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I also made crispy Parmesan brussels sprouts with truffle oil, a recipe I found while my addiction to social media recipe posts was in full swing. I hope she loves them and doesn’t just pretend to in order to make me feel good.
Next, I triple-check that all the outlets are covered, the cupboards are latched, and gates are up so that Aggie doesn’t get into anything that could harm one single hair on her precious little head. I broke my self-imposed weekend ban on the internet, just to search for any new household dangers and parent suggestions to combat them since their last visit. There wasn’t any.
When I see a large white SUV pull down my driveway, I know it’s them.
Squealing, I hurry to the back door, shove my feet into a pair of Crocs—don’t judge—grab an umbrella, and hurry out to meet them.
They pull up beside the porch, and Danny rolls down the window. “Hey there, CeCe. We good to unload here?”
“Sure is.” And exactly why I moved my vehicle from that spot.
I hurry down the stairs and round the front, bypass the passenger door, and open the back, where my niece is sound asleep. Her hair has grown into long strawberry-blonde ringlets, her darker lashes fanning across her sweet, chubby, creamy-white cheeks. She’s absolutely beautiful.
Chloe giggles as she slides out of the passenger seat and around to stand beside me. She pulls me into a hug. “She sleeps like you used to. Once she’s out, she’s not waking up for anything.”
I don’t remember ever sleeping.
She steps back and smiles softly. “I know it sucks, not having those memories. I’ll try harder to keep that in mind.”
“They’re your memories. Don’t suppress them because I was too young to remember.” I give her hand a squeeze and nod to Aggie. “Probably best you carry her in. I wouldn’t want her to wake up, being held by a stranger, in a place she’s not used to.”
“Agree, but I’m not sure she’ll wake up. She crashed after landing. Her ears were plugged up, and she kept screaming, ‘I can’t hear you, Mommy.’” Chloe unbuckles Aggie and carefully removes her from the seat, kissing her head as she gently holds it to her shoulder. “The flight back, she’s chewing gum. I’d rather deal with gum in her hair than her screaming because she is scared because she can’t hear.”
When Chloe and I left California to fly to Texas, she gave me gum. I fell asleep, and it fell out of my mouth. Chloe spent hours trying to get it out when she could have just chopped off my hair.
I grab the small, pink hard-shell suitcase with the letter A on it in a swirly gold script font and a crown above it.
As I follow them in, I glance over as a little silver car pulls in next door. A woman with long, dark, wavy hair is in the driver’s seat.
Hmm, she must be the Sunday girl, I think as I head in, a little salty, but accepting there’s absolutely no reason to be.
“Dang, girl.” Danny raises his nose in the air and inhales. “Something smells delicious.”
“Hope you’re hungry.”
“Starving.” He nods toward the front. “Are we upstairs yet?”
This is a constant debate among Danny and me. He thinks it’s crazy that I don’t want the largest bedroom that’s downstairs with the en suite.
“I love my room, the bay window, the bathroom with the claw-foot tub, and laundry room right next to it.” I lift a shoulder and smirk. “Like I’ve said before, I won’t judge you if you want to take a nice bubble bath up there.”
He chuckles and wraps an arm around my shoulders. “I ever tell you that you’re my favorite sister-in-law?”
“You have, and I’ve told you it doesn’t count since I’m your only sister-in-law.”
“Be right back,” Chloe whispers as she heads toward the front bedroom.
“If my brothers ever get married, I promise you’ll still always be my favorite.”
“Uh-huh.” I move out from under his arm. “Let’s eat. I’m famished.”
* * *
After we eat, Danny does as he always does and tells us he’s tired then heads to bed. I know he does this to give us some time together.
When I come out of the bathroom, Chloe is curled up on the couch.
She throws back the blanket. “Come sit and tell me all about what you’ve been up to for the past month.”
