“Well, we’re here for good. Plenty of time for hugs now,” I said and gave her a hug. My mother was a tall, willowy woman. I had been looking up to her figuratively and literally my whole life. She was a force of nature with long wavy silver hair and blue eyes covered with black-framed cat-eye glasses. She was always dressed immaculately and stylishly, even when she’d had all of us kids running around. I didn’t know how she managed it because I could barely find time to brush my hair. In fact, I usually just threw it up in a bun without even touching a brush. Slob, thy name is Lily.

“I’m so excited,” Mom said, looking at me and at Rose holding Calla. “I finally have my tiny, redheaded fairy babies back together! And a little redheaded fairy grandbaby too.” Mom called us her little fairies because Rose and I had been so small when we were born, and we’d stayed small and short into adulthood. Our other siblings were tall, even the girls. Mom took Calla from Rose just as Dylan ran up to us. “There you are, Dylan.” She smiled down at him.

“I’m here, Grandma, but I’m not a fairy,” he said and hugged her around her waist.

“What do you want to be, darling?” She hugged him back and bent down to kiss the top of his head.

Dylan thought for a minute. “I’m a bear-carving lumberjack like my dad Luke.” He laughed and ran back inside the house.

Mom beamed at me as we started walking to the house. “You had a good talk with Luke, then?” she asked as she snuggled Calla close and kissed her chubby cheek. Calla did not pull her hair. Even though it was long and shining silver in the sunlight, she just stared at it, watching it sparkle in the sun.

“Dylan did the talking. I didn’t know what to say or maybe I have too much to say.” I could feel my eyes start to burn and my lips tremble. I knew I was about to cry. What was it about being near my mother that made me so emotional?

“Oh, honey,” she started to say, then Rose interrupted her.

“Mom, give me the baby and take Lily upstairs to talk. I’ll check on Dylan and get him some dinner. Go on upstairs, Lily.” I loved my sister so much. She always knew what I needed. I watched her head out of the entryway and into the living room, where she was accosted by Violet, who demanded to hold Calla again. I rolled my eyes and followed Mom up the stairs to the upstairs living room.