I stopped listening to my Mom and Josh talking about baby names a long time ago. I've been half awake for quite a while. I really should get up and go spend some time with my siblings, but laying here having Josh pet my head is just so damn comfortable.
"Hey, you guys up for a game?" Finn's voice pulls me out of semi-consciousness.
"I think Donna's asleep." Josh whispers.
"No, I'm wake." I sit up. "What are we playing?"
"You play Sheepshead?" He looks at Josh.
"Did you say Cheesehead?" Josh snarks. I give him a pinch, although honestly he's managed to contain the Cheesehead jokes better than I expected.
"Sheepshead, it's a card game. Do you know how to play?"
"No, I don't believe so."
"Euchre?"
"Gesundheit." He grins at me. He's just on a roll here. But we get up and head out to the dining room. The rest of the gang are already there getting the cards ready.
"What do you play?" Finn finally asks Josh.
"Poker and Risk. Oh and Yahtzee and Mousetrap." Josh says with a little smirk. "It's fine. I'll just watch."
"Julie is just watching too."
"Doesn't she play?"
"Oh she plays! She grew up in Wisconsin." Bob says.
"But with the baby, it's easier if one of us sits out." Finn turns to me. "Mom isn't going to play either. Should we let Conor in or play with 7?"
"Let Conor in. Let's find out if he's a true Moss."
'What does that mean?" Josh asks.
"Oh it usually means that they end up leaving the room in tears when they lose!" Becky hollers. Bob gives her a high five. During Family game night the in-laws tend to stick together.
I think Josh made a good decision to just watch. This is a complicated game. We've all been playing since we were teens. Hey, it's kind of like golf for him. I might have missed my opportunity to torment him a little.
Josh sits between me and Finn and we try to teach him as we go.
"This is played with a Poker deck." I explain.
"So far so good." Josh is nodding.
"Okay so Queens are high, the order of suits is- clubs, spades, hearts, diamonds. Then Jacks are next, same order, then it's the diamonds, but its Ace, 10 King, 9, 8, 7."
"The rest are fail cards." Finn puts in.
And with that Josh officially looks lost. That's generally where you lose the newbies right there. The thing is, if he decides he wants to play in the future, he'll probably read a book about it, then end up beating us all. The other in-laws will welcome him with open arms.
There's a lot of good natured bantering as the game progresses.
"Hey Conor- you reneged!" Finn accuses him.
"He get's that from YOUR side of the family." Sean smirks at Becky.
"Those are fighting words, Mister." Becky responds half in jest. "Better watch it or I'll renege on you tonight!"
That causes a chorus of low murmurs among the men. And a smirk from Bella.
"What just happened?" Josh asks.
"Conor could have followed suit earlier, but he didn't. So now he forfeits the hand." If it was an adult we'd accuse them of cheating, but since it's Conor everyone is just assuming he made a mistake.
"Oh." Josh looks between Sean and Becky. I think he's following Becky's threat to "not follow suit" when Sean tries to initiate sex, but I'm not quite sure. It's pretty common for Bella and Becky to make threats to withhold sex, as sort of "power plays" with the guys. They always seem like empty threats but I don't really know. I've never seen Julie do it. But other than my family I haven't been around a lot of married people. I'm not sure how common this is. We're still newlyweds. I have no desire to withhold sex. In fact, I wish I wasn't so tired all the time these days. Our sex life has suffered and I don't like it one bit.
A few hands later Sean, whoops "Granny hand!" And lays his cards down.
"What was that?"
"He has all the top trump, so no one can beat him."
When the game is almost over, Mom asks Josh to help her get dinner ready. She's just laying out cold cuts and salads. I'm relieved there won't be any food cooking.
Josh looks relieved to be released from the table. For as competitive as he is, games like this just don't seem to be his style. He enjoyed the occasional Poker games at the White House and even went to Atlantic City once and played, but it seems like what he really likes is just being with people. The "pizza and beer" aspect of it. I wonder if that comes from growing up without siblings or if its an East Coast thing.
After the game, I ate half a turkey sandwich and so far I've kept it down. That's both lunch and dinner. It's like a record for me. I'm seriously contemplating dessert.
I'd love a piece of the Ricotta Cheesecake, but I think that it might be too rich. Josh has a piece on his plate though, so I can certainly have a bite or two.
"Are those eggs?" He's looking at one of the plates with mild disgust.
"Yes, it's called Easter Bread, but it's really a dessert. It's sweet."
Not surprisingly, he passes by it and starts looking at the cookies. I point out the varieties- "Lemon drop, Easter Nests, Black-eyed Susans, Italian Sprinkle Cookies."
