“Whatever her name is,” Miriam says drily, looking at Andrea. “I don’t understand why you couldn’t tell us the baby’s name.”
Andrea holds her hands out in front of her in a shrug. “I don’t know the baby’s name! She wanted to wait until all of you got here.”
“Oh, come on!” Gloria says, tugging on Miriam’s arm. “No time to squabble! Take us to our granddaughter!”
Andrea and Bill lead all of them to a room at the end of the hall, where Lauren is propped up on the bed, holding a bundle of pink in her arms. “Theerre sheee iiss,” Gloria says, drawing out each word in a high-pitched drawl. “Have you ever seen a child so beautiful?” she asks the group, all craning their necks to see.
“Her face is kind of blotchy!” Maddie says, making everyone laugh, and Gabe puts his hand over her mouth.
“The doctor said that won’t last long,” Lauren says, grinning at Maddie. “Somebody tell me how the fund-raiser went!”
Gloria scoffs. “We will not say a word until you tell us this angel’s name.”
Lauren holds the baby tighter. “Not until you tell me how it went.”
“We raised more money than any other year, thanks to Ben’s great idea!” Stacy says. Ben looks sheepish, smiling.
“What idea?” Lauren asks, looking up at Ben.
“For ten dollars, people could guess if you were having a boy or a girl,” Stacy says. “We raised an extra $2,600!”
“But most people thought you’d have a boy,” Ben says, a bit disappointed.
“But they’ll be delighted to meet…” Gloria says, hinting that she wants to know the name of the baby.
“Glory,” Lauren says, beaming.
Gloria’s mouth drops open and Miriam gasps. “Glory?” Miriam says, confounded. “This sweet child has to go through life with the name Glory?”
“Actually, it’s Gloria Miriam. We’ll call her Glory,” Travis says, sitting on the edge of the bed.
Tears fill both Gloria’s and Miriam’s eyes. “I bet you don’t have anything to say now, do you?” Gloria says to Miriam.
“Oh, be quiet, Grandma,” Miriam says, serenely defeated. “A child named after us! I never would have imagined. A perfectly beautiful baby girl.” She sighs in happiness. “Gloria Miriam! Welcome to Grandon, little one.”
“And while you’re home with little Glory, we will be installing an oven, a sink, and a few cupboards,” Gloria says. Lauren looks up at her, surprised. “I told you we had generous donors. You can start that cooking class when the time is right.”
“I can’t believe it,” Lauren says.
“I can’t believe that we’re not going to have more of those delicious treats you were secretly delivering,” Gloria says, winking.
“Gloria!” Lauren says. “How’d you know it was me?”
Gloria smiles. “Well, you asked about starting a cooking class, for one thing. And then I saw a plate full of cookies in your locker when I got your purse, that day you had the false labor.”
Lauren looks at the faces around her. “Did you all know?”
“Not at first,” Miriam says. “But eventually we all figured it out. We just didn’t dare say anything because we wanted the treats to keep coming!”
Lauren throws an arm over her face, laughing, as Glory opens her mouth in a yawn.
“Look at that little lamb,” Gloria says. She strokes her cheek with the back of her finger. “What a Christmas! Glory, Glory, hallelujah!”
THIRTY
Christmas Day 2012
The sound of Glory’s cooing awakens Lauren and she looks over at Travis, who’s opening his eyes. “It’s her first Christmas,” Lauren says, smiling. She flings the blankets and comforter off, racing Travis to get to Glory first. They run to the crib inside the nursery and look down at the little life wiggling and whimpering on her stomach, and Lauren lifts Glory into her arms. “Merry Christmas, my sweet angel,” she says, kissing her face.
Travis bends to kiss Glory’s cheek and squeezes her hand. “Best Christmas present ever,” he says, kissing her tiny hand over and over. “Are you ready to see your presents?” They look at Glory, who stretches her arms over her head, and laugh. “The excitement is overwhelming her,” Travis says as he taps the baby’s nose. “I can call my parents and tell them we’re up.”
Lauren nods. “I’ll get some coffee on.”
Travis returns to their bedroom for his cell phone as Lauren walks downstairs with Glory. “Travis! Hurry!”
He bounds down the stairs to the kitchen, where he sees Lauren standing by a round, black walnut table wrapped in an enormous red bow. Lauren reaches for the card and reads it aloud. “For Christmas breakfast and all other meals that will follow. Merry Christmas, Larry and Meredith and John and Joan.”
Christmas 1972
Joan opens her eyes and looks at the clock on her nightstand: 7:30 A.M. “Oh my gosh!” she says, realizing that John is not in bed and that Gigi has probably been awake for two hours, waiting to open presents. She wraps her robe around her and races through the hallway, saying, “I’m so sorry I slept so late!” She stops inside the living room, seeing John, her mom and dad, Gigi, and Christopher standing like guards in front of the Christmas tree.
“Merry Christmas!” Gigi yells as they all break rank, revealing the table that John has been working on for the last several months.
Her eyes fill at the sight of it. “I thought you were behind on the work,” she says, looking at John as she reaches out to touch it.
“Ed helped me. I wouldn’t have been able to finish it without him.”
Joan bends over, examining the table. “It’s just beautiful, John.”
“A lot of family meals will be eaten around this table,” Alice says.
“It’s my best present ever,” Joan says, kissing John. “Thank you.”
“Look, Mommy!” Gigi says, pulling open the drawer underneath. “My favorite part!”
“Oh, this is wonderful!” Joan says. “What could we put inside here?”
“Candy,” Gigi says with
