Missy received a copy of the first edit of her latest movie by messenger service. She and Toby watched as Travis played his game. It was a wild and crazy movie and Toby barely recognized Missy. The way they had her dressed and her hair styled was shocking. Five minutes into the performance Toby pointed at the screen and asked, "Is that you?"
"Yeah, that is why I took the job. No boob shots just my smarts," Toby watched but the violence was difficult for him. Watching Missy being beaten was difficult for him. Doing a lot of shifting in his seat he welcomed Travis when he came demanding to be picked up, stuck his thumb in his mouth, and was out within seconds. He was glad he only sucked his thumb when he was really tired and not for long.
She will watch it again and make notes. Some scenes are a little too long in her opinion. Missy had to point out the Marines to Toby too. She knew how they made them up and they had seen her; they just didn't realize it was her. She hoped the public could tell it was her at some point.
"They may have to film a casual scene like something at home, get me out of my business suit, so people can tell it is me," she told Toby as the film ended.
"It was good, exciting, and scary we will watch it later to look for problems," Toby offered and looped his arm around her neck and kissed the top of her head glad she hadn't been beaten up. Not wanting to walk out of his hold she walked along with him as they went to the stairs. She knows he is reacting to the violence in the movie endearing him to her. She knows he had a crap childhood.
Toby was rethinking touching her; he shouldn't do anything to encourage her. He was trying to treat her like he did Alli and Liz, but Missy took any encouragement as affection. He did realize she had to be feeling very lonely. She couldn't depend on her family at all, just like he couldn't. He wondered how she coped with the pretend beating for filming. She seemed fine. He has heard some women, and men have problems even with pretend violence. That they have to get help later to cope.
*
Three days later he has an appointment for the following Tuesday at the School District headquarters, and they will see his big guy then. Meanwhile, Travis finished the program, and this time Toby paid with his credit card for a new one.
*
He found a guy to help with his money. Now that Travis is kept busy, he has a chance to think. He thought about Juliet, but she didn't seem to like her job. That was the first thing he asked this guy when they met, "Do you like dealing with other people's money." Toby asked this man whose name is Chuck Malone, and he claims he gets a kick out of making other people money and loves his job. He went to college to do this job. He worked for a short time at the New York Stock Exchange he said leaning close to Toby he said. "Those people are crazy, so I came back to the sane world here in Dallas."
The man had no idea who Toby was, so he explained as Travis wiggled on his lap. Leila will babysit, but at night or weekends only and Chuck works during the weekdays, so he had to take him with him. He will be his estate planner and keep his money safe under the watchful eye of his boss and the US government.
Toby met with his boss when the extent of his income came to light. Chuck was excited to have so much to work with. He was explaining all kinds of ways Toby could make more money with stocks, bonds, and business interest. He put him off for right now and told him he was working on an idea.
As he left the building with all the paperwork that he plans to build a life with for his son and him. Juliet came around a corner and almost ran into him, Chuck, and the big boss of the place right beside him. They planned to walk him out, praising him all the way. They promise to go watch his movie this weekend. Travis is trying to tell him he is hungry as the men are schmoozing him. Juliet was standing in front of him, shocked to see him there.
"Hey Toby, I saw your movie this weekend," she said quickly and she seemed very embarrassed to see him at her job.
They all stopped walking as he asked, "Did you like it?"
"I did, very good acting, I was proud I knew you," she told him.
"Thanks, you're sorry now you walked away aren't you?" Toby asked as Travis reached out to her hand as she tried to touch his hair. Everyone wants to run their fingers through his hair, Toby noted.
"Yeah, call me chicken," she said and kept walking.
Both men looked at her walking away and back to Toby.
Toby flipped his hand and said, "I wanted to date her, and she was too chicken to take me on. Her loss," he said and left the building. He was sure she was going to be asked a lot of questions and what is wrong with you will be asked.
He was so over her; she hadn't even kicked up his heart rate at all. "So over her," Toby said in a sassy tone trying to sound like Alli.
