We Just Need Us (Second Generation Book 5)

Chapter 36

CLEMMY

“Oh my gosh, look how cute these little booties are!!!!!” Stef squeals as she opens the next gift in the front of the room. She’s about halfway through her gifts and I’m pretty sure she’s had the same reaction for each gift.

I still remember her insisting that she didn’t want or need a baby shower. Maddox just turned three so they had a lot of the big baby items. Then the baby boom going on in the family meant there were always clothes being passed from baby to baby. When I was pregnant with Vivienne, Ember brought over plastic totes full of clothes that Peyton had worn. When I finished they were moved to Harlow who had Lacey just a little bit after I did. 

Once little Aubree came along she already had a full wardrobe. The entire process was started over for boys when Ember and Miles had Russell. Now that doesn’t stop us from buying new clothes for all the babies too. I mean, who can say no to cute baby items? So even though Stef said no to a shower initially, she was convinced that we needed to have one and now we’re all here, filling the farm-turned-house that Deacon and Stef live in, oohing and ahhing at the cute baby items.

“Do you think Deacon is going to be a girl-dad like Jace is?” Prue leans over and whispers into my ear. I take a sip of the bright pink punch and shake my head.

“No freaking way, he’s going to be so much worse.” Jace is protective, I mean, all the guys are, but Deacon is a different breed. There is something about their love story that just makes him more like his step-dad, Granger. And if we know anything about Granger, he’s the most overprotective of them all.

Stef continues to open gifts and the gift pile grows larger and larger. Most of the gifts contain diapers and wipes, that’s a good thing because those are things you can always use. As Stef goes to stand up, Grandma Tracy stands up and starts walking to the front. “Not so fast, Dear.”

Stef goes to sit back down again and seemingly out of nowhere, another large box shows up and is passed over to Stef. Even from my spot to the side, I can tell that she’s beginning to tear up. I don’t even need to be in the same room as her to know what she’s feeling right now, it is the same emotion that we’ve all had. 

“For any of you that have been to a baby shower for one of my babies,” Grandma Tracy begins, “You know that it is very important to me that each of my grandbabies and great-grandbabies have something from me that they can carry with them through their entire lives if they wish. We’re so excited to have another baby joining us soon, Stef. You, Deacon, Maddox, and this little girl are loved so very much.”

Stef nods her head, trying to hold back the tears as she lifts the top off and pushes back the tissue paper, pulling out a beautiful handmade quilt. I feel the emotions start to flood over and struggle to keep the tears at bay. I’ve seen close to twenty of these quilts already, but I get the same tight feeling in my chest each and every time. We all know that Grandpa and Grandma won’t be around forever and I hope and pray that when Vivienne is having babies herself (at least twenty years from now) that she can pass down the quilt that was made for her so they can all have a piece of this amazing woman.

“It’s so pretty, Grandma Tracy. Thank you so much.” Stef stands up and the two women embrace, sharing tears of joy and thankfulness. 

“And like always, when this little one is born, I’ll finish with her name and birthdate.”

‘Well, we don’t know the birthday yet, obviously, but I could tell you her name.” Stef looks into the group of women there to celebrate the shower today. “I mean, is that something you all would be interested in?”