Picture Perfect Family, page 10
Kaden smiled and watched Daniel take a bite. “Daddy did, too.”
Daniel nodded. “I know. That was our favorite thing to do growing up.”
“But Mommy did that,” Kaden said, “made that face.” He pointed to Mandy, who had that same disgusted look toward Daniel now.
“I’m sorry, I can’t help it.” She tousled Kaden’s hair. “But at least I still make you cookies, even though I know you’re going to be gross.”
Kaden’s mouth fell open and he pointed to her again.
“I meant yucky,” Mandy said. “I definitely should have said yucky.”
Kaden giggled and reached for another cookie.
Daniel ate cookies, chatted about day five and listened to Kaden describe how he didn’t ever want to get out at T-ball, and all the while he kept thinking one thing.
This was very nice.
Chapter Nine
Mandy was so glad Daniel had invited her to go shopping with them today. He could have cut her out of Kaden’s life for the next few days, but he hadn’t, and for that she was especially grateful. She glanced at the handsome missionary-turned-youth-minister and wondered if he had any idea the effect he had on her and probably on every single woman he encountered. She’d hardly slept a wink last night because she kept hearing a single word from that beautifully masculine baritone. “Adorable.” And when he said it again, looking at her as though she was the most beautiful girl on the planet, goose bumps marched predictably down both arms. She ran her palms up and down her arms and hoped that Daniel didn’t notice.
Taking her mind from the gorgeous uncle to the grinning nephew, she attempted to block out whatever was happening between her and Daniel, checked her watch and then tweaked Kaden’s cheek. “You know, we had better get over to the sporting goods store. Mr. Bowers closes at five o’clock so we only have a half hour.”
“Is that enough time to get all of the stuff I need?” Kaden frantically slid off his chair.
“Sure it is. I know exactly what we’ll get,” Daniel answered, but he seemed to be looking more at Mandy than Kaden.
Mandy looked away and darted toward her keys, dangling from a hook near the door. “Okay, we should get going, then,” she said and hoped her voice sounded somewhat normal instead of excited and anxious and everything else that she was feeling right now toward Daniel.
The three of them went through the gallery, and Mandy flipped the sign on the front door and then locked up so they could walk to the sporting goods shop on the other side of the square. They said hello to folks they met on the sidewalk as they made their way there and stopped for a moment while Kaden laughed at the geese around the three-tiered fountain centering the square.
Mandy had spent every day of her entire life on this square, but there was something different about experiencing it with Kaden and Daniel. This was the first time since her grandparents had passed that she felt like she was part of a complete family. The way people smiled at them, as though they were this young couple with a delightful little boy. Naturally everyone in town knew that Kaden was Jacob and Mia’s child. More than likely everyone also knew that she and Daniel were now working together to raise their child. But still, it did feel fairly amazing, the three of them together in the square.
Mandy pictured the First Fridays at the square, when the shops had open houses for the art walk, and the street performers were tucked into every corner. The next First Friday, instead of being confined to her store to give tours and show her work, she’d undoubtedly have Kaden and Daniel there, too. Or maybe by then she’d have hired some help, perhaps Nadia Berry, and Nadia could stay at the store while she and Daniel took Kaden to the kid booths. Her growing excitement about all the possibilities had her feeling almost giddy.
“What’s that look about?” Daniel asked, giving her an inquisitive stare.
“I guess I’m just happy,” she said and then smiled wider when she realized that was the honest to goodness truth. And at that very moment, Daniel’s words from last night echoed in her thoughts.
“Mandy, everything will be okay. God has a plan.”
What if He did have a plan? One that involved her and Daniel raising Kaden together? But did she even believe in that anymore? That God would watch out for her and might even help her find happiness? He certainly hadn’t done anything about that last year.
Mandy felt the urge to pray, something she hadn’t felt in a very long time. Just to ask God to really be there and help her find happiness again. But as she tried to determine how to word her request, she realized that she simply couldn’t do it. She couldn’t pray, because God had let her down, and she still didn’t trust Him to help.
