WE GATHER TOGETHER by Edward L. Woodyard

We Gather Together Chapter Sixty-Seven

Jack Drexler parked the Suburban in front of the garage doors. In the rearview mirror, he watched Jason and Kelly unbuckle themselves, open the rear car doors and race to the front entrance of their house. Annie got out of the passenger side and yelled after her kids, "Everyone, get ready for bed."

While Jack used his key to open the front door, Jason answered his mother, "Okay, Mom, but I need my tooth for the tooth fairy."

Annie pulled the envelope with her baby tooth in it from her pants pocket and showed it to Jason as she came up behind Jack. From the front stoop, Jack and Annie both watched their two kids rush through the foyer and then start up the stairs to get ready for bed.

Annie went to rub Jack's back through his jacket but thought better of it, offering something else instead. "Want to read them their bedtime stories?"

Jack nodded and smiled. Annie motioned Jack into the house. He began to take off his jacket when he stopped. He went to kiss Annie, but she pulled back a bit.

"Please, Jack. Don't."

They turned to see both kids sitting on steps midway up the staircase. Their faces mirrored their disappointment. Annie reconsidered and gave Jack a quick kiss on his mouth.

Jason and Kelly giggled. Jack forgot about taking off his jacket and started up the steps after his children. "Okay, who's going to be the first one upstairs?"

Jack chased his two laughing children to the top of the steps and into their bedrooms. Annie stood at the newel post and shook her head. It was entirely too much excitement in the house, especially just before bedtime. She knew all of that enthusiastic behavior was pure Jack.

She managed a slight smile of conciliation, then spun around to shut the front door. She instinctively locked it, then heard Jack upstairs reminding the kids to brush their teeth before story time. She unlocked the door and took of her jacket. She wanted to pour herself a glass of wine, but with the new baby inside her, she opted for apple cider in a wineglass. She then sat in the club chair in the living room, put her feet up on an ottoman, and listened to the squeals of happiness and joy coming from upstairs in Kelly's room.

Annie didn't sit for too long. From her pocket, she took the envelope her mother had given her and ascended the staircase so that Jason could put the baby tooth under his pillow. The door was open to Kelly's room. She saw Jack propped against Kelly's headboard, with a book in his hand and their children snuggling against him on either side, Kelly holding onto Chelsea and Jason trying to resist sleep. She let Jason know that she would put a tooth under his pillow for the tooth fairy. He mumbled "thank you" as he was losing his battle to stay awake.

Jack smiled at Annie who stepped back into the hallway. She watched Jack draw a sleepy Jason closer to him as Kelly turned a page of the book and he continued to read.

Maybe they could be happy again, she thought.