“Go. Enjoy your night. I got these cuties.”
“Thanks for keeping her,” Reid says, kissing Coral’s cheek. Bellamy does the same, stepping back so Amanda can get to Mia.
“Thank you for this. I truly appreciate it. If you need me to come back to get her, or if it’s too much… call me.”
“It won’t be too much. Go, have fun. She’s safe, and I promise she’ll be sufficiently spoiled by the time you get back to pick her up.”
“I won’t be out late,” she assures me.
“Coral is spending the night. Mia is welcome to do the same. Just see how the night goes,” I tell her.
“I’ll be back to get her,” Amanda assures me with conviction in her tone.
I nod, and with one last kiss to her daughter’s cheek, and then to Coral’s, she links arms with Bellamy, and they’re out the door.
“Ladies, what’s the first thing on the agenda?” I ask my companions for the night.
“Ball!” Coral says, and I grin. With me as her grandpa, and her daddy the best damn tight end in the league, this little one has no choice but to love football.
“We can do that,” I tell my granddaughter. “Why don’t you go grab your ball from the basket?” I bend to place her on her feet, and she runs as fast as those little legs of hers will carry her to the basket in the corner of the living room filled with her toys. It sits right next to her play kitchen set that I bought her. She loves the one at her place so much, I bought the same one so she could play with it when she’s here.
“What about you, Mia? You want to play with the ball, too?” I sit on the couch and settle her on my thigh. She grins up at me, grunts, and the most horrid smell comes from her little body. “Really?” I ask her. “That’s how we’re going to start the night?” I smile, kiss her cheek, and stand to grab the diaper bag. I make quick work of changing her diaper and spend the next thirty minutes playing ball with them. Which means, I roll it, and Coral chases after it, with Mia clapping from her place on my lap. She never tries to move. She’s just content to sit and watch.
“All right, ladies, it’s time to make some dinner.” The words are barely out of my mouth before my phone is ringing. I see Amanda’s name and smile. “Mia, it’s your mommy.”
“Hello?”
“I forgot to tell you that she eats anything.”
“I was just going to make them both some grilled cheese and SpaghettiOs.”
“She’ll love that. Just small pieces.”
I smile. “Yes, ma’am.” I don’t bother reminding her that this isn’t my first time feeding an infant. Sure, it’s been years since Bellamy was this small, but I’ve been hands-on with Coral since the day she was born. I’m confident I can handle this.
“Thank you, Will,” she says softly.
“Call as much as you’d like, but Amanda, try to enjoy yourself. I promise I’ll take good care of her.”
“I know you will. You’re great with Coral and the other kids. I’m just nervous. This is a first for me, outside of leaving her when I go to work, which is something I have to do, being a single mom.”
“While I have you on the phone, I’m going to text you the code to get into the garage. Don’t bother with the front door or the doorbell when you get back so it doesn’t wake the girls. Just come on in.”
“Thank you again.”
“You’re welcome. See you later,” I say, ending the call. “Ladies, it’s dinner time.” Coral latches onto my leg and giggles, and I carry her that way, with Mia in my arms, to the kitchen.
Thankfully, I went overboard when I was shopping for things to keep here for Coral. I have a chair that straps to the kitchen chair or can be set on the counter, and a regular high chair. I get Mia set up in the high chair, Coral in the seat that straps to the chair, and move them both to my side. Pulling some of those little puff things that Coral still loves, I make sure Mia is old enough by having a quick read of the packet, then dump a few out on each of their trays as I get to work making their grilled cheese and heating up a can of SpaghettiOs. Not the most nutritious meal, but when you come to Grandpa Will’s house, you get spoiled. That’s the rule.
Four
Amanda
* * *
I feel a little better after talking to Will. I can’t believe my best friend’s dad is my babysitter for the night. I didn’t have that on my bingo card, but I know she’s safe with him. I just feel guilty for leaving her. Bellamy, Corie, Rowan, and Sloane all assure me that it gets easier, but I’m not convinced.
Sliding my phone back into my small cross-body bag, I glance in the bathroom mirror. We’d barely been seated at the table when I bolted to the restroom to call Will and check on Mia. Taking a deep breath, I slowly exhale and head back to the table.