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Chapter 7 - The Cost of Love

I flew out on Wednesday morning after checking in with the team making sure that all my case notes were handed off. I got into the airport about 2:30. I picked up my rental and headed toward Sonja's new home. I keep learning new things as a father and found out that I could rent a child's car seat as well. I got to the house about 3:30 p.m. and was disappointed to discover that my daughter was still taking two naps a day. Momma said that Cade took two naps until he went to school full time in first grade.

It wasn't long until I heard her giggling and went into her room to get her. By then Chrissy was in a toddler bed. I sat down in the rocker and she got up and came over to me. She started talking to me and I could see her little brain ticking as she cocked her head. She finally reached out and touched my nose suddenly realizing that I was really there in the flesh and not on the computer screen that she had talk to for months. She let out this typical La Salle belly laugh and backed up to me as a hint for me to lift her into my lap. I took her potty and then we came back and sat in the rocker and laughed and giggled together for about an hour. Chrissy was proud to show me every toy in her room and finally brought me a book to read to her. That is where Sonja found us when she came home from work.

I don't think that Sonja was insulted when Chrissy looked up and merely waived hi mommy and then immediately returned her attention back to me.

Momma came to the door in about an hour and told us that dinner was ready. Trying to wash our hands didn't go as well as I had expected. I only later found out that I had to hold the liquid soap bottle. Chrissy grabbed it first and managed to push the top enough times to have soap all over the sink and herself.

King had told me that everything your child does is cute and how right he was. Without prompting Chrissy bowed her head and moved her hands together waiting for grandma to pray over the food. She was just adorable.

Evidentially Sonja usually does the dishes but momma shewed her out of the kitchen which allowed her to join Chrissy and I in the living room. I pull Sonja into my lap and ask her how her day went. "Busy. You know that's all I can tell you.

Chris, I printed off a calendar for the next two days. Chrissy can forgo a morning nap if you make sure she goes down right after her lunch. Tomorrow she has story time at the library at 10. I put the address on here so GPS should get you there okay. Otherwise you can plan away on your own."

Momma interrupted for a moment and came over to give me and Chrissy a kiss before she headed out to church for her Bible study. "I'll talk to you in the morning son."

Bedtime had come for Chrissy and we went potty one last time and got her P.J.s on. I let her pick the book that she wanted and it was the Three Little Pigs. Her eyes got big just like her mother's as I huffed and puffed scaring her with volume of my deep male voice. At the end of the book I said it's time to go beddy bye. She grabbed onto my neck tightly in protest then I said okay, let's rock. I looked up to see Sonja in the door way -- she grinned and turn away knowing that I was putty in this little girl's hands. We sing/sang as Chrissy explored my ears and my nose and my teeth. Finally asleep, I laid her in her bed and pulled the child gate back across the doorway.

It had been a long day and I was tired. I looked around the room for Sonja then heard water running. It didn't take me long to figure out that I could just shed my clothes and join Sonja in the shower.

Lying in bed, Sonja asked a million questions about everyone on the team. She told me that Merrie had visited for a weekend and seemed happy. She evidentially was dating some law professor at Boston College. I told her about both Sabastian's and Tammy's new girlfriends. She asked about Rita. I told her that she had retired from her Naval service and spent more time in 'Nola than before. While she and King seemed happy together, I hadn't heard anything about a permanent arrangement. She couldn't believe that Loretta's youngest boy would go to high school next year. We both wondered where the time had gone.