Found by Love (36 page)

"Eden! You said something nice about everyone here except for me!" The smirk that Eden gave him back was priceless.

"Because I couldn't think of anything NICE to say about you so I didn't! Mommy told me that if I couldn't say anything nice about someone then to not say anything so I DIDN'T! You never play with me anymore and tell me to leave you alone so... THERE!"

"Not this again?!" Everyone was looking down and was trying not to giggle after Gideon smacked himself across the forehead so Cash broke in before an argument started.

"We will talk about this later children and be nice to each other at the dinner table. No fighting please." They both put their heads down from embarrassment at being scolded in front of everyone. Cash looked over at his mother to continue and for her to take her turn. Amelia leaned over and gave Eden a little hug and grinned at everyone and gave thanks.

"Well that sure took me back to Cash and Caleb in their younger days. Oh my heart is so full of love for everyone at this table right now. I love every one of you and I'm so proud of all of you and especially my children for your accomplishments and your choices in picking your spouses and giving me the best daughters anyone could ask for." She nodded towards Olivia and then me and then looked at Cash and Caleb. "I'm VERY thankful for all of the grandchildren you've given me. Present AND future." All eyes were on me after that remark and I grinned and shook my head no at everyone and chuckled. "Oh not just from Caleb and Claudia; I would love more from Cash and Olivia as well." Cash broke in before she could continue.

"Oh mother... You're not getting any more from Liv or me. We are done! 4 is plenty for us and is a good round solid number." I heard Olivia cough and I looked over at her and her face was beet red and I knew right then and there that she was pregnant. Again!

"Well 5 is a good number to stop at as well. I mean... That's just my opinion." She barely whispered. I busted up laughing as Cash spit out the wine that was in his mouth.

"What?! I thought you said you couldn't get pregnant while you were breast feeding? The look on his face was priceless and his face turned so white I thought he was going to pass out at the dinner table.

"Well, all I can say is that I just happened to be one of the exceptions and I never got pregnant before while breast feeding.

All eyes turned to Olivia and she grinned and nodded her head at the silent question on everyone's faces. In seconds she was swarmed by Amelia and Elizabeth with hugs and congratulations while Cash tried to get color back into his face while refilling his glass with more wine.

Caleb grabbed my hand and squeezed tightly and I looked up into his eyes and he seemed jealous with envy so I whispered to him.

"Don't worry Nerd Boy. It'll happen when it happens so don't be in such a rush." He smiled at me and leaned down to whisper into my ear.

"But now Cash is 5 ahead of me. How about we try for triplets and then I'll only be one behind him." I rolled my eyes and sighed but smiled at the fact that he included Grayson in the list of how many kids that would make for us.

"If you're as fertile as your brother I'll never let you near me again. Triplets? Oh I don't think so. I hope I'm not pregnant now."

"Claudia, I have some more tests you could take if you wanted to find out for sure. They're so accurate you don't have to wait until you miss a period." I looked over at Olivia not realizing how loud I replied back to Caleb and my face felt flush at her putting me on the spot like that and especially at the dinner table.

"Thank you Olivia. Will you go get it so she can take it right now?" I slapped Caleb on the arm because the last thing I wanted to do was go take a pregnancy test in the middle of Thanksgiving dinner.

"Hey you guys! Okay… It's cool and all that I'm getting another baby brother or sister but I still haven't got to say what I'm thankful for yet! Can I say it now?" Oh thank The Lord for Gideon. I rose up in my seat ready to hear what he had to say.

"I would love to hear it Gideon so let’s have it. What are you thankful for?" I felt Caleb's body tighten up next to me because I completely took advantage of the change of subject about the questioning of my supposed non-pregnancy. "I'm all ears buddy." Gideon grinned back at me and everyone was watching and waiting for him to start.

