Daddy Next Door

When they reached the food court, Nick noticed the McDonald’s nearby. “Do you mind if the girls have McDonald’s?”

“No, that’ll be fine. If you’ll stay here with the girls, I’ll go get their food.”

“You stay with them and I’ll go get the food. This meal’s on me. It’s definitely my turn.”

In no time he was back with three Happy Meals and drinks. Then he looked at Jennifer. “Now, what would you like?”

“I’d like a grilled chicken salad and a diet Coke.”

“Sounds good. I’ll be right back.”

He returned with two salads and two drinks.

“I didn’t mean you had to get a salad,” Jennifer protested as she saw he’d gotten himself the same thing.

“I like salads, too. Though I don’t eat a steady diet of them,” he assured her with a smile.

“How old are your sisters?” she suddenly asked.

He grinned. “Seven years younger than me.”

“All three of them?” she asked in surprise.

“Yeah. My mom had trouble getting pregnant after I was born, so she took fertility drugs and ended up with triplets.”

“Oh, my. I guess you do have experience,” she said in amazement.

“Yeah. It wasn’t until I went away to college that I got to do much of anything by myself.”

“What’s triplets?” Missy asked.

“It’s when your mommy has three babies at the same time,” Jennifer said.

Missy nodded, but Steffi looked puzzled. “You mean like us only all the same age?”

“That’s right. It makes everything much more difficult. With you being older, you can help your sisters. But Nick had to help all three of his sisters.” Jennifer grinned at him. “If you’d told me that earlier, I would’ve been easier about your helping with the girls.”

“I didn’t want to brag,” Nick said, trying to look modest.

“Yeah, right!” Jennifer said with a laugh.

“How’s your hamburger, Annie?” Nick asked. The little girl had yet to speak to him. He wasn’t sure she would speak to him now.

“Good,” she replied very softly.

“I’m glad. And yours, Steffi?”

“I like it. And I got a car as my toy.”

“Lucky you,” Nick said. “And, Missy? What did you get?”

“I got a cat, I think.” She held up a plastic figure.

“That’s Sylvester the cat. I think they’re bringing out a new movie about Sylvester the cat,” he said.

“Can we go?” Missy immediately asked.

Her suggestion put a pleasant thought in Nick’s head. He and Jennifer in a darkened movie theater—with the girls, of course. Still, he looked straight at Jennifer when he said, “I promise we will.”

Chapter Three

“I don’t think you have the right to promise that, Nick,” Jennifer said, her voice starchy.

“I didn’t think a movie would hurt.”

Jennifer, however, was more focused on the girls. “Have any of you ever been to the movies?”

Steffi shook her head. Annie just stared at Jennifer, wide-eyed. But Missy nodded.

“When did you go to the movies, Missy?” Jennifer asked suspiciously.

“Once, my old mommy took four of us to the movies and we had popcorn and candy and a Coke!”

“What did you see?” Jennifer asked, watching Missy closely.

“A movie. And we had to be real quiet!”

“Do you remember what happened in the movie?” Nick asked, hoping to help Jennifer.

Missy hung her head.

“Missy?”

She finally looked at Nick and confessed, “I threw up and my old mommy was mad because she didn’t get to see all the movie.”

“Missy, if it made you sick, why do you want to go again?” Jennifer asked.

“’Cause it was fun. It’s real dark and—”

“Never mind. We’ll discuss going to the movies when that movie comes out and I can decide if it’s appropriate for you.”

“What’s appropriate?” Missy asked.

Nick answered that question. “If it’s a show that’s good for you to see. Some of the movies are made for adults and you wouldn’t enjoy them.”

“Will you let me sit next to you, Nick, if we go to the movies?”

“Sure. We can even hold hands,” he told the little girl with a smile.