He looked up to the mirror again to check how Ben was handling the bumps. From the very first look Doug had of the kid, there was a smile on his face, and Doug had to speculate whether it ever went away. He wished he could be that young again and not have a care in the world.

  “After I have a little talk with Nels, you’re going to tell me all sorts of secrets about your mom, right?”

  “Mommy work.”

  Doug came to a stop as Ben spoke. Nelson wasn’t waiting outside, and Doug considered that a good thing. He probably thought it was a salesman or someone who had taken a wrong turn.

  “Yup, your mommy has to work, but we’ll go get her in a few hours. When we do, you’re going to help me convince her to go out to dinner with me, right?”

  Ben’s simple reply about Lizzie working told Doug he wasn’t going to get any of the secrets he’d asked about, but there was a chance Ben could help him other ways. Doug grabbed his phone, climbed out of the car and opened the back door.

  “Yup,” Ben said, more than likely just repeating the word Doug had used.

  Doug smiled down at him as he worked to get the belts holding him in unlatched. He’d noticed Ben was about bursting out of the car seat, and he wondered if that was because he’d had a growth spurt and Lizzie hadn’t had a chance to upgrade, or if there was an issue with funds.

  “Come on. We have to go introduce you and get a picture off to your mom so she doesn’t worry.”

  “Mommy work.”

  Doug lifted the baby out of the car and nudged the door closed behind them with his hip. He hoped Ben’s vocabulary would eventually expand beyond the few words he’d said.

  Nelson was standing at the door by the time Doug turned around. He’d figured someone was tasked with looking out the window, and more than likely that person fainted when they saw him getting a kid out of the car.

  “I’m not even sure what the right question is to ask right now.” Nelson’s words pretty much summed up the situation.

  “Do you mind holding him for a second so I can get a picture of you two? I was just going to have him stand in front of your house, but Lizzie would probably feel better knowing I wasn’t lying about coming to see you.” Doug thrust Ben in Nels’ direction, but the baby didn’t immediately fly to the other man like he had Doug. In fact, Ben gripped Doug’s shirt tighter.

  “Don’t you think you should explain why you’re carrying around a baby? And where in the world is your car?” Nels’ eyes gravitated to the tan beast behind him, and Doug saw his head shake slightly.

  “I used it as collateral to get the kid. Isn’t that obvious?” Ben had put his head down shyly on Doug’s shoulder. Doug couldn’t see his face, but he assumed his smile had finally disappeared. “Ben, this is Nelson. He’s going to hold you for a second so I can take a picture to send to Mommy.”

  “Mommy work,” came the expected reply.

  “Yes, Mommy is still at work and we have to let her know I didn’t kidnap you. Will you let Nelson hold you?”

  When Doug tilted his head down to look in Ben’s eyes, he noticed the intrigued look on Nelson’s face. He knew he had some answering to do, but first he needed to alleviate Lizzie’s fears.

  Ben lifted his head slightly to look over at Nels. Doug did the same, and saw the expression hadn’t changed. Nels smiled faintly, probably just playing along so he could get his answers, and lifted his arms out to take the baby.

  “Hi, Ben. How old are you? I’ve got a little boy inside and I imagine he’s about your age.”

  Ben seemed to still be deciding whether he trusted Nels, but he did hold up two of his tiny fingers.

  “That’s how old Jack is. Why don’t we go inside and I’ll introduce you.” Nelson’s voice softened anytime he spoke directly to Ben, something Doug wished would happen when he spoke to him. The two of them tended to bicker more than they had normal conversations.

  Not completely sure of the move, based on the hesitation Doug could feel in his body, Ben leaned forward and let Nelson take him. Doug actually let out a sigh. He’d been afraid Ben was going to be glued to his side for hours. Not that it would’ve been a problem, it was just hard to take pictures that didn’t seem like he was sending the same one each time.

  “Okay, say cheese,” Doug directed as he took his phone out and snapped a picture. Nelson didn’t take the order well, but Ben hammed it up and showed off his pearly whites. “Perfect. Let me send this and grab his diaper bag.”

