Loving Miss Libby (7 page)

“Working too hard,” she finished for him.  “And I
think she’s probably right.”

He chuckled, but she heard him gasp, as if the
effort was painful.  “I know.  I know.  You agree with her,” he said.  “Anyway,
the thing is, I’ll be out for three weeks, and Doctor Lakey was already
scheduled off for three weeks…”

“For his cruise,” she mused, realizing what their
absences meant—a diminished workload for her. 

“Off hand, Libby, I don’t recall how much vacation
time you still have…”

“I don’t,” she told him.  “Remember, I took two
weeks off to care for my mom when she had her knee replacement surgery earlier in
the year.”

“Oh, that’s right,” he said worriedly.  “Libby, I’m
really sorry, but we just won’t have enough work to keep you busy full time for
the next few weeks.”  He suddenly groaned, as if in severe pain.  “Dr. Darcey
will still have work for you, but…”  He groaned again.

“Don’t worry about anything,” she said hurriedly. 
“Please.  Just concentrate on getting well.  Will you have Mrs. Mason call me
to tell me how you’re doing?”

“I will.  Thank you, Libby.”

“Take care.  And I promise I’ll keep you in my
prayers.”

“Thank you again.”

After signing off, Libby stared at the phone in her
hands.   The implications of a reduced workload came crashing down on her. 
Three weeks without full-time work was going to put a real strain on her
budget.  What was she going to do?  She hated to dip into her savings.

Should she file for unemployment?  But then she’d
have a one-week waiting period, before she’d be entitled to partial benefits. 
She gave a dismissive wave.  She would have to see how much work waited for her
at the office before she made that particular decision.  Maybe Doctor Darcey
would have a busy few weeks and manage to keep her busy.  Oh, she sure hoped
so.

Forcing herself to look on the bright side of
things, she returned to her yard and began weeding again.  She stayed busy
until lunchtime and then finally rose and shed her gloves.  She dusted dirt off
of the knees of her jeans, and walked wearily inside. 

She washed her hands, and after assembling a
sandwich and cutting into a cantaloupe she found in her fridge, she sat down at
the dinette table in her kitchen and considered her options.  There weren’t
many.  If she had to dip into her savings, then so be it.  Having decided that,
she started upstairs to take a shower.

She’d just topped the first step when her doorbell
rang.  She hurried to answer it.  Marky stood at the front door, holding a
bouquet of wild flowers in his hands, and beaming from ear to ear.

“Well, hello, Marky,” she said, smiling.  “What can
I do for you, honey?”

He thrust the flowers at her.  “Daddy wanted me to
give you these,” he said.

Her eyes widened in surprise.  “Oh, well, thank
you,” she said, smiling as she took them from him.  “Will you … thank him for
me?”

“Sure.”  He spun on his heel and ran home.

Libby closed the door behind him and stared at the
varied assortment of flowers in the bouquet.  They were very pretty.  Was that
a dandelion in the mix?  She gave a slight smile.  It must have gotten caught
up in the flowers when Dan was picking them.

She felt her heart swell.  It was a sweet gesture. 
She hadn’t received flowers from a man in a long time.  And there was something
about knowing that he’d picked them himself, rather than turned to store
bought, that warmed her.

Of course, the gesture was anything but romantic,
and likely more a thank you for taking care of his children the day before, but
it still lifted her spirits.

She walked into her kitchen and put the flowers into
a vase.  From there, she headed up the stairs again, so she could take that
shower she desperately needed.  Once done, and hair dried, she returned to her
kitchen.  Her eyes lit on the flowers, and she couldn’t help smiling. 

Crossing the distance to the kitchen sink, she
spotted Marky in her backyard.  She shook her head and chuckled.  He’d probably
sent another ball sailing over her fence.

She walked outside and sure enough, found him
searching her yard.  “What’d you lose, honey?” she asked him.

“I accidentally threw my rubber bouncy ball over
here,” he said with a frown.  “I’m sorry, Miss Libby.”

