you said you would

This was news to Geoff. This Riley.

He listened while Dayton changed Trent's pamper.

"Oliver seems to think we should invite him over." Dayton shrugged. "You know, to have dinner or something. You know anyone we could set him up with?"

"I'd have to think about it." Geoff was tired. Other things were on his mind. Like Nancy and Chuck. He'd found them talking down at the home where she was living. They were pretty chummy. But she wouldn't say a word about it to him. He was hoping she would.

"You have to know someone." Dayton looked at him as if he was suppose to know the answer to everything. Geoff took the baby from him. Trent was holding himself up so alert and ready to play. He definitely took Geoff mind off so much.

"I can't think of anyone." He tickled Trent's plump tummy in his sleeper. Naturally, Trent returned the favor with kicking his legs and blowing bubbles. "Besides, I dunno, if we should get involved. Riley sounds kind of strange."

"Well, it would be like a practice date, you know." Dayton kept his hands in his back pockets.

"A practice date?" Geoff looked at Dayton with a wince. "Well, why don't you be the guinea pig and I'll coach." He gave Dayton a smile then.

"Are you kidding me?" Dayton squinted.

"No." Geoff laughed. "He's your friend. Besides I think I've dated more than you have."

"Well, thanks a lot." Dayton looked a bit hurt as he took Trent from him.

"I guess that means I'm cooking dinner tonight, huh?" He watched Dayton with the baby.

"I guess you are." Dayton gave him a sly smirk.

just one more thing

Dayton sat there gluing pages together in books. There were lots to be mended. Not that he was a professional or anything, but damn, he was pretty good at this. But that's when Oliver explained a few things about Riley.

"You're not gonna make me teach him mending, are you?" Dayton glared at Oliver that this was really his solo act that he come to love. He really didn't need any help.

"No." Oliver shook his head. "I'm just saying he does have Asperger. And, you should also know, he's gay."

"Now how do you know that?" Dayton winced.

"He told me."

"And you believed him?" Dayton wondered where this was going. "Don't tell me he'd got a crush on me?"

Oliver tried to stop from laughing.

"I just wanted you know. I didn't want him to catch you off guard, you know." Oliver cleared his throat.

"Well, what am I suppose to do about it?" Dayton looked at him blankly.

"He likes you."

"Like how much?" Dayton winced. Damn, this was all he needed. He liked this job. He wanted to keep it.

"I dunno."

"This makes me tired, just thinking about it." Dayton got the book set and started putting rubber-bands around it to put in a stack of books they needed to sit for a few days.

"Well, you know, you only see him Fridays."

"Yeah." Riley made Fridays awful to close up. Because he wouldn't shut up. Maybe Dayton went to easy on him. "I don't want him to like me."

"I know you'll think of a way to let him down. You have it in you to be just the friend you need to be to him." Oliver smiled.

"Ha ha ha..." Dayton rolled his eyes and went to another book. Honestly, he had no idea where this faith was coming from. Dayton wasn't sure he deserved it.

oh, right

Bex was waiting for Oliver to have a clever idea about costumes for Maisy and Monty.

"We have to show them off, you know." She told him while he was searching in the bathroom for something. It seemed he was on a mission of some kind. Inspiration, she thought he said, but she wasn't sure.

"Just how many bottles of lotion do we have in the bathroom?" He called for Bex. The babies were in their cribs.

She leaned against the bathroom doorway watching him.

"I have no idea." She shook her head.

"Is there an expiration date?" He took a sniff of a big bottle of lotion and handed it to her to smell. Bex just winced.

"I think I'll take a load of this stuff in the closet here and just see how long it last at work." He nodded.

"I don't care. As long as I have my stuff, I'm OK." She hugged herself.

"That's just it, Bex. This is all of yours." He put the bottle back in the closet.

"What about the costumes?"

"I dunno." He winced and followed her into the nursery. Naturally, she was drawn to Maisy and he took Monty. "With all this sickness around, I kind of want to stay home."

"I can't believe you said that." She looked at him. "I'm the one who says things like that. Not you." She tickled Maisy then and she smiled so big. Monty on the other hand was all serious as he studied Oliver's face.

"Everything has just gotten freaky, lately. Snow in early October. The school might close because of the flu. I just want to stay at home as much as possible." He told her.

"I know." Bex sighed. "You think they'll be mad if we don't go to the Halloween party."

"Believe me, the kids could care less about the party at the library." Oliver assured her.

"No, I mean, you know, the library. Are they expecting us to be there?" She wondered as she went to go check Maisy's pamper.

"I don't think so. And I don't care if they get mad. Its the children's department. Circulation has nothing to do with that party." He hugged Monty.

"Oliver," she looked back at him after she'd changed Maisy as the changing table. "I think I'm changing you." She grinned then.

"Naturally, you'd see it that way, now wouldn't you?" Oliver shook his head.

Bex just laughed. She knew they had to enjoy these little moments with the kids as long as they could. Possibly, he was changing her for the better too. They just didn't have to talk about that.

a helping hand

Chuck had brought brownies. As it was he was there everyday to help Nancy with therapy. He went so much to putting in a little extra something. It might be encouraging words. Helping the nurse get her on the equipment to make her strive a little harder. Slowly, some results were happening. She was walking. Still it was a struggle to lift her right arm.



She'd read horror stories online from women who never got any feeling back. It was depressing, and she wasn't sure if she even wanted to talk anymore. Of course, he was full of questions. What was her favorite color? Did she have a favorite movie? What kind of music did she like?



She found it a bit perturbing. Was it the fact that he was so happy to help? Or the fact he didn't remember her at all. She wouldn't remind him.



"Why are you here?" She finally managed to get the words out.



"That was very good, Nancy." He smiled brightly as if it didn't matter what she'd said, but she'd said something.



"No. Why? Why do you-" She winced.



"Because we're like Nancy and John Red Corn on King of the Hill." He chuckled. "Maybe we could dress up for the Halloween party here."



She said nothing to that. Was that a hint? He did remember? Well, it was a mystery and she felt very uncomfortable around him. It was just not fair.



"I'm sorry, didn't meant it... like you think." Chuck winced. "I mean, you're married and all. I was just teasing. You know. Your name being Nancy and all."



She almost smiled. He'd caught himself. After all. Well, it was still doubtful he remembered her. Better to keep it that way. She nibbled on one of his brownies then. The taste of the heat scorched her mouth.



"Oh, I put red pepper in those, what do you think?" He grinned then.