Page 34 of Baby for the Professor
Chapter 20
Sabrina
"Bye, Grandma and Grandpa," Aiden said, stamping kisses on my parents’ cheeks in the driveway. My mom and dad were going to spend a week on a cruise to Alaska.
"Bye, Pumpkin. Grandpa is going to miss you."
"Don't forget to call Grandma before bedtime tonight."
"I won't."
"Are you sure you'll be fine?" My mom asked me as she hugged me.
"Yes, we'll be fine, Mom," I said. "You guys deserve some time off." Mom and Dad had seldom left me and Aiden alone for more than a day in the past five years. Dad got the cruise discounts from work and but couldn’t choose the summer months when I didn’t have to go to school. They were reluctant to go away, but I assured them we would be fine without them.
"Okay, honey. Call us if anything happens," my dad said to me.
"Nothing will happen, Mom. Just enjoy your vacation."
They each hugged me and then Aiden before getting into the Uber.
We waved them goodbye until the Uber was out of our sight.
"Mommy, when are we going on vacation?" Aiden asked on our way back to the house.
"What do you mean? We've just had one not long ago. We spent a weekend at a rental cabin at Big Bear.
"That's a vacation?" Aiden frowned.
"Yes." I chuckled. "What do you think a vacation is?"
"Ummm," he tilted his head to one side as he considered. "On a ship. A cruise."
"That's for old people, silly."
"What about going to the beach or hiking?"
"That counts, too," I said. "We can go do these things today if you want."
"Yeah. I want to go to the beach."
"Sure." I nodded eagerly. It was actually the plan I had in mind.
"Will Daddy go with us?"
"No, Aiden, not this week. You saw him last week." Jackson took Aiden to the zoo last weekend.
Aiden pouted. "Why can’t I see him every week? I miss him."
I felt a pang in my heart. Saying no to Aiden was never easy, especially lately. He had grown so fond of Jackson that it was hard to deny him over and over.
"Aiden," I squatted down in front of him and spoke to him face to face. "Jackson and Mommy have an agreement. He'll only see you once every other week, okay?"
His lips twitched. The boy knew I expected him to say yes, but he was reluctant to say it.
I felt so bad I had the impulse to call Jackson and ask him to spend the weekend with us, but I stifled it and waited patiently.
"Okay Mommy," Aiden finally said.
