We walked outside, and Chris pulled out the keys and locked the front door. “Ready for some fun?”
“So ready.”
I couldn’t wait to see the gang all together again. We’d taken to doing annual vacations together. Each year, we picked a different place, ensuring it was family friendly. Cheye and Ash always wanted to come. They adored the fact that Lamont was a famous actor and that Tuck and Piper regularly made the news as Derby-winning trainers.
Of course, Chris still had his YouTube channel, which continued to grow. Now he showed how families could help animals and the earth, and sometimes the girls got to be in a video with him. Ashlynn loved it more than anything, but Cheye was already hitting that preteen stage where she liked to pretend we didn’t exist at times.
I buckled my seat belt as Chris started the car and backed out of the driveway. Soon we were at the airport, and then we were up in the air. This time we’d agreed to meet at Disney World. The girls were super excited, having never been. Chris and I were excited to see friends again as well as experience the magic of Disney.
After the plane landed, a shuttle from our hotel picked us up, carting us and the luggage. We quickly checked in. I jumped in the shower, needing to wash the travel off me. By the time I got out, the girls and Chris had changed. I grabbed my cell, stopping the playlist and opening a text message.
Erykah
We’re here.
Piper
Yay! Want to come to our room? Nevaeh’s already here.
Erykah
The whole crew?
Piper
Yep
“Chris, they’re gathering in Piper and Tuck’s room. You ready?”
“Definitely.” He turned to the girls. “Come on, ladies. Let’s go see everyone.”
“Can I hold the baby?” Cheye asked.
“I don’t see why you can’t. Make sure you listen to instructions, ’kay?” I said.
We walked down the hall and knocked on the door at the end. Lamont had managed to get us all rooms on the same floor.
Piper opened the door, holding her six-month-old daughter in her arms. “Erykah!”
“Oh my word. She’s so precious,” I gushed. “Can I?”
“Of course!”
Chris and I had tried to get pregnant for a couple of years, but nothing happened. We then agreed that the girls were enough, and I put the dreams of having a baby away. Didn’t mean I didn’t love the chance to hold one. Remy was such a cutie.
“Where’s Quade?” I asked. Besides the baby girl, Piper and Tuck had a three-year-old son who kept them on their toes.
“I think he’s playing with Faith,” she said.
“Can I hold Remy too, Ms. Piper?” Cheye asked.
“Of course, Cheyenne. Why don’t we sit so you can hold her more easily?”
I transferred the baby to Cheye’s arms, then looked around the living space. The guys had already gathered in a corner, laughing. Judging by Chris’s expression, they had just teased him. Ash sat in front of the TV next to Faith, Lamont and Nevaeh’s daughter. Quade and Monty—actually Lamont Jr.—were in another area crashing their trucks into each other.
“I’m so glad we could all meet up. This is going to be an awesome vacation,” I said.
“Better than Niagara Falls?” Piper asked.
