Just For The Cameras

chapter 22 ~ ready when you are

CHAPTER 22 - READY WHEN YOU ARE

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Jennifer came home about five minutes after Nathan and I had entered her house.

We were sitting on her couch when she stepped into the living room. At first I couldn’t see her son anywhere but then a small head with dark brown hair appeared from behind her legs.

“Tyler.” Jennifer said and turned around a bit to look at her son. “Come forwards and say hello.”

Tyler just looked at her with wide eyes and opened mouth as if he didn’t understand what his mom was telling him. Well, he was just 14 months old and even though I wasn’t a mother yet, I was sure that it did not only look as if he couldn’t understand her.

“He can’t understand what we’re saying but Luke and I are talking in full sentences with him anyway because we’re hoping that he will pick up some of the words and will start speaking in full sentences as early as possible.” Jennifer explained and I could stop wondering whether or not little Tyler understood adults yet.

Tyler still didn’t want to move and so Jennifer just decided to carry him over to us.

Nathan and I both got up from the couch to greet his little nephew.

At first Tyler just looked at us with his small blue eyes but then he suddenly buried his head in his mom’s neck. I had to admit that I was quite surprised when I saw that he had bright blue eyes because dark hair and blue eyes were a very rare combination.

Aside from him I only knew one other person who had dark hair and blue eyes.

The girls are going to lie at his feet when he is older.

“Come on Tyler.” Jennifer said again and caressed his cheek with her finger to make him look up again.

And really, a second later he moved his head and looked straight at me. He was so sweet.

“He is always a bit shy at first.” Jennifer explained and then turned back to her son. “Say hello, Tyler.”

A few seconds went by, but then the little boy said something for the first time since he arrived. “He-yo.”

My heart literally melted that second.

“Uncle Nathan and Aunt Payton came by to visit us.” Jennifer told her son but he just continued looking at us.

“Hello was the second word he learned.” She said and you could really see how proud she was.

“What was the first word he learned?” I asked.

“Mommy.” She said and I was about to melt away when Tyler immediately repeated the word after Jennifer and pointed at her nose as if he wanted to show us that she was his mommy.

“He has a play corner over there.” She said and pointed at a corner of the room that was covered with blankets and different toys. “Let’s sit down there with him then you can get to know him a bit better, I think that would be the easiest way for him to get used to the two of you.”

Nathan and I agreed and so we went over to the play corner.

Jennifer put Tyler down onto the blanket and we sat down around him.

Tyler had a lot of different toys, the selection varied from several toy cars via a huge box full of bricks to a small collection of stuffed animals.

The little boy immediately stood up again and started walking over to his toys after adopting his balance. He was still a bit wobbly on his legs but it already looked very good for his age.