Echo

Football

Morning came quickly for Emily and JJ after they went to bed, and they were woken in a way that they weren't expecting.

"Mommy said to not to!" fussed a tiny, worried voice.

"My mommy didn't!" said a second, bossier voice.

It was Alice and Zadie. Dressed in full-on bunny pajamas, Alice looked very apprehensive about disturbing her nanas, while Zadie, dressed in a Cinderella nightgown and matching sleep cap and slippers, had her hands on her hips as she shot her cousin a "Get a grip!" expression that said she was a sissy. Both girls had managed to climb up onto the bed, and had been about to start the second phase of their plan when Alice had paused to voice her misgivings.

"Hello, babies." Emily greeted them as she and JJ sat up, stretched and rubbed the sleep from their eyes.

Alice nervously blew her a kiss, but didn't say anything.

JJ looked from one little girl to the next, eyebrows raised. "What are you two up to?"

Alice giggled nervously and turned to Zadie, who immediately caved, blurting, "We came to say time for up, so we can ready for football!"

JJ glanced at her phone on the bedside table, checking the time. "Zadie, baby, it's only seven-thirty."

"But I don't know how to tell time." Zadie said seriously.

Beside JJ, Emily smothered her laughter by laughing into a pillow.

JJ ignored her and continued to covers ate with Zadie. "You guys were going to do something else, huh?"

"We were going to jump."

"Well, thank you for not jumping, little one. There's an extra good reason we're glad you didn't."

Zadie's curiosity got the best of her. "How come?"

Cottoning on to what JJ was about to say, Emily chose to be mature again and set her pillow down before beckoning to the little kids.

"Come here, babies. Please."

Even more curious now, Alice parked herself in Emily's lap and Zadie got cozy with JJ.

Emily took a deep breath and slowly let it out before framing her middle. "There's a baby growing in my tummy right now."

Alice's mouth dropped open and she gaped at Emily surprise. "There's a baby in your tummy, Nana Emmy?  For real?" 

"Totally for real."

"Because of wishing stars, like the baby in mommy's tummy?"

"Yes." Emily decided and gave her granddaughter a hug before turning to Alice's dark-skinned companion. "What do you think, Zadie?"

"I love babies!" she chirped.

At that, JJ hugged her. "Good, because that isn't everything."

"It isn't?" Zadie and Alice asked in unison.

JJ kissed Zadie on the top of her head. "Uh-uh. THere's a baby in my tummy, too."

THe little girls let out delighted squeals of joy, and the next thing Emily and JJ knew, they were getting kisses and hugs, mostly on their baby bumps, from Alice and Zadie.