Page 78 of Our Unexpected Beginning
She was beginning to understand where his anxieties were coming from. They weren’t far from her own. “I don’t think your niece would appreciate hearing you talk about her uncle that way.”
Graham huffed and shook his head.
Julia scooted over towards him and wrapped her arms around his bicep.
“Hey.” She rested her head on his shoulder.
“Hey.”
“You are one of the kindest and most caring people I’ve ever had the pleasure of sharing existence with. I see how you are with Sarah and the other kids when we all get together.”
“I think you’re being too nice.”
Jules narrowed her eyes and reached to the nightstand for her phone. Hitting her most used contact she connected the call.
“Hello?”Melody picked up.
“Hey, hey bestie. Is little nugget around?”
“Yeah? What’s up? Are you okay, do you need anything?”
“Just wanted to ask a question. We’re on a fact-finding mission.”
“Okay well who am I to stop a mission.”
Julia could hear movement on the other line as Melody grabbed Sarah’s attention.
“Hi?”
“Hey Munchkin!”
“Auntie Juju!”
“I was wondering if you could help me solve a puzzle. Do you think you can help?”
“Yeah!”
Julia looked at Graham as she spoke. “Okay, remember how we were talking about positive things?”
“Yeah! It was ‘all the good stuff’ week at school!”
Graham kept his eyes on Julia, confusion written on his face. “Okay, when you think of UnkG, what do you think of first?”
“Ice cream for breakfast!!!”
“HEY!”Melody shouted from the background. “I warned him about that.”
“Shhhh, we won’t tell. What else?”
“He pops the pickle jars. Um, oh, sandcastles at the beach in the rain, and bedtime stories.”Sarah rattled off.
“Oh yeah?” Julia smiled at Graham smugly as they listened.
“Yes! UnkaG even makes funny voices.”The phone creaked in the toddler’s grip. Sarah’s breath was close to the speaker as she whispered.“Not ‘uposta tell about the spankin’ words.”
Graham’s eyes widened, and he snatched the phone away from Julia with a guilty grin. “Oh! Okay, kiddo!! I love you, I’ll see you tomorrow for painting!”
“Spanking words?” Julia asked, laughing at Graham’s flushed face. She wrapped her arms around his neck.
