King of Harts

12

Emory

"Is it my birthday?" Mom asks when she opens the door, eyes wide with shock, almost like she can't believe that we're really standing there.

Yes. Grayson decided to wait, making our mother the last person to know about her grandson.

He's already met Theo and everyone but the woman that birthed us knows about him.

We're in for a show.

Addie's smirking all knowingly while Grayson looks like he actually might shit his pants. Me? I'm just excited to get inside our childhood home so that I can make pop corn and enjoy the show myself.

I'm more of the clean up crew after whatever disaster happens at home, you know, moral support and all that nonsense.

Mom is going to lose her shit and probably not talk to Grayson for an hour while I comfort her and talk him back into her good graces.

You ever need a clean up crew, physically or emotionally, I'm your girl.

Adrian's here by the way. Surprise, surprise. He and Addie handle the chaos during these little family pow-wow's.

Been about two days since the whole...morning incident and if you're wondering, yes, I have been thinking about it ever since but that's not much of a surprise either.

He's back to normal. Well, my normal. Acting like I'm an inconvenience and then being all regular normal when Gray's around.

Addie's trying not to ogle at him, she fails every time, and I'm back to planning my next move to try and be an acquaintance of some sort. I got somewhere with the scones and no amount of alcohol could make me forget that.

Maybe I'll just promise him a lifetime supply of scones.

"No" I answer moms question with a smile and then she purses her lips.

"Is it any of your birthdays?" She questions and it's moments like this one that I realize I am very much my mothers daughter.

"Like you'd forget any of our birthdays" Addie snorts.

It's true, Mom loves birthdays.

"Who did it?" She finally asks, accepting the real reason we're here.

All it takes is for me and Addie to give her a look at the same time for her to narrow her eyes at her first born with that look of disappointment Grayson is very familiar with.

"Aren't you even a little bit happy to see me? I missed my mother!" Grayson pouts.

"I'm ecstatic, but I also see that you brought the entire Calvary" she rolls her eyes.

"Hugs now, explanation later" Grayson grins and engulfs our mother into one of his bear hugs which she returns with a sigh.

"I miss you" she mumbled into his chest and I know she means it.

Grayson's not all that great when it comes to visiting but I guess that's changing considering he's back now.

Grayson kisses Moms head and let's her greet the rest of us, congratulating Addie on her launch and fussing over the party.