Page 43 of Matrimonial Merger

“It was perfect. You shush!” Mum chastised. “And you loved having siblings.”

“Sometimes,” Davey said.

“You always doted on the girls,” I snickered. “You hush. Just you wait!”

“You’d have to find a woman willing to marry him, Daphne. Good luck!”

“Lanie!” Mum admonished. “Be nice.”

“We’re not planning on having six, for the record,” I clarified. “Two is good. But we figure we will get this one here first.”

“I cannot wait,” Mum brimmed.

I looked at Cal, signaling I wanted to drop the big news. He nodded.

“What?” Delanie asked. “What now?”

“We wanted to say we found out what we’re having,” I said. “The sex of the baby.”

“Oh yes?” Mum asked. “Oh good! You’re notthosepeople.”

“It’s okay not to say the sex of the baby, Mum,” I groaned. “But no, I wanted to know. So we could give the baby a name. And I think we have one.”

Cal smiled. “We do.”

“We’re naming the baby Cordelia Alma,” I said. “After great-grandma and great-aunt Alma.”

“A girl?” Delanie screeched, hopping up to nearly take me out with a hug. “Oh my God! Yes!”

“That’s a lovely name,” Mum said, fighting tears. “Two strong, independent woman for what will likely be a willful, opinionated child from the two of you.”

Cal chuckled. “With her mother’s stubbornness and my unwillingness to listen to reason, I bet you’re right.”

“It’s for the best,” Davey said. “I feel like you need a girl.”

“Need one?” I snickered. “Why, Davey?”

“Because Dad always said you’re not a real parent until you have to out-argue an articulate teenage girl.”

Cal laughed. “Oh my God. What?”

“The girls boxed his ears in verbally—mostlythisone!” She elbowed Delanie who rolled her eyes.

“God, I cannot help if your rules were always a joke!”

“It seems fitting. David loved them, though,” Cal said. “Nah. I was raised by a strong, stubborn woman. I prefer women when it comes to accountability. They will always call me out on my bullshit—Daphne, Jo, Chloe, even Kristy. Sometimes I just need a smack upside the head.”

“I prefer it, honestly,” Davey admitted.

“This is why you will never find a woman. She shouldn’t be your mother, David,” Delanie said.

“Nah. Just someone willing to hold me accountable. Look, I’m not the brains of the family. I need a brainy woman.”

“One will never choose you!”

“You two are in a mood,” I giggled. “God. I missed this. It’s been too chaotic.”

“They are feeling competitive,” Mum said. “We were discussing Cordelia’s future prospects with a favorite aunt or uncle. Or, rather, they are getting competitive over somethingsoridiculous.”

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