it must be hard on you, but I believe this is the best way.” Riki smiled, trying to ease the strain.
“Okay, you’re the boss. What now?”
She handed him his coffee, then sat down across from him. “First, dinner. You are joining us, of course. The couple who live next door went away a few days ago. They’ve gone to stay with their daughter, who is going to have a baby any day now. They’ll be gone for two weeks or so. Anyway, I usually watch their house for them whenever they’re away. I explained the situation here and they agreed to allow you to sleep in their guest room while you’re here. You can join us for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. You can virtually live here, except you have to sleep there.”
“Why?”
“Why what?”
“Why do I have to sleep over there?”
Riki didn’t like that gleam in his eyes. “Because it wouldn’t be proper for you to sleep here.”
“Why? Do you attack strange men in the middle of the night?” Jason couldn’t help himself. She was actually blushing. He hadn’t seen a girl blush since high school.
“Of course not!” Riki was more angry at herself for getting flustered than at Jason for teasing her. He must think you’re a real country bumpkin. she told herself, blushing and stumbling over your own tongue. “Look, Jason. I’m in the process of trying to adopt Jake and Pete, and something I don’t need is gossip.”
“Why not Charlie or the others?”
“I always knew Charlie had a father somewhere. Even though it took so long to find you, I never got my hopes up. If you were dead and there was no family, I would have applied to adopt her too. As for the others, I don’t have to adopt them.”
“Thanks for wishing me dead, and why don’t you have to adopt the others?”
“They’re mine.”
He raised his brows. “All of them?”
She stiffened her shoulders. “There are only four.”
“Whoa, Mama Bear, I have nothing against four kids. It’s just that you don’t look like you had four.”
“Right now I’m the mother of seven. Any complaints?”
“Not a one. I didn’t mean to imply that you weren’t a good mother or anything. It’s just that you don’t look like my idea of a mother of seven.” He leered comically at her and proceeded to check out her body.
Riki could feel the blush starting at her neck. She quickly put her coffee cup down and stood. “Let’s go next door, and I’ll show you around.” Grabbing Billy-Jo’s hand, she headed for the back door.
Two
Lying in his bed that night and staring up at the ceiling, Jason couldn’t quell his excitement. Damn, if this day hadn’t turned out totally different from what he had expected. He smiled when he thought about dinner. He had never sat down at a table with seven children before. It was total chaos, but the feeling of love was ever present.
After Riki had shown him the Stanleys’ place, the boys had helped him carry in his few pieces of luggage. He had then Joined Charlie on the back porch. She hadn’t seemed to mind that he was there, but she hadn’t acknowledged him either. When Riki called everyone in for dinner, they had both gone inside. He had carried in the meat loaf and mashed potatoes. Riki had carried in the rest, and they had all sat down.
Jason was on his second mouthful, after complimenting Riki on the best meat loaf he had ever tasted, when all hell broke lose.
“Mom, Travis kicked me.”
“Did not.”
“Travis, please stop it.”
“Stop what?”
“Not you, Pete. Please turn up your hearing aid.”
“Mom. Andrew stuck his fingers in my mashed potatoes.”
“Riki, why is Billy-Jo plastering mashed potatoes on her hair?”
“Billy-Jo, darlin’, stop that.”
“Who took my fork?”
“Boys, give Jake back his fork. It isn’t nice to tease him.”
“But, Mom ...”
“No, buts.”
“He broke the dam in my mashed potatoes and got gravy in my peas.”
“Jake?”
“I was trying to find my napkin.”
“Two places down?”
“Riki! Billy-Jo is choking!”
“No, she’s not, Jason. It’s her way of saying she’s done.”
“Why is she blue?”
“Good acting.”
Jason stole a glance at Charlie. She was busy eating, apparently not paying one bit of attention. But he saw a smile trying to break free. So she did understand what was going on, he thought. She just wasn’t a part of it –yet.
After everyone helped clear the table, they all gathered in the front parlor. Since it wasn’t a school night, the kids didn’t have to do homework. Riki ended up on the floor with Travis, Trevor, Jake, and Pete, reading the continuing story of Robinson Crusoe. Andrew climbed up on the couch and handed Jason a storybook about life on a farm. Jason had never read a child a story before, but with an encouraging smile from Riki he gave it a shot. Charlie sat on the sidelines listening to everything while slowly running her fingers up and down Tiny’s spine.
Jason had no idea where the time went, but the next thing he knew Riki was telling everyone to get ready for bed. He ruffled Billy-Jo’s hair and stood her on the floor. She had managed to climb up on his lap as he was reading to Andrew. He had liked holding her, smelling the scent of baby shampoo and watching
her suck her thumb. He had pointed out all the animals in the book to see if Andrew or Billy-Jo knew their names.