“I’m happy, too!” Kaden exclaimed. “’Cause I’m gonna play T-ball and not get out!”
Mandy was glad for Kaden’s interruption in her thoughts, because she smiled and tucked her problems with God away for the time being. Today was about having a good time with Daniel and Kaden, and that’s what she was going to do.
“So Mr. Bowers carries baseball stuff at that store, too?” she asked, peering through the shop’s windows.
Daniel opened the door for Kaden and shot her a bemused glance. “Baseball is a sport, you know, and there isn’t much James Bowers doesn’t carry when it comes to sports.”
“No, it isn’t that I don’t think baseball is a sport. I guess I always figured a sporting goods store meant hunting and fishing type of things. You know, outdoor sports.”
“Here’s a news flash, too, then,” Daniel said teasingly. “Baseball is played outdoors.”
Kaden laughed loudly, and Mandy shot Daniel her best you-think-you’re-funny-don’t-you? glare.
Daniel gave her a halfhearted shrug. “Sorry, I couldn’t resist. Have you seriously never been in this store, when you’ve lived your whole life on the square?”
“Why would I have needed to come in here? I didn’t fish or hunt.”
“There’s more here than that, and I wouldn’t have picked you for a hunter, for sure, but I can see you fishing.”
“Is that so?” she volleyed back.
“I want to fish,” Kaden interjected, entering the shop. “Daddy said he’d teach me.”
Mandy and Daniel stopped their banter and looked at the little boy between them. Then Daniel squatted down to eye level with his nephew. “Tell you what. We’ll figure out what days you practice for T-ball this Saturday at sign-ups, and whatever days you don’t do T-ball next week, we’ll go out to the fishing hole Mr. Bowers runs, and I’ll teach you to fish.”
Kaden wrapped both arms around Daniel’s neck. “Awesome,” he said, and Daniel kissed the side of his head before standing.
“Mandy, why don’t you let me teach you, too?”
“To fish?” She had an instant image of her touching a fish, cold wet scales against her palm, and she winced.
His eyes sparkled with a hint of mischief. “Yes.”
“Wow, you’re gonna fish, too?” Kaden asked, and Mandy realized that if she was going to raise a boy, she really needed to learn to like little boy things.
“Would I have to bait a hook?”
Amazingly, Daniel’s grin got broader. “No.”
“I don’t know....”
“Aw, come on, Aunt Mandy. It’ll be fun!” Kaden said, then yelled, “Hey, look at all that baseball stuff!” He ran deeper into the store without waiting for her response.
But Daniel stood stone still waiting for her answer. “You’re considering it, aren’t you? Come on, Kaden’s right—it’d be fun.” He looked toward the man behind the counter ringing up a sale. “Mr. Bowers, is your fishing hole open for business?”
“Why, Daniel Brantley, so good to have you back! I was hoping you’d make it into the store soon. Jolaine and I were thrilled to hear you were taking the job at the church,” James Bowers said, giving the other customer his change then walking around the counter toward Daniel and Mandy.
“Our grandchildren will be in that youth group of yours in a few years. And sure, the fishing hole is open. Here’s a sheet with the hours of operation, but you can come any time you like.” He handed Daniel a lime-green flyer from the counter. “If I’m there when you go, I’ll show you where the best spots are. If I’m not there, then Jolaine will be running things, and she can give you the lay of the land.” He looked to Mandy. “You gonna fish, too?”
“Would I have to touch a fish?” Mandy asked.
“Not if you don’t catch any,” Daniel said, which made Mr. Bowers smother his laugh. But when Mandy’s brows popped up, Daniel added, “No, no you don’t have to touch one. Kaden or I will take your fish off the hook.”
“Kaden doesn’t need to be near hooks,” she admonished.
“Are you going to let me teach him boy things or not?”
