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 Chapter 9

   The second week was pretty much a repeat of the first.  Friday morning
rolled around and I told Jordan I'd pick her up after school as her mom
expected to be home by about 3:00 pm.  Jordan was excited at the prospects
of seeing her mom after almost two weeks.  "Brian, I've really liked being
here with you but I really, really miss Mom and I can't wait until she's
home."

   I was waiting outside Jordan's school at 3:15 and Jordan was the first
one through the door.  As she jumped into my truck she yelled "Let's go.  I
want to see Mom." I smiled and away we went.  The reunion was a tearfully
happy one.  I told Trish and Jordan I'd be there to pick them up at 5:00 to
take them out for supper and went back home.

   I was surprised that Trish and Jordan managed to eat anything because
they seemed to both be talking non-stop.  Finally, the meal was over and I
asked Trish if she wanted to come over to my house or go home.  "Let's go
to your place.  I need the company of an adult who doesn't want to talk
nursing all the time." She looked at me and grinned, "Besides, I need to
borrow a loaf of bread so we can have breakfast."

   "The Chez Moore Restaurant will be open for business in the morning. 
Waffles are the specialty of the house." I said.

   "Forget the toast, Mom, Brian makes scrumptious waffles.  Let's go to
Brian's for breakfast." Jordan said.  Trish smiled and nodded okay.

   We made our way back to my place and enjoyed the evening talking and
laughing at Trish's characterization of some of the other nurses who'd been
on the course with her.  Finally Jordan seemed to be getting sleepy and the
two of them went home to their own house.

   The next morning I got everything ready to make the waffles and set the
table for three.  Even before I heard Trish and Jordan at my door I knew
they were on their way as Maxie headed to the door to wait for them.  As
soon as I heard them on the steps I started cooking the waffles.  Once
breakfast was finished and things cleaned up.  I reminded Trish that I
wanted to talk a bit more about the 'in loco-parentis' thing.

   "Trish, I hope I'm not speaking out of turn and if I am, please say.  I
wondered if it might give you some peace of mind to have the 'in
loco-parentis' thing formalized legally.  As it stands, your note
notwithstanding, the school might decide that the arrangements we made are
not satisfactory.

   "If you look at things from a distance, you can see the issues that
might be raised - he's a single man, he's not related to her, he's only
known them for a short time and there are probably a number of other
arguments that I've not thought of.  I had a quick word with the lawyer who
looks after my business issues and he says that if he draws up a legal
document, has it signed, witnessed and notarized, the school - or anyone
else for that matter - would have a hard time overturning things.  Not only
that but this document can be a permanent one so if you need to go away
again, I just become Jordan's legal guardian for the time you're away."

   I stopped and looked at Trish and Jordan.  I sensed that Trish wanted to
talk to Jordan so I told them I'd be in my office and to come and get me
when they were ready.  I'd been reading my e-mails and had only read one or
two when the door opened and Jordan came in to drag me back out to the
living room.

   "Brian, Jordan and I agree with your suggestion.  I hope you weren't
offended that I wanted to talk to Jordan before I said yes." Trish said
when Jordan and I were seated again.

   I smiled.  "Trish, if you hadn't wanted to talk to Jordan I'd have been
quite surprised.  I was pretty sure you'd agree though, so I made a
tentative appointment for the three of us to meet my lawyer on Monday
afternoon at 4:00.  We can pick Jordan up at school and go over from there.
Mike - that's my lawyer - specifically asked that Jordan come as he wants
to talk to her privately before the papers are finalized.  Is that okay?"

   Trish and Jordan were agreeable and I told Trish I'd call Mike first
thing Monday morning and tell him to go ahead.  "Oh, by the way, I give
Mike a fair bit of business and I've been a client of his for quite a while
so the only cost you'll have will be any filing fees.  The witnesses will
be his staff and he'll write off his fee as a 'pro-bono' item on his tax
return." After getting hugs all around Jordan got her stuff - at least most
of it - and headed home.

   As time does, it marched on.  Christmas came and I was invited to spend
Christmas Day with Trish and Jordan - 'my ladies' as I'd taken to thinking
of them.  Trish and Jordan came over to watch the New Year's Eve
celebrations on TV at my place.  Once the weather warmed up some we went
out as a trio and enjoyed the outdoors.  At spring break, Trish managed to
get a couple of extra days off and the three of us went down to Florida for
four days - separate rooms of course.

   June rolled around and one evening as Jordan and I were watching the TV
news after supper, there was a 'human interest' item about a couple who'd
overcome all kinds of obstacles and were getting married.  "Our wedding is
going to be small like that," said Jordan out of the blue.

   I was startled and asked Jordan what she meant.

   "Oh I mean that when my love and I get married, I want our ceremony to
be small like the one we just saw" she said.

   I relaxed thinking 'Phew, I thought she meant us two getting married'.

   Summer vacation was soon here and Jordan was a frequent visitor.  She
knew the rules and when she came over, if the office door was closed, she
just found stuff to do.  Jordan had taken a real interest in reading and
had a couple of favorite authors.  I'd often find her curled up on the
couch with Maxie at her side or sprawled out on a towel on the back lawn
reading with Maxie keeping her company.  The more she read, the wider her
range of authors and genres became.

   It soon seemed that almost every day that her mom worked, she'd be over
and we'd eat lunch together.  She'd started running with me in the area
behind the house and was soon able to outpace me if she chose.  A person
would have to be blind to not notice how much Jordan was physically
maturing.  Her breasts were a nice size now - probably a 'B' cup and there
was no mistaking her nicely shaped waist nor her very nice looking bum.