“Hello, Jamie,” David greeted as Jamie walked into the radius of light.
“Hoss,” Jamie nodded in return. To his thinking that was a perfectly acceptable greeting. His eyes flickered over to David’s right shoulder as a hand rested on it, causing David to peer back at who he suspected was his mother.
“Should you be up?!” Krissy asked worriedly as she rushed to Rhonda’s side.
“Oh, I’ll be fine; this isn’t the first baby I’ve had,” Rhonda uttered with a warm sigh as she embraced Krissy like her own daughter. To her, Krissy did feel like her own given the last five years, six if she was truthful, of knowing the young woman. Hugging Krissy just a little tighter as it seemed Krissy needed it how she was holding her. All the while, her eyes were on her son, who looked disinterested as he stood on the walkway waiting to be let in. “Let your Dad show you to your room he made up for you,” she said, lightly rubbing Krissy’s back, watching Krissy being held close to David as he guided her through the house. Her eyes watched her son as he climbed up the steps like he had always done in his childhood before moving away. Taking Jamie by surprise when he reached the landing, listening to his huff when she hugged him hard. “You probably weren’t even going to say hello, were you?” Her hot breath played along the strands of his hair as she held her son in her arms. “Thought so,” Rhonda whispered into Jamie’s ear. That didn’t mean she wasn’t going to hold her son; he might not want anything to do with her; she was going to make the best use of the times he allowed her to see him. “Suzie is going to be a handful in the morning; she’s missed you a lot, and so have I,” she said, placing a kiss on her son’s left temple. “Come see your brother,” Rhonda stated, leading Jamie into the house with her right arm wrapped around his shoulders to keep him from escaping.
“I’ll take those for you,” David said, reaching forward and taking Jamie’s and Krissy’s bags from Jamie. Not seeing the look Krissy was giving Jamie to cooperate with her father behind his back.
“We’re going to turn Krissy’s old room into Suzie’s new bedroom and turn Suzie’s into the baby’s nursery. We were going to do that this month, but your brother just couldn’t wait,” Rhonda said, squeezing her son into her as they neared their bedroom. “So, I’m counting on your help to set up Suzie’s new room. Now be quiet. He’s sleeping,” she whispered, bringing her finger to her lips. Ignoring the look Jamie was giving her as she slipped her hand into his and pulled him along into the room. “Jamie, I’d like you to meet your brother, Benjamin Walburg,” Rhonda said in a loving voice as she stared down at her youngest child. “You know he’s going to look up to you for guidance; you are his older brother,” she uttered, resting the side of her head against her son’s. “I’m glad your home, baby,” Rhonda muttered, placing a kiss on the side of Jamie’s head. “You must be tired; you should get some rest.”
“I’ll be in there soon, honey,” Krissy said, keeping her smile from showing at how Rhonda wasn’t giving Jamie a chance to talk and ruin their reunion.
Jamie ignored the soft voices speaking down the hall from his former bedroom. Looking over to the door as he was putting away his shirts into the drawer of the dresser. He had stopped calling anything his the moment he sold the house to David. Watching how Krissy slowly closed the door with her hand on the frame and the door to keep it from waking Suzie up. Neither said a word to the other as they stripped down to get ready for bed. Krissy knew that would only bring about a fight she didn’t want to have at that moment.
*******
The next morning saw the two of them stirring by Suzie’s happy voice as she talked a mile a minute to Rhonda about the neat dream she had. David had already left for work since Jamie and Krissy were there to see to Rhonda in case she needed anything. Plus, David needed to work unless he wanted to use up the last of his vacation days which he was planning on using to go down and see Krissy during Thanksgiving. An observer would say all hell broke the moment Suzie saw Jamie walking groggily out of his bedroom from her highchair, where her mother had placed it so she could have a clear view of the hallway.
“Jamie!” Suzie squealed and shouted as she bounced in her highchair in excitement. Testing the limits of the straps that held her in place as Rhonda had to place a hand on it to steady it. Her little arms were outstretched, wanting to hold her brother, who she’s missed greatly.
