Chapter Nine

"...And they all lived happily ever after," Oscar read aloud, closing the book with a flourish and a smile and adding it to the pile on the floor next to the sofa.

Jenna bounced up and down on the cushion next to him, her eyes happy and expectant. "More...?" she giggled.

If she wasn't so young, Oscar would've sworn she batted her eyelashes at him. "Okay - one more," he told her. "Then it's nap time for you, Little One."

"No-o-o."

Oscar ignored the protest and performed a masterful reading of 'The Gingerbread Man', then stood up before Jenna had a chance to charm him into another story. "Grab your doll," he said in a loving but very firm voice, taking her by the hand. "Time to lie down."

"No-no-no!" Jenna replied with a very Jaime-like pout.

Oscar picked her up and carried her down the hall. In spite of her protests, the child was asleep as soon as he put the blanket over her. He intended to have her well-rested and fed when her mother came home, to give Jaime as much time to take it easy as parenting a young toddler could possibly allow. That morning, he'd arranged for the window in the master bedroom to be made good-as-new again, and the workmen were just leaving. Now, while Jenna slept, Oscar filled a tray with fresh croissants, butter, sliced fruit and some tuna salad, covered it and placed it in the refrigerator for Jaime.

When he heard Jenna beginning to stir, he heated some Spaghetti-O's for her and had just finished over seeing her lunch when Jaime's car pulled into the garage. After hugs all around, the trio made their way into the den and Oscar got Jaime situated and comfortable on the sofa.

"Between you and Steve," she said softly, "I am gonna be so spoiled."

"You deserve it, after everything you've been through."

Jaime glanced at the pile of books on the floor. "How many did you wade through?"

"All of them," Oscar told her with a grin. "I think this one learned her feminine wiles from her mother."

"Oscar, she's 18 months old; she won't have wiles until she's at least two or three!"

Oscar looked fondly at the little girl who was clinging so closely to her mother's side. "I'll bet Steve would definitely agree with me," he chuckled, giving Jenna a wink.

- - - - - -

A week later, Steve's shoulder was beginning to heal nicely and Jaime was feeling more like her normal self, with no more fainting spells. Just after dinnertime, Steve found her in the bedroom, standing sideways and staring at herself in the mirror, running a hand over her stomach and smiling to herself.

"Yep," he said, when she turned and noticed him, "I can see it, too."

"See what?"

Steve drew Jaime into his arms and placed his own hand over hers. "This. Our baby – you're starting to show."

Jaime opened her eyes wide in mock horror. "Baby? You mean...it's not just too many croissants?" They both laughed and melted together for a long, tender kiss, interrupted several minutes later by the ringing telephone.

Jaime groaned and Steve reached for the receiver. "Hello?"

"Mr. Austin?"

"Yes...?" Steve replied. Jaime was gesturing frantically at him.

"That's the voice from the zoo!" she whispered.

"You have a lovely daughter, Sir," the voice remarked.

"Who is this?" Just what we need – another creep coming out of the woodwork! he thought, instinctively wrapping an arm around Jaime.

"This is Charles Yancey from Four Star Talent. Have you considered a career in modeling for your little one?"

"Excuse me?"

"We place children just like yours in print ads, commercials and even beauty pag -"

"Thank you, but we are NOT interested," he said hanging up. He turned to fill Jaime in and her face told him she'd heard every word as her head came to rest on his shoulder and she collapsed in a fit of giggles at the absurdity of it all. In spite of the tension of a few moments before (or perhaps because of it), Steve began to laugh too. Jenna, drawn by the sound, stood in the doorway and stared for a second then threw her arms into the circle of Austins for a group hug until no one was sure what was so funny. They laughed for the sheer joy of it, all three and a half of them, happy simply to be together.

END