Note: This story was dynamically reformatted for online reading convenience.
 
 Chapter 8

   Trish and I had discussed how to let the school know of the temporary
arrangements.  Finally we decided the best way was for me to take Jordan to
school together with a letter from Trish and her 'in loco-parentis'
document.  After breakfast Monday morning, Jordan got her school stuff
together and off we went.  While I was generally familiar with the location
of the school, I had to have Jordan give me some directions.  When we got
to the school, Jordan and I went to the office and asked to speak to the
principal.  When she came out, I gave her Trish's letter and the 'in
loco-parentis' document.  She took a moment to read both the letter and the
document then looked at Jordan and me.  Jordan was smiling and holding my
arm as if to say 'he's mine'.

   "Well, I'm glad you're being looked after," the principal said.  "This
is a bit out of the ordinary, but everything seems to be on the up-and-up.
I need to make copies of these for our records." She called her assistant
and told her what needed to be done.  I'd prepared a short list of personal
references and after the assistant had left I gave the list to her and
suggested that she might want to call some of the individuals on the list
and check up on me.  I saw her eyebrows raise as she read the list since a
couple of the names on it were those of very prominent individuals in our
community.  She promised to do so and we shook hands and Jordan and I left
her office.

   "You're okay getting home?" I asked once we were out in the hall.

   "Sure, other than an extra couple of hundred feet or so to walk, it's no
different than going to my house.  I smiled and gave her a quick kiss on
the cheek.  "Have a good day and I'll see you when you get home.

   When I walked into the house I was struck by two things - one was how
quiet the house was and two, Maxie was looking for Jordan.  'Oh what an
impact, Jordan has made,' I thought.  I fell back into my normal routine
and by the end of the morning I had the first draft of the revisions ready
to back to the customer.  'Got to get back into the routine,' I told myself
and after a light lunch did my usual run.  As I was making my way around
the loop I was reminded of yesterday - 'here's where I showed Jordan the
robin...  we looked at the lady slipper flower there...  that's the bench
we rested on'.  Had Jordan made that much of an impression on me?  Yep, she
sure had.  Back home I cleaned up after my run, did some more editing and
started getting supper ready.

   "Hi Brian!" came a yell as a bundle of energy burst through the door. 
"My friends Rita and Sally saw me with you this morning and wanted to know
who you were.  I told them I was staying with you and I think they're kinda
jealous 'cause they told me they think you're hot!" She smiled as she said
that.  "'Course I know you're hot!" She started to laugh and after dropping
her books etc., ran and hugged me around the waist.  "What's for supper? 
I'm starved!"

   I had to laugh.  "Jordan, when aren't you hungry?  I might have to take
out a mortgage on this house just to feed you." I told her, eliciting a
giggle from her.  "Do you have any homework?" I asked.  A nod.  "Can you do
it here in the kitchen while I finish making supper?" Jordan ran and got
her book bag.  'Goodness, doesn't she move at any speed but full throttle?'
I asked myself.

   Jordan and Maxie had become close friends during her time visiting with
me and Maxie would often go and sit at the front door just before Jordan
arrived.  A thought came to me as Jordan was doing her homework.  "Jordan,
would you like to take on the task of feeding Maxie each night?" I asked
and her grin said it all.

   Over the next four days, the routine remained much the same: Jordan off
to school in the morning and me to my work until early afternoon.  An
exercise run followed by more editing.  Supper preparations interrupted by
a teenage tornado.  Homework, Maxie looked after, supper and cleanup.  The
one area where things were not always the same was after supper.  Sometimes
Jordan and I played games - card games, board games, you name it.  Other
times we watched TV (with Maxie curled up beside Jordan, of course) and one
evening, we took turns reading chapters out of a book that Jordan had been
given.  Following our evening activities, bed and always a goodnight kiss
for Jordan.

   Saturday rolled around and I had promised - no, make that 'I had been
brow beaten' - that we'd go to let her do some shopping.

   "Brian I need some...  <blush> some...  lady type stuff" she told me.

   "You're not a lady are you?  I thought you were a tomboy." Whack!!  (My
arm still aches just thinking of the pounding it got.) "Okay, okay, I give.
Shopping it is.  Where do you want to go?"

   Jordan told me and that's where we headed.  I waited outside the store
while Jordan shopped and very diplomatically didn't ask what she'd bought.
I'd never been in that mall before but I discovered the mall had a skating
rink and while Jordan had never been on skates before, I managed to get her
up on skates and she sort of managed to skate.  In spite of falling down
several times, she enjoyed it anyway.

   Sunday was to be a special day for me and at first I was hesitant about
what I should do with Jordan.  Both my parents are dead and on the Sunday
closest to the date of their death I try to go and pay my respects at their
grave.  This involved a trip of about 2 hours each way.  Earlier in the
week I'd told Jordan what I usually did and indicated that if she wasn't
comfortable with going with me, I'd postpone the trip until after her mom
got back.  Jordan told me that I should go ahead and do what I'd always
done and that she'd gladly accompany me.

