but she hoped for a Christmas baby. “Just sit, put your feet up and give us the benefit of your opinion. I have an idea how I want each section of the family area decorated and will have staff do the heavy stuff.”
“Heavy stuff?” Victoria asked looking over her shoulder at Jasmine. “Just what do you have planned? A mini-circus or carnival to replace the one the kids missed last month?” Her mom chuckled.
Jasmine crossed her arms and met her mom’s stare. “I’m planning something special for the courtyard that involves kiddy rides and a Ferris wheel. That area is large enough for some fun games and off to the side we’ll have a large tree and a place for sledding. Time the kids learn to play in winter. Plus, I think they’re outgrowing the nursery.”
“Why not move them into their own bedrooms then?” Victoria asked looking at the others. “You have a lot of empty bedrooms in this wing.”
“If the four of them are like Rone and Rese, that’s going to be a challenge,” Jasmine said remembering how difficult it had been to separate her older sons when they were young. They shared a room until their late teens and even then spent most of their time together in one room or the other.
“Adam and Renee are more alike than Adam and David. Jackie and David seem closer. Silas suggested we let them choose. If David wants a room by himself, that’s okay, we just want to make sure they’re comfortable.”
“Why can’t Jackie and David share a space, at least for now? They’re still young enough that it won’t matter,” Danielle, Tyrese’ mate, said taking a seat across from Rose and Lilly.
“They can, we’ll just wait and see,” Jasmine said shying away from that subject. Asia and Maheegan were researching the birthmarks outlined on her babies. Asia seemed close to finding answers along with silencing her personal demons. Jasmine offered a prayer that whatever Asia discovered in her mother’s birthplace filled the missing blanks of her memory. If anyone deserved a measure of peace, Asia did.
Jasmine faced the other four. “Now the reason I wanted you all here. Look in those boxes I have on the chairs. There are four of them. Each box has a winter outfits for the kids. In the carton next to those are the gift boxes, please wrap these gifts for me. I want them to wear these matching outfits Christmas morning. Then wrap the other things in the boxes.”
Jasmine watched as Danielle, Victoria, Lilly and Rose moved to the gifts and started wrapping. While they were busy with that, she opened boxes that recently arrived and placed them in the correct stack for housekeeping later that day.
“I may be pregnant,” Victoria, Jasmine’s mother, said into the silence stopping everyone.
“Congratulations,” Lilly said a little too brightly.
Victoria smiled wide and looked at Jasmine. “Thanks, Lilly. I appreciate it.”
Jasmine watched Lilly a few moments longer. Lilly had been quiet recently and no longer made jokes at Rose’s expense on the pregnancy. At times, Jasmine caught Lilly watching her twin with longing and suspected the young bitch had changed her mind on parenting.
“We’re not sure yet. Lord knows we’ve been trying.” Victoria looked at Rose and laughed. “If you get any redder Rose you’ll be the color of your namesake. Jacques is a great lover and we stay busy as you younger folks say.”
Jasmine shook her head at her mom’s words. “Renee and Mandy are going to be so happy. Have you told her?”
“No. Jacques wants to wait, take another test and then see what happens. I think he’s scared to believe it’s happening or something. Lately, he’s gotten real cautious,” Victoria said placing a box on the floor next to her feet. “Starting over again, who would’ve thought?” She picked up Adam’s sweaters and placed them in the gift box.
“The timing is right for you now, that’s why you’re at peace about it,” Danielle said. “I read that you can draw
“Heavy stuff?” Victoria asked looking over her shoulder at Jasmine. “Just what do you have planned? A mini-circus or carnival to replace the one the kids missed last month?” Her mom chuckled.
Jasmine crossed her arms and met her mom’s stare. “I’m planning something special for the courtyard that involves kiddy rides and a Ferris wheel. That area is large enough for some fun games and off to the side we’ll have a large tree and a place for sledding. Time the kids learn to play in winter. Plus, I think they’re outgrowing the nursery.”
“Why not move them into their own bedrooms then?” Victoria asked looking at the others. “You have a lot of empty bedrooms in this wing.”
“If the four of them are like Rone and Rese, that’s going to be a challenge,” Jasmine said remembering how difficult it had been to separate her older sons when they were young. They shared a room until their late teens and even then spent most of their time together in one room or the other.
“Adam and Renee are more alike than Adam and David. Jackie and David seem closer. Silas suggested we let them choose. If David wants a room by himself, that’s okay, we just want to make sure they’re comfortable.”
“Why can’t Jackie and David share a space, at least for now? They’re still young enough that it won’t matter,” Danielle, Tyrese’ mate, said taking a seat across from Rose and Lilly.
“They can, we’ll just wait and see,” Jasmine said shying away from that subject. Asia and Maheegan were researching the birthmarks outlined on her babies. Asia seemed close to finding answers along with silencing her personal demons. Jasmine offered a prayer that whatever Asia discovered in her mother’s birthplace filled the missing blanks of her memory. If anyone deserved a measure of peace, Asia did.
Jasmine faced the other four. “Now the reason I wanted you all here. Look in those boxes I have on the chairs. There are four of them. Each box has a winter outfits for the kids. In the carton next to those are the gift boxes, please wrap these gifts for me. I want them to wear these matching outfits Christmas morning. Then wrap the other things in the boxes.”
Jasmine watched as Danielle, Victoria, Lilly and Rose moved to the gifts and started wrapping. While they were busy with that, she opened boxes that recently arrived and placed them in the correct stack for housekeeping later that day.
“I may be pregnant,” Victoria, Jasmine’s mother, said into the silence stopping everyone.
“Congratulations,” Lilly said a little too brightly.
Victoria smiled wide and looked at Jasmine. “Thanks, Lilly. I appreciate it.”
Jasmine watched Lilly a few moments longer. Lilly had been quiet recently and no longer made jokes at Rose’s expense on the pregnancy. At times, Jasmine caught Lilly watching her twin with longing and suspected the young bitch had changed her mind on parenting.
“We’re not sure yet. Lord knows we’ve been trying.” Victoria looked at Rose and laughed. “If you get any redder Rose you’ll be the color of your namesake. Jacques is a great lover and we stay busy as you younger folks say.”
Jasmine shook her head at her mom’s words. “Renee and Mandy are going to be so happy. Have you told her?”
“No. Jacques wants to wait, take another test and then see what happens. I think he’s scared to believe it’s happening or something. Lately, he’s gotten real cautious,” Victoria said placing a box on the floor next to her feet. “Starting over again, who would’ve thought?” She picked up Adam’s sweaters and placed them in the gift box.
“The timing is right for you now, that’s why you’re at peace about it,” Danielle said. “I read that you can draw
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