Stretching, Michael moved onto his back looking up at the tree. “I’m way ahead of you,” he said. “I have a new writer starting the first of the year.”
“Can I get you boys anything to eat? It’ll be another couple of hours before Christmas Eve dinner.” Mary bustled into the room.
“I’m fine, Mom,” Michael said, wondering if he’d be able to slip in a little nap while the women finished up in the kitchen. His dad wasn’t due back from the station for another hour.
“Susan just talked to her dad. He’s home from Florida and he’ll be coming with Spencer and Scott and their families for dinner tomorrow,” Mary reported happily. With his sisters and brother and their families, that would make twenty-five for Christmas dinner. Mary was so ecstatic, Michael wondered what was keeping her feet on the ground.
“Dad’s back?” Seth asked. “How’d he do in the tournament?” The elder Carmichael had joined a senior PGA tour the previous spring.
“Placed eleventh,” Susan called from the kitchen.
“Did you remember to bring his present, Seth?” Laura asked, joining them in the living room. She lowered herself gingerly into an armchair and settled back as though she’d like never to get up again.
“I did,” Seth said. He crawled over and laid his head against his wife’s very extended belly. “How’s daddy’s little girl?” he asked in baby talk.
“She’s daddy’s girl, all right,” Laura grumbled good-naturedly. “She’s been kicking field goals most of the afternoon. It’s just too bad daddy isn’t the one to field them.”
Everyone laughed, including Michael. This was what he’d cashed in his old identity for. The true riches. He thanked God every day that he’d found out in time what they were.
MUCH LATER that night, Michael pulled Susan close as she snuggled beside him in his old bedroom in the attic.
“You think they’re down for the night?” he whispered.
“Sure of it. They’re exhausted.”
They weren’t the only ones, but exhaustion had never felt so good.
“Michael?”
“Hmm?”
“We can tell each other anything, can’t we?”
Michael stiffened. Was there trouble in paradise? Had he missed something? She wasn’t finding life as perfect as he was? Maybe working from home wasn’t enough for her anymore.
“I’ve always thought so,” he answered slowly.
“Good.”
Was that it, then? She’d just needed reassurance? A confir
mation of what they’d become to each other over the past year?
“I’m going to have another baby.”
Michael flew out of the bed. Was actually standing naked beside it before déjà vu set in.
“Are we talking about a baby that already exists or is this one of those in-the-future things?”
Leaning on one elbow, she peered at him through the darkness. “In the future.”
Relief washed over him, and Michael sank back down to the bed. As much as he hated to tell her no, ever, he knew what he had to do. “I don’t think it’s a good ida, Sus.” He’d ease into it; maybe she wouldn’t take the news as hard.
“Of course it’s a good idea.” She sat up. “Look how blessed we’ve been with Rosemary and Zack. How could we possibly not want more of that?”
“Our house is a mess most of the time, we’ve gone for days and days without having sex, we’re both tired a lot, and neither one of us is as well-dressed as we used to be. Hell, I went to work with bananas smeared on my sleeve the other morning.”
“My house was never clean, sex is all the more incredible for the wait, we were tired when we worked fourteen hours a day, and who cares if my eyeliner’s a little crooked now and then?” She paused. He could see her brow furrow even in the darkness. “Oh, and the bananas.” She paused again, thinking. “A built-in morning snack!”