Page 8

CHAPTER 8

The next morning, Rhea got a call from Bea. "Good morning!"

Rhea chuckled. "Good morning, Bea. Everything okay?"

"Just fine, dear. Just fine. Our young man woke up one time. I heard the bedroom door open wide and saw him in the hallway. He looked a little confused but as soon as he saw me, he relaxed. I pointed him to the bathroom and a few minutes later, he was done and back in bed." Rhea heard something in the background. "And now, I'm making some tea. When should I wake him up?"

Rhea looked at Brody and he grinned giving her a nod. Then he mouthed. "Up to you."

Smiling, she leaned toward the phone. "Wondering what you'd like from the Sunny Side Up? We're thinking of swinging by there and picking up breakfast. I'm going to be home after that. I have to go to the school and get him registered."

"Well, that sounds wonderful. I know Chipper will be happy to see you."

"Chipper?" Rhea heard filled with warmth at the sound of doting affection in Bea's voice.

"To me he's Chipper. Upbeat and wonderful. Shall I wait for you to come home before I wake him?"

Rhea smiled. "No, I'll wake him when I get there."

"See you then, dear."

"See you then, Bea."

Rhea looked over at Brody and saw him smiling.

"She still calls you dear."

Rhea smiled. "She can call me anything she wants."

Brody put on his signal to turn onto the next street. "When do I get to do that?"

Rhea looked over at him, wondering about the softer tone of his voice, but nothing looked different about him.

Maybe she'd just misheard what she'd thought she heard.

He looked over at her and pointed at the menu he'd put on the dash. "Better pick out what you want to order so we can get you home to your son."

She grinned at him. "You're quickly becoming one of my favorite people, you know."

"I am?"

She nodded. "Next to Chip and Bea? You're practically top of the list."

* * *

Rhea barely waited for Brody to put the rig in park before she opened her door and slid out with a bag in each hand. "Come on, Brody. Let's go."

She used her foot to kick the door closed and he watched her practically skip down the walkway to the front porch.

He should have gone right after her, but the sight of her curvy hips and the way that her uniform pants showed off her ass to its most amazing advantage? He had to take a moment to adjust himself in his pants and think of anything he could to fight down the erection that had just popped up.

He pushed his door open and wiggled his hips as he pushed the side of his hand against his dick to get it settled in place. He had a feeling that he would have to get more pairs of uniform pants with more space in them if he was going to be half-hard all the time he was with her.

The door of the house opened up and Missus Hardy stepped out. She lifted her hand and waved at him. "Brody? Come inside!"

Brody looked at the clock on his dash and realized that it was early, before seven.

He had a feeling that Missus Hardy wasn't going to stop calling to him.

Thinking of creepy clown dolls, he slid out of his seat on the rig and jogged around to the path leading up to the porch.

"Morning, Missus-"

She gave him a sharp look, softened with a smile. "Hmm?"

"Good morning, Bea."

She gave him a big, ear-to-ear smile and gave him a pat on his shoulder. "Come on in, dear boy."

He opened the door and held it for her, giving her a curious look as she went. "Dear boy?"

She turned around once she was inside and gave him a sassy look. "Do as I say, dear boy. Do as I say."

He lifted an eyebrow as she gestured toward the kitchen.

"Go ahead and wash up. I've already set the table."

Dutifully, he moved to the sink and turned on the water. She had a bar of soap beside the sink that he had a feeling was going to make him smell flowery or fruity, he wasn't sure which one it would be. He picked it up and turned it over in his hands to get some of the soap on his hands.

As he rubbed his hands together and then at the backs of each hand, he saw Missus Hardy come up beside him at the sink. "So, how was it?"

Brody gave her a quick look and smiled. "Working with Rhea? Well, it's a dream. It's almost like we've worked together before. We have similar styles and haven't managed to get in each other's way all night."

She nodded her head and took a towel off of a rack beside the window. "And you still have that look about you."

"That look?"

Yes, he was playing a little stupid. Missus Hardy might have been his teacher in elementary school, but she was sharp. And her eyes? He knew they were good.

Very good.

"I may be old, Brody Armstrong, but I know what I see. And you, young man, are quite taken by our girl."

Brody raised a brow at her words.

"Yes, I said 'our.'" Missus Hardy's expression softened. "Mister Hardy and I had always hoped for a child of our own, but while we had a few chances, nothing came of it."

Brody turned off the water and took the towel from her hand, thanking her softly. As he wiped his hands, he turned toward her, leaning his hip against the counter. "I'm sorry, Bea."

She nodded slowly and then reached up her hand to pat him on his arm. "Thank you, dear."

