Chapter 24
Like Father Like Daughter
Things got a lot more tolerable for Charlie when his little brother arrived to help shoulder the bulk of their mother's strong personality. For the most part, they just stayed outdoors drinking beer and feeling bad for their wives – not bad enough to go inside and help them cook, surely. The extra three people did make for a more crowded house though, but everyone seemed to be handling it quite well...
Well, almost everyone.
"Henry!" the two men heard their mother screech from inside the house on Saturday afternoon, followed by an inaudible string of words as she made her way out of earshot, most likely towards the living room.
"Dad's done it this time," Charlie smirked, elbowing his brother in the ribs.
No more than five minutes later however and they heard the screen door slide open rather ungracefully. Both men cringed, looking like two overgrown children caught doing something they weren't supposed to... which was ridiculous since they hadn't done anything!
That was probably the point.
"...and will you two get out of those darn chairs and make yourselves useful for once? For Pete's sake, do I have to do everything around here?! We'll need more chairs for dinner, your father can't do it all by himself anymore, not with his back! Get that extra table too for the kids!" Martha huffed, poking her head through the patio door and glaring at her sons.
Charlie put his beer down on a coaster and shook his head. "She makes me feel like a damn ten year-old," he chuckled, standing up and following Austin down the steps towards the other side of the house.
"At least this only happens once or twice a year," Austin laughed. "Imagine if she still lived in town... we'd have family dinners every weekend," he added with a knowing smirk.
"Not if I have anythin' to say about it," Charlie huffed.
They made their way to the garage and each took a side, picking up one of the folding tables off the wall it was leaning on.
"So how's the adoption thing goin'?" Austin asked with a grunt.
"We're just waitin' for some more paperwork; seems like that's all we're doin' these days," Charlie replied with a low chuckle. "It's painful, I just wanna call 'em my kids already," he added a little jokingly.
"You don't need paperwork to do that," Austin pointed out. "Looks to me like they already are," he shrugged.
"Yeah, well, I'll rest easier when it's all done and official; until then there's too much that can go wrong," Charlie shrugged, although the unease he was feeling showed in his features. "Speakin' of kids though; how's Jessie doin'? Baby number two givin' y'all much trouble yet?" he asked.
"She's fine; they're both fine; Jessie's already lookin' forward to April though," Austin grinned proudly.
"She sure is gettin' huge," Charlie chuckled, setting down the table in the middle of the patio and making sure the legs were nice and sturdy. "How's Brody dealin' with all of it anyway?" he added, wiping his hands on his jeans.
"I don't think he really gets what's goin' on," Austin admitted. "We'll need to grab a rag and wipe the table down... it's dusty as fuck," he added, strolling back into the house, Charlie following after him.
On the other side of the house, hanging out on the porch swing, Avery and Marissa were given the job to entertain Brody while the women were busy in the kitchen preparing dinner. Of course, babysitting the little guy wasn't really a job at all as far as the girls were concerned. Brody was the cutest toddler and he was just as smitten with the girls as they were with him.
"Do you know Pat-a-cake?" Marissa cooed, crossing her legs and twisting her body so that she sat in front of Avery and Brody.
"I don't think so," Brody replied curiously.
"Well first you put your hands like this..." she explained, taking Brody's little hands and pressing them together. "Do you know how to clap your hands?"
"Mar, he's four, I think he knows how to clap his hands..." Avery snorted.
Marissa made a face at her older sister and promptly turned her attention back to Brody, showing him the clapping routine that went with the song.
"Now we do both together," Marissa explained.
Lips pursed into a thin line, Martha watched her grandson interacting with those two girls through the mudroom window. She sniffed and turned her attention back to her daughter-in-laws, figuring she might as well check on them before they both decided to burn the turkey.
"I think it's about ready," Jessie sighed, falling ungracefully into a chair and using another to rest her bare feet.
Martha took the blue oven mitts from on top of the counter and did a quick check. "Another five minutes or so," she said knowingly, closing the oven door. "You don't want to undercook it," she explained.
