The Wanted Short Stories (Wanted 5.5)

She stood up and stepped into my arms. I picked her up and held on to her.

Josh held Will’s hand. “Come on, buddy. Let’s go potty.”

Josh took Will upstairs while I led Libby to the bathroom downstairs. Weeks ago, we’d figured out that we needed to separate them to potty-train them faster. It had only taken days until they were both one hundred percent potty-trained. We wouldn’t even have to put Pull-Ups on them during naps. We would just use them at night, and most nights, they would both wake up dry.

We were halfway through dinner, and Libby had already successfully put spaghetti up her nose and in her hair. Will had spent more time constructing something out of his spaghetti than he had eating it.

“What are ya making, buddy?” Josh asked.

I kicked him under the table. “We don’t play with our food, Daddy…remember?”

Josh smiled at me and then turned to Will. “Hey, buddy, let’s start eating, okay? We’ll build something with your blocks before bedtime.”

Will’s face lit up. He quickly grabbed handfuls of food and pushed it into his mouth.

“Slow down, William.”

Will gave me a smile and slowed down.

Dinner continued without any more problems, and I silently thanked God for the peaceful meal. Afterward, Josh took Will and Libby and gave them a bath while I cleaned up.

Later, we were all sitting in the living room, playing, when my cell started ringing.

I jumped up and ran to answer it. “Hello?”

“Hey, Heather.”

“What’s up, Jessie?”

“You and Josh feel like having a night off?”

My stomach did a little flip at the idea of being alone with Josh. “Are you playing a cruel joke on me? Or are you offering something up?”

She laughed. “No joke. Scott has a huge benefit dinner and dance to go to in Austin, and I don’t want to be stuck there alone with no one to talk to. I arranged for a friend of mine from college, who is now a full-time nanny, to come and stay here for the night. Do you think Josh’s parents would take care of your kids? We are staying in Austin the whole night.”

I bit down on my lower lip and glanced out into the living room. A whole night alone with Josh would be amazing.

“I have to ask Elizabeth. I think she’s still recovering from the last three days they watched the twins.”

“It’s a ball. We can dress up and feel beautiful.”

I scrunched up my nose. I really wanted to go. “Damn it. When is it?”

She let out a little yelp. “This Saturday night.”

I took in a deep breath and quickly blew it out. “Let me call Elizabeth. I’ll call you right back.”

Josh walked up to me and kissed me on the cheek. “What’s going on? Why are you calling my mom?”

“Jessie said Scott is going to this huge benefit dinner and ball in Austin on Saturday night. They want us to go. We’d have to stay in Austin all night though.”

Josh’s eyes lit up instantly. “All night?”

I chewed on my bottom lip as I nodded my head.

He took my cell phone from my hands and began calling his mother. “Hey, Mom. No, it’s me. How are you and Dad? Oh, yeah?”

I peeked in the living room, and Will and Libby were busy constructing something.