It’s like walking into a wall of sound. Martha and Sammie, now fully awake and totally hyper, bounce around with Frederic and little Johnnie, who’s not so little anymore. He’s had his five-year-old growth spurt, it seems, and now looks like a mini-Albie. The four of them run among the adults’ legs while Aunt Cordelia greets Beth, Gwen, and Louie. She immediately steals their youngest, cuddling him while Louie plays with her frilly collar.
Bobby’s learned there is nothing quite like the cuddle of a two-year-old. Nothing quite like a two-year-old screaming either, but he loves Louie no matter what. And honestly, he’ll probably be their quietest child for the duration. What have they done, inviting a little Bertramanda little Mason for the whole winter?
Albie and Meredith divest themselves of their coats while chatting with Uncle Dashiell, who’s pulling a seemingly endless stack of presents through the front door. Frederic has a normal, respectable amount of toys at Havenfort Manor, but Uncle Dashiell clearly doesn’t know how to stop buying for his grandchildren.
Mrs.Gilpe and Mrs.Stelm wave at them, chatting in the corner with MissWilson. Bobby smiles at them, hoping that they do end up deciding to come live nearby. They would make excellent matrons for the proposed orphanage, and he knows Gwen and Beth would love having them so close. MissWilson clearly would as well. And Parker probably wouldn’t mind. He’s getting tired of the weekly Mason/Demeroven house card games—knows all their tells, apparently.
And even though it’s loud and frenetic, Bobby wouldn’t want to be anywhere other than here, with his whole motley family. They’re all older, wiser, and so much happier than they werejust five years ago. He’s looking forward to being happier for the rest of his life.
“I can’t wait to come back,” James says, leaning into him.
Bobby smiles and turns to press a kiss to the top of his head. “Yes. Please, hurry home.”
