Page 34 of Stick Play

“There’s just not a lot of time for it anymore.”

“True.” I laugh when I pull out the monkey book I loved as a child. I turn it over, and grin. “Looks like we have something in common.”

“Was that your favorite too?”

“Oh, yes, my grandmother read it to me many, many times.”

“Monkeys. Monkeys.” Tate starts chanting and jumping on the bed. “I love monkeys.”

“You’re a monkey,” Camryn teases as she comes back into the room and jumps on the bed with her brother.

I put my fingers to my lips again. “Indoor voices, remember?”

They both drop, and when Zoe comes back, I pull the blankets back and they all snuggle in. The bed is so big, I’m sure all five of us could fit.

“Right here, Ash,” Zoe says and pats the bed beside her. “Come sit by me.”

His eyes narrow, as he circles the bed and drops down next to her. Seeing them all in the bed, messes with my head and heart. Unable to watch this, as my ovaries might explode—oh yeah, the scene is messing with them too—I start to back up.

“I’m going to go check on your father.”

Fear moves over his face. “You’re leaving me.”

I grin. “You had them all morning,” I remind him.

“But I’ve never…” He holds the book up and I get it. He’s never read to kids before. I know he goes to the hospitals, and coaches the peewee team, and it’s clear he’s more comfortable around Tate than the girls.

“I can stay,” I tell him, and walk around the other side of the bed, and sit next to Camryn. I pull her close and she rests against me.

“Ash, we don’t bite,” Zoe huffs and I can’t help but laugh. Did she hear me say that the other day? Ohmigod, I need to remember there are always little ears listening.

“I know,” he says with much more confidence than he’s exuding. “It’s the pool noodle I’m worried about.”

Zoe crinkles up her nose. “What pool noodle?”

“Nothing, never mind. Okay, everyone ready?” They all nod and he begins the story about monkeys and bicycles. I smile the whole way through and absolutely love how much energy he puts into it, even using different voices for the different monkeys. The children are supposed to be winding down, but he’s so animated, they’re laughing and getting excited.

Once he finishes he closes the book, and is about to get up. Zoe touches his arm to stop him. “One more time.”

“Nope,” I say and push to my feet. “You are all up far past your bedtimes and we have to get up early and go home.”

“I want to stay here tomorrow. Home is boring,” Zoe whines with a pout.

“Home is boring,” Tate mimics.

“I guess…” Ash begins and then stops himself. I meet Ash’s eyes. “We’ll see.”

“Yay,” They all shout in unison.

I hold my finger up in warning. “But we’ll only see if you all go straight to sleep.”

They all snuggle down and I tuck them in and give them kisses.

“Ash, are you going to give us kisses too?”

My heart misses a beat as he stands there not knowing what to do. But more importantly, it’s clear the kids all adore him, and getting close was the last thing I wanted Zoe to do.

“How about he blows you all a kiss?”

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