Seated on the floor in the Parlor, Alex held a red truck in his left hand, pushing it around a small tower of blocks that his daddy had built for him. He was absorbed in his play; for once staying out of trouble. While he played, Rick and Evelyn sat on a sofa close by, talking about Nanna.
�My parents hired her when Jonathan was seven, just before I was born. She always made sure we were kept busy, taking us into town, or outside on sunny days,� Evie said as she fondly remembered those times. �She also protected me from Jonathan�s constant teasing.
As Rick was about to respond, they all heard the sound of someone knocking at the door, using the brass knocker. Alex was the first one on his feet, running as fast as he could to the front part of the house. When he arrived at the door he pushed his hands against it. �DOE DOE DOE,� he yelled as his parents arrived.
While Rick lifted him away from the door, Evelyn reached out and unlocked it, then opened it to a woman who was no taller than five feet. She had long gray hair which was pulled back in a tight bun. She wore a white blouse and a sweater over that, as well as a gray skirt.
�Oh Nanna,� Evie said, as she and the smaller woman embraced.
�My beautiful Evelyn,� Nanna said as she pulled away to get a look at the woman who stood before her. �Just like your mother,� she added then looked past her at the tall man holding the small child.
Evie smiled as she shut the door, then led Nanna the short distance to her husband and son. �Nanna, this is Rick O�Connell, my husband, and our son Alex,� she introduced.
Rick put out his hand to shake hers, and was surprised when she hugged him. He lightly hugged back not sure of what to say.
�I�m very happy to meet you,� Nanna said as she pulled away.
Rick smiled at her. �Nice to meet you as well. Alex can you say hello to...�
Suddenly he wasn�t really sure if he should call her Nanna. Evelyn had known her almost her whole life, so her calling her Nanna was natural, but he wasn�t sure what he should address her as.
�Please call me Nanna. Well Alex, you look like your father,� she said.
�Bye bye,� Alex said as he struggled for Rick to put him down. Once he was on his feet, he ran away from them, heading for the Parlor. There he went straight for a book shelf, pulling out an old volume, about to start ripping pages out when the book was taken from his hands.
�Alex you know better,� Rick said as he picked his son up and carried him to his playpen putting him down inside. He handed Alex one of his wooden trucks, then went to sit with his wife and get to know Nanna.
For a while Nanna and Evelyn talked about days long since past, while Rick quietly listened. Then she smiled at him. �I suppose you have some questions for me?� she asked.
�I, no not really,� he said feeling more confident about having her around.
�I�ll need both of you to tell me how you take care of Alex. What you do if he gets into things, or acts up; when his nap time is, things such as that,� she said.
The more they talked to her, the more Rick liked her, and by the time she was ready to leave he asked her when she could move in, ready to have her live with them, ready to have time alone to spend with his wife. She agreed to come back in a week, and after saying goodbye to her, and shutting the door, Rick gathered his wife in his arms. �You were right,� he said as he gazed down into her hazel depths.
�I�m always right,� she said as she reached up to pull his head down for a kiss. Their lips met in a heated kiss, and it was long moments before they parted.
�I promise not to doubt you again,� he said as they kissed one more time before heading into the Parlor to take Alex upstairs for his nap.
~*~
A week later, the room at the entrance of the hall where Alex, Rick and Evelyn�s rooms were, was ready for Nanna�s use. All week Rick, Evie and Jonathan had gotten things ready, and done any repairs they needed to do before her arrival.
When she got to the house, a little after lunch on a Friday afternoon, Alex was already down for his nap, and while the guys brought in her luggage, Evelyn and she sat in the parlor enjoying tea and scones. �Did you ever manage to convince the Bembridge Scholars to consider you for their organization?� Nanna asked as she set down her cup of tea.
�I was really focused on that when Jonathan and I went to Egypt, and before I met Rick. Even after Rick and I were married I think I sent a letter a week to them. Then when Alex came along, the time to sit down and write to them disappeared, and I haven�t put much thought to them since,� Evie said. She still worked for the museum on a part time basis, but being a mother to her young son, and a wife to her husband had been her focus for the past fourteen months.
�It sounds to me as though Alex keeps you and Rick quite busy,� Nanna said.
�Very busy. He has such a curiosity about the world around him, and wants to be a part of everything we do,� Evelyn said as a smile spread across her face.
Nanna remembered when Evelyn had been that age, and how curious she had been about things around her. �You were that way as well, though a little more cautious than Alex seems to be.�
With all of Nanna�s things placed in her room, Rick and Jonathan joined the two ladies, and for a while they sat talking about Egypt, filling Nanna in on what they had seen and been through. Nanna was one of the only people who was told about Imhotep and Hamunaptra, and believed every word of what they said.
�There are things that happen in this world that make you aware that we are not alone,� Nanna said. She attended Mass every Sunday, and fully believed in God as well as the Devil, and from what they said, it was clear that the battle between good and Evil was alive and well.
Jonathan stretched and stood up. �Well, I will be seeing you later this evening,� he said, ready to go to bed. He walked over to Nanna, leaned down placing a gentle kiss on her rounded cheek. �It�s good to have you home,� he said, then left for his room and the soft comfort of his bed.
~*~
It didn�t take long for Alex to get used to Nanna caring for him, and as well to realize that she wasn�t going to let him get away with as much as his parents did. With Nanna there to help out, Rick and Evelyn started to enjoy more time alone, and especially mornings.
