Page 3 of One Unexpected Gift
“Since you gave us a niece,” Gina said, kissing Gabby’s cheeks.
Brooke’s timer buzzed. “My turn.” She held out her arms and wiggled them at Gina. They made the baby exchange with ease. It amazed her how quickly they adapted to being with an infant.
“Derek and Karen are leaving for their timeshare in Florida next week. They said I could stay at their condo in Bangor.”
The three of them gave her the death stare. Brooke held Gabby protectively against her chest as if she feared Sky would steal her from her.
Truthfully, Sky was hoping one of them wouldn’t mind her staying for a few days but seeing how much they cared for both her and the baby, maybe she could spend her entire maternity leave in Angel Springs.
“I guess I could stay here longer.”
“When do you have to go back to Virginia?” Gina asked.
“In two months.”
“That’s so soon.”
Two months was a long time for a houseguest. She could always take turns, spending a few weeks with one, and then a few weeks with another so she wouldn’t overstay her welcome.
As if reading her thoughts, Charlie said, “You could spend a few weeks with each of us so we won’t fight as much over you.”
“You guys.” Sky sniffed and wiped her nose with her napkin. “I love you all so much. I never thought,” she hiccuped her tears back, “that you’d be so... so...”
“Oh, honey.” Gina scooted her chair back and came around the table to hug her. “We love you too.”
After more hugs and tears, she drank down a glass of water and composed herself. “I guess I’ll start by staying with Charlie since it will be less of an inconvenience with them all gone during the day.”
“Yes.” Charlie fist-pumped the air. “I won.”
“Shut up, bitch,” Brooke growled.
Charlie stuck her tongue out and made grabby hands for the baby.
“Not so fast. Since you’ll be living with her it means Gina and I get to hold Gabriella when we’re together.”
“That’s fair.” Gina held out her hands for the baby.
“The timer hasn’t gone off yet.” Brooke nodded to her phone.
“You didn’t even reset it.” Gina swiped it and turned it on.
Again, Sky found herself laughing. Not something she expected to do facing her sisters after blowing them off for months.
For the next hour, they talked about the summer camp they ran and the community clean-up day coming up. Sky had organized it from afar. This would be the first year she could participate. Closing up at the start of fall didn’t take nearly as much work as opening in the spring.
Local teenagers and other community members volunteered the last weekend of September to rake any fallen leaves, close up the cabins, and get the camp ready for winter.
She’d thought of the idea two years ago as a way to raise awareness of the camp. In a short amount of time, they’d had nearly a hundred volunteers throughout the weekend. Having a newborn strapped to her meant her work would be limited, but Sky was anxious to get her hands literally dirty.
Camp Illumination had been their way of giving back, of helping to ensure every child had at least one positive experience to last them a lifetime.
“You ready, roomie?” Charlie slipped Gabby into the car seat and fought with the buckles.
“It takes a few times to figure out all the contraptions that come with a baby.” Sky fixed Gabby’s arm and untwisted the strap.
“This will be a good test run for Owen. I mean, he’s practically raised his sister but not when Olivia was this small.”
Sky really loved Owen. All her friends’ husbands, really. They were selfless and doted on their wives, treating them like princesses. She didn’t have anyone to care for her, but she had her own princess who took up all the space in her heart.