Composing a Family Read online

  She nodded. “I can do that.”

  “Thank you.” He held her hand. “You totally rock.”

  She beamed at him and laid her head on his arm. “You’re gonna be a good daddy and I’m gonna be a good babysitter.”

  “Fair enough, shall we toast?”

  She grabbed her glass and clinked it against his.

  “To us, Britt.”

  “To us.”

  “That is the cutest thing ever,” murmured Tenor.

  “Isn’t it?” Elle asked, giving Britt and him a sappy look.

  He rolled his eyes and rubbed noses with his goddaughter.

  Elle, Tish, and Tenor all laughed, but he didn’t care. She was his special girl. He supposed that wouldn’t be true that much longer. Although she’d always be his goddaughter.

  She curled up in his lap, and he grinned. No. Britt would always be his special girl. Love wasn’t like pie.

  He watched Elle and Tish tag-team Tenor, grilling him on his credentials, his likes and dislikes, his beliefs in childrearing. Tenor took it easily, comfortable in his own skin, sure about his job and his ability to do it.

  He’d done well. He could see that. He’d hired a good man to help look after his children.

  “So are you going to keep to your five days a week nine-to-five hours when the babies come?” Elle asked, giving Daniel an arch look.

  Tenor snorted. “I’m not a jerk. I’ll help out with midnight feedings. Goodness knows it’s more than possible the babies won’t be on the same schedule and feeding will be a continuous thing. I’m not saying Daniel won’t be able to handle things himself, I’m saying he doesn’t have to.”

  “Elle, don’t be evil.” He didn’t need her sticking her nose in.

  “It was a legitimate question,” Tenor noted. “And I’m going to be there for you when they’re born.”

  “You need to be communicating, honey. Really. You get all in your head and you’re not—”

  He glared over. “Elle.”

  “We’ll manage,” Tenor assured her then gave him a smile. “We will.”

  “Of course.”

  “Uncle Danny, it’s okay. You can be scared,” Britt told him.

  “Can I?”

  “Uh-huh. I’m scared of starting school sometimes.”

  Oh dear. “You are?”

  She nodded seriously. “Momma and Mommy tell me that’s okay.”

  “It is. Once you start, you’ll love it, I bet.”

  “Recess sounds fun,” she admitted. “And art.”

  “And there will be science and music.”

  “And English and geography,” Tenor added. “Do you know what letters make up your name?”

  “B-I-T-T”

  “That’s a really good effort,” Tenor told her. “But I think you’re missing a letter.”

  “Uncle Danny?” She turned that dear face to him.

  “Let’s do it together. B.”

  She nodded. “B.”

  “B-R”

  “B-R-I-T-T!” She bounced in his lap. “B-R-I-T-T-A-N-Y spells Brittany!”

  Tenor clapped. “Good job! You already know something they’re going to teach you in school. So you’re ahead.”

  “I’m going to be just like Mom and Uncle Danny when I grow up. I’m going to write musics.”

  “You don’t have to wait until you grow up to write music—did you know that?” Tenor asked her. “You could start now.”

  “No. Right now I read the music. E-G-B-D-F Right?”

  “That’s right.” Daniel clapped, tickled pink. He sang the notes, Britt answering him, her little voice as clear as a bell.

  “Oh, you both sound lovely.” Tenor laughed softly. “I can keep a tune. Sort of.”

  “She’s amazing,” Elle said. “Our little prodigy.”

  “That’s great. Is she helping to plan the baby shower?” Tenor took a sip of his wine and looked pleased with the flavor.

  “Uh-huh. We’re having pink and purple balloons and chocolate cake.”

  “With pink icing?” Tenor asked.

  “Uh-huh. And flowers. Big flowers.”

  “Do babies like flowers?” Tenor took another sip of his wine. “I think we’ve got crackers and cheese that would go nicely with this.”

  “My new babies will like flowers,” she pronounced, so sure.

  Tenor’s lips twitched. “Okay. What else are they going to like?”

