Mannies Incorporated by Michael, Sean (read this if txt) 📕

Drake shot him a look over the top of his glass of milk, finishing it up. "You got a problem, man?"

"We'll discuss that during naptime."

"Whatever you want." Drake stole a bite of Christian's sandwich, making him laugh.

"Four minutes, Christian."

Christian nodded. "I'll be up, Uncle Slayde."

"Good boy. Come on, girls." Jenny was already asleep, Maggie whining softly.

"You want me to come up with you?" Drake asked.

He shook his head and made a beeline upstairs. He didn't need help. He'd been doing nap time for years. He plopped Maggie on the toilet, changed Jenny into Pull-Ups without waking her. By the time Maggie was in bed, Christian was at the top of the stairs.

"I can look at my book if I'm quiet?"

"Of course."

He and Christian had an agreement -- he pretended he didn't know that Christian actually slept; Christian pretended that he didn't need naps.

He was hoping that Drake would be gone when he went back downstairs, but the man was there, sitting in the living room, clicking through channels on the TV.

"What, exactly, are you doing here?" And how long did the man intend to stay?

"I came to help take care of the kids while Minds is away. They should have family around."

Slayde couldn't fucking believe it. "Does she know you're here?"

"I told her I'd help, that I'd make sure everything was okay."

"That's nice. Everything is okay. We're just having our summer."

"Sounds cool. I'm good at summer activities. I assume I can take Mindy's room?"

"You cannot." He blinked. "We're going to Skype her, right now."

It was one o'clock, so eleven p.m. for Mindy. He checked in every evening before her bed and then the kids talked to her every morning.

"Good. Because I'm not sleeping on the couch, and I don't see why I can't take her bed."

"Because it's her bed." And this was her house.

"Well, yeah, but she's not here and unless you're offering to share, I know there's nowhere else for me to sleep." Drake shifted, turning to look right at him. Man, those eyes were green. "I'm her brother."

"Good for you. This is her house and, until she's home, I call the shots. Let's go get her."

"You call the shots? You're just the nanny! Call her the fuck up."

"I'm the person she and Jerry chose to have custody while they weren't available. Right now, I am these children's legal guardian." He wasn't "just" anything. He was family.

"And I'm their family. I'm not saying I don't think you should be here helping out, but that doesn't mean I'm leaving." Drake was back to frowning and growling.

Slayde went to the computer, logged in, praying that Mindy wasn't busy, wasn't going to miss… Thank God.

"Hey, honey. How are the kids? Napping? Is Jenny still sniffly?"

"They're fine. Napping, and no. She's right as rain."

He felt Drake come up behind him, face coming up right next to his. "Hey, Sis!"

Mindy's bright blue eyes went wide and, for a second, she looked just like Jenny. "Drake? What are you doing at my house?"

"I told you I'd make sure the rugrats were good. I came to be with them while you're away."

"What? You have a job, Drake, a life. You can't just drop everything."

"Of course I can. I gave my two weeks' notice and came to be here for you. You cried, Minds."

Slayde couldn't help but be hurt. He had been taking care of the kids forever. Mindy's trust was important to him.

"Of course I cried -- I was having to leave my babies for a year. I never asked you to give your job up!"

"I thought that's what you wanted."

"Drake, I would never ask you to do that! Ever! You're a good man. Really."

"Okay, well, you didn't ask, but I did it for you and the kids. I'm here now. It's a good thing, right?"

"I…" She looked at Slayde, who looked back. "Put him in my room, honey, at least until I figure out what to do. You look tired, you okay?"

"Working hard." He winked.

"Well, there you go -- I can help." Drake sounded like that settled it.

"Help how, exactly? What the hell do you know about children?" Slayde asked.

"Slayde…"

"Sorry, Mindy. He just showed up like he belonged here."

"I do belong here! I'm their fucking uncle, Mindy's brother. And I'm right fucking here, nanny-boy."

"Drake!" Mindy's voice snapped out. "I will not have you disrespecting Slayde. This man has been taking care of the kids since Christian was born."

Drake growled, the sound quiet, deep. "Sorry." The word was bit out. "I haven't exactly been welcomed."

"You didn't even call to let me know you were coming!" Slayde was trying very hard not to shout.

"For some fucking reason I thought you, or you know, the kids, would be happy to see me. Obviously, I was wrong. Sorry, Sis, I guess I screwed up. Don't worry, I won't put anyone out." Drake turned on his heel and headed for the front door.

He looked at Mindy, wide-eyed. "Do you want me to get him for you?" No wonder no one had ever let them meet. Drake was an asshole.

"Please, honey."

"Dude, Drake. She wants to talk to you. I need to get some work done. You'll have privacy."

Drake grunted and came back, face stony. Somehow, it didn't make the bastard any less gorgeous.

"What?"

"Drake, don't growl…"

Slayde headed to the other side of the house. He needed to clean up from lunch, make sure there were things for snack time, and make himself a Valium and Prozac sandwich.

On gluten-free bread.

***

Drake rolled his eyes and sat. What did Mindy expect from him? He'd quit his job and driven across the country to be here for her and her babies and so far, he wasn't feeling a whole lot of love. In fact, the message seemed pretty clear. Not only did they not need him, he wasn't even wanted.

"Not growling," he told her.

"Are too." She smiled at him. "You are the best older brother in the history of the earth."

"Are you sure that isn't biggest idiot