Margaret looked at Okasa and Patrick plaintively. "I thought it a fair question. After all...."
"After all, Margaret, maybe you should wait until you meet her. Esmeralda might pleasantly surprise you. And I won't have you making her feel unwelcome here."
Okasa bit her lip to keep from showing the anger she felt. Charisma had finally found a friend outside the political arena she felt she could trust, and Margaret was doing her best to destroy that before she had even met the other woman. Instead, she rose and began to clear the table of the breakfast dishes Kent and Charisma had left behind. Patrick remained silent, eating the remainder of his food while allowing Margaret to wonder just what kind of boundaries she'd overstepped and how to go about repairing them.
Meanwhile, Charisma had followed Kent upstairs into their room where Adam was still soundly sleeping. The past few days' activities with his grandparents had worn him out and Charisma was thankful he'd been spared the little scene downstairs. She found Kent sitting on the floor by their son's bed just watching him sleep. Charisma took a seat beside him and lightly bumped his shoulder with hers.
"You all right?"
Kent glanced at her briefly before returning his attention to Adam. "Yeah. She just... she makes me so angry when she does things like that. Just because she got taken in once...."
"Your dad?" knowing it for the truth. Simon Rockwell had been a scoundrel - a charming scoundrel, but a scoundrel nonetheless. And his duplicity had colored every human interaction Margaret had had since his defection when Kent was still much younger.
"Yeah," he sighed. "I'm sorry she attacked your friend. I'm looking forward to meeting her... them."
"I think you'll like them, Kent. They're good people. I'm glad they weren't here to hear your mother's accusations, though. I get the feeling Saphira would have cleaned her clock one good time."
"She some kind of tough broad or something?" Kent joked with a twinkle in his eye.
Charisma smirked. "Well, she's a waitress in a diner, so I'm sure she can hold her own. But she's very protective of Esmeralda - they're very protective of one another. I'm pretty sure if Saphira had heard your mother's tirade, we'd be picking bits of her up from around the room for the next few days."
"That would be something to try and explain to an ER doctor," he quipped as Adam slowly blinked his eyes open. "Morning, Little Man," he greeted, chuckling when Adam leaped into his arms and snuggled into his neck. "You got a kiss for Mama before we go potty?"
Adam leaned over and nuzzled Charisma's cheek, then tucked himself back into Kent's body. Kent and Charisma exchanged looks, then Kent eased to his feet. "Guess that's my cue," he said as he moved into the connecting bathroom. "You going out today?"
Charisma leaned over and made up Adam's bed, then turned her attention to theirs. "No. I'm not sure what time the girls expect to arrive and I'd like to be here to meet them when they do."
"I can certainly understand that, especially after what happened downstairs."
"Thank you for that, by the way. You didn't have to say anything to your mother, but I appreciate you saying that to her."
She could hear the shrug in his voice when he answered. "It needed to be said."
Before Charisma could continue the conversation, Adam ran out of the bathroom, obviously much more awake than he had been scant minutes before. He latched on to Charisma's leg, and she reached down to tickle him. He squealed and tried to get away without actually losing his grip on her. Kent laughed at the picture they made as he leaned on the doorjamb of the bathroom.
"I've never seen a kid wake up like that boy does."
"Mama, bre'fas?" Adam asked, blue eyes looking at her adoringly. She touched her finger to the tip of his nose and smiled, watching his nose crinkle up in response.
"You hungry, son?" she queried, knowing the answer before his head started nodding vigorously. "Let's go downstairs and see what Gramma has for you to eat. How does that sound?"
"YUM!" causing Kent and Charisma both to laugh out loud.
"I guess that means yes," Kent said as he pushed off the doorway and moved to the bed. "I'll finish up here," gesturing to the partially made bed, "and meet you downstairs in a few minutes."
Charisma nodded, and laid a hand on his arm. "Are you all right?"
He patted her hand awkwardly and bent down to pick up the throw pillows. "I will be," he assured her. "Go on now, before Adam starts chewing on your leg."
Charisma smiled and took Adam's hand. They headed downstairs without a backwards glance.
Chapter LVI
Margaret had quietly apologized for her assumptions and was sitting in the living room when the SUV pulled up in front of the house. Adam had been sitting on her lap while she read to him, but the minute he heard the car door slam he struggled to get down.. "Mama?"
Charisma held out her hand. "Come on, son. It should be...."
"BR'ANNA!" he shouted, seeing the twinkle in Charisma's eyes. He rushed for the door. Outside, the three women exchanged glances and chuckled.
"Well, Brianna," Saphira offered with a smile. "It looks like at least your arrival is anticipated." Just then, Charisma opened the door and Adam ran out with a glad cry... right into Brianna's arms as she knelt to intercept him. He pulled back just enough to cup her face in his hands rubbing their noses together and giggling. Then he released her and ran straight for Saphira's kneecaps. She caught him just before he reached her and swung him up high into the air and into her arms.
"PHIRA!" he hollered, squealing in laughter when she blew raspberries over his belly. "ES!!" he added, screaming, reaching for her. Adam got his arms around Esmeralda's neck while Saphira held onto his bottom half. He looked at her in frustration.
"Where's my hug?" Adam pulled back from Esmeralda, who helped him lean back into Saphira to give her a hug and a wet kiss. Then he jumped at Esmeralda, and she just managed to catch him with Saphira stepping up beside her to help balance them. They didn't even realize the audience that had gathered at the doorway watching them until Adam turned around and cheered.
"MAMA!!"
Charisma stepped out of the house and the rest spilled out behind her. Adam wiggled and Esmeralda put him on the ground, then he ran back to his family and took Charisma by the hand.
"Mama, come!" tugging until she followed him out onto the lawn where her guests were still standing where they'd stopped when Adam came running out. Only after she was standing in front of them did she realize everyone else was right behind her waiting for introductions. Charisma took a moment, giving each of them a hug before she turned back to her family.
"Ladies," she said to Brianna, Saphira and Esmeralda. "This is my family - my husband Kent, my mother-in-law Margaret, my mother Okasa and my father Patrick. My brothers and their families will be here tomorrow," she explained, then went on with the introductions. "Guys, this is Brianna, Saphira and Esmeralda... my friends."
There was a long moment of exchanged handshakes and greetings before Patrick turned to Kent. "What do you say we help these young ladies bring their things inside, and then you and me and Adam can go to town for some ice cream."
Kent smiled and nodded. "I think that's a fine plan, Paddy." He glanced between the three new arrivals. "Would one of you mind popping the hatch so we can get started?"
Brianna pressed the unlock button, then crossed to the back of the truck. Both men turned and looked at her with a questioning expression. Brianna rolled her eyes. "You fellas might need a little help - we brought the chocolate cakes Charisma ordered before we left DC."