“What do you have, Anya?” Cary asked me and tried to reach for the bag, but Law snatched it out of my hand before she could get to it.
“Patience, Mom.” Law’s tone was stern, but the smile on his face told us all he was joking with her.
She stomped a foot and held her fists on her hips. “This is my house, Lawson. Hand over the bag.”
She held her hand out, waiting for him to give her the bag, but he only held it above his head and headed toward the kitchen, setting it on the highest shelf he could, where his mom wasn’t able to reach out.
“Just like your father,” Cary whispered under hear breath and continued to stir whatever we were having for dinner. It smelling amazing, and when I went to stand beside her I saw spaghetti noodles ready to go and the sauce coming to a boil.
We ate our dinner in an unusual silence, Cary not talking to Law or even her husband.
“You can’t be mad, Mom, you just have to wait.” Law tried to reason with her as she silently took away the dirty plates to clean.
“You know how I am with waiting,” she snapped and then turned on the sink.
Law made his way over and turned it off and then grabbed a towel and dried her hands.
“I know, Mom.” He shook his head and grabbed for the bag. “I know.”
He handed it to her as she bounced on the balls of her feet and Luke came to her side. Law came back over to stand with me and we waited as she took out the stuffing from the bag Law had put together. She took out the box and then looked up at Luke, who only shrugged his shoulders at what it could be. Law leaned in and took the bag from her, so she would be able to hold the box in both hands. Luke lifted the lid and it took a moment for them both to register what was in the box.
“What?” Cary’s question started as a soft whisper and then the next one grew into an outright yell. “What?”
She shoved the box into Luke’s chest and ran into my arms, holding me close. She pulled away and placed her hand on my stomach and looked between Law and me.
“Really?” she asked.
“Really,” Law answered.
She looked back at me with tears streaming down her face.
“So, what do you say, Grandma?” I asked and she about leapt out of her skin at the word.
“Nope. Nana, Granny Cary, anything but grandma!” She shook her head in disgust. Luke burst out laughing and pulled her away from me, so he could get in for his own hug.
“I’m good with grandpa, kid.” He leaned down to give me a kiss on the cheek and then turned to Law. “Good work, son.”
He slapped him on the shoulder and then moved to take Cary in his arms.
“Have you told your parents yet?” Cary asked me.
“Not yet, we have to try to get a video chat going to show them.”
“We have a laptop in the living room. Let’s get it set up now!” Cary grabbed for my hand and then pulled me into the other room.
“Law.” I looked back at where he was standing like a deer in headlights. It was one thing to tell his parents, but to tell mine was a whole other ball game. He grabbed the box his parents had left on the counter and made his way behind us. Cary sat us both down on the couch and it felt all too real now. She pulled up the laptop and typed in the number I told her to call. The speaker on the computer was turned up all the way and ringing filled the room.
Law grabbed for my hand just as my mother came on the screen.
“Anya?” She squinted, trying to look into the camera.
“It’s me. Where’s Dad?” I asked.
“Let me get him.” She left the screen and Law sat the box into my lap and we waited until they both came back and were standing there.
“Isn’t this a surprise, both of you calling us?” my mother chastised.
I wasn’t someone who was big into phone calls, so I knew what she meant. I almost never reached out, and with this big of a news, it had to be done this way. A text would never suffice.
