All That Matters (3 page)

‘Sure baby girl it’s gonna be really good.’

‘But the fish has a stick for a nose Uncle Brandon.’ Brenden was putting on a brave face but the terror of the
fish with the stick for a nose
was all of his face as he tried to catch his breath and speak at the same time. His oldest nephew reminded him so much of himself he had to smile at the thought.

‘I know that’s why it’s gonna be so good.’

‘Do we eat the stick to Uncle Brandon?’ Brenden always put on a brave face for his uncle even now playing little league football and basketball. Saying he was going to be a superstar in both sports like his daddy and uncle. But it was clear that both he and Mimi where very worried about the prospects of having to eat the fish. They may have been the miniature protectors of their families but they still where little kids with real fears and he loved that part of them.

‘Nah…little man we don’t eat that part.’

‘You guys wanna go see the new baby goats they came last night?

All there little eyes lit up at the mention of the new goats. Which was a quick change from the almost terror that was in their little faces talking about the fish. As Brandon headed over to the barn Sedric emerged from the house looking much better than he had appeared the night before and came over to join them.

‘Hey wah happen family.’

‘Hi Uncle Sedric we’re going to see the new baby goats you wanna come?’

Mimi loved Sedric and had declared him Uncle Sedric from the moment she could speak saying he and Brandon where like she was with her big sister Rori he was the little one and her daddy was the big one so he never made any change to correct her.

‘Yea man…you guys gonna help Uncle Thomas feed them?’ Both Brenden and Marie looked more than overjoyed at the idea. Even the other kids seemed ready to come out of their skin with excitement over the thought.

‘Can we…daddy can we?’ Marie bounced up and down her hair flying all around her face in the process in front of her dad waiting for his answer as if he could have found anyway to tell her no.

‘Sure Mimi you can help only if Uncle Thomas says you can ok?’

‘Sure daddy we will ask first.’ They all took off ahead of Brandon and Sedric once they had confirmation and had cleared the barn doors within seconds.

‘I take it sleep is what he doctor ordered your looking much better today.’

‘Yea man it’s been crazy these past few weeks…I needed a little break.’

‘So you got time like that though…a whole month in off season of nothing right now?’

‘Nah you know better Jake got like a billion things lined up…I just did like two phone interviews this morning.’

‘Yea that’s what I thought…so you good with everything else though.’

‘If you mean Kemi…that’s what I was dealing with last night…I’m sure when I get back she is going to have a boat load of drama for me but I’m done. I’m sick of that whole situation you know it was time.’

‘As long as that’s what you wanted then you good…patience man one of these days it’s gonna be you chasing your kid into this barn.’

‘I don’t know man you seem to be filing the place up just fine…three now how many more.’

‘Tell me about it…but nah Lalayha is barley three months my three girls are more than enough I feel like I get older every day trying to keep up wit’em…Besides Taye looked at me and the doctor like we were crazy when she asked was Lay it for us right before we came down.’

‘Ha…you better watch yourself…Taye aint no joke.’

‘Oh trust me I know.’

‘Hi daddy…hi uncle Sedric you guys came to see the goats too?’

When they had finally reached the barn they walked into Ashley, Matt, and Aurora helping clean off two of the goats to Brandon’ surprise since he thought his oldest was still at their house with her mom and baby sister.

‘See what I mean man my girls are more than enough….they are everywhere I go without me even knowing it….yea we did Rori when did you get here is mommy with you…where did Mimi, Brenden and the kids go?

‘Mommy stayed at home with Lay she said she is coming over later…I came with Auntie Ashley…Mimi is back there with Uncle Thomas though…I’ll be right back.’ Brandon’ oldest girl had spent the most time on the island so she was completely comfortable with everyone and everything. Seeing her so easily move around the barn and finish task like it was second nature was completely natural to him. Ashley however pick up his undertones better than just about anyone and cleared up things in grown up speak.

‘Don’t get all bent out of shape fathead…I stopped by cause I saw the back doors open and Taye said Lalayha was still sleeping and she would come down when she got up…so Rori came with me since you had Mimi and Brenden. That a better explanation for you cause you looked like you were about to run out of here.’

‘Shut up fathead…nobody looked like that I just didn’t know Rori came up with you she was helping Taye when I left….wassup brother in law I see Ash got you playing in the mud to.’

‘Hey man…you know what your sister wants your sister gets...’ Matt lifted his elbow to Brandon’ fist since he hands were occupied with one of the baby goats.

‘Whatever you say….wassup Sed…you look like you got some good rest last night.’ Clearly everyone had noticed the stress coming from him yesterday and where finding their own little subtle ways of bringing it up.

‘Yea always do when I’m here. Let me go back there and see if my pops needs any help…you two don’t kill each other while I’m gone’ Sedric bumped Brandon’ shoulder and gave Ashely a quick peck on the cheek then headed back to where his dad was cleaning up the new arrivals.

**

There were so many different things happening to make sure the afternoon activities went off the way everyone wanted that there was no part of the house that didn’t have someone in it preparing something or simply sitting around laughing and enjoying the time with each other. The focus of the celebration was on the one person but it was clear that everyone around was just happy to have time to be together and it actually be a celebration. The guest of honor however had been swept away just to make sure all the work would get done without her trying to help. All the adults had agreed weeks before on the plan to keep her away so that she would actually have some surprise.

‘Brenda those grandbabies of yours are getting big…I just saw Aurora out in the barn with Thomas she is just beautiful.’

‘Rachel the child has grown overnight basically I think she may be just as tall as Taylor by now and she is only nine.’

