Chapter 9 #2
“You get to play with animals?” A little girl who looked like Trenda popped up at my elbow. “What kind of animals? Elephants?”
“Are you Bella?”
“How’d you know my name? What’s your name? Is it true you play with elephants?”
“Who plays with elephants?” A blonde-haired little boy tugged at Bella’s shirt.
Bella pointed at me. “She plays with elephants.”
By that time, the entire table of adults was laughing.
“Okay. I’m sorry to tell you, there are no elephants where I work.”
“How about gorillas?” another little blonde-haired boy asked.
The laughter continued. It took everything I had not to giggle so I could answer his question.
“I get to play with dogs and cats, and sometimes rabbits and turtles.”
“I like turtles. Are they big or small? Big ones are called tortoises, right?”
I stared at Bella. Where were all these questions coming from?
“You’re right, Bella. Big turtles are called tortoises, and I’ve never had one come to my clinic. Joy works with me. Have you properly introduced everyone?” Roxie asked.
Bella looked up at me with big eyes. “Oh. I’m Bella Clark. These are my cousins. This is Holden O’Malley, Zephyr O’Malley, and Andrew Avery,” she said, pointing to the three boys.
I smiled. “It’s nice to meet y’all.”
“Joy baked a swirly cake. It’s partly yellow and partly chocolate,” Graham spoke up.
All four of the children spoke up at once.
“She did?”
“Yay!”
“I love chocolate.”
“If you let her finish eating, she will probably cut you a piece,” Trenda told the kids.
“Are you going swimming? I like your swimsuit. It’s pretty.” I loved Bella’s smile.
I looked over at Trenda, who just rolled her eyes. Apparently, there was no stopping Bella.
“Yes, she’s going swimming after dessert,” Graham answered for me.
I glared at him.
“What? You can’t wear a swimsuit like that and not get it wet.”
“Fine,” I huffed.
Trenda and Roxie stood up at the same time. “Come on, you four. Let’s get you some food,” Roxie pointed at the kids.
Bella followed her mother, and Roxie held her hands out to the three boys as they hustled to the food table, and I took a moment to catch my breath. Simon winked at me. “She’s a wonder.”
“She is that,” I agreed. “How do you keep up?”
“Lots and lots of caffeine.”
Again, the table burst out laughing.
Graham and I carried pieces of cake over to the matriarchs of the party who had comfortable chairs under a shade tree. Piper and Emmie followed us, each of them holding a drink. He’d asked their preference, and all three of them had requested a small slice of my chocolate and pineapple cake.
“Joy, you look pretty as a picture,” Auntie Gladiola said as I sat down at her feet. Somebody had made sure that Miss Laverne, Little Grandma, and my Great Aunt Gladiola each had trays to properly feast as they looked over the activities. “Now tell me about your young man.”
Emmie almost snorted sangria through her nose.
Served her right.
“Haven’t you met Graham Wallace yet, Gladdie?” Miss Laverne asked. “He’s been lunching at my house for over a year now. Brings me red vine licorice.”
“Oh, you work for Onyx Security. Are you former Special Forces?” Little Grandma asked. Nothing got past my great-great-grandmother. She was sharp as a tack.
“What branch?” Piper asked. “My brother Drake is an active SEAL at Coronado.”
“I know,” Graham said as he handed out the last plate of dessert to Little Grandma. Emmie glanced over at me. She noted how he didn’t answer either Little Grandma or Piper’s question. Little Grandma let it drop.
“He drives a motorcycle,” Miss Laverne said. “A loud one. With silver piping.”
This time, Piper snorted.
“A Harley,” I chimed in. I turned to Graham. “Are you going to take me for a ride sometime?”
“You mean he hasn’t taken you for a ride yet?” Little Grandma asked as she raised her eyebrow. I blushed, as Auntie Gladiola howled with laughter. Graham’s eyes twinkled.
“I’ll take you on a ride on my Harley whenever you ask, Doll.”
“The boys loved their quilts,” Piper told Miss Laverne. “They’re beautiful. They will be passing them down to their sons one day.”
Miss Laverne blushed.
“Speak of the devil,” Little Grandma said as Holden came running up.
