“You want to go see Uncle Cael?” Alex asked her as they set the food and drinks on a small, round coffee table.
Zach grabbed the edge of the table and slid it as quietly as possible toward them while Cael went to Taylor. Zach sat and started pulling out foil-wrapped sandwiches.
“Hi, Tay-tay.” Cael set the diaper bag on the floor and lifted Taylor from her grandpa’s lap. “Why don’t you come sit with me so Lito can eat?”
Cael dropped into the chair next to Zach and set Taylor on his thigh so she faced toward the table, but Taylor immediately shifted sideways and curled against his chest. Taylor had always had a special bond with Cael. No one really knew why. It was just there.
Zach sorted the drinks. Iced tea for his mom. Coke for the rest of them.
“Alex, will you hand me the diaper bag right next to you there?” Cael said.
Zach’s dad slid it over to him. Cael reached down with one hand, digging around inside the bag, then pulled out a yellow container of Taylor’s favorite fruit slash veggie puffs. The moment Taylor saw it, she lifted her head, hesitated a moment, then pulled her binky out.
“I thought you might like these,” Cael chuckled, trying to pop the lid off while not letting her fall.
“Here,” Zach said, grabbing the container from him. “You don’t happen to have a bowl in that bag, do you?”
“Yeah, actually,” Cael said, pushing the bag toward Zach with his foot. “It’s in there somewhere.”
Zach fished around inside the bag, finding diapers, wipes, extra clothes, another binky, more puffs, a bottle of water. Nope, make that two. Sippy cup. Stuffed toy. Aha. Bowl container thing.
“Wow, Manning, you weren’t kidding when you said you picked up a few extra things. Is there anything you didn’t get?” Zach asked, filling the snack bowl with puffs.
Cael shrugged as Zach screwed the plastic lid on the bowl and popped open the small, flip-top portion of the lid. He took it from Zach and held it in his palm so Taylor could start eating.
“Better eat while they’re still hot,” Cael said, gesturing with a tip of his chin toward the sandwiches on the table.
Zach reached for one. “What about you?”
“I scarfed one down on the way over, so I’m good.”
After partially unwrapping his sandwich, Zach wasted no time sinking his teeth into the warm, plain roast beef and bun. His stomach rumbled, as if to say it’s about damn time. Cael occupied Taylor while Zach practically inhaled one sandwich in record time. Zach took a long drink of soda and glanced down at the bag between their feet, remembering something.
“So, pink?” Zach smirked.
“What? It’s her favorite color.”
“Mmm-hmm.” Zach’s grin widened a bit more.
“What?”
Zach leaned in close so he could whisper without anyone else hearing. “Oh nothing. Just that you looked so adorable carrying a pink diaper bag,” he snorted quietly.
Cael snickered and turned to whisper in his ear. “Whatever,Pook.”
Zach knew he meant it to rile him up after the whole adorable comment, and usually Zach would pretend that it did, but this time, he didn’t, because, after the day he’d had so far, it just meant too much to him. Sitting back, Zach brushed the thought aside quickly and glanced at his watch.
“Anyway, it’s four o’clock. We should probably take Taylor home so she can get her nap.”
“Whenever you’re ready,” Cael said. “I already installed her new car seat in my truck. I’ll just move it to your car when we get back to your house.”
“You boys heading out?” Alex asked before taking another bite of his second sandwich.
Zach straightened in his chair, adjusting the cap on his head. “For now, yeah. Unless you need me to stay.”
“I can take Taylor home for a nap if you need Zach to stay,” Cael offered.
“No, no, sweetie,” Amy said. “The three of you go. We’ll be fine. They only let two of us at a time in Abbey’s room anyway. There’s no point in you sitting out here by yourself.”
