“Oh, you two are adorable,” Grandma Donna says.
My parents and Jackson and Dove walk in behind us, and hugs are exchanged all around. Grandma Donna hands them their sweaters, and I laugh when I see Jackson in his. The bunny looks just like him, complete with the attitude.
“Hello!” Uncle Hal says as he walks in. “What have we here?” He studies our sweaters and grins when Grandma Donna hands him one. “Why, thank you, dear,” he says. His sweater has a Ralph the rooster look-alike, and Uncle Hal is thrilled.
She nods sweetly, and her cheeks flush when she looks past him. I turn back to see Papa Hector holding a huge bouquet of flowers.
“For you,” he says as he hands them to Grandma Donna.
“They’re beautiful,” she says.
“As are you,” he says, ducking his head.
“He’s fucking flirting,” Jackson hisses in my direction.
“I think you call that courting,” I hiss back. “Something you wouldn’t understand…”
“I call thatweirdis what I call it. They’re old enough to be?—”
“Our grandparents?” I supply helpfully.
He pretends to gag, and I sock him in the stomach.
He doubles over, and my mom snaps her fingers.
“Am I gonna have to separate you two?”
“Sorry, Mom.” I shoot her an apologetic look, and she winks at me.
“Aww look, how sweet,” she says, touching my arm.
Papa Hector is wearing his sweater, which has a very distinguished-looking bunny wearing a sweater vest and bow tie.
“Exquisite,” he says as he pats the sweater down.
Jackson looks at me and mimes throwing up. I act like I’m gonna punch him again, and he stumbles as he tries to get away from me.
“Come on back,” Grandma Donna says. “I’ve been hurrying to finish everyone’s sweaters, and Nancy has been working overtime in the kitchen. I think Grayson needs the Easter egg hunt to happen before we eat, though. The little guy is so excited.”
When we walk back to the kitchen and great room, everyone is already in their sweaters. I put my hand over my mouth to cover my laugh. The sweaters have everything from bunnies to hens to eggs and carrots. It’s the cutest display of knitted yarn I’ve ever seen.
Milo’s carrot-holding-the-hand-of-a-pea sweater is almost enough to make me lose it.
“Don’t,” he says, pointing at me, his lips twitching.
“Aren’t we cute?” Goldie says, leaning into him with her matching sweater and smiling over at me.
“The cutest,” I tell her, laughing.
“Uncle Camden! Juju!” Grayson runs over and throws his arms around my legs and then Camden’s. “Now we can do the Easter egg hunt! My friends are waiting outside. Come on!”
“Where’s Tull?” Camden asks Goldie as we head out back.
“Oh, just you wait,” she says, laughing.
Out on the grass just before the sand and water, kids are running around with their parents looking on, and someone who’s dressed as a giant Easter bunny is getting his picture taken with the kids, one by one.
“No,” Camden says, putting his fist over his mouth as he laughs. “How did he ever find a suit big enough?”
