May 11th 2022
Chapter 131
Our Power to Surprise
"They're coming! Mommy, they're coming! Daddy!"
"Mama!"
"Mama!"
"Dadaaaa!"
Coming down the stairs together, both Maya and Lucas were treated to the sight of their four little ones packed around the window. Only Marianne was tall enough to see through it, though that didn't stop the triplets from standing there with their heads up, taking their cue from their big sister. If she said she saw something, then that was cause enough for all of them to get excited. They knew what she was waiting for, too, so if she saw something, then it could only mean one thing… The missing piece of their Friar Sister quintet was inbound. Now, Kacey, Remy, and Lucy were all giving their own version of a giddiness burst, stomping, or spinning or shimmying around.
"Come on, come on," Marianne herded the trio toward the door, and they followed her, just as their parents reached the bottom of the stairs and followed after them.
Tori was the first one through the door, dashing toward the porch stairs as soon as she spotted all the people inside. Lucas gladly cast himself as the giant among the small girls, the better to reach down and pull his little granddaughter into his arms, right where she clearly wanted to be.
"Pappy, guess what!"
"What?" Lucas asked, beaming.
"Santa said he could bring my presents here," Tori informed him.
"Of course, he can," Lucas agreed. "He wouldn't forget that you were here and not back in Houston on Christmas morning."
Coming up shortly after her daughter, Ella Friar barely got one foot over the threshold before she was collected in a near toppling hug around her legs, with four little sisters crowding over her, eager to welcome her home. Once able, she came down to where she could give them all a proper greeting. With her first semester under her belt, she had so been looking forward to coming home for a couple of weeks, to be with her parents and her sisters, and now here she was. She stood again, the better to embrace her mother, though she first took the time to set her hand to the belly where her newest sibling grew, like she was telling them hello, too, before looping her arms around her mother's shoulders.
"I need to go to the mall," she whispered at her ear while she had her. Maya looked at her for a moment as they pulled back and guessed correctly that she still a thing or two to snatch up ahead of Christmas, and she wanted to go as soon as possible, so that it would be dealt with and they wouldn't be stuck in a mall too close to the 'big day.' Maya was quickly on board for accompanying her; some one-on-one mother/daughter time, especially now that Ella was living out in Houston, was always something she strived for. It would put a tiny hitch in another plan, but this could be remedied.
Maya announced that she needed to go to the mall and asked Ella to accompany her even as she caught Lucas' eye so he might head off any requests from the girls to come along. He accomplished this with ease, though Marianne showed that she was getting better at seeing right through them; she didn't know what they were all up to, but it was clear to her that they were doing something and not telling her or the triplets and Tori. This left her parents thinking of 'upping their game' as far as keeping secrets from her. She was growing up, and so was her mind. She definitely caught the quick signs that Maya passed to Lucas once Ella was out the door, and when she turned back to look at him and saw him nodding, she walked up to him.
"Why do you have to call…" she started to ask, and Lucas quickly shushed her, gave her a look, a promise. She'd find out soon enough, and it would be good.
As they left for the mall together, Maya was reminded of those weeks when Ella had insisted on driving her to school, when she'd been pregnant with the triplets. She'd taken the wheel today with that same intent in her eyes, and even though she was still more than capable of driving herself, Maya did not resist in the slightest and instead accepted the offer. She got to sit in the passenger seat and listen as her eldest daughter and former student recounted the end of her first semester's worth of finals. They had gone well enough, same as her classes had done, though it hadn't been smooth sailing either, compared to high school, but she hadn't minded so much. She'd enjoyed the challenge and looked forward to returning for the next semester.
She also went on to talk of how she wished that coming home didn't mean being away from the days-old Mantovani twins, who were both as sweet as they were a noisy handful. Oh, Chiara and Sophie had everything under control, just as Asher and Ray did, but as Maya herself would be more than aware, the doubling or tripling of newborns in a household had a way of sending things swiftly down the path of chaos. Still, they were really something… Already, Valentina and Santiago had become Allie and Santi to the joined households, and so they would remain on the day to day… unless either one of them got into trouble. For now, they were just a couple of sweet-faced bundles, each with tufts of near-black dark brown hair on their heads.
