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“Thank you,” I say. She doesn’t let go of it.
“Annie, you have to give it to her,” Will says with a laugh.
She looks back at him reluctantly and then slowly releases her fingers.
“Do you want to help me open it?” I ask. She nods and I tear a little piece. “Here, pull it right there.”
She tugs on the wrapping paper until it rips back. Inside is a small teething toy and plush animal – matching lambs.
“Ansley, is this like the one you have?”
She nods.
“Did you pick it out?”
She nods again.
“Do you want to hold onto it while I open other gifts?”
She smiles and hugs the toys. I watch her tot back to Will who picks her up and sets her on his lap.
“I have one, Aunt Maggie.” Vivi holds out a gift.
“Wanna help?” I ask her.
She nods and rips into the gift while I hold it steady.
“Oh wow,” I say as she pulls a beautiful, light blue blanket out of the package.
She points, “Ian.”
His name is embroidered in the corner of the blanket.
“Oh, that’s beautiful,” I say. “Thank you.”
Declan grabs another gift from the pile and hands it to me. After I open it, Zadie says, “We swear by those swaddling blankets.”
Brooklyn peers over and then says, “We love those too. They are like swaddling blankets for dummies.”
Declan picks it up and studies it. Brooklyn whispers, “I’ll show you how it works later.”
We open so many gifts – baby carriers, sheets, clothes, a car seat, and two strollers.
“You guys have spoiled us so much. I can’t imagine this baby is going to need anything else,” I say, wiping a tear away from my eye.
“We’re really excited for you – both of you,” Zadie says. Everyone nods in agreement.
“I know you weren’t trying to have a baby together, but this feels right,” Keene says. Juno elbows him.
“What? This just makes sense. Everyone’s thinking it. I don’t know why they aren’t together.”
Will clears his throat and then Olivia says, “We have cake and Maggie, we brought that salted caramel gelato that I was obsessed with when I was pregnant.”
“Oh yum, can’t wait.”
We eat and then Declan starts moving gifts to the nursery with the help of Zadie and Brooklyn. We hang out for another hour, while Zadie keeps poking her head out of the nursery asking questions about how I want things organized. When they finish, Declan comes out and watches me for a minute.
He claps his hands together. “Thank you for coming over and for all of your help and gifts, but it’s been a long day and...”