"You guys have a lot of cookies at these gatherings." I shrug and nod. It's an Italian thing.
"Do you, like, know how to make all these things?"
"I helped my Mom cook for most of my life. I think with her recipes, I could probably make most of it. Cheesecake is kind of intimidating, but I'm willing to try if you are."
"We should get the recipes. I really like cooking with you. I can picture our kids doing it someday too. It seems like a nice tradition."
I stop and give Josh a hug and a kiss. I like the way he said that. I'm all for having some family traditions, but I'm really happy that he wants to be part of it, and not just stick me in some sort of "traditional" wifely role.
"So what are you going to have for dessert?" He asks me. My plate is still empty.
I finally decide on a piece of the Victoria Sponge Sandwich.
"That looks good, what's in the middle of it?" Josh looks at it with interest.
"It's raspberry jam and whipped cream between two layers of sponge cake. I'll give you a bite of mine if you give me a bite of your cheesecake."
"You're going to take a bite of my cheesecake anyway, aren't you?"
He teases me but he looks pleased. I'm pretty sure he'd fly me to Italy if he thought it meant I'd eat something. Of course, if I flew to Italy by the time we arrived I wouldn't feel like eating anymore.
"Yes, pretty much."
"Well then, I accept your offer."
After dessert is over, Bella and Sean's families are getting ready to head home. I'm sorry to see them go. I actually really enjoyed this visit. It felt a lot like when I was in high school and we all hung out during holidays. The tension from my college years seems to be gone. We'll get a chance to say our final goodbyes tomorrow after church, but I'm kind of already missing them.
As the kids are cleaning up the basement, my Mom is putting their Easter baskets on the table. The baskets are pretty similar to the ones that we had growing up. They are all a natural willow finish and have a liner embroidered with their names on them.
"Does she used the same baskets every year?" Josh asks me as we watch her carrying them in.
"Yes, I think Bella and Becky return them shortly after Easter. My guess is that Julie just leaves Marco's here."
The baskets are pretty much what I told Josh earlier- they each have a Chocolate Bunny, Marshmallow Peeps and a gift card. Anna's and Carly's have stuffed bunnies in them.
"Are those Itunes gift cards?" I ask Mom on her last trip in.
"Yes, for those thingies that you got them for Christmas." Josh smiles.
She sets the last baskets on the table and I move over to see what she got Marco and Kate. My breath catches. There is a little basket with an "L" monogrammed on the liner.
"Mom ..." I can't even thank her, it's so sweet.
"Is this for the little Bean?" Josh asks her.
"Yes, we'll get the baby a new one next year with the right name on it, but I wanted to include him in this years celebration."
"Him?" I ask.
"Or Her" Mom amends.
"Thank you, that was really sweet." Josh gives my Mom a hug. But she just waves him off like its no big deal.
"How'd you even find a basket?"
"Oh, Target. They have everything. I stopped on the way back from the Egg Hunt."
Josh carries the basket over to a chair and starts to paw through it. There is a small stuffed rabbit, a little Easter board book, a pacifier, and a onesie that says "My First Easter." It's a 6 month size so it might even fit next year. And of course, there is a Chocolate bunny. Josh opens it and bites off the ears. Yep. He's ready for fatherhood.
As soon as we climb into bed, Josh spoons me and starts running his hands all over me. I'm getting turned on fast. It's been too many days since we did this, but I'm never comfortable with the idea of sex in this room. On the other hand, I'm sure I won't be up for it tomorrow after a day of traveling, and probably not Monday with the Easter Egg Roll at the White House. Josh has been so great, I don't want to deny him or myself for five days. It feels like we should seize the opportunity while we have it. Still, looking at my frilly cream curtains, just throws me off.
Sighing deeply, I decide to just let him have his way with me. I roll onto my back to give him better access. But Josh stops and looks at me, smiling gently.
"I wasn't planning to ravish you in your parent's house. I know you don't want to have sex here. I just can't help touching you. I miss this."
"But if we don't do it now, it could be a few days before I feel up to it again." I find my voice hitching a little as I whisper back to him. I'm on the verge of tears. I desperately want him. I want to be as close to him as physically possible.
"C'mere" Josh rolls me so that I'm mostly laying on top of him, my head tucked under his chin, and my legs tangled in his. His hands slide under my shirt and rub my back gently.
"Just relax, try to forget about where we are and just see what happens. If this is as far as it goes, it's still an amazing night."
Yeah, I don't get Becky and Bella at all, why would I ever willingly give this up?