Page 98 of Cross My Heart
I have all these thoughts running through my head, confusing me at every turn, so I don’t notice when Dex comes up behind me, Harper in his arms.
“Happy Thanksgiving,” he says. Not to be outdone, Harper exclaims, “happapapa babababa, Momma!”
We both freeze and the entire house seems to have gone instantly quiet.
I casually glance around, knowing everyone is waiting for my freak out. Hell, I am too, but it doesn’t come.
Looking up at Dex, I say, “Happy Thanksgiving to you too, how are you feeling? I’m so sorry about my mother.”
“I’m not, Lanie. For once, I was freaking there for you, on time no less. I might even get my man-card back now.” He winks just as Harper starts screeching.
“Momma, Momma, Momma,” and holding her arms out to me.
Okay, now I’m freaking out a little. Once could be played off as baby babble, but four times! I’m starting to sweat, not sure if I’m ready for this when Mimi comes to the rescue.
“For now, all you have to do is pick her up and reply ‘Lanie’ whenever she says, Momma. If at some point you both agree that Momma is a name you want to take on…” she winks, “it’ll be easy enough to correct. Don’t tell her no, just reply with ‘Lanie’.”
“But we haven’t, I mean, we’re not ready, we, talked, haven’t…Geez, I don’t know what I’m trying to say.” I drop my head to my hands, feeling like I could cry. “Why am I so messed up?”
“You,” Pawpaw says, pointing right at my heart, “are not messed up. I thought we talked about this, Lanie. You’re a good girl who was given a raw deal. It’s up to you now to make your life right. Make your life what you want it to be. You took the first step last night, now follow through,” he says, kissing my forehead in greeting. “Now, give me this little pumpkin pie, who do we have here?” he asks.
“That’s Harper, Pawpaw, you can tell because she has a little freckle on the left side of her nose,” I tell him.
“What? She does?” Dex asks incredulously. He puts his face right up to Harper’s. “No, shh-shiplap, she does.”
“I see our Lanie girl has gotten into your skin there, sonny, no one says shiplap unless they are head over heels with my girl.” I recognize the voice immediately.
“GG,” I exclaim at the same time Dex says, “Miss Rosa?”
“GG?” Dex asks. “Miss Rosa is GG?”
“Good grief, son, you need a lesson every time your-a coming to visit or what? Yes, I’m GG, but you don’t go callin’ me that till you’ve earned it, you hear?”
Dex just nods and laughs.
I know it’s a lot to take in. I love GG, but she is a piece of work.
“Now, git over here and help my old ass to the table, I’m a hungry an I need to get to the mountain soon.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Dex jokes.
Dinner goes smoothly with everyone joking and having a great time until Mimi stands to make an announcement. With a clink to her glass, she says, “Can I have everyone’s attention? Pete and I have something we would like to share.”
Julia and I make eye contact across the table and realize neither of us has a clue what this is about.
“Originally, we thought we would just be sharing the news with our girls, but now with all of you here, we couldn’t be happier to be sharing it with the whole family.” It doesn’t escape me that Mimi refers to Dex and the Westbrook’s as family. “After a lot of thought, Pete and I have decided to finally retire.”
“What?” Julia and I yell in unison.
“Now, girls,” Mimi starts, “you both knew this day was coming.”
“What does this entail, exactly?” Julia asks, like a cartoon, we can all see her brain spinning with possibilities.
“Well, for starters, we have a buyer for our practice, so we will begin phasing out after the New Year. Once that is finished, we are thinking early spring, we will work with a realtor to put the house up for rent when we aren’t here, unless Julia decides she would like to take it over.”
Julia raises her hands and shakes her head.
“We just aren’t ready to let it go yet, you girls grew up here, we like the idea of grandkids having a place like this to visit. Towns like this build character and instill empathy, it’s a good place for everyone to spend some time,” she makes a pointed glare at a few of the Westbrook boys, and Sylvie laughs.
