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“You never could sleep in on Christmas morning,” Micki complained yawning and stretching.
They plopped down on the sofa with me and we snuggled together the three of us as we had done before either to talk about boys or…to talk about boys. Adin shivered which prompted Micki to reach over to the rocking chair and retrieve an afghan made with soft, royal blue yarn that Nana had made for Yancy. The afghan was made in a double crochet stich about five feet wide by six feet long. We were tall women in the Dawson family so it had to be long. Micki used it to cover us. The fire was glowing brighter so I got up and added another log or two to keep the fire going. Then I snuggled back down beneath the afghan with my sisters.
“I’m glad we are all together this year,” I told them.
James had kept me away from Hell and my family as much as possible. I had missed too many holidays away from them while we spent the time with his mother.
“Are you sure you’re doing okay?” Micki asked with concern. They were thinking about my breakdown at Yancy’s funeral.
“Yes,” I replied softly. I had to tell them about the pregnancy too. I knew it would hurt Adin but I wanted them to know.
“It was hard for us to see you, always the strong one falling apart the day of the funeral,” Adin told me staring into the fire.
Quickly, I glanced at her. Then, I replied, “I had been so busy caring for her that I hadn’t really had time to face that she was dying. When she died when I wasn’t even home…I didn’t get to say goodbye. I didn’t want to say goodbye to the empty shell. I’m glad you’re living here Micki I think it is good for Pop to have you here,” I said changing the subject.
The topic of conversation, Pop came into the room. “You girls never could sleep late. He was fully dressed, jeans and a cable knit navy sweater, heavy wool socks. His black hair now touched by silver at the temples and a streak of white across his forehead was combed. He hadn’t shaved. I don’t think I remember a day when my father hadn’t shaved before coming downstairs.
“Pop, you know we love you? We are here if you need us. Maybe a trip to Chicago would be good for you. To get away from it all,” I asked when he sat in the old antique rocking chair. Many a baby had been rocked in that chair. It had been in the house as long as the house had been in existence.
“Girls, I will never be the same without your mother but she wouldn’t forgive me if I gave up so I go about my life as best I can. I sure do enjoy having you all here. The trip sounds nice maybe next summer if Keegan comes home so I can enjoy both grandchildren.”
Great opening for an announcement.
“Pop by then it will be three,” I said softly.
I glanced at Adin. She smiled sadly back at me but she was okay with the news that I was pregnant again.
“Does he look at you and you get pregnant?” Michaela asked teasing me.
“Nope I think it was all that action they were getting last night that gets them pregnant,” Adin declared causing my father’s face to turn pink. “Keegan graciously gave us a play by play.”
Pop’s face turned beet red.
“She didn’t. She just pointed out that we were being a bit noisy. Sorry Pop we’ve embarrassed you.”
We all smiled at him.
“Micki said you’ve been fishing a lot with Jack,” I said trying to change the subject. Anything to get the topic away from my sex life.
“The boy has helped me…getting me out of this house has been good for me. Paddy goes when he can. I’ve missed my friend.”
“That’s great Pop.”
Gem came into the room then. “One of you could have woken me. You always did leave me out of these conversations.”
She wiggled in beside Micki.
“This will always be Yancy’s house,” Gem said disrupting the silence that had fallen over us. “No offense Pop or Micki.”
Micki looked at her then she looked at Adin and me. “You’re right,” she said. “It’s funny when we were growing up everyone always said; we’re going to Yancy’s house. They never said Jack and Yancy. It was as if Dad didn’t exist sometimes.”
Pop chuckled. “It is her house. Remember been in her family for decades. She loved to tell everyone that. Including me when she was mad at me, threatening to kick me out.”
I chuckled. “You’re right. She did do that a lot but she wouldn’t have kicked you out Pop. She loved you too much. She would have been just as lost without you. She was so loud while you preferred to be in the background. I think you enjoyed watching her live, you know.”
“God, when you would fight I hated it,” Gem said absently remembering a particular time or event that she didn’t share with us.
Adin added, “Me too. We would hide together in the tree house in the backyard or in the closet in your room remember Gem?”
