Judy Christenberry - Daddy Next Door

“Who is Steffi?” he asked Missy once he’d set her on her feet.

“She’s my big sister,” Missy said solemnly. “You made her cry.”

“I did? How did I do that?”

Missy’s big brown eyes sobered. “She remembers our real daddy. And he’s dead.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

“What’s dead mean?”

Nick stared at the precocious child. “Um, I think you need to ask your mommy.”

“She’s dead, too.” The little girl was beginning to tear up and Nick felt his heart breaking for her and her sisters. He tried to think of something to distract her.

“What was exploding in the kitchen?” he asked.

“I don’t know. Jennifer was making sketti for us.”

“Sketti? What’s that?”

“You know, long, skinny things with red stuff on it. It’s my favorite!”

With Missy’s description and from what he could see in the kitchen, he figured out their mother was making them spaghetti. The stove was turned off under the big pan of water and pasta. Nick was an expert on spaghetti, by virtue of the hundreds of pounds he’d eaten just in his adult life. He checked the spaghetti and determined it still needed to cook awhile. The sauce, in a smaller pot, was already getting cold. He put Missy in a chair at a nearby table and told her not to get down.

“Why?”

“Because I don’t want you to get burned.”

“Oh.” The little girl seemed satisfied with that logic.

He turned on the burners and stirred the sauce as he watched the water begin to boil.

“I didn’t know daddies could cook,” Missy commented from the table.

“Some daddies can,” he muttered, concentrating on what he was doing.

“Jennifer says we don’t need no daddy.”

“Who is Jennifer?” he asked, expecting to be told Jennifer was one of her sisters.

“She’s our new mommy,” Missy said with satisfaction.

“Your new mommy?”

“Yes. She’s our new mommy today.”

“You’ve only lived with her today?”

“Yes. Steffi said she skewed us,” Missy said carefully.

“She skewed you? I don’t understand what that means.”

“You know, like when Superman skews a baby. He saves her.”

Ah, rescue, he reasoned. But how had Jennifer rescued these precious children? Treading carefully so as not to bring a second child to tears, he decided to back into his questions.

“So you watch Superman?” he asked.

“Yes, my last mommy played it on the television a lot. Superman skewed somebody every time—”

“So you’re saying your new mommy rescued you?” he asked, sparing Missy a glance.

“Yeah, that’s what Steffi said.”

He stirred the sauce as he watched the spaghetti boil. When he checked the spaghetti again, it appeared to be ready. He found a metal colander sitting in the sink, ready for him to pour the spaghetti and boiling water in it, so he did so. Steam rose in the air.

“Is that smoke?” Missy asked casually. “Jennifer says smoke is dangerous.”

“No, it’s steam. That’s a little different, but it can also hurt you if you’re not careful.” He wondered what he should do now.

Hearing a noise in the hallway, he turned in that direction. The blonde reappeared in the doorway. The adult blonde, that is. Jennifer. All three little girls were also blond. But then he’d originally thought Jennifer was their birth mother. Not according to Missy.

“Why are you still here?” Her demand wasn’t exactly welcoming, but he realized she was under a little stress.

“I thought I could lend a hand. Especially since it appears I caused part of the problem.”

“Part?” she said, giving him a direct look.

For the first time he noticed she had gorgeous blue eyes to go with the blond hair.

“I didn’t volunteer to be anyone’s daddy by just coming in the door, did I?”

“I guess not,” she said, not sounding happy about having to admit it.

“How’s Steffi?” he asked, afraid she was about to tell him to leave. He was strangely reluctant to do so.

Steffi peeked at him from behind her new mommy.

“She’s fine.”

“I’m glad. I didn’t mean to upset you,” he said to the little girl.

She nodded, then hid behind the woman.

“Well, the spaghetti is ready, and the sauce, too. And, hey, you’ve got hamburger meat in your sauce, you lucky girls!” he joked. During college, he hadn’t been able to afford meat for his spaghetti.

“You finished cooking it?” Jennifer asked in consternation. “I didn’t intend— That’s very kind of you. Uh, would you like to join us?”

Missy perked up at that invitation. “Yeah! You can have the daddy seat!”

“Missy, no, Mr. Barry is not the daddy. He’s a guest. We’ll welcome him to his new apartment and thank him for his assistance. Well?” she asked, looking at him again.

“Only if you’ll promise to call me Nick. I don’t like formality.”

She took a deep breath and he feared she was going to refuse, leaving him no option but to decline her invitation. And he didn’t want to do that.

“Of course, Nick. Steffi, can you and Annie get everyone a knife, fork and spoon?”

“Yes, Jennifer,” the oldest girl said.

“Is there anything I can do?” Nick asked.

“No, we’ll manage. You can entertain Missy.”

Nick grinned. He’d already entertained the little girl, but he settled in at the table beside her. “Looks like it’s you and me, Missy.”

“You and me what?”

“You and me who don’t have a job. We just get to watch.”

“Oh, yeah. I’m too little. But you’re old. How come you don’t have a job?”

Nick stifled a laugh. “Because I’m your guest.”

“Oh.” Missy rested her chin on her hands and seemed deep in thought.

“Is iced tea okay, Nick?” his hostess asked.

“Yes, that’ll be fine. Uh, Missy said your name is Jennifer?”

“Yes, I’m sorry, I forgot to introduce myself. I’m Jennifer Carpenter, and these are my three daughters, Steffi, Annie and Missy, whom I believe you met earlier.”

“Definitely. Hello, girls. You sure look like your mother.” Okay, so he was fishing for information. He’d admit he was curious.

Steffi looked at him and calmly said, “Thank you.” Despite her earlier emotions she was now composed.

“Are you eight years old, Steffi?” he asked. He was pretty good at guessing the ages of children, since he’d been a schoolteacher and had several nieces and nephews.

“No, I’m only six.”

“Well, you seem much older.” From her slight smile she appeared pleased. “How about you, Annie?” he asked gently, realizing the middle child was much shyer than her older sister.

She stared at him, not saying anything.

Steffi spoke for her sister. “She’s five and Missy is three.”

He took another look at his hostess. She certainly didn’t look like the mother of three children. Her slender form, including a very flat stomach, would’ve fooled most anyone.

“You have a beautiful family, Jennifer.”

After sending the girls a special smile, she looked at him and said, “Thank you.”

She carried a platter of spaghetti covered in meat sauce, topped by grated cheese.

“You use cheddar cheese on your spaghetti?” he asked in surprise.

“Yes. The girls like it.”

Her voice was cool and he hurriedly said, “I’m sure I will, too.”

Since she added a tossed salad and warm garlic bread, he had no complaints.

As much as he tried to make conversation, there wasn’t much talking during dinner, nor the noise he expected with three young children. When they needed it, Jennifer corrected their table manners, but she was gentle and didn’t embarrass the girls. Despite the quiet, Nick couldn’t have enjoyed the meal more—unless of course Jennifer actually spoke to him. Still, he enjoyed stealing glances at her soft honey-colored hair and expressive blue eyes. He had time to find out her story, after dinner.