From the red, embarrassed face my mother seems to be sporting I already know who it might be but I have to be an idiot and ask her.
"Is that…?" I asked amused.
Her head nods up and down before she takes a sip of her oj and looks up at me.
"Yes, it's your grandfather... and grandmother too." She mumbled as she puts her head back into her hands.
"Oh, this is going to be good." Dax muttered to me as he sat back to enjoy the show.
My dad coughed to swallow his amusement as he rose from the table to answer the door.
It was so quiet we could all hear as he unlocked the door and opened it. Only Emmie was still enthralled with her chocolate chip pancakes.
"Srg." We all heard as they walked into the house.
"Pops." He greets back.
"Oooh, such a warm greeting." We mutter amused as we listen to them walk towards the dining room.
"Poppa." Emmie squealed, climbing off her chair and taking off towards them.
"Emmie, my sweet baby girl! Look how big you're getting! Where's your momma, sweet girl?" We hear Grandma Nettie asks.
"She ova thewe." She answered honestly.
As amusing as it is to watch my mother squirm in her seat I had to get home to get some work done. Work doesn't stop just because I'm injured.
"Hey ma, who—who exactly knows of my little accident?" I asked curiously, not really wanting to know the answer.
"Oh...uh.. well, you see. The whole family might've found out…" she mutters.
"What do you mean the whole fami—when you say the whole family- you mean- the entire family?" I ask, my voice raising two octaves higher, but of course I am interrupted when the front door bursts open.
"Aww..mom!" I complain, throwing my head into my hands.
Of course they'd call everyone. I wouldn't expect any less of them.
"Ma! We're home! Where's Baby Bells?"
"Oh god, you called Micah?" I asked, horrified.
"No, Mawmaw Marie called me." He answers, as he makes his way over to me. "Now, how are you feeling?" He asks, looking me over.
"Mary, darling, how have you been?" My mother asks, as they both hug.
So, they're going to ignore how uncomfortable this is making me? Perfect. Wonderful. Not.
"You guys always blow things out of proportion." I grumble, scowling as all of them walked into the room.
"We do not. Young lady from what I heard you are lucky to be alive." Memaw says
"Memaw you and Mawmaw gossip like ...oh no...never mind.." I say, giggling.
"We're not old, we're just a little ripe." She pipes back, amused.
"Jellybean!" Pepaw exclaims as he sees me.
"Pepaw! How have you been?" I ask as I get up and make my way around the table to hug him.
"Better than you I am sure." He says, scowling at me, aware that I didn't state how I truly am.
Is it weird that my family knows me so well? I mean we are dysfunctional but just to a point.
"Charles, did Rosalie says she was coming in today?" My memaw asked
"Oh, uh...Bree, she's supposed to lady sometime this afternoon." My dad says, looking down at his wrist.
His left wrist. My old man is bullshiting, how? You might ask. His watch is always on his right arm.
"Alright, old man, what are you hiding?" I ask, narrowing my eyes at him.
"I‐ I- uh...Née? A little help here?" He stutters, looking around the room.
Before anyone else can utter a word, the front door slams open.
"Honey, I'm home!"
"You didn't!" I gasp, completely taken aback. "Oh god, you really did tell the entire family." I grumble.
"Aunty Skye!" I gasp out as she crushes me to her.
"Juniper Skye, you let that girl go before you hurt her!" My memaw cried.
"Ooh...you told the entire family and now what's supposed to be a week of rest will turn into a family vacation." I complain.
"Oh, we're not that bad Isabella." Memaw chastises.
"Are you kidding me? The last time we all got together, was in Florida. Need I remind you what happened?" I questioned, in disbelief.
"Calm down, my little Jellybean. It's not good for you to be so stressed." My pepaw sooths.
"I-I don't understand...what exactly happened in Florida?" Mary asks confused.
"You don't want to know." Micah mutters, the tips of his ear turning crimson.
At the same time I reply, "We got kicked out. My dad, uncles, cousins, brothers and grandfathers started a fight in one of the hotel bars. It was funny as hell." I say giggling.
"I don't see how it was funny to get a kick in the ass with a steel-toed boot." A voice behind us says.
"Uncle Rosco—oh my god is that really you? I thought you wouldn't be here until November!" I cry happily, throwing myself into his arms.
"Baby Bells." he greets, hugging me back.
"Wait a moment. If all the family is actually here...then that means something else is happening. Something more serious. What's going on?" I ask, looking towards my old man.
"Isabella, we received a call last week. Right after you left for Buffalo. Your Aunt Becky and her husband along with your grandparents are on their way. When they get here we'll reveal what is really going on." My dad says.
With that the cheery atmosphere changed into a still, tense atmosphere.
Which left me thinking, 'What could have possibly happened to make all of our crazy family come home? It's not me that for sure. So, what could it possibly be?'