Page 60 of Jane
“I know I didn’t need to. No I’ve never baked before and I was trying to just use a mix, but it wasn’t working. It doesn’t need to be big enough to feed everyone, but I wanted to make her one. No one’s evermadeher a cake before, and I remember the first birthday I was here and you made me one. I know it was a cake mix and a tub of the frosting, but it’s still the best birthday cake I ever had, ’cause it was the first and was mine. I want to give that to her.”
“Oh my boy, if that’s not the sweetest thing I’ve heard of in a long, long time, I don’t know what is.”
“Can you help me?”
“Of course. Let me see what you brought and I’ll get you started and help you along.”
Within half an hour, she managed to help me get a cake into the oven and got me peeling potatoes for her.
Pa joined us a bit ago at the table to visit and watch Ma cook. I could tell he was fixin’ to ask me something while I worked on the potatoes. Raising an eyebrow and looking at him while he decided when to ask what was on his mind. Pa wasn’t someone you could rush to speak, and he didn’t always speak a lot, but I learned a long time ago to listen to what he said as much as how he said it.
“Son, this is a real good thing you and your brothers are doing.”
“What’s that, Pa? The get-together tonight?”
“Yep, you and your brothers get that she’s not a woman to be dazzled with fancy or expensive things. She’s a quality woman who’s gonna be more excited about the gifts you three came up with than if you got her a fancy car and diamonds. She’s the sentimental kind. That being said, have you three thought about the future?”
“She is our future, Pa.”
“I know, son. What I mean is have you discussed what that would look like? You know Anna is legally married to Wyatt but had a commitment ceremony, with both him and Jackson committing to Anna? I know your Jane is a strong woman, but you have to know she’s gonna want to feel secure in her place with y'all and as a part of this family. She’s going to want the same last name as any kids you might have.”
“We’ve talked about it, Pa. We want to do a commitment ceremony with her for sure. No matter which one of us marries her legally, she’ll be a Weston and that’s what matters. We discussed it quite a bit actually, and we’ve decided on that. But I think she should know about it before I go sharing that.”
“Well, Ma, I do believe our wild one is all grown up.”
“He is, Pa, but that doesn’t get him out of finishing those potatoes for me.”
Chuckling at both of them, I get back to finishing peeling the potatoes. I may be grown, but Ma’s lefse stick is still within reach. I’d like to say it’s been years since she hit me or my brothers with that, but that’d be a lie. I think Ry and Max got whacked at last Sunday’s supper for arguing at the table.
Jane
I still can’t believe they surprised me with a birthday party. We’d talked about just having dinner out somewhere on Wednesday. Apparently, that didn’t count as a party.
When Juan brought out the cake he made, it brought me to tears. He admitted he’d never made a cake before but wanted me to have a homemade cake since I’d shared with him that I’d never had one made for me before.
All three of the guys together got me a gift card to get more books, which they know I will most definitely use.
Jon had me cracking up at his gift. He got me a throw with Tyger’s picture on it. I know he hates all my throws everywhere, but he tolerates them because I may or may not have done naughty things to him under a couple of them.
Rory made me a book of all the letters we shared between us from when we first started writing to now, including one he wrote just as he made the book.
Jane,
I know we get to see each other every day, but sometimes my thoughts are easier to put to paper than to put into words.
I know it’s your birthday, but since the first day you wrote to me, I’m the one who’s gotten the gift. You’ve brought joy, laughter, and love to my life in a way I never thought possible. You even manage to get Mr. Grumpy to smile more often, which is not an easy feat. Watching you put Juan in his place gives me such joy, and I’m sure it’ll repeat over and over again as he likes the taste of his foot in his mouth.
I know we all drive you crazy with our need to make sure you're safe, but you gotta know, we do it because we three are madly in love with you and don’t want to imagine our lives without you in them.
This is the first birthday of yours we are spending with you, and if I have any say in the matter, all the rest of yours will be spent with us too.
So, happy birthday my love who sleeps like a starfish and always keeps us on our toes. I can’t wait to spend each and every day in the future with you.
Happy Birthday Beautiful.
Love,
Your Ror
