Page 18 of Family Bonds: Alana & Brennan
“Yes, please,” Becca said.
“It’s not worth a meltdown,” he said.
Brennan turned and started up the stairs so she followed along.
When they rounded the corner, she saw the doors opened to four rooms. Three bedrooms and a bathroom.
It was easy to tell which room was Becca’s and which was Brennan’s. She looked away quickly from his large bed stuffed into the room.
“Do you need to go to the bathroom or brush your teeth?”
Becca nodded her head and slid down, then ran to the bathroom and shut the door.
“You can escape if you want,” he whispered.
“I wouldn’t do that to you.”
He wiped his hand across his forehead. “Phew. Thank God. Talk about a fire I’d have to put out with the promise of another new dance.”
“Awww. Why are you frowning?”
“Real manly there, dancing with my three-year-old daughter.”
“Yes, it is,” she said, nodding.
The toilet flushed and the door opened. Becca was pushing a stool to the sink and Brennan stepped in to put toothpaste on the miniature toothbrush once Becca was done washing her hands.
“Thanks for braiding her hair,” he said. “Wish it’d stay like that for tomorrow, but it will fall out with the way she thrashes around in her sleep. I swear her body never slows down.”
“Hopefully she falls asleep quickly.”
The water shut off and Becca ran out. “Can I get a hug and kiss?”
“You can,” Alana said, squatting to give what was requested, and then she held out her fist for the pump she had been taught.
“Becca, can you get in bed and I’m going to walk Alana out? I’ll be right back, I promise.”
“You better. I want to tell you about all the fun we had.”
“I can’t wait,” he said.
The two of them descended the stairs. Alana grabbed her jacket off the hook. “I had a lot of fun tonight. If you need someone to watch her again, I’d love to.”
He nodded. “I’ll let you know. Thanks again.”
“See you tomorrow,” she said.
He reached around her and opened the door. “You will see me.”
If he smiled at her in the office like he was right now, she wasn’t sure she’d be able to focus on any work.
5
SMALL LESSONS
“It sounds like you had a great time with Alana last night,” Brennan said the next morning when his daughter came barreling into the kitchen.
“Yes!” Becca said. “I’m hungry.”
