“According to Aiden,” Annie says, “he noticed I’ve been having morning sickness. After he witnessed me vomiting a few times—with Jake holding back my hair and rubbing my back—he said he remembered us doing the same thing back when I was pregnant with the girls.”
“He must have put two and two together,” Jake says, seemingly proud of his son and not the least bit annoyed. “What can I say? He’s very observant.”
“Any word on Hannah and Killian yet?” Sophie asks.
Shane checks an app on his phone. “It looks like their flight has left Denver. They should arrive at O’Hare in about ninety minutes, barring more bad weather.”
We eat and chat and pass Henry and Hazel around the table.
Before long, Aiden races out of the kitchen and into the dining room. “I’m done eating,” he announces. “Now can I go outside and play?”
“Not if it’s still snowing,” Jake says. “The last time I checked, it was coming down so hard I couldn’t see fifteen feet away.”
“Did you clear your dishes from the table?” Annie asks. “You know the rules.”
Aiden frowns. “No.”
“Then go back in the kitchen and help clean up,” Jake says. “Put your plate and silverware and cup on the counter next to the sink. And then ask Elly if there’s anything you can help with.”
Aiden frowns, clearly not thrilled with the program. “All right. After that, can I go outside?”
Jake sighs as he mutters something about Aiden having a one-track mind. He glances out the window at the snow still coming down so heavily we can’t even see the big red barn across the yard. “It’s not looking good right now, buddy. Maybe later.”
“Don’t worry, honey,” Annie says. “You’ll get a chance to play in the snow. Just be patient.”
Aiden doesn’t look happy, but he does as his parents asked him.
After we finish eating, Shane and I join the others in the kitchen to help with the clean-up. Luke managed to make a small mess at the table, and Ava’s high chair tray is a disaster. I help him clear his place and put the trash in the can.
My mom and Bridget are taking care of the dirty dishes.
“Where’s Elly?” I ask.
“She went outside to bring the horses in and feed them,” Mom says. “She wanted to get them tucked in for the night before it gets much darker.”
“It’s getting pretty bad out there,” Shane says. “I’ll go help her.”
“Can I go play with Aiden?” Luke asks as I’m washing Ava’s hands and face.
“Yes, you can.” As he races out of the room, I say, “Have fun and be good!”
* * *
Once the kitchen is tidied, Mom and Bridget and I return to the great room. Jake is loading some logs onto the fire. Lia and Jonah are adding more Christmas songs to the playlist.
I carry a sleepy Ava upstairs to our room to change her diaper and put her down for a nap. Once she’s settled, I turn on the baby monitor and bring the receiver downstairs with me so I can hear when she wakes. One of the inconveniences of this huge house is I can’t hear the kids upstairs when I’m downstairs.
I join Annie on one of the sofas. “How are you feeling?”
She pats her softly rounded belly. “I had a lot of morning sickness for a while, but it has tapered off. I’m tired a lot, though. Chasing after the girls takes a lot out of me, and being pregnant makes everything a bit harder. Jake has been a huge help. He’s cut back to working just four days a week so he can be home more to take care of the kids while I sneak in some much-needed naps.”
Jake’s currently sitting on a rug in the center of the room playing with Everly and Emerly. With their dad’s help, the twins are making a tower out of brightly-colored wooden blocks, and when the tower topples over, the girls laugh hysterically.
“I’m surprised Aiden hasn’t gotten the train set out yet,” Annie says. “It’s one of his favorite toys.”
“Luke’s, too.” I glance around the room as I realize it’s pretty quiet. “Speaking of the boys… where are they?”
“Honey?” Annie asks Jake. “Did you see where the boys got off to?”
