My thanks to Garlic19 for the encouragement. This chapter's for you. :)
"Jesse, we need to leave," Danny called from the kitchen.
DJ walked down the back stairs, backpack in hand. Jesse followed close at her heels, wearing grey jeans and a T-shirt instead of his usual work coveralls. He looked tense, and Danny put a hand on Jesse's shoulder the minute his boots hit the kitchen tile.
DJ watched this interplay with a curious expression. "Where are you going?" she asked.
"Post office," Danny said, at the same time Jesse replied, "Grocery store." DJ looked from her father to her uncle in surprise. "Post office and then the grocery store," Jesse clarified, with an awkward smile and a shrug. DJ frowned.
Joey looked up from the table where he was feeding Michelle. She was sitting in her high chair, dunking Cheerios in a bowl of applesauce. As Joey wiped her hands clean, he said, "Don't forget your eye appointment's today, Jesse." Danny and Jesse shook their heads and made "stop" gestures at him behind DJ's back, but it was too late.
"Uncle Jesse just went to the eye doctor," she said, turning back to her father and uncle in confusion.
"Deej, uh, you really should have some breakfast." Danny steered her toward the toaster. "The bus is almost here." He handed her a toaster waffle. "Eat this." He walked toward the back stairs and leaned on the bannister, shouting, "Stephanie, honey, you're going to miss the bus."
"Uncle Jesse?" DJ stared at her uncle, holding the uneaten waffle in one hand and her backpack in the other. Jesse crossed his arms and looked at his boots.
At that moment, Stephanie burst into the kitchen, clad in a fluffy, sparkly yellow dress. "I was having the best dream," she said. "I got to dance on Broadway!" She clicked her heels in a short dance routine.
The sound of honking could be heard from the street.
"That's great, kid." Jesse moved quickly toward the refrigerator. "But you're about to miss your bus." He handed her a pink Jetsons lunchbox, her backpack, and a waffle as he pushed her toward the living room. "Have a good day," he called after her.
When Jesse went to hand DJ her Barbie lunchbox, she locked eyes with him. "What's going on?" she asked.
He broke eye contact first. "Nothing," he said, with a wave of his hand. "Just some ... stuff."
"Then why did Dad take the day off?"
Danny walked briskly over to Jesse, took the lunchbox from his hands, and shoved it into his oldest daughter's arms. "DJ," he said sternly, "I don't have time to drive you to school today. Get out there before you miss the bus!"
"Okay," she grumbled as she walked toward the front door.
Stephanie was waiting for her on the porch. Seeing her sister's expression, she asked, "Is something wrong, DJ? You look upset."
The school bus driver honked again. DJ grabbed Stephanie's hand and ran down the steps. She waited until they were safely aboard the bus before she answered. "Something's wrong with Uncle Jesse."
"How do you know?"
"He has to go back to the eye doctor. He and Dad didn't want me to know. They were acting all weird about it." She lowered her voice. "I think it's something serious."
Stephanie frowned.
"And I'm going to find out what it is." DJ looked at her sister. "You have to promise me you won't say anything. I'm going to search Uncle Jesse's room after school."
"Can I help?"
"No, I need you to be the lookout. Do we have a deal?"
"Deal." The girls shook hands.