Choosing You (JJ Watt)

10.

Levi sat at the kitchen table early the next morning, a soft smile on her face. The woman sipped on her coffee as she worked on her backlogged case notes. In the borrowed high chair beside her, Sadie happily switched between the bright orange teething ring in one hand and the small banana slices on her tray. The other kids were still asleep in their beds and J.J. was going through his morning routine in the basement gym. It was his day off, not that he ever really had a legitimate day off and for Landon is was a teacher workday.

Sadie beat the thawing ring on the plastic tray. Levi looked up at her and the infant instantly beamed, squealing in excitement at her success in capturing the woman's attention. Levi laughed, noticing the fruit on her tray was gone.

"Do you need some more banana, Sadie May?" She asked, reaching for the remaining half laying in front of her.

Sadie squealed again, kicking her feet in excitement as she put the teething ring in her mouth. She watched Levi with a hawk's eye as she sliced the banana into pieces and happily devoured the new pieces as they were put on her tray.

Levi turned back to her work, keeping watch on Sadie out of the corner of her eye. The steady tapping of her keyboard and the occasional banging of Sadie's teething ring and her babbling filled the quiet room.

Levi stopped typing for a minute, reading over her last sentence before the heavy-handed sounds of the backspace button could be heard, and she rewrote the sentence. She read over it again. Still, she wasn't loving the way it read. Again, she hit the backspace key in heavy succession. She stared at the words in front of her, trying to get the words in. her head onto the page in front of her. Her lips moved as she silently tried out different sentences.

Sadie banged her teething ring on the high chair tray with a huge grin covering her face. Levi didn't move, her focus unwavering. Sadie tried again this time with three heavy hits, this time including her banana smeared hand as well. Still, not a glance in her direction from Levi.

Letting out a joyful squeal, Sadie banged on the tray and kicking her legs, making as much excited noise as she could. Levi remained focused on the computer screen, her brain not registering the hot breath next to her ear and running down her neck.

"Boo!" J.J. said, his hands landing on her waist in unison with his words.

Levi jumped, whipping around to glare at her husband who leaned over with hearty laughter. "Justin James Watt!" She scolded, having no other words for her husband.

"Oh come on, baby. You know you're not actually mad." He continued to chuckle, leaning in closer to her.

He was right. Levi was having a hard time keeping her smile away. She shook her head. "You're a fifth-grader. You know that?"

"So what?" He smiled, giving her a chaste peck with a smile.

That was all it took for Levi to give in and smile back with a shake of her head. "I hate you."

"You love me. Don't even try to say otherwise." He winked back.

Sadie slammed her teething ring against the tray again and this time it shook loose from her strong grip and hit the back of J.J.'s head. This time it was Levi's turn to laugh.

He whipped his head around to look at the infant. She grinned proudly at him. J.J. chuckled. "Are you jealous, Miss Sadie?"

She babbled at him.

"Oh, I see." J.J. leaned over, kissing her cheek.

She squealed, enthralled with the man. Sadie placed her banana mush cover hand on J.J.'s cheek continuing to babble. Levi could see him almost cringe at the slimy feeling before he responded to the infant as if they were deep in conversation.