Page 41 of Moving to Love
Just then, a little voice squealed, “Joci! Joci! I here.”
Joci giggled and looked at the little bundle running toward her. Abby was Mason’s daughter, and today was her fourth birthday. She was dark like her father, though her hair was longer. She had her father’s blue eyes and olive skin, a stunning little girl.
“Happy birthday, Abby. You look so beautiful.” Joci clapped her hands together, her smile for the little girl stunning.
Abby was wearing a pink dress with purple sparkles on it. She had little pink shoes and a purple headband holding her riot of curls off her face.
“Abby. I want to introduce you to Jeremiah.”
Jeremiah kneeled down to greet Abby. “Abby, it’s very nice to meet you. I’ve heard a lot about you. Happy birthday.”
Abby’s head bobbed up and down. “I’m four today.” She held up four fingers to show him.
Then she pouted. “Where’s Gunnar?”
Joci chuckled. “He’ll be here very soon. I promise.”
Abby nodded and ran off to play with her cousins. Jeremiah, Mason, and Joci laughed as they watched her bounce out of view.
“Come on over. Dad and Betsy are waiting for you.”
They walked over to a table where Betsy—Mason’s wife—and Connor were sitting, talking with family. Connor stood when they approached and shook Jeremiah’s hand while Joci hugged Betsy. Connor leaned over and hugged Joci. He introduced Betsy and Jeremiah.
Betsy beamed. “I’m very happy to meet you, Jeremiah. Thank you for coming. Joci, you’re beautiful as always. Where’s Gunnar?”
Joci laughed. “He’ll be here soon. I spoke to him on our way over, and he was just pulling out of his driveway. And thank you. You look beautiful, also.”
They were ushered over to the table holding the snacks and drinks and told to make themselves at home. The birthday party was held at Perkins Park in Green Bay. It was a beautiful park with many little pavilions nestled here and there, offering places to hide from the sun on warm days and shelter from the rain on wet. Today was a beautiful, warm day. People were sitting on lawn chairs and visiting at tables. Betsy had a large family, and they all gathered for occasions like this.
Just as they were grabbing their drinks out of the cooler, Joci and Jeremiah heard Abby squeal, “Gunnar!”
Joci turned to see Abby throw herself into Gunnar’s arms. He was laughing and crouched down on his heels to catch her. Joci and Jeremiah stopped to watch the show, both chuckling at Abby’s enthusiasm.
Joci leaned into Jeremiah and said, “She has loved Gunnar since she was old enough to know him. He has always loved her as well.”
They walked over to Gunnar and Abby and sat on the ground with them. Abby was excited about her party and telling them about her new ‘school.’ Her school was day care, but to get her to go, Mason and Betsy called it school. Abby was four going on sixteen. She was animated as she talked and kept hugging Gunnar and Joci. So adorable.
“I have to go and play now.” She took off as fast as she came over.
They stood. “I could use something to drink. What do they have?”
Jeremiah chuckled. “A little hair of the dog?”
Gunnar rolled his eyes. “You could say that. Long night. I look better than JT does; I can tell you that.”
They got Gunnar a beer, then found a table. Connor walked over a while later and sat down with them, directly across from Joci. Joci watched Jeremiah assess Connor. His jaw tightened, and his posture was rigid. He looked uncomfortable, to say the least. She reached under the table and held his hand. He glanced at her, and she winked. That seemed to relax him. A little.
Connor leaned forward on the table. “Did Betsy show you the photo album from years past?”
Joci smiled. “Oh, no. I would love to see it. Where is it? I’ll go and get it.”
“I’ll be right back. I know where it is.” Connor got up and walked away.
He was back within a few minutes, but instead of taking his seat, he stood just between Joci and Gunnar and placed the album on the table. He opened it up and started pointing to pictures.
Joci looked over at Jeremiah and squeezed his hand to include him. Jeremiah leaned over and kissed the side of Joci’s face. Connor kept talking and pointing at pictures as they laughed at a few of them. There were many of Joci and Gunnar. They had been to all of Abby’s parties. Just then, Abby ran over and climbed up on Joci’s lap to look at pictures, too.
She giggled and laughed at the pictures of her as a baby. There was a picture of Gunnar sticking his tongue out at the camera, and Abby squealed in delight. They looked at a few more pictures, and Abby turned in Joci’s lap to face her. She put her hands on Joci’s face and, with a serious look, she said, “I love you, Joci.”
