“Oh, my darling!” Isquealed, making a run for my sister Kenna as we stepped off the airplane. “What are you doing here?”
“Bloody hell, woman, I wasn’t going to wait another minute to get my arms around you!”
“Where are the kids?”
“With Mum and Dad. Becks is here as well...” She glanced around, “...somewhere.” She reached for Hatch. “How’s my favorite brother-in-law.”
Hatch laughed, hugging her. “Still your only one, but I appreciate the love.”
I caught sight of Beckett walking down the plane stairs with Niall in his arms. “There’s Beckett.”
My brother approached, pulling me in for a hug, careful not to crush the baby. “How was the flight?”
“It was amazing,” I said. “Thank you so much for the plane, but I’m going to require it every time I fly now.”
He chuckled. “You’ve got it, love. Any time I’m not using it.”
“You may regret saying that,” Hatch said, shaking his hand.
“If it means I get to see this cherub more often, I’m all for it,” Becket said, focusing on Niall. “I think you might be the cutest baby I’ve ever seen.”
“Oy,” Kenna admonished. “You’ve got three nieces and nephews who might object to that.”
Beckett grinned. “You’re absolutely right. I apologize.”
“Oh, you can exclude me from that,” Poppy said. “I’m too old to be a cute cherub anymore. It’s fine for Niall to take my place.”
Beckett laughed. “You’re still my cherub, love.”
“Thanks, Uncle Becks,” she said, hugging him.
“Right, who’s coming with me, and who’s going with Becks?” Kenna asked.
In the end, Poppy, Devon, and the baby went with me and Kenna, while Hatch and the boys went with Beckett and the luggage.
We pulled up to Mum and Dad’s historic cottage about thirty minutes later and the rest of the day was spent getting settled and readjusting to being home.
“Mummy let me do that,” I ordered, guiding Mum to the table where she could peel potatoes while sitting down. My mother was in her mid-seventies, and although she was a spry woman of age, she was still elderly and I wanted to keep her around for as long as possible.
“I want you to relax, love,” she countered.
“I’ll relax more if you let me do the dishes,” I said, and kissed her cheek.
“Niall is finally down,” Poppy announced, walking into the kitchen. “What can I do to help?”
“If you want to set the big table, love, that would be good,” Mum said. “The dishes are in the buffet.”
Hatch, Devon, and the boys were with my dad out in his ‘shop,’ which was really just the shed that he used as a glorified man cave. Beckett had left us to get some work done, but would be by for dinner, no surprise there. My brother was always available when food was offered. Kenna and her husband, Shawn, would be bringing their kids by for dinner as well, so it was going to be a full and happy evening.
I was brimming with excitement as Poppy and I worked with Mum to get dinner ready. I loved living in the States and had no desire to live anywhere else, but there was nothing like being home. Even if it was just for a few weeks. It was always so special, and I cherished every second of it.
Kenna arrived a little earlier than expected, so she and her daughters, Phoebe and Megan, hung with us in the kitchen while Shawn took their son, Louis, out to the shed.
“Why are the women always relegated to the kitchen?” Phoebe asked. She was sixteen and fully onboard with women ruling the world, so much so, she tended to be a bit anti-men.
Which was interesting, considering she got a lot of attention from boys and men alike. Strawberry blonde curls that almost took up their own hemisphere framed a heart shaped porcelain face. She had light blue eyes and a button nose with a spattering of freckles over the bridge of it. To say she was stunning would be an understatement, and Shawn said he got a new ulcer every time she left the house. Megan was thirteen and also pretty, but quiet and a little shy, so she tended to hide behind her big sister which suited Phoebe just fine.
“I actually chose to be here,” I said. “Hatch offered to cook, but I wanted to spend time with Mummy and Granny, and you know how much Granny loves to cook the big meals. I’d imagine Uncle Hatch will cook tomorrow.”
