When Thanksgiving rolled around Jake tried to make it clear that no one was to allow their father to drive. “They’re supposed to be on vacation while they’re here and I would like for them to enjoy the holidays.”
“That’s not going to happen if you’re always up their culos, Jake”, Marc said. “I can’t speak for our parents but I can say that were I in their shoes, I would be pretty annoyed if I had Josh or Connie always going, ‘Dad, are you ok?’, ‘Dad, are you feeling ok? How’s your blood pressure?’ I’d snap, but that’s me.”
“I’m with Marc”, Maddie said. “If Asher or Dahlia did to me what you do to Mom and Dad, I’d trip.”
“We just don’t want to lose them before we’re supposed to”, Jordan said. “Mom’s 81, Dad’s 84; they should be able to go peacefully in their sleep and not in an accident because some moron got careless.”
“Oh, for the love of Pete”, Makayla said. “You guys worry too much. Eventually, God’s going to call them home and there’s nothing we can do. Yes, at their ages it’s our job to take care of them but we shouldn’t baby them.”
“Exactly”, James said. “Coddling them is the opposite of what they want. They’re capable of taking care of themselves. They do it when they’re in Israel. Dad drives them everywhere because Jessi and Adam are too busy to take them places. They see Jessi when she needs them to babysit Abigayle for her because the sitter is busy. It’s kinda what they wanted. They wanted to be alone in their twilight years and not have us freaking out every time one of them blinks.”
Jake looked at Jeremiah for help in his argument. “I’m sorry Jake, but I’m actually staying out of this. It’s best for my overall sanity to stay away from this argument”, Jeremiah said to the look on Jake’s face. “And, to be honest, I can see both sides of the argument. Yes, Mom and Dad should be able to relax and not have to stress while they’re here, but at the same time they do take care of themselves when they’re not here. Jessi has a life of her own and I’m sure that Mom and Dad are very grateful for that fact because Jessi’s not giving them constant face time. They see Abby but they don’t see her as often as they saw their grandchildren that lived nearby when they lived here. It’s a delicate balance and with us fretting I’m sure that it just makes them want to knock us over the heads even though we have their best interests at heart. So, as I said, I’m staying out of this one. I’m Switzerland.”
The children that had opinions all started talking over each other. Malachai, Jeremiah, and Delilah all exchanged a look and sighed. Delilah had had enough. “SHUT UP!” she shouted over them all. Once she had silence, she spoke again. “Now that I have you undivided attention, I’m going to lay down the law. I’ve had it with all of the bickering. Mom and Dad are just as capable of taking care of themselves today as they were ten years ago, let alone two months ago. If Dad wants to drive one of the cars give him the keys. He knows his limitations better than any of us do. If he feels that he can’t do it then he’ll say something. Dad’s never been a great bullshit artist and neither has Mom. She’s handed all of the baking for the holidays over to me in the last few years and I’m more than happy to do it. Personally, I’d rather leave the Challah to someone that knows what they are doing because I still don’t understand that recipe. My point is that they know better than we do what they can and can’t do. Mom can’t knead the dough for pie crust anymore, so she stays the hell out of the kitchen during the holidays. She and Dad are grownups folks. Bottom line; stop coddling them. Not only do they not want it but it’s completely unnecessary.” She looked at her husband. “Argue with me, I dare you.”
Jake chuckled. “Since when do I argue with you? I will try to stop being such a worry wart. Not going to be easy, but I will give it my best effort.”
“And I expect all of you that have the ‘coddle Mom and Dad’ train of thought to do the same. Don't like it? Well, guess what. My house- my way. No highway option.”
---------------
The house was full of Thanksgiving hustle and bustle when Brie and David arrived. It was only a couple of days before Thanksgiving so it was to be expected. Seth and Matt took their grandparents’ suitcases out to the cottage while they settled in on the couch. Once they were seated Delilah sat down next to them. “This holiday season you’re not going to have to worry about any of your children worrying incessantly over you”, she said with a smile.
“Oh really?” Brie said. Both she and David looked skeptical.
“Yes, especially from Jake if he knows what’s good for him.”
“What happened?” David asked.
“Jake was telling everyone that he wanted you guys to relax and enjoy your vacation here so he didn’t want Dad driving. Different arguments were presented and Jake turned to Jeremiah who said he was Switzerland. Arguing broke out and I put a stop to it. I laid down the law and told them all that if Dad wants to drive he is to be given keys and none of us are to fuss over you the way that we did when you were here two months ago.”
