Summer Lovin'

Chapter Sixteen

The baby cried and the women looked upstairs. "I'll go get Jordan. Would you mind just running up for a second with her?" Joanna asked Summer.

"I'd be glad to," Summer answered, rushing up the stairs.

"Hi, Anna," Summer cooed, coming into the room. She carefully picked up the sweet tiny baby. "Your mommy's coming. Yes, she is," Summer sang as she slowly did a walk/bounce movement she'd seen mothers do.

"You're a natural," Jordan smiled, coming into the room.

"Thanks, but really I have no idea what I'm doing."

Jordan took the baby from her. "She's hungry," Jordan walked over to a beautiful rocking chair in the corner and sat down. She pulled the blanket from the chair arm around her and the baby to breastfeed.

"You're welcome to stay. I could use adult company," Jordan told her as Summer was inching towards the door.

"Um, sure." Summer said hesitantly.

She ran her hand over the baby's crib. It was beautiful. She noticed the beauty when she and Jesse had earlier been in the room, but she hadn't noticed the detail work of it. Summer squatted down and admired the zoo animals carved into the rails of the crib.

"You like it?" Jordan asked with a knowing smile.

"It's gorgeous! This detail work is exquisite!" She said, rubbing her fingers over the animals.

"It took Jesse only two weeks," Jordan said with a lazy smile as she rocked the baby as she nursed, her head lying back on the rocker.

Summer spun around in shock. "Jesse did this?" she asked.

"Mmm-hmm. And the rocker too." She patted its arm.

"I...I didn't know he built furniture too," Summer said amazed. The furniture was store quality. Expensive store quality.

Jordan laughed. "What have you been sitting on at home, honey?"

"Ummm....a couch?"

"He did that. And let's see... some boxy looking coffee table thing. And his bedroom set," Jordan said sleepily.

"He's never said," Summer sat down on the bed, still in shock of Jesse's talent.

"Oh, he wouldn't. The boy's a bit modest. Don't know why; the rest of us like to brag," she said with a grin.

"He's pretty quiet. Doesn't say much," Summer said, while studying the crib from her position on the bed.

"That's what worries me lately," Jordan said with a frown.

"What?" Summer asked.

"Jesse isn't normally so quiet. Oh, he does from time to time. But he's sort of the comedian of the family. But lately? He's been distant. Is everything okay at home?"

"As far as I know," Summer replied, growing concerned. Maybe Jesse didn't like having Summer around now that Dana was gone. Maybe he was just being nice to her because he had to be, not because he actually liked her.

Jordan switched Anna's feeding side."We worry about him too much sometimes. He's the baby of the family and as such we have that right."

"Sure. I understand."

"Summer, would you do me a favor?" she asked softly.

"What?" Summer concerned at the seriousness in the face of Jesse's sister.

"If... if something's really wrong with Jesse, and he tells you... would you let us know, please?"

"I couldn't do something against Jesse's confidence," Summer said sternly.

"I understand that, but, if it were a situation where it would merit breaking the confidence. Sometimes, things like that are called for. I couldn't bear it if something were truly wrong with him. If there was something we could have done..."

"Sure. If there was something really, really wrong," Summer replied.

"Thank you," Jordan murmured, running a hand over Anna's soft head.