“That’s okay.  Here, I’ll help you look for it.” 
Together, they searched the backyard, to no avail.  “Honey, I think it might be
good and lost,” Libby observed.

“But I have to find it.  Grandpa gave it to me. 
It’s my favorite.”

“Okay, well, we’ll keep looking.”

After several more moments of searching, the ball
was still missing.  Libby gave a shrug.  “Marky, we just don’t seem to be
having any luck finding it.”

He nodded his head, but she could see his lower lip
beginning to tremble.  “It’s special to me, Miss Libby…”

She pulled him into a hug.  “Marky, try not to
worry.  I’m sure it will turn up.”

“I don’t know…,” a voice said from nearby.

“Well, hello, Kate,” Libby said.

The little girl had accessed the gate and was
standing in Libby’s yard.  “Marky threw the ball really hard, so it may have
gone into the yard beside yours, Miss Libby.”

“Oh!” she said, surprised.

“Yeah, Marky was pitching a fit, so he pitched his
ball.”

“Oh!” Libby said, and looked down into the little
boy’s now upturned face.  “Is everything all right, Marky?”

He dropped his head and began to cry.  “Kate said
Grandma and Grandpa can’t watch us for awhile because I made Grandpa stressed
out.  She said I’m loud and ram…”  He furrowed his brow.  “Ram—?  Oh, I don’t
know.  Something to do with rams…” 

“Rambunctious,” Kate said smugly.  “And you’ve worn
Grandpa out.”

“I didn’t mean to!” he wailed, and threw his arms
around Libby’s waist.  He buried his face in her side.  “I didn’t mean to wear
Grandpa out.  I really didn’t.”

“Honey, I’m sure you didn’t wear your grandpa out,”
she soothed.  “I’m sure…”

Suddenly, Dan appeared, his handsome face propped up
on the fence by his muscular arms.  “Son,” he said calmly, “you didn’t wear
Grandpa out.  I did.”

Marky wiped his runny nose against Libby’s side,
prompting her to give him a chagrined glance.  She met Dan’s gaze, as his eyes
widened and he winced.  “Sorry,” he mouthed.

She gave a dismissive shake of her head, and rubbed
Marky’s back.  He glanced up at her, and then turned to his father.  “You wore
Grandpa out, Daddy?” he sniffled.

“Yeepppppp,” he answered, drawing out the word.

“You mean, when you were little?”

“Nope.  Well, probably then too.”  He gave a
distracted wave.  “Hey, where’s your ball?” he asked, attempting to change the
subject.  Fortunately, the ploy worked with the five-year-old.

“I don’t know.  It went really far.  Should I keep
looking for it?”

“Absolutely.  Kate, help your brother.”

Kate made a frustrated sound, but followed after
him.  Libby walked to the fence.  She was about the thank Dan for the flowers,
but he spoke first.  “Sorry about the ball…  And sorry about Marky rubbing his
face all over your side…”

She laughed.  “Not a problem.”

He watched her face, a soft smile creasing his own. 
“You don’t rattle easily, do you?”

“What do you mean?”

He cocked his head, studying her.  “The neighbors on
the other side of me…”

“Yes?” she prompted.

“Moved.  As did the couple before them, and the
family before them.  I’m starting to get a complex.”

“I’m sure their departures had nothing to do with
you and your adorable children.”

He nodded his head briskly.  “Oh, yes they did. 
They told me so.  Each and every one.”  He sighed.  “I try to watch them, but
Marky especially is crafty.  I turn my back for a split second and poof!  He’s
gone.”  He gave a short laugh.  “One time, I was making breakfast.  Marky was
at the table, and I stepped into the pantry to grab something.  I stepped out,
and lo and behold, he was gone.”

Libby’s eyes widened.  “Where was he?”

“Watching cartoons with the neighbor kids.”  He
shook his head, as if remembering a disturbing memory.  “He was two,” he added
crisply.  “I’m surprised someone didn’t call Child Protective Services.”

“You’re being too hard on yourself,” she said, and
gave his arm a shoring squeeze.