As the boys climbed the steps, either Travis or Trevor, he wasn’t sure which, asked if he wanted to see their baseball card collection. He glanced at Riki. She nodded, and he followed the crowd.
Upstairs two huge rooms overlooked the front of the house with a door between them. One room was papered in a baseball print with solid blue curtains, while the other was painted blue with baseball print curtains. The room that was painted was the twins’ room, and the walls were covered with pennants of all the major baseball teams.
Jason sat down on the bottom bunk bed as Riki took Billy-Jo and Charlie to their room. Travis and Trevor showed him their shoe boxes filled with cards. Pete showed him his shoe box, too, which was more than half filled. He explained he had just started collecting. Andrew showed him a green stuffed animal and told him it was the Philly Phanatic.
Jake stood in front of him, his hands behind his back. “Bet you can’t guess what I have.”
“More baseball cards?”
“Nope. What would a blind kid do with baseball cards?”
Jason studied Jake, and realized the boy wasn’t too bothered about being blind. Jason could imagine the anger a child might have, but Jake didn’t seem to be angry at all. He wasn’t a bit rebellious. He fit right into this large family, and Jason had trouble remembering he was blind.
“I give up,” he said. “What is it?”
Jake brought his hand from behind his back. He was holding a baseball autographed by ten members of the Philadelphia Phillies.
“Hey, this is great,” Jason said. “Where did you get it?”
“Uncle Frank,” one of the twins said. “He’s Mom’s brother. He lives up there near the Phillies, but he travels all the time. He’s the one who sends us all this neat stuff. When he sent the baseball, we took a vote and decided since Jake couldn’t see the baseball cards we’d give him the ball. At least he can hold that. Right?”
Jason had to swallow hard and clear his throat. Damn, he thought. The boys really loved one another. “I think you guys made the right decision.”
Billy-Jo, dressed in her pajamas, came flying into the room and jumped up on the bed next to Jason. Charlie entered the room, too, and stood in the corner with the ever-present Tiny at her side. Riki came in last, glanced around, and gave the boys a stern look.
“Okay, guys, I asked you to get ready for bed. Let’s move it.”
As the boys scrambled for their pajamas, Riki eyed Jason sitting on the bed with Billy-Jo curled up at his side. Damn if he didn’t just fit right in, she thought. He looked like he belonged to this crazy family.
Those are dangerous thoughts there, girl,she told herself. Jason was Charlie’s father. He lived in Texas and most importantly, he would be leaving soon.
“Charlie,” she said, “why don’t you and Billy-Jo show Jason your room? You can show him Dust Ball too. Just be careful she doesn’t bite him.”
Jason followed Charlie and Tiny out of the room, holding Billy-Jo’s hand. As he passed Riki he raised an eyebrow. “Dust Ball?”
“You’ll see.” She smiled her most innocent smile.
He followed Charlie to a room overlooking the back and side yards. It was pink and decorated with a popular doll character. There were two single beds, one with a juvenile guardrail up on one side. He gathered that was Billy-Jo’s bed.
Charlie walked over to a twenty-gallon fish tank that sat on a table in the corner. She put her hand in and gently lifted out a guinea pig. As she stroked the animal, she sat on her bed. Jason squatted in front of her. He was staring at her hands, so small and gentle. He raised his gaze and stared into eyes so much like his own.
“So, this must be Dust Ball.” Charlie nodded once. He slowly lifted his arm. “May I pet her?” She tightened her grip on Dust Ball and violently shook her head. “Okay, I won’t pet her. I wouldn’t hurt her, just like I wouldn’t hurt you.”
Charlie glanced down at the guinea pig, then back up at Jason, still shaking her head.
“Bite, bite,” Billy-Jo said. She was pulling at his hand, backing away from Dust Ball.
“Oh, I see,” he said. “You’re trying to tell me she’ll bite me if I pet her.” Charlie nodded. “Well then, thank you for warning me. I don’t want to be bitten by her.” He sat there smiling at Charlie until Billy-Jo handed him a doll that was half her size.
“Mine.”
“She’s very pretty, Billy-Jo, just like you. And she’s big. Where did you get her?”
“Cole Crank.”
“Cole Crank?”
“She’s telling you Uncle Frank,” Travis – or was it Trevor? – said. He was leaning against the door jamb. “She can’t talk right. But Mom says not to worry. She said pretty soon we would all be praying to our Maker that she would be quiet. Mom said you can come and say good night to us now. And she said you’ll be here tomorrow. After church can you take us down to the baseball field and help us practice? Mom’s okay, but she is only a girl.”
