get it done.”
“I know.” He paused. “Any calls after Demi’s picture went up?”
“Yeah. We’re sorting through them. When you do something like that, all the weirdos come out of hiding.” Charles winced.
“So,” Owen said. “Douglas and Merry are getting married in two weeks. Let’s try to make the fishing trip before then.”
“I’ll look at my schedule and let you know.”
Owen hung up and Charles dropped his head in his hands. Closing his eyes, he drew in a deep breath and prayed out loud, “Lord, I know I haven’t been very talkative lately, but I’m thinking that’s a mistake. Please help me out here, if You would. I really need a break somewhere.”
* * *
Demi really needed a break. Not from the children or her job, but from her thoughts. “Hey, guys,” she said to the kids who were digging in the sand. “What do you say we get cleaned up and go into town to get some ice cream?”
“Ice cream!” Brianne was the first to respond. Of course. Demi laughed.
“Dino, too.” Aaron held out the toy to her.
“Does Dino want ice cream?” she asked.
He grinned and nodded.
“All right, let’s go. Everyone on the bicycle.” Charles had provided her with a double-stroller-like contraption that could be pulled behind her bicycle. She’d used it often last week when they got antsy or sleepy. Helmets on and strapped in, the twins sang a song about ice cream while Demi pulled out the cell phone Charles had given her and pressed the number one. Charles had programmed his cell number for her. He answered on the third ring. “Hello?”
“Hi, how’s it going?”
“It’s going.”
Demi frowned at his tone. He sounded…frustrated. “I don’t know how busy you are, but I thought I’d let you know that I’m taking the children up to the Sugar Plum Café for a scoop of ice cream.”
“Are they wiggle worms today?” The frustration had disappeared to be replaced with a warmth that entered his voice every time he referred to his children.
Demi relaxed a bit as she swung a leg over the seat and got herself situated. “They are, but they’re excited about the ice cream.”
He paused. “I’ll meet you there. I could use a break.”
“Really?”
“Actually no. I’ve had a pretty long break already, but I need to get out of here. See you in a few minutes and be careful.”
“Will do.”
She hung up and looked back at her little charges all buckled in to ensure their safety. Blankets tucked in around them would keep them warm from the cool morning wind. “Ready?”
“Ready!” they yelled in unison.
Demi pressed the pedal and they were off.
Ten minutes later, she directed the bicycle into the parking lot of the Sugar Plum Café.
It was eleven o’clock and the lunch crowd had already started filing in. But she knew there’d be a spot in there somewhere for her, Charles and the children.
Unbuckling them, she took a little hand in each of hers and together they walked toward the door.
“Hey, wait up!”
Demi looked over her shoulder and felt her heart give a little skip when she saw Charles, still in his white lab coat, heading their way.
“Daddy!” Brianne pulled from Demi and launched herself at her father. He caught her in a hug and kissed the top of her dark head.
Aaron seemed content to watch their exuberance. Demi had a moment where her world spun around her and she pictured herself doing the very thing Brianne had done. Only she was throwing herself into Charles’s arms to receive his kiss on her lips. A welcome home, I’m glad to see you kind of thing.
“Demi? You okay?”
His question burst her daydream and she could feel a flush creeping into her cheeks. Turning toward the store to hide the fire in her face, she said, “I’m great. Let’s get that ice cream.”
Once they got the children settled in high chairs with bibs and a large supply of napkins, they started in on the treat.
Brianne managed to get most of hers in her mouth. Aaron wasn’t
“I know.” He paused. “Any calls after Demi’s picture went up?”
“Yeah. We’re sorting through them. When you do something like that, all the weirdos come out of hiding.” Charles winced.
“So,” Owen said. “Douglas and Merry are getting married in two weeks. Let’s try to make the fishing trip before then.”
“I’ll look at my schedule and let you know.”
Owen hung up and Charles dropped his head in his hands. Closing his eyes, he drew in a deep breath and prayed out loud, “Lord, I know I haven’t been very talkative lately, but I’m thinking that’s a mistake. Please help me out here, if You would. I really need a break somewhere.”
* * *
Demi really needed a break. Not from the children or her job, but from her thoughts. “Hey, guys,” she said to the kids who were digging in the sand. “What do you say we get cleaned up and go into town to get some ice cream?”
“Ice cream!” Brianne was the first to respond. Of course. Demi laughed.
“Dino, too.” Aaron held out the toy to her.
“Does Dino want ice cream?” she asked.
He grinned and nodded.
“All right, let’s go. Everyone on the bicycle.” Charles had provided her with a double-stroller-like contraption that could be pulled behind her bicycle. She’d used it often last week when they got antsy or sleepy. Helmets on and strapped in, the twins sang a song about ice cream while Demi pulled out the cell phone Charles had given her and pressed the number one. Charles had programmed his cell number for her. He answered on the third ring. “Hello?”
“Hi, how’s it going?”
“It’s going.”
Demi frowned at his tone. He sounded…frustrated. “I don’t know how busy you are, but I thought I’d let you know that I’m taking the children up to the Sugar Plum Café for a scoop of ice cream.”
“Are they wiggle worms today?” The frustration had disappeared to be replaced with a warmth that entered his voice every time he referred to his children.
Demi relaxed a bit as she swung a leg over the seat and got herself situated. “They are, but they’re excited about the ice cream.”
He paused. “I’ll meet you there. I could use a break.”
“Really?”
“Actually no. I’ve had a pretty long break already, but I need to get out of here. See you in a few minutes and be careful.”
“Will do.”
She hung up and looked back at her little charges all buckled in to ensure their safety. Blankets tucked in around them would keep them warm from the cool morning wind. “Ready?”
“Ready!” they yelled in unison.
Demi pressed the pedal and they were off.
Ten minutes later, she directed the bicycle into the parking lot of the Sugar Plum Café.
It was eleven o’clock and the lunch crowd had already started filing in. But she knew there’d be a spot in there somewhere for her, Charles and the children.
Unbuckling them, she took a little hand in each of hers and together they walked toward the door.
“Hey, wait up!”
Demi looked over her shoulder and felt her heart give a little skip when she saw Charles, still in his white lab coat, heading their way.
“Daddy!” Brianne pulled from Demi and launched herself at her father. He caught her in a hug and kissed the top of her dark head.
Aaron seemed content to watch their exuberance. Demi had a moment where her world spun around her and she pictured herself doing the very thing Brianne had done. Only she was throwing herself into Charles’s arms to receive his kiss on her lips. A welcome home, I’m glad to see you kind of thing.
“Demi? You okay?”
His question burst her daydream and she could feel a flush creeping into her cheeks. Turning toward the store to hide the fire in her face, she said, “I’m great. Let’s get that ice cream.”
Once they got the children settled in high chairs with bibs and a large supply of napkins, they started in on the treat.
Brianne managed to get most of hers in her mouth. Aaron wasn’t
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