Total pages in book: 57
Estimated words: 54028 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 270(@200wpm)___ 216(@250wpm)___ 180(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 54028 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 270(@200wpm)___ 216(@250wpm)___ 180(@300wpm)
In the meantime, I’d have Jack right across the street, and I was obviously going to continue working from home at great lengths so we could see each other while Lily was in school. Well, until Jack landed a new job. With his credentials, he’d be headhunted in no time.
“It’ll be so nice to have you back in DC, honey,” Samantha said. “You’ll have to come over for dinner all the time. I was thrilled when Claire told me this morning.”
Jack was a pro. He plastered his signature charming smile on his face and rolled with the punches. “Now I just have to convince Mom to put her house here to use more.”
Oh, I’d almost forgotten about that. Claire did have a little house outside of Manassas. She called it her art studio.
“With you back in town, I don’t see why she wouldn’t,” Samantha gushed.
I’d hate to throw Jack under the bus, but I had to take Lily to her room, so I excused myself for a moment, and I brought her luggage with me.
“Did you see that Jack is here, darling?” I murmured.
She nodded jerkily but didn’t respond verbally. Not surprising—I’d been expecting the shutdown.
“He’ll be here all day, so you take the time you need,” I reassured. I seated her on her bed and made quick work of removing her jacket and shoes. She sniffled and turned to sign language, and she said she wanted to take out the hearing aid. “Of course, we’ll get to that,” I responded. “You can change into your pajamas, and I’ll dig out the case.”
I knew exactly where to find it. Her carry-on was the definition of neat, whereas the larger luggage would be a disaster of twisted laundry and toys wrapped in socks and leggings. Thankfully, her essentials were in the carry-on, and I found the container for her hearing aid in a side pocket.
“D-Daddy,” she stuttered, her breath hitching.
“Don’t force it, darling.” I returned to her and combed back her messy hair with my fingers. “What is it?”
“I want to sleep here,” she signed.
There we have it. “I’ll talk to your mother.” I answered both verbally and in sign as she removed her hearing aid and dropped it in the case. “It shouldn’t be a problem.”
Ultimately, it was about her comfort. Even Samantha would recognize that.
Once Lily had squirmed into her My Little Pony pajamas, she leaned forward and tapped my watch.
“Yes, Daddy’s ready,” I confirmed. This part was serious business. “I’ll check in on you every fifteen minutes, and I’ll bring your snacks in…” I checked my watch. Four minutes till it was fifteen past. “Four minutes, precisely. Water to drink?”
She shook her head and jumped off the bed, and whatever she signed was beyond my knowledge. She couldn’t have made the sign for soft drink, could she? She didn’t like soda. There was another sign too that I didn’t understand.
“I’m sorry, can you spell it out, please?” I squatted down and shifted the curtain aside to her fort.
Lily spelled out soda and…ginger.
Claire loved ginger ale. Actually, so did Jack.
“You want ginger ale?” I asked to make sure.
Lily mustered a quick grin before she dove into her fort. Right there under her bed was her sanctuary. She had a comfortable mattress, the twinkle lights that were second-best to the ones I was getting her for Christmas, a tiny bookcase slash makeshift nightstand, and plenty of pillows and approved blankets.
I smiled at her. “Did Auntie Claire teach you to drink that?”
She nodded and gathered two of her teddy bears close.
“I’m not sure we have it in the house, but I can run down to the store and get some for the next check-in time,” I said, fumbling a little with the signs. I wanted to call myself fluent, but my fingers weren’t as fast as hers.
She understood, though, and she was satisfied with that.
What I really wanted was to hold her close until she’d regrouped, but my girl was fussy with affection, at least when she was drained of energy. That was when she required a very hard squeeze, followed by solitude and frequent check-ins. Minimal touching until she’d relaxed.
After saying I’d be right back with her snack, I left her alone and found Samantha and Jack in the same spot as before, half in the living room, half in the hallway.
“Jack, you didn’t by any chance buy ginger ale, did you?” I asked.
He tilted his head and scratched his arm. “Yeah, I bought a six-pack.”
Oh, perfect. “Is it the same brand Claire drinks?”
“Yeah, why?”
“I need to borrow a bottle—or a can. Apparently your mother got Lily hooked,” I replied on my way into the kitchen. “I’ll replace it.”
“Christ, don’t worry about it. Knock yourself out. I’m happy to hear my Lily bug’s got excellent taste.” He followed me to the fridge, where I spotted the six-pack of Schweppes ginger ale in the back.