Page 120 of Perfect Enough
Chapter Twenty-Eight
SOPHIA
The chaos was glorious. Everyone talked over everyone. Kids ran around like little madmen, their antics making me laugh. The feel was very different from the last time I was in a room with all of the Shaw family. Dirk and Merit Littlewood were also there, with their adult kids and their families. They weren’t blood-related to the Shaws, but no one would ever know that if not told.
“Okay, quiet down!” Stella called out as she tapped the side of a glass. “We have a guest with us this evening.”
Josh squeezed my hand lightly as all eyes landed on me.
“What’s happening?” I whispered to Josh, who stood, pulling me up with him.
“You’re about to be formally introduced to the family.”
My eyes darted around the room. Even the kids sat down for the first time all evening and were focused on me.
Stella cleared her throat. “Josh, I know Sophia has been around the family the last couple of weeks, but she wasn’t properly introduced with everything going on.”
“Right,” Josh stated. “Um, let’s see…heads of family and down?”
“That works,” Josh’s father said.
Josh cleared his throat, much like Stella had. “You’ve met my parents, of course.”
Kaylee beamed as she waved.
“And you’ve met my sister Rose and her husband, Bryson, and their son, Greg.”
Greg jumped up and held up four fingers. “I’m four!”
“You know Uncle Brock and Aunt Lincoln,” Josh went on. “Their kids are Blayze, Morgan, and Hunter.” Josh drew in a deep breath. “Okay, Blayze is married to Georgiana, and they have twins, Rhett and Ryder. Morgan is married to Ryan.”
Each person raised their hand and smiled at me as Josh went along with the introductions.
“They have Blakley, who’s six.”
“You gave me a piggyback ride the other day, ’member?” Blakley asked me.
“I do remember! And we played with your baby doll; Penny is her name, right?”
Blakley smiled wide. “Yes! You ’membered her name!”
Everyone laughed.
“Next is Hunter and his wife, Kipton. Their daughter is Callie.”
Callie stood and waved. “I’m free!”
“You’re three?” I asked as I flashed her a wide smile.
Nodding her head, she replied, “Yep!”
“Honey, you’re four now,” Kipton said softly.
Callie looked up. “That’s wight. I am!”
“Okay,” Josh said, clapping his hands together. “You know Uncle Tanner and Aunt Timberlynn. Their kids are Lily, whom you’ve met, and Nate, of course. Lily is married to Maverick, and they have Maggie Ray, who’s also four.”
Little Maggie was sound asleep on a bed made of pillows on the floor. How she was able to nap during all the noise was beyond me.