Veer

“Hello?” Maya called out into the house. It was quiet, too quiet for house occupied by a six year old a Jeff, “where is my family?”

Maya looked in the kitchen, the living room, and the backyard before making her way upstairs. She made her way to the master bedroom, quietly opening the door and seeing Jessa and Jeff. They were taking a nap, Jeff was lying on his back a large protective arm wrapped around Jessa’s middle as she cuddled up to his side.

Maya was so overwhelmed with the view in front tears sprang in her eyes. It was too cute to see her favorite people snuggled up together. She pulled out her phone and quickly snapped picture. Not realizing her volume was on the shutter noise seemed deafening in the silent room.

“Mommy?” Jessa questioned as she began to sit up, making Jeff stir too, “Jeff has a whole half hour left of his pregame nap, you can’t just wake him up,” she added sassily, causing Jeff to give a low chuckle.

“Well you have soccer practice, so you’re nap is over, why don’t you go to room and get ready.”

Jessa gave a small groan. She rolled on top of Jeff and looked hi in the eyes before grabbing either side of his face and squeezing his cheeks together.

“Have a good rest of your nap and good luck on your game I will be there cheering you on, love you,” she said before kissing his lips and hopping off.

“Oh my god, you and my daughter are on the same nap schedule. It’s so cute it’s sickening. I might actually puke,” Maya laughed before taking up the space Jessa just resided in.

“I love the little munchkin like she were my own. She’ll be wearing a Carter jersey tonight right?”

“She is yours, her biological dad isn’t shit compared to you and I can conveniently forget to pack the Richards jersey for after practice.”

“You’re the best babe, but your daughter was right I still have half an hour of nap left.”

“I know sweetie, but I have to talk to you about tomorrow.”

“What about it?” Jeff sat up.

“Well I leave tomorrow for that business trip and I want to know if you’re still up for watching bubs, I mean I still can ask Nicole Brown if she’ll watch her.”

“I’ll be fine, I know her schedule so well because of the lockout I can handle it.”

“But it’s three days without me, I just don’t want you to be overwhelmed. Especially since you are also playing games now.”

“It will work out, if I need extra help I can always call Nicole, I promise I will treat your daughter perfectly.”

“I have no doubt about that, but I worry if you can be the mean parent while I’m gone; veggies, bedtime, brushing teeth, all that good stuff.”

“She doesn’t think about me as a dad so I always have a had time with that stuff.”

“Once we’re married you’re going to be her dad, so get used to the hard stuff, she’ll hate at first but she’ll love you anyway. Here’s your chance to start being tough.”

“Okay, so no worries while you’re away then.”

“No worries, just don’t be too much of a softie,” Maya laughed as Jeff tickled her in response, “I have to take our little girl to practice so finish your nap,” she kissed Jeff before leaving the room.

^^^^^^^^^^

“Good game Jeffie,” Jessa said with a sleepy voice, reaching her hands up.

“Thanks bubs, it looks like it wore you out more than me,” Jeff laughed, picking up the little girl who rested her head on his shoulder before half falling asleep.

“She barely made it through the second period, I don’t know what’s up with her,” Maya frowned.

“She had a long day and I was so good tonight, all the excitement probably got to her,”

“Maybe, or maybe because she couldn’t trick one of the girlfriends to buy something sugary tonight,”

“Aww she’s having the crash without the high.” Jeff laughed, “You want me to carry her to your car?”

“Do you not have a car seat in your car?”

“I took out when I went out for drinks with the guys,” Jeff replied.

“Jeff… I thought you were going to try to be a real parent, I’m leaving you with her for three days and you don’t even have a car seat?”

“It’s in the garage and I will start being a real parent tomorrow, now where should I take our little princess?”

Maya rolled her eyes but led Jeff to her car. She kissed Jeff before going their separate ways to meet up back at home.

Maya beat Jeff home and carried her daughter up to her room. Struggling at the top of the stairs, hoping she wouldn’t drop her daughter who was getting a little too big for her to carry. Once she helped the girl into her pajamas, she tucked her in.

“I know you’re really sleepy baby, but I’m going to be gone before you wake up tomorrow. I just want to tell you that I love you so much and I want you to be extra good to Jeff, he’s new at this. So be on your best behavior because he loves you. I will call you everyday and miss you to the moon and back,” Maya leaned in kissing her forehead and giving her a little squeeze.

“uh lowe you mommy,” Maya mumbled before turning over and snuggling into her pillow.

Maya went into her room to see Jeff getting out of his suit. Maya smiled before getting into one of Jeff’s shirts before falling back onto the bed.

“I’m going off the clock for primary parent duty as of now, she’s all yours,”

“Okay, don’t worry I will pass with flying colors,” he grinned before hovering over her. Jeff began to kiss her neck and Maya let out a little moan.

“Jeff don’t turn me on, I’m so tired and I have to get up early,” she said as ran her hands through his hair, not giving him any real reason to stop.

“I’m going to be a sexy dad for the next three days and you won’t be here to get all hot and bothered about it,” Jeff smirked before pulling down her panties.

^^^^^^^^^^
Jeff woke up the next morning to an empty bed. It was early but Maya had already left for her business trip. He sighed before getting up and getting dressed to go to practice.

He went down the hall to wake up Jessa so he could take her to school. He walked into the room to see the girl sprawled out, limbs and hair everywhere. Jeff gently moved her hair away from her face and got a groan in reply.

“C’mon Jess, time to get up for school,” Jeff laughed as the girl rolled over; she began to clutch her stomach.

“Jeffie, I can’t I feel sick,” she moaned.

“What feels sick?”

