Daddy For Hire. Joey Light

him sternly in his own chair. Ben continued to send stormy glances Nick’s way.

      Abby studied the two tough, wiry little boys. Both light haired and dark eyed like their father. Nick had Jim’s stubborn chin. Ben had his wide forehead and nose. They both showed his heart and soul, which at times had been beautiful. She silently prayed neither had inherited his weakness for lying and cheating.

      Nick spoke from behind his milk mustache. “He’s cool, Mom. He’s big. I bet he can wrestle a real long time without getting tired.”

      Ben continued to eat and play with his food. “I don’t like him.”

      Nick rolled on, ignoring his little brother’s statement. “And he said he likes car racing, too, just like me.”

      Abby busied herself cleaning the kitchen and half listening to Nick’s continuous monologue while she fell deeply in thought.

      “Yep, and he likes Batman and camping, too.”

      “I don’t like him.” Ben raised his voice.

      “It’s okay, Ben, you don’t have to like him.” Abby made the statement short and simple.

      She hadn’t seen such interest, such excitement, shining in Nick’s eyes in a long, long time. This Jack Murdock was either the best con artist she had ever seen or a godsend. Whichever, something seemed to be working.

      Abigail fussed at the kitchen counter and pretended to be busy. “He seems to be very nice.”

      Nick’s keen mind reduced it to its lowest common denominator. “Is he gonna come live with us or not?”

      Chuckling, Abby capped the jelly and used the dishcloth to clean the purple stickiness from the side of the jar. Come live with us? “Maybe…but I don’t know yet.”

      Nick’s voice took on the tone of the older, know-it-all brother and son. “Mom, let’s just do it. Let’s do what Dad used to say. Just close your eyes and make up your mind. Jump in with both feet. Ben, you’ll like him after a while.”

      The words stung, hummed like a wasp sinking a venom-filled stinger. How easily Nick had repeated Jim’s lines word for word. How very, very much he sounded exactly like his father. How quickly the ghostly image of him appeared, standing there in the kitchen with them, that wonderful, unforgettable grin on his face. The love for his family shining in his eyes. She wondered if that love shone from his eyes when he was with…Her heart broke. Again.

      For a long moment, Abby stood there, keeping her back to her family while she absorbed the blow from the good memory and the bleak realization of reality. Jim’s silhouette shimmered slowly from her mind.

      She picked up her own sandwich and took a seat at the table with the boys. “The movie starts at five, and you guys have to clean your rooms before we go.”

      Ben pouted. “I don’t like him. I don’t want him here.”

      Nick, as always, took the lead. “Be quiet, Benny. You’re too young to know what’s good for you anyway.” Then, to his mother, he added seriously, “Mom, we need him.”

      Ben slid down from his chair and pushed it hard under the table. “No, we don’t.”

      “Oh yes, we do, Benny.”

      “No. No. No.” Ben stood straight and tall like a little tin soldier. “I don’t want him here.”

      “Ben.” It took all her strength not to run to the little kid and scoop him up in her arms. “You don’t even know Mr. Murdock. You remember when you first started wearing your in-line skates? You hated them because you kept falling and skinning your knees and elbows. After a while, you loved them because you’d gotten used to them and didn’t fall much anymore. Sometimes that’s the way it is with people. At first you don’t like them, but after they’ve been around a little bit, you do.”