"Okay... First of all, I’m thankful for everyone at this table and I mean EVERYONE!" He looked directly towards Eden when he said EVERYONE which had her ducking her head down in shame. "I'm especially thankful for my sister Eden and I just want to tell her that I'm sorry that I've been spending so much time with Grayson but it's been really cool to finally have a boy to play with." He looked over at Eden and lowered his voice and continued. "That doesn't mean that I don't want to play with you anymore Eden and I'm sorry if I made you feel that way. You were always there for me when..." He looked over at Cash with an apologetic look on his face and he started choking up. "When no one else was and I'll never forget that. I... uh... I…. LOVE you Eden. Okay? So please don't be mad at me anymore and if you want to we can have a tea party if you want. Just you and me; later, when we finish eating. If you want to that is."

I'm not sure that there was a dry eye at the table after his declaration to his little sister and all eyes were on Eden awaiting her reply. She looked up finally and looked over at her brother and nodded and whispered. "Okay and I love you too." Gideon grinned from ear to ear and everyone let out a huge sigh that showed that everyone was holding their breath at her response.

"Okay! Cool! Okay you guys. Whose turn is it next?" He looked over to his right at Grayson. "You want to go next Grayson? It's not so bad once you get started."

I looked into my sons eyes and he looked like he was about to panic but Mattie patted his hand and Grayson looked over at me and I smiled at him and nodded my head for him to go ahead. He reached for his drink and unclogged his throat and then opened his mouth.

"I'm thankful for finally getting to meet my mom. My mom... Jane... Told me that I looked and acted just like her and I thought she was just telling me that because I asked about her," he looked directly into my eyes, "I mean you; a lot, and wondered why you put me up for adoption. I knew that my mom and dad loved me but I always wondered if you loved me too and now I know. You do love me and you just did what you had to and that was to give me a good home that you couldn't give me at the time." He looked over at Mattie and continued. "I'm also thankful for you Uncle Mattie for taking care of me since Mom and Dad died and for letting me come with Claudia, I mean Mom and...Caleb..." He looked over at Caleb and grinned. "I mean Dad, to meet their family." He looked around at everyone at the table. "You are all pretty awesome and I don't even know why I was so nervous about meeting all of you, haha." Everyone chuckled at his giggle. "He looked over at Mattie again who was as still as a stone and was looking down at his plate. “I've decided that I want to live with them full time and I was wanting to know if you would move here too so that I can still see you any time I want to because that's what I want. To be around everyone I love and to be around everyone that loves me back."

Mattie looked quite taken aback and his face showed how visibly upset he was. He tried to open his mouth to say something but closed it. He looked over at me with tears running down my face and he seemed to soften up and nodded his head.

"Grayson, if that's what you want then I'm not going to fight you but as far as me moving here. I know it sounds like an easy fix to you but it's not that easy for me to just up and leave my home and business. I guess I could try to make it here once or twice a month to visit so that we can spend some time together." He looked over at me questionably and I nodded my head because I'm willing to do anything to have Grayson here full time.

"Yeah! I still want you to move here if you can figure out a way but that would be great! I bet you could even find a room here to sleep in when you come. Man! This is the best Thanksgiving EVER!"

Everyone started laughing and digging in to their food and telling Grayson how glad they were to have him and Mattie as well. I felt Caleb poke my leg under the table and I turned to look at him and he was grinning from ear to ear with tears in his eyes. He leaned over to whisper in my ear.

"I love you Cruella. Thank you for giving me a family to call my own." Oh he makes my heart melt and it is he that makes it all seem so easy when I feel so overwhelmed with emotion.

"I love you too, Nerd Boy. Thank you for showing me what a family is supposed to look like. A REAL family." His grin spread all the way to his piercing blue eyes which had me wanting to hurry up with the day so that I could spend some alone time with him.

"Cool... So... Go take the test!"

"Oh I'll go get it really quick. I'll be right back!" Olivia and her damn hearing!

"Can we be a little quiet about this and you need to make sure that your husband doesn't pass out. Go sit down Olivia!" I looked over at Cash and he seemed more in to his wine than the food he was picking at. At least his color seems to be coming back.

