Timber had come down from a rather long nap one late Saturday morning to find Grace baking furiously in the kitchen, and Emily fast asleep on a chair with one of her dolls on the floor just inches from her hand. To Timber, seeing her aunt in the kitchen was nothing new but she had never seen so many cookies on the counter. Feeling concerned, she went to check on Grace.
"Aunt Grace?" Grace stopped and looked at Timber with the same pale face she had been trying to hide for weeks. Then Timber's sensitive nose picked up something different coming from her. She sniffed deeply and tilted her head slightly. "You smell different. What's wrong?"
"Nothin'," said Grace, and Timber folded her arms and raised her eyebrows.
"Really? Because you don't smell like you usually do and you're baking enough cookies to feed my whole school. You've smelled different for a while, but it's more noticeable today. I thought you changed your perfume, but this smell is internal. It's from your stomach area. What's different?"
"I can't hide anythin' from your nose can I?" Grace sighed and looked around. "Don't tell Chad or Emily yet. I want to make sure everythin' is okay before I tell them. Promise me."
"I promise."
"I went to the doctor yesterday. You know I haven't been feelin' well recently. I wanted to find out why. I had a feelin' that I knew but I wanted to confirm. Turns out I'm fine but our family is goin' to grow a little in seven months."
"Seven months?" asked Timber, feeling confused. Then it hit her and she smiled. "Are you going to have a baby?"
Grace nodded and Timber had to hold her hand to her mouth to keep from squeaking. She threw her arms around Grace and just held her until the oven dinged three minutes later. Grace pulled the cookies out and set them on the cooling rack.
"Well, I can't bake anymore," she said. "We're out of eggs. Oh! Today is lunch with your friends and their parents. I almost forgot!"
"Why did you set this up anyway?" asked Timber, grabbing a cookie. She took a bite but never took her eyes off of Grace.
"I wanted to get to know their parents better," said Grace. "I'd feel more comfortable about lettin' you go over to their houses if I knew who was keepin' an eye on you."
"Honestly, you won them all over the first time they came here," said Timber. "They loved your sandwiches and the tea. They like the way you talk and dress too. Xianna said this is going to be the hangout house."
"I'm glad. I told Chad before we got married I wanted a house full of kids," laughed Grace. "He was scared until I told him I only wanted three of our own and then their friends were welcome at the house whenever they wanted."
"Did that make him feel better?" asked Timber.
"Yes," said Grace. "And now that number will be complete. Emily, you, and the baby make three."
"But I'm not yours," said Timber.
"I didn't give birth to you," said Grace. "That doesn't mean you're not mine."
Timber paused and smiled brightly.
"I love you, Aunt Grace."
Grace burst into tears and wrapped Timber in a hug. Timber stood there trying to support her aunt's weight. She knew why Grace had reacted the way she did. Timber had never said "I love you" to her before. She remained silent while Grace sobbed for a few more minutes, then she stood up and wiped her eyes with her apron.
"I'm sorry, Honey," said Grace. "I guess I'm just extra hormonal."
"It's okay, Aunt Grace," said Timber. "You messed up your eye makeup, though."
YOU ARE READING
The TimberWolf Effect (Book I)
WerewolfNine-year-old orphan Timber Brogan was headed to an unknown future with her father's sister and her family. Being half-human and a trained killer, Timber must learn to embrace her more human side and accept her new family despite her fear. But life...