  Doug couldn’t believe he’d forgotten to get it out of the car. He started a text to Lizzie, letting her know everything was fine and Nelson’s address, along with the photo. By the time he was done sending it, he was to the car, so he opened the back door and grabbed the sky blue bag that Lizzie had put in the car. It was a little heavier than Doug expected, which immediately made him wonder what in the world was in it.

  He didn’t make it more than three steps away from the car when his phone vibrated in his hand. Doug knew Lizzie would reply with something, so he wasn’t disappointed with how quickly she got back to him.

  He is my whole world, Doug. I will kill you if anything happens to him.

  Doug snorted as he hurried to type something back. I’ll help you if it comes to that. Try not to worry. We’re going to have a great afternoon together. Next picture in thirty minutes.

  He slid the phone in his pocket after making note of the time. He should’ve set a timer to make sure he wasn’t preoccupied during one of the times he was supposed to be sending pictures, but he thought he’d be able to keep track.

  “So, little buddy, are you ready to go inside and play with some other kids your size?” Doug held out his arms and Ben flew back into them. It touched a place in his heart that the kid was so enthusiastic to be around him.

  “Turtle.” The reply wasn’t what Doug expected, but he shrugged it off and waited for Nels to open the door for them.

  His movement wasn’t immediate as he stood there with a questioning look on his face. Doug groaned, knowing what he wanted.

  “The cute blond nurse at the hospital had an issue with her childcare falling through. She was going to take Ben into work with her, and I convinced her to let me watch him instead,” Doug explained.

  Nelson’s instant reaction was to shake his head. “Someone actually handed their child over to you? Did I just enter an alternate reality?”

  “Quite possibly, but we have other issues. Can we go inside and talk about why Steph asked me to visit her?” The longer they stood around talking about Ben, the less likely they’d be able to get things rolling as far as getting Steph moved.

  “You still have some explaining to do about him, but let’s get him inside with the other kids. I’m guessing nap time is going to be a little delayed today.” Nelson turned and held the glass outer door open for them. The thick oak door on the other side of it was already open.

  Doug walked into the house and smiled as he found Dylan and Casey sitting on a couch in the living room. There had been a time when everyone met at their house about six hundred feet away, but they lived in a house that was smaller than Doug’s living room. As the kids started multiplying, it ended up being easier to hang out at Nelson and Annie’s.

  Annie had been responsible for the interior decorating, and even though most of the furniture and decorating was a little plain, it fit the couple’s personality. The warm colors of the mocha couch and loveseat were inviting, while the large entertainment center was what really kept Doug coming back. He had one of his own at home, but he hadn’t upgraded his television in a couple years, and Nelson had picked out the highest resolution curved one he could find. With the surround system they’d installed, it was almost better than going to a theater.

  “Who do we have here?” Casey asked, getting up from the couch to get a closer look at Ben. She ran her hand through his hair before she pressed a finger to his nose and laughed.

  “This is Ben. I’m guessing the rest of the gang is in the playroom. I kind of promised I wouldn’t let him out of my sight, so is there any way we can move everyone out here for a little bit?”

  The playroom was just around the corner. Doug could even see the door leading into it if he sat on the couch. The thirty or so feet was a little too far for Doug’s liking, as far as keeping his promise.

  “Of course, but I want to hear all about who he is and why you have him. I’m sure Annie is going to need a laugh when she gets home from work.” Casey smiled widely at Ben before she took off to gather the kids.

  Doug was always surprised at how well-behaved they were. He’d heard all sorts of stories about terrible twos, but neither Katie nor Jack seemed to be going through the phase.

  While Casey was gone, Doug took Ben over to the loveseat and sat down. It gave him a chance to see Nelson standing with his arms crossed and his foot rhythmically tapping on the floor.

  “I’m still waiting for you to assure me you didn’t kidnap him. You said he was the cute blond nurse’s, but I’m not sure I know which one you’re talking about. My interactions with them don’t usually go into how many kids they have at home.”

