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To Do His Part
“Merry Christmas. I’m Josie.”
Noon on Christmas Day the three of them and the three dogs were walking into his parents’ house.
“We’ve heard so much about you,” his mother said. “Merry Christmas. I’m Vanessa and this is Joe. We are Carter’s parents.”
“I know,” Josie said. “He told me all about you. And he has a brother named Grayson and a sister, Natalie. I don’t have any siblings. Maybe someday Avery will give me a little brother or sister.”
Carter turned to look at Avery and saw the shocked look on her face. He knew that she’d told Josie that the little girl could call her Mom if she wanted, but it hadn’t happened yet.
But that comment did make him wonder if Avery finally realized it was only a name and Josie was thinking of Avery as her mother now. A second mother.
One he had to wake up this morning because she’d been out cold.
Doc was the one that had woken him up a little before five. His dogs were good, but in a strange place and with the excitement, his large puppy needed to go out again.
He’d slid out of bed as quietly as he could, let his two dogs out, and came back to see Avery still on her side curled the way she’d fallen asleep in his arms.
He got back in bed, started to kiss her shoulder and wake her up, told her the time and saw her all but jump out of bed as if a boogieman came into the room.
He’d said Josie was still asleep, he’d snuck up to look around the corner, but the two of them had gotten up anyway, turned on the lights on the tree and had some coffee while they waited for Josie to come barreling down the stairs.
It was before six when gifts were being ripped into and he and Avery at least had been able to shower and get dressed before that.
“I’m sure she will someday,” his mother said. “I keep hoping for a grandchild of my own.”
“I can be your grandchild,” Josie said. “I’m Avery’s mother’s grandchild.”
He saw his mother’s eyes all but fill up, his father grinning. He had no words for that and he was sure they didn’t expect them from him either.
“You are,” Avery said. “We are all part of a family whether we share the same blood or not.”
“That’s right,” his mother said. “And please come in. I’m getting some snacks out. Josie, what did Santa bring you?”
“I got a sled so that I can go outside and play. We’ve got a tiny slope. It’s not much but it’s still fun. Carter said Dopey could pull me around. Dopey likes to tug on ropes and he’d put it in his mouth and run around the yard if I tossed him treats.”
His mother laughed. “You’ve put a lot of thought into that, haven’t you, Carter?”
He flushed. “Dopey would have fun. It’d give him exercise.”
“Doc has more energy than Dopey,” Avery said.
“She’s still a puppy. I don’t want to hurt her as she’s still growing.”
“I’d supervise it either way,” she said. “I don’t want any of the dogs hurt.”
“What else did you get this morning?” his mother asked.
“Lots of things. I got clothes and art supplies and a new iPad because I had Avery’s old one.” Josie put her finger to her chin as in thought. He realized it was like he did at times too. “Oh, and Avery got me some stuffed animals because I like them on my bed and some other toys.”
“That sounds like a lot of stuff,” his father said.
“Carter got me the best though,” Josie said.
“Really?” his mother asked. “What did Carter get you?”
“A baking kit because I make him desserts when he comes over sometimes. Well, I used to, but now he’s over all the time and Avery said we can’t have dessert daily even though I want it. I told Carter that too and he laughed. Now I can make more as I’ve got all my own tools and equipment. Things so that I can’t cut myself or anything. And he got me a bracelet-making kit and sketch pads because he said that he needs more pictures of Dopey and Doc. Did you know he framed pictures of Dopey and Doc that I drew and hung them in his house?”