  “Tater tots and butterflies.”

  “Those are two very fine things. Would you like some tater tots for supper tonight?” Tenor asked.

  “No. I like noodles. I will have pancakes for breakfast, and tater tots and hot dogs for lunch before Momma and Mom come to pick me up.”

  Daniel managed to keep a straight face. “Say thank you for the offer.”

  “Oh. Yes. Thank you for asking, but I like noodles.”

  “Got it.” Tenor went to the fridge and pulled out some cheese. “Do you like cheese and crackers?”

  “Uh-huh. Can I help?”

  “Sure. I’ll give you the cheese and the crackers, and you can bring them to the table, okay?” Tenor handed the food over and grabbed small plates and a couple knives, bringing them over to the table in Britt’s wake.

  He helped her open the cheese, and Elle poured a little more wine while Tish and Matt decided on music.

  Tish got out her iPad and started taking notes as they talked about the baby shower.

  “Elle and I are going to get together with Tenor and register you. He knows what you still need, and Elle knows what kind of stuff you’d want. So you don’t have to worry about that at all.”

  “Yep. That just leaves us with the guest list.” Elle took a long drink of her wine. “The hall I’ve booked can hold up to a thousand, so just give me your contact list, and we’ll go with that.”

  “Of course.”

  Tenor gasped. “A thousand people?”

  Elle nodded. “This will be the party of the year.”

  Tenor turned to Daniel, his eyes almost comically huge. “The party of the year?”

  He shrugged. “Do I have to go?”

  “You can sit on the queen’s chair with me, Uncle Danny.” Britt patted his hand.

  “The queen’s chair? And it’s your baby shower—why wouldn’t you be there? Hell, why are you having this huge party if you don’t want it?” Tenor looked, simply put, confused.

  “Because we need to celebrate these babies. Because no one will want to have them out and about and it’ll be fall and the holidays and and and.” Elle winked. “We want to give you the party you gave us, Daniel. You made us feel like we were special.”

  “Oh, that’s sweet,” Tenor noted. “But nobody has explained the queen’s chair yet. I sense a story.”

  “Our daughter thinks that all parties need a throne for the guest of honor. She’s a little obsessed.” Tish’s voice was dry as dust.

  “Then wouldn’t Danny automatically be sitting in the queen’s chair?” Tenor asked.

  Britt shook her head vigorously. “It’s my chair. But I’ll let Uncle Danny sit with me.”

  Tenor laughed. “Okay. There’s a certain logic to that. I think.”

  “There totally is.” Daniel didn’t know what it was, but there must be, right?

  Matt brought cookies over. “In case anyone wants something sweet after their cheese and crackers.” Matt did love to spoil his godchild. Daniel had a feeling that was going to go triple when his grandkids arrived.

  Britt ended up in his lap as they discussed cakes and food, goodies for the attendees and music. The wine flowed, and soon there was a lovely pasta and everyone was a little tipsy and laughing together, Britt sleeping in his arms.

  Tenor seemed to fit pretty well with his friends. He participated a little,
watched a lot, and made his girl Britt smile. It made him feel like he really had made the right decision in hiring the guy.

  “Let me take her upstairs,” Tenor offered. “I can put her in her new bed.”

  “You sure?” He was a little unsteady on his feet.

  “Yeah, I’m an old hand at this.” Tenor managed to pick her up out of his lap without waking her.

  Matt leaned in after Tenor left. “He stopped drinking wine after the first glass.”

  “He didn’t have to.”

  Elle chuckled softly. “He’s a good guy. I like him, a lot.”

  “Me too.”

  Matt nodded sagely. “Daniel picked the right man.”

  He grinned over, Matt’s approval feeling good. “Thanks.”

  Matt met his gaze and smiled, and he could see the pride there from the only father he could remember. Hell, Matt was the only dad he needed.

  It was how he knew it would be okay that his girls only had a single dad. He’d turned out pretty damn good and that’s all he’d had.

