Miss Fix-It

She nodded and handed it over to me.

I checked. She’d barely turned it at all, but she was having fun, so it was what it was. I tightened the screw the rest of the way and grabbed the next one. At least I was almost done.

“I do again?” Ellie asked hopefully.

“Sure.”

She wore the same expression as she turned it. The sticking out tongue was my favorite part of all of it.

“Ellie, you’re quiet. What are you—” Brantley stopped in the doorway, phone to his ear. “Oh. You’re here.”

Ellie turned to look at him. “Ewi fell asweep. Kawi said I could help.”

He looked at me for confirmation.

I motioned to the fact she was sitting on my lap.

His lips tugged up. “She’s not bothering you, is she?”

“No, she’s helping. Look. She’s doing the screws.” I pointed to where she was giving it a good try at tightening it. “It’s almost done. She’s enjoying herself.”

“Okay. If you’re sure?”

“She’s fine. If she stops being good, I’ll pick her up and hand deliver her to you in your office, okay?”

He laughed, holding up a hand. “Okay, okay, fine. I just thought… Crap. Hello?” He ducked away. “Yes, I’m still here.”

His voice trailed off as he went downstairs.

Ellie made a clicking noise with her tongue. “Daddy said a bad word.”

Ah. Crap.

“He did. Naughty Daddy. Can I try that screw now?”

She nodded and let me tighten it. We repeated this over and over until all the screws were in place and tight. She even held the lid in place for me while I attached the hinges.

When it was all said and done, Ellie gently closed down the lid and walked around the box. Then, she stopped in front of it, and with a huge, proud grin on her face, she met my eyes.

“It’s perfeck, huh?”

“It sure is,” I agreed. “You did a great job helping me. Thank you.”

Even if it had taken an extra half an hour.

She beamed. I’d never seen her so delighted about anything before. “Can I help you tomorrow, too?”

“You can help me do your bookshelf when you get back from Summer’s. Does that sound good?”

She nodded. “I’m hungry. Do you fink Daddy cooked me food yet?”

“I don’t know, but we can find out.” I glanced at the time. It was almost six p.m. No wonder she was hungry.

Ellie ran downstairs and into the kitchen. I took the time to pack up my tools before following her, but I left the box in her room.

I went down and found Eli awake, sitting on the sofa, and Ellie pouting in front of him.

Eli looked at me. “Daddy’s on the phone. He keeps shouting.”

I frowned and walked toward Brantley’s office. He sounded super frustrated, even though he wasn’t shouting, but there was something about the “damn intern” mentioned a few times.

I rejoined the twins in the living room. “Daddy’s working, isn’t he?”

They both nodded.

“He probably doesn’t know what the time is.” I paused. “Why don’t we go in the kitchen and I can get you some dinner?”

More nodding. They ran into the kitchen, and when I stepped into the room, Eli was already trying to give Ellie a leg-up onto the counter.

“Oookay!” I said, waving my hands. “Let’s not do that. I’ll look instead of you two trying to break a bone.”

“Oh,” Ellie said sadly. But, they both moved, climbing up onto the table via the chairs instead.

I stared at them.

Eh. I’d won one battle. Why start another?

I left them there and opened the cupboard. I had no idea what I was looking for. Pasta? Spaghetti? What did you feed the tiny humans?

The souls of the elderly or something?

My eyes fell on two cans of tomato soup.

Ah-ha.

“How about tomato soup and grilled cheese?” I asked.

“Yes!” they shouted, clapping.

“Okay.” Good. I could do that. “Sit on the chairs, grab a juice, and let me get to work.”

Miraculously, they did as they were told.

Well. I’ll be damned.

Chapter Twenty-Five

“Again?” I questioned.

They both nodded. “Pwease?”

That simultaneous speak was starting to get a bit less weird. Maybe.

“One more time, then you have to go to bed.”

They both looked at me with wide eyes and nodded again.

“Okay, fine. You twisted my arm.” I’d just opened the front cover of the book to read it for a third time when Brantley’s shout of “Shit! Eli? Ellie?” sounded.

“In here,” they chorused.

I shuddered.

Maybe it wasn’t getting less weird.

He rushed into the front room, stopping dead when he saw us. His hair was a mess, and he had the look of someone who was both frustrated and confused.

“Hi,” I said brightly. “Welcome back.”

He blinked at me. “I’m so confused.” He scrubbed his hand through his hair. “I don’t even know what time it is. There’s no way I’ve been on the phone that long.”

The twins, bless them, nodded sagely. “Hours, Daddy,” Eli said dramatically.

“We omost starved!” Ellie added.