*
He was thinking he could take on Missy for a few weeks because he missed the sex-on-request thing that Amy had going on. He didn't think he overwhelmed her. She was the one, who put Travis down and would come find him, so no, that was not it. He was trying hard to not obsess about her, but she had been close to perfect for him. Get over it, echoed in his brain. She is gone for good.
Toby and Travis were walking to the dining room to eat lunch. His phone rang, and he saw it was Mike. As of late he hasn't been calling, all the contracts are signed for the next movie and Toby is set to start rehearsal in April.
"Yeah, what is up?"
"A man who claims to be your father is coming on channel 8 talking about you," Mike warned him.
"He what, right now?" Toby exclaimed loudly. Snatching Travis up he ran up the stairs to the theater room and turned on the TV.
"What channel," he asked. Missy came up right behind him worried. She knew something was wrong. Apparently, Travis knew it too, he sat perfectly still in the chair his daddy dropped him in, as he worked on getting the channel.
He caught the tail end of a local news show and they had been talking to his father. If it was him, he looked like an old drunk.
"Oh, good Lord Mike, what did he say?"
"Not much, just how proud he was of you. Just get on your computer and watch it later tonight. They will have a clip later."
"Yeah, yes, good idea. That son of a bitch is proud of me, isn't that nice," Toby said Missy could tell he was furious.
"I'm sorry to upset you. I thought you would want to know."
"No, thanks, call me anytime he acts a fool. I haven't seen that man in seventeen years. Yes, he is real proud of me." He hung up quickly.
"My father was on some local talk show saying how proud he was of me looking like a drunk," Toby told Missy, picking Travis back up as they went down for dinner. He realized how nice it was to have her here to talk to. Again, he hugged her shoulders and kissed the top of her head.
"Don't families suck? The better you do the worse they behave," she complained.
"I was wondering if he was alive, and then how long it would take him to come out of the woodwork, like the cockroach he is."
"Well, he crawled out yesterday, I guess." She figures it would take them that long to get it on TV.
"Yeah Mike said to watch it online later today," Toby said as he placed Travis in the highchair. "Son of a bitch. I hoped he enjoyed his fifteen seconds of fame. I'm sure not giving him any more of my time."
"Hopefully, he goes away, but you have money, and they all want it. You will hear from every relative you have before long," Missy warned.
"Nah, they have no way of finding me except for my cell phone. That is the only thing in my name and my driver's license is still two addresses ago. So good luck because I'm not answering any unknown numbers."
"Smart, I wish I had thought of that. Mine can't find me here. They think I'm in Georgia still working on that movie, and I never answer their calls. They have to leave inspired messages to get me to call back."
"That reminds me we need to watch your movie again."
"I already did and emailed my thoughts to Bruno. I don't sleep well so I have watched it a few times. In all it is not bad, it just runs a little long in spots. I will go and shoot the at-home scene we talked about in a few weeks. They agreed it would help people recognize me. I hadn't realized how much my hair makes me who I am."
"Yeah, you see that mass of blond hair and you know it is you," Toby told her.
lunch was served and they sat eating for a while when Missy asked, "Why is it you don't find me attractive?"
Catching Toby completely off guard he choked a little and said, "I think you're beautiful. I just think of you as a friend or a sister like Alli and Liz. Someone I love and care for not someone to have sex with. I'm sorry if that upsets you," he said, sounding a little offended.
"No. I feel the same, it just makes me feel unwanted. Most men came on to me and you and Rob didn't, and I was feeling unattractive is all."
"No, you're beautiful, just not my type. Yes, I had sex with Amy, but she was a mistake and I have learned from that one too. I have thought long and hard about taking you up on your offer, but you're too important to me to screw up our friendship for a quick dip," he said trying to sound crude, so he'd offend her. He hoped something would make her back off.
"Even if I swear it will change nothing between us. I will still be your friend and we can enjoy some benefits," she asked. "I really want to know how you feel. I want to feel all you can do. I got a taste during the movie and want more," she offered.
