Read Online Christmas Surprises by Jenn Faulk - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Jenn Faulk
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water. Great swimmers now, though, all three of them. And they were plenty mad that I only found a house with a pool after they grew up and left."
"We're going to put in a pool this summer," Rachel smiled.
Likely because Rachel was going back to work and they'd be able to afford nicer things like that, as if the house as it already was wasn't nice enough. Natalie had wondered why Rachel was going back to work at all from a financial standpoint, at least, even as she'd understood the need for her to have a life apart from her children.
But watching her daughter-in-law with them... she couldn't see anything but contentment and fulfillment. And Micah was supporting them well. And Rachel, bless her heart, didn't yet know how hard it was to go back to work and inevitably miss school parties, special programs, lunches at the school cafeteria...
They would figure it out.
"I'm going to train for a triathlon," Micah announced. "Soon as that pool is in, I'm going to start training."
"When did you decide that?," Rachel asked, regarding him incredulously.
Probably earlier, when Brian mentioned that he did them. Competitive. Something Chris had been back when they'd first met in class, all those years ago. A trait Micah had picked up as well, never satisfied unless he was the first to finish a race, make the top grade, and be the best at something.
Natalie watched her son with warning in her eyes.
Micah ignored it, looking instead at Brian. "What do you think, Brian? A guy my age. Probably can finish a triathlon faster than you, huh?"
Natalie watched Maddie exchange a look with Rachel... and saw them both try not to laugh out loud.
"Not likely," Jacob laughed, grinning over at Gracie, beating them both to it. "How long has it been since you've run a mile, Micah?"
"We were married the last time he ran a 10K," Rachel said. "But I'm pretty sure the girls weren't in the picture yet."
"It hasn't been that long," Micah muttered.
"Yeah, it has," Jacob argued. "Look at your paunch, brother. Almost as big as mine. They'd call us full-figured, whoever they are."
Chris had been a little round around the middle at the same age. Micah and Jacob were following the genetics of fathers who weren't even related, bless their hearts. It would take work to look any different, and neither one of them had any time to devote to that with all the small children needing their attention and care.
"Nah," Micah said. "With my shirt off, I look just like Grant. It's just the shirt I'm wearing that's making it look like --"
"I resent having my fine physique compared to your marshmallow shaped self, Micah," Grant said, texting on his phone, likely to someone at his restaurant. Natalie watched Maddie regard him as though he wasn't even there... which he wasn't. Not really.
Kids today and their electronics. Natalie worked with handheld devices all day, engineering and perfecting them to run faster and do more, and she knew just what little value they had when it came to what really mattered. She and Brian put all their devices away the second they were together and were never tempted to look at them again...
"You are thin, though," Maddie murmured to her husband as he finally sat down next to her after having spent the past ten minutes pacing the room.
"If you work around food all the time like I do," he said, "you don't have any desire to eat it." He looked over at his wife.
Finally, Natalie thought.
"What?," Maddie asked softly, reaching out for his face with an uncertain smile.
But before she could touch him, his words stopped her. "Speaking of being thin, you should probably have a snack."
And even as Maddie opened her mouth to respond, likely to remind him that they'd all just eaten, he was up and on his feet, leaving the room.
"But I do run," Micah said, still arguing about his
"We're going to put in a pool this summer," Rachel smiled.
Likely because Rachel was going back to work and they'd be able to afford nicer things like that, as if the house as it already was wasn't nice enough. Natalie had wondered why Rachel was going back to work at all from a financial standpoint, at least, even as she'd understood the need for her to have a life apart from her children.
But watching her daughter-in-law with them... she couldn't see anything but contentment and fulfillment. And Micah was supporting them well. And Rachel, bless her heart, didn't yet know how hard it was to go back to work and inevitably miss school parties, special programs, lunches at the school cafeteria...
They would figure it out.
"I'm going to train for a triathlon," Micah announced. "Soon as that pool is in, I'm going to start training."
"When did you decide that?," Rachel asked, regarding him incredulously.
Probably earlier, when Brian mentioned that he did them. Competitive. Something Chris had been back when they'd first met in class, all those years ago. A trait Micah had picked up as well, never satisfied unless he was the first to finish a race, make the top grade, and be the best at something.
Natalie watched her son with warning in her eyes.
Micah ignored it, looking instead at Brian. "What do you think, Brian? A guy my age. Probably can finish a triathlon faster than you, huh?"
Natalie watched Maddie exchange a look with Rachel... and saw them both try not to laugh out loud.
"Not likely," Jacob laughed, grinning over at Gracie, beating them both to it. "How long has it been since you've run a mile, Micah?"
"We were married the last time he ran a 10K," Rachel said. "But I'm pretty sure the girls weren't in the picture yet."
"It hasn't been that long," Micah muttered.
"Yeah, it has," Jacob argued. "Look at your paunch, brother. Almost as big as mine. They'd call us full-figured, whoever they are."
Chris had been a little round around the middle at the same age. Micah and Jacob were following the genetics of fathers who weren't even related, bless their hearts. It would take work to look any different, and neither one of them had any time to devote to that with all the small children needing their attention and care.
"Nah," Micah said. "With my shirt off, I look just like Grant. It's just the shirt I'm wearing that's making it look like --"
"I resent having my fine physique compared to your marshmallow shaped self, Micah," Grant said, texting on his phone, likely to someone at his restaurant. Natalie watched Maddie regard him as though he wasn't even there... which he wasn't. Not really.
Kids today and their electronics. Natalie worked with handheld devices all day, engineering and perfecting them to run faster and do more, and she knew just what little value they had when it came to what really mattered. She and Brian put all their devices away the second they were together and were never tempted to look at them again...
"You are thin, though," Maddie murmured to her husband as he finally sat down next to her after having spent the past ten minutes pacing the room.
"If you work around food all the time like I do," he said, "you don't have any desire to eat it." He looked over at his wife.
Finally, Natalie thought.
"What?," Maddie asked softly, reaching out for his face with an uncertain smile.
But before she could touch him, his words stopped her. "Speaking of being thin, you should probably have a snack."
And even as Maddie opened her mouth to respond, likely to remind him that they'd all just eaten, he was up and on his feet, leaving the room.
"But I do run," Micah said, still arguing about his
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