Page 85 of Christmas Chaos
She says into my ear, “Healthy. Four months along. The doctor called today after they checked me out last night. But I went for an ultrasound.”
“You know I missed all of that. I don’t want to miss a moment of anything.”
“We have three kids and a fourth on the way, we’re going to miss shit. But I’ll try and remember you want to be around. Merry Christmas.”
“Hell of a present.”
She looks over my shoulder and my sister, Ingrid, and her boyfriend, Ian, are running around with her new nephews.
Tabi says, “They certainly are.” Then she looks around. “Where the hell is the baby?”
“Someone in our family has him. He’s fine.”
“I need your phone?” She reaches in my pants pocket. I’m confused, everyone we know is here and there’s plenty of people taking pictures. Then it dawns on me.
“You put those airport people in my phone, didn’t you?”
“Yeah. I did.”
“Fine, but we have things to do. We have a lot of presents to wrap for them and eventually, we’re going to need to lay that babe in swaddling clothes down in his makeshift manger.” She kisses me, then we both look as we hear Goldie screaming and running.
“I got the baby bottom duty. I do it. Boys, fall in line with Yia Yia Goldie. We’ll work as a team to get the baby bottom clean as the whistles. Come. Come. Eláte agapitoí mou.” She has the baby in one arm and grabs Jay’s hand with Joaquin following close behind.
Joaquin asks, “Goldie Yeah Yeah?”
“Yia Yia.” She looks back at the boys.
“We don’t know what you said.”
“You will. Greek lessons start back up next week. What a wonderful present for you two. But I said, come my dear ones.” Jay hugs her and Joaquin rolls his eyes. That’s the one that will take after Tabi.
She looks back to me and says, “Do you think we’ll ever see our kids?”
I kiss her. “Let’s move somewhere where no one knows us.”
She laughs a little too hard. “Then what would we do? I’d have to constantly fly back here to check on Costas and Goldie.”
“Yia Yia’s got them.” She laughs at my joke.
I say, “I’ll be back in a second.”
“Take your time. I’ll be in with our flock of boys if anyone will let me get to them.”
She winks at me, and she’s just as fucking gorgeous and sexy as she’s always been, but now, she is growing our child and running a winery, and she’s grown into the most complete and beautiful Tabi. I turn to our makeshift house and David’s mom who was supposed to host this party smiles at me. She loves Christmas and I’m positive all this décor is hers. Elle’s waddling around holding one of her baby girls and wearing a slim-cut mermaid wedding dress with a giant pouch for her belly.
I walk up and kiss her on the cheek. “You’re amazing. Thank you. Thank you so much. You’re our Christmas angel.”
“What can I say? I like fixing things, throwing events and wearing white dresses. I was born to do this. Oh and I love pulling off miracles when all hope is gone. I’m a multitude of the heavenly host.” Her blonde hair swings at her shoulders when she turns from me.
A deep voice comes up behind her, “Is that why you’re wearing white?” Josh scoops up the baby girl and now he’s holding the twins on his shoulders. He kisses Elle. “Because it ain’t cuz you’re virginal.” She glares at him. “Hellcat, don’t give me that look, you know what happens when you give me that look.” He puts his hand on her belly and kisses her sweetly.
I say to the two of them, “One day, four kids. We have four kids. We have four kids in less than twenty-four hours.”
Tabi says behind me, “And I hope you have a lot of money saved up for us because we have lots of mouths to feed, and I don’t need you wrapping yourself up in stress.”
“Your chaos is the only thing I ever want to be wrapped up in. Merry Christmas.”