"And what happens when you don't want to let go?" Toby asked using his seductive voice.
"See you don't play fair. I know I must leave and so do you, so it will be over soon anyway. Why not play while we have the chance? If you can stand Amy's body, surely you can cope with mine."
"You do realize how crazy this conversation is."
"Why are we both consenting adults that live in the same house," Missy said, getting frustrated with the man. Never in her life has, she had to talk someone into making love to her. Not that there had been that many. Three over the years to his fifty, she assumes, what is his problem?
"Fine, come to my room tonight after ten very clean. I like to feast on clean bodies." He figures, why not, he doesn't have anything else to do.
"Ok I'll be there, but I like my men clean too," she said bright red. He was not sure if it was embarrassment or excitement.
He looked over at Travis who was watching them both eating quietly. Toby wonders just how much he does understand. He hopes he goes down tonight fast.
So tonight, he gets to crawl all over Missy Collins, the sexiest woman alive according to People magazine a year ago. And apparently, that is what she wants, a good old fashion devouring. That is something he is good at, making women hump the sky. At least he can say you asked for it when she can't walk tomorrow. Bobbie came out to collect the dishes and he hoped she didn't overhear that conversation. He was such a man whore. What was it with these women wanting his body except the ones he wanted?
Cleaning Travis up Toby didn't say another word to Missy, he set down the gauntlet. They went into the workout room. He needed to work off lunch and some frustration. He again was going back on a decision he made, he needed to find a backbone. But as usual, his other head was directing him. At least they knew each other well. She can find him if they slip up. He wondered what a little girl with their mixture would look like. He remembered that baby at the Theater Store who was only days older than Travis. That was a beautiful baby girl. He couldn't believe he was thinking about having more babies. He misses Travis being small and so eager to be held.
*
Travis knew what to do when Toby lay down. He would climb on his back and after he would hang Travis from the bar and help him do a few pull-ups. Each time they did them he could feel Travis using his muscles pulling up and getting stronger. He was strong but not quite strong enough to pull himself up, so he helped him. Grinning like a Cheshire Cat when they finished, he would walk out of the room swiping his hands suggesting he was finished with that exercise.
Scooping him up, hugging and kissing Travis, making him giggle they headed for his room and some quiet time. Travis would play his new game. He finished the other game yesterday. He went through the whole thing. In the end, it made you go over everything you learned. He got eighty-eight percent right on the first try and Toby watched him study what he did wrong and then go on to the next question. That was when he bought him a new one a little more advanced. He was working on that one now. So, Toby picked up his computer. He wanted to see if his father was spouting his crap anywhere else online so they both had electronics in front of their faces.
*
Typing his name into the computer and adding 'father'. Every fricken tabloid has noticed him. His father was so proud, and they showed a picture of a broken drunk. Where had they found him to take his picture? Apparently, someone chased down his family tree and looked him up. Toby did the same and found Franklin James McBride.
Maybe that is why he didn't like Frank, Louise's son. He had the same name as his father. Nah he was a self-centered jerk. His father lives in Denton Texas now. He found an article about him being in an auto accident. So, he is a disabled police officer involved in an auto accident six years earlier. He was married with two children. That shocked him he had siblings. What worried him was how they were doing with a mean drunk for a father. He wasn't a drunk when he treated him like he did.
He could only imagine how bad he is now. Following the directions to links that article Toby bought into the Family Tree program. Typing in his name the information poured out. The oldest was a girl seventeen. Toby sat staring at the birth date of this girl. She was born before his mother died. The anniversary of her death was a few months ago. The next was a fifteen-year-old boy. Toby wondered what hell he lived with.
He hoped his father matured some and hadn't treated these kids as he did him. He got on the white pages and found his address in Denton and Google the address to see the house. It looked like a closed-up fortress in a crap neighborhood, so no one knows what he is doing to them.