“Hello, squirt,” Jamie said as he yawned as he walked into the dining room. Rhonda and Jamie winced when Suzie belted out: ‘Krissy’ when she appeared from behind Jamie.
“Sit down, you two; I’ll get you two some bowls,” Rhonda spoke, starting to lift herself out of the chair before Krissy told her she would get them. “Then can I press upon the two of you to watch your sister while I go take a nap while Ben is sleeping?”
“Sure, Rhonda, we don’t mind watching Suzie, do we, Jamie?” Krissy asked, putting Jamie on the spot. Scowling when Jamie didn’t say a word and instead walked into the kitchen for their bowls.
“I kind of figured this would be his reaction,” Rhonda sighed as she lifted herself out of her chair.
“Don’t worry, Rhonda, I’ll have a word with…”
“No, you won’t,” Jamie cut in as he walked back into the dining room with two bowls in his hands.
“Jamie, don’t start, please,” Krissy said in a pleading tone as she gave him the look he knew all too well.
“Fine,” Jamie grumbled as he poured his bowl of cereal.
******
“Suzie, how would you like to go to the park?” Krissy asked as she and Jamie sat on the couch in the living room while Suzie sat on the floor playing with her toys as her cartoons played on the TV.
“Would I?!” Suzie exclaimed with bright wide eyes.
“Jamie, you wouldn’t mind driving us to the park, would you?” Krissy asked, batting her eyes at him. Grinning as Suzie rushed up to the front of his legs, giving her brother that look that would melt anyone’s heart as Suzie peered up at Jamie.
“Please, Jamie, can we?” Suzie asked in her best voice a three-year-old could muster as she stood on the top of his feet.
“I don’t know, squirt; don’t you want to watch your shows?” Jamie inquired, to which Suzie shook her head very vehemently, not wishing to miss out on time with her brother, not knowing when she would see him or Krissy again. “Well, you can’t go to the park in your pajamas,” he said, watching how Suzie’s eyes lit up, and her huge smile appeared on her face as she bounded off to her room.
“I know you’re not happy being here, but you know Suzie is just so happy to see you,” Krissy whispered into his ear as she placed a loving kiss on his cheek before following after Suzie to help her dress then she herself would get dressed while Jamie got Suzie’s car seat out of Rhonda’s van once he too had dressed.
“You ready, baby?” Krissy asked as she exited the house, carrying Suzie in her left arm as she closed the door behind her. She had written a note for Rhonda telling her they had taken Suzie to the park if she woke up before they returned.
“Yep,” Jamie answered as he peered back at them once he had secured the car seat. His arms moved on their own when Suzie reached out to him; they stood there for a few minutes as Suzie hugged him tightly. Jamie didn’t like the look in Krissy’s eyes when she gazed at him as he rubbed Suzie’s back. Smiling at his half-sister as she nodded when he asked if it wasn’t too tight for her when he buckled her into her car seat.
“Shall we?” Krissy said, reaching over and resting her hand on his arm as Jamie reached forward and started his car.
******
“Suzie, don’t run too far ahead,” Krissy called out in a sisterly voice as they walked towards the play area that rested on the east end of the park.
“Okay!” Suzie uttered as she skipped happily in front of her brother and sister.
“Doesn’t this make you think of something?” Krissy asked with a coy smirk on her lips as she lightly bumped Jamie’s left shoulder; as she held his hand as they walked over to one of the free benches that weren’t taken up by the nannies or other mothers that were there that day. Resting her head on his left shoulder as she watched Suzie running around with the other kids laughing like mad. Her eyes glanced over to how the other women were slyly peering at them. Lifting her head off Jamie’s shoulder when he lightly patted her right knee, silently telling her not to worry about what those around them were whispering to one another.
“Jamie!” Suzie cried out as she ran towards him. “Come play with me!” she exclaimed, reaching forward, taking her brother’s hand into hers.
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