Stand In The Rain

Forty Five

One of the maids went to open the door, but JJ did, instead politely requesting that she go help in the kitchen. Heeding her words, the maid left, allowing JJ to open the door.

Kaida was the first person over the threshold, and even though she still had on her coat, mittens, and boots, she squealed with delight when she saw JJ.

"Auntie Jenny, we're here!" she hugged her. "Nana and me—what was that?"

Kaida took a step back and shook her head, trying to clear it; she'd just been kicked in the side of the head.

JJ laughed as she massaged her bump. "That was one of your cousins telling you hello and happy birthday."

Kaida lit up. "May I hug my cousin again?"

"Thank you for being so polite, and you may, but it looks like your hands are full." JJ observed.

Indeed, Kaida had come bearing a gift, and she showed them to JJ, giggling, "Flowers for Auntie Emmy's parents! Will they like them?"

"Oh yes, baby angel. Now how about you go hang out with Auntie Emmy? I bet she can hold them for you while you take your outside things off."

Kaida thought this was a good idea and was a little taken aback to see Emily in a wheelchair, but after Emily promised her she wasn't broken, Kaida got over her nerves and went over to her, leaving JJ free to talk to her mother.

"Hi, mom!" JJ chirped. "I'm so happy to see you, and happy birthday!"

Sandy had already put her things away and was now surveying her baby girl. Her hair and make up were done very nicely, but the real emphasis was on that JJ was wearing: she had on silver faults, black dress pants, and a dark purple-colored blouse that really showed off the size of her baby bump. In Sandy's eyes, her daughter was adorable and glowing.

"Thank you, and I'm so happy to see you!" Sandy hugged JJ and motioned towards her bump. "How are you and the babies?"

"We're doing wonderfully, and the kids just got extra jumpy. Maybe it's because they're smelling everything that Emily's parents made."

JJ put her hands in the small of her back to offset the extra weight as best she could and blew out a breath as she got pushed by Alexis' hands and nudged by Olivia's knees.

"Feel this, mom." JJ took her mother's hands and put them over the area where Alexis and Olivia were kicking the most. "I can never get enough."

Just like when JJ had let Elizabeth feel her bump, the twins kicked for their other grandmother, thrilled to hear a new voice.

"Wow." Sandy remarked in awe. "Maybe they'll take up soccer, just like you did."

JJ immediately pinched the bridge of her bridge. "For the sake of my sanity and Emily's, I hope that if they don't all take up quiet, normal nerdy hobbies like chess or the debate team, that it's just one of them of them that goes that route."

Sandy just laughed in amusement before moving on to Emily.

She was definitely delighted to see her and she hugged her, but when it came to her injuries, she turned into an anxious mother hen.

"First Jenny's arm, and now your leg?"

"My ankle, too."

Sandy sighed and made a sign of the cross. "Where were you when this happened?"

"Ironically, New York again."