Toby's heart was racing at the thought of what could be happening. He needed to print off a map of the place now he must decide if he wants to get involved. He knew he would have loved to have someone step in and help his mother and him. The thought of that pig having sex with someone turned his stomach, literally, he ran to the toilet and lost his lunch. Travis came in and hugged his shoulder looking so concerned. "You Ok?" he asked, holding him.
"Yeah baby, I'm just sad," Toby told him, scooting away from the toilet and pulling him onto his lap he hugged him vowing to never allow his father near him. He realizes this kid understands more than he thought he did, and he needs to be careful what he says around him. No more sexy talks with anyone when he is around.
A knock on his open door caught his attention. "Yeah come in," he said, figuring it was Bobby to tell him dinner was ready. He had been smelling something wonderful the last hour. Travis took off running to see who was there. "Sissy Daddy sad," Travis said and pulled her toward the bathroom before Toby could stand.
"Oh, sweetie what is wrong," Missy asked, rushing to him he flush the remains of his lunch and tried to stand. Missy thought Oh great he is sick there goes my night.
"I have been looking for my father and found him in Denton. He has two more kids. That made me sick thinking what they are going through."
"Oh lord, I can see why. From what I heard he is a jerk," Missy told him as she helped him up and out of the room. "Are you going to feel like eating dinner?"
"I'm not sure but I know Travis is hungry, come on sweetie lets go eat," Travis took off as Toby and Missy followed. "Be careful what you say around him," Toby said quietly, "that kid understands more than we think," he warned.
Bobbie had the table set but food was nowhere. Toby deduces she has to have heard them and is disgusted. As soon as he thought about it, she brought out Travis' plate and it was ready. She had cut his food into bite-size pieces, so all Toby had to do was place it on his tray. Toby called out, "Thanks, Bobbie,"
"You're welcome," she said, bringing out fresh bread.
Missy moaned. She was trying so hard to keep her weight down and she keeps making these heavy meals. No wonder Travis is so big he eats like a King at every meal. He probably drinks a gallon of milk a week.
"I'm going to be going home early tonight so just leave everything on the table and I will clean it in the morning."
Setting his fork down Toby asked, "Is everything Ok?"
"Yes, it is my husband's birthday, so we are having a small party and I need to do some cooking tonight."
"I wish you would have said something we could have gone out to eat. I'm not a slave driver Bobbie," Missy told her.
"I know I just don't want to leave you in a bind. I love this job. It gives me the opportunity to try new recipes."
"Then make a casserole and go home next time, we can take care of ourselves," Toby told her. That is what she did all the time when Missy was not here. He figures she felt comfortable that Toby would not complain if she left him with dinner but didn't serve it to him. That had been the description of the job when Alex hired her away from a crappy job where she made the same dishes every day all day with lousy pay.
*
Toby was an easygoing local, so she wasn't concerned. That boy could do nothing wrong in Bobby's eyes and Amy was a fool to cheat on him. She was disgusted with her when she heard why she was gone. Missy happily told her the drama of him seeing her kissing the other man. All the drama had gone on under her nose and she missed it all stuck in that kitchen.
"Yeah, do what he says. We aren't helpless plus we will be gone soon so you can practice and play all day. Write a cookbook and call it the Celebrities Cook-Book, people will buy that. We will write the forward" she said as she dove into the salad Bobbie made for her with crab meat and mushrooms, the two things Toby hated in salads. That was why he liked Olive Garden; they don't put that crap on their salads.
"I'll think about that. You two have a good night," she said and waved goodbye. He again wondered if she knew the plan. He hopes he can perform because she doesn't do it for him. Neither had a few others when he got right down to it, but he was able to step up and make himself proud. He loves to work for a reaction and once he gets one, he is all in.
They cleared the table and Toby started to do the dishes when Missy looked like she was lost as he loaded the closest dishwasher to the sink. Missy asked, "So what did you find out about your father?"
"Oh, he lives in Denton Texas. He has a boy and a girl; the girl was born before my mother died. He got on with his life quickly."
"Sounds like it, what is it that made you sick?" she asked, looking very concerned for him.
