Page 306 of Bride of Choice

“I’d flip you the birdy again, but you might come up with some wild story to tell your uncle and tell him I was trying to be your creepy aunty, if only to torture me, seeing as you’re so much like Doogie and all,” I taunted right back, then stuck my tongue out at him.

“Doogie do what?!” Noyel spluttered.

Tossing him an overdone wink, I grinned. “Made ya look, Lots-o-yells.”

Noyel made a disgusted sound and gave Rosa a look. “You sure you want to keep Kooky’s Jo ‘round? She’s loud and says… everything,” he mock grumbled.

Rosa’s face was pink from laughing. “I’m pretty sure.”

“Och! Pretty sure, she says! Pretty sure!” Laying it on thick, I played it up. It felt good to let loose. God, I’d missed her.

Rosa came in for another hug, this one more bone squishing than the last. “I’m just so happy you’re back,” she mumbled into my hair between the telltale signs of her softly crying. Swiping at her eyes discreetly, she admitted, “I’d enlisted Mal to keep me up to date on you. She said- Aw, Jo, you really had me worried there for a bit.”

My smile was small, rueful. “Believe me, there were moments I worried myself. It took me getting to that point to wake the fuck up.”

“I’m so glad you’re here,” Rosa gushed. Taking my hand in hers, she gave it a squeeze.

“We got all the fruits!” Zhuii announced, grinning as three little chests puffed up proudly.

“Can we make the pies, mama?” Kehko asked.

“Jam!” Zhuel piped up.

“Muff-tins!” Tohkrii suggested.

“Yeah, ma, we want muffed-tins, jam, and pies,” I joked.

“So not helping,” Rosa singsonged under her breath as she joined them and Zhuii brought in several baskets full to brimming.

“All part of the fun,” I singsonged back.

“There’s enough here for all three and then some,” Rosa announced, walking over to the baskets to examine the lot.

Spying the basket I’d brought amongst the fruit baskets, she glanced towards the children and then pointed at it. They glanced between siblings, looking as if to debate how they were going to divvy up copping up to it.

“I did it, Mama,” Kehko announced.

“I help,” her brothers chimed in, in unison.

“Did you not save a single thing for Mommy?” Moving the cloth in the basket, she frowned. “It’s like they vacuumed it all up with their mouths. I can’t even find a crumb of what you brought.

Pulling a small wooden container from my purse, I gave her a nudge and handed it over.

“Hah!” Rosa held it up triumphantly. Opening the lid, she made a silly happy noise. “Mine. They’re all mine,” she announced, then promptly took off to go hide her stash of mock-chocolate, mock-late brownies.

“Not even one for Zhuii?” her big blue dude asked, trailing after her hopefully.

Noyel laughed as he watched them go.

“You’re not worried about it,” I noted.

His smile was just shy of a smirk. “You gave the recipe to Mama,” he said simply.

“I’mma tell her you said that,” I deadpanned.

His smirky smile fell. “And you think I’m the one who’s so much like Doogie? Pfft! Who’s the Doogie now?!”

“Doodie?” the boys piped up.

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