Chapter 14 #2
Belle followed him slowly. “Do we have to do the hose? I promise not to drip on my way to the bathroom.”
“Go on. Hop in the shower. Don’t wake the baby up, okay?”
“Thanks, Petey! I love you.” She hurried to the bathroom, and Pete grinned at Bay.
“It’s hard to be the oldest girl.”
“I was going to let her use my bathroom,” Bay reminded him. “I guess it can be something special for the oldest girl at another time.” Bay shrugged. “We’ll let the other two play a little longer, eh? So the bathroom is free?”
“They’re having a ball. Do you want me to try to catch her?”
“She might like it, eh? To be able to use it?” Bay nodded. “Yeah, let’s give her the chance.”
“Sure. I’ll grab her.” Pete ran for the bathroom. “Belle? You want to use the big bathroom?”
“Mommy and Daddy’s?” she asked, frowning.
“Uncle Bay’s,” he nodded, breaking a little bit, but just a little bit this time. “The big bathroom, you want to go play in the big bathtub?”
She thought about it for a long moment, then nodded. “I would like to use Uncle Bay’s bathroom.”
“Cool. You need help starting the water, or do you have this?” Do you need help letting that room be Uncle Bay’s?
She took his hand and held on tight. “You can help me start it, please.”
“I totally will. Absolutely.” He helped her go in, glad that Bay had changed things around—the furniture was Bay’s, the artwork was Bay’s. It wasn’t the kids’ folks anymore.
Even the bathroom had different artwork, a solid dark shower curtain, and very masculine towels and bathmat. It smelled like Bay in here, too.
Belle took a deep, shaky breath and pushed into his arms. “I miss them, Petey,” she whispered.
“I know, honey. I do too. We all do.” He held her tight. That and a few reassuring words were all he had. All anyone had.
“You too, huh?”
He nodded. “Me too, huh.”
“Okay, well I’m cold…”
“So let’s take a nice warm bath. I can put music on if you want.” There was a smart speaker in this bathroom. He could play some of her favorite music.
“Oh, I’d love that. Can you leave the bedroom door open so that if I need you, you can hear?”
“Sure thing, sweetie.”
She gave him another tight hug before turning her attention to the bath. “Do you think Uncle Bay has any bath bombs?”
“Ooh… I bet I know someone who has a glitter bath bomb.” He’d been saving it for her birthday, but he’d buy another one.
“Glitter?” Her face lit up. “Yes, please.”
He chuckled. “You get your bath going and I’ll go find it.”
He left her happily running the water.
He found the bath bomb, got it sparkling and glittering for her, and then went to hose off the other two.
He found Bay in the middle of the task, both Eric and Merida laughing, their teeth chattering. Bay turned off the hose.
“Okay, you hooligans—time for your bath.”
“Come on! Bathtime!” He scooped Merida up, and wrapped her in his arms. “Let’s warm up.”
“You too, Eric.” Bay held out his hand and Eric took it and they all trooped upstairs to the main bathroom.
Pete got Merida washed off in the shower and then wrapped her up in a big towel and took her to get her dressed and warmed up for a nap. He left Eric to Bay, knowing the man would get him warmed up and watching a movie or coloring or something quiet.
“Luff.”
“Oh, I love you. Do you want to me to rock you?”
She nodded. “Pease.”
“Of course I will.”
He sat on her bed with her and wrapped his arms around her, rocking gently, singing her a lullaby.
She was sound asleep in seconds, heavy and relaxed in his arms. Such a sweet girl. He tucked her in for her nap, then walked past the bathroom to see how Eric and Bay were doing.
Eric was covered in bubbles, as was the tub, and even Bay was fairly bubbly. Bay had obviously poured in more than usual, and Eric was splashing and laughing.
“Youngest two are sleeping, eldest is in your tub with a glitter bomb.”
“You’ve turned my bathroom into a glitter bomb?” Bay asked, making a face.
“Yep. Fun, huh?” He grinned wide, tickled to death. “It smells like strawberries.”
“Oh brother.” Bay rolled his eyes, but he didn’t seem upset, not really. “At least it doesn’t smell like bubble gum, like this one, eh?” Bay tickled Eric, making him laugh again.
“Bubble gum!”
“Bath goodies are magical, aren’t they?”
They’d never taken a bath together. Not once. They’d never showered together, either. Or gotten dressed in the morning in the same place…
“I wouldn’t know,” Bay told him. “I haven’t had a bath since… I don’t know when.”
“No? I used to love to have a bath. I would take them late at night when I wouldn’t bother anyone.” They’d been decadent and lazy.
“Used to?” Bay asked, coming to stand against the doorjamb to talk to him while keeping an eye on Eric. “Not anymore?”
“I haven’t had time, I guess.”
“Then you should make time, if it’s something you enjoyed.” Bay leaned in and murmured, “I can imagine you in the tub among the bubbles.”
“I’d like to… I’ve never… with someone.”
“Are you asking me to bathe with you?” Bay asked.
He nodded, his cheeks on fire.
“Sure. After supper, once all the kids are in bed? My tub is bigger.”
“I’d love that.” He was going to die of pure bliss.
“I can see that.” Bay gave him a grin and reached up to stroke his cheek. “I have to get Eric out of the tub before he turns into a prune.”
“He’ll go sit on the sofa and ‘not nap’,” he teased.
“Yep. I expect him to be out before the opening credits are done playing.”
“Yeah. Belle may just go to her room and read. If she ever gets out of the tub.”
“Too bad we can’t do the bath now then…”
“I know, but I want time.” He wanted to relax into it.
“Yeah, I know.” Bay looked at his watch. “I should put in another hour or two of work anyway.”
Pete tried not to pout, but he knew better.
“Did you get stuff we need to eat for supper or can we be lazy and order?” Bay asked.
“Oh, let’s be lazy.” He was exhausted, and he still had to watch the kids for a few more hours. It wasn’t like hot dogs and chili wouldn’t keep until tomorrow.
“I was hoping you’d say that. Let me put in a couple hours, then I’ll join you and we’ll figure out what we want to order.” Bay bent and gave him a quick peck before heading down the hall to his office.
He wound up following, and he peeked in Bay’s bathroom. “You doing okay, sweetie?”
“Uh-huh. Just ‘alaxin’, Petey. This is so nice.”
He knew exactly what she meant. And maybe they ought to let her have this quiet moment on a regular basis. Let her relax. It would probably be good for her.
“Holler if you need me.” He went to make himself a cup of tea.
And if he spent most of the time imagining him and Bay in the tub together, well that was between him and his imagination.