Ella had been right to want to get this errand done as soon as possible. Christmas Eve was right around the corner, and it showed. The mall was packed, but they were not defeated, not in the slightest. They knew what they were after, and they were going to get it. Once that was handled, it would be up to them to decide if they needed anything else…
"She didn't ask for it outright, but I really think it'll be something she'll love," Ella explained as they left the store, target acquired, and wandered back into the mall at large. She was very proud of her find for Tori and of the fact that she'd been able to get it for her. It hadn't always been easy for her daughter to adjust to the new pace of their lives, in a new city, but she was getting there, little by little. More than anything, Ella wanted her to have more cause to make memories in the city that would be their home, for the next three and a half years at the least.
"I think so, too," Maya nodded, feeling it was impossible not to smile, thinking of her granddaughter's reaction upon seeing her gift. As fun as it was to get the kids any specific things they might have asked for, it would be more fun to find something unexpected, to see the excitement bloom out in realization… She could already see that happen with Tori in a couple of days. "Alright, anywhere else you'd like to go?" Maya asked as she looked around. She'd be glad to be out of here soon, but then there was still something she needed to see to…
"You've got wrapping paper, yeah?" Ella asked, and Maya was left to snort. Did she have wrapping paper…
"Let's just say I've been on a… roll of rolls this year… It's really becoming a problem," she frowned to herself and laughed, which made her daughter chuckle and ask exactly how many different rolls of wrapping paper she had. "Let's also say that the number I have and the number your father thinks I have are not exactly neighbors… If they run out up at Santa's Village, I've got them covered…"
"How has Dad not found them?" Ella had to ask, laughing along.
"For all I know, he did find my hiding spot, but he's too good of a Huckleberry to call me on it."
"Okay, so no paper… What about bows and…" Ella started, but then Maya's look said enough. "Tape?" Please… "Alright, then I think we should just go."
"Great. Want to grab something to eat first?" Maya suggested.
She would have very easily managed to say that she still wanted to get herself something if Ella said she wasn't hungry, but luckily the very idea of food made her eyes go round. After all their running around, food sounded very good, especially if it turned out to be cinnamon buns. They made their way out to the stand, reaching the line-up just in time that they'd barely made it into the queue when Ella flinched in surprise. She'd felt someone tap at her shoulder. Maya watched her as she whirled around and immediately shifted from 'what the…' to complete and bewildered happiness when she found herself face to face with Taylor Munroe.
A split second after she'd recognized him, she just about jumped to hug him, and he caught her up at once, returning the embrace as he received it. They hadn't seen each other since August, when he'd flown off to Indiana for his first semester at university. The two of them and Lea had all kept in touch, naturally, texting or calling nearly every day, but it was the first time he'd come home, and his first order of business had been to track down his best friends. He would have been at the house by now… if not for a call from Lucas to redirect him here when Ella had shown her need to go shopping.
"I didn't think you were home yet, I…" Ella blurted out as they pulled away, Maya noted, without entirely letting go of one another. Her daughter couldn't stop smiling, while Dylan's little brother couldn't seem to look away from her for an instant. Oh, how he'd missed her, too, enough that she'd been the first he'd wanted to find upon landing in Austin. "You knew about this," Ella looked to her mother.
"What, me? No, I had no idea," Maya casually shook her head. "Here, I'll stay in line, you guys go and grab a table. Taylor, you want one?" she asked, pointing up to the sign.
"Oh, uh, sure, thanks, I…" he finally looked at her, blinking at the sight of her belly. Yes, he'd known she was having a baby again, but it was the first time he was seeing her, too. "Or we could get them if you want to sit…"
"Please, I'm fine, go, go," Maya shooed them away and they finally went, while she turned to see how many were in front of her. With any luck, some of them might let her go ahead, but for the kids' sake, she didn't mind waiting her turn for as long as it took.
Every now and then, she would sneak a look back to where they sat. Ella was showing Taylor what she'd bought for Tori, and he looked like he agreed with her that it would be perfect, too. Oh, Tori would be so happy to see him. The line progressed, and the reunited friends kept talking… For what occasions they'd had of talking about the Munroe boy over the last few months, Maya could see how her daughter's feelings were starting to shift, whether she realized it or not. His being away was really putting things into perspective for her. Time would tell how long it would be before it all became as crystal clear as it could ever get. Could it happen over this visit? Maybe, but she didn't think so. Or she could have been wrong, and this would be the time… Christmas had a way of being a time for miracles, for big changes… Already they were nearing two years since Ella had become a Friar, and that had been a very good miracle for all of them.
TO BE CONTINUED
See you tomorrow! - mooners
