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“Well I’d say that was successful, Joseph.” Jesse said through a yawn, slamming the car door from inside as he leaned over to buckle Michelle’s seat belt.
Joey nodded, starting the engine. “3rd and 7th grade first day drop offs both on time, lunches remembered, summer reading done. Danny would be proud.”
Jesse rubbed at his eyes with the back of his hand. “Yeah, man, it’s a good thing that preschool doesn’t start till next week. I don’t think I could handle the amount of gig nights the band has booked right now on top of three early school drop offs and pickups sans Danny.”
Joey started the engine and pulled out of the junior high parking lot, seeing that Jesse had strapped his seat belt on in the back. “You staying back there?”
“Mmm.” Jesse hummed in response, his eyelids drooping. “Too tired.”
“Where’s Daddy?” Michelle asked.
“Daddy’s on a business trip in Chicago, shorty. We’ve been over this a hundred times.” Jesse mumbled in response.
“I can count to a hundred. One, two, four, eight-”
“Maybe she doesn’t need preschool after all.” Joey mused with a chuckle, as a still counting Michelle yawned through the out of place number sixty-seven.
“We’re almost home, Michelle, then you can have your nap. Just a few more miles…” He trailed off, turning his head to see who in his opinion, was the world’s most adorable baby, already fast asleep in the backseat.
Joey smiled to himself, a warm feeling settling inside as he let his eyes drift once more to the rear view mirror to bask in the glow of Jesse’s cherub face, eyelashes softly fluttering in his sleep as his head leaned on the corner of Michelle’s car seat.
Michelle raised a teeny finger to her lips. “Shhh. Uncle Jesse is sleeeeeping.” She then proceeded to press a kiss to Jesse’s forehead as Joey slowed to a stop at a red light.
“Kiss Uncle Jesse goodnight!” She demanded in a whisper-yell, her little brow furrowed as she leaned forward to tug on Joey’s collar.
He laughed a little, knowing that he shouldn’t be feeling awkward. Not about something as trivial as a goodnight kiss dictated by a two-and-a-half-year-old. But… a kiss was still a kiss.
“No, Michelle, that’s alright. You already kissed him, and I have to drive.”
“You’re not driving! The car stopped!” Michelle frowned, her fingers digging into his shoulder as he willed the red light to change.
‘Honestly, it’s just an innocent kiss goodnight.’ He thought as the light somehow stayed red after what now seemed like hours of being stopped there. ‘And when are we ever gonna get the chance to kiss that perfect face again? This is the closest thing we’re ever gonna get to being together.’
With that logic in mind, he wrenched himself around so he was facing Jesse, one hand still on the wheel as he allowed his seat belt to strangle him as, pausing, he decided to just go for it and planted a light, electrifying kiss on Jesse’s cheek.
He sat back in his seat, blinking hard as he realized he had just kissed Jesse Katsopolis. Not quite in the way he’d been fantasizing about for the past few months, but who cares. He’d done it. He’d kissed him.
“I’ll return the favour when I’m more awake.” Came the deep voice from the back of the car. Joey jumped in his seat, whipping around to see a still half asleep Jesse smiling to himself. A chorus of car horns behind him snapped him back to reality as he realized that the stupid light had finally in fact turned green, and with a grin on his face he knew made him look like an idiot to anyone watching him through the window, he pulled into the intersection and headed toward Gerard Street.
Joey felt a blush starting to tingle in his cheeks, which stayed throughout the whole drive home, and only started to fade when he carried first Michelle, and then Jesse, into the house and tucked them into their respective beds.
He may have stayed with Jesse a little longer than he stayed with Michelle. And he may have given him another little goodnight kiss that had deeper implications.
Who knows.