Blended Family

Pippa

Alex and Joey's grandparents arrived the next day in the afternoon, full of smiles. They'd been elated that Lin had called and asked them to babysit for a few days. There were hugs all around and Alex squealed in delight at the sight of her grandparents. They lived a couple hours away so they didn't get to see them as much as they'd like.

"Do you have your backpack?" Jennifer asked her granddaughter. Alex nodded excitedly, pointing behind her at her back. She'd put her backpack on an hour earlier because she'd been so excited.

Lin and I both kissed the kids goodbye and then they were off. Instantly, the energy level in the house dropped. Without the two little kids, things seemed calm and quiet. Lin and I sat down on the couch, propping our feet up. He wrapped an arm around me, pulling me closer.

"Maybe we'll finally get some good sleep now too," he commented as we rested.

"Maybe," I agreed. "Or maybe we should stay up all night doing other things."

He laughed softly and kissed the top of my head. "We could do that too."

We just sat there cuddling for a good while before Elliott walked out in his baseball gear. He had practice that afternoon. I'd been worried about him since the break/break-up with Joey, but he seemed to be handling it well. He was more focused on his school work and was making the grades to be on the teams he wanted. I was proud of my kid.

"What time will you be back?" I called to him as he filled up a bottle with water.

"Uhhh...5:30ish?" he guessed.

"Okay," I called back. "Dinner will be around six."

Joey was asleep in her room and Elliott left, which gave Lin and me some alone time. His hand disappeared under my shirt almost immediately and we were soon making out like teenagers. A noise in the hallway forced us apart. I adjusted my clothing as Joey wandered to the bathroom and then out to the kitchen.

For now, gone was the fiercely independent stubborn girl we were used to. After initially fighting it with caffeine and sure willpower, she'd given in to her sickness. She was letting Lin and me take care of her. We ran her baths, fixed her meals, and tried to make her as comfortable as we could. Luckily her school was being very understanding. She didn't have to make up her work, at least for this first week. We'd see how she felt after the first week and then decide whether to send her back to school full time right away.

"Hey, kiddo," Lin called to her.

"Hey," she said back, looking sleepy. I don't think I'd seen her out of pajamas or sweats in days. Her hair was up in a messy bun. She was adorably disheveled. Joey joined us on the couch, laying down next to me. She let her head rest in my lap and I gently massaged her scalp with my fingers.

"Daddy, will you make me pancakes?" she asked tiredly. Lin chuckled at her neediness.

"Of course," he said, leaning down to kiss her head. "Chocolate chips?"

"Yes, please," she grinned as she settled in more with me. I grabbed the blanket nearby and draped it over her body. I loved this Joey. This Joey that cuddled with me and let me give her a little back massage. I'd always wanted a daughter.

Joey rested on me as Lin mixed the batter and then added it to the skillet. Soon, the apartment was filled with the smell of hot pancakes. A few minutes later, he brought a heaping plate of pancakes to the coffee table, along with butter and syrup.

"M'lady," he announced with a flourish, setting the tray on the table. Joey smiled and sat up, then eased herself onto the floor. She immediately dug in. "Want a couple, Pips?"

"Sure," I said. Lin went back to work and soon we were all eating pancakes. We hung out with Joey for a bit longer before she decided to get a bath in then go back to bed. Lin was so sweet with her when she was sick. He was extra gentle and affectionate, making sure she had everything she needed.

After dinner later on with Elliott, Lin and I retired to our bedroom. We lazily exchanged kisses as his hand rubbed at my belly. After a few minutes he pulled back, his fingers gently stroking at my face. His eyes searched mine and he looked completely smitten. I was completely smitten. I chuckled a little, just out of happiness.

"What?" he grinned, his fingers touching gently.

"Nothing," I said. "I just love you."

"I love you too," he said, closing his eyes to kiss me again. God, he was such a good kisser. I loved how he took his time, kissing me thoroughly. As we kissed, my phone buzzed on the bed next to me. Lin looked over my shoulder and saw that it was Jennifer FaceTiming.

"Maybe we oughta take this," he suggested a little reluctantly. I sighed and rolled onto my back, then picked up the phone. As I answered, a tearful-looking Alex was on the screen.

"Hi, Alex!" I greeted her warmly. She immediately started crying. The phone was jostled around a little and we saw her being pulled onto Jennifer's lap.

"Someone misses you both," she informed us. "It's bedtime and she wants to say goodnight."

"Did you read stories with Grandma?" I asked her softly. Alex nodded and rubbed at her eyes, still whimpering a little. "Oh good. Which ones did she read?"

"Knuffle Bunny," she reported. "And Interrupting Chicken."

I'd packed those two books, along with a few other favorites, into her backpack. They'd been with us for a few months now, so Lin and I had learned their favorites. We didn't know everything yet, but we had a few tricks up our sleeves.

"And did you interrupt Grandma while she was reading?" I asked teasingly. I got a giggle out of her. Her hand went to her mouth and she gently sucked on it, a telling sign that she was tired.

"Nooooo," she laughed, squirming in Jennifer's lap a little. Jennifer smiled and rolled her eyes a little.

"Maybe once or twice," she countered. "Do you want to give Pippa and Lin a goodnight kiss?"

She nodded and leaned forward, kissing the phone. Lin and I both did the same, playing along. Now that Alex was in a better place, we all said goodnight and hung up. All of a sudden, I felt a wave of sadness. It must have shown.

"Stop it," he told me, pulling my closer.

"What?" I chuckled, running my fingers up and down his arm.

"Don't get all sentimental," he said. "They're fine. They'll be back in a week."

"I know," I said. "I just miss her little voice. And her hugs."

"Yeah? Do you miss her getting us up at six a.m.?" he reminded me. I sighed as Lin pressed a kiss to my collar bone, then my neck, behind my ear, and finally my lips. "Enough. I can't ravish you when you've got that sad look on your face."

I laughed as he grinned down at me knowingly. He kissed me passionately and soon I had completely forgotten about Alex.