“Well, now, this sounds like a discussion that I shouldn’t be a part of,” Mr. Bowers said. “I’ll just head over to the baseball equipment and see if the little man needs any advice.” He walked toward Kaden, currently working his way through a colorful array of batting helmets.
“Well? I’m waiting for an answer....”
“We’re here, aren’t we?” She waved a hand around the store, which had an abundance of animals hanging on the wall for a massive ew factor.
He grinned. “Yes, we are. So after we get his T-ball schedule and I take a look at my work schedule at the church, I’ll let you know what days we’ll be fishing next week.”
“Oh, joy.”
“Are you guys coming?” Kaden yelled excitedly. “They got baseballs and bats and hats and everything! Just like the ones the guys use on TV!”
In less than twenty minutes, Daniel had equipped Kaden with a new T-ball bat, a batting helmet, cleats and a box of baseballs. Kaden was so thrilled about the shiny red batting helmet that he wore it out of the store, which garnered quite a few quizzical looks as the trio crossed the square and then headed behind the shops to get to Daniel’s truck.
Mandy opened the passenger door and slid the seat up so Kaden could climb inside. The batting helmet conked the side of the truck on his way in. “Kaden, why don’t you take that off until we get to the field?” she asked.
“Nah, I’m in now,” he said, jumping into his seat. “I’ll keep it on.”
Mandy peeked in to see that the top of the helmet hit the roof of the truck, so much that Kaden had to slump in the booster seat to fit. “Kaden, are you sure?”
“Yep, definitely.” He sounded just like Daniel. Definitely. Daniel said that word a lot, and it was always full of optimism and promise. Hopefully Kaden would be that way, excited about life and his future. Mandy glanced at Daniel, buckling up in the driver’s seat, and wondered if Kaden would have the same effect on women as his uncle obviously did.
“Hey, you coming with us, or are you going to stand there staring?” Daniel asked wryly.
A delighted shiver worked its way down her spine as he gazed at her with those Caribbean blues. Yep, an undeniable effect on women, particularly on Mandy.
“Yes, I’m coming.” She climbed in while Daniel kept grinning, and she hoped he couldn’t tell how happy she was to be riding in this truck with him. Back in high school she’d see the Brantley boys in this old truck, and occasionally Mia would be sitting between them all cozied up to Jacob. Mandy had imagined what it’d feel like to sit in this truck next to Daniel. Granted she was on the passenger side now with a person’s width between them. But it still felt almost as good as she’d imagined.
“Oh, hey, I almost forgot. I brought you something.” Daniel picked up a small bag by the gearshift and handed it to Mandy. “You can put it on when we get to the field.”
Mandy peeked inside the bag, saw a baseball jersey and laughed. “Hold on. If you’ll wait a second, I’d like to put it on now.”
“Okay,” Daniel said.
But Kaden whined, “Aw, Aunt Mandy, can you hurry? I’m ready to get there!”
“I will…I promise.” She jumped out of the car, opened the back door to the shop and swapped shirts just inside the door. Then she darted back out wearing a Claremont jersey similar to the one Daniel wore. When she opened the door to the truck, a matching baseball cap was perched on her seat.
“Can’t have a jersey without a cap,” Daniel explained.
She snatched up the cap, put it on her head and pulled her ponytail through the back hole. Then she took a small step back, struck a pose and asked, “What do you think?”
He looked at her, his eyes studying her for a moment. “I think that jersey never looked half that good on me in middle school. I knew the high school jerseys would swallow you whole, but I found that one and thought it’d work.” He looked at her again. “And it does work. Very well, I’d say.”
She blinked. So many compliments at one time were an overload, and she wasn’t quite used to the giddy tingle that accompanied his words. But she sure could get used to it, especially if the compliments came from Daniel. “This was your jersey?”
“You didn’t notice Brantley sewn on the back?”
“I was so excited that I didn’t look at the back. It’s number seven?” she asked, trying to peek over her shoulder to see the number on the back.
