Tommy’s angel face appeared on top of the landing. He ran down the stairs and jumped from the third lowest step into the waiting arms of Keenan. “I’m sorry, Dad.”
Keenan snuggled his son into his arms, and Declan heard him sniff. Declan smiled at father and son.
“I know, son. But cats don’t like water. I hate to think you were bullying the animal.”
“I wasn’t, Dad. I promise. I was in the tub and wanted to wash the cat. Why’s that bad?”
“You were taking a bath? Where was Miss Tully?” Keenan searched Tommy’s eyes for answers. Had something bad happened with him tonight? Declan shifted his stance and listened closely while observing Tommy. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary with the little boy.
“Downstairs. Talking on the phone. Miss Tully said I smelled.”
Keenan bristled. “You are not to take a bath by yourself, she knows that! Anything could’ve happened to you.”
Declan put his hand on Keenan’s arm and tried to calm him down when Tommy flinched at his father’s words. “Nothing happened, Keen. It’s okay. Tommy is okay.”
Keenan closed his eyes and nodded. He kissed the top of Tommy’s hair and held on stronger.
“Damn old bat,” Aiden said from the living room.
“Bats are cool,” Tommy said. He looked over to Aiden. “Miss Tully is NOT cool!”
The Mills men all laughed. They settled into the living room, Tommy sitting on his father’s lap. Tommy eyed Aiden and said, “Take it back. She’s not a bat.”
Aiden leaned in. “I take it back. But do you know what she is?”
“Aid….” Keenan said in a warning voice.
Aiden winked at his brother and looked down to his nephew. “She has the face of a blobfish.”
Tommy giggled and said, “What’s that?”
Aiden said, “Look it up. Here, I’ll give you my phone.”
As they searched blobfish on Aiden’s phone, Keenan and Declan shared a look.
Thank God nothing happened with Tommy all alone in that bath upstairs while the old blobfish was yapping on her phone.
Declan nodded and busted out laughing the moment he saw a white gooey figure on Aiden’s screen, with a protruded nose above turned down lips.
“The resemblance is striking, Cuz,” Declan said.
Aiden laughed again. “Damn, your taste in nanny’s is bad, Keen.”
“Not as bad as yer taste in women,” Keenan said.
“Yeah, I think you’re right,” Aiden said, before he held up his hand. “Although I like to see myself more the type for the ‘blowfish’ kinda girls.”
Declan snorted, and Keenan narrowed his eyes once again at his brother.
“What’s a blowfish?” Tommy asked as he stretched out his arms to return Aiden’s phone so he could scroll for a picture of the animal.
Aiden’s upper lip turned up. “It’s the best kind. They can hold their breath, even with their mouth stuffed.”
Keenan growled. “Stop talking if ye know what’s good for ye.”
Aiden laughed it off. “It’s actually a myth that they hold their breaths, Blondie.”
“But they look like they’re gonna explode!” Tommy said.