“Hey, baby,” Celeste greeted her. “How are you?”
“I’m good. How about you?”
“I’m doing just fine. Hope it’s not too early to call?”
“Not at all. We’re all up and about. Marcus and I are making breakfast.”
Placing a skillet on the range top, Marcus caught Samara’s eye and mouthed,Who is it?
Your mom, she mouthed back.
He nodded and got busy frying bacon.
“Where are my grandbabies?” Celeste asked fondly.
“Downstairs watching TV.” Samara padded to the refrigerator and took out a container of fresh blueberries.
“I miss them so much,” Celeste lamented. “I haven’t seen them since the boys’ birthday bash in October.”
“I know,” Samara commiserated, rinsing off the blueberries. “Will you be able to join us for Christmas?”
“I wish,” Celeste said with a deep sigh. “I was really hoping we could make it, but Grant wants to spend the holidays with his mother in Vermont. You know she’s getting up there in years, and we don’t know how much longer she’ll be around.”
“I understand,” Samara said, dumping the blueberries into the pancake batter. The aroma of fresh brewed coffee and sizzling bacon was making her stomach growl. She had been waiting for the dreaded morning sickness to hit her, but so far she’d been spared.
“We’re all going to Savannah to hear Mama Wolf speak at the MLK celebration in January,” Samara reminded her mother-in-law. “My good friend Melissa and her husband will also be flying down from D.C. Maybe you and Grant can join us that weekend as well.”
“Maybe.” Celeste paused, then couldn’t resist adding a touch sourly, “I’m sure your mother won’t miss our presence at Christmas.”
Samara didn’t know how to respond to that. There was no love lost between her mother and Celeste. She and Marcus tried their best to stay out of it.
Pretending not to hear Celeste’s remark, Samara said sincerely, “I hope you and Grant can make it to Savannah.”
“Thank you, baby. I hope so, too.”
Samara smiled, walking over to Marcus. “Let me put your son on the phone so you can say hello.”
Marcus took the phone from her and brought it to his ear. “Hey, Ma.”
Samara turned away to pull out a griddle from a cabinet under the center island. She heated up the griddle, smearing the large metal plate with butter. When it was ready, she poured dollops of pancake batter onto the hot surface.
As if lured by the fragrant smell, Milan wandered into the kitchen carrying her favorite Doc McStuffins doll. “Are the pancakes ready yet?”
“Almost.” Samara smiled and picked up her daughter, setting her on a stool at the center island. “You can keep me company while the pancakes cook.”
“Okay,” the toddler said sagely. “If I’m here, they might cook faster.”
Marcus, overhearing the comment, burst out laughing along with Samara.
It started rainingright after breakfast.
After helping Samara clean up the kitchen, Marcus retreated to his study to return some business calls he’d missed yesterday.
Taking advantage of a lazy Saturday with nowhere to go, the boys scampered off to the game room to entertain themselves. Between the rock climbing wall, moon bounce, video games, basketball hoop, air hockey and foosball tables, there was no shortage of activities to keep them busy.
Left on their own, Samara and Milan headed upstairs to the home theater to watch a Disney movie. One turned into two. Cuddled together under a cozy blanket, they laughed and giggled at the cartoon characters’ antics. Halfway through the second flick, Milan dozed off clutching her stuffed doll to her chest.
Samara carefully slipped out from under the blanket and tucked it around her daughter’s warm body. Then she snuck off to her bedroom to figure out what to wear to the party tonight. She, Reese, Taylor and Lexi had all decided to wear red.