He visibly swallowed, and his eyes took on an intensity that sent another shiver down her spine. “You remembered my number?”
She’d studied that number on his back for years and had actually dreamed of one day being his official girlfriend and wearing this very shirt. Or the high school shirt. Whatever. Anything of Daniel Brantley’s would have done the trick. Now she thought she’d probably said too much.
“What’s my number gonna be?” Kaden asked, saving her from answering Daniel’s question.
Daniel still looked at Mandy, his attention unwavering, so she glanced toward the backseat. “We don’t know what your number will be yet,” she said. “But we should find out Saturday, I suppose.” She waited a second to try to make sure she didn’t look too awkward, then she glanced back at Daniel, still looking at her with a slight smile playing with the corners of his mouth.
“What?” she asked.
“Just thinking that you never cease to surprise me, Mandy,” he murmured. “And I mean that in a very good way.”
She waited to see if he’d say more, but before he could, Kaden asked, “Uncle Daniel, what number do you think I’ll get?”
Daniel turned from Mandy to Kaden, thank goodness, and she tried to keep breathing normally.
“Well, if we get a say-so, I’m thinking number ten.”
Mandy nodded. Jacob’s number. “That’s a great number,” she said. “Mia’s favorite number,” she added at a whisper. Thankfully she didn’t add that her favorite number had always been seven. She’d already embarrassed herself enough with her Brantley boys baseball trivia knowledge.
They drove through town toward the Little League fields with Kaden occasionally popping his hand against his helmet and announcing, “That doesn’t even hurt!”
By the time they pulled into the ballpark and found a parking spot, Daniel and Mandy were rolling with laughter at all of the head pops occurring in the backseat.
“Are you sure you got the right size helmet?” she asked Daniel after the two of them climbed out and waited for Kaden to maneuver his top-heavy self out of the truck. “It sure looks big.”
“That’s because Brantley boys have big heads,” Kaden said. “Didn’t you hear Mr. Bowers when he said that in the store?”
Mandy laughed so hard she snorted. “Nope, I missed that.”
“Because if you’d have heard it, I’m sure you would have added a comment or two,” Daniel said.
“You got that right,” Mandy quipped, still trying to control her laughter.
“Hey, look, there’s some other kid at that field practicing already,” Kaden said, pointing to one of the bigger fields in the distance. “Were we supposed to go to that one?”
“No, this is your field.” Daniel pulled an old plastic bucket out of the back of the truck and dropped the new baseballs inside, then wedged the bat in, too.
“You sure?” Kaden asked.
“I played here myself when I was your age, so yes, I’m sure. This is the T-ball field.”
“You and my dad played here?” Kaden asked.
Daniel smiled down at him. “We sure did.”
He picked up the bucket and started toward the field. “Come on, we’re wasting daylight.”
“Okay!” Kaden said, running behind him, while Mandy took her time following. She enjoyed seeing Daniel and Kaden together, walking toward the field like a father and son. Daniel really was good with Kaden, and she was glad he’d come home to show Kaden little boy things like T-ball.
“You want me to sit in the dugout while y’all practice?” she asked as she passed through the opening in the chain-link fence to enter the field area.
“Are you kidding?” Daniel asked. “You’re part of the team. Come on out here.” She liked being a part of this team, so she did as she was told.
It felt strange stepping onto the field. As far as Mandy could remember, she’d never been on an actual baseball field. She’d often sat in the stands and rooted for Claremont High. She and Mia had been avid fans, particularly when it came to cheering for Daniel and Jacob Brantley, but never had she had a reason to step foot on the field. Until now. And she was doing so with Daniel by her side and with Jacob and Mia’s beautiful little boy ready to learn how to play like his dad and uncle.
Mandy swallowed, emotions she hadn’t anticipated creeping in. Sadness at what her sister and brother-in-law had left behind.
“Look, I’m running fast!” Kaden yelled. And he was, flying from home plate toward third, rounding it wide and then heading to second.
