Page 124 of Bailey

“Is this where we’re hanging out if we’re overwhelmed?”

Jerry looked over to Mav, his beautiful middle son who’d done so much for the family. He smiled at Jerry, who returned it.

“You’re overwhelmed already?” he asked. “You never get overwhelmed.”

“I sorry, Unca Mav,” Ty said, and Mav reached for the little boy.

“Yeah? I’m sure you are.” Mav grinned at his nephew. “I have patience for everyone’s kids but my own.” He cut Jerry a look out of the corner of his eye. “And this is supposed to be a party for me.”

Mav too had been born in November, as had one of his children—his youngest Emilia, who’d be eleven years old this year.

November seemed to have a lot of celebrations, and Jerry was glad he and Cecily had come up with this quarterly party for the family. That allowed her to celebrate with everyone she wanted to, and still gave their son’s individual families time to celebrate how and when they wanted.

Lynnie’s daughter had been born last November, and Jerry sure wished they lived closer so he could see Nora more often. He didn’t drive anymore, and traveling had gone off the table a few years ago.

Matthew had been born just before Thanksgiving, and he’d be three this year. Bryce and Codi were exceptionally good, and they brought their children to see Cecily and Jerry all the time. And of course, Bryce’s half-sister, Pippa, would be ten years old in a couple of months.

Jerry grinned just thinking about the fiery little girl, and he wasn’t surprised at all that she pranced in front of him only a moment later. “Look at my crown, Gramps.”

“It’s beautiful,” he said, his smile only growing.

She came closer and reached out to touch Ty. “You okay, baby?”

Ty simply looked at her, and Jerry loved the way she looked after the cousins younger than her. “He’s all right,” he told Pip. “He just needed a snuggle.”

She looked at him with beautiful brown eyes. “I like snuggling.”

Jerry gestured for her to come closer. “Get in here, then. There’s nothing as good as a Pippa-hug.”

He loved his grandchildren for who they were, and while he knew he wouldn’t be able to be alive to watch them all grow up, God had been very good to him in allowing him to still be here.

“Oh, you got Gramps to hold you.”

Jerry looked up and over his shoulder to Blaze. “He’s ready to apologize.”

Blaze came around and looked at his son. “Are you?”

“Yes, Daddy.” Ty slipped right off Mav’s lap and ran at his father. “I sorry, Daddy. I so sorry.”

Blaze melted into a puddle of marshmallow, which was about how things went with his kids, as he scooped Ty into his arms. “All right. Let’s go find Momma.”

“Yeah, where is she?”

Jerry turned his attention to Cash, who’d just arrived with his new bride, Lark.

“She was getting a crown for Grace,” Blaze said, as his daughter had been born in December.

“Gramps!”

Jerry turned just as OJ came sliding in front of him, shoeless on the bowling alley. He grinned for all he was worth, and the boy also wore a crown. His birthday sat on Christmas Eve, with Bryce’s only a few days later.

“You’re not bowling on lane two,” OJ said matter-of-factly. “Momma sent me over here to help you get to lane seven.”

Jerry nudged Pippa off his lap and used the walker to balance himself as he stood. Blaze moved in closer, and Mav stood too, and Jerry loved his sons.

“Can you get me some bacon cheese fries?” he asked OJ as he started toward lane three—and ultimately seven—with the boy.

“I sure can,” OJ said, his confidence ever-so-high. “Carver and Keri already went over to the café, and they’re doing orders for people with crowns.” He reached up and adjusted his, as if it were his cowboy hat. “So I can get you some bacon cheese fries.”