Page 31 of Puck, Marry, Thrill

“What happened?”

“A kid sneezed in Zachary’s face and…”

“Ugh!”

“I know!” she replied to his interruption before continuing. “I went to the convenience store to get some baby wipes…”

“Oh, he hates those things – always has.”

“I know now!” she practically wailed. “He bit me three times… and… and I bit him back,” she finished as a whisper, horrified. The last thing she wanted was for Zachary to tell his Daddy or anyone else that his new stepmother bit him. Boy, that sounded terrible even to her.

Instead, Kenneth didn’t say a word. He just hugged her closer and kissed the top of her head once more – and she was really starting to like that feeling within her.

And then she heard him speak.

His voice was hesitant, soft, and almost embarrassed.

“Kids are hard sometimes,” he breathed against her hair just before he rested his cheek on her head, holding her close. “Everyone makes mistakes, or sometimes we do things we aren’t proud of, you know? But you have to draw a line, no matter how hard it is.”

“I’m so ashamed that I lost my cool.”

“I know. I can tell.”

“Kenneth, I’m so sorry…”

“You’re learning how to get along – and he doesn’t need to bite you.”

“I know, but…”

“He doesn’t need to bite,” Kenneth stressed firmly. “Cause and effect. Maybe this will show him it hurts, and he won’t do it again. You love him, I see it, but the next person he bites might actually injure him. Stop beating yourself up and move on. Trust me, there will be other parental nightmares…”

They both hesitated, let out a little chuckle, and then sighed in awareness.

“You know he ate foam soap once – and I was right there,” Kenneth whispered like he was confessing all of his sins. “I was giving him a bubble bath and watching him like a hawk. I bought this blue foam soap and squirted it in my hand to wash him, squirted it in his so he could feel it, and then put the can on the edge of the tub… when I turned around, he’d swallowed the entire handful and was giving me a weird look.”

“Oh noooo…”

“I was crying,” Kenneth admitted – and Jamie pulled back to look at his sheepish smile. “I was certain that I’d poisoned my one-year-old child with soap. I had everything with the divorce going on, and it was just a lot to handle. Days like this happen, Jamie, but we pick up and move on – bracing ourselves for the next disaster.”

“Does there have to be another disaster?”

“No,” he chuckled tenderly, “But I’m willing to bet money there is.”

“Dang it,” she muttered – and treasured his laugh as he hugged her once more. “I like you hugging me.”

“I like it too.”

“We’re good?”

“Sweetie, we’re very good,” he promised and then hesitated. “So long as you aren’t mad at me about the house or the job.”

“No – but we talk about this stuff in the future.”

“You got it.”

“Are you lying to me?”

“No. I’ll try because I don’t like making you upset,” Kenneth admitted. “You’ve given so much of yourself to help me with this, and I couldn’t ask for more from my best friend – the last thing I want to do is drive you away.”

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