I pushed up into sitting position, flinging my legs over the side of the mattress and taking in my sparse bedroom. If I didn’t take that job in France, it was probably time for me to look into getting some actual furniture.
I shook my head, still confused as to what I was going to do, when I heard a pounding at the front door.
“Just a minute,” I shouted down as I rooted around for a pair of basketball shorts and a T-shirt. I grabbed the knit cap off of the post when I got to the bottom of the stairs and threw it over my hair.
Whoever was at the door was going to have to take me as I was, unbrushed teeth and all … That’s what they deserved for stopping by my place before noon on a Saturday.
The knocker started going off again, and as I pulled open the door I yelled, “Hold your damn horses…” Then said, “Sorry,” when I saw Shelly standing there with Timmy in her arms and little Sophie holding on to her hand.
“That’s okay,” Shelly said with a pretty smile. “You didn’t know it was us.”
I cupped the back of my neck and asked, “What can I do for you guys?” Trying to think back and remember a time when Shelly had ever been to my place, and coming up blank.
“I need to ask you a big favor,” she said, pushing her way past me, so all I could do was close the door and wait to see what her favor was.
“Shoot.”
“Well, it’s embarrassing to say, but an appointment opened up with my female doctor,” she whispered the last two words and her cheeks turned pink, and realization dawned.
“Oh,” I said stupidly, not really wanting to discuss gynecological appointments with Cal’s wife.
“Yeah,” Shelly said as she surveyed the disaster that was my apartment. “Um, they’re really hard to come by, and there was this last-minute cancellation … It’s right by here, and I was wondering if you’d mind watching the kids for a little bit for me.”
I felt immediate relief that she was just asking me to babysit, not take her to that place for her appointment.
“You know I’d love to help you out, but,” I looked purposefully around the room, “My place isn’t exactly ‘kid friendly’ right now. I’ve been going through a bit of a rough patch since Bronagh and I broke up,” I explained, embarrassed to have Shelly think I lived like this all the time.
“No worries,” she said, handing me Timmy, who came into my arms without a peep. “I’ll get this sorted out real quick, then get out of your hair and be back before you even miss me.”
“You don’t have to…” I began, but she was already coming out of the kitchen with a trash bag and gathering up all of my empty boxes and throwing them away.
I looked down at Timmy, who was showing off his gums, then smiled when I felt Sophie’s little fingers in my hand.
“Bwenen,” she said sweetly, her little pigtails adding to her charm. “Can we sing?”
As the oldest of all the kids, Sophie held a special place in my heart, and her love of music only widened that space.
“Sure thing, Soph. Let me just help your mom…”
“No need, I’m all done. Let me just run down and get the play set for Timmy,” she said, leaving as quickly as she arrived, causing me to survey the room in shock.
“Your mommy works fast,” I told Sophie, who was busy trying to pull me toward the chair my guitar was leaning against.
“I know,” she said with a nod, then dug in her heels and pulled with all her might. “Sing!”
“Here you go,” Shelly said, re-appearing with the Pack ‘N Play. Before I could blink she had it set up and was rushing out the door with a small smile. “Thanks so much, I won’t be too long, I promise.”
Before I could say, “No problem,” she was gone.
I set Timmy down on his tummy in him play set and spread some of the toys around to keep him entertained, then sat down and placed Sophie on my lap.
“What do you want to play first?” I asked her.
“Mountain!” she shouted with the exuberance of a two-year-old.
I started playing, and before I knew it, Shelly was back and ready to take the kids home. I said my goodbyes and shooed off Shelly’s thanks, and was totally honest when I told her I was happy to do it.
I walked into the kitchen to grab some lunch and grimaced when I saw the dishes in the sink, but before I could get started on them, the doorbell rang.