“See. I told you that everyone would love you the minute they met you. Even the family dog is happy to see you.”
And then I see her.
Scottie’s mother steps out of the front door and onto the porch. She’s small, maybe five-foot-two, with blonde hair piled into a messy bun and warm hazel eyes that are so similar to Scottie’s that I hope it means they're as kind to me as his are.”
She stops dead at the top of the steps, her hand flying to her heart.
“Oh my God,” she breathes. “Arny–Arnold, get out here. Look at her.”
A man in a wheelchair rolls through the doorway behind her. He’s broad-shouldered despite the chair, with laugh lines around his eyes and a smile that looks like it’s lived on his face for decades.
“That’s Arnold,” Scottie murmurs near my ear. “My dad. He goes by Arny, though.”
“Isn’t she something?” his mom calls back to his dad, but she’s already halfway to us leaving Scottie’s father in the dust. “Scottie, you told me that she was a ballerina, but you didn’t tell me she was drop-dead gorgeous.”
“I tried,” Scottie says, grinning. “Katerina, this is my mother, Hillary.”
“But you can call me mom,” she says to me right before she throws her arms around Scottie and bear hugs him, which is so sweet considering how much smaller she is than him.
“Welcome, sweetheart,” she says into his shoulder. Then she turns to me and grabs both of my shoulders as if to get a closer look. “And, look at you, you’re just beautiful. Those cheekbones… And your eyes. Our grandbabies are going to be stunning.Aren’t they going to be stunning, Arny?” she yells over her shoulder as Arny wheels closer to us.
I go absolutely still. Babies? I had never even considered children. Maybe because I never thought I’d marry a man I love. The idea of bringing children into my world… meant to use as pieces on a chess board, was something I tried not to think about.
But children with Scottie…? I shake the fantasy from even appearing. Though I can feel my uterus let out a small tear for an Easton baby, it will never carry.
Arny finally rolls over. He’s in no hurry but I can see the appreciative grin to see us.
“Your mother’s right,” he tells Scottie. “You married well out of your league, son.”
“Arny–” Hillary says, whacking Arny’s shoulder for insulting their son in the process of complimenting me.
Then Arny turns to me and gives me a wink.
And that’s when I see it. No doubt the reason Hillary fell in love with Arny. That apple doesn’t fall from its father’s tree. Scottie might have his mother’s eyes, but he has his father’s height and charm. Even in that wheelchair, it’s obvious that Arny would tower over Hillary and me.
“Speaking of babies,” Hillary starts, sliding her arm around my shoulders and nudging me out of Scottie’s grip. “How soon are you thinking about children?”
“Ma…” I hear Scottie warn directly behind us, followed with Arny rolling right beside him.
“How soon…?” I manage, then glance over my shoulder to see Scottie trying to hold back a chuckle.
“Mom,” Scottie laughs, tugging lightly at her elbow. “Maybe let her breathe before you start naming grandchildren?”
“Right. Right.” She says, walking me up the porch and into the front door. “Well, just so you know, I already told the family that they are on their own for a few months once the baby comes. I know what it’s like having that first baby. I can cook, clean, take on night feedings if you plan to pump, whatever I can do to help. You’ll need a shower and a nap once in a while, and with Scottie’s hockey schedule—”
“Alright… she gets it, Hillary. Don’t scare off the poor girl before her last name is dry on the marriage certificate. She might bolt when she realizes half the Easton family is one marble short of the whole jar.” Arny teases behind us, rolling past the front door.
Scottie lets out a laugh. “I was hoping to make it past our first Christmas before she realized her mother-in-law is overbearing, but I guess we moved right past overbearing, and straight to insane.”
Hillary stops and whips a hand towards them. “You two hush. We’re bonding,” then she turns to me. “I was just about to put the cinnamon rolls in—family recipe—you might as well learn it now since you’re stuck with us.”
I glance helplessly over her shoulder at Scottie.
Scottie just smiles and mouths,You’re doing great.
I am absolutely not doing great. I’ve never had a mother-in-law before, much less a woman in my life who basically just accepted me into her life after meeting me less than a minute ago. I’m not used to blind acceptance like that.
But then Hillary releases my shoulders and tucks her arm through mine and steers me toward the kitchen.