  “Technically I didn’t kidnap him. I just threatened to turn her into DHS if she tried to take him into the hospital.” The glares he received from both Nelson and Dylan had Doug rushing to hurry on with his story. “Look, that isn’t the important part. Your sister needs you to call a lawyer and see how soon she can be transferred somewhere else.”

  That changed Nels’ stance. He stood up straighter and Doug could see him starting to grind his teeth. The teeth were usually only brought into play when he was mad, but Doug hadn’t even said the part that would piss him off.

  “Why would she need moved? From what I can tell, her time there has been working. There’s times I actually see my old sister in her eyes.”

  Doug didn’t say anything for a second as Casey made it back out with Isabel in her arms and a toddler walking beside her on both sides. Steph was kind of a sensitive topic to get into with Casey and Dylan around, but they deserved to have some input.

  “Ben, do you want to come over and sit on the floor with Jack, Katie and me and color?” Casey handed Isabel over to her father and took a bag off her shoulder. She sat down and started taking coloring books and crayons out of the bag.

  Looking down at Ben, Doug could see he wasn’t quite sure what to think about the people around him. He was cuddled into Doug again.

  “How about you guys get started and we’ll join you in a few minutes,” Doug suggested. “Ben’s a little shy.”

  “Okay, whenever you’re ready. So, what’s going on with Steph?” Casey asked as she set the other kids up with pages to turn into colorful pieces of art.

  “There’s a guard bugging her and she’s legitimately scared. I’m sure she could’ve been conning me, we all know I’m a sucker for a damsel in distress, but I don’t think she was lying. I didn’t get a good vibe about that place. I know you’ve been going there for years and probably have your own opinions, but I think you should take her claim seriously. At the very least, see if you can get an inspection team in there.”

  The adult eyes in the room all turned to look at Nelson. Doug’s were already studying the man, so he saw his jaw lock and his eyes narrow as he tried to read Doug.

  “What exactly did she say about the guard?” The words seemed calm, but they were calculated more than anything.

  “Just that he’s creeping into her room at night and watching her sleep. You can’t blame her for not liking that.” Doug paused to think if there was anything else important to share. He wished he had some kind of evidence he could give Nels, other than just his sister’s word. “She said she told her doctor about it, but he just adjusted her meds. I’m not family, but I told her I’d do what I could to get her moved.”

  Nelson didn’t respond. He handed the baby over to Dylan as he grabbed a cellphone from a table next to the couch and left the room. As soon as he was gone, Dylan and Casey focused in on Doug.

  “So, you go into a mental hospital to visit a woman you haven’t seen in years, and you come out with a baby.” Casey raised her eyebrows before she continued. “At least I’m assuming you didn’t stop at a gas station to fill up and find a little boy.”

  Doug leaned his head down to rest on top of Ben’s, which was burrowed on his shoulder. The baby had watched the other kids in the room for a few seconds, but then relaxed into his current position. Doug’s arms wrapped around him and he gently rubbed his back.

  “Turtle,” Ben whispered.

  Doug ignored the questioning looks from Casey and Dylan and focused on the request. “What turtle?”

  “Turtle.” Ben tapped on the diaper bag sitting on the opposite side of Doug from him. “Turtle.”

  “Okay, let’s find your turtle.” Doug couldn’t move one of his arms, which made his quest a little awkward. He managed to get the bag unzipped and it was pretty obvious what turtle was as soon as a green head peeked through the hole.

  Ben saw the seafoam-colored reptile and reached his hand out to grab its head. He didn’t have the coordination to free it from its confines, so Doug helped him. Turtle ended up being about half the size of Ben.

  “Turtle,” he said again as he wrapped his arms around the stuffed animal and resumed his position snuggled with Doug.

