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“I didn’t fly all the way back from Africa just to get in a car accident on the damn Maryland Turnpike.”
“If you don’t hurry up, Christmas is going to be over.”
—:—
“I’m so full,” said Ava, rubbing her belly.
“And yet, you’ll be eating again in a half hour.”
Her sister pouted. “That isn’t very nice, Aine.”
“Tellin’ like it is, Sis.”
“Where are you going?” Ava asked when Aine got off the sofa.
“To clean up.”
“I’ll help.”
?
?No. Stay there. If you get up, Dasher will too, and I don’t feel like chasing her all over the house.”
“Is that how you’re going to be with your niece or nephew?”
“Only if he or she comes out of the womb walking.”
Aine rubbed her neck and went into the kitchen.
“Tired?” her mother asked.
“Yeah. Wait. What happened in here?”
“What do you mean?” Razor’s mother asked.
“Ten minutes ago, it was a wreck.”
“It was more like thirty minutes ago,” said Madeline, putting her arm around Svetlana’s shoulders.
“It’s called teamwork, darling,” said her mother. “Don’t you know that moms are the ones who really rule the world?”
“I believe it,” she murmured, looking at the spotless counters.
“Oh no,” Madeline gasped when she heard the doorbell followed by the raucous of barking puppies. “Who could that be at this hour? It’s after nine o’clock.”
“Hey, Aine?” she heard her sister call. “I need your help for a minute.”
“She’s gonna be like this until she has the baby, isn’t she?” she said to her mother.
“Longer.” She laughed. “Most likely until that baby is off to college.”
“Aine?” she heard her sister yell again.
“Coming, princess,” she yelled back.
—:—
There was no more beautiful sight in the world than the look on Aine’s face when she came out of the kitchen. She smiled and cried—all at once.
