Page 151 of Season of Gifts

Jay glanced toward the hallway, but the boys hadn’t reappeared yet.“Those are the most well-behaved nephews I’ve ever had.I bet I don’t even have to check on the handwashing.I can keep them busy awhile longer if you two want to go upstairs.Their folks finish napping yet?”

His sly intonation broke loose her laughter.“I’m glad I’m not the only one who thinks more than a nap is happening.”

“Hey, parenting is all about the stolen moments, so far as I can tell.”Jay swayed, his hands held tight in theirs, his legs brushing theirs as he stood before them.“The crucial thing is to have plenty of aunts and uncles on standby.”

They had more than she would have guessed.Ollie was too far away, but Nat sometimes, maybe.Emma and Will, almost certainly.Leah, and Claudia and Charlie, and the other guys Jay played basketball with now.They’d have plenty of help, if they remembered to ask for it.A good lesson for the next crisis.

“—change into appropriate attire and meet you outside.”

“Huh?”She’d missed something in her mental meandering.

“Uncle Jay, how many cookies may we take?”Gabe peeked his sweetly rounded face in from the doorway.“Eddie says not to ruin dinner, but my stomach sounds very hungry.”

That had to be little-boy metabolism.After the goose and the side dishes and the specialties Henry had added for them—steak and baked potatoes from her traditions and oyster stuffing from Jay’s—her stomach wouldn’t hold another bite.

“See what I mean?”Jay whispered.“So polite.”He stepped back and winked at them.“Gotta go do my favorite kind of math.Okay, Gabe”—he raised his voice as he dashed off—“the first important question is how many cookies do wehave.”

Being around family—building family—was the best medicine for Jay.“Your brother’s not gonna recognize his kids when he gets them back.”

“It will do them all good.As is always the case when Jay is involved.”Henry slid her to the seat and stood, offering her a hand up.“I do hope I haven’t overcommitted us.I may have miscalculated your desires for the remainder of the afternoon.”

He’d told Jay something about going outside, which meant they weren’t going upstairs to “nap.”But she could wait for that sort of attention.“No, I don’t mind.Am I sitting with Mother while you even up the snowball fight teams?”

“Actually”—Henry kissed her knuckles as he raised her to her feet—“I thought I would ask Robert to spend time with Mother while you and I go play in the snow with our husband.”

That was an invitation she couldn’t refuse.Jay had already won the adoration of two new nephews.If she and Henry joined them in snowy shenanigans, their family would grow that much closer.“I’ll get our coats.Youcan go knock on your brother’s door.”

“Ah, I see you’ve found your confidence.”

Laughing, she pushed him toward the stairs.

Chapter seventy-seven

Henry

Waffleshadprovedanexceedingly popular breakfast choice.Henry sat down to his at last, having produced nearly two dozen crisp golden disks since he poured the first scoop of batter onto the griddle.

Jay, as his assistant, had encouraged their nephews to ferry plates and toppings to the table, a task they had little familiarity with but took to readily after watching Jay play the role of formal waiter for Mother.Once home, they would return to having such chores carried out by the housekeeper and cook Robert and Constance employed.

Mother, for her part, positively radiated joy this morning.He’d asked Alice to help her prepare for the day.Her hair curled in soft waves, washing ashore like whitecaps on the mulberry beach of her cable-knit sweater, and she serenely sipped her tea as the conversation flowed.She appeared healthy, with more color in her cheeks and fewer shadows beneath her eyes.Her appetite had improved as well—two waffles had disappeared from her plate one forkful at a time.

He speared his own and savored the richness of the blueberry compote.After breakfast would be an appropriate time to discuss the long-term plans he and Robert had settled upon yesterday in the study.Mother would be able to choose the particulars herself, but compromising her health and safety would not be an option.

Darting in smoothly, Jay filled his teacup before he need ask.He delivered a low-toned thank-you that curled Jay’s mouth in a sinfully sweet smile.

To his left, Alice contemplated the remaining half of a third waffle on her plate and pushed back slightly from the table.“Sweetheart, I might need a rescue from my greedy eyes.”

“Oh, I can finish that for you.No problem.”Jay circled back and dropped a kiss on Alice’s cheek as he reached for her plate.“All part of the personal service at Henry’s House of Waffles.”

The last few days had been the steadiness they needed to find their footing once more.The crucible had tested them—tested him, in particular—but what had melted away were the misconceptions and the false fronts.

A soft chime sounded, and Mother lifted her phone from her lap.Cupping it in both hands, she issued a trill of girlish glee.“Oh, how delightful!”

As she swiped and typed, Robert stared across the rim of his coffee cup.“Really, Mother?I hardly expected you to be the example of improper social etiquette for the boys.”

Mother waved her hand in dismissal.“There are far more important things in this world that will influence your boys than whether their grandmother checks her phone at the breakfast table.As it happens, I am ascertaining the disposition of a gift that will affect you as well.”

Constance touched her napkin to her lips.“The boys have more than enough gifts already, Helen, truly.”

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