tucked his hands under his pillow, and said, “Night.”
Winnie turned out his light. “Teddy, I’ll be in the next room with the doors to the bathroom open. Call if you need me.”
The boy appeared to be asleep already. She walked Adam to the elevator. From Stacy’s room they heard Brinsley reading aloud from the Harry Potter book in his wonderfully appropriate British accent. Down the hall, Nell slipped from the triplets’ room and began making her rounds to issue goodnights and lights out warnings to the older children.
Winnie leaned against the wall as they waited for the lift to arrive. “That Tebowing you did by Teddy’s bed caught me off balance. I’ve seen you do your really intimidating war dance before a game, but never a prayer. Somehow, I thought Samoans were all about rough sports and well, love under the palm trees.”
“We are all of those things. The London Missionary Society really did a job on us. I hear a ‘let us pray,’ and I’m on my knees. If you are out in a village at six p.m. and the church bell rings, you’d better head somewhere for Bible reading and prayers and get off the street. The natives are friendly but don’t take sacrilege lightly. Church on Sunday, sometimes twice, no other activities on the day of rest. But, we do manage to offset that with an enormous Sunday dinner. It’s the Samoan way. I’d like to take you to the islands someday.”
Surely he didn’t mean it, but Winnie pushed off from the wall closer to his broad, brown face. Adam leaned in, so close she could feel his body heat and the tickle of his soft curls touching her cheek. Nell came trotting down the hall. They moved apart.
“I wanted to see how Teddy managed tonight.”
“Already asleep. He had long, hard day,” Winnie reported. “I think Anastasia is still up.”
“Yes, ready or not, I should check on her, too. Something tells me she isn’t going to like our lights out at nine rule. Adam, you’d better get going. Corazon has the cottage ready for you, and Joe wants to set the alarms. Ever since Tommy was kidnapped, he is really careful about locking up every evening.”
“I understand, Mrs. Joe. I’ll take the stairs and meet him by the front door. Sleep well, Winnie.”
Sure, sleep well. No matter how pretty and airy the room the only thoughts on her mind were of the little boy who needed her help, and the big, strong man who probably only wanted a roll in sand—and she was perfectly fine with that.
Chapter Ten
At breakfast, Winnie marveled at Nell’s precision in getting her family of eight off to school. Corazon had a hot breakfast of oatmeal with raisins and brown sugar ready to serve, pitchers of milk and orange juice on the table, and bowls at the ready as each child appeared at the table. The eldest came first while Nell who rousted them stayed upstairs to help the triplets dress. School uniforms made that just so much easier. Compared to this regimen, getting Teddy into the bathroom, strapped into his braces, and dressed seemed almost easy. The boy tried to be as independent as possible and helped in any way he could.
After breakfast, the Billodeaux kids boarded the white van, girls in back, boys in front since they were dropped off first at the parochial school in town, and the girls at the Episcopal country day school farther out of town. Knox Polk made sure each and every one had their backpack and appropriate attire down to belts and the right color of socks. Being a former military man, the task suited him eminently. He added his own son to the load. Away they went.
That left Adam and Joe in peace putting away man-sized portions of oatmeal and a stack of whole wheat toast slathered with strawberry jam. Nell nibbled plain toast and coffee while Stacy played with her food and voiced her preference for croissants in the morning. Brinsley refused to sit down until everyone else had eaten. With some coaxing, Winnie got Teddy to eat a piece of toast and some of his oatmeal
Winnie turned out his light. “Teddy, I’ll be in the next room with the doors to the bathroom open. Call if you need me.”
The boy appeared to be asleep already. She walked Adam to the elevator. From Stacy’s room they heard Brinsley reading aloud from the Harry Potter book in his wonderfully appropriate British accent. Down the hall, Nell slipped from the triplets’ room and began making her rounds to issue goodnights and lights out warnings to the older children.
Winnie leaned against the wall as they waited for the lift to arrive. “That Tebowing you did by Teddy’s bed caught me off balance. I’ve seen you do your really intimidating war dance before a game, but never a prayer. Somehow, I thought Samoans were all about rough sports and well, love under the palm trees.”
“We are all of those things. The London Missionary Society really did a job on us. I hear a ‘let us pray,’ and I’m on my knees. If you are out in a village at six p.m. and the church bell rings, you’d better head somewhere for Bible reading and prayers and get off the street. The natives are friendly but don’t take sacrilege lightly. Church on Sunday, sometimes twice, no other activities on the day of rest. But, we do manage to offset that with an enormous Sunday dinner. It’s the Samoan way. I’d like to take you to the islands someday.”
Surely he didn’t mean it, but Winnie pushed off from the wall closer to his broad, brown face. Adam leaned in, so close she could feel his body heat and the tickle of his soft curls touching her cheek. Nell came trotting down the hall. They moved apart.
“I wanted to see how Teddy managed tonight.”
“Already asleep. He had long, hard day,” Winnie reported. “I think Anastasia is still up.”
“Yes, ready or not, I should check on her, too. Something tells me she isn’t going to like our lights out at nine rule. Adam, you’d better get going. Corazon has the cottage ready for you, and Joe wants to set the alarms. Ever since Tommy was kidnapped, he is really careful about locking up every evening.”
“I understand, Mrs. Joe. I’ll take the stairs and meet him by the front door. Sleep well, Winnie.”
Sure, sleep well. No matter how pretty and airy the room the only thoughts on her mind were of the little boy who needed her help, and the big, strong man who probably only wanted a roll in sand—and she was perfectly fine with that.
Chapter Ten
At breakfast, Winnie marveled at Nell’s precision in getting her family of eight off to school. Corazon had a hot breakfast of oatmeal with raisins and brown sugar ready to serve, pitchers of milk and orange juice on the table, and bowls at the ready as each child appeared at the table. The eldest came first while Nell who rousted them stayed upstairs to help the triplets dress. School uniforms made that just so much easier. Compared to this regimen, getting Teddy into the bathroom, strapped into his braces, and dressed seemed almost easy. The boy tried to be as independent as possible and helped in any way he could.
After breakfast, the Billodeaux kids boarded the white van, girls in back, boys in front since they were dropped off first at the parochial school in town, and the girls at the Episcopal country day school farther out of town. Knox Polk made sure each and every one had their backpack and appropriate attire down to belts and the right color of socks. Being a former military man, the task suited him eminently. He added his own son to the load. Away they went.
That left Adam and Joe in peace putting away man-sized portions of oatmeal and a stack of whole wheat toast slathered with strawberry jam. Nell nibbled plain toast and coffee while Stacy played with her food and voiced her preference for croissants in the morning. Brinsley refused to sit down until everyone else had eaten. With some coaxing, Winnie got Teddy to eat a piece of toast and some of his oatmeal
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