Favors

“What kind of favor?” I asked him. “Are you asking for a kidney or just a donation for some fundraiser?” I chuckled at my own joke but Josh didn’t.

“Anna, please. I’m serious.” He paused, “What time do you get off work?”

“At 4, what did you need me to do Josh?”

“Well, you remember that I told you I had a game after school? And then I had to supervise the dance tonight?”

I nodded, “Yes. I believe I asked if I could be your date.” I had also asked him if we could make out behind the school like the cool kids do when they are bored with the dance.

Josh laughed at that, “Yes you did and trust me, if I wasn’t supervising teenagers, I’d take you up on that!”

“I could meet you out back between the game and the dance?”

“Honey,” Josh sighed. He didn’t have to say anything else; I knew he had this thing about mixing his personal life with work.

I’m not allowed at his work, or at least I can’t tease him at work. “So what do you need me to do? Come cheer you on? Bring you a change of clothes? Tell you I love you and what I would do to you if you were here right now?”

“Anna,” Josh chuckled nervously. I could picture him looking around to see if anyone was nearby. “That’s not it at all, although I don’t mind if you tell me you love me.”

“Well good, because I do.”

“Good.” Josh was starting to sound a little happier than when he first called.

“So handsome what is this big favor you need to ask of me?”

He hesitated, “I probably shouldn’t ask you. I didn’t even check to see if anyone else in my family could do it, maybe I should do that right. I hate to bother you.”

“Josh,” I groaned. “Tell me what you needed.”

“Well, you see. Carol called me a little while ago to tell me that she was dropping Jesse off today, around 3:30.”

“Oh,” I was a little surprised that she would drop him off early again, plus, “Does that mean that you don’t want me to come over tonight?”

“No, not at all. I miss you, I want to see you. I just,” he sighed. “I asked mom and dad to wait for Carol to arrive but they have this dinner thing that they have tickets to and they want to be out of town by 4. I was hoping that you could…” his voice trailed off.

“Watch Jesse for you tonight?” I finished for him.

“Yes, I understand if you don’t want too. It’s a big thing to ask, it’s just that he has been asking about you when I talk to him and I thought that maybe you wouldn’t mind.” His last words were almost mumbled. “But if you have other plans it’s cool, I could call Tim or Matt or someone, I guess.”

I almost laughed at him; I wasn’t used to him rambling on like that. He sounded so unsure if he should be asking, and it was kind of cute. “Josh, I’ll gladly spend the night with Jesse. I just don’t get off work until 4, and it’s pretty busy today, so I can’t really leave early.”

Josh was quiet for a moment, “Well maybe mom and dad can drop him off there on their way out of town; they have to pass by there anyway.”

I told him that would be great and he told me he’d call his mom to see if they could do it. “I’ll call you back if they can’t, ok?”

We hung up and I returned to work with my cell phone in hand and a huge grin on my face. He trusts me to watch his son! I almost jumped for joy. Even though he let me take Jesse to my brother’s before, this seemed like a bigger deal.

Josh didn’t call me back so when it got closer to 4 and Jesse wasn’t there, I started to worry.

I was in the middle of talking to a regular customer when I heard little feet running. Trying not to ignore the customer I was talking to, I glanced at the main aisle just in time to see Jesse run pass with Mister Bear in his arms.

“What was that?” The customer asked me as we heard the running stop and Jesse giggling.

“I –”

Jesse appeared from around the clothing rack, his eyes were wide and his smile was huge. “AMA!” He threw his hands up in the air and ran towards me, jumping when he got close enough. After I picked him up and had him settled in my arms, he said, “Hi Ama! I find you!”

The customer and I both laughed, “Yes you did find me Jess.”

“Jesse where are you?” I heard Josh’s father calling out moments before I saw him round the corner.

“I with Ama Papa!”

Frank walked over to us, “Yes it looks like you found her.” He turned to me, “I went to ask the ladies at the front where you were and Jesse here said he knew where you were and then he took off running.”

I gasped, “Jesse!” He bowed his head when I looked at him. “Did you run away from Papa?”

He nodded, “I sorry Ama.”

“I think you should tell Papa you are sorry.”

Jesse turned towards Frank, “I sorry Papa.” He reached out his arms and Frank picked him up.

“You be a good boy for Anna,” he kissed his cheek and handed Jesse back to me. “I have Helen out waiting in the car, we have a date!” He winked at me before turning to walk away. “You two have fun tonight and tell Joshua I’ll call him tomorrow.”

Once Frank was gone, I looked down at Jesse. “I have to clock out, get my stuff and then I need to pick up some stuff. What do you say to that?”

Jesse stared at me for a moment, “We go see daddy?”

“Yes, after we shop. Daddy has a game today; do you want to go watch the game?”

“Uh huh,” he nodded. “I see daddy.”

We went into the back to grab my jacket, Jesse was telling me about his daddy’s game. “…and daddy makes a,” he tried to imitate a whistle but it sounded more like a ‘hoot’.

After grabbing the empty cart that I had in infants with me, Jesse and I set out to pick up the items on my list, which he insisted on holding onto. He also asked me for something to write with, “Daddy let me draw,” he told me.

Once I had everything I knew that was on my list, I told him we were going and he told me there was something else on my list. “What? Let me see that!” He leaned forward and showed me the paper, we had everything on it. “I think we have it all,” I told him.

“No Ama, here.” Jesse pointed to the bottom of the sheet where he scribbled something with the pencil I let him have.

“What does that say?” I asked him.

“Tell you, ‘Jesse need toy!’” He laughed.

I shook my head, “Jesse needs a toy? Let me see that!” I took the paper from him, “No you were looking at it wrong it says ‘Jesse needs kisses!’”

Jesse’s brow shot up and he reached for the paper. “I see!” I showed him and he laughed again, “Kisses!” He reached out his hands to me.

I leaned down and kissed both of his cheeks. “Now can we go?”

Jesse wasn’t looking at me though, “Look Ama! Baby!”

I turned to see who he was looking at and I froze.

“Hey Anna,” Hank said softly.