The babysitter

meeting

Tim wasn't entirely sure how things had unfolded the way they had, but after a few months of dating, he found himself pulling into his driveway with Ashley in the passenger seat. She had insisted she was ready to meet Emma, and after much deliberation, Tim agreed.

"You're sure about this?" Tim asked as he turned off the engine.

Ashley gave him a reassuring smile, though there was a hint of nervousness in her eyes. "Of course. I've been looking forward to meeting Emma. And Kojo too."

Tim smirked. "You sure? Kojo's...a lot."

Ashley chuckled, though her laugh sounded slightly forced. "How bad can a dog be?"

Tim decided not to answer that. Instead, he climbed out of the car, Ashley following close behind.

Inside the house, Emma was sitting at the kitchen table, coloring while Lucy prepped dinner. Kojo lay sprawled on the floor nearby, chewing on his favorite toy—a thoroughly destroyed plush squirrel.

"Daddy's home!" Emma called out when she heard the door open. She hopped off her chair and ran to the entryway, her face lighting up when she saw Tim.

"Hey, kiddo," Tim greeted, scooping her up into a hug.

Emma giggled, then noticed Ashley standing just behind him. Her big eyes widened with curiosity.

"Emma, this is Ashley," Tim said, setting Emma down. "Ashley, this is my daughter, Emma."

Ashley crouched down to Emma's level, offering her a warm smile. "Hi, Emma. It's so nice to meet you. Your dad's told me so much about you."

Emma tilted her head, studying Ashley for a moment before grinning. "Hi. You're really pretty."

Ashley laughed, clearly charmed. "Thank you. You're pretty too."

Lucy appeared in the doorway, wiping her hands on a dish towel. Her eyes flicked between Tim and Ashley, her expression carefully neutral.

"And this is Lucy," Tim said. "She's—"

"Lucy's my best friend!" Emma interjected proudly.

Ashley straightened, offering Lucy a polite smile. "Hi, Lucy. Tim's mentioned you."

"Has he now?" Lucy replied, her tone light but with a hint of teasing. She extended her hand. "Nice to meet you, Ashley."

"You too," Ashley said, shaking her hand.

Things were going smoothly—until Kojo decided to make his presence known. The large dog bounded into the room, his tail wagging enthusiastically as he trotted over to sniff the new arrival.

Ashley stiffened, taking a step back. "Oh. That's...a big dog."

"He's friendly," Tim assured her. "Just excited."

Kojo barked once, his tail wagging faster as he tried to nuzzle Ashley's leg.

Ashley let out a nervous laugh, keeping her hands tucked close to her sides. "He's, uh...very energetic."

Lucy smirked, crouching down to pet Kojo. "He's a big softie. Aren't you, Kojo?"

Kojo licked Lucy's hand in response before turning his attention back to Ashley.

Emma giggled. "He likes you!"

Ashley forced a smile, clearly trying to mask her discomfort. "That's...great."

Tim frowned, noticing the tension in Ashley's posture. "Why don't we move to the living room?" he suggested.

"Good idea," Ashley said quickly.

Once they were settled in the living room, the atmosphere became more relaxed. Emma sat on the floor, showing Ashley her favorite coloring books. Ashley seemed genuinely interested, asking questions about Emma's drawings and complimenting her creativity.

"Do you like to color too?" Emma asked.

"I do," Ashley said. "But I'm not as good as you."

Emma beamed. "I can teach you!"

Tim watched the interaction with a mixture of relief and happiness. Seeing Emma and Ashley get along eased some of his worries.

Later, during dinner, Ashley grew more comfortable. She even managed to pet Kojo briefly, though she still seemed wary of the dog's exuberance.

"Do you have any pets?" Emma asked between bites of macaroni and cheese.

"No, I don't," Ashley replied. "But I've always liked the idea of having a cat."

"Not a dog?" Emma asked, tilting her head.

Ashley hesitated, glancing at Kojo, who was lying under the table. "Dogs are...nice. But they're a little too energetic for me."

Emma giggled. "Kojo's not too bad. He just likes to play."

Tim smiled, ruffling Emma's hair. "You're pretty good at defending him, huh?"

"Kojo's my best dog friend," Emma declared proudly.

After dinner, Tim walked Ashley to her car. The evening had gone well, all things considered, though he could tell she was still uneasy around Kojo.

"Thanks for coming," Tim said.

"Thanks for having me," Ashley replied. "Emma's adorable. And Lucy seems...nice."

Tim nodded. "Yeah, she's been a big help."

Ashley hesitated, biting her lip. "I hope I didn't come across as weird about the dog. It's just...I had a bad experience with one when I was a kid."

"That makes sense," Tim said. "Kojo can be a lot, but he's harmless. Maybe he'll grow on you."

Ashley smiled faintly. "Maybe."

As Ashley drove away, Tim stood in the driveway for a moment, lost in thought. The night had been a success, but there was still a nagging feeling he couldn't quite shake.

When he went back inside, Emma was already in her pajamas, snuggled up on the couch with Lucy and Kojo.

"So?" Lucy asked, raising an eyebrow.

Tim shrugged. "It went fine."

"Just fine?" Lucy pressed.

Tim sighed, sitting down in the armchair. "She's great with Emma. And she's trying with Kojo."

"But?"

Tim shook his head. "I don't know. It's probably nothing."

Lucy didn't push further, but her thoughtful expression lingered as they settled in for the evening.