  Tenor came back in, arms empty. “She didn’t even crack an eyelid.”

  “Let’s clean up and then take this to the courtyard, hmm? It’ll be gorgeous with the firepit.” He stood up and grabbed his plate.

  The others all grabbed theirs as well, but it was Tenor who got things into the dishwasher and put away the salt and pepper, the block of parmesan. It was Tenor who began washing the wineglasses by hand.

  “You don’t have to do that, Tenor. You’re… You don’t have to.”

  “I don’t mind, Daniel. Go out with your friends. I’ll join you when this is done.”

  “I’ll help.” He felt weird. He wasn’t a slave driver.

  “You don’t have to, but it does go quickly with two.”

  “Yeah. It does. Will you come to the party?” He didn’t love crowds.

  “If you want me there, I’d be honored.”

  “I’d like that. Crazy, but it’s dear that they thought of me.”

  Tenor snorted. “From what Elle said, it’s going to be the party of the year.”

  “Everyone likes a party, I suppose. There will be great music.”

  “You’re not really selling it if you want to know the truth. Are you even going to actually know most of the people there?”

  “Not a chance.” He’d met them all, sure, but that was it.

  “Huh.” Tenor got this look on his face—the one he was coming to learn meant the man was thinking, planning. Up to something.

  He sort of liked it, if he was honest. It was… interesting.

  Tenor shook himself, like he’d wandered off. Then he smiled at Daniel. “Good to know. I’ll definitely come. I can tell you what gifts are appropriate and which ones you should regift.”

  “You’re helping with the registry, right? The girls don’t need gold-plated rattles.”

  “I am definitely helping with the registry, but I know Elle and Tish have already included some stuff you really don’t need. Besides, in my experience, lots of people don’t consult the registry, or if everything is marked as bought, instead of buying a duplicate, some of which would be appropriate, they bring their own thing. And I get the feeling, from what’s been said, that a lot of these people are going to be the gold-rattle-buying type.”

  “Maybe if someone bought them little pianos.”

  “Baby grands for the babies.” Tenor said it with a straight face, too.

  “Pink ones.” He started giggling.

  “Diamond encrusted.” Tenor still hadn’t broken into a smile, but his cheeks were beginning to show the strain of not laughing.

  “With platinum stools…”

  “There’s got to be gold somewhere too…” Tenor narrowed his eyes. “I’ve got it! The keys can be gold and silver instead of ebony and ivory.” Soft snickers were coming out of the man now.

  He rolled with mirth, just tickled pink. God, this was fun. He just might be able to survive this party if he could count on Tenor for this kind of support.

  “You know, now I’m tempted to put this in as a write-in on the registration list. See if anyone tries to come up with it.”

  “Yeah, yeah. Don’t tell Elle.” He stopped, blinked. “I want a place where we can have donations to something. Something for kids.”

  Tenor’s smile was warm, full. “That’s the best thing I’ve heard all night. You want me and Matt to look some up?”

  “Yes. Totally. How much shit do we need? I like the idea of giving back.”

  “Well, we don’t need any ‘shit’ because I didn’t know there was going to be a shower and pretty much bought everything already.”

  “Now we have a plan.” Lots of people would bring gifts anyway, but this was better.

  “We’ll find a couple of great children’s charities. I wonder if we put a goal in it’ll encourage people to go that way over gifts…”

  He could see Tenor was busy working things out in his head.

  “Talk to Tish. She’ll know how to do it.”

  “She do a lot of charity stuff?” Tenor asked.

  “More than the rest of us. She’s a spokesperson, huh?”

  “Oh cool. Right. Don’t worry, we’ll get it sorted for you. And seriously, you should go hang out with the ladies—they’re going to wonder where you are.” Tenor put away the last glass.

  “I’m not worried.” Excited, maybe a little. “Come out, if you’d like.”

  “You sure you don’t mind me hanging out with your friends?”

  “I wouldn’t have suggested it if I’d minded.” He wasn’t good at false emotions.

