Sammy was about to sit down with a DVD and Gabriel when there was a knock at the door. Sammy picked up Gabriel and carried him to the front door. Sammy opened it and looked at Craig dressed up in a good suit.
"Ooh, going to prom?" Sammy asked.
Craig looked down at his clothes. "My step dad has a friend—his girlfriend, actually—over," he said. "For dinner. And I was wondering if you'd like to come over."
"For dinner," Sammy said. She hoisted Gabriel up higher on her hip. Then looked down at her clothes. "Do you think I'm dressed enough?"
"Yeah," he said. "It's nothing fancy."
"Then," Sammy sidestepped him. "What's with the limo?"
"Oh," he said. "That's Caitlin's. Caitlin Ryan. You know the actress?"
"Oh yeah," Sammy replied. "I think she's a really great actress."
"Well, do you want to come over?" he asked.
"Sure," she said. "I just need to go put some shoes on." She looked at Gabriel and then Craig. "Could you hold him while I go upstairs?"
Craig looked at the brown haired, blue eyed little boy that Sammy was holding and then nodded. "Yeah, sure," he said.
Gabriel pouted as he went to Craig. "Don't worry," Sammy said. "Mommy will be right back," she said to him.
Sammy turned and ran upstairs. Craig walked over to a chair and sat down and put Gabriel on his lap. Gabriel looked up at him with big quizzical blue eyes.
Craig smiled at him and Gabriel must've thought he wasn't such a bad guy so he cocked his head to one side and said, "What your name?"
"Craig," he replied.
"Craig?" Gabriel asked, making sure.
Craig nodded. Gabriel smiled, pleased with himself. "What's your name?" Craig asked him.
"Gabriel," he said. He didn't really like talking to strangers and he only knew a few words.
"Craig," Sammy replied, walking out onto the porch. "I'm ready."
"Oh, ok," Craig said.
"Mommy pretty," Gabriel replied.
"Yeah, she is," Craig said, he put Gabriel on his hip and Gabriel gripped his shirt.
"Hmm," Sammy said. "He doesn't usually talk to strange people."
"Well, I guess I have the same charm I had when I was little," he said. "You were charmed by me at least."
"I had to be charmed by you," Sammy replied.
Craig made a face at her and she laughed.
Craig and Sammy stepped off of the porch and walked across the street to Craig's house.