Spring Into Romance

“What’s a honeymoon?”

Trent Thompson looked down at his five-year-old niece regretting, yet again, his decision to play babysitter while his brother Trey enjoyed a trip to Mexico with his new wife.

Slowly rubbing his hand across the back of his neck and trying to think of a suitable response, he didn’t have time to provide one before he was pelted with another round of questions.

“What do peoples do on a honeymoon? Do they play and have fun? What do they do, Uncle Trent?” Cass asked, standing on Trent’s feet with her arms wrapped around his knees, looking up at him with questions burning in her bright blue eyes. “How come I couldn’t go? Is Daddy going to kiss Mama like he does when they think I’m asleep? Is that why I couldn’t go? Why, Uncle Trent? Why?”

He was going to die.

Gently picking up the little redhead, he gave her a hug before setting her down on the kitchen counter.

“Well, Cass…” Trent racked his brain for an answer. His standard response to her tricky questions was to tell her to go ask her mother. Now that he didn’t have an escape route, he was going to have to come up with something to stop her questioning. “People do go on a honeymoon to have fun. They usually go somewhere they can enjoy spending time together. You couldn’t miss school, that’s why you had to stay here with me and Uncle Travis.”

Smug with his response, he hoped it answered Cass’ questions.

“Oh, okay,” Cass said, swinging her feet on the edge of the counter, looking around the big kitchen. “Where’s Uncle Travis?”

“He went out to warm up the pickup so you wouldn’t freeze your toes on the way to school.” Trent lifted Cass’ coat and helped her put it on.  Being responsible for a little person was new to Trent…