She grinned at me and took off towards the stairwell to her rooms. I looked at Caleb and talk about having a Cheshire Cat look on his face. Right now I'm feeling like Alice did when she debated on drinking the potion to make her smaller. Decisions, decisions. The last thing I want is for everyone to get all excited over NOTHING!

I mean really! We've been a couple for what? 3 almost 4 weeks and boom! Just like that everyone wants me to be pregnant. I look over at Grayson and Mattie and they seem to be in a deep discussion about the Star Wars movies and Mattie is asking if he's watched any of the Star Trek movies yet. That's another thing. Let me mother the child that I've always regretted not raising for a while. Why rush in taking a test when I know I'm not pregnant. Olivia came back into the room with a big grin on her face and she leaned down and whispered into my ear.

"I left the test under the sink in the bathroom next to the kitchen. Wouldn't it be cool if we were pregnant at the same time? I'm so excited!" I gave her the most fake smile I could muster.

"Oh yeah... Really cool." She went to sit back down next to Cash and she leaned down and gave him a soft kiss on the lips which seemed to bring him out of his stupor.

"Oh hey baby. Where'd you go? Are you feeling alright?"

"Yes Cash. I feel fine sweetheart. Don't worry about me. I had to run to the bathroom really quick." I looked around to see if anyone noticed what was going on between Olivia, Caleb and I and no one seemed aware of what we were up to which was great. I couldn't help but give Cash a hard time though.

"So Cash? How does it feel knowing that you're going to be the proud father of FIVE in a few months?" He turned and looked at me angrily through his blood shot eyes letting me know he's had way more to drink than I thought he had.

"Shut it Claudia!! Why don't you go take your 'pregnancy' test so that I can give YOU a hard time?" Oh shit! I'm going to kill him! But damn! I backed him into a corner and it served me right. Shit! Now Amelia and Elizabeth along with everyone are looking at me.

"Oh he's just kidding, haha!! Cash... I'm sorry. I'll leave you alone. Truce, okay buddy?" I reached for my wine glass to hide my guilty look. Cash looked at me and grinned evilly.

"Do you think you should be drinking that?" Caleb started to reach for my glass and I put my hand out to stop him.

"I'm not pregnant Caleb so leave me alone. Anyway... If I am, they do drink wine in Europe when they're pregnant so it's fine. You're not taking my wine away from me!"

"Yes ma'am but when our triplets come out with 2 heads don't blame me. You will be begging for a C-section if that happens! “I spit my wine out and busted out laughing. Leave it to Caleb to break the monotony. My outburst had him laughing along. Everyone looked over at us to see what the secret was and I waved them off.

"Oh you know how funny Caleb can be sometimes. He's so funny! Hahahahaha!" I hissed at him under my breath.

"I'll take it tonight if you drop the subject now."

"Done my lady." He reached over and grabbed my hand and pulled it towards him and kissed my palm making me feel all tingly inside. It amazes me that just one simple gesture like that can make me fall apart and he knows it.

The doorbell rang and everyone looked to see who was going to answer the door. I felt the hair on my back stand up because I immediately thought that it could be a bad surprise and Roger and Meredith decided to join the festivities.

"They don't know where we are Claud. Calm down."

"How did you know that that was what I was thinking?" This man of mine really knows me.

"I can read your mind remember?"

"Well hell! If no one else is going to get up to answer the damn door then I guess I will since it is MY house after all!" Cash stood up and swayed out of his seat and for a second there I think everyone thought he was going to fall down but he caught his balance.

"Cash! I think you're drunk and it's not even night time yet!" Olivia looked around at everyone embarrassed and looked down at her plate.

"I think I am QUITE drunk Liv and I’m sure it’s night time somewhere. It's not every day that you find out that your wife is always going to have a baby nestled at her breast and that I'm never going to get any sleep for a few more years! I wonder who's at the door." Olivia's face turned crimson and tears fell down her cheek as I walked over and sat in Cash's seat once he left the room.