“Aunt Joy.” Holden tugged on my hand. “Will you come in the pool with us? Bella says we can't play Marco Polo without enough people.”
I don’t remember at what point I became ‘Aunt’ Joy, but I was tickled.
I looked down at his earnest little face and felt my resolve crumble. “Okay, but I have to put sunscreen on first.”
“I'll help!” Bella announced, appearing with a bottle of SPF 50. “I'm really good. I help Mama with the hard-to-put-on spots.”
Before I knew it, I was surrounded by helpful hands, kids reapplying my sunscreen, and Emmie fixing my hair so it wouldn't get tangled. Meanwhile, Miss Laverne and the two older Magill sisters offered commentary on the proper way to enter a pool.
“Don't you dare just stick your toe in like some delicate flower,” Auntie Gladiola instructed. “Jump right in. Life's too short for slow entries.”
I watched as Piper helped Holden into the pool and Emmie supervised Bella’s entrance.
“Your turn, Joy,” Graham said softly behind me.
I looked around at all these people, this big, warm, chaotic family that had welcomed me like I'd been part of it forever.
Bella was bobbing in the shallow end with her water wings, directing Holden and Zephyr like a tiny lifeguard.
They were both wearing water wings and holding onto the same noodle.
The adults were all watching me with encouraging smiles, not a hint of judgment in sight.
“That's it!” Roxie cheered.
“You've got this!” Ava called out.
And then, before I could second-guess myself, I jumped.
The water was perfect—cool but not cold, exactly the right temperature for a hot Tennessee afternoon. When I surfaced, everyone was cheering like I'd just won an Olympic medal.
“See?” Roxie said, swimming over to me. “Was that so hard?”
“Actually,” I said, surprised to find myself grinning, “that was kind of amazing.”
“Yay! We can play Marco Polo now!” Bella yelled.
“Mom, we need another noodle,” either Holden or Zephyr called out. With their hair wet, I couldn’t tell one from the other.
“Coming right up.” Aiden held out a noodle. “Here you go, Zephyr.”
“Thanks, Dad.”
“Who should be ‘it’?” Bella asked.
“Daddy!” the two boys yelled as one.
“Okay, Aiden, you’ve been nominated, and no cheating. I’ll be watching you,” Evie warned her husband.
“I want in on this,” Hart said as he slipped into the pool.
“Yay! You’re on my team,” Simon shouted.
“Sure am, sweetheart.”
“Okay, start!” Roxie yelled.
“Marco!” Aiden hollered.
A chorus of “Polos” answered.
Aiden dove around the pool, lunging after different people, barely getting them, but causing the children much laughter.
“Daddy, you’re not very good at this game,” one of his sons shouted out.
“I am too,” Aiden whined. “It’s just that you’re better at it.”
“Marco!”
“Polo,” we all shouted.
Suddenly, Aiden was right beside me. I lunged sideways, but he caught me.
“I won!” Aiden cried out. “I captured a princess.”
Bella and the boys giggled. “That’s not how it works, Uncle Aiden. She’s ‘it’ now,” Bella explained. “Aunt Joy has to close her eyes and find someone.”
“Oh, that’s how it works, huh?” Aiden laughed.
“Make her close her eyes, Uncle Aiden,” Bella cried out.
“Yeah, Daddy.”
“They’re closed, I promise.” I closed my eyes and counted to ten, then I shouted out, “Marco!”
I heard them all shout, “Polo.”
I headed for Bella, knowing she would love being chased. I cried out “Marco” again. I heard her respond. I was close, but not too close.
I lunged. “I’ve got you!”
I splashed the water and came up empty. Bella’s joyful giggles filled the air. “You missed me, Aunt Joy.”
Keeping my eyes closed, I called out, “How did you escape? That’s not fair.”
Bella laughed louder. “I’m really good at this game.”
“She is, Aunt Joy,” one of Aiden’s sons shouted.
I turned around and shouted, “Marco!”
I felt something touch my leg and whipped around. Strong arms hooked around my waist. “Polo,” Graham whispered into my ear, and I melted into his chest.
“You lost, Uncle Graham,” Bella yelled.
“I’m thinking he won, sweetheart,” Simon told his daughter.