“I’m not,” Daisy protested. “I’m loving him. There’s a difference.” She scooped him out of the swing while Jazzi shoved the casserole into the oven to bake.
Vi had lost at least half of the baby weight. She was wearing jeans and a pale green oversized sweater. Her cheeks had color and she even looked . . . happy.
Walking Sammy into the living room area, Daisy kissed his soft cheek, loving his baby smell. He was so precious. His eyes were clear and wide, and his mouth widened in what Daisy hoped would soon be a smile. Christmas would be here before they knew it and she hadn’t even shopped for him yet.
Jazzi pulled out her phone as she settled on the sofa beside her mom.
After drying her hands on a dish towel, Vi joined them in the living room area and sat in the rocker. “Have you heard from Portia?” she asked Jazzi.
Jazzi mumbled, “No, and I don’t know if I’m ever going to. Colton thinks I’m frivolous. He believes all I want to do is shop and learn how to drive so I can run around with friends.”
“What makes you think that?” Daisy asked, cuddling Sammy in the crook of her arm. Jazzi hadn’t mentioned this to her before.
“I heard him talking to Portia Saturday night after I went to bed. She told him how I babysit, work at the tea garden, and am part of the peer counseling program. But I don’t think it made an impression. He hardly talked to me on Sunday.”
Looking concerned for her sister, Vi said, “You can’t do anything about his attitude. We have Christmas to think about, and I have something else I want to discuss with you.”
From the tone of Vi’s voice, Daisy didn’t think it was something serious.
Vi pointed to Jazzi. “You can help me plan Sammy’s christening. Mom’s busy enough.”
“And I’m not?” Jazzi quipped.
“Not too busy that you can’t help me plan food and favors and who we want to come.”
“When do you want to have the christening?” Daisy asked.
“I spoke to Reverend Kemp on the phone, and we’re thinking about three weeks. Can we have the party at your house? That way we can invite more guests.”
It warmed Daisy’s heart to see Vi excited about the idea of a christening. In the past week especially, she had seemed so much more herself.
As Vi leaned forward in the rocker, she set her attention on Jazzi. “I’d ask you to be Sammy’s godmother, but Reverend Kemp said the godmother should be over eighteen.”
“I understand that,” Jazzi said. “You know I’ll look after him with you. Who do you have in mind? Aunt Iris?”
Vi shook her head, keeping her gaze on her mom now. “Do you think Aunt Iris will be hurt if I don’t ask her?”
“I’m sure your aunt would want you to choose whoever you want. Who do you have in mind?”
“I’m thinking about Tessa. What do you think, Mom?”
Daisy thought about it. Tessa had a good heart. She knew about responsibility and devotion and loyalty. “I think Tessa would be honored if you ask her. Who do you have in mind for the godfather?”
“Foster and I talked about it, and we decided to ask Gavin.” Foster’s dad was more than responsible. After the death of his wife, he’d raised his three children. Foster was becoming a fine man, father, and husband, and Daisy was sure Ben and Emily would grow up with the same values and integrity because they watched their dad and that’s what they saw in him.
“You’ve chosen well, honey, and I’d be glad to host the party at my house. I’m sure your grandmother would love to help too.”
“She can help,” Vi said. “But I don’t want her running everything. That’s why I want Jazzi to help me plan it. We’ll go to her with everything set out and then she’ll know the party’s going to be like we want.”
Over the years Vi had learned how to handle her grandmother probably better than Daisy had. Thinking of her mother again, Daisy wondered if something was bothering her. She hadn’t seemed herself ever since . . . ever since Sammy was born.
Daisy’s cell phone vibrated. She took it from the coffee table. It was Jonas. He asked, “Do you want to go for a walk?”
She smiled and said, “Yes.”
* * *
Daisy’s property was lit with a motion detector light from the security system. Daisy wanted to talk to Jonas about something and was glad they were going to be alone as they walked.
He tucked her arm in his as they strolled toward the garage. They weren’t going to visit Vi and Foster, just take a circle around it. Daisy had worn her short boots for any uneven ground they might come across. She zipped her cat-patterned fleece jacket up around her neck and added a scarf. The maroon cap she wore had a pom-pom on top and earmuff-like side pieces. She’d tied it under her chin.
“Warm enough?” Jonas asked after they’d walked a little ways.
“I’m fine. It actually feels good to be out in the cold air. After we go back in, we could light a fire.”
“Have you done that yet this season?”
“No. Jazzi goes up to her bedroom many nights to study or play music, and I usually sit on the sofa with a throw wrapped around me.”
“But you want to light one tonight?” His voice held amusement.
“I think it would be fun to snuggle on the sofa with you while the fire’s burning.”
“Snuggling, huh? We might have to practice the Amish way of bundling.”
Daisy laughed and they continued walking. She turned her face up to the sky and felt a sudden wetness on her cheek. “It’s snowing! This is early.”
“It won’t amount to anything,” Jonas predicted. “It might frost your lawn, but it will disappear as soon as the sun comes up. I think it’s supposed to be forty tomorrow.”
“Do you check the weather every night?”
“Is that a man thing or do
