Chapter 22 #2
Ivy nodded and laughed. “Yep, it’s pretty obvious now, right?” She shook her head, then glanced to our girl, who was positively vibrating with excitement. “Addie, can you go count how many peaches we brought your dad? And check to see what other fruits he has.”
Addie immediately calmed down as her eyes sparkled and she rubbed her hands together like she was a mastermind. “Is this a job?”
“Sure is.”
Addie turned to Jules. “If I show Momma I’m real responsible with jobs, I can get a cat like Malley.”
Jules tilted her head, and then recognition dawned. “You mean O’Malley? My cat?”
Addie nodded. “That’s what I said.” Then she looked to me. “Time me. I’m superfast.”
“Not too fast,” Ivy cautioned. “You don’t want to forget anything.”
Addie gave that some thought and then slowly nodded. “Okay, but I still want to be timed.”
I pulled my phone out and opened the app. “No problem. I’ll time you.”
With that, she took off. Ivy immediately joined Jules and me and said, “Okay, so for the party tomorrow—”
“Party?” Jules asked.
“Sorry,” I said, realizing that Ivy had sent our kid on an errand so we could have a quick talk. “I haven’t gotten you up to speed with everything that happened, but we’re having a small party for Addie’s birthday tomorrow.”
“We were going to postpone with Noah’s parents passing, but it all worked out and we’re still on track,” Ivy whispered.
“And it’s a surprise?” Jules asked as we heard Addie’s counting from the kitchen in the background.
“Out of necessity. She’d never sleep,” Ivy explained.
“Ahh.”
“So do you think she could hang out here for a couple of hours? Until dinner?” Ivy asked with a wince. “I mean, you two likely had some adult fun planned, but—”
“Of course she can,” Jules interrupted as she spoke for me. With that, my heart swelled. I couldn’t care less that she’d answered instead of letting me, what made my day was that she put time with my daughter as the priority.
Ivy’s relief was evident. “Oh. Thanks, you two. Lorelai is doing so much better, but Jake has her in the sling while he’s trying to sneakily get everything ready for tomorrow and also preparing for Steph and crew to stay at our place tonight.
I’m just a bit worried we’re not going to get it all done.
” She glanced toward the kitchen. “You all are welcome to come for dinner too, or you can just do the brunch tomorrow…” Ivy bit her lip like maybe she had said too much. She hadn’t, but we hadn’t talked yet.
I looked to Jules. “I hadn’t asked you yet because this week has been a blur, but clearly I’d love you to come to this brunch shindig tomorrow.”
Jules looked unsure. “If it’s a family thing, I get it. I don’t need to come.”
“We want you there,” I said, looking to Ivy to back me up.
“Absolutely. I can’t always handle the crazy Spencer clan without reinforcements. And I have no words for Margot—she’s Steph, Jake, and Drew’s mom. She’s someone you need to experience without explanation. Just… brace.”
Jules laughed. “Good or bad?”
I shook my head, thinking of the force of nature that was Margot Spencer. “Good, absolutely, but a presence to be reckoned with.”
“Ten peaches and then some strawberries, blueberries, and bananas,” Addie called out.
“Any grapes?” Ivy called while shaking her head no to us to indicate she hadn’t brought any.
“Maybe?” Addie called.
“Can you check?” Ivy replied.
“Is that another job?” Addie asked.
“Part of the same one,” Ivy said.
“Okay.” The sound of Addie opening the refrigerator got us back in gear.
“Addie can absolutely stay. What time do you want me to walk her back over,” I asked.
“Five,” Ivy answered promptly.
“And we’re set on her gift?” I asked.
“She’s going to flip,” Ivy answered.
“Oh no, I don’t have a gift,” Jules murmured.
“No grapes!” Addie sang, slamming the fridge.
Ivy reached over, squeezing Jules’s arm.
“Noah will fill you in, but we go very sparse on gifts. Ads is already blessed beyond measure, so your presence can be your gift. It really is a birthday party disguised as an opportunity to have brunch. And going back to your earlier worry, in Highland Falls our friends are our family so no worries, you belong at this party.”
As she finished that comment, which made Jules’s eyes shiny with unshed tears, Addie skipped down the hall and stopped in front of us with her hands on her hips. “Time?”
I held up my phone. “Five minutes, seven seconds.”
She did one of her favorite shimmies. “I can’t wait to have a cat.”
“Don’t get ahead of yourself, missy.” Ivy gave Addie a perfect mom look.
“What will Chief say?” I asked, highly entertained by this entire situation. I loved our determined daughter and hoped she never lost her gives-zero-fucks personality.
She put her hands on her little hips. “Chief likes friends too.”
I nodded like that made sense, and I supposed it did.
Ivy bent down to look Addie in the eye. “So… your dad wondered if you’d want to stay here for a few hours and then come back to our house.”
Addie looked from Ivy to me, clearly torn. “Will Emily and Jennie get there before me?”
I put my hand over my heart. “You want to see your cousins more than me?”
“Of course not!” Addie said, her voice indignant.
“I’m kidding, peanut.” I smoothed down her ponytail. “No, sweetheart, you won’t miss any time with your cousins.”
Addie relaxed. “I like spending time with you too, Daddy. It’s just I don’t see them much.”
I bopped her on the nose. “Then we will make sure you get there in time.”
Addie looked at all of us. “So I get to spend time here and have cousin time tonight?” Her voice betrayed her excitement.
Jules spoke up. “I could go get O’Malley and bring him over here too if that’s okay.” She looked my way, and I nodded as I braced for what I knew was coming.
“Best. Day. Ever!” Addie exclaimed, her arms shooting up as she spun around.
Ivy laughed. “And with that, I’ll leave you all to it. See you in a couple of hours.”