Brie laughed. “That sounds like something I’d do.”
“Well it was a page out of your playbook, Mom. I was tire of the fighting so I ended it. I told them my house; my way. No highway option.”
“I seem to remember a couple of times that you’ve done that, dear”, David said to his wife.
“I seem to recall several times that she’s done since I married Jacob”, Delilah said. “I can honestly say that I learned from the best.”
Brie chuckled softly. “It’s too bad that none of you got to meet my parents. You would have met the queen of telling it like it is- my mother.”
David laughed. “I got that impression from meeting her.”
“She told you flat out that she wanted to steal you from me and if she had been younger she would have given it a shot. Did you think she was kidding?”
“No. I could tell that she wasn’t playing. She would have given you a run for you money over me had she been a younger woman and not married to your father. Rebekah Cartwright cracked me up the moment I heard her open her mouth.”
Delilah laughed. “Grandmamma Cartwright sounds like my kind of woman. She doesn’t sound like the kind of person to pull punches.”
“No, she wasn’t. She was also the kind of person that would mess with you six ways to Sunday until you pissed her off. That’s when the good natured teasing went out the window and she quit speaking to you because if she did speak to you she would betray her lady- like decorum. Once she calmed down, she’d still give you an ear full, but she wouldn’t call you everything in the book. I don’t have that filter. I guess that’s something I got from my father.”
“From what Jake’s told me of him, he was a very proud man that didn’t seem to have a filter, period”, Delilah said.
“Oh, the conversations that Jake’s had with his grandfather from the other side give him the right impression”, David laughed. “Mitchell Cartwright was a very proud man. This man kept from everyone that his three year old son died of pneumonia, including his own daughter, until long after he was dead.”
“I remember that debacle. The picture hunt, Jake’s weird dreams while we were on our honeymoon. Yeah, that was priceless.”
Brie shrugged. “It happens. Crazier things have happened, that’s for sure.” She sighed. “I’m flattered that you would take a page out of my book to get our children to back off. I just hope they listen.”
“Oh they will or they will suffer my wrath”, Delilah said. “I’m not playing around anymore. You two deserve a little bit of peace during the holidays and by God you will have it or I will hurt people.”
“You gonna drop a bow in people’s asses?”
“No. Remember, I’m a Body- Mind therapist. I deal with that connection on a regular basis. I will fuck with people’s heads if they don’t start relaxing and letting you two actually enjoy the time you have left.”
---------------
Callan wasn’t able to get the leave time for Thanksgiving. Miranda was a little disappointed, but she understood. At least she knew that he was in California and they planned to go visit his family for Christmas. He was saving his leave time for the December. He wanted to spend Hanukkah with Miranda and he wanted her to spend Christmas with him. It was going to be fun.
“I wish I could be there”, he said as they video chatted while she got ready to spend Thanksgiving with her family. “I want to be there when you tell everyone.”
“Well, Gramma and Grampa are going to want to know what I’m having so that they can buy Hanukkah gifts.”
“Are you going to tell them the name we decided on?”
“Yeah, I think they’ll like it.”
“You have to call me and tell me what they say when you get home.”
She laughed. “I will. Oh, Mom’s taking me to be fitted my wedding dress in Denver. Apparently there is a really good dress shop down there that’s really good about working with the expanding belly of a pregnant woman. How are plans on your end coming?”
“I’m still waiting on my CO to sign off on the sword arch for when you come down the aisle, but other than that, things are good. And, rumor has it, I’m going to be wearing my Gunny’s stripes by the time we say, ‘I do’.”
“That’s good news. What about the venue?”
“Would you be opposed to getting married on the beach out here?”
“Hell no. I would love to say our vows on the beach. What religion is the company chaplain?”
“He’s a Christian. That’s all I know.”
“We need to find a non- denominational preacher of some sort.”
“I’m sure we can find at least one of those in San Diego. Have you decided on a date?”
“I keep bouncing between February and March. I mean, getting married on Grampa’s birthday would be cool, don’t you think?”
“Very true. That way I’ll never forget our anniversary”, he laughed.
She felt herself getting emotional. “You want to forget our anniversary?”
“No baby, you took that out of context. I meant that March 13th is an easy date for me to remember because it’s your Grampa’s birthday. I have so many other things crammed into my head that I have trouble remembering dates. I don’t even know my parents’ anniversary anymore. The day that you become my wife will be a date that will stick out in my mind no matter what. Even if I have to write it down on a calendar every year, I’m going to make a point not to forget our anniversary. I want to be able to celebrate the day that you became mine for the rest of our lives.”
