Part 9 (2/2)
”Uh... I let her sleep. It was ugly enough without the risk of injury to our carpet or anything else,” Addison joked. She looked ahead as the final turn that would take her to Emma came into view. ”Hey, listen, I'm about to pull up...”
”Let me guess? McDonald's?”
”What? Me, eat that sludge?”
”Mm-hm. When the wife's away....”
”Yeah, yeah,” Addison looked briefly at the wrapper on the seat and shook her head. Emma most definitely had her number. ”I'll call you in a bit.”
”Enjoy your McNuggets.”
Addison laughed. ”Bye, Em.”
Emma hung up the call and shook her head.
”How's she doing?” Sherry asked.
”Oh, she's fine. I just hope that was red wine they were drinking last night,” Emma commented.
”Why?” Sherry asked.
”It'll help unclog her arteries after all the s.h.i.+t she's been eating this last week.”
Sherry laughed and patted Emma's back. ”You know; she'll be looking for cookies when she gets here.”
”Mmm. She looks for cookies daily,” Emma replied.
Sherry raised an eyebrow. ”Well, we'd better get on that then, don't you think?” Sherry suggested.
Emma smiled. ”You love encouraging her.”
”I think, Emmie, with Adam here, maybe cookies are a good idea.”
”Probably so. There are two things that those two have in common for sure.”
”What's that?” Sherry asked.
”Neither of them ever tire of the sprout and both can never seem to get enough of my cookies.”
Sherry laughed. ”I'm not sure I'd put it in those words to Addison,” she commented with a chuckle.
Emma rolled her eyes. ”Mom!”
Sherry shrugged and pulled Emma into the kitchen. ”I'm sure she's happy to share just about anything, but your cookies,” Sherry teased.
Emma laughed. ”You're impossible.”
Addison took a deep breath and turned off the engine. She was anxious to see Emma. Any other trip to Kansas, and Addison would have run for the front door. She closed her eyes and took another slow breath, opened her eyes and opened the car door.
”Momma!” and exited voice screamed.
Addison turned to the sound and instantly felt her heart swell. ”Hiya, Munchkin,” she called to her daughter. Vicki ran as fast as her legs would allow. She tripped in her excitement and landed on her knees.
”Oh, no,” Addison hovered over her. Vicki pouted with frustration and looked up at her momma. ”You okay?” Addison asked.
Vicki huffed, and Addison pressed down her urge to laugh at the look of consternation on her daughter's face. It was a familiar sight. She's seen both Emma and Sherry sport the same look a few times. Usually when Sherry was ready to throttle Emma's father or when Emma was ready to strangle Addison.
”Is she okay?” Adam fled to his granddaughter.
Addison kept her eyes squarely on her daughter. She was confident that when Vicki stood up, there would be evidence that she had fallen. Gravel had a tendency to leave a mark on bare knees. She also did not want to encourage a tantrum from Vicki. Vicki's adventurous nature had already earned her a fair number of b.u.mps and bruises. Addison wondered if this would be the first skinned knee. Lucky her, she got to deliver that news to Emma.
”I think she's okay,” Addison replied. She reached down and helped Vicki to her feet.
”Ouchie!” Vicki's eyes started to water.
”Yep, looks like you got an ouchie, Munchkin,” Addison agreed. She scooped up her sniffling daughter and kissed her on the cheek. ”How about we go find Mommy?” she suggested. Vicki nestled into her neck and nodded.
”I'm sorry, Addy,” Adam apologized as they walked to the house.
Addison was confused. ”Sorry for what?” she asked.
”I should have had a better hold on her.”
Addison detected the genuine concern and guilt in her father's voice. She smiled at him compa.s.sionately. ”It's okay, Dad. She's quicker than she looks,” she chuckled.
”Emmie?” Sherry called out.
”Yeah?” Emma answered from the pantry.
”Uh... Did Addison say anything about getting here early?”
Emma emerged carrying a large bag of flour. ”No, why?” Sherry pointed out the kitchen window.
Emma moved to take a look. She dropped the bag of flour on the table and rushed to the back door. ”What are you doing here?” she asked as she and Addison stepped onto the porch.
”h.e.l.lo to you too,” Addison replied.
Emma smiled and then noted the tears streaming down Vicki's cheek, matched by the small trickle of blood trailing down her leg. ”What happened?”
”Sprint and flop,” Addison answered. Emma bit her lip to keep from chuckling.
”It was my fault,” Adam offered.
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