Proper distance

Jason just looked on in amusement at his mother and Jenny as he was drying his own hair. Susan took her leave now that she had seen how James looked in the panda bear pyjama's and had taken a dozen photos of him for her own collection. Now that the pyjamas had been taken care of, all that there was left to do, was to let the little boy sleep. Jenny grabbed James and placed him on her and Jason's bed. She pulled the covers over him and tugged him in. Lying in the centre of such a large bed, the boy almost disappeared under the fluffy covers. Jenny bent down to place a kiss on his forehead and said, "Good night, sweet boy." But when she was about to leave, James held the corner of her sleeve.

"He must be scared to sleep here on his own." Jenny thought to herself as she looked at the boy's face. She exchanged glances with Jason, and he got the message. He nodded his head and said, "I'll wait in the other room.". Jenny looked back at James and said, "Oh, I suddenly feel like taking a nap as well. Do you mind if I lay here next to you for a while?" With a smile on his face James shook his head. When he saw Jenny lying down next to him and close her eyes, he followed suit and it didn't take long for him to fall asleep. Once Jenny was convinced, he had dozed off, she carefully got off the bed and went to the other side of the door where Jason had been waiting patiently for her, while reading a book.

When he saw her walk in, Jason looked up and said, "Is the brat finally asleep?". Jenny chuckled and nodded her head. "Why are you being so mean to the kid. I thought you were finally getting along. Are you trying to tell me that you are really being jealous over a child."? Without denying Jenny's accusations, Jason replied, "Well, if you hadn't let him be all over you or if he wasn't being a brat, I would have been kinder." Jenny shook her head as she walked up to him and she quietly laughed. When she stood by his side, Jason instantly put an arm around her as he was sitting in the reading corner in the windowsill. "What will you do when we have kids of our own?" Jenny asked with a chuckle. Jason placed his book down and wrapped his other arm around her as well, before pulling her close, making her fall against his lap, before answering her question. "If they are as sticky as that kid, they too will be pulled away. No exceptions. There is no need for a boy to be so clingy towards his mom. I will carry him for you and teach him proper distance."

Jenny shook her head as she laughed at Jason's words. Not only because his words were so crazy, she didn't have a reply other than a laugh, but also because she could clearly imagine him doing exactly what he had said he would do. "Don't you dare bully my sons, you crazy man. Besides, I think you will be much worse with our daughter, than a son could ever be with me. She will have you wrapped around her little finger in no time. That child will be spoiled rotten and make jealous every single day, but I can already predict that no amount of jealousy from me will be able to change that." Jason chuckled before showing a content smile, "Yeah, I don't stand a chance, do I." "No. No, you don't.". With a sigh, they sat in each other's embrace and stared out of the window. "But you have to admit, James is a good kid. He just lacks attention. Somehow he reminds me of you."

Jason nodded his head as he said, "Yeah, I was thinking the same thing when I was talking to him in the hall. He doesn't have any friends other than the girl he has been engaged to and his parents have developed a new company recently, so they are busy with that most of the time. So, he is left with the nannies and his grandparents."

"If you know that, then why are you giving him such a tough time?" Jenny asked with a chuckle.

"What tough time?" Jason asked with a fake offended look on his face. "After dinner I have been an absolute delight towards him. If he hadn't been so cocky at the beginning, I might have been so kind from the beginning."

"That was you being a delight?" Jenny asked, with an emphasis on the word 'that'. With a questioning look she turned to Jason in await of his answer.

"I even took a bath with him, isn't that enough to show that I like the kid? All that he needs to do is stop clinging to you so much and we will get along just fine."

Jenny laughed softly at his answer and said, "So, I am what brings you two together, but also what keeps you apart. What a dilemma."

"Yes, life is filled with them. But don't worry. If it makes you happy, I will be nice to the kid and I'll try to be more patient with him. Who knows, after a while he might want to be carried by voluntarily. Till then, I will pluck him away when he becomes too much or if he gets too close."

"Oh, so he is allowed to come back here after today?" Jenny asked with narrowed and teasing eyes.

"That was the plan wasn't it? Doesn't seem like I have much say in it." Jason replied with a slightly unsatisfied expression.

Jenny chuckled as she heard these words. "Ah, I see I have chosen a wise man. He knows when to fight and when to give up." With a satisfied smirk on her face.