"Thank you... For the extra time with Lace. Without you she's already be gone..."
I wasn't ready to let my emotions out again but she's caught me completely off guard. All I can do is hug back.
Eventually she breaks away and wipes her eyes. "Sorry. That was random. I've been needing to say that since we heard the news," she says. "Now call your cousin."
She sniffs, takes a deep breath, and leaves the room.
I bite my lip, fighting the tears threatening to break free.
Have I mentioned I'm sick of crying?
I dial Josie's number and almost instantly she picks up the phone and starts screaming.
"FINALLY!!! Gen, where have you been??? Timbuktu???"
"Sorry," I laugh sadly. "Rough night last night."
She goes quiet. "Oh no... What-?"
"I don't want to take about it right now, Josie. What's your news?"
She's hesitant to get peppy on me again but I can feel her smile through the phone.
"SO much good news, Gen!!!"
I wait for her to elaborate but all that happens is her heavy, excited panting is coming through the phone.
I let out a single chuckle. "You gonna tell me what it is???"
"Uhhhhh, well. First off, my parents are making up which is a freaking miracle. Mom's keeping the baby, which will be great, but also hard in some ways," she spits.
"I'm so glad to hear your parents are hearing each other out! That's-"
"Nothing compared to the other news!!!"
Did she just call the fact that her parents are making up nothing?
Again, I wait for her to elaborate and again I am met with excited panting like Josie is some dog that just learned it's time for a walk.
"And the other neeewsss-?" I prompt.
"-is a surprise and will be revealed in two hours when Mom and I get to your house ok? Ok, bye!!!"
Beeeeeeeep.
I pull the phone away from my ears and stare at it like an angry koala just crawled out of it.
What in the wide, wide world?
The Tolias can't have visitors; we're all an emotional wreck, and you can tell by looking at the mess in the living room!
But apparently there's no stopping Josie.
Okey dokey, then. See you at one o'clock, Josie...?
******************
I want to go see Lacy... Now. But I also don't want a time restraint on how long I can be there with here. I'll see what the fuss with Josie is about and see Lacy afterward; staying as long as I'd like.
Bridget had gone with Mom to the hospital before I was even awake and they come walking back in around 12:45.
They enter deeper into the house to see me pacing...
"Gen...?" Bridget calls.
"Hmm?" I respond. "Oh, hey guys. Uh... Mom? Josie and Aunt Cassie have a.... Uh.... A surprise for me and they're gonna be here in, like fifteen minutes..."
Chapter 29
Start from the beginning
