Judy Christenberry - Daddy Next Door

To his surprise, the little girl wrapped her arms around his neck and said, “I love you.”

“Missy!” Jennifer said sharply over Nick’s shoulder.

The child, with no fear, jumped down and ran to Jennifer. “Don’t I look beautiful?” she demanded with a big smile, using what appeared to be her favorite word.

“Yes, sweetheart, you do. I hope you thanked Nick for his hard work.”

“I did. Can he come with us?”

“No, we’re going to be shopping for clothes, and men don’t like to do that. Besides, he needs to go to the grocery store.”

“I could do my grocery shopping later,” he offered, watching her.

“No. It would be absurd to drag you along on our shopping trip. You’d hate every minute of it.”

“Actually, as the oldest child, I had three little sisters, and my mother put me in charge of them often. I would enjoy the shopping trip and you might need help with three of them.”

“Please, Mommy?” Missy said, surprising both him and Jennifer.

“That’s the first time you’ve called me Mommy,” Jennifer said, looking teary-eyed.

“Is that okay?” Missy asked.

“Of course it is, sweetie,” she said, scooping the child up into her arms.

“If you let him come with us, I would hold Nick’s hand so he wouldn’t get lost,” Missy said, her arms around Jennifer’s neck. “And he can tell me I look beautiful!”

The other two little girls came down the hall, all neat and tidy, and Nick took the opportunity to praise their appearances also.

“I don’t— This is ridiculous!” Jennifer said under her breath.

Nick, however, had an angle he didn’t think she would refuse. “Have you ever thought that it might be good therapy for…someone, to know a man who isn’t bad?”

“How do I know you aren’t bad?” Jennifer demanded.

“I’m just a teacher who helped raise his three sisters. I’m used to girls. Besides, I’m Grace’s nephew.”

“Don’t you have something better to do with your time?”

“Actually, I don’t. This way I’ll get to see lots of Dallas and find out where things are.”

“Please!” Missy added to his cause.

“Oh, all right, but don’t blame me if you get bored!” Jennifer said. She picked up her purse from a nearby table. “Are we ready, girls?”

“Yes,” Steffi said, taking Annie’s hand. Missy struggled out of Jennifer’s hold to come collect Nick. “I’ll take care of you, Nick.”

“Thank you, Missy,” he said, trying to sound like he needed a three-year-old’s watchful eye.

Jennifer rolled her eyes and headed for the door.

TWO HOURS LATER, NICK was impressed with Jennifer’s endurance. She still seemed to be enjoying herself. Missy, however, was worn out. She sat curled in his lap while the other girls continued to try on clothes in a nearby dressing room.

“I’m hungry,” she complained.

“Me, too. How about I take us all to lunch?”

“Yeah! Can we go to McDonald’s?”

“I’m not sure Jennifer would like McDonald’s. We’ll see.”

Just then Jennifer and the other two girls came out of the dressing room.

“Mommy, Nick said he would take us to McDonald’s!” Missy said, scooting out of Nick’s lap to reach for Jennifer.

“I’ll buy you lunch when it gets—” She stopped to look at her watch. “Oh, I had no idea it was almost two o’clock. We’d better take a lunch break, girls.”

“Do you have more shopping to do?” Nick asked.

“Yes, but—”

“Then why don’t we go to the food court? I’m sure they’ll have things the girls will like, and maybe something we can tolerate, too.”

“Yes, that’s a good idea. Come on, girls. We’ll go have lunch. Then we’ll shop some more.”

When they reached the food court, Nick noticed the McDonald’s nearby. “Do you mind if the girls have McDonald’s?”

“No, that’ll be fine. If you’ll stay here with the girls, I’ll go get their food.”

“You stay with them and I’ll go get the food. This meal’s on me. It’s definitely my turn.”

In no time he was back with three Happy Meals and drinks. Then he looked at Jennifer. “Now, what would you like?”

“I’d like a grilled chicken salad and a diet Coke.”

“Sounds good. I’ll be right back.”

He returned with two salads and two drinks.

“I didn’t mean you had to get a salad,” Jennifer protested as she saw he’d gotten himself the same thing.

“I like salads, too. Though I don’t eat a steady diet of them,” he assured her with a smile.

“How old are your sisters?” she suddenly asked.

He grinned. “Seven years younger than me.”

“All three of them?” she asked in surprise.

“Yeah. My mom had trouble getting pregnant after I was born, so she took fertility drugs and ended up with triplets.”

“Oh, my. I guess you do have experience,” she said in amazement.

“Yeah. It wasn’t until I went away to college that I got to do much of anything by myself.”

“What’s triplets?” Missy asked.

“It’s when your mommy has three babies at the same time,” Jennifer said.

Missy nodded, but Steffi looked puzzled. “You mean like us only all the same age?”

“That’s right. It makes everything much more difficult. With you being older, you can help your sisters. But Nick had to help all three of his sisters.” Jennifer grinned at him. “If you’d told me that earlier, I would’ve been easier about your helping with the girls.”

“I didn’t want to brag,” Nick said, trying to look modest.

“Yeah, right!” Jennifer said with a laugh.

“How’s your hamburger, Annie?” Nick asked. The little girl had yet to speak to him. He wasn’t sure she would speak to him now.

“Good,” she replied very softly.

“I’m glad. And yours, Steffi?”

“I like it. And I got a car as my toy.”

“Lucky you,” Nick said. “And, Missy? What did you get?”

“I got a cat, I think.” She held up a plastic figure.

“That’s Sylvester the cat. I think they’re bringing out a new movie about Sylvester the cat,” he said.

“Can we go?” Missy immediately asked.

Her suggestion put a pleasant thought in Nick’s head. He and Jennifer in a darkened movie theater—with the girls, of course. Still, he looked straight at Jennifer when he said, “I promise we will.”

“I don’t think you have the right to promise that, Nick,” Jennifer said, her voice starchy.

“I didn’t think a movie would hurt.”

Jennifer, however, was more focused on the girls. “Have any of you ever been to the movies?”

Steffi shook her head. Annie just stared at Jennifer, wide-eyed. But Missy nodded.

“When did you go to the movies, Missy?” Jennifer asked suspiciously.

“Once, my old mommy took four of us to the movies and we had popcorn and candy and a Coke!”

“What did you see?” Jennifer asked, watching Missy closely.

“A movie. And we had to be real quiet!”

“Do you remember what happened in the movie?” Nick asked, hoping to help Jennifer.

Missy hung her head.

“Missy?”

She finally looked at Nick and confessed, “I threw up and my old mommy was mad because she didn’t get to see all the movie.”

“Missy, if it made you sick, why do you want to go again?” Jennifer asked.

“’Cause it was fun. It’s real dark and—”

“Never mind. We’ll discuss going to the movies when that movie comes out and I can decide if it’s appropriate for you.”

“What’s appropriate?” Missy asked.

Nick answered that question. “If it’s a show that’s good for you to see. Some of the movies are made for adults and you wouldn’t enjoy them.”