The Day Has Come (Counting on Hockey #4)

Chapter 19: A Beginning

Lucy helps Ella into her car seat, which she won't need for long, in the middle between Lucy and I. Garret and Cole sit up front, talking about something or other. Ella starts to tell me about her friends that she had made in her last long term foster home, and how she's excited to finally stay in one place for a long time. She's been enrolled at the elementary school just a block from Lucy's house, in third grade.

We arrive back at the house, and Ella hasn't stopped talking about how happy she is. I love Ella. She's full of energy, and that charisma you have when you're little and nothing can ever really make you sad for long.

"Miss Ella", Lucy calls as I walk with her up the sidewalk, while Lucy is already in the front door. "Do you remember when I told you we were going to have a party when you got back here, and you were going to meet all of your new family?"

"Uh huh", Eleanor nods gleefully.

"Well, that party is today. And a few of your new family members are already here", Lucy says. I see shadows walking in the kitchen. I look back to the driveway and notice one car all the way up the driveway next to the shed. I take a deep breath. "You too, Meredith. Come on".

Ella lets go of my hand and runs onto the porch and into the house. Her hand is replaced by Cole's. He kisses my cheek and we walk into the house, Garret is behind us with Ella's backpack over his shoulder.

I set my purse down next to my shoes in the foyer, and Cole takes off his shoes. Ella's shoes are thrown in the corner as a result of her trying to rush into the house as fast as she possibly could.

"Oh, Ella", I hear a woman squeal as Ella runs into the kitchen. Ella starts to giggle as I walk into the kitchen and see my Grandma Rose, sitting at the table, Ella already sitting on her lap.

Grandma Rose looks up at me. "My goodness. It's been twenty five years", she all but whispers. I smile at her.

A man, my Grandpa William, comes over to Ella and takes her off of Grandma Rose's lap. Ella gladly agrees, and Grandma Rose hasn't taken her eyes off of me. I smile at her, look at Cole for a split second, then look back at her. Rose get's out of her seat, and a smile appears on her face. She squeals and opens her arms to me.

Cole lets go of my hand as Grandma Rose's arms wrap around me. "Oh my goodness, oh my goodness", Grandma Rose whispers. "I've waited twenty five years to meet you".

"I'm so glad I get to meet you now", I say to her.

Grandma Rose releases me from her grip. She looks over at Cole. "You must be the fiancé? Cole, is it?"

"Yes ma'am", Cole replies.

"Oh goodness, don't call me that. I'm not that old. Just call me Grandma Rose, everyone calls me that", she says to Cole. Grandma Rose goes over to Cole and wraps her arms around him in a hug.

"Mom", Lucy calls. "Please just come into the living room. Leave the poor things alone".

"Oh I'm just getting to know the granddaughter I haven't met in twenty plus years", Grandma Rose yells back. "Come on, Sweet Things. Let's go in".

Grandma Rose walks out of the kitchen and Ella runs by with Grandpa William tagging behind her. Cole holds my hand as I follow the invisible trail left by Ella into the living room. The front door is wide open, and cars start to pull into the driveway, one by one. I walk over to the empty sofa chair. I let Cole sit in the seat, while I balance myself on the arm, leaning slightly against Cole's shoulder. Ella runs around and greets our guests. Most of them so far are Garret's family.

"Where is she?" I hear someone say from the foyer. They seem extremely happy. They're probably wondering where Ella had run off to.

"In the chair in the far corner of the living room. She's sitting with her fiancé", Lucy replies. She was talking about me?

I watch the archway closely. Lucy walks in with two women next to her. They all have the same hair color, and some of the same facial features. Sisters. My bio mom, my Aunt Michelle, and my Aunt Anna. The two sisters look at me with the widest smiles I think I've seen all day. I get up from the chair arm and walk over to the three sisters.

My two aunts wrap their arms around me in a three person hug. My head rests on Aunt Michelle's shoulder. "My sweet, Little Pumpkin", Aunt Anna says.

We release from the hug, I get a separate hug from each aunt.

"I'm really sorry you have to meet like this", Lucy says.

"Oh Luce, don't worry. I'm just glad I get to see my darling little pumpkin of a niece again".

"Me too. It's been twenty five years too long. How has your father been?", Aunt Anna asks. The question I've been dreading.

"Um, well", I start, looking down at the floor for a moment. "He was kind of killed in a car accident a few months ago", I answer.

"Oh my God, Meredith. I had no idea. I'm so sorry", Aunt Anna takes me into another hug.

Oh goodness, she's beautiful", I hear another woman say behind Lucy. We all turn to see a woman with salt and pepper hair. She looks to be in her early 80's. "Come here, my Darling."