“My tummy hurts and my throat, I can’t go to school,”

Jeff sighed and ruffled her hair, “well I’ll call the school and then I guess you’ll come to practice with me, is that fine.”

“Do I have to leave?”

“I have to go to practice, I’ll bundle you up and you can sleep on the bleachers and if you get any worse we’ll leave.”

“Okay,” Jessa mumbled.

Despite the warm Californian weather, Jeff put Jessa in a pair of sweatpants and a Kings sweatshirt. She groaned some more as Jeff put her in her car seat next to his hockey bag. They drove to the practice arena and he carried her into the locker room, some of the guys hollered as they were changing but Jessa had already fallen back asleep in Jeff’s stall as he went to talk to coach.

Jessa sat on the bench next to the team, some of the players tried to get her to smile or giggle but she just groaned and tried to get back to sleep. Mike sat next to the little girl who merely shrugged indifferently at anything he said.

“I think she’s really sick man,” Mike said to Jeff once they were back on the ice.

“Why?”

“Well she completely ignored me when I was talking to her. She’s in love with me so you know something is wrong.”

“Maybe I should leave with her, I probably should take her to a doctor,”

“Yeah, you should and call her mom while you’re at it,” Dustin Brown said as he skated by.

Jeff sighed and skated towards the bench, coach nodded at him understanding that he had to leave. Scooping up Jessa they made their way back to the car. Jeff knew he should call Maya, but he wanted to be a good parent without her help, he wanted to prove himself.

Thankfully, Maya had given him the pediatrician’s number and three hours later they had been to the doctor, got the diagnosis and were now back home. Jessa had strep throat and was not allowed to leave the house for the next 48 hours in case she was contagious.

“Hey babe, how’s your trip?”

“Good, how was my baby this morning?” Maya laughed into the phone.

“Well that’s why I’m calling. She has strep throat. Now before you freak out and try and come home, I have it covered. We went to the doctor I have her medicine and I have been waiting on her hand and foot.”

“Aww sweetie, are you sure she doesn’t need me?”

“No, just enjoy your business trip and if I have any problems, I will call Nicole.”

“Okay, take good care of her, if she gets worse you better call me to come home or I will kill you.”

“Of course, love you.”

“Love you too, give my baby a kiss for me, or hug so you don’t get sick.”

The rest of the day was spent watching movies with Jessa in the master bedroom, giving her soup and other liquids to soothe her burning throat. Soon she was asleep and cuddled to Jeff’s side and he too drifted off into sleep.

The next morning Jeff woke up and Jessa was on fire. Her skin felt burning and Jeff quickly got up to grab a thermometer. She had a temperature of 99. Jeff gave her medicine and in desperation called his mother.

“How do I get a fever down?” He said into the phone as soon as his mom answered.

“What?”

“Jessa is sick and I’m charge and she has a fever again.”

“Aww my poor grandbaby,” his mother cooed even though Jessa technically wasn’t hers, “well I think you should try and make sweat it out, wrap her in some blankets and even though she may complain it will work. Check in an hour and if she still isn’t okay then maybe call her doctor.”

“Okay thank you mom,”

“No problem, you’re such a good man.”

He hung up and layered Jessa up in warm clothes before wrapping her in another blanket and letting her go back to sleep. Jeff did some laundry and watched some TV while folding clothes. He looked over to see Jessa tossing in her sleep and beginning to moan.

“Daddy?” She moaned, “Daddy I feel really hot, can you get me a Popsicle,” Jeff stared at her, “Jeffie can I have a Popsicle?” she said sitting up more.

“Sure thing sweetie,” Jeff said getting up.

He walked down in shock. Jessa had called him daddy, or at least she was feverish enough that she was a tad delusional. He didn’t know what to do. Should he bring it up? Have a talk with her about what he was to her? He shook his head and grabbed some Popsicles, deciding this was a topic she should bring up herself and probably not be sick when it happens.

“Here you go bubs,” Jeff helped out of her little cocoon and pulled her into his lap, handing her a Popsicle.

“Thanks Jeffie, I’m feeling better,” Jessa turned and hugged him, “ when does mommy come home?”

“The day after tomorrow, but in the morning so she’ll take you to school while I go on a road trip.”

“Okay.”

The next morning Jeff gave Jessa her last dose of medicine but didn’t have the heart to force her to go to school. While Jessa begged to go to Mike’s, Jeff put his foot down and told her they had to stay at home.

“Jeffie can ask you a question?” Jessa asked as she ate her chicken noodle soup.

“Yeah what’s on your mind?”

“Well I know you love my mommy and love me,”

“Uh huh I love you both.”

“And I know I love you, so could I call you daddy?” Jeff stared in shock.

“Is that what you want? I mean, I’m technically not your real dad.”

“I know, but I don’t know him and you took care of me when I was sick and yucky so that makes you a real daddy,” Jeff laughed at her response.

“Well if you want to call daddy you can,” Jeff smiled and gave her a kiss on the head.

^^^^^^^^^^

“Mommy you’re home!” Jessa shouted as she came downstairs to see Maya and Jeff eating breakfast.

“How are you feeling bubs? Did Jeff take good care of you?”

“He did I’m all better now!”

“Glad you’re better, but I have a plane to catch so I will see you ladies later.” Jeff put his dishes in the sink.

“Bye daddy, good luck at your games, I’ll miss you,” Jessa jumped up into Jeff arm giving him a kiss. Jeff placed her on the ground and she sat back down at the table to eat her breakfast.

“Did she just..?”

“Yeah,” Jeff grinned widely at Maya who beamed as tears came to her eyes.