Isla smiled at her friend and then took the crackers and juice to Theo, who was talking Julian’s ear off about thePaw Patrolcharacters and their various roles in the story.
“Mawshall is the fire dog.He keeps everyone safe.”
“That’s an important job.”
“He’s a Dal… a… Mommy, what is he again?”
“A Dalmatian.”
“I can never remember that,” he said with a grin for Julian.
“They made a movie about Dalmatians,” Julian said.
Isla shook her head.“Too scary.”
“That movie wasn’t good at all,” Julian said.
“I wanna see it!”
“Sorry,” Julian said with a grimace.
Isla laughed.“Hopefully, he’ll forget about it.”
“No, I won’t.”Theo pointed to Julian’s burgundy silk tie.“Why do you have to wear that?”
“That’s a very good question, sir.”
“Does it squeeze your neck?”
“Every day.”
“Why don’t you take it off?”
“I think I will.”
Isla and Theo watched, fascinated for different reasons, as Julian slid the tie free and released the first two buttons of his gray dress shirt.
Then he hooked the tie around Theo’s neck.“Want me to show you how to make the knot?”
Theo nodded eagerly.
“Come sit on my lap.”When Theo was seated facing away from Julian, he reached around him to show him the moves to make the knot.
“That looks hard.”
“You get so you can do it in your sleep.”
“You can’t do anything in your sleep but sleep!”
Julian laughed.
“Three-year-olds are very literal,” Isla said.
“So I’m discovering.”
Mrs.V came into the room, carrying Mila.“Miss Priss is up and asking for Mommy.”
Isla held out her arms to the little girl.“Here I am, sweet pea.”
