Amita, Josh and Meera were coming to spend the morning with Emmy, Sarah and Olivia, while Elliot, Noah and Eli played soccer in the park.
Emmy had just finished nursing and was snuggling with Olivia at the kitchen table, while Sarah ate breakfast.
Amita, Josh and Meera came in loaded with food and bags. "What did you bring?" Sarah laughed. "It looks like you brought enough to feed us all for weeks."
"I just finished school," Meera told Sarah, "so Dad and I have been having fun cooking together. We made matzo ball soup, kugel, paneer, samosas and lots of other things."
"We ended up making a full Jewish meal and a complete Indian one yesterday," Josh explained. "My parents and Amita's parents both came over. Amita's parents have been wanting to learn to make Jewish food and my parents have been wanting to learn to make Indian food, so we cooked together and had a huge fusion meal last night."
"It's great they all get along so well," Olivia said.
"They've loved each other from the first time they met," Amita said. "They would have been heartbroken if Josh and I hadn't stayed together," she said, looking fondly at her husband.
"They were always going to end up together," Sarah said to Meera. "I got to watch your parents when they first started dating in medical school. They were pretty cute."
Meera laughed. "Can I hold Emmy?" She asked Sarah.
"Of course you can, Meera," Sarah said.
"Let's just finish getting the food in the fridge," Amita suggested. "Then maybe we can all sit in the living room."
Olivia's eyes widened as they unpacked food containers into the fridge. "You really did bring enough for weeks," she said. "Thank you. The other food you brought was delicious."
"You're welcome," Josh said, smiling. "We thought homemade meals would be a help, and it's so easy to double everything."
Amita watched as Sarah limped to the living room. "You're adjusting really well to the crutches," she said. "You look faster and more comfortable on them."
"I haven't seen you since you got hurt," Josh said, leaning over to hug Sarah once she was on the couch. "I'm so sorry about your foot."
"Thanks," she said.
After Meera washed her hands, she came eagerly back into the room. "Why don't you sit down in the arm chair?" her dad suggested, bringing Emmy over and showing her how to support her head.
"She's beautiful," Meera said, gazing at Emmy. "I've never gotten to hold such a little baby before."
"You're a natural," Sarah praised her. "You're doing such a good job."
"I brought my camera," Josh said. "Is it okay to take more pictures?"
"Please," Sarah said, "I would love that."
Josh started photographing Meera and Emmy.
"I brought you some higher quality prints from the baby-naming too," he said.
Amita came back in and handed Sarah several framed prints, a close-up of Emmy, one of Sarah holding Emmy and a picture of Sarah and Emmy wrapped in the Tallis during the baby-naming ceremony.
"These are wonderful," Sarah told him. "Thank you so much."
Elliot, Noah and Eli came back from the park and everyone introduced themselves. Eli was only a few months older than Meera, and they started talking about their schools and summer plans.
"I'm going to swim camp for a few weeks," Meera told Eli, "then when I get back I have a few competitions."
"Where do you swim?" Eli asked her. "Wow," he said, when she responded. "They're really prestigious."
"I swim on one of the more recreational teams," Meera said, "not the higher level one. I play soccer and surf too, and I wouldn't be willing to give them up to swim more hours."
"You surf?" Eli asked.
"I'm just learning how, but I surf with my mom," she said. "I love it. Have you ever tried?"
"No," Eli said, "but I'd like to learn."
"You should come with us," Meera offered. "Sarah surfs too."
"Not currently," Sarah said, looking at her foot.
"You're 3 and 1/2 weeks out from your injury," Amita said, "so you should hopefully be back to full activity in about two months." Amita paused then added, "that's not taking into account having a newborn though."
Eli and Meera went into the backyard. "Meera is so outgoing," Liv commented. "It's unusual to see a 14 year old so confident and self-assured."
Josh smiled. "Her athleticism and personality are 100% from her mom," he said, looking lovingly at his wife. "I'm more introverted."
"Me too," Sarah said.
Josh had picked Emmy up when Meera went outside and was holding her. "She's grown so much since the baby-naming," he said.
"She's only 5 and 1/2 weeks old, but it feels like she's already changed so much," Sarah responded.
"Why don't you hold her?" Josh suggested. "I'd love to get you more pictures of the two of you together."
"Why don't you stay for lunch?" Liv suggested, as Josh took photographs. "You brought so much food."
"Thank you," Amita said, "but we have to leave soon. Meera has swim practice, then a soccer game."
"How do you keep up with her?" Elliot laughed.
"We're falling in bed by the end of the day," Josh said, smiling.
Eli and Meera came back in, chatting. "We have to leave soon," Amita told her.
"Nice meeting you," Meera told Elliot and Olivia. "It's great to get to meet Emmy. I'd love to help with her," she told Sarah.
"I'd love you to help," Sarah told her. Meera beamed. She said good-bye to Noah and Eli, then kissed Emmy and hugged Sarah.
"Would it be okay to try surfing?" Eli asked Elliot after they left. "As long as you go with Amita, you can," Elliot said thoughtfully.
"Amita really is fantastic at it and very safety-consciousness," Sarah said, reassuringly. "She taught both me and Josh."
"They're a really nice family," Elliot said.
"They are wonderful," Sarah said. "Both their parents live nearby and are fabulous too. As soon as you meet them, you're embraced into their extended family."
"The food looks amazing," Elliot said, bringing out chicken and vegetables, kugel and matzo ball soup for lunch."
"That's all Josh and Meera," Sarah said laughing. "Amita doesn't like to cook and is famous for destroying pots by putting water on to boil, getting absorbed in something else and forgetting about them for hours. She's incredible at everything else, just not cooking."
