Wrapping Up (Mitchell Family #4.5)(5)
Author: Jennifer Foor

I started running up the steps. “Call your mother and have her come here.”

I threw on a pair of sweats and one of Colt’s hoodies and changed Christian’s diaper. As I was walking down the stairs, I heard a car pulling up out front. My mother-in-law came running in the house. I didn’t let her talk as I handed her Christian. “She needs to eat her cereal and drink a whole bottle. She has a fresh diaper and we will call you as soon as we know something.”

She knew the drill, since she’d raised a little boy herself. With one child situated we rushed the other one as fast as we could to the hospital.

Three hours later, we were driving home with one unhappy child. He broke his wrist in two places and had to wear a cast up to his elbow. Since this was his second cast, he already knew what color he wanted and who was going to sign it.

We pulled into the ranch and saw my parent’s car in front of the house. Noah, who had pouted the whole way home, started getting all hyper in the backseat. I think before Colt had the car into park, our son was jumping out of the back. My father came running off the porch and met him halfway. He picked him up and spun him around.

My mother was content to stay on the porch swing with Christian on her lap and Colt’s mom at her side. They waved to us as we got out of the car. Colt walked up behind me and massaged my shoulders as we approached the house.

Once we all got inside, it became chaotic. My mother missed us and when she came to visit, she kind of took over. Since I appreciated the help and someone to keep Christian occupied, I never complained about it. Hell, if she wanted to stay up all night with my daughter, it would have been fine with me.

I heard my son scream and went flying for the front door. Ty came busting in the door with two child carriers and a diaper bag strap hanging from his mouth. He tried to smile, while the bag clung to his teeth. When I saw him pucker his lips, I gave a disgusted face and took the two baby carriers from him instead of the bag. As soon as I bent over to sit down the carriers, he had grabbed me from behind and swung me around for a hug. “Oh, Van, I am so glad to see you. Miranda said if she had to be in the car with me for another second she was going to rip out my tongue. Do you have any idea how traumatized I would be?”

I pushed him away from me and reached my arms out for Miranda. She was laughing and shaking her head. “He found a station that played all Christmas music. For the past six hours it’s all I’ve heard. Not to mention, he sang every single song at the top of his lungs, even over the boys screaming in the backseat. Did you know my husband knows every single word to Feliz Navidad? He even turned down the volume and sang. Just imagine how awful it was?”

I’d heard Ty’s attempts at singing. Colt had been gifted with a beautiful voice, but Ty, not so much. I started to laugh just imagining him belting out the lyrics to that song while Miranda smacked him with everything she could to get him to stop. “I would have threatened to walk the rest of the way.”

“I did. He didn’t believe I would do it, so I had reverted to sexual favors.”

“Oh my God, while the kids were in the car?” Nothing would shock me when it came to the two of them.

Miranda gave me a dirty look. “Of course not!”

“You never know with you two.” We both laughed and headed into the kitchen with the other women. The table was already filled with pies that the ladies had made before they came. My kitchen was big, but not big enough for all the women to crowd inside of.

Colt’s mom leaned into my shoulder. “Are you sure you want to do this here? We can bring everything over to the main house.”

I gave her a wide eyed smile. “I’m sure, but thank you. You know I appreciate everything you’re doing to help out.”

She came over and hugged me. “I love you so much. You’re the only daughter I will ever have.”

If I could have picked one mother-in-law out of every mother in the entire world, I would have chosen Colt’s mom. She was the most giving and honest woman I knew. She loved her family and did everything she could to make sure everyone was happy. “Thanks. I love you too.”

Ty came in the kitchen carrying yet another dessert. He winked at me as he sat it down and pointed to it. Right in the center was a spot where the plastic wrap had been ripped open. Upon further inspection, he began to laugh. “You don’t want to know.”

I knew he was referring to that movie where the guy had sex with the pie. I rolled my eyes. “Keep it up and I will feed that shit to Sam.”

“I worked so HARD on it.” The way he said the word hard made his aunt and mother-in-law turn around and give him the evil eye. My mother just shook her head and rolled her eyes. She’d known Ty for too long to take anything he said serious.

Commotion caught our attention as we made our way out to the living room to greet Ty’s parents and Conner. I felt bad that he had to ride with them the whole way. I can’t imagine the conversations and how bored he must have been. He came right in and started hugging everybody, finally getting to me last. “Hey there hot stuff, how you feelin’?”

“Good, still a little tired. How are things with you? Are you seeing anyone?” Conner needed a woman.

He smiled and looked around the room. “You know I can’t kiss and tell.” He walked away with a wink and left me more curious.

Before I knew it, the house was filled with all kinds of commotion. The kids were running around like maniacs while the little ones were being passed around like hot potatoes. The twins were the cutest little boys and I wanted to stop entertaining everyone so I could have a turn with them.

Bella grabbed one of them and began lugging him around. She was so petite that it was hard for her to carry him. Miranda went running to his rescue and grabbed the poor baby up. “Bella, you know you are not allowed to carry your brothers around.”

“But I wanted to play house with Noah and they were going to be the kids.” She looked thoroughly disappointed with her hands on her hips.

Ty came walking over. “Iz, what did your mother say?”

She put her little head down and headed up the stairs, without a baby. “Okay, Daddy.”

Miranda was standing next to me as Ty came up behind her, burying his head into her neck. “Who needs turkey when my wife smells like this. Sometimes I could just eat her skin.”

She giggled and pushed him away. “Ty, cut it out. They already think all we do is have sex.”

“So what? I think that’s pretty freaking awesome.” He would have thought that, considering that half of his brain was attached to the head of his penis.