Brody felt a few more pats and then she lowered her gaze from his face to his forearm where she was touching him.

She closed her hand over his forearm, frowning.

"Goodness."

"Uh..."

She turned and reached out her other hand, closing it on the other side of his forearm. She moved her hands up and little towards his elbow and then down toward his wrist. "Oh."

"Ma'am?"

Her gaze flicked up to his and her eyes held a note of mischief. "Is that muscle under this sleeve?"

His eyes widened a little at her question. "I'm sorry, what?"

She moved her hands up again, stopping at the middle of his forearm and gave his arm a big squeeze as if she was looking for a decent grapefruit at Grogan's General Store. "My my, you do work out."

He shook his head, stunned. "Excuse me?"

"No. No." She released his arm and gave him a 'pat pat' with a smile. "No need to excuse yourself, young man. It's good that you're strong."

"I have to lift things at work all the time." He smiled glad that she wasn't focusing on thoughts that made her sad. "It's part of the job."

"I'm thinking about," she looked up at him and batted her eyelashes as she folded her fingers together, "you lifting a bride over the threshold. And carrying children around. Oh, and all the various and sundry things that come with a whole passel of children."

A little voice broke through the odd silence. "Brody!"

Brody turned to look at the bedroom door, second closest to the kitchen.

Chip was standing there with a sleep shirt and pants that had fire trucks all over them. "You're here!"

Brody smiled at the little boy and looked up at his mother who was standing behind him in the doorway. "Mom said you're having breakfast with us!"

Chip took off running... straight at him.

Brody saw Rhea's shock and heard her call out. "Chip! You have to wash your hands!"

Brody realized that she had likely been steering Chip toward the bathroom.

So he crouched down and caught Chip up in his arms.

He lifted Chip off of his feet and Chip's sharp laugh was loud.

"Hey, hey," he spoke softly to Chip near his ear, "let's not wake up the neighbors."

Chip quieted down and stage-whispered to him. "Sorry."

"No biggie, buddy."

Chip giggled at his words.

"Just want to make sure that we're good neighbors. Yeah?" He nodded his head and Chip copied him.

"Okay, now," Brody bent his knees and tossed Chip up a few inches, spinning him around.

When he caught him again, Chip was facing the opposite direction.

A little shudder ran through Chip as he laughed, behind his hands. Keeping quiet even though Brody could feel the laughter inside of his tiny body.

"Look, mom." Chip giggled again. "I'm suuuuuper tall."

Rhea smiled and shook her head. "Yes, sweetie. You're super tall."

Brody loved the look on her face. So beautiful and full of love.

He turned around and leaned Chip toward the sink. "Okay, let's get those hands washed, buddy."

"Here," Rhea moved up beside him and turned on the water.

On his other side, Missus Hardy had a clean towel waiting.

Chip giggled as Brody shifted him to one arm and picked up the soap, rubbing it against Chip's hands.

"Everyone is helping." Chip rubbed his hands together and then rubbed his hands over Brody's, turning and chuckling with him. "Gotta wash your hands, too."

Brody didn't mind washing his hands again. Not when he was having so much fun.

When Chip washed his hands, they washed them clean, and Chip took the towel from Missus Hardy and dried all three of their hands.

"Thank you," Chip smiled at Missus Hardy.

"Now," she nodded, with that air of command that elementary school teachers seemed to be magically endowed with, "everyone take a seat."

Brody lowered Chip down to the floor, but as he straightened up, Chip took his hand and led him to the table and put his other hand on a chair. "You sit here, okay?"

Brody looked at Missus Hardy who nodded. "Okay, but you and I have a job first."

"We do?" Chip looked up at him, his brow furrowing above his nose. He cast his gaze off to the side and Brody thought he recognized that as something Rhea had done during their shift. "What's that?"

Brody put his hand on the back of 'his' chair and leaned in. "Which chair is mom's? And which one is Bea's?"

"Oh." Chip nodded and leaned in, almost whispering, "That one for mom," he pointed at the seat on the other side of Brody. "The one next to mine on that side," he pointed in the other direction is the one Aunt Bea uses."

Brody nodded. The two had spent some the last half a day together. "Cool. Now, we get to hold out the chair for the ladies."

Chip's eyes widened. "Really?"

Brody nodded. "Like gentlemen."

Chip nodded, his gaze fixed on Brody's face. "Like gentlemen."

Brody stood up and moved to the chair beside him. "Rhea?"

He watched as Rhea moved closer. He took hold of the back of the chair with both hands, even though he could have easily done it with one.

Brody was aware that Chip was copying him across the table.

