I shake my head, and tears start rolling down my cheeks. I hold up a hand. “Please, no. I’m glad you’re here. You absolutely belong. Let me explain.” I wipe my face and chuckle. “I’m a little emotional, as you can see. And there’s a good reason.”
I huddle close to them and lower my voice. “Ryder and I plan to announce to the family today while everyone is together that I’m expecting. Fifteen weeks along. I wasn’t entirely sure that I could have kids, and so this is a scary blessing but an exciting one.”
Rebecca’s eyes shimmer with tears. “You’re telling us first?” she asks, looking back at Daniel. “Before your parents? Why?”
I can hardly get the words out, but I finally do. “That’s exactly why I want to share this with you first and not spring it on you. I know not everyone likes surprises.” I take a deep breath and hope I’m doing the right thing. I’m sure my parents will understand if they ever find out that Rebecca and Daniel had a tiny head start on this information.
“I am so close to my parents. It’s hard to explain how close. I mean, I’m over thirty years old and I still live at home because I want to.” I chuckle. “That’s about to change, of course, but I just cannot imagine the kind of loss you went through. Losing your daughter. I’m sure no matter how much time passes, it never gets easier…just different.”
Rebecca sniffs and pulls a tissue from her bag. I rush on before any of us starts in with the waterworks.
“I feel terrified that you’re going to think I’m disrespecting your daughter’s life. Stepping in and taking her place. I just can’t handle the thought that you lost your daughter and now you’ll think that you’re losing your grandchildren too. I have no intention of ever—”
Rebecca stops me with a shake of her head. “Oh, Gracie. I can see why you’re the one for Ryder.” She pulls me close and hugs me, patting me gently on the back. When she releases me, she holds my shoulders and looks me in the eye. “We know the things our daughter did while she was married to Ryder. We don’t defend it, but we also can’t hold her choices against her. All any parent wants is for their child to be happy and safe. While Ryder was good to Elizabeth, he wasn’t right for her.”
Daniel looks like he’s near tears, and that breaks me up all over again.
“Now, listen,” Rebecca says, growing stern. “No matter what, all that matters is that we are a family to these children. Luke and Cora will always be our grandchildren. Our flesh and blood. We’re not as close as you are with your parents, but we are happy that they will grow up with that kind of love. I am sure if Elizabeth had lived, she would have left Ryder. I’m only hoping that he would have found you, and you would have found him, no matter what.”
She holds my face between her hands and pats my cheek. “You have nothing to worry about. We are happy for Ryder, happy for you, and most of all, thrilled that Cora and Luke have you as their new mother. You’ve been that to them, Gracie. You’ve been more of a mother than our daughter had the chance to be. Accept that role. Embrace it. That’s just how it should be.”
She turns to Daniel and swats him playfully. “Now try to act surprised when they announce they’re expecting. I don’t want to get on Lucia and Mario’s bad side.”
“I hear Mario likes to threaten people with a mallet,” I hear Daniel say as they head back toward the house.
“Only some people, dear. Better not to ask.” Rebecca and Daniel lace hands and walk back inside.
Ryder is waiting for me a short distance away. He’s standing near the patio doors, just watching me.
“Everything okay?” he asks, coming to meet me.
I look off into the afternoon sun. The day is cool and sunny. A light breeze plays over my hair. While I lace hands with him, we see two hummingbirds swoop down, hover near the hedge that separates our lawn from our neighbors and then fly away.
“Did you see that?” I ask. “Those hummingbirds?”
“Maybe they’re a sign,” Ryder says, wrapping his arms around my waist. He stands behind me and rests his chin lightly on the top of my head. He kisses my hair. “You sort things out with Rebecca and Daniel?”
I nod, and then I turn and hug him. “Let’s go inside. We have a party to host.”
Inside, the party is bustling. Luke is playing trains with Franco and Chloe. Austin is talking to Sassy, who is probably trying to figure out what kind of woman he likes so she can set him up.
In the yard, Cora has an absolutely ridiculous number of presents to open. Puzzles, books, clothes, sports equipment, and a brand-new sleeping bag for when she sleeps over at Nana Lucia and Papa Mario’s house.
Luke gets plenty of gifts too, including a book about trains from Chloe and Franco.
I give Cora and Luke my presents last. I walk across the grass to Luke and present him with two coloring books, each one hand-drawn by me. They are identical books—one is for his sister, of course—and features pictures of many of the adventures we’ve shared together. There are pictures of the pasta people from Benito’s menu. The kids represented by sharks taking swim lessons at the aquatic center. There are trains and pictures of Luke’s school, Cora in the car going to day care. Even pictures of us together.
The last gift I have is for Cora to open. I hand the bag to Ryder for him to give his daughter, but he shakes his head and takes my hand. “Together,” he says.
The entire family is hushed and watching while we walk up to Cora. She sits on a chair in the center of all of us, looking elated in her tiara and pretty dress.
“Cora,” I say. “Your dad and I got you a present, but it’s really something you’re going to have to share with the whole family. Luke included.”
She doesn’t look at all discouraged that she has to share and asks, “What is it?”
I hand her the bag and watch as she pulls out a baby doll wearing a T-shirt that reads, “My big sister loves me.”
She holds the doll up to the family, and I smile at Ryder. “Go on,” I say. “You tell them.”
