Page 153 of Chosen Road

Gus pulled the leaf out of storage for our small kitchen table so we’d have more elbow room, but it was still a tight fit.

“You want my table, koukla mou?” Yiayia asked as we all sat down.

I darted an amused glance at Ruby. “You guys mind eating on the floor?” I asked.

Ruby chortled. “No problem. Living with these two,” she jerked a thumb at George and Vander, “most of the food ends up there anyways.”

Yiayia zeroed in on the boys. “You eating salata? Is important you eat vegetables. And meat. You are eating enough meat? Ruby, what you are feeding them?”

“Bread and water, Yiayia. Except for when Vander picks up gyro for dinner.”

“Ach, Ruby mou, I boil you.”

“The number of people who have been boiled this week alone,” George commented, “is astounding.”

“You next, agori mou!” Yiayia quipped back at him.

Alex sat looking from one face to the other, his expression thoughtful.

Ruby looked at him. “What are you thinking about, glykouli?”

Gus groaned and rubbed his jaw. “We’ve made it a rule not to ask Alex questions at the dinner table, Rubes. He has a habit of spouting off things better said in private.”

“He has bucket mouth like his thia,” Yiayia confirmed.

“He keeps things interesting,” George defended, and Jace nodded in agreement, a cheeky grin on his face as he looked at his cousin.

His face turned serious as he studied Alex’s face, and he quietly asked, “What were you going to say, Alex?”

“I was thinking. Last year, my family was so small. I never imagined a year ago, that there would be so many people, including me and Momma, back in my house.”

There was complete silence at the table, and then Yiayia sniffed. “God is helping us, poulaki mou.”

George looked pensive for a moment, but Ruby reached out and squeezed his fingers, and he relaxed.

The next couple of weeks would be busy, for everyone but me. I could spend time with the boys, spend time with George.

I cleared my throat. “So! I’m going to be off work for a while. At least a few weeks.”

“Why?” Ruby asked. “What happened?”

“To make a long story short, I decided not to renew my contract. I might take a few courses. I’m not sure, yet. But I’m going to have lots of time on my hands over the Christmas holidays, so I’m happy to entertain the boys.”

George peered at me from across the table. Alex looked at me suspiciously, and Jace smiled.

I smiled at them. “I’d love to spend some time with my three boys over the holidays. Does that sound good?”

Alex narrowed his eyes. “You’re not pregnant, are you?”

Vander choked on his ginger ale. Sputtering and laughing he went to set it down on the table, but it caught the edge of his plate and tipped, spilling across the table. George jumped up to grab it, knocking his plate, and all his food, onto the floor.

“See?” Ruby went eating on as if nothing happened. “We don’t need the table. Probably safer not to have one. Between Vander, George, and Pappou, I don’t think George has had a full meal since he got here. Thank goodness Jace took after me and he’s not a spiller like the other three.”

George’s shoulders shook as he laughed, obviously enamored with his stepmother.

Yiayia rose to her feet. “Is okay, agori mou. Yiayia is going to fix you a plate.”

Alex sighed. “Better undo your pants, George.”

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