"I'm concerned that he treats them how he treated me. If he has, they will have problems for years,"
"You turned out Ok," Missy offered.
"Right," he said and looked over at her, "you have no idea how long it took me to believe I was not some piece of stupid dog shit and ugly on top of that. My father had me so stomped down it took me fifteen years and Louise to bring me out of the dark place he left me in."
"I'm sorry to hear that. You do now realize you're a handsome man, a very nice person, and a wonderful father. We should all be so lucky to have a father like you," Missy told him as he wiped the counters down.
"Thanks, I swore I would never be like him, but Travis does test my patience."
"He is a handful, hopefully the people at the school can offer some assistance," Missy offered.
"I hope they can suggest someone who can travel with us. It's less than two months before we have to go."
"What another young Nanny?"
"Or old would be fine with me, not every woman I'm around has sex with me, Missy. I can control myself. She is the one who came to my bed, not the other way around," Toby told her, sounding frustrated with her accusation. He could have said the same as you. But he was not trying to be rude like her.
"I didn't mean it that way," Missy whined back.
"You're wrong about me. The last two women I wanted a relationship with walked away. So, no I'm not a chick magnet," Toby told her as Travis pulled a stack of metal mixing bowls out of the cabinet making a loud noise. Travis began to cry from the shock of the clatter.
Lifting him Missy put the bowls up, following Toby from the now-clean kitchen. "So why do you think they didn't want to hang on to you," she asked, walking behind him to his room.
"Candace didn't want to stay around because she was looking for a good time for one night, not a life. She had to go start her internship to be a doctor. She got pregnant and couldn't find me and became angry according to her. Juliet who I saw today was coming out of what seemed to be a bad relationship and felt I couldn't spend enough time with her. And Amy forgot her.
"Ok, all valid reasons. Nothing about your looks or your attitude, mainly the problem is with them, so give yourself a break and keep looking,"
"That was the plan. You started this fight because I may find a new nanny who is not a disgusting cow."
"You call this a fight," Missy asked and began to laugh.
"Yes, you think my life is ruled by my dick," Toby said in a harsh whisper.
"I know it's not true. I had to talk you into using that dick," she quipped back with the same harsh whisper.
"I haven't used it yet so back off," he told her as Travis was on the other side of the room playing with the tablet with the volume up quite loud. Apparently, he wanted to drown out their silliness.
Missy walked away and called out, "I'll see you at ten. We made a deal."
*
He stripped and thought maybe he would get something out of this. It was not a one-night stand, so he is keeping to the promise somewhat. He washed, made sure his junk was clean ran his hand over his happy trail, he smiled at the battle he had to keep. They told him it would grow back but who wants to live with that? He knows it would have driven him crazy. Plus how far down had they planned to shave him? Oh hell no he'll keep his chest hair.
Everything he has needs to stay in place except the hair on his head. It does grow back quickly but would prefer it stays longer too. Getting back to this length was a pain in the butt. Travis reached up and grabbed his dangling bits and made him jump and Travis smiled. Bringing him back to the fact they were taking a shower. "Daddy up nighty-night," Travis said, raising his hands. He was past tired, the dark rings under his eyes told him.
He quickly washed him and wrapped him up. He got him to bed with a little negotiation. He didn't want one sleeper and he wanted a different blanket and his bottle warm. By the time Toby got him to bed his towel was falling off and was glad Missy was the only one here and she had seen it all already.
He tucked his towel one more time walking down the hall to his room. He had thirty minutes to relax before he was on. He brushed his teeth and shaved so he didn't hurt her skin. He tried to just think about Missy, but his father and his kids kept creeping back into his mind. He needs to know what is happening to them.
He could hire a detective to find out the truth, but he never wanted to see that man in person again. Just glimpses on TV and the computer were already too much. The memories of abuse and pain flooded back the moment he caught sight of him. His mother had been knocked to the ground so many times that he lost count. To avoid the violence, she made sure to be on the couch, passed out, when he came home. His mother was beyond feeling; his jerks and punches had no impact on her. Caring had disappeared years ago for both of them. Toby hid from his wrath, giving his father no one to vent his anger on, so eventually, he left.
