Chapter 28
Kim had a break and decided to wander up to Jimmy's room and watch him with Joey. She was standing quietly in the doorway listening to the conversation between the two.
"So, how's school going, Joey?" Jimmy asked him as he prepared to deal another round of cards.
Joey gave Jimmy the same obligatory shrug that every parent got when they asked that question. Jimmy chuckled and rubbed the top of Joey's head. "Playin' any sports?"
"I played some baseball last year. Did okay. I played football too. We were undefeated, but we lost the superbowl," he said to Jimmy, lighting up at talking about it.
"Your Mom let you play football?" Jimmy asked, not believing it.
"Well, I had some help from Bobby. He talked her into it. Promised her that he'd go to every practice to make sure that I wasn't going to get hurt. Pretty embarrassing actually," he said, rolling his eyes. Kim laughed to herself, remembering how they had double-teamed her to let him play. Bobby kept his promise though. He brought Joey to every practice, no matter how cold it was. "Mom came to the games on the weekends because she didn't have to work," he told Jimmy. He started to laugh and added, "She was the loudest Mom there." Even though no one was watching, she blushed at the revelation.
"Yeah, well she's always been your biggest fan," Jimmy said, touching her heart.
Someone dropped a tray down the hall and both Joey and Jimmy looked up to see Kim standing there.
"Hey," Jimmy said smiling.
"Hey yourself. You look a lot better than yesterday," she said, walking into the room. She was carrying Joey's school bag and some burgers from the cafeteria.
"I feel a lot better. I guess that night's rest really helped a lot," he said, trying to see into the bag of food Kim had given Joey to see if there was enough for him. He was getting his appetite back. He reached over and grabbed a French fry out of the bag.
"Yeah, well, what's the doctor say?" Kim asked him.
"He said that I'll probably be out of here in a day or so," Jimmy reported, looking at her. "But he said no flying for at least a month."
"Well, I have a spare bedroom at my house you can use while you get to know your daughter," she said, head bowed and looking up through her hair for his reaction.
"Yeah, about that. You think you could bring her by tonight?" he asked. He'd been dying to see her ever since he found out about her.
Kim thought for a moment. "If you promise not to get overexcited, I'll go get her from the daycare center downstairs," she said in warning.
"I promise," Jimmy said.
"I mean it Jimmy. If you're going to flip out and make yourself worse again, I'm not bringing her or Joey back here until you're well enough."
"Yes, ma'am," Jimmy said, looking at Joey and rolling his eyes. "Some things never change I see," he said to Joey.
"Nope," said Joey, ducking the fake slap from Kim.
"Okay, I'll be back in a couple of minutes. Joey, give Dad one of those burgers. And then get started on your homework. You can use the table for a desk," she said as she walked out of the room.
She walked away, listening to the two of them talk. Jimmy was saying, "So, how is it having a baby sister?"
"It's okay, but she's young yet," Joey said and Kim heard Jimmy laugh as she walked out of earshot.
She thought to herself, "Please let this work out this time, God. But, please don't let me fall for it again if it's not meant to be."
Kim had a break and decided to wander up to Jimmy's room and watch him with Joey. She was standing quietly in the doorway listening to the conversation between the two.
"So, how's school going, Joey?" Jimmy asked him as he prepared to deal another round of cards.
Joey gave Jimmy the same obligatory shrug that every parent got when they asked that question. Jimmy chuckled and rubbed the top of Joey's head. "Playin' any sports?"
"I played some baseball last year. Did okay. I played football too. We were undefeated, but we lost the superbowl," he said to Jimmy, lighting up at talking about it.
"Your Mom let you play football?" Jimmy asked, not believing it.
"Well, I had some help from Bobby. He talked her into it. Promised her that he'd go to every practice to make sure that I wasn't going to get hurt. Pretty embarrassing actually," he said, rolling his eyes. Kim laughed to herself, remembering how they had double-teamed her to let him play. Bobby kept his promise though. He brought Joey to every practice, no matter how cold it was. "Mom came to the games on the weekends because she didn't have to work," he told Jimmy. He started to laugh and added, "She was the loudest Mom there." Even though no one was watching, she blushed at the revelation.
"Yeah, well she's always been your biggest fan," Jimmy said, touching her heart.
Someone dropped a tray down the hall and both Joey and Jimmy looked up to see Kim standing there.
"Hey," Jimmy said smiling.
"Hey yourself. You look a lot better than yesterday," she said, walking into the room. She was carrying Joey's school bag and some burgers from the cafeteria.
"I feel a lot better. I guess that night's rest really helped a lot," he said, trying to see into the bag of food Kim had given Joey to see if there was enough for him. He was getting his appetite back. He reached over and grabbed a French fry out of the bag.
"Yeah, well, what's the doctor say?" Kim asked him.
"He said that I'll probably be out of here in a day or so," Jimmy reported, looking at her. "But he said no flying for at least a month."
"Well, I have a spare bedroom at my house you can use while you get to know your daughter," she said, head bowed and looking up through her hair for his reaction.
"Yeah, about that. You think you could bring her by tonight?" he asked. He'd been dying to see her ever since he found out about her.
Kim thought for a moment. "If you promise not to get overexcited, I'll go get her from the daycare center downstairs," she said in warning.
"I promise," Jimmy said.
"I mean it Jimmy. If you're going to flip out and make yourself worse again, I'm not bringing her or Joey back here until you're well enough."
"Yes, ma'am," Jimmy said, looking at Joey and rolling his eyes. "Some things never change I see," he said to Joey.
"Nope," said Joey, ducking the fake slap from Kim.
"Okay, I'll be back in a couple of minutes. Joey, give Dad one of those burgers. And then get started on your homework. You can use the table for a desk," she said as she walked out of the room.
She walked away, listening to the two of them talk. Jimmy was saying, "So, how is it having a baby sister?"
"It's okay, but she's young yet," Joey said and Kim heard Jimmy laugh as she walked out of earshot.
She thought to herself, "Please let this work out this time, God. But, please don't let me fall for it again if it's not meant to be."