Read Online A Father In The Making by Carolyne Aarsen - Free Book Online Page B

ignored his comment and set Jennifer on her other hip, adjusting their position so they were more evenly balanced. They seemed to get heavier each day. The time would come when she wouldn’t be able to carry them both at the same time.
    â€œSo what time works best for you tomorrow?” Nate asked, stepping back, as if to give Mia some distance.
    Mia mentally juggled her schedule. “The girls nap in the afternoon, so mornings will probably work best,” she said. “Then I can take them outside with me in the stroller.”
    â€œSure. Whatever will work for you. Or you could ask Evangeline to watch them,” Nate said, shifting his cowboy hat back straight.
    Mia shook that suggestion off. “Evangeline can’t do it.”
    â€œCan’t do what?” Evangeline asked as she slowly came down the stairs, leading Ella, who wore a bright pink, ruffled sundress, her fluffy sandy-colored hair pulled up into two ribbon-tied ponytails. Mia compared Ella’s shining face and adorable outfit to her two ragamuffins. Her daughters wore oversize Onesies that had come in one of the many bags of donated clothes. Evangeline had given her what she could of Ella’s hand-me-downs, but Ella had been dropped into Denny’s life as a toddler and most of the clothes were still too big. All the twins’ cute, matching clothes had been burned up in the fire.
    The thought created another clench of loss. How many more times would she go through this, Mia wondered, feeling as if she was starting all over.
    Though people had been helpful and generous, offering donations of furniture, bedding and household items, she didn’t need much of what was offered as long as she stayed at Evangeline and Denny’s. However, her other reality was all her memories, all her own “things” were lost to her. Pictures of the children, her computer, toys she had lovingly purchased.
    She shook the maudlin thoughts off. She had other things to deal with right now.
    â€œMia is saying you can’t watch the twins,” Nate was saying to Evangeline.
    â€œOf course I’ll watch the girls,” Evangeline said, her attention on Ella as the toddler carefully navigated the last step down. “I’m not going to town until later on this morning.”
    â€œActually, I feel more comfortable taking the girls with me,” Mia said, looking from Nate to Evangeline.
    â€œFeeling a bit protective?” Evangeline asked with an understanding smile.
    Mia nodded as she set the girls down. “And I’m sorry the kitchen isn’t cleaned up yet.”
    â€œDon’t be too hard on yourself,” Nate put in, stepping past her to help her gather up the plates the boys had used. “Besides, isn’t cleaning a house with kids like brushing your teeth while eating a chocolate bar?”
    Mia shot him a quick look, then burst out laughing.
    Her resolve started to drift. “It’s your call about the girls,” he continued. “If you take them out, you’ll have to stay outside the corrals. I can’t watch the boys, the horses and you.”
    â€œThe boys?”
    Nate nodded. “If we’re doing this, we should include Josh. That way Nico doesn’t feel singled out and Josh doesn’t feel left out. It will seem more natural.”
    â€œThat makes sense,” she said, seeing the wisdom in his actions. “Thank you for thinking this through.”
    â€œHey, I’m not just a pretty face,” he said, carrying the plates to the counter.
    Just then she heard the boys’ bedroom door open. As they came down the stairs Mia wanted to close her eyes in pain. Josh wore a hot pink shirt with orange flowers paired with blue plaid pants. Nico, a neon yellow T-shirt emblazoned with the name of some computer game and orange jogging pants.
    â€œWhoa, those are cheerful clothes,” Nate said, humor threading his voice.
    â€œWe took them out of all those bags