  “Cool. Cool. It takes a while, you know? Figuring out exactly my place with the family. It’ll be easier once your girls are here. That anchors me, makes me feel like I belong.”

  “Soon, huh? You’ll get to see the ultrasounds this week.”

  “I know! I can’t wait.” There was real joy in Tenor’s grin, and it felt amazing, knowing the man he’d picked to help him raise his kids was looking forward to their arrival as much as he was.

  “They look like blobs, a little.”

  Tenor laughed for him. “They’ll look less like blobs on this ultrasound, I promise.”

  “I hope so. They’re getting bigger. The heartbeats are amazing.” He was going to use them in a song.

  “I can’t wait to hear them.” Tenor grabbed a water bottle and they headed to the backyard together.

  The girls were macking on the low sofa and Matt had disappeared, so he cleared his throat and shook his head. “You two stop it.”

  “Are you saying it’s not that kind of party?” Elle asked him. “I mean, isn’t that what you two were doing in the kitchen?”

  Tenor made a choked sound and blushed.

  “Be good, you ass.” He swatted her playfully and parked himself in a chair.

  Tenor sat in the chair next to his and took a long swig out of his water.

  “Are you dating anyone?” Elle asked Tenor as soon as he’d swallowed.

  “Uh. No, no, I’m single.”

  “Don’t grill the man, Elle.” Daniel rolled his eyes and leaned back. “Elle is notoriously nosy. Forgive her.”

  She swatted his knee. “He’s going to be raising my goddaughters. I want to know.”

  “I’ll care for them like they’re my own,” Tenor assured her.

  “If you’re a turd, that doesn’t make a difference,” she pointed out.

  “I’m not a turd.” Tenor sounded a little growly now. “Daniel wouldn’t have hired me if I wasn’t the right guy for the job.”

  “She’s just teasing you,” Tish said. “Seriously. We trust Daniel’s gut implicitly.”

  “And here I thought it was my innate interview skills and amazing references that got me the job.”

  “You
had to have had the background stuff dealt with before you ever got in the door.”

  “I had the background stuff done just by being with Mannies Inc.,” Tenor noted. “It makes it easier for the clients.”

  “He’s the right one, guys. Let it go.” He was getting a headache.

  “Thank you,” Tenor inclined his head. “I appreciate the confidence.”

  “You know I’m just poking, right?” Elle aimed the words at him rather than Tenor.

  “I know, but I know you.” Elle could be a challenge.

  She stuck her tongue out at him and Tish grabbed it between her fingers. “I’m going to have to take you home if you don’t behave.”

  “Did Matty give up for good or is he coming back?”

  “He said he was retiring for the night.” Tenor grinned. “I should probably do the same. That way you guys can stay up late and not have to worry about Britt when she wakes in the morning.”

  “She’ll end up in Uncle Danny’s bed. She knows right where it is.” Elle grinned at him, winked. “You mind if we go? We’re wanting to go dancing.”

  “Get an Uber, huh? You two have had a little wine. You can leave your car here.”

  “Sounds good. Don’t wait up for us.” Elle laughed, and she and Tish held hands as they headed out.

  Tenor blinked a little. “They’re like a whirlwind.”

  “They are. Elle’s still the same as she’s ever been.”

  “Yeah? You two are thick as thieves, but you’re so different.”

  “We were two outcasts in a school of beautiful creatures.” They’d gravitated together like magnets.

  “You weren’t one of the beautiful creatures?” Tenor sounded surprised.

  “Shit no.” He’d been gangly and homely, all eyes and long-limbed.

  “You are now.”

  He dipped his chin in thanks. “I needed to grow into myself.”

  Tenor chuckled. “Well, you did a fine job of it.”

  “What about you? How was school for you?”

  Tenor shrugged. “I was into sports, so I was good. But I loved babysitting. Which I never told anyone.”

  “Yeah, I never did that until Britt, but I love taking care of her.” Daniel had fallen in love with her on sight, right there in the room with Tish and Elle.