Reflections Of Angels

Visiting

"We're going to visit Grandma today. Yay!" Declan looked at the faces of the unconvincing children he was trying to persuade to put on their coats.

"Why?" Lila asked.

"Do you need a reason to visit your Grandma?" Dec asked. Then he sighed. "Because Daddy is tired and he doesn't have much energy today. Besides, Grandma is fun and she missed you."

"She's not my Gwandma." Billy said.

"No, your Grandma's the snake, right?" Dec smiled, playing along.

Happily, Billy smiled, nodding.

"Well, this is my Mum, Lila's Grandma. Come on, you've met her before. This is an opportunity for her to see DJ again, also."

Billy thought about it. "She told me the storwy about the whale."

"What whale?"

"Da one da man hided in!" He demonstrated by crouching down, shushing his lips and acting out like he was hiding inside a whale.

"I think he means Jonah, Sir." Mina said, walking over with baby DJ in her arms.

"Oh, right..." Dec said absentmindedly, taking DJ. "Billy, if you go, I'm sure she'll give you cookies."

Billy jumped up from his crouch, sold. "Yaaay!"

"Good. What about you?" Dec turned to Lila.

"I'll go. I like Grandma." Lila beamed, then primly moved to get her coat.

"Then why...?" Dec motioned in frustration, but was stayed by Mina's calm hand.

"Children work on strange logic."

"You're telling me." Dec said, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"It's not like you didn't take your fair turn of being a nusance as a boy." Mina chuckled.

"Can I bring Grandma?" Billy asked loudly. "Or Nibs? What about Nibs? Can I bring him?"

Dec looked at Mina. "No matter what I say, they're coming anyway, aren't they?"

***

Dec's Mum greeted them in the driveway as they turned up, to hug and kiss everyone- even Billy, which he complained about but secretly enjoyed.

Quickly, she took DJ into her arms, cuddling him close. "Aw, look at you! My darling, my sweet." She laughed in delight as he curled his tiny fingers around one of hers. "Come in, come in!"

There was a bark as Billy opened the boot, and the great shape that was Nibs bounded excitably out.

"Billy!" Dec groaned. "I told you not to! How did you even sneak him in anyway?"

Declan's Mum looked slightly alarmed. "That thing's staying outside!"