They called it death by alcohol poisoning, but Toby knew she took too many blows and was in chronic pain. She used the alcohol to numb her body and mind. He would come home seeing her in that state and hit her again. It was a vicious cycle that only stopped when he left. After he left, she was addicted and drank her life away.
That is why Toby only drank a few beers at a time. He didn't even start until he was twenty-five. That was only after his workmates dogged him to drink a beer. His limit was a six-pack a week, no more than one a day during the week. Except during the holidays, he still tried to limit it to two a day. This Thanksgiving he drank two beers and two glasses of wine and could feel that he was losing control.
Thank God he was a meek and sweet drunk, willing to sit back and watch the others. Not like his father who was a mean drunk who looked to fight with anyone. He wished he knew what made his father so evil. But then again, he doesn't plan to be around him, so who cares?
*
Toby had his laptop in his lap. He has typed in 'detective in Denton' and is on a police website. "Travis sure didn't get his smarts from me," he mumbled as someone cleared her throat.
He looked up and the clock read ten o'clock on the dot. "You know how to hold up your end of a bargain."
"When it is something, I really want to do," Missy told him, giving a sexy smile, she knew how to give one of those too.
"Are you sure you can handle me?" Toby asked with his own sexy smile.
"If anyone can, I can," she said walking towards him.
"Oh, really you that experienced," Toby teased sitting up higher in the bed as she approached.
"No, I just didn't want to say her name. That is why I want you, so I know what a good lay is. She said you are fantastic. I couldn't understand her kissing that other man. She knew the job was over you know so she pulled off the Band-Aid quickly."
"She told you that?"
"No, she said she was a fool," Missy said standing next to the bed as she opened her robe. Amy had been, but she was not going to plead her case.
The smell of a fresh clean woman filled his senses as he stirred. All doubts he couldn't perform flew out the door that she should have closed.
"Close the door," Toby told her softly, nudging his head towards the door. He hopes she will be a noisy one. He loved to make a woman moan and call out as he traveled over her body.
She lowered her robe as she walked doing a strip tease act on her way to the door. Drawing the sides of the robe up she cupped her breasts and continued the dance as she came back to him. This whole thing was crazy but if she wants it, she is going to get it. Toby stood and his readiness was evident as he scooped her up placing her in the middle of the bed.
She was a tiny thing; the feel of her breasts in his mouth during the sex scene spurred him on. As he took her into his mouth he licked and sucked. She arched off the bed holding his head in place, and that was how it started. She had never had an orgasm from attention to her breasts, but she just did. It sent her arching off the bed with a high-pitched scream.
Toby laughed and went down, her body anchoring between her legs. He went to work on a very wet girl. He hadn't had a woman hit it that quickly, it proved to him how very horny she was. Her reaction was an ego boost. Until now he was beginning to think he was living in a fool's paradise. Thinking he was Marcus with muscles and crap in bed.
By the way Missy was reacting, Oh hell no he was not Marcus. He did know what he was doing and thanked God his hair was short on the sides, or he wouldn't have any as she pulled him down. Chasing her across the bed after another hard orgasm she twists and attacks his mouth. Her body couldn't take anymore so she decided to give him some pleasure. It was her turn now and she was going to taste every part of his body. It took her forever to make it down his body, licking and kissing as she went. Ending at the monolith blocking the trip she pulled it in her mouth and became inspired by his reaction. He was being noisy too, so she was happy with his response. He began to tense and tried to pull her back. Not very hard but he made the effort as she went down, "I'm coming," he called out, so she had a warning but took it all in.
They lay exhausted for a few seconds and then Toby got busy again. He had to wait until he was ready to go again, but once he finally accomplished that, she was begging for it. By the time he entered her, he knew he would last forever since she took care of him already. She shuttered three times giving him a good reaction as he worked her over. He started with missionary, doggy, and her riding cowgirl before he came again. This time they were both exhausted. He hoped she got her wager's worth and would sleep.
