Kittens
"Jackie, Jazz and I are going across the street." Nick called to his wife who was in the other room.
Nick and Jackie's neighbors had asked the couple to feed and water their two new kittens while they were out of town for a wedding.
"Ok but before you go come here for a minute." She called back.
He found her in the laundry room.
"Yes?" he asked as he appeared in the doorway.
"Grab that sock out of the washer would you?" she said.
He looked at her confused.
"its way in the back and my stomach is getting in the way." She explained with a frown.
He chuckled and reached in and grabbed the sock and threw it in the open dryer.
"Thanks, is there anything else in there that I missed?" She asked.
"Oh just a credit card and a fifty dollar bill." He said as he peeked into the washer again.
"Seriously?"
"No." He answered with a grin.
"Oh, you're so funny." She said sarcastically.
He smiled at her.
"How ya feelin today?" He asked as he gently laid a hand on her rapidly growing tummy.
"Good." She answered.
"That's good." He said.
"Where's Houston?" He asked.
"He's sleeping, I think this cold has been rough on him."
"Yeah, I think so too, poor little guy, but he seemed to be feeling better yesterday."
"Yeah he did, I hope it's gone soon."
Nick nodded.
"Dada." They heard Jasmine yell.
Nick laughed "I don't know why she is so excited to go see those kittens, she has a new puppy to play with."
Jackie smiled "Maybe she just wants to spend time with her daddy."
"As much as I'd like to believe that I'm pretty sure she just wants to play with the kittens, I don't think it has anything to do with me." He said with a grin.
Jackie laughed.
"Dada." Jasmine yelled again, this time sounding impatient.
"I gotta go, see you in a few." He said as he gave her a peck on the cheek and then went to find Jasmine.
Nick grabbed Jasmine's hand and then they were out the door. Nick and Jasmine stopped at the end of their driveway to look both ways for cars.
"Top Dada." Jasmine said.
"Good girl." He said with a smile.
He looked down the street and saw a car coming, in truth the car was at the very end of the street, he and Jasmine would have had plenty of time to cross the street multiple times before they were ever in any danger but Nick was glad Jasmine stopped for the car so he patiently waited with her until it drove by.
"Ok, can we go now?" He asked once the car had passed.
Jasmine looked one way and then the other, there were no cars in sight.
"Yeah." She said happily.
"Ok, let's go." He said as he tightened the grip on her hand and led her across the street.
"Ok take off your shoes, we don't want to get the carpet dirty." He said once they were inside their neighbor's house.
"Kitty." Jasmine exclaimed happily once she had spotted one of the kittens on the other side of the room.
"Sit down, maybe it'll come too you." Nick said.
Jasmine did as Nick said and sure enough the kitten came running over to her in a playful manner, so playful in fact that it knocked Jasmine flat on her back from a sitting position.
"You ok Jazz?" Nick asked somewhat worriedly.
"Kitty funny." Jasmine giggled as she sat upright again.
Nick smiled "I'll take that as a yes." He mumbled to himself.
"Kitty." Jasmine exclaimed again as she pointed across the room.
She had spotted the other kitten, this kitten though did not come running at her, instead it inched closer to Nick and the minute he reached his hand out to pet it it went running into the other room.
"Uh-oh." Jasmine said.
"I think the kitty is just scared kiddo." Nick explained.
"Pay nye." Jasmine said sounding confused.
"I know you'll play nice sweetie but the kitty doesn't know that." He said with a chuckle.
Although she was disappointed about the other kitten not wanting to play with her Jasmine was more then happy to play with the more outgoing kitten. Nick found a toy mouse with a string attached to it and pulled it around the room and the kitten chased it, Jasmine found this to be hysterical.
"Me do dada." She said excitedly.
"Ok you play and I'll go make sure the kittens have food and water." He said as he handed her the string.
Jasmine was having so much fun she didn't know what to do with herself and after a few minutes the kitten that had been scared slowly and cautiously made his way across the room and sat down a good distance from Jasmine and the playful kitten. After a little bit more time had passed he too joined in on the fun.
After he was done feeding and watering the kittens Nick stood and watched his daughter play with the kittens. He just stood there for a good fifteen minutes with a smile on his face, one of his favorite parts about being a father was when he got to witness his children having fun.
Five more minutes passed before he finally said "Alright kiddo, we better head home and see what mommy and Houston are up too."
"Kitty home?" Jasmine asked as she pointed at one of the kittens.
"No sweetie, I'm sorry but we can't take the kitty home."
"Kitty home?" She asked again as she pointed at the other kitten.
"No, I'm afraid we can't take that kitty home either." He said with a chuckle as he went and picked up her shoes.
"Come get your shoes on." He said.
She just sat on the floor looking sad.
"Come on, we'll come back and see the kitties again tonight before you go to bed." He promised.
She got up and went over to him. He smiled at her as he put her shoes on. He grabbed her hand so they could leave.
"Tell the kitties bye." Nick said as he opened the door.
"Bye, see later." She said as she waved at them.
Nick smiled at her once again as he and Jasmine stepped outside. He locked the door and then they headed home.
The End!