She dabbed at her eyes lightly with a tissue. “I’m sorry for overreacting, Callan. The hormones from this pregnancy are going to make me crazy. Normally, I wouldn’t have cared about that comment, but being pregnant is turning me into an emotional mess.”
He smiled at her. “I understand, baby. I’m going to have to be a little more careful with how I say things until the baby’s born.”
“I don’t want you to have to choose your words, Callan.” She sighed. “We’ve got about four more months until the baby is born. I can’t wait until I have this baby.”
“I believe it’s exhausting. How often do you nap?”
“As often as I can considering that I’m at home with my family and Uncle James is staying here as well. I love little Gabe, but he’s driving me insane.”
“Have you talked to your uncle about it?”
“Yes and every time he hears Gabe making too much noise when I’ve announced that I’m taking a nap, he gets onto him. But he’s ten and it’s not easy for him to be quiet.”
Callan chuckled. “I understand that. I have young nieces and nephews so I know how that goes.” He sighed. “I wish I were there. When do you head over to homestead?”
“Here in a few minutes. I really need to out in some shoes, but I don’t have any that fit me anymore. My feet are swollen to the size of small dirigibles.”
He chuckled. “It will be ok, baby. What’s the weather like out there?”
“Cold. It’s November.”
“Wear your house shoes, baby. Unless it’s snowy outside as well.”
“No. It’s not due to snow until around Hanukkah.”
“Nice. Something to look forward to while I spend Hanukkah with you.”
“Oh, did you tell your Mom that I don’t eat pork?”
“I did. She asked why and I gave her your last name. That told her who you’re related to and how you were raised. She said she’d make a turkey.”
Miranda smiled. “Sweet. Well babe, I’ve got to find some shoes and get out of here. Any messages you want me to deliver to anyone?”
“Tell your folks and your grandparents I said hello and Happy Thanksgiving.”
“I will, honey.”
“Ok. I love you, Miranda.”
“I love you too, Callan. I’ll call you tonight.”
“Alright. Bye.”
“Bye baby.” She disconnected the call and searched for a pair of shoes to wear to her uncle’s house. She knew her feet were going to be huge by the time she got home so she wore her flip flips. She needed the open design for room for her swollen feet. She knew that she’d be allowed to put her feet up when they got to the house because her grandparents would insist that they let her put her feet up.
As she headed downstairs to wait on her family so that they could go, she pondered how she was going to break the new news to everyone. She and Callan knew what the sex of the baby was and she was going to announce it that night at dinner. She was certain that her parents and grandparents would want to know- as would her aunts and uncles. She could only imagine the things they would all get her for the baby once they knew. But, that would be a concern for Hanukkah.
---------------
They were all gathered around the tables for the holiday- including the Mason family. “Seeing as there are so damn many of us, I’m not going to go around the table and have everyone give one thing that they’re grateful for. If there is any news, though, we’re more than happy to listen as the food makes its way around the table”, David said. “Jake, if you’d go on ahead and carve the turkey that’s on the table.”
Jake stood and started carving the turkey as plates made their ways around the table. Miranda took a deep breath. “I have news, Grampa.”
“By all means, Miranda. Please; share.”
She took another deep breath as a grin spread across her face. “Callan and I know the sex of the baby and we’ve picked a name.”
There was a short silence. “Well don’t keep us waiting, child”, Brie said.
“We’re having a girl.”
The table erupted into congratulations. David looked at Malachai. “How does it feel to know you’re going to have a granddaughter in a few months?”
Malachai grinned. “What more can a man ask for?” he said. “A granddaughter. A little girl to spoil rotten. I’m elated.”
“There’s more”, Miranda said over the noise. Once she had silence, she spoke again. “Callan and I decided on a name for her a few months ago. Her name will be Grace Irian Maguire.”
Brie smiled. “Thank you, Miranda. That’s very kind of you and Callan and it means the world to me to have our first great- grandchild named for me.” Tears glistened in the corners of her eyes.
Tears came to Miranda’s eyes as well. “Gramma don’t cry. You’re gonna make me cry and my eye liner’s going to run.”
Brie laughed. “I’m just happy, Miranda. I appreciate it very much. Tell Callan that I’m very grateful that you two would do that for me.”
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