Toby woke up and checked the monitor and Travis was still asleep thumb in mouth. He grabbed a condom and rolled back to find Missy sprawled on the other side of the bed looking sedate. He fixed that quickly with the slide of his hand. She was his again for his early morning wood.
Toby got a shower before Travis woke up, he was in desperate need of one and he needed clean sheets. Missy is a juicy girl. They used four condoms and two made a mess on the bed when he discarded them improperly. That was kind of gross; they were under him, another reason he needed a shower.
Now Missy must go back upstairs before Bobbie catches her. He didn't want her to think he is a whore. Two different women in a month is a record for him. No matter what people think of him he is not a Casanova.
*
When he stepped out of the bathroom Missy was gone and his door was open. He stood looking out his window and it was raining lightly. The drops send tiny waves over the swimming pool.
"No one has swum in that pool the whole time I have been here," he murmured and heard the first sign of Travis waking up. Grabbing his boxers, he slipped them on and went to Travis' room. Opening the door, he smiled and told Travis to come to my room when you're ready. Toby went back to dress and watched him get himself together from an apparent good night's sleep. Toby had a good night. Not a lot of sleep but he felt energized. He hadn't seen Missy when she left and wondered how she was doing. He would have loved to see her walk out of his room. "She had to be feeling me this morning," Toby said as he slipped his tee shirt on. Travis came in with a sleepy stumbling gate walking to his daddy, he raised his hands saying "Up." Scooping him up Travis collapsed onto his chest and relaxed.
Walking over to his bed he flipped the cover over the messy sheets and lay back holding him to his chest and relaxed. He knew the boy needed changing but it felt so good to just hold him. Normally he was too energetic to hold unless he had the tablet in his lap. He was almost asleep when he heard Missy talking loudly, "So you haven't seen my phone. Ok I'm going to ask Toby if he has," she said sounding happy. Turning his head, he watched her step into the room. "He is a snuggle bunny this morning," Toby told her then asked, "So you lost your phone?"
"Not just an excuse to come and see you," she said and came around lying next to him running her hand over Travis' back and relaxed next to them.
*
Toby changed his diaper and left him in his jammies. He finally figured out he would mess up whatever he put on him and would have to change him again. If he left him in the jammies until after breakfast, he would only change him once. Collecting the tablet and his computer Travis followed him to the table.
Bobbie had his bowl of dry Cheerios on the table, but Travis was more interested in the tablet. The new program had all his attention right now. Which is another thing a one-year-old shouldn't be doing, is concentrating on anything.
He was struggling with a concept of picking out words from pictures and spoken requests from a group of words. Toby was glad to see he was having a problem, it slowed him down. He was scary smart Toby had no idea how he was going to keep up with him in the years to come. High school had been a struggle for him, but then again with his family it would have been for anyone.
Travis was trying to sound out the words and his immature voice was frustrating him. Toby told him, "Just try to find the word you don't have to say." He looked at his father as if he was a fool.
Missy smiled, "he will figure it out so why do you have your laptop here," she asked, seeing it sitting on the table.
"Oh yes I was looking for a detective to go check on my half brother and sister. All I could find was the police department."
"Look for a PI, a Private Investigator," she said and swung the computer around. She found two that covered that area. She scooted in closer so they could both see the sites. They looked over the sites and looked for complaints. One guy complained he hadn't caught his wife cheating. They laughed it off and chose the one with the best ad. He'll call them on Monday and see what they offer.
The tablet was making a racket and Travis was eating and trying to do the program and don't you dare take it from him. So, Toby asked, "Was my effort last night enough to satisfy your curiosity."
With a red flush she said, "Yes, it was a very good job you did. I think you got over your adversity to skinny."
"I was thinking about that earlier," Toby said bumping shoulders with her, "I think it is the reaction that I like best, skinny or not."
"It is difficult to not have a reaction to you, so yes you are all that girl claimed you were," Missy said with a grin.