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“I think it’s great,” she smiled openly, “and now I have a pet name for you too…”
“Are we down to pet names for each other?”
“You started it… and I thought you had to go?”
“I do – but I adore hearing your voice and picturing your smile.”
“Michael…”
“That’s ‘Sweet Peep’ to you, missy…”
“Ohhhboy,” she chuckled nervously and heard his laughter join in, feeling a warmth within her soul at just hearing his voice. All of this was so different and so incredible, that even if she hadn’t received the present from him – just this conversation was the best gift in the entire world.
“Go,” she ordered softly. “I don’t want you to get in trouble – and maybe we can talk again soon.”
“I’d like that.”
“Goodnight – and check your shoulder, because if I know my parents, they are listening.”
“If I know mine, they are huddled up close by and eavesdropping, too.”
“Night, Ruby.”
“Goodnight, Michael – and I’ll email you shortly when I get inside.”
As she hung up the phone, a sigh slipped out knowingly.
“You can come out now…” Ruby said openly, turning to look at the window right behind her rocking chair that was cracked open an inch, with four expectant faces behind the glass. “Seriously?”
“We were…”
“… Looking for cracks in the seam?”
“Bugs. Your mother mentioned she might have seen a termite…”
“What did my son say?” Michael’s father said, openly grinning with zero shame on his face at being caught snooping.
“He said to tell you all Merry Christmas once more, even though it’s passed, and that you shouldn’t snoop because he’s a grown man,” Ruby ad-libbed, and softened the words with a smile.
“I like her,” his father said, smiling at her dad. “You did good raising her right. She’s strong and sharp as a tack.”
“She’s got her head on straight,” her father bragged in that silent, stoic manner, but the glimmer in his dark eyes was telling. He was always infinitely proud of her… and it showed.
“Now, if everyone is done snooping and being weirdly creepy?” Ruby began, feeling a little nervous yet understanding that this was all going to be different somehow. “Maybe we should take a group photo with all of us instead of one where I look terrible and have a double-chin.”
“Puhhhlease…”
“Hear that, Lily? The girl wants a family photo.”
“Now, I didn’t say that…”
“That’s what I heard…”
“Oh geez…”
“Sounded like it to me too, Griffin.”
“Can you please not encourage him, Daddy?”
