“Then you’re in for a treat.” Jesse prayed there wouldn’t be any problems. He wasn’t sure Tonya, or Kevin, could handle it.
Not much later, when he heard the bus, Jesse went to the front porch to wait for Kevin. Soon as he stepped off the bus, Jesse said, “Love is giving birth. Hustle!”
At first Kevin froze, then he busted into a run up the driveway and through the front door. He dropped his backpack in the living room on his way down the hall and didn’t put on his brakes until he reached the bedroom door.
Eyes enormous, the boy stood there staring. Jesse could almost see his heart thundering. When Love meowed, he bolted into the room the rest of the way and dropped hard to his knees.
Tonya smiled at him, rubbed his back. “I’m so glad you got home in time.”
“Yeah.”
Poor kid could barely breathe. Jesse knelt down beside him. “You can pet her a little if you want.”
He did, his touch gentle, his eyes still round as saucers.
Love had just finished cleaning the first kitten when she started squirming, cried a few times and another slid out.
Kevin withdrew his hand. With awe, he said softly, “That is so gross.”
Jesse couldn’t help but laugh. “Yeah, especially watching her clean them up.”
“Yeah.” Kevin’s lip curled, but he went back to carefully petting the cat. “How many will she have?”
“No idea,” Tonya said, her expression almost identical to Kevin’s. “But she’s going to have at least three, because I see the third one coming now.”
“Wow.”
“I’m guessing this isn’t her first litter,” Jesse said, hoping to reassure them both. “They’re coming pretty fast and easy.” Thank God.
True enough, within fifteen minutes, Love had given birth to three kittens. Kevin hadn’t moved, had barely blinked the entire time. And when Love looked at him, almost as if she wanted his approval, he scooted in closer and started talking to her, telling how great she’d done, that she wasn’t alone, how he’d take care of her and how much she meant to him.
He said all the right things, maybe things that had never been said to him, things most twelve-year-olds wouldn’t think to say but definitely needed to hear.
Damn, but he was a good kid. Despite his upbringing, or maybe because of it, he was gentler and more understanding than most adults.
Jesse couldn’t recall ever getting that attached that quickly to another human being. He wanted to be in Kevin’s life, now and always. That the boy was also a part of Tonya only sweetened the deal because, yes, he loved Tonya. Like, crazy-loved her.
Somehow he’d work it out, and in the end, he’d have Tonya, he’d have Kevin.
He’d have it all.
Rather than stay and watch Love finish cleaning up, Jesse made an offer. “How about I order pizza for dinner?”
Kevin scrunched up his nose and swallowed hard. “I was starving when I first got here, but now...” He rubbed his stomach. “I might need a little while before I can look at gooey pizza.”
Jesse grinned. “Bucket of chicken then? It’ll take me half an hour to go get it.”
“I could eat that,” Tonya said. “Kevin?”
“Sure. Thanks.” He went to his dresser and took out another old shirt. It was two sizes too small, stained, but clean. “Do you think she’d mind if I changed that bedding for her once she’s all done—” his face scrunched up again “—licking that up?”
Now it was Jesse who put a hand to his stomach. “I’m sure she’d appreciate it. Give her time to finish though. She might not want you touching them yet.”
Tonya nodded. “When she’s ready, I’ll help.”
Pausing in the doorway, Jesse surveyed them both. “You guys realize you have four cats now, right?”
Kevin looked at Tonya, but she didn’t miss a beat. “We’ll keep any that we can’t find good homes for. But first we’ll get them all fixed. No reason to keep them multiplying.”
Relieved, Kevin went back to reassuring Love.
“I think Merrily uses the same local vet as Cinder and Evan. Given their menageries, they probably get a discount.” And if they didn’t, Jesse thought, well then, he’d figure out a way to foot the bill.
He was an integral part of this family unit, whether Kevin and Tonya realized it yet or not.
CHAPTER FIVE
TO TONYA’S RELIEF, the following Monday went much the same, minus the drama of new kittens being born. She and Jesse spent the day in bed, burning up the sheets until it was time for Kevin to return.
Then Jesse took them all to dinner.
And so started their routine. Tonya knew that Kevin had quickly become as attached to Jesse and his visits as she had.
At least one day a week, usually Monday, Jesse switched his hours so he could spend the day alone with her. When Kevin got home from school, Jesse took them out to dinner.
Like a family.
Other days, he often came by after work.
He and Kevin worked on the attic around school, grill-outs, movies and a host of other fun activities that always seemed so new to Kevin and, because of that, felt new—or at least better—to her too.
Amazingly, one remodel led to another.
They no sooner wrapped up her office in the attic—which was truly a thing of beauty—than Jesse suggested a game room in the basement. By the time they were done with the plans, the space would be turned into a casual family room.
Brick donated a gaming system, saying he and Merrily had the same one and definitely didn’t need two. Evan brought by a laptop he said he no longer used. She planned to splurge on another television.
Jesse even said he could add in a second bathroom. At times it boggled her mind the amount of work he put into someone else’s house.
Her house. And Kevin’s.
Oh how she wanted it to be Jesse’s home too. But so far, as invested as he seemed in their relationship, he didn’t push for more.
Damn it, she sort of wanted him to push a little.
Six weeks went by, and it felt like things were falling into place. Kevin waited until they were all seated at the table, halfway through dinner, before he pulled a folded paper from his pocket.
Purring loudly, Love curled in the one empty seat with a kitten, and around Kevin’s feet, the other two kittens played, fighting over his shoestrings, occasionally climbing his leg.
Like Love, they each adored him. He’d named all three, kept them fed, their bedding and box cleaned, and never seemed to tire of playing with them.
Tonya had already decided to keep them all, and not just because Kevin was attached to them, although that played a part.
In truth, she, too, was attached. And she loved watching Kevin with them. With Merrily and Cinder as examples, she knew multiple animals meant more work and expense, but also more love. And that’s what she wanted to fill her house with—love for the pets, for Kevin.
And for Jesse.
“Hey.” Brushing his hand up her forearm, Jesse smiled at her. “Best meal I’ve had in a long time.”
The compliment warmed her. “It’s just roast and potatoes.”
Mouth full, Kevin nodded. “Really good roast and potatoes.”