Jason was still chuckling when he entered the boys’ room. Riki was bending over Andrew, tucking in his covers. She placed a kiss on his forehead. “Try to stay in bed tonight.”
“Oh, Mom.” He glanced behind her to Jason. “’Night, Jason. See you in the morning.”
“’Night. Andrew.” He reached past Riki to ruffle his hair.
Jake and Pete’s bunk bed was on the other side of the room. Jason walked over to them and ruffled Jake’s hair too. “Good night, Jake. I’ll see you in the morning.” He looked up into the top bunk.
“’Night, Pete.” When there was no response, he glanced over his shoulder at Riki.
“He can’t hear you. He doesn’t sleep with his hearing aid.” Standing on the lower bunk, she kissed Pete and whispered good night. Jason reached up to pat Pete’s shoulder and said good night too. He had no idea whether Pete could hear him or not. He was leaving the room when Pete spoke.
“Good night, Jason. See you in the morning. Are you going to help us with baseball practice?”
He turned back and said “Yes” while nodding his head.
“Good.”
He followed Riki into the other bedroom. She leaned over the boy in the bottom bunk, kissed him, and whispered, “ ’Night, Travis.”
“I’m Trevor.”
“Whoever.” She stood on the lower bed, kissed the boy in the top bunk, and said, “’Night, Travis.”
“I’m Trevor.”
“Whoever.”
Jason chuckled as he approached the beds. “Good night, boys, whoever you are.” He patted each on the shoulder and followed Riki from the room.
She sighed. “Five down, two to go.”
In the girls’ bedroom, she tucked the covers tight around Charlie. “Good night, honey. See you in the morning.” She kissed her cheek, then patted Tiny, who was lying at the foot of Charlie’s bed. “ ’Night, mutt. You take care of my girls, you hear.”
She walked over to Billy-Jo, who was somewhat lost in such a large bed with about six dolls and twelve stuffed animals in it. She tucked her in and kissed her, brushing the hair out of her eyes. “Now, young lady, I don’t want you roaming the house tonight, and I don’t want any night visitors either. Got it?” Billy-Jo just smiled. “Good night, baby.”
Riki walked to the door, then turned to watch Jason. He seemed lost, not knowing what to do. He was fine with the boys, but he was freezing up with Charlie. As he stood there with his back to her, she noticed the broad shoulders tapering down to a narrow waist and slim hips. Nice, she thought. Real nice. She wondered what he would look like without the shirt. Probably muscular and tan. Hell, she could even picture him in a bathing suit. His thighs would be hard and lean. Some men looked silly in a bathing suit, but she was sure Jason wouldn’t. She couldn’t imagine him looking silly in anything. And she could imagine him looking fantastic in nothing. Heavens, where had that thought come from? You really are getting to b
e a dirty old lady, thinking thoughts like that, she told herself. And about Charlie’s father, no less.
Damn, she thought, why couldn’t she be one of those women who could have an affair with a man they knew next to nothing about and calmly walk away? The sex might relieve some of the tensions she was feeling, but she didn’t think it would help the ache that was down deep. She wanted to be held tight, have someone help make the decisions, someone she could talk to, lean on. Why had she read that article in that women’s magazine about nearing her sexual peak? And why had the good Lord decided to send Jason, the hunk, to her now? She’d finally gotten her life together just the way she wanted it and – bam!
Real cute, God. Are You and Saint Peter up there taking bets on this one, and having a good laugh? She could picture it now. He and Saint Peter laughing, saying. “If seven kids didn’t make her crack, we’ll send her a tall, dark, and handsome man to live with for a couple of weeks. That will do it.”
She shook her head to clear her thoughts and refocused on Jason. He was kissing Billy-Jo good night.
He walked slowly over to Charlie’s bed and patted Tiny. Then he looked down at Charlie and gently pushed a lock of her hair back. Riki noticed that his hand was trembling.
“Good night, sweetheart,” he whispered, and bent down to kiss her cheek. Riki was surprised Charlie didn’t back away. She just stared at Jason.
Jason hurried from the room. Riki waited for a minute before Joining him at the top of the stairs. She’d seen the tears in his eyes, and wanted to give him time to get a grip on his emotions. Her respect for him had just gone up another notch. She couldn’t think what he must be going through, not even knowing he had a daughter until she was six. Then to throw all of Charlie’s problems on top of that... She could only hope his shoulders could carry the weight.
Perfect Morning Page 2