Rae gave her a curious look. "Marty..." Rae said.
"Huh? What?"
"Is there something you want to tell me?"
She hung her head.
"Out with it."
"I was teasin' 'im," she whispered.
"Why were you teasing him?"
She shrugged.
"Come on now, tell me."
"I don't know..."
"You don't know why you were teasing him?" She shook her head. Rae smiled just slightly. "What were you teasing him about?"
"He's dumb," she whispered.
In spite of herself, Rae almost started laughing. "Why do you think he's dumb?"
"He don't know nothing!"
"About what?"
"He says that I didn't used to work with Mr. Spot..."
"Are you sure it's just not a silly fight? You know, boys sometimes like to get girls worked up."
"But I did used to work with Mr. Spot! I was there when the explosion happened!"
"I know, I know," Rae said gently. "But either Andy doesn't know that, or he is just trying to start a fight with you... Boys can be silly sometimes. It doesn't mean he's dumb, though, all right?"
Marty nodded.
"Now no more arguing, from ANY of you!" Rae said firmly.
"Yes ma'am," they all muttered.
"Good..." And she slipped from the room.
Misha was smiling when Rae joined her in the hallway again.
"What?" Rae asked with a bit of a smile of her own.
"They are like me and my brothers when we were little."
Rae smiled. "They're like all the kids in the lodging house I used to live in as well..." She laughed a little. "Well, come along."
She showed Misha to her room and left her to unpack, before going back down to the kitchen and attempting to start dinner.
Spot joined her a moment later. "Need help?"
"Please...James is being rather fussy and doesn't want me to put him down."
He smiled and took over the cooking. "How is everything with our new guest?"
"I don't think the crowd is going to bother her...She was smiling at Marty and Andy's bickering."
He laughed. "A rare find."
"She's resting right now..."
He nodded. "That's good."
She shifted the fussing James in her arms and attempted to set the table one-handed.
"Have the kids do that, sweetheart."
"They're playing."
"They can still help out a bit."
"I'll call Andy. He was feeling kinda left out," she said, walking toward the stairs.
He nodded with a faint smile and returned to his cooking.
"Andy!" Rae called up the stairs.
A minute or two later, he came down. "Yes ma'am?"
"Can you come help me for a few minutes?"
He paused and then nodded.
"Thanks, buddy," she said, shifting James who grew increasingly fussier.
"What do I gotta do?"
"Set the table for me, please."
He nodded, gathered the plates, and did as he was told.
Rae looked down at James. "Are you hungry, little man? Is that why you're so fussy?" He whimpered and fussed a little more. Sighing deeply she carried him to her room and sat down to see if he was hungry.
A few minutes later, Spot called "Dinner!" from the kitchen.
James wouldn't stop fussing, but neither would he nurse. Rae stood and carried him back into the kitchen, hoping that she might be able to eat a little.
"What's wrong with James?" Spot asked, as everyone sat down to dinner.
"I think he has a tummy ache."
"Should we call the doctor?" Spot asked.
"I don't know yet. It doesn't seem that bad..."
He stood and took James. "Eat," he told her.
After a moment, Rae nodded. "All right..."
"May I?" Misha asked, reaching for James. Spot nodded and handed the baby over to her. She pushed her chair back for the table. She placed James on his stomach across her knees. With one hand she supported his head and with the other she gently rubbed his back. After a moment he stopped fussing.
"How'd you learn that?" Andy asked.
"My brother used to do the same thing to his babies."
"Wow..."
Misha looked down. "He's sleeping."
"That's wonderful!" Rae said. "Poor thing hasn't slept all day..."
"Where is his bed?" Misha asked, shifting him in her arms and standing.
"I'll show you to it," Rae said, rising.
Misha followed Rae from the kitchen.
"Thank you so much," Rae said with a smile.
"You're welcome," Misha replied, gently placing James in the crib next to his brother.
"You and your husband must love children. You have many," she said, smiling at Rae.
Rae smiled sadly. "Sam and these two...and Lizzy are the only ones that are truly ours...the others we adopted. With both had rough childhoods...and don't want that to happen to these children."
"You are good people, I can see."
"Thank you," Rae said, tucking blankets around her sons.
Misha nodded. "You are welcome. But I should be thanking you. For housing me, a stranger."
