Along Came Love by Rita Hestand Read Free Book Online

It's so important to the
children to learn social graces, and yet no one has the time to
stay and help."
    Jake had experienced the same thing in his
own little town of Peaceful. Getting anyone to volunteer to do
anything was like pulling teeth and usually he ended up doing it
himself. Now he was being called upon and he knew he really should
do it willingly. After all, if he had children of his own he
wouldn't hesitate to be there every time.
    If he had children? Where had that thought
come from. It was too late to be thinking along those lines..
    He sighed heavily, and then nodded as though
Ms. Hughes could see him. "Okay, you can count on me, anything for
my niece."
    "Oh…thank you, so much," Ms Hughes gushed.
"Honestly, you should be a father yourself. You'd make a fine
one."
    "Yeah, well, I think I'll just stick with
being an Uncle."
    "Thank you again, so much, Mr. Travers. Then
we'll see you Thursday evening in the gym to hang the lights?"
    "Sure…I'll be there." He affirmed.
    ***
    "How come you didn't tell me there was a
dance this Friday night, pumpkin?" Jake asked at the supper
table.
    Sammie Jo shrugged but didn't look at her
Uncle. "I don't know. I'm not going so what does it matter."
    Jake looked at her, then reached across the
table to lift her chin, "And why not?"
    "I don't have a date."
    "A date? Of course you don't. You're too
young for a date…but you can go stag."
    "Stag?"
    "Without a date," Cal interrupted for her, as
he watched the interplay between Jake and Sammie Jo with quiet
amusement.
    "Oh, well Jennifer has a date. I thought I
had to have one too," she countered, still not looking directly at
him.
    "Don't you like any of the boys?" Jake asked
curiously.
    "Sorta."
    "Then you'll go, and I'll escort you,
myself." Jake said staring into her beautiful young eyes.
    "You will?" Sammie Jo looked up at him with
surprise. "But don't you have to babysit, Little Clint, and
Tammie?"
    "I'll take care of them, you just go and have
a good time." Cal chuckled.
    Little Clint frowned over at his big sister,
"Can I go?'
    "No," Jake and Sammie Jo choired.
    "What's a dance, Uncle Jake?" Tammie asked
licking her fingers where she'd spilled gravy.
    "It's where boys and girls go and dance
together and have fun." Cal answered. "And don't forget to wash
those fingers, young lady."
    "I'm eleven now, I'm big enough. Why can't I
go?" Little Clint asked innocently.
    Jake patted him on the head, "Your time will
come partner."
    Little Clint frowned, "Ah…I don’t' wanta go.
Dancin' is for losers."
    "Losers? Where did that word come from?" Cal
asked.
    "Gosh grandpa, don't you know what a loser
is?"
    "I take it a loser is what we used to call a
weirdo, creep, or sissy?" Cal countered.
    Little Clint and Tammie shook their heads and
looked at each other strangely.
    When the two younger ones seemed dissatisfied
Jake glanced at his father. "I thought we were gonna play
monopoly?"
    "That's right. Now, Little Clint go get the
game out. I'm gonna show you what a real tycoon is." Cal chuckled,
wiping his mouth and setting his dishes in the sink.
    Little Clint got up from the table but turned
and frowned, "Okay, but I'll just be glad when everyone around here
quits calling me Little Clint. I'm not a baby and I don’t' need to
be babysat."
    Cal looked at him and smiled, "Someday when
you are as big as your Uncles, you'll have earned the name and
we'll gladly drop the Little."
    "Everything is always someday! How long I
gotta wait?"
    "A while, get used to it, son." Cal chuckled.
"Now go get that game so I can show you some real tricks."
    "Okay grandpa, but I'll bet I can beat
you."
    "You just might at that." Cal said
smiling.
    After a couple of hours of monopoly, nearly
everyone was out of the game, but Little Clint had held out well,
and Cal shook his head, "You gotta get all the hotels and railroads
to win, son."
    "At least Little Clint gave you a run for
your money, dad." Jake laughed.
    "I'll say. He's learning fast."
    Jake laughed as he