Page 55 of Making It Up


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The second girl—her name is Rafaela, after Jack and David’s dad, but everyone calls her Ray—is a couple of years younger.

The baby, Del—named after their aunt-turned-mom, Delaney, but ‘Del’ so things don’t get confusing—is in kindergarten. I only know that because she came into the library with her class for a school visit.

The girls have also been to the library a couple of times with Delaney, but they were pretty quiet and knew what they were looking for, so I didn’t have a lot of time to talk with them. They seemed sweet and were very well-behaved, and they were talking and laughing with Delaney. I can’t help but feel my heart ache when I see them, though. Losing their mom had to have been so hard. I know how it feels to have a mom one day, and then just not have her the next.

“Eleven.” Jack runs a hand through his hair. “Every year they get older, they’re going to get even further into things I don’t understand.”

I keep my expression stoic. But I feel for this guy. He was raised with all brothers. Even Delaney and Tucker’s two kids that came after they adopted these four are boys. Now, he’s raising three little girls on his own. It doesn’t surprise me that he’s feeling a little out of his depth.

“So what ideas do you have?” I ask. “What is she into?”

“That’s the thing,” he says. “She wants to do manicures with her friends. And face masks. It was something she used to do with her mom. I was kind of surprised. I thought maybe she wouldn’t want to because it would bring back memories. But it’s something she’s missed doing. My mom isn’t really into that stuff. So Chelsea hasn’t done it since…”

He doesn’t say since her mom died but he doesn’t have to. My heart squeezes. I understand what he means about his mom. Delaney does home renovations and interior contracting work. She’s great with a sledgehammer and can restore any piece of furniture. But manicures are definitely not her thing. Even if she was into them, it would be a waste of time and money. No way would polish last through a single workday, and I’m sure she routinely breaks nails.

“Does she want you to take her and her friends somewhere for the manicures?" I ask.

He shakes his head. “She hasn’t actually asked me for it at all. I heard her talking to her sisters. They are trying to not make me feel bad.” He gives me a self-deprecating smile that seems very, very weary. “Since we moved here, they spend a lot of time outside with me. We take care of the animals, go on walks, ride horses, we’ve even been fishing. And they like all of that. But they’ve definitely not played beauty salon, or done as much with their dolls, or played dress up.” He shakes his head. “I know it sounds very gender specific, but those were things they did with their mom. She was a cosmetologist. She did hair and makeup and nails. The girls loved to go to work with her and they’ve been having their hair done and nails painted since they were little.” He takes a deep breath. “The girls don’t want to make me sad by asking for things their mom used to do. They try to just do things I like. It’s sweet and messed up. I know that.”

Oh man. I want to give this guy a hug so badly.

“So, I guess I thought if I could surprise Chelsea with this, it would show them that I’m fine with them doing those things and it doesn’t make me sad. That I want them to do the things they love too.”

Ugh. He’s such a good dad. Because I suspect some of this does, in fact, make him sad.

“I can definitely help you find some things, Jack. Books and probably some videos. But do you think that the girls would like to have someone come and help them learn to do their nails with hands-on lessons?” I ask. I pause, then add, “Would you like to have someone come help with it?”

He blows out a breath. “I would definitely like that. But I don’t want the girls to feel like I’m making a big deal of the fact that they don’t know what to do. Or that I don’t.”

I shake my head. “No, we could definitely make it seem casual.” I pause, thinking about how David and I have used that term, too. “Do you know who’s really great at that stuff?”

Jack looks at me with interest. And hope that makes my heart squeeze again. “Please say you.”

I laugh and hold my hand up, wiggling my fingers and my short nails that are painted with clear polish. “Not so much. Though I do love a good manicure and face mask. But Sloan is really great at it.”

“Sloan?"

“Sloan Bennett.” I almost smile at his confused expression. “Your cousin. Ty’s daughter.”

He nods. “Right. That Sloan. I guess she is kind of my cousin. It’s hard for me to keep track of all those younger kids.”

And Jack and his brothers were adopted, so technically, they’re not cousins. But his stepdad is Sloan’s dad’s brother. Whatever. Their family dynamic isn’t important. “Anyway, Sloan is definitely into hair, makeup, and nails. And I think she’d love to help your girls out.”

“I wouldn’t want to be a bother.”

“We’ll just have to come up with a reason for us to be out there and for the subject to come up,” I say with a shrug. “If you have some books and videos on the subject open on the table, then Sloan could say, ‘Oh my gosh, I love doing that stuff’ or something.”

“Okay. Why would Sloan be at my mom and dad’s?"

Right. Well, surely we can come up with a reason. Then, a thought occurs to me. “How about I get some books about manicures and some supplies? Then, I can deliver them. The girls will just see their friendly neighborhood librarian bringing resources. And her friend. That’s really good for my branding with kids.” I smile. I’m not kidding about that. The more kids like libraries and librarians and understand our superpowers, the better.

He studies me for a moment. “You would do that?"

“Sure. Why not?”

“There’s no reason that you should feel like you have to help me with my girls.”

“Except that I’m a nice person, and this is a really nice thing you’re trying to do for your daughter, and you need some help. You came to the library for resources. I’m getting you resources.”