For Leo, the day after Christmas was almost as amazing as Christmas itself, thanks to the tradition of the family coming over for dinner and presents and lots of fun. But this year, even thugh he was having a great time with his friends and especially with Violet Parrish-Robbins, he couldn't help feeling antsy that the one person he wanted to see wasn't there yet.

With the board game on a break, he walked into the kitchen and looking for his mami, but found only Robina and Alexis along with his daddy, Dave, and Ryan.

'Daddy, where's Mami?'

'Oh, she had to go and picked up Sloan and Jeremy and Devon,' Esposito replied, getting a fresh beer for himself from the cooler.

'Oh.' Leo being an affable sort, he gave a little shrug. 'Okay, when will they be back?'

'They should be here any time, Leo-Lion.'

'Okay.'

Leo left the kitchen and this time, instead of returning to the living room to the game, he went to the front window to sit down on the ottoman and watch for his mother's fire-engine red Nissan to return. He heard the people behind him chatting and wondering what he was up to, but they could talk all they wanted, he just wanted to see when Sloan and Jeremy and Devon would be there.

He heard little footsteps behind him, and glanced over, saw Violet there. 'Hi Violet.'

'Hi Leo. Whatcha doing?'

'Waiting for Mami to come back. She went to pick up Suh-loanie and Jeremy and Devon at their house.'

'Can I wait with you?'

'Of course.' Leo wiggled over on the ottoman and got a whiff of Violet's smell when she sat down beside him. She always smelled like a princess, he thought, like cotton candy and vanilla cupcakes. 'You don't want to play Monopoly anymore?'

'No, I like listening to the silly things you say to Dell when he's winning,' Violet giggled.

'He doesn't need to be such a suh-marty-pants,' Leo sniffed; in his four year-old mind, there was no higher insult than to call someone that. He'd heard his daddy use it when Mami was acting silly and he'd filed it away for later use himself.

'No, he doesn't, but Mama says boys who are the oldest are always used to winning and having their own way. Carey is like that too some-times.'

'Tessi always make sure everyone shares.'

'I know, she's very nice like that. Oh, Leo! Look, look, look! That's them!'

Leo's heart thumped wildly in his chest, not only because his mother had returned with her precious cargo but also because Violet had grabbed his hand in her excitement. She all but dragged him off the ottoman to the bottom of the stairs, where they waited patiently with Arturo for the door to open.

'Hi-hi!' Leo squeaked it out, waving brightly. 'Hello Suh-loanie and everyone!'

'Hey Leo!' Sloan smiled, unbuttoning her maternity coat as Jeremy helped Devon with his boots. 'Merry Christmas.'

'Merry Chuh-ris'mas to you too. How is bumpy today?'

'Bumpy is just fine, very wiggly today because I'm hungry.'

'We have lots of suh-nacks,' Leo told her. 'Can I help you with your mittens?'

'Sure.'

When Leo had helped Sloan take off her mittens, Violet gasped as she saw the light catch on a ring on Sloan's hand. 'Sloanie!' she squealed, grabbed the woman's fingers and examining them. 'I know what that is!'

'What is it?' Leo looked over to see what she was making such a fuss about.

'Lookit! It's a diamond ring! That means Sloanie is gonna be a bride!'

'What?' Meredeth's head whipped over and she saw her oldest son's sweetheart looking at the sparkling engagement ring on Sloan's left hand. 'Sloan! Oh my god! Congratulations, honey!'

She gave Jeremy and Sloan and Devon each great big hugs, then laughed when Sloan was all but hauled into the kitchen by Violet to show off the new hardware.

'Excuse me everyone!' Violet bellowed, even as Sloan turned bright red. The little girl climbed onto a chair so all eyes were on her and lifted the pregnant woman's arm like a prize-fighter. When all eyes were on them Violet hollered joyfully, 'Sloanie's gonna be a bride!'

The kitchen filled with even more noise, everyone cheering and coming over to give her congratulatory hugs while they looked at the gorgeous ring Jeremy had given her, learning he'd proposed by candlelight on Christmas Eve in a replica of their first date. When Jeremy and Leo joined them, all he did was grin and ask, 'Did you tell them the best part yet?'

'What's the best part, Sloanie?' Violet asked breathlessly.

Sloan gave Jeremy a gooey look, then proudly announced, 'We're having a boy.'