   The trip was uneventful.  The weather was still nice although the
indications of fall were starting to show - the leaves were turning colours
and flocks of birds were heading south.  Both my parents had died in a car
crash and were buried side by side in the cemetery.  I drove in as close as
I was allowed then got out and walked the last little bit.  I pointed out
the graves to Jordan who stayed quiet, but holding my hand.  After saying a
silent prayer for my folks we left and headed back home.

   Jordan was uncharacteristically quiet on the trip back.  When we were
almost home she reached over and squeezed my arm.  I looked at her. 
"That's the first time I've been to a cemetery," she said.  "I never
thought about dying but I guess it happens to all of us sooner or later. 
I'm glad I got to go with you today." I smiled and told her I was glad she
was with me.

   We stopped and picked up a take-out pizza on the way home and after
supper, we cuddled on the couch and watched a 'program marathon' on one of
the nature channels on TV.  Finally Jordan headed off to bed and I followed
soon after.  I'd just nicely got settled when I heard Jordan quietly knock
on the door.

   "Brian, can I come in?"

   I told her to come in.

   "Brian, I'm sad and I need to be held.  Can I sleep with you tonight?"

   'Whoa!' I thought, 'Is this a good idea?' Finally after seeing that she
had an ankle length nightie on and knowing I had on a full pair of pajamas,
I reluctantly agreed.  I moved over a bit in the bed and Jordan climbed in
beside me.  She turned so her back was towards me and moved back so she was
tight up against me.  Once she was settled, she reached back, grabbed my
hand and pulled it so it was over top of her.  Whether by her design or by
accident, I discovered I had a small handful of a young girl's breast.  I
tried to move but was told to leave it.

   When I woke up the next morning I discovered that Jordan must have
gotten quite warm as she'd kicked off all of the covers.  Not only were the
covers gone but her nightie had gotten twisted and pulled up to the point
where I could just see the bottom of her pussy.  'Whoa!  I can't let her
sleep with me again' I thought.  I went and fed Maxie then got my coffee
going, waiting for Jordan to wake up.  Finally, rubbing her eyes, Jordan
appeared.

   "Did I wake you up last night?" she asked.  "I had some funny dreams and
I must have rolled around 'cause my nightie was pulled way up this
morning." Suddenly she realized the implications of that and blushed. 
"Brian, did you see..." I nodded.  She put her head down and I could tell
she was very embarrassed.

   "Jordan, don't worry about it.  I saw your nightie was pulled up and
just came out here to drink my coffee until you woke up." I said.  "So that
neither of us gets embarrassed again, maybe we shouldn't sleep in the same
bed.  Okay?"

   Jordan gave me a small smile and went to get some cereal for her
breakfast.

   We both ignored the incident and for the next few days everything went
as it had the past week.  Thursday evening, as we sat watching something on
TV, I noticed that while Jordan appeared to be watching the TV, she didn't
seem to be paying attention what was going on.  Finally she turned and
looked up at me.  "Brian, you and Mom like each other, don't you?"

   "Of course," I answered.

   Jordan looked away and seemed to be thinking some more.  Finally she
turned back to look at me again.  "Do you like each other a lot?"

   "Well, I'm not quite sure how to answer that question.  Why do you ask?"
I said.

   Jordan looked down and seemed to be trying to figure out how to say
something.  Finally she looked up at me again.  "If you two like each other
a lot, why don't you and Mom get married?"

   'Where did that come from?' I wondered.  "Jordan, I like your mom a lot.
We get along well and I enjoy her company.  Unfortunately, there just
doesn't seem to be that 'spark', that something that says 'I'm getting
feelings for Trish that are more than just friendship feelings'.  When your
mom and I have gone out together, it's been nice, but that's it."

   I paused and looked at Jordan.  "Jordan, this _must_ stay between you
and me, okay?"

   Jordan looked at me with a puzzled look.  "What has to stay between us?"
she asked.

   "Promise that what we discuss after this stays here, please?" I said.

   Jordan shrugged, "Okay, I guess."

   "I was very surprised at what you just asked.  All the times I been with
your mom, either just the two of us, or when all three of us went some
place, all the signals I got from your mom have said 'I just want to be
your friend'."

   I stopped and took a deep breath.  'Okay, here goes.' I thought. 
"Jordan, has your mom told you or hinted to you that she's like us to be
more than friends?"

   Jordan looked down and quietly replied.  "No, not really, but Mom is so
sad I just thought..." I watched her and I could see she was starting to
cry.

   "Jordan," I said, lifting her chin, "that was a delightful thought and
you're so wonderful to worry about your mom's happiness." I took a breath
and paused.  "This must stay with us only as well.  I have to admit that I
had hoped that there would be a spark but it never happened.  I value your
mom's friendship and I know she values mine.  If all we do is remain
friends, I'm completely satisfied.  Okay?"

   I leaned down and gave her a kiss on the top of her head.  Jordan
nodded. The matter was dropped and we finished the evening as usual.