“Aw, man!” Jade complains. “You always win.”
Easton chuckles but puts a hand on Jade’s shoulder and offers a sympathetic smile.
“That’s just because I have a lot of practice. How ‘bout this…”
He stands up from his seat, holding out his hand toward Jade. I watch her study him, her face screwed up in a half-hearted pout.
“…we clean up our balls, and then we can all go for ice cream? No spilling this time.”
Jade perks up immediately, bounding out of her chair and into Easton’s arms. “Yes! Yes! Yes!”
I can’t help but laugh, and I nod at Jade when she looks over at me expectantly. I’ve noticed that she’s still not sure if I’ll just disappear at some point, like her previous babysitter.
It hurts to think that Jade got attached to someone only to have them abandon her.
Tomorrow will be a week I’ve been watching her, which’ll beat the previous nanny’s record.
I can’t see leaving her any time soon, either. Jade is an incredible kid, and I can see how much she appreciates me being with her.
Easton, too.
Overworked dad mode has certainly improved.
“Can we eat in the park again like last time?” Jade points as she holds her ice cream cone.
Easton nods, swallowing down the bite of cookies’n’cream he ordered. “Sure.”
“Yay!”
Jade smiles. It’s only been a few minutes, but she’s already wearing her Superman ice cream all over her face.
We walk across the street and find a park bench where we can sit down and eat our ice cream. I actually ordered one this time, even though I’m notorious for always opting for the hot foods.
“What is that?” Jade asks, gesturing with her cone at my tiny cardboard bowl.
“Coffee flavored. Mmm.”
“Ew.” She grimaces, and I laugh, gently poking her in the ribs with my elbow .
“Not everyone thinks it’s gross.”
After a few minutes where we idly chat about whatever pops into Jade’s head, including dinosaurs, whether insects breathe, and the superior nature of chocolate and Superman over coffee, Jade runs off to play.
It’s just me and Easton sitting on the bench now, and once we’re both done eating our ice cream, there’s silence.
I can’t leave it that way. I’ve never been very good at just sitting in the quiet, so I put my arm over the back of the bench and face Eason a bit.
“So, why didn’t you go on to have a family yourself? It’s been seven years, and unless you, too, have been on strict deadlines that force your butt into an office chair, I think you had the opportunity.”
“Well, I’m not, that’s for sure. No one wants me writing books.” Easton frowns playfully, shaking his head. “But the thing is, I never really wanted kids. A long time ago, we talked a bit about my parents being less than stellar. Well, I just never wanted to duplicate that and fuck up my own kid.”
I nod gently, remembering the bit of history Easton gave me on his parents. I know they didn’t get along, and I know that tension is what made him stop reaching out to his sister as much.
“Plus, I’ve been busy focusing on my career. After the military, I started my business, and it’s taken single-minded focus to get it where it is now.”
“So, what do you think about it now that you have Jade?”
Scoffing, Easton’s eyes flare as he stares into the middle distance. “Oh jeez, to be honest, it’s fucking hard. And exhausting.”