In the meantime, Lydia went ahead and started setting the table; six spots for the adult table and three spots for the kids outside on the patio. When Martha finally did take the turkey out, Lydia went ahead and started mixing the salads while Jessie looked after the gravy and cranberry sauce. They also had potatoes and steaming vegetables ready, as well as homemade bread and a delicious apple pie, which Marissa was particularly anxious for.
Martha was a lot of things, but neither one of her daughter-in-laws could deny the fact that she was a good cook.
"Does Brody still need his potatoes mashed?" Lydia asked.
"Oh yeah," Jessie laughed softly. "You've got to mix the vegetables in too, or else he won't eat them," she added.
Charlie came strolling in through the patio door just then, adjusting the red Falcons cap on his head. "Dinner almost ready?" he asked, sneaking behind Lydia to get a quick taste of the cranberry sauce.
"Get your hands out of there," Martha huffed, swatting at her son as though he was a fly looming over her cooking.
Seconds later, Austin came in through the patio door as well.
"Smells damn good in here ladies," he called out excitedly, making a straight line for the cranberry sauce. "Shit, it's hot!" he hissed.
"Have I taught none of you some manners?" Martha wondered, giving the heavens an exasperated roll of her eyes. "...and you better take that hat off at the dining room table," she added, pointing her finger reproachfully up at Charlie's chest.
"Yes ma'am," Charlie drawled, sneaking his brother a mischievous smirk.
While his mother continued to bark commands to everyone in sight – he was surprised she wasn't trying to control the neighbors' Thanksgiving dinner too – Charlie made his way outside to get the kids.
The sight in front of him when he opened the screen door was one to behold. Brody was in Marissa's lap, wriggling and giggling as Avery tickled him. Both girls were laughing too.
"Dinner's ready," he told them with a grin when they finally noticed him watching them, leaning lazily against the door frame.
"Finally, I'm starving!" Marissa cheered, grabbing Brody underneath the armpits and handing him over to Avery. She jumped to her feet and darted past Charlie, making her way into the house and letting the screen door slam behind her.
"I think she's starvin'," Charlie smirked, holding out his arms for his nephew. "Here, I can take him," he told Avery.
"Nah, it's fine, I've got him," Avery smiled.
"Okay then, way to make a guy feel useful," Charlie chuckled.
"You can get the door if you really want something to do," Avery shrugged, giving him a playful smile.
They made their way into the house and Avery set Brody down once they reached the kitchen. At the sight of his mom, Brody started running toward her, telling her all about the new song he'd learned outside with Avery and Marissa.
"It smells so good in here," Avery said, giving Martha a tentative smile.
"I've never had real cranberry sauce before! This stuff's great!" Marissa chimed in. She had her finger in the cranberry sauce, smiling sheepishly under Martha's unimpressed stare.
"Like father like daughter," Austin said in a low voice so that, with everyone else distracted by Marissa, only Charlie would hear. He elbowed his big brother in the ribs. "Maybe papers make things official, but that right there, big brother, that's the good stuff... you don't need papers to enjoy that."
"When did you turn into such a sap?" Charlie chuckled, but as he watched his two girls filling their plates, laughing, talking... he realized Austin was right. They were already his daughters and he loved them to death... whether the court said so or not.
Looking back on the whole trip, Avery had to admit it was pretty great. The house was overcrowded and Brody made it impossible for her to sleep the two nights she and her sister had to share a room with him; Martha still didn't seem to like her very much, even as they packed up to leave on Sunday evening, but it didn't take a genius to know she didn't really like anyone most of the time.
Wasn't that exactly what a family gathering should feel like: insufferable?
At least the food was absolutely amazing; honestly, Avery was pretty sure she'd gained ten pounds during the whole weekend!
"Did you girls have fun?" Lydia asked. They were in the car heading back home, Charlie in the driver's seat.
"It was great," Avery smiled, taking her earbuds out of her ears.
