Page 85 of Bad Seed

Sean had run a dust mop over all the floors. Amalie had gone behind him with a dustcloth to wipe off the furniture, and Shirley was in her element in the kitchen. She’d baked pies yesterday so the oven would be free for the ham baking now. Vegetables were being prepped. Two kinds of salad were in the refrigerator, and rolls on the sideboard were ready to pop in the oven at the last few minutes.

Aaron and Dani were on their way up.

Wiley, Linette, and Ava were on their way down.

She was as happy as any mother could be.

But Sean and Amalie were even more excited. Today they were sharing baby news, and none too soon. Amalie’s morning sickness had been hard to hide. After calling Brendan earlier, the itch to tell the world was the only thing on their minds.

When they heard a car coming up the drive, Sean looked out the window and saw Wiley and his family pull up and park, and started announcing a play-by-play.

“It’s Wiley and his crew. The back car door opens…and…there she comes…the fabulous Ava, flying out of the gate before the starting bell rang. She’s got Pinky under one arm and a little tote bag in the other. I hope it’s not hair bows and barrettes. They do nothing for my hair.”

Amalie burst out laughing, remembering when Ava was going through her hairstylist phase. Nobody was safe.

“Ava is always in a hurry to get to Grandma. The rest of us are side pieces. I wonder what she’s going to think about babies.”

Sean hugged her. “No worries, darlin’. She’ll love them, and then hold it over Mikey Pope for becoming an aunt, when his only claim to fame is being a big brother.”

Before they could get to the door, Aaron and Dani drove up.

“Looks like the gang’s all here,” Amalie said.

Ava came shooting through the front door, dumped her stuff at the end of the sofa, and was yelling as she ran through the house.

“Grandma! We’re here!”

Wiley and Linette were right behind her, with Dani and Aaron on their heels. Coats came off. Sean put another log on the fire, and the laughter in Shirley’s voice had already begun to echo throughout the house.

***

Dinner was a hit, and Shirley sat at the head of the table, thinking of how coming home had saved them. Her sons were men to be proud of, and she loved their wives like the daughters she’d never had. Ava was the little cuckoo in their nest, and no better surprise could have happened. She was Shirley’s little shadow.

They had eaten their way through the main meal and were clearing the table and making coffee in preparationfor dessert. Shirley was at the sideboard, getting ready to cut pies.

“Cherry pie and apple pie. Ice cream in the freezer if you want it à la mode. Who wants what?” she asked.

Sean stood. “Hey, Mom, before you cut the pies, Amalie and I have something we need to tell you.”

All of a sudden, the room went silent. Even Ava’s chatter ended.

Sean reached for Amalie’s hand. “Amalie’s pregnant. With twins.”

Within seconds, the room was alive again with shouts of delight, congratulations, and hugs and kisses all around. Shirley was beside herself. There were going to be babies in her house. Her mother would have been so proud. And then in the middle of the chatter, Ava piped up.

“You do know the baby business is a lot of trouble, right?”

Linette grinned. “As much trouble as you and Wiley are?”

Ava giggled. “Bubba causes it.”

“Hey…I can hear you two talking about me,” he said, and then picked her up and kissed her.

Ava was in Wiley’s arms, eye to eye with him. “I guess you and Linnie are gonna get in the baby business, too. And then Aaron and Dani, and Grandma will have a whole house full of crying babies. I’m just sayin’… I’ve heard how they sound.”

Wiley grinned. He got Ava like nobody else. They both said what they thought.

“I don’t know about baby business,” Linette said. “Right now, I have my hands full dealing with monkey business.”

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