Erica took the duffel bag from Ben. "You sure you brought everything?" she smiled as Luke zoomed past her on his way to find Kota. "Is he...?"
"Wearing pajamas?" Ben gave her a tired smile. "yeah. Somehow, I can't seem to get him to get dressed anymore."
She pursed her lips. "I never seem to have any issues with him getting dressed." She said.
"Well, any ideas you have after this weekend, I'm all ears." He said.
"Luke, come back and say good bye to Uncle." Erica called out for the 4 year old. She watched as he zoomed right back out from the kitchen and leapt into Ben's arms.
"Be good for Erica." Ben admonished him before kissing Luke's forehead and hugging him close.
"I will, Uncle." Luke nodded solemnly and hugged him back. "You be back tomorrow?"
"Sunday." Ben said. "Two sleeps, okay?"
"Overnight sleeps." Erica said as Luke's eyes turned mischievous as he tried to figure out how to make the sleeps happen faster.
"Not naps?"
"No sweetie, naps are not the right kind of sleep." She said before moving to set Luke's bag down on the couch.
Ben kissed Luke's cheeks and tickled him lightly. "I'll bring you a present when I come back, okay?"
"Chocolate?" Luke's tone was hopeful. "Enough to share with Kota and the others?"
Ben grinned. "Sharing is a good thing, monkey." He tousled Luke's hair before passing him over to Erica. "I will bring chocolate for all of you."
"Yay!" Luke cheered as he wrapped his arms around Erica. "Okay, love you, Uncle, bye bye." He waved.
Ben rolled his eyes and smiled before kissing his forehead one more time. "Be good and be gentle with the baby." He said.
"I will." Luke nodded. "Always gentle with Jessie." He informed his uncle. "Right?" he looked up at Erica.
"Yes, yes you are." She agreed before moving back as Ben moved back out the front door. "Have a good time." She said.
"Thanks for watching him."
"Never a problem." Erica reassured him and she cuddled Luke close as they watched Ben head to his truck, waving at Luke before he drove off. She pressed a kiss to the top of Luke's head as she closed the door and locked it. "Now, Luke... why are you still in your pj's?"
He shrugged.
"Luke..."
"No clothes out. No need for monkey to change." He said, finally after she'd poked him in the stomach.
"Ah..." Erica nodded as they went into the kitchen and she set him down on a chair next to Kota and went to get him a banana to have as a snack. "So if no clothes are laid out for you to put on, the way they are when you stay here or with Gabriel, Nathan or Victor, then you just aren't going to get out of your jammies?"
He beamed at her for getting it right and nodded.
"But your clothes are there." Kota frowned.
Luke shrugged. "Clothes play hide and seek." He said, taking the banana from Erica and taking a bite of it.
Erica smiled at his logic.
"Luke good at hiding but not seeking." He said through the mouthful of banana."
"chew and swallow, then talk, monkey boy." She ruffled his hair as she sat down next to them. "That makes sense to me. Your clothes are playing games and it would be rude of you not to play along."
Luke nodded, tousled curls bouncing.
"Well, then maybe before Uncle gets back, I will be able to talk some sense into your clothes and make them play along better." She said, reaching over and tweaking his nose, making him giggle.
Kota started to eat his own banana again and the two of them were talking about games while she went to check on her sleeping baby.
"Note to self." She murmured, bending over Jessica's crib and finding her still sleeping. "Discuss laying out the clothes every night with Ben..." she adjusted the way Jessica was laying in the crib and stood up straighter before heading back to the kitchen to supervise the boys.
(Fade...)