Page 50 of Broken SEAL'S Secret Baby
I laugh. It feels good to finally know why James had practically tossed me out the door. He’d had one altruistic reason, and another personal, selfish reason. “All right,” I say. “I’ll ask her. But you owe me, James Albert Bailey. And don’t you ever think I won’t collect. Probably when it is least convenient.”
“Katie….” James wheedles.
“Don’t you ‘Katie’ me. It’s a good thing I love Cece and I like working for Charles. And that I miss Grace.”
“Love you, Little Sis.”
“Love you, too, Idiot Big Brother. Next time, try just opening up your mouth and telling me what’s going on.”
“What? And have you blab to Mom and Dad? You’re the biggest tattletale, ever.”
“At least I learned to use my words,” I say.
“Conceded.” James grins at me, with that irritating big brother grin. Someone speaks to him off screen.
“Gotta go. Don’t forget!” He breaks the connection.
I thumb my screen to the homepage and smile. There had been girlfriends over the years, but never one who caused James to blush like he just had.
Then Cece nearly gives me a heart-attack by leaping from the pirate deck to the fireman pole. I am halfway across the yard when she expertly catches the pole and slides down it.
“Cece!” I admonish her. “Don’t do that! You nearly scared me out of ten years’ growth.”
Cece giggles. “If I don’t scare you, will you get bigger?”
I sigh. “Probably not. But if you scare me enough, I mightget smaller. Come on, let’s go make some dinner. Your daddy should be home in a little while.”
“But it was fun!” Cece declares. “Wanna try it? I can show you how.”
“No,” I say, a little more sharply than the tone I usually use with my small charge. I try to soften it. “You could fall and seriously hurt yourself. There’s not even a safety net under that.” I make a mental note to suggest that the platform be extended closer to the fireman pole or that the feature be removed. We’d had to order the play set, and it’s really intended for older children.
“What are we having for dinner?” Cece asks.
“Would you like tacos?” I ask. “We can go out front and pick all the things that need to go in it.”
“Are there hamburgers growing out there?” Cece teases, grinning at me as she takes my hand and allows me to draw her into the house.
“No hamburgers. That part comes from the Swanson’s van.” I truly bless whatever genius on Charles’ staff had enlisted Swanson’s delivery service. They bring meat, ice cream, milk, and cheese to our door so I do not have to take Cece into a grocery store. With so many companies going under and difficulty with getting stuff shipped, it is a real blessing. Our neighborhood truck even has some local produce.
The container garden is doing well, even though it had been started late and most of the plants purchased were already starting to fruit. We’d picked a good time to move to Spindizzy. The windmills keep the city utility aquifers full, and the rain helps the water table.
It was too late in the season to start large vegetable crops such as corn or beans, but we had lettuce, tomatoes, and peppers all growing in pots. Charles had purchased an electric weed eater and an electric lawn mower for me.
I’m trying to think how to ask Charles about having Grace come to visit when Cece starts crying.
I look up from the lettuce I’m picking and realize right away what had happened. Her face is flushed, tears streaming from her eyes. In one hand she holds a tiny red fruit. She had picked one of the tiny red peppers!
I drop the lettuce and run to her. “Don’t rub your eyes!” I yell.
I grab her hands. “Spit it out! Spit it out, right now. Did you swallow it?”
She shakes her head.
I scoop her up and run for the kitchen. I sit her in a kitchen chair and hand her a soda cracker. “Eat that,” I order.
Cece sobs and gasps, but does as she is told. I pour a quarter glass of milk. “Now, drink that.”
Cece sips the cold milk. As the cold liquid coats the inside of her mouth and soothes the burning sensation, she stops crying. “I’m sorry, Miss Kate,” she says.
