Daddy Next Door

With a sigh, Jennifer said, “Come in and I’ll draw a map.”

“I really appreciate it,” he assured her. As he followed her into the kitchen, he sniffed the elixir he needed each morning.

“You made coffee? I mean, uh, what kind of coffee do you buy? It smells good.”

Another sigh. Okay, he hadn’t been subtle, but he hadn’t expected to smell coffee.

“Would you like a cup?” she offered.

“I’d kill for one,” he admitted in a low voice. Somehow, saying that even jokingly in front of such innocent ears didn’t seem right.

“Have a seat,” she said, gesturing to the breakfast table where the three girls were eating.

He joined them, trying not to look at the pancakes they were eating. He should’ve found a grocery store last night, but his stomach had been full. And he’d been tired.

Jennifer brought him a cup of steaming hot coffee. “Bless you,” he said.

She gave him a knowing look and turned away.

He closed his eyes as he sipped wonderful coffee. Without a doubt, he needed to know what brand she used. When he opened his eyes to ask that important question, he saw that she was occupied at the stove again.

She turned around and put a plate of pancakes in front of him. Then she got him a knife and fork. “Butter and syrup are on the table.”

“I didn’t mean— You didn’t have to cook for me!” he exclaimed, feeling embarrassed.

“I was cooking for the girls, anyway. Eat them, don’t eat them. Your choice.”

He immediately reached for the butter and syrup. “I won’t turn them down.”

She was still at the stove and he realized she’d given him the pancakes she would’ve eaten. “Hey, let me cook those and you come eat.”

“No, I’m fine. Don’t let those get cold.”

He spread butter over his pancakes and added syrup. Then he took his first bite. “Wow, these are great, aren’t they, girls?”

Three little heads bobbed up and down.

“They just gave you a rave review, Jennifer, but their mouths were full. You couldn’t hear them,” he said, smiling at the kids.

“I know. They already told me.” She dished up her pancakes and joined them at the table. “This is a special breakfast today.”

“Ah, first breakfast since school got out?”

“Nice try, but I know Missy told you I was their new mommy. Did you think I kidnapped them?”

He smiled at her. She looked beautiful, dressed in Bermuda shorts and a knit shirt. “If all kidnappers looked like you, no victims would ever complain.”

She glared at him.

“Just teasing. No, I didn’t think you kidnapped them. I figured I’d find out eventually what was going on.”

She took a bite of her pancakes and chewed slowly.

Nick said nothing else, enjoying his pancakes and coffee and giving her time. He’d learned that silence was a greater prompter than any words he could say.

Finally, she said, “I’m adopting the girls and right now I’m their foster mother. But soon I’ll be their real mother.”

“And they really are sisters?”

Missy giggled again, but it was Steffi who answered. “Yes, we’re all sisters, but we didn’t get to live together until yesterday.”

“You didn’t?” He turned to Jennifer. “You mean, the system split them up, or did they move into different homes because they, uh, became available at different times?”

“No, their parents…had an accident. Unfortunately no one foster home could take all three, so they split them up.”

“That’s barbaric!”

For the first time since he’d met the lovely Jennifer, she smiled warmly at him. “I thought so, too.”

“So how did you find them?”

She explained about the photographs for the Heart Gallery.

“And you decided to adopt them at once?”

“Sort of. I’ll explain later,” Jennifer said in a low voice that made him think of silk sheets and dark nights.

“Uh, okay. These sure are good pancakes.”

“I love ’em,” Missy said in agreement.

Since she had syrup smeared over half her face, Nick believed her.

“Thank you, Missy,” Jennifer said with a smile. “Have you finished?”

Missy nodded.

“How about you, Steffi, Annie?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Steffi said. Like Missy, Annie just nodded.

“Okay. I want you to go to the bathroom and wash your face and hands. No sticky parts, okay?”

They nodded, their eyes big.

“Then go to your bedroom. I laid out the clothes for you to put on. If you need help, call me,” she added with a warm smile.

Nick thought any kid would want to receive that smile. It certainly worked on the three little girls. They ran out of the room to do as she’d told them.