He looked down at her hand, and then up, meeting her
gaze.  A silent communication passed between them—charged with an electrical
current that caused her to drop her hand.  He watched her face briefly and then
cleared his throat.

“Anyway…  Thankfully, my folks have always been my
biggest supporters, always willing to lend a hand.”

“I know they adore their grandchildren.”

“Oh, they do.  But my father’s doctor has issued him
an ultimatum—take a vacation or else.  Dad officially retired a couple years
ago, but continues to work part time.  When he’s home, he helps with the kids. 
I guess since he’s getting older, it’s getting to be too much for him and Mom.”

“Did they tell you that?” she asked.

“Well, not in so many words, but I know I’m wearing
them out.  I get called out in the middle of the night and I promptly call
them.  It happens all the time.  It’s too much to ask of them any longer.”

“Did they tell you they can’t do childcare for you
anymore?”

“No.  They told me they need three weeks off, per
doctor’s orders, and that after that, they’ll resume as normal.”  He shook his
head.  “I can’t let them.  They raised their kids.  I can’t expect them to
raise mine.”

“They know there are extenuating circumstances,” she
assured him.  “They know you’re in a tough spot.”

“They do, but it’s time I got myself out of this
tough spot.”

“Can you leave the traffic unit early?” she asked.

He shook his head.  “No, but I’m nearing the end of
my time in the unit.  If I can just get through the next couple months, I
should be able to secure a strictly day position, which should allow me to
secure child care more easily.”

“What are you going to do in the meantime?”

“I’d already checked into several local daycare
facilities a few weeks back when Mom and Dad couldn’t watch the kids due to a scheduling
issue.  I guess I knew this day was coming.  Anyway, since it’s summer, the
kids have been waitlisted at two, and I was given a firm ‘no’ at another.  I’ll
make more calls.  I was hoping to get them into a facility close to home, but
there just aren’t any openings.”  He expelled a long breath.  “I’ve been
fortunate with my parents helping me out.  They won’t accept compensation from
me.  I try to reimburse them in other ways, by helping out with their yard work
and other things.  I was shocked to find out how much childcare costs.  It’s a
small fortune,” he murmured.  “How do people afford to put more than one kid
into daycare?”

She shook her head.  Since she didn’t have children,
it wasn’t a subject she knew much about.  “Have you thought about hiring a
teenager to come in and watch the children at your house?”

He nodded.  “I have.  I spoke to a young girl today
who was recommended to me by a friend.  She just graduated from high school. 
She’s willing to watch the kids for two hundred-fifty dollars a week. 
Unfortunately, I’m her second choice as far as a job offer, and if her first
option pans out, I’m out of luck.”

Libby gave him a speculative glance.  “Will she
watch the kids during the off hours, when you’re called out?”

He nodded.  “Yes.”  His eyes widened and he blew out
a low whistle.  “Of course, I’ll have to mortgage the house to pay her.”  He
laughed.  “She gave me a sheet of paper, listing her fees for particular days
and times…”  He ran a hand through his hair.  “Ah, well, I have to say,
watching kids is a tough job.  I’d pay any price to assure my kids are safe.”

As if on cue, they children came running toward
them.  “I found my bouncy ball!” Marky cried.

“
I
found it,” Kate said drolly.

“We’ll just be glad it’s been found,” Dan said neutrally. 
“Come on, gang.  Let’s get out of Miss Libby’s hair.  I’m sure she has things
to do.”  He gestured for the kids to exit through the gate, and pulled back
from the fence.  He gave a salute, and turned to walk away.

Libby moved closer to the fence and watched him walk
away.  A thought popped into her head.  Should she call him back?  Should she
offer to do daycare for him, until his parents were able to take over, or he
made other arrangements?  With her expected reduced workload, she knew she could
use the money.

“Uh, Dan,” she called.

He turned back, his eyes questioning.

“Hey, uh, can I talk to you..?”

“Sure.”  The kids had arrived in their own backyard,
and Dan shooed them into the house.  “Go wash your hands, and we’ll decide what
we’re going to do with the rest of our day,” he said.