Page 47 of Falling for Brody

So he crouched down and caught Chip up in his arms.

He lifted Chip off of his feet and Chip's sharp laugh was loud.

"Hey, hey," he spoke softly to Chip near his ear, "let's not wake up the neighbors."

Chip quieted down and stage-whispered to him. "Sorry."

"No biggie, buddy."

Chip giggled at his words.

"Just want to make sure that we're good neighbors. Yeah?" He nodded his head and Chip copied him.

"Okay, now," Brody bent his knees and tossed Chip up a few inches, spinning him around.

When he caught him again, Chip was facing the opposite direction.

A little shudder ran through Chip as he laughed, behind his hands. Keeping quiet even though Brody could feel the laughter inside of his tiny body.

"Look, mom." Chip giggled again. "I'm suuuuuper tall."

Rhea smiled and shook her head. "Yes, sweetie. You're super tall."

Brody loved the look on her face. So beautiful and full of love.

He turned around and leaned Chip toward the sink. "Okay, let's get those hands washed, buddy."

"Here," Rhea moved up beside him and turned on the water.

On his other side, Missus Hardy had a clean towel waiting.

Chip giggled as Brody shifted him to one arm and picked up the soap, rubbing it against Chip's hands.

"Everyone is helping." Chip rubbed his hands together and then rubbed his hands over Brody's, turning and chuckling with him. "Gotta wash your hands, too."

Brody didn't mind washing his hands again. Not when he was having so much fun.

When Chip washed his hands, they washed them clean, and Chip took the towel from Missus Hardy and dried all three of their hands.

"Thank you," Chip smiled at Missus Hardy.

"Now," she nodded, with that air of command that elementary school teachers seemed to be magically endowed with, "everyone take a seat."

Brody lowered Chip down to the floor, but as he straightened up, Chip took his hand and led him to the table and put his other hand on a chair. "You sit here, okay?"

Brody looked at Missus Hardy who nodded. "Okay, but you and I have a job first."

"We do?" Chip looked up at him, his brow furrowing above his nose. He cast his gaze off to the side and Brody thought he recognized that as something Rhea had done during their shift. "What's that?"

Brody put his hand on the back of 'his' chair and leaned in. "Which chair is mom's? And which one is Bea's?"

"Oh." Chip nodded and leaned in, almost whispering, "That one for mom," he pointed at the seat on the other side of Brody. "The one next to mine on that side," he pointed in the other direction is the one Aunt Bea uses."

Brody nodded. The two had spent some the last half a day together. "Cool. Now, we get to hold out the chair for the ladies."

Chip's eyes widened. "Really?"

Brody nodded. "Like gentlemen."

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