Page 35 of The Substitute
I tip my head to hers. “Thank Christ.”
Maya laughs and then scowls.
“What’s wrong?”
“I’m sitting in eggs,” she says, and I can’t help but laugh. That makes her grin. “Broken eggs.”
“Come on, then.” I lift her again and head for the stairs. “Let’s clean you up.”
“What about breakfast?”
“It’ll keep.”
Epilogue
Maya
Seven Years Later
“I’m so glad you could come for this.” I grin at Derek’s mom, Pamela, as I set canapes on a tray for the party later. It’s Derek’s birthday, and I’m surprising him with his parents, who flew in from Bath just a few hours ago, and a small party later this evening with family.
Of course, if I’d invited the whole family, it would have been a huge party, so I included my parents—who are on their way to pick the kids up from school—and my siblings and their families.
If you count the kids, we’ll still have more than twenty people here.
“Are you kidding?” Pamela samples a crab canape. “Christian and I wouldn’t miss it. I can’t wait to see how big the children have gotten since Christmas.”
“They grow like weeds,” I confirm and then rub my growing belly. Our third little bundle will be here any day, and she’s reminding me to take it easy.
“Here,” Pam says, shooing me out of the way. “Sit for a while and put your feet up. I have this.”
I don’t argue and smile serenely as I watch my mother-in-law bustle around my kitchen. I’ve lived here for five years. Derek and I made a home here with our children and families coming as often as we can get them here.
The relationship between my stubborn, grumpy husband and his parents has softened with time. I think becoming a parent himself gave him some perspective on his childhood, and it makes me happy that their bond has strengthened over the past seven years. Derek claims it’s because of me and my ability to help him understand them, but I disagree. I think love helped him open his heart to his parents.
Pamela and Christian never miss a holiday with us, whether they make the trip here, or we take the kids to see them in Bath.
“I think my boy is pulling into the garage,” Christian says as he joins us in the kitchen. He stands behind me and rubs my shoulders. “How are you feeling, little mum?”
“Tired, but so happy you’re here.” I pat his hand. “Tonight will be fun.”
“And you’ll let us do the work,” Pam says, giving me the stern mom eye. “Your mother and I can handle things. And we have your sister-in-law and brother, too. You just relax and enjoy everyone.”
“Deal. I’m too tired to put up a fight.”
I grin at them as we hear the mudroom door open from the garage.
“Der?” I call out.
“I’m home,” he confirms in that voice that never fails to awaken the butterflies in my stomach. “That new bloody assistant is a pain in my arse, Maya. He can’t do fuck-all right.”
I sigh and bite my lip as Pam tries to hide a laugh behind her hand.
“I’m glad the kids are still in school,” he continues, ranting more. He must be putting his shoes away or something because we still can’t see him. “Because I’m going to strip you naked and bury my—”
He walks into the room and stops cold, his eyes wide as he takes in the scene before him.
“Happy birthday.” I manage to get off the stool and waddle over to my husband so I can wrap my arms around him. “I’m so glad you didn’t finish that sentence.”