Everywhere: Book 3 of the Nowhere Trilogy

62. Hometown Glory

The people that I've met are the wonders of my world - Adele

10:58 AM, Thursday, July 14, 2022

"Checkout time is at 11:00, so I hope you don't mind that we brought our luggage over here, Tam," Chele hugs her sister-in-law as she enters the house. "I hate to leave it in the car."

"No worries! Come on in. Spencer has been preparing brunch all morning with his little helpers."

"Uh oh," Harry laughs. "I cannot imagine Aisha and Paige cooking."

"At least Patrick is helping with the breads, so there will be something tasty." Tam leads them into the kitchen after Harry and Chele park their suitcases by the front door. Honestly, Chele doesn't care about how the food tastes. She's looking forward to one more meal with her family.

"Look, Hawwy! I help!" Paige giggles as she smacks her hands together, causing flour to fly everywhere.

"You sure do!" he hugs her while she's standing on the chair that allows her to reach the counter. "What are you making?"

"I make peanut butter pancakes!" She holds her hands above her head, unnecessarily scattering the white powder all over her clothes.

"Yum!" Harry rubs his tummy. "A meal of YOU before I leave. Perfect!"

Paige tilts her head and observes him closely. Her mouth is tilted to the side, and her eyes are squinted.

"Get it?" Harry tickles her, but she doesn't react. "You're my PEANUT!"

When she grabs his face, covering it with flour, and says, "You leaving?", Chele's heart feels like it might explode in her chest, and her eyes get watery.

"Not right now," Harry boasts, attempting to tickle her again. "Let's see what else we need to add to these pancakes." His distraction works, and together they mix the batter. But the damage has already been done. Another few months away from them. Chele can barely breathe thinking about the time apart. She'll miss Paige's sixth birthday and Phoenix's seventeenth.

"Patrick?" Chele inquires, gazing over his shoulder, "Those cinnamon rolls are huge! I think the whole family could feast on one of them." She dips her finger in the bowl of icing he's drizzling over the top of the treats. "When are they going to be done? I want one."

"Quit whining, Aunt Chele. I'm going to put them out as an appetizer while Spence finishes the strawberry salad." When she steals a piece of cinnamon bun from the pan, he smacks her hand. "Back away from the oven, Aunt Chele."

With a shrug, she approaches her bestie who is cutting strawberries from her garden. Hugging her from behind, Chele has to wrap her arms around the thriving baby bump. "You sure you only have one in there?"

"Hush your mouth, Michele Moore! Do not tempt fate like that!" Liz chuckles. "Besides, the sonogram only shows one. So yeah. Now go away and let me finish these strawberries for the father of my children."

With a pout, Chele exits the living room and finds her eldest niece flipping through her phone.

"Phee!"

"Ah. They finally kicked you out. Took them long enough. Come sit with me! Look at some of these comments on your blog!"

Her first look at the phone makes Chele tense. "Does that one say I should burn in hell?"

"Yeah," Phoenix glances at her, "but she clarifies that she's just jealous you get to spend so much time with her idol. Read these, though!"

"Okay. You know I don't like reading comments on my blog. It's too scary! But here goes... 'You and Harry have so much fun together. Maybe you should get married and have babies.' Well, that's a bit bold, but I'm not going to complain! At least it's not rude."