"It was the best!" Marissa replied excitedly. "I'm glad Martha gave us leftovers; we can eat turkey and cranberry sauce all week! I missed my own bed though; Brody is cute and all but you can't sleep a wink with that kid sleeping in the play pen next to you," Marissa went on dramatically. "Can you imagine next year when Jessie has the baby? We'll have to share a room with her too... or him... Do you know what she'll be having, dad?"
Avery felt her heart stop for about a fraction of a second when she heard her sister call Charlie dad for the first time, her eyes darting from Marissa's grinning face to the back of Charlie's and Lydia's heads. She didn't know whether she was glad she couldn't see their expressions or not.
"No we don't, Jessie wants to keep it a surprise," Charlie replied after a long stretch of silence. Avery couldn't tell from his tone of voice what was going on through his head, but from the backseat, Avery did see him reaching for Lydia's hand.
"Well I want it to be a girl," Marissa nodded her assertiveness.
Avery remained quiet, listening to their conversation. She didn't get how Marissa could be so nonchalant about all of this, while in the meantime she was freaking out a little. She wanted to be able to call Lydia and Charlie her mom and dad... they already felt like her mom and dad... and yet she was terrified of saying the words out loud. What if she did say them and then things didn't work out?
Avery didn't know exactly how the adoption process worked, but she did know it wasn't a done deal. There were so many variables they had to consider...
There was still a chance it wouldn't happen.
"Home sweet home," Charlie drawled as he unlocked the door and walked through, Lydia and the girls following after him, each with suitcases in tow.
"Hey Klondike, were you a good boy when we were gone?" Marissa grinned when the dog came rushing towards them. "Did the neighbors come and feed you?" she cooed, scratching the dog behind the ear.
"They better have," Charlie chuckled, crouching down next to Marissa and patting the dog on the side, running his fingers through his fur.
Marissa went upstairs to empty out her suitcase, but Avery lagged behind. She played with the dog some more, her mind still buzzing. Charlie glanced at Lydia a little worriedly and she touched his forearm, unspoken words passing between them.
Talk to her, Lydia silently told him before making her way upstairs to check on Marissa and start unpacking their suitcase.
"You've been pretty quiet," Charlie began, sitting down on the hardwood floor next to Avery and propping his elbows up on his knees. He watched her fingers running through Klondike's fur and then focused on her face, trying to decipher her thoughts. She was a tough one to read when they first met a few months earlier, and although it still wasn't all that easy, Charlie liked to think he was doing a good job of it nowadays.
"Yeah, well, I'm usually pretty quiet," Avery retorted with a shrug, not quite meeting Charlie's gaze. "It's just what I do," she shrugged.
"I've never been too great at talkin' about my feelings either," Charlie told her, keeping his tone casual and light. "But somethin' you learn when you're married to a goddamn mind reader, it's that sometimes talkin' about it isn't that bad," he shrugged.
Avery didn't speak; for a moment Charlie didn't think she was going to. He averted his gaze, focusing on the dog instead. Klondike was particularly excitable after having been cooped up indoors for all of the Thanksgiving holidays and he was absolutely craving some attention.
"I want this, I really do," Avery said finally, suddenly very interested in the chipped pink nail polish on her toes. "It's just that—" she trailed off, feeling a lump growing in her throat. If she said another word, she was scared she'd lose it.
"You're scared it ain't gonna work out," Charlie filled in.
Avery nodded.
"Well trust me darlin' you're not the only one," Charlie chuckled, touching Avery's cheek briefly, wiping away a single tear. "There's still a bit we've got to work out before everythin' is all done and official, but that doesn't mean you're not already part of this family," he told her. "You're already my little girl," he smiled.
"I'm not exactly little," Avery giggled, choking on a sob. She forced herself to look up at him and it was only when she saw tears in his eyes that she let her own flow steadily. "I don't want to lose you..." she sobbed.
"You won't," Charlie reassured her, brushing her blonde hair out of her face. "You won't lose me. You're not going anywhere. Nobody's going anywhere," he told her stubbornly.
"I love you Charlie," Avery grinned through her tears, wrapping her arms around his neck and holding on tight.
"I love you too sweetheart," Charlie whispered against her hair, his arm snaking around her shoulders and holding her close.