Playing along, I said, “Santa did what sweetie?”
“I asked Santa for a brother and now you're having a baby.” Her hand went to her lips and she pinched them, clearly thinking about something. “Wait, is it a boy?”
Bronson squatted down in front of her. “We won’t know that for a while but you will be happy with a brother or a sister, right?”
She very enthusiastically gave her dad a hug and then wrapping her arms around my legs, gave me one too. And then she did the most adorable thing. She touched my stomach and said, “Hi baby boy.”
I looked at Bronson. He smiled and shrugged.
Rushing toward the door, Stormi yelled, “Come on, I want to tell everyone about my brother!”
“Stormi,” I started because she obviously hadn’t understood the brother part of the conversation.
She gave me a smug look stopping me from saying anything else. “It’s Santa, he’ll bring me what I asked for.”
Her father chuckled. “How can you argue with that logic?”
He took my hand again and we followed our very extremely thrilled daughter outside.
I gave my husband a tender smile. “Maybe we won’t have to.”
An image of a little boy that looked like Bronson flashed in my head.
It was a sight to behold but either way, boy or girl, I’d be over the moon.
My sister lookedlike she might be the one sick to her stomach instead of me.
One by one our friends—they’d claimed River and the kids too—showed up at the lake house, gifts upon gifts in hand. River was semi-quiet but I hadn’t seen her speechless like she was at that moment.
The house was furnished very nicely since being used as a vacation home. That helped my sister and the kids some, but they’d lost everything in the fire that night. I’d been to many fires over the years I’d been an EMT and seen the crushing despair it caused but seeing that on someone close to me was devastating.
I don’t think one realized unless they had been through it themselves that some things just couldn’t be replaced. But what was clearly obvious as I took in River, Lennon, Breland, and their cute as a button, fawn-colored Pug named Roxie all huddled together, was the people we loved were okay and that meant everything.
My daughter included, who couldn’t seem to stay away from her Auntie River, even with all the kids running around.
“What did you do?” my sister whisper-hissed, coming up next to me.
I laughed because it was a silly question. “You’ll understand soon that I didn’t do anything and these women walk to the beat of their own drums and toot their own horns.”
River snorted, a sound I’d never heard come from her. It was awesome. I was so proud of her for letting her guard down to let out the unladylike noise.
I snickered. “Nice snort, Sis.”
She bumped her hip with mine playfully. “Oh shut up.”
We were bonding and it felt fabulous.
“Oh, she’s feisty,” Alley said, walking up to us. “I like it.”
“You would,” Gemma told her as she made her way to us as well.
Alley scoffed. “You’re one to talk. You, my dear, are almost as sassy as I am.”
“It’s a good thing I came along and am so sweet to help balance things out,” London teased.
“Well your name isn’t just Goldilocks for your blonde hair,” Teal told her.
And the ribbing and banter went on. Jurnee, Summer, Teal, Brinley, Ruby, and Capri all got in their jabs too.
