Free Surprise Dad by Daly Thompson Page B

friend looked a lot like me, too. People would ask if we were brothers.” Mike held his breath until he saw that Maury and Allie seemed satisfied with his answer.
    Maury turned back to his work. “What will you do with him?”
    Mike knew what the real question was—how will this interloper change things?
    “I was asked to raise him. I’m his guardian, so I have to raise him. Somehow.” Almost as if he didn’t like the way Mike had explained the situation, Brian reached up and gave Mike’s collar a hard tug.
    Allie saw it and smiled. “Well, it’s nice to meet you, Brian.” She did a mock curtsey, and for the first time in hours, Mike felt some of his tension ease.
    He shifted Brian higher on his hip. “How’s Barney?”
    Allie’s mouth twisted wryly. “Resting comfortably and doing as well as can be expected. That’s all the hospital staff will tell us.”
    Mike sighed. “I’ll visit him as soon as I can. How are things going without him?”
    She couldn’t seem to take her eyes off Brian. “Fine,” she said absentmindedly. “Becky is helping out in the kitchen and Colleen is covering out front,” Allie told him. “A few of their relatives,” she waved vaguely around the room, “have pitched in, too.”
    “I appreciate what everybody’s done, and I’ll hire temporary help as soon as I…” Now that he had a baby to take care of, when would he find time to hire staff?
    Allie stroked Brian’s cheek, and he gurgled appreciatively. “He’s so calm, when this has to be a major upheaval in his life.”
    Mike looked down at Brian, who was examining the kitchen with bright, curious eyes. He was so small, so helpless. The tightness returned to Mike’s shoulders.
    How was he going to take care of this child?
    His panic increased when the back door swung open and Lilah, Daniel and Ian all peered through it. “We had to see him,” Lilah said.
    “This is terrific,” Daniel said.
    Ian raised his eyebrows.
    Just the reactions Mike had predicted.
    “What a precious baby,” Lilah said, rushing toward Brian with her arms outstretched.
    “Well, let’s see who we’re adding to the family,” Daniel said easily. He lifted Brian off Mike’s hip. Mike stretched to the right, getting his balance back. What a relief.
    “I want to hold him,” Lilah begged.
    “Me, too,” Allie challenged her. “I saw him first.”
    “Wait your turn, ladies,” Daniel said. “Hey, Brian,” he said, and Mike saw that Brian was smiling at Daniel and reaching out for his hair. “Meet the rest of your family. This is Maury,” and he went straight to the boy. “Maury is your new dad’s very best friend and right-hand man. You want to get on his good side.”
    Mike saw Maury turn slowly from his chopping. “Hi, Brian,” he said awkwardly. Brian chuckled and reached out for Maury’s arm.
    “I’m Uncle Daniel,” Daniel went on, “and this is Aunt Lilah.”
    Brian gazed carefully at each face, as if there’d be a test later.
    “You’ve met Allie, and this is Uncle Ian.” With a big smile, Daniel held the baby out to Ian, who acceptedhim with a look of horror and held him at a distance. “Hey,” Ian said, “you like sheep?”
    “My turn to hold him,” Allie said swiftly as she rescued both Brian and Ian.
    “Darn, you’re fast,” Lilah grumbled. “How can we help you settle in?” she asked Mike.
    He’d been watching Allie tickle Brian’s stomach, giggling along with him. “I have a bunch of his things in the car. They’re shipping a lot more. Man, I had no idea babies required so much stuff. I don’t have that much stuff.”
    Lilah firmly removed Brian from Allie and started her own game with him, peek-a-boo. “Your brothers can unload the car, and you can figure out where to put all that stuff .”
    Mike gave Allie a helpless look, and she laughed. “I’ll give them a hand,” she said. “I’m no good in the kitchen, anyway.”
    Boy, it was good to be home. The last two days had been unnerving,