‘I can tell she is beautiful though she reminds me of Fiona and Ashley when they were her age…where is Taylor by the way?’

‘Oh I don’t know…she isn’t here? If not she may be resting the child does so much and three girls to top it off…I know I couldn’t handle it.’

‘I hear you on that one mine are the same way…and look at Theo and his family they are the same way, Sedric and all that he has going on, Charles and his girls, Fiona and her babies and Trent with his work I never know what is happening with them they had to get that from daddy for sure…so who has Nanny K today I’ve been wanting to see her but she moves more than I do these days.’

‘Shelia has her at her place she didn’t want her trying to help with cooking or anything today so they should be over in a few. We should get the rest of the meat outside for Clay bless his heart for doing all that grilling.’

‘He loves that he is always standing at the grill at home. The kids come home even now expecting him to do it.’

A large part of the family reunion had been belt around there families and being that it was there mother who would be the missing member it was a bittersweet moment for the two sisters but they were overjoyed like everyone else to be able to celebrate what they had. They headed toward the kitchen laughing and simply enjoying the atmosphere as they entered they came into Taye putting away the babies food.

‘Hi, mom hi Aunt Rachel...have you two seen the rest of my clan?’

‘Hi sweetheart…Rachel said she saw Rori out at the barn so I’m sure that is where everyone else is. I think Trent and Charles went to get the ice for this afternoon everyone else is probably still sleeping….Lalayha sleeping through the night yet?’

‘Almost but I swear the girl hears one noise and she has to be wide awake to investigate what’s going on…Brandon and I trade places at night to get her to sleep most of the time.’

‘Well she is just as beautiful as her two big sisters…I can’t believe you have five grandbabies Bren.’ Rachel had already stopped what she was doing and headed over to the baby playing with her little toes and was rewarded with her happy giggles.

‘Rachel I can barely believe it myself but I love being nana…the boys keep me on my toes the whole time I have them with me though….for a while I thought Brenden was going to break his neck every time he was at my place the boy climbed and jumped off every piece of my furniture.’

‘Like his big cousin I would say….Rori was the same way except she like to climb the steps…a few times Brandon had to get her unstuck from the bannister. She isn’t much different now. Mom do you mind looking after Lalayha for a few minutes I’m gonna go see if the kids want a snack or anything?’

‘Of course not she is fine here with us….aren’t you sweetheart?’ It made Taye smile as she headed out the backdoor watching the ladies playing with the baby. Life was finally balanced
for them their family was whole and settled and if her husband had any say he would continue the growing which she wasn’t completely opposed to. 

‘Her swinger is out on the deck I put it out there for later if you guys want to go outside its really nice out there today.’

‘It is isn’t it I think we will…let’s go see what Uncle Clay and Uncle Frasier are doing Lay.’

The ladies all went their separate ways Taylor heading off to the barn and the ladies heading out to the back with the baby and the last of the food that needed to be grilled in tow. No matter what was missing it was hard to find anything less than joy surrounding them all. By the time she reached the barn Taylor was completely tickled thinking about what her mother in law said about her grand kids.  Then walked right into the exact picture with her kids and nephews all huddled around the barn.

‘Hey Taye you came to help to were basically done now the kids are playing in the back now with them…your husband has been worried about you though…where’s Lay?’ Taylor still saw the little sister in Ashely at times she was still a rush of excitement at times that it was just fun being around her.  That was where her boys got so much of their energy and excitement from and thank goodness she had spades of it to deal with them.

‘Hey Ash…he was why I was just at the house Lay decided on a nap and I decided I wanted to take one with her that’s all…where is he?

‘Oh I told the big lump that he still had that look though…oh and come on I will show you the goats are so adorable.’

‘How long have you guys been out here?’

‘Not long the goats came early this morning when I got here Uncle Thomas was cleaning them so we helped some…I think I’m gonna have to clean Brenden and Tyler up before everyone gets here.’

‘I’m sure Mimi and Rori will need the same come show me the new little ones.’

Sedric had all the kids in the back of the truck helping to feed the new ones and Brandon and his Uncle where helping the two new mother goats get comfortable. It was absolutely a completely different site to see the two men engrossed in activities outside of anything near what they did for their
day jobs
. Not only did they look completely comfortable they looked completely unstressed and not one worry in the world. Out of all of the things that hit the news and papers about them both this was the one thing that at least they got to keep private. The moments they got when the lights went off and they got to just live and enjoy life.

Since they all had been out all morning Taye suggested that they take the kids back to their houses to clean up and Brandon and Sedric could do the same. Ashley and Matt grabbed their two boys and Taye took her older girls back to their place to give them a bath and head back for the festivities. With everything back in order they left the new additions in the barn and all departed to get ready for the party.

Since not many of the family where actually staying at the main house Sedric had decided staying there was best. Since not one of his Uncles would question his love life or when he would be headed down the aisle. So he headed in to clean up and change as the others headed back to their places not far away to clean up.

Halfway through getting dressed he noticed his notification light blinking and decided he would deal with it later since he figure no matter who it was from it would just take away from the peace he had somehow found. Down in the back yard things where in full swing everyone was finally there and the guest of honor had officially started opening her many gifts that had been purchased against her will. People where dancing to music blaring from the disco sized speakers that had been set up on the back deck, the kids were all gathered around three picnic tables being stuffed and all the little ones that were too small to eat on their own were being passed around and given their own taste. It bought even more joy to him seeing his family healthy and happy. If life was going to be worth anything it had to live up to this. Food was first on the list since he hadn’t had that time earlier so he grabbed a full plate and headed over to where his brothers where to catch up some.