45. Dinner 2

Nadine was startled when a large hand suddenly touched her hair. She turned to look at Brian with a smile, and Brian turned her around, undoing her ponytail and then gathering her hair and tying it back neatly.

"Thank you, dear. Did you just arrive? Why didn't I hear you come in?" Nadine asked, looking at Brian affectionately. Everyone who had been busy with their tasks turned to look at Brian and Nadine.

"I've been here for a while, but everyone was busy, so I've been standing here for quite some time," Brian explained and then hung up his jacket, draping it over the back of a chair.

"Daddy, Ricky helped make cookies," Ricky said as he ran toward Brian. Brian reached out to shake Ricky's hand, then picked him up and kissed his face, which was covered in flour.

"Come on, Dad, help us," Brian said as he carried Ricky over to where the little boy had been playing earlier. Amanda had intentionally prepared dough on a mat on the floor to make Ricky more comfortable.

"My goodness, is this