Pre-Arranged

Chapter-2

"Is it really all right not to go back to the office?"

Brett had been leaning over his daughter's bassinet, checking up on her, and looked up at Kelly's question as she entered the living room from the kitchen. He grinned and patted the covers on the little one's tummy gently. He stood up straight and said with a shrug of his shoulders, "I guess I forgot to mention this. I have made a deal with my managers to get off work early on Fridays."

Kelly raised an eyebrow at that and asked slowly, "How on earth did you manage to convince them for twelve noon?"

Brett winked at her and conspiratorially placed his forefinger over his lips. "Now that's what I call a trade secret."

Kelly rolled her eyes and threw up her hands in the air. "Am I patented to get this response for any genuine question?"

"But I never gave you that answer," Darian promptly said as he emerged into the room as well, a dishcloth slung over his shoulder. He placed an arm lightly around her and she quickly treated him with a look that made him smile sheepishly and remove it immediately.

"Oh, really, mister? What about the restaurant thing?" she said with a smile – the kind that Darian knew to mean he was cornered.

He grinned like a little boy and rewrapped his arm around her neck in a fake chokehold. "You are a persistent bug, you know that?"

"What did you expect from a sister of Katie?"

"Good point, although you cannot blame my surprise; usually, you act normal."

Kelly shrugged her shoulders, bringing her hands to clasp his arm, and said in a solemn voice, "I should join a drama club or something, if people actually believe I am normal!"

Brett looked at them with his arms folded across his chest and his face bore a grave expression. "You know, as her husband, I should take offence on Katie's behalf."

The other two in the room stared at the contemplating husband with their eyebrows raised, but before either could comment on his performance, Ted stepped out of the kitchen and slapped Darian's back. Both he and Kelly jumped up in surprise, their hearts going crazy inside the ribcages.

"Ted! Did you plan to give us a heart attack?!"

"Nah. You're too young for that. I'd rather have a boxing match with you."

"I'm a kicker."

"Don't care, son. Why would I challenge you to something I am not good at?"

"To give your future son-in-law a nice little advantage?"

Ted broke out into a loud guffaw and three hands immediately flew out in alarm to clamp his mouth shut. Brett shushed with wide eyes and looked over his shoulder warily at the stirring baby. He sighed only once it was clear that Ruth had not woken up and removed his hand first, a cue followed by the other two.

"My bad," Ted admitted in a low voice and raised his palm in accordance.

"Leaving aside your attempts to make us forget, what about the story?" Brett asked in a whisper, his eyebrow bent suggestively. Kelly and Darian quickly moved to stand beside him with their hands folded across their chests, staring the old man down.

"Well," Ted began, scratching the back of his neck. He looked from one smirking face to the next one and grinned. "Wouldn't it be better if –?"

"If you just get right to it? I'll say!" Kelly quickly interjected. Sauntering past her father, she tugged her head around the wall to peer into the kitchen. Her mother was still busy arranging the cleaned dishes and almost did not her when she called out, "Ma! Ma!"