THEA
“Thea, you look amazing!” Denise said, hugging me quickly to then show me her gift. “I come with a gift.”
“I want to kiss you right now,” I said, taking the humidifier, which was shaped to look like a toy Panda.
“If anyone deserves a kiss, it’s me,” Walter shivered as he came into house, his silver hair brushed back and his glasses foggy. “I almost had to trade my liver in for that thing.”
“Quite an exaggeration, as if anyone would want your ol’ liver,” Denise shot back, taking off her scarf, leather gloves, and jacket.
“Old?” Walter said with a glare.
“Thank you, Mom, and thank you, Dad. I’m glad your young liver was not needed,” I said to the both of them.
He snickered, giving me one armed hug once he’d taken off his coat. “Where are the boys?”
“Reading,” I answered, walking up the stairs.
“Reading?” Denise questioned and I nodded to them as I pressed the code for the baby gate to slide up. Walter being the joker he was looked down as it beeped and closed automatically and said, “Denise look at all these gizmos and gadgets these kids get now, in our day—”
“You were in the office and I was at trying to keep Bethan from taking off her diaper and throwing it in your family heirlooms and Levi was sliding down the stairs on pillows.”
Denise: 2
Walter: 0
“You could have at least waited until I finished my statement” he muttered sulking as he walked into the nursery first. “Where is my grandson?”
“Are you all right?” Denise asked, putting her hand on my cheek.
I nodded. “It was scary. But his temperature is down, and his cough is gone. Now that I have this, I feel like I could sing on a hill.”
She rubbed my shoulder, and then walked into the room. I followed and saw Walter holding Ulric, green eyes looking into green eyes.
“So you’re the one who has me going across the city for a panda warm mist pediatric humidifier with lights,” he said the last part in a higher voice, which earned him a slap on the back from Denise before she stole Ulric from his arms.
“Panda?” Levi questioned, and I lifted the box for him to see.
“Didn’t you say you wanted the panda?” he asked, looking between us.
Levi looked at me, but I shook my head.
“I’m the one who wanted them to have the panda.”
Walter’s mouth fell open, and his hands went to his hips as he glowered at her. “Tell me you are kidding. I found two other warm mist pediatric humidifiers, and you told me no, twice, that they had to have the panda warm mist pediatric humidifier with lights.”
“They did, didn’t you, Ulric.” She cooed at him, and he giggled.
“Why? Why? I had to give up the opening night game seats for a panda?”
“You did what?” Levi frowned, taking the humidifier. “It’s nice, Ma, and I’m grateful, but any one of them would have done fine.”
“Thank you,” Walter replied.
She made a face and looked down at Ulric again. “As your grandmother, I’m telling you to pick any sport but baseball.”
“Mom,” Levi said with a groan, pointing at me. “I’m already trying fend off her negative mojo.”
“Hey!” I smacked his arm, then took the humidifier and walked it over to the table next to Ulric’s crib. “Thank you, Mom. I get, and I love it.”