  Doug felt the smile spread across his face as he continued stroking Ben’s back. He looked up and saw Casey was still waiting for an answer. He wasn’t sure how long Nels was going to be, so he started up a condensed version of what had happened during his visit with Steph. As his story went on, He felt Ben’s breathing underneath his hand slow and quiet snores escape the baby. Any worry he had that watching Ben was going to be difficult quickly disappeared.

  Chapter Six

  Lizzie couldn’t wait for her day to be over. Not that she was worried about Ben. Doug had been amazing about sending her pictures throughout the afternoon. The second one of Ben curled up on his chest fast asleep about melted her heart. Then there was the one of Ben feeding Doug his animal crackers, and the two of them coloring together.

  Picture after picture came though, and Lizzie couldn’t believe how happy Ben looked in all of them. Something about it terrified her. She was afraid Ben would expect Doug to become a fixture in their lives, but that couldn’t happen. It was only a one day thing and after she traded his car key for her son, they would part ways.

  She kept telling herself that as she made her way out to the parking lot just after six. Maddie had spent most of the day teasing her about her new boyfriend. Lizzie had told her why she didn’t have Ben with her, but she didn’t say anything about the fact that he’d hugged and kissed her. Lizzie spent part of the day trying to figure out if she’d imagined that part of their interactions.

  Even though she’d stopped worrying, she still let out a sigh of relief when she saw Doug standing outside with Ben on his hip. Somehow Doug made her car look better as he leaned against it. She watched as he pointed in her direction to get Ben to look her way.

  “Mommy,” the baby squealed and kicked his legs.

  “Hi, cutie. Did you have a fun day?” She held out her arms, but Ben shook his head and laid down on Doug’s shoulder.

  “I’d say we had a great day, but we both know you haven’t had a chance to come up with nicknames for me, so you weren’t directing the question at me. Is he always this clingy? I don’t mind it, but I’ve never seen Katie and Jack refuse to let their parents go to the bathroom alone.”

  Lizzie had read the names he mentioned in texts, so she knew they were his friends’ kids, who were both around Ben’s age. It was nice that Ben got to spend the day with more kids, but his fixation with Doug was concerning.

  “He went to the bathroom with you?” Whether Ben liked it or not, it was time to say goodbye to Doug, so Lizzie moved closer and put her hands under his arms to grab him. Doug helped by leaning Ben towards her. The baby fought a little, but Lizzie ended up winning the battle and clutched him close to her chest as she kissed the top of his head.

  “I’d say we went to the bathroom together. One time we even took Turtle with us, but apparently Turtle didn’t have to go.”

  Ben laughed at Doug’s words. “Turtle no potty.”

  “No, Turtle doesn’t go potty. Thanks for your help today, even if I wasn’t looking for it.” Lizzie kept her eyes on the ground between them so she didn’t make the mistake of falling any further into trouble. The fact that Doug hadn’t taken off as soon as she had Ben made her think he was going to try to push for them going out to dinner again.

  “I enjoyed spending the day with him, and since it’s the offseason, I’m available tomorrow in case the chicken pox plague is still an issue. I was going to visit Steph again, but I think Nels is taking over for me there.”

  Lizzie opened her mouth to reply, but quickly closed it. She already knew daycare wasn’t going to be open, so she’d planned on bringing Ben to work. She couldn’t very well tell Doug that, though, because he’d probably break into his threats about calling the authorities.

  She wanted to ask what was going on with Stephanie that garnered a visit from him and one from her brother, but she figured it was none of her business. Lizzie knew the general reasons why Stephanie was in the hospital, and what was being done to help her, but that didn’t give her the background of why things played out the way they had.

  “Why wouldn’t you let me just keep him here for the day? This wasn’t the first time daycare has fallen through, and he’s perfectly fine in the room we’ve kind of designated for childcare.” Lizzie hazarded a look up to his eyes, and instantly regretted seeing concern in them.

  “That’s a conversation we can’t have here.” Doug looked around the parking lot, and Lizzie’s eyes followed his around the cars in the lot. As far as she saw, there was no one else around, so she didn’t see a reason for his statement. “You said you were against dinner, but would you be against following me back to my house?”