"Let's go finish our dinner...and no more thanking us for letting you stay, alright?"
Misha smiled a bit. "All right. I shall try to remember.
"Good."
Together they headed back downstairs for dinner.
~*~
Chris knocked on the door of Blank's apartment, a small bouquet of paper flowers in his hand. North opened it. "Yes?" she asked, with a smile.
"Is Molly ready?"
"Almost. Come on in."
Chris nervously entered the apartment.
"Molly!" North called. "Your date is here!" She grinned and looked at Chris, who was blushing. "I always wanted to say that..."
"And you told me to be nice..." Blank said as Kendra skipped into the room.
"What? I'm being nice," she said with a grin.
"Can I go too?" Kendra asked.
"Not tonight, Kendra," he said.
"Why not?" she whined.
"Because, your mom and I would like to spend a little time alone," he said with a smile.
"AND because it's your bedtime, Kendra," North said.
"But..." she protested, latching onto his leg.
He smiled. "Not tonight, Kendra. You heard your aunt."
She crossed her arms and pouted. "I don't like you no more."
With a stifled laugh, he shook his head. "I'm sorry, kiddo."
She stomped across the room and crawled into Blank's lap.
A moment later, Molly emerged. She looked over and saw Kendra sitting on Blank's lap, scowling. "What happened?"
"Chris told her no," Blank said.
"About what?"
"She wanted to go with us," Chris explained.
"Oh," she said with a smile. "Well, sweetie, it's your bedtime. Maybe next time."
"But..." Kendra started to say.
Blank picked her up and carried her to the other room. "Leave."
"But I wanna goooo!" they could hear her wail as they left the room.
Molly bit her lip. "I can't leave her like that..."
Chris sighed. "Molly..."
"What?"
"It will be all right. You deserve an evening away." He took Molly's coat from the peg on the wall and put it on her shoulders. "Let's go." She looked at him uncertainly. He took her shoulders gently and looked at her. "She'll be fine, don't worry."
She sighed and nodded.
He held the door open for her. "After you."
Casting one last glance toward the bedroom where Kendra was screaming, she left the room.
After a moment, Chris said, "If you don't think you'll be able to enjoy yourself tonight... you can just go back..."
"I'm sorry, Chris...I just hate to leave her like that..."
"Why don't we go back and put her to bed? Once she's asleep we can leave again."
"But I feel so far bad for you too..."
He kissed her forehead.
"Are you sure you're okay with it?"
"I'm sure," he said, leading her back toward the small flat.
She gave him a small smile. "Thank you," she said quietly.
He smiled in return. "Do you want me to go settle her down?"
"We can both do it."
They walked back into the flat and toward the bedroom.
"Back already?" Blank asked when they entered again.
"We came back to put Kendra to bed," Chris said.
He smiled. "You two worry too much."
Kendra squirmed out of Blank's arms and threw herself at Chris.
He smiled. "They there, kiddo."
"You left me!"
"Yes, we did." He laughed a bit. He walked over to the bed and dropped her back in it. "But we came back to tuck you in."
"But... I wanna go with you!"
"You went with me to the park yesterday...remember?"
"Yes but..."
Molly leaned over and kissed her on the forehead. "No buts."
Kendra pouted.
Chris pulled the quilt up and tucked it around her shoulders. "Would you like a story?"
"Yes. A good long one!"
He couldn't help but smile at her. "What story do you want?"
"Ummmm.... Rapunzel!"
He frowned. "I don't think I know that one...what about you, Mol?"
"Yes... I know that one," she said with a smile and sat next to Kendra.
As he listened to Molly tell the story, he marveled at the way Kendra snuggled up against him, resting her head on his lap, her hand in his. Gently, he stroked her hair. He couldn't help but love the little minx.
Molly smiled at the sight.
He smiled back at her and then glanced down at Kendra who was finally asleep. "Well, shall we go then?"
He eased Kendra back onto her pillow and tucked the quilt around her again. Taking Molly's hand they left the room.
"Out again?" North asked with a smile, watching them head for the door.
"Yes!" Chris said, ushering Molly out the door before anyone could say anything else.
Molly laughed.
"What's so funny?" he asked, poking her in the ribs.
"You."
