CHAPTER FIVE
Arriving at Nicole's house that next day, I was greeted by Jack waiting at their mailbox.
"Jack, what are you doing?" I asked, walking a little faster to get to him.
"I wasn't going to go in there alone." He replied, turning to walk beside me.
I stopped. "No, I mean why are you here?"
"Jen suggested that I help you out with the kid." He said, as we continued along the stone walk way. I should have known that Jen would ask Jack to help me out. I shook my head and rolled my eyes.
We got to the door and Jack knocked. There was a short sound of footsteps, then the door flung open as Nicole and her husband David smiled widely, hugging the both of us saying how thankful they were that we would watch Emma. Nicole then handed me a thick notebook filled with phone numbers and instructions of what to do with Emma. As she was talking to us, a little boy, about six or seven years old, came bounding down the stairs and slammed into his father's thigh.
"Daddy daddy! Lets go, we can't be late for the carnival!" He yelled, pulling on David's pant-leg.
"I know, buddy we're leaving now. Let's go on out to the car." He said, taking his son's tiny hand in his and opening the door. He thanked Jack and I once again, then went to start the car.
"All right you guys, I will see you in two hours. Emma is napping right now so you can do what you want until she wakes up. Make yourselves at home. See you soon!" With that, Nicole left Jack and I together. We stood in the door way for what felt like a while, even though it was only a few minutes.
"Can I ask you something?" Jack said, breaking the awkward silence like he always did. I nodded. "Do you know anything about this kid?" He laughed a little, smiling.
"Not a thing!" I admitted, giggling too. "All I know is that Jen is related to her."
Jack gave a charming smile, then went over to the couch and sat down. "This really is a nice place." He said, putting his feet up on the coffee table in front of him, observing the things around the room. I took off my sweatshirt and rubbed my palms on the jeans I was wearing.
"Um, Jack. I don't think you should do that." I said, gesturing towards his feet.
Just then, I heard Emma start to whine on the baby monitor. I walked up the stairs and into Emma's room. She was awake, her eyes squinted partly, but when she saw me they opened all the way. I came over and picked her up gently, her skin soft when touching mine. "Hi, Emma." I said sweetly to her, before kissing the top of her head. "Want some lunch?" I asked her, as if she were old enough to answer. I rubbed her back and began to slowly walk back into the hallway and down to the living room.
Jack was still on the couch, looking at the back of a magazine. I noticed he had removed his feet from the coffee table. I stepped into the kitchen, and set Emma down in her high chair. "Jack, will you help me feed her?" I asked. He got up from where he was sitting and walked over to us.
"I don't know how much help I'll be. I've never done this before." He said modestly, fixing the collar of his shirt.
"Neither have I. That's why I need your help." I replied. "Here, look at the notebook." I slid it over to him from the other side of the counter. He flipped through it, trying to find a page about food. I waited. He continued to flip. "Sometime today would be nice." I teased him.
"All right. I found it." He said, putting his finger on the page, reading the information.
"Well, what does it say?" I asked impatiently even though I didn't want it to sound that way.