The little boy was concentrating so hard that the tip of his tongue was poking out between his lips. He managed the chair well enough, and Brody watched Missus Hardy step in front of the chair, sharing a look with Rhea.

Brody pushed Rhea's chair in, and Chip copied with his own chair.

Brody saw a moment of surprise on Missus Hardy's face and thought Chip might have bumped into the backs of her legs, but Missus Hardy, or Aunt Bea, never said a thing.

They sat down moments later to a wonderful breakfast.

* * *

Later that day, after leaving school with a "super happy' kid, Rhea went to Grogan's to shop for groceries.

Bea had given her a list of things, but Rhea had a feeling that Bea hadn't included everything that she wanted.

Sooner than later, Rhea hoped that Bea would be more open with her, but she understood the hesitation. Together, they picked out all of the things on the list and added some items that they'd normally pick up from the store in their old hometown.

Even a few snacks that she thought Chip would like.

Money was going to be okay until her first paycheck, but she didn't want to dip too far into her savings. There would always be things that might pop up and with just herself there was one salary she was working with. So she was going to be careful but not keep Chip from having some fun.

As they were putting groceries away at the house, Chip was doing his best to help. Taking things out of the bags and putting them on the counter for her to put away on shelves or in the refrigerator.

"Whoa."

She turned when she heard Chip speak. She saw the head of cabbage he had in his hands.

"It looks as big as my head, mom!"

Rhea laughed and held out her hands. "Better let me grab that."

"I got it, mom! Look!" He lifted the cabbage over his head and Rhea put her hands on it.

"I got it, too."

"Okay," he giggled. "I'm letting go."

He looked so happy. It was a marked change to what he’d been like in their old hometown. She knew it wasn’t like flipping a switch to make everything in their lives good, but she was hoping that it was a start.

"Chip, baby?"

Chip frowned at her. "I'm becoming a big boy, mom!"

"Yes," she nodded. "I forgot. But, Chip, can I ask you a question?"

“Sure,” he looked up at her, his gaze moving over her face. “Is this something bad?”

“No.” She shook her head. “It’s not bad. I just had a question for you.”

He nodded. “What is it?”

She crouched down in front of him to look him in the eyes. “Are you happy we moved here?”

“Of course, mom! Fallport is super cool!”

She smiled. “Yes, and school?”

He shrugged. “I’m going to start school here and I have some friends already.”

She nodded. “From the park?”

He nodded back. “Yep. Brody made sure they knew I was going to school with them. I’ve got a heads up on friends.”

She narrowed her eyes a little. “I think it's ‘leg up’ on friends.”

Chip looked at her and lifted his leg. “Why would I put my leg up with friends?”

“It’s an idiom, sweetie. A phrase people use to say something.”

He narrowed his eyes at her and she smiled. “Okay?”

“I’ll look it up later and explain it to you.”

He shrugged. “No rush, mom. I can learn it tomorrow or whenever.”

She nodded and smiled at him.

“Maybe I can ask Brody! He knows a lot of stuff, too!”

She couldn’t argue with that. “He does know a lot of stuff.”

“I like him a lot, mom.”

“Is he cool?” She had to ask.

“Super cool,” Chip replied.

“Yeah, I thought so.”

Chip’s gaze strayed toward his bedroom before he looked back at her. “Uh… Mom? Can I go read now?"

Rhea nodded and pulled Chip in to place a kiss on his forehead.

"Mom!"

She laughed. "The box with your books is in your room, it's-"

"I know, mom. I remember where you put it."

"Okay, love you."

Chip turned around and rolled his eyes. "I know, mom. Love you, too."

He dashed off and she went back to putting away the groceries.

She'd talk to Chip later and see if she missed anything. Or maybe he'd forgotten something that happened.

Sometimes he lived his life on full throttle forward and things only popped up in his memories later.

Just when she finished putting things away, she felt Bea's reassuring presence beside her. "Rhea?"

She turned and smiled at the older woman. "Bea. How are you?"

"Well, I'm fine, dear, but you look like you have something on your mind."

"I was wondering if you'd do me a favor."

Bea brightened up at the question. "Well, I'd be happy to help if I can. What do you need?"

Rhea gestured at the table where they'd spent a lovely breakfast together before looking at the older woman who'd offered them a place to live. "Would you tell me a little bit about what it's like here in town while I make us some meatloaf for dinner?"

Bea clapped her hands together. "Meatloaf?"

Rhea nodded. "I want to make you meatloaf and if you like it, we'll add it onto our dinner menu options."

"Thank you, Rhea."

"Thank you, Bea. You're making Fallport feel like home."

Bea gave her a gentle pat on her arm. "Fallport is home for you both, dear. I feel like you were meant to end up here. With us."