NYLON ~ 55 ~ JUST US

Hanna sat on the kitchen counter with her legs dangling off the ledge as she sipped a steaming tea. Through the window she could see Caleb pacing on his balcony as he looked over a legal pad. Every few seconds he would pause and look off toward the park before nodding his head and jotting down some more notes. For some reason, Hanna couldn't look away.

"It's captivating isn't it?" Spencer words made Hanna jump.

"I...uh..." Hanna tripped over her words.

"Yeah," Spencer replied. "He's been doing that all morning."

"I know," Hanna said finally stringing together full words. "It's weird."

"So," Spencer hopped up on the counter across from Hanna and poured herself a cup of coffee, "I think it's time for me to move out."

"Spencer," Hanna told her, "you can stay as long as you need to. Forever, if that's what you want."

"No," Spencer cut her off. "This is a good thing. I'm moving back in with Toby."

Hanna squealed so loudly she nearly blew out Spencer's eardrum. She launched across the room and hugged Spencer knocking her off the counter.

"Calm down!" Spencer laughed when they finally regained their balance.

"Can't I be excited?" Hanna smiled.

"Don't blow this out of proportion," Spencer said. "I don't know what could happen."

"Fine," Hanna calmed down. "Are you going to need help moving out?"

"I don't think so," Spencer replied. "I've just been living out of a suitcase so..."

"Aw," Hanna gave her a hug, "I'm gonna miss having you here."

JT tiptoed into the kitchen interrupting their sentimental moment.

"Dude," Hanna turned to him, "how did you get out of your crib?"

"Kib, kib!" JT laughed.

"Come on," she picked him up and headed into the nursery. A concerned Hanna jiggled the crib to locate a loose bolt but to no avail. Finally she picked up JT and set him back into the crib. Immediately he grabbed ahold of the bar and lifted his leg over the side. Hanna gasped and picked him up. "JT, you can't be doing that."

She stepped into the kitchen where she found Spencer wheeling her suitcase toward the door.

"You're leaving already?" Hanna asked.

"I should spend time with Toby," Spencer explained.

"I know," Hanna smiled. She gave her friend a hug and Spencer was on her way. Then Hanna tapped loudly on the window until she got Caleb's attention. He looked up and raised his eyebrow before she waved him in.

"What's up?" he asked placing his work on the counter.

"JT crawled out of his crib," Hanna told him matter-of-factly.

"What?" Caleb looked confused.

"Come see," she said leading him into the nursery where she placed JT back in his crib only to watch him turn it into his personal jungle gym.

"Buddy," Caleb picked him up. "You can't be doing that."

JT pouted as if he had no idea what the commotion was about.

"What are we going to do?" Hanna asked. "He could hurt himself."

"Well," Caleb rubbed JT's back, "maybe it's time to get him a bed."

"He's sixteen months old," Hanna protested. "That's way too early."

"According to whom?" Caleb scoffed. "If he's old enough to crawl out of a crib, he's probably outgrown it."

"Well, what do we do until we get a bed?" Hanna asked.

"I guess we're going to the store," Caleb replied.


Hanna pushed JT in his stroller as she and Caleb wandered the row of childrens' beds in the toy store.

"How do we know which one to get?" Hanna asked overwhelmed by the array of choices.

"Maybe we should let him pick?" Caleb offered.

"Hey JT," Hanna tapped him. "What bed do you like?"

"Dat un," he pointed at a red racecar bed.

"I should have guessed," Caleb laughed.

Caleb pulled the box of parts down from the shelf and they carried it to the checkout where JT fell asleep in his stroller. Once they made it back home, Hanna rocked JT in his chair while Caleb started putting together the new bed. Finally, JT's dull snores could be heard and she gently slowed down his stroller before tapping lightly on the nursery door.

"Hey," she said prompting Caleb to lay down his tools. "How's it coming?"

"Almost done," he replied. "Just gotta put the stickers on."

"Shouldn't we let JT do that?" Hanna asked.

"Yeah, I guess," Caleb smiled.

"This is actually pretty cool," Hanna said sitting on the new toy. "Thanks for doing this."

"It was kind of fun," he replied. "Makes me feel useful."

"So Spencer's gone," Hanna changed the subject before she got lost in Caleb's deep dark eyes.

"Just us," he placed his hand over Hanna's and leaned closer to her.

Hanna sucked her breath in. Caleb's stubble nearly grazed her face. She had thought about this moment for months. Ever since her birthday, things with Caleb had been...

"Waaaahhh!" JT's shrill cries were heard coming from the other room.

"I better..." Hanna got up hurriedly.

She ran to JT's stroller and unbuckled him so she could rock him in her arms. After a few seconds, he had calmed down and buried his head in Hanna's shoulder. She showed him the new bed in the nursery and his mouth opened wide.

"What do you think?" Caleb asked as JT crawled onto the bed.

"Voom voom!" JT giggled.

"I think that's a yes," Hanna offered a weak smile as her thoughts ran back to the fleeting moment before when she and Caleb had almost made a terrible mistake.