She continued giggling, but he pulled her close and silenced her giggles with a kiss. She gave a startled squeak. "I love you, Molly," he whispered.
"I love you too, Chris," she whispered in return.
"How soon do you think Blank will let you marry me?"
Molly laughed a bit. "I'm not quite sure."
He leaned his forehead against hers. "I need to head back to Pleasant Valley tomorrow..."
"So soon?"
"I need to start working...and I'm going to ask Spot and Rae about letting me fix up and add to the old cabin by the lake..."
She smiled a little. "Truly?"
He nodded.
"How wonderful!"
He smiled. "I've already got it planned out..."
"It seems that you do," she replied.
He kissed her. Gently, a bit shyly, she kissed him back. When he broke the kiss, he continued to hold her close. "You aren't going to change your mind, are you?"
"No." She smiled.
"Good," he said, brushing a strand of hair out of her face. "Molly?"
"Yes?"
"As soon as the cabin is finished...I'm going to come for you..."
She smiled and nodded. "I'll be ready."
"Would it be easier on you if I took Kendra back with me?"
"No, I think I'll be fine. But thank you."
"Promise me that you will try to get some rest...You look exhausted."
With a nod, she said, "Yes... I promise I will try."
"Make me another promise?"
She laughed a bit. "What now?"
"If you need me to come get Kendra...please let me know..."
She smiled. "I will."
He kissed her forehead. "Good girl."
She kissed his cheek.
He grinned at her. "I love you Molly Gaines."
She giggled. "I love you too, Chris Graham."
He pulled her close again. "I hate to leave you again, Molly..."
"I hate for you to leave again..."
"Next time, I'm taking you with me."
"You'd better. Or I'll have something to say about that."
He started to say something, but stopped and gently caressed her cheek.
"Hmm?"
He bent down and gently kissed her.
Again, she smiled. "I thought we were going out somewhere."
"Nope...I just wanted an excuse to get you alone for a while...but we can go for a walk in the park if you want..."
"That sounds nice."
He slipped his arm around her waist as they walked toward the park.
"Kendra really loves you," Molly said, resting her head on his shoulder.
He smiled. "I really love her too."
"I'm glad you do."
"She's adorable."
She smiled. "Yes... she really is. A bit spoiled, I think, but adorable."
"We may run into problems with that 'a bit spoiled' part later on..."
"Yes.... Perhaps we shouldn't have gone back then..."
"We'll just have to be more careful..."
She nodded. "Definitely.
"Will she be upset if I leave without saying goodbye?"
"Probably."
"I guess I could take the late morning train..."
"It's up to you..." Molly smiled up at him.
"It will just mean me getting to Pleasant Valley late....but that may be best...I'd rather not face Rae and Spot right now..."
"Why not?"
"Because Trent told Sip not to tell them about finding Lizzy."
"And you're afraid you might tell them...?"
"Terrified...but hopefully by slipping in late I can avoid them..."
"Well you won't be able to avoid them forever..."
"I know...but I'm hoping to at least avoid them for one night..."
"... Do you… have to go back?" she asked, looking up at him
"Only if we want that cabin to get ready..."
She smiled a bit and looked down. "All right."
He grinned. "You won't even recognize it when I'm finished."
She grinned. "So you'll be hard at work, hmm?
"Yep. I have to do something to keep my mind off of the fact that you and Kendra aren't there with me."
"Yes, I suppose so," Molly said with a laugh as they circled the park.
"Time will pass quickly, Mol...you'll see."
"I hope so..."
He kissed the side of her head. "I should get you back to Blank's..." he said.
"So soon?" she asked, before she looked up and saw the moon above. "Or not so soon," she said with a smile.
"It's late sweetheart...and that little terror of yours gets up at the crack of dawn..."
"Yes.. I just didn't realize how late it had gotten." Molly smiled. "The time went by too fast."
"Far too fast," he said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
"You will come to say goodbye in the morning?" she asserted.
"Yes."
She smiled and reached up to touch his face. "You be careful, okay?"
He put his hand on hers. "I will."
They finally reached the tenement that Blank and North lived in. Standing on her toes, Molly kissed Chris lightly. "Goodnight."
"Goodnight, sweetheart."
She smiled and slipped into the building.
