Raising Sophie - Brollins

21.

Sophie walked up the steps of the home in Las Vegas with Colby following closely behind her. She knocked on the door like the independent seven year old she now was. After no answer she knocked again and rang the doorbell this time.

"Hey Soph... calm down" Colby said with a laugh

"UNCLE JON!" Sophie exclaimed and Colby shook his head, so much for calming down, the door opened quickly after that

"Sophie!" Renee yelled as she opened her arms and the little girl jumped into them as the blonde spun her around effortlessly

"Yeah.. Hi Colby.. nice to see you.." Colby said with a nod and a sarcastic wave

"She's cuter than you" Renee shrugged "Can you blame me?" She asked

"She's right" Sophie nodded with a smile as Renee placed her on her feet

"You sure you're okay watching her for the weekend?" Colby asked as he handed Sophie's bag to Renee

"You and Rebecca want alone time before you don't get the chance anymore.. we understand that and with Ashley recovering from surgery and your mom being down with the flu.. plus Joe is being Joe.."

"She requested to come here.. and I know it wasn't exactly planned.." Colby shook his head but Renee held her hand up to stop him

"She'll be fine.. I promise I won't let anything happen to her, We're gonna have fun" she looked down at Sophie who smiled up at her

"Not too much fun.." Colby shook his head "Everything is in her bag, she's got medicine in case she gets sick.. if she does get sick call me and I'll come pick her up" he said and he watched his daughter disappear in the house "She's been having nightmares since the whole thing went down with Beth.." He said once Sophie was out of earshot "so if she does.. just call me or Rebecca"

"WE've got it!" Renee nodded "It's good practice" she smiled "Plus it'll be a good surprise for Jon when he gets home in a few hours"

"Wait.. he doesn't know she's staying with you two?"

"I haven't told him.. he's been missing the little munchkin, he won't say it but I can see it every time he sees a new photo posted on instagram.. it'll be a good pick me up for him"

"I've dropped her off with two eyes.. and all four limbs.. she better have all of that when I pick her up in a few days" he said and Renee laughed before saluting him

"Yes sir!" She nodded

"NayNay!" Sophie called from the house "I found the cupcake stuff!" She exclaimed

"Duty calls" Renee nodded with a smile to Colby "Now get out of here and enjoy your time with your fiancée"

Colby left Renee and Jon's house after Renee persisting for ten more minutes. He trusted Renee, he trusted Jon.. but leaving his little girl after everything that had happened with Beth a few months prior proved to be harder than he thought it would be, but she was going to have fun and enjoy the time she had with Jon.. because just as much as Jon missed Sophie, Sophie missed Jon just as much.

Renee and Sophie got the guest room all set up by unpacking the little girl's bag and placing the things in the closet, Sophie spent the majority of the next few hours running around the backyard with Blue and Benny before Renee called the seven year old into the house to help her cook dinner.

Tonight was Pasta night, Sophie's favorite meal and an easy one for Renee to complete, not to mention it was something Jon loved as well. Carbs were always a good idea.

"Then we put salt in the water..." Renee sprinkled salt in the pot that was on the stove

"to help the water boil" Sophie nodded as she stood on the chair next to her

"Right.. You've cooked before huh?" She asked and the little girl nodded as she held the wooden spoon in her hand

"I help Momma all the time" she nodded confidently

"I can tell" Renee nodded and she heard the garage door opening, her husband was home "You've been practicing your reading in school?" She asked and Sophie nodded "Why don't you go in that pantry over there and find the pasta sauce" she said and the little girl handed her the wooden spoon before jumping down from the chair and running into the pantry

Jon had been away for the last two weeks, he was in Jacksonville for shows and then in L.A for media. His schedule had been jam-packed to say the least. She heard the dogs barking and then his bags hit the hardwood floor in the hallway, she stayed paying attention to the almost boiling water on the stove before she felt his arms sneak around her waist and his lips on her neck.

"You're home.." She said with a smile and he nodded

"Finally" he trailed down her neck and she leaned into him with a smile "I've been waiting and wanting this moment for two weeks" he said and she shook her head with a laugh

"Found it!" Sophie exclaimed as she walked back in the kitchen with the jar of sauce in her hands and Jon backed away from his wife quickly and looked at Sophie

"When did we get a kid?" He asked

"I picked it up at the store" Renee nodded sarcastically

"Uncle Jon!" Sophie exclaimed as she handed the jar to Renee and completely abandoned her job of helping cook dinner to jump into his arms

"Munchkin!" He matched her excitement as he picked her up "When did you get here? How did you get here?"

"Colby dropped her off a few hours ago, he and Rebecca are going on this romantic getaway before the baby is born in a few months and they needed somebody to watch her.. so I agreed"

"It's good practice" Sophie nodded and Jon looked at her

"It is?" He questioned

"Yep!" The little girl exclaimed "You two gotta practice cause practice makes perfect" she said

"She's here all weekend" Renee explained as she watched Sophie climb back on the chair next to her

"You mean we gotta feed her and stuff.. and.." He trailed off

"And keep me alive?" Sophie finished for him and he pointed to her

"Yeah.. we gotta keep her alive for the next three days?" Jon questioned

"That's the plan" Renee nodded as she turned her attention back to the stove

"You get to watch princess movies, play dolls with me and get princess makeovers" Sophie looked to Jon "Are you excited?" She asked him as she looked up at him with her big brown eyes

"Oh yeah" Jon nodded "I'm just ecstatic" he nodded "Who doesn't want a princess makeover?" He looked to Renee "I think we should start with her" he pointed to his wife and Sophie jumped down from the chair and grabbed his large hand in her tiny one and began pulling him out of the kitchen

"We're gonna start with you... you need a lot of work" Sophie nodded