Read The Popsicle Tree for Free Online Page A

so I told him to go ahead, and I’d clear the table. He hurriedly finished what was left on his plate and got up from the table, coming around behind me and putting his hands on my shoulders. He bent over and nibbled the top of my left ear.
    “I love you,” he whispered, then went quickly to the living room, and the phone.
    While I was more than a little conflicted over the idea of living with a four-year-old for ten days, I knew how important it was for Jonathan. And I was happy to see that he was taking control of the situation by making all the arrangements himself. I suppose I was also thinking, selfishly, that riding herd on a rambunctious—is there any other kind?—four-year-old boy for ten days might dampen his enthusiasm for our having a kid of our own.
    Don’t get me wrong, I really love kids, but I just didn’t know how I’d feel about being around them 24 hours a day. Ten days I could manage: eighteen years…?
    I’d cleared the table and started washing the dishes when Jonathan came back into the kitchen.
    “They think they can take him! They don’t usually do it, but when I told the one I talked to that Carlene recommended them, and that it will only be for ten days, she said they probably could. They want to see us tomorrow at one o’clock!”
    “Us?”
    “Well, she said me, ’cause I was the one who called her, but I’d like you to come. I can take a long lunch, and…”
    “I’d like to, Babe, but this job I took on just before I came home is going to stick me in the library and at the Hall of Records most of the day. But I can take the bus, and you can use the car.”
    He looked disappointed, but said only, “You’re sure?”
    “I’m sure.”
    *
    Riding the bus to work wasn’t bad, but I missed the flexibility a car provided. On the way into town, I thought again about George Cramer, and wondered how his talk with Judi had gone. I’d held off sending him a bill, just in case he might need me again, but not having heard from him, I assumed the situation had been resolved, and I made a mental note to send it the next day. And I also thought of George’s offer to perhaps give us a break on a car. I’d decided it probably would be better all around if Jonathan didn’t buy my car. It’s not that he’d blame me if I sold mine to him and something went wrong, but…I could just hold onto it for a while, letting him use it, then trade it in on something a little later, maybe using some of the money he’d been saving. Or maybe we should just get Jonathan a car for work and I could keep mine a bit longer.
    *
    I was able to stop by the office for about half an hour, just to check mail and phone messages and drop off the materials I’d gotten from the Hall of Records and the library. I would put it all together the next day and get it to the attorney. I got home only about ten minutes later than normal. Carlene and Jonathan were having a cup of coffee when I came in, seated on the couch in front of the coffee table, which was almost completely covered by photographs. Kelly was seated on the floor busily playing with several toy cars. He paused in mid-” rrrrrrrrrr ” to look up at me.
    “Hi,” he said, and picked up his “ rrrrrrrrrr ” where he’d left off.
    “Hi, Kelly. Hi Carlene,” I said, moving to the couch to sit beside Jonathan.
    “We got in !” Jonathan proclaimed, obviously delighted.
    “Well, good.” I was still not exactly one hundred percent sure if it was good or not and realized I had no idea how much day care might cost—though I knew Jonathan would insist on paying for it, even if it meant dipping into his “car fund.”
    “And our New York photos came back! They all turned out fantastic! I asked Carlene down to look at them, and to tell her about Happy Day. It’s great, Dick. Joshua will love it, and he’ll be there with Kelly, and the sisters who run it are really nice.”
    He leaned over quickly to give me a peck on the cheek.
    “Here,” he said,