Mornings Nanna was an early riser, even more so than Alex. After she was dressed and ready for the day she would get him up, dress him, and take him downstairs where she fed him breakfast before taking him outside for a walk. With that change in routine, Rick and Evelyn had more time for themselves, both at morning and at night.
A week after Nanna�s arrival, Evelyn, one morning after she and Rick had made love, brought up going on expeditions. �We don�t nessarily have to go to Egypt, though I really want to let Alex see where his grandmother was born, and where he was born,� Evelyn said as she lifted her head and traced her left finger over his lips. She gasped as he drew it into his mouth to suck on for a moment before letting it go.
�Why don�t we just go to Egypt and not have any agenda,� Rick said as he leaned up and at the same time pulled her head down, kissing her lips hard as he lifted her up to sit on his bare chest, ready to have a little more play time before they got their day going.
~*~
In his highchair, Alex held his baby spoon in his left hand, letting Nanna help as he guided it to his mouth, taking a bite of hot cereal.
�Good boy Alex, shall we try another bite?� she asked.
�Bite,� he agreed.
Nanna guided his hand to the bowl and helped him scoop another bite onto the small spoon, then guided it back to his mouth and let go. She watched as he took a bite, giving him more praise as he did.
This time Alex tried his hand at feeding himself. The spoon shook in his hand as he lowered it to the bowl, and with it upside down he didn�t get much hot cereal there, but Nanna still let him do it himself, knowing that with practice he would get the hang of it.
As she sat down not far from his highchair to eat her own breakfast, Jonathan walked in the side door looking exhausted. �Jonathan, may I fix you a cup of tea?� she asked as she got up from the table.
�No ma�am, I need to get some sleep is all,� he said as he quickly exited the kitchen; the smell of the food churning his stomach.
�Bite Bite,� Alex said getting tired of not getting enough cereal on his spoon. Once Nanna settled down, he relaxed and let go of the spoon, letting her feed him.
�Alex, you need to learn to do this,� Nanna said as she took his chubby little hand and put it around the spoon, not willing to caudal him. She looked at him sternly when he pulled his hand away, and even though he was only fourteen months old, it seemed he realized she meant business, and he let her help him once more.
~*~
It was close to 9am when Rick and Evelyn made it downstairs, finding Alex settled on his Nanna�s lap listening to a story as she rocked him. When he saw his mum mum, Alex pushed Nanna�s hand away, and then ran to her laughing as she picked him up and spun him around.
�Did you and Nanna have a good morning?� Evie asked as she carried him over to a tan overstuffed chair and sat down, ready to visit with her baby.
�Bite,� Alex said very matter of factly. Evelyn looked past him at Nanna for translation.
�Alex is learning how to use a spoon and a fork to feed himself,� Nanna said as she slipped the book they had been reading from, back on the shelf.
�You are a big boy.� Evelyn said as she let him stand up on her lap. He only had on his socks, so it wasn�t to uncomfortable. �We need to work on getting you to use the toilet like a big boy as well,� Evie said, not sure when a baby would be ready for such a task.
Rick who was sitting a little away from her looked up past his paper when she mentioned that. �Don�t you think he�s a little young for that?� he asked, also a little unsure about such a big task.
�We had you out of a nappy two weeks after you turned one,� Nanna said to Evelyn as she began to work on her knitting.
�Speaking of Nappies,� said Evie, as she stood up cradling Alex in her arms. �Lets get you changed, then we can take a walk before your nap,� Evelyn said as she kissed her baby�s head.
~*~
Another beautiful day presented itself as Rick and Evelyn walked hand in hand up their driveway. Alex was a little in front of them riding on his hobby horse, while Rick helped him by pushing. He had attached a rod to the back end, which allowed him to guide Alex, who was not quite ready to make the horse go all by himself.
�I was thinking after Alex goes to bed, I might call the steam ship company and see when we could get a ship out to Cairo,� Evelyn said, ready to take a trip with her husband and her son to that magical city. What happened to them with Imhotep still frightened her, but not enough to prevent her from going there to let Alex have a look at the place where he had been born.
Rick was a little more worried about going back than she was, not able to pass off as easily what had almost happened. Sometimes he lay awake at night after a dream where Evelyn had been sacrificed by the high priest, feeling thankful to god that they had saved her, and that Imhotep was burried once again beneath the sand. �I�m not sure I can hold the same enthusiasm you do,� he admitted as Alex began to skid his feet; a sign that he was getting tired. Rick walked beside him and knelt down, lifting Alex away from the horse.
When he was in his dad�s arms, Alex yawned and rested his cheek against Rick�s shoulder, looking at the horses as they grazed in the near by field.
Evelyn took over pushing the hobby horse, taking her husband�s free hand. �I promise not to read any ancient books,� she said trying to lighten the mood.
That got a smile and chuckle from Rick. �I won�t let you anywhere near a place that has any sort of book,� he said seriously.
The rest of the walk was made in silence. When they got back to the house, they put Alex down in his crib without waking him, then went to eat lunch where they talked more about a possible trip to Egypt.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Hi Everyone. So what do you think? This is fun, and I have lots in store for our favorite trio, includes Jonathan, as well as Nanna. So write and tell me what you think please.
Shelby