WALKING INTO THE kitchen, I came to an abrupt halt.
Gabi and my mother were each holding up a spatula like a weapon at each other.
“Um . . . as interesting as this is . . . what in the hell is going on?”
“She tricked me!” my mother said as a slow smirk moved over Gabi’s face.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Mom jerked the spatula causing batter to hit Gabi on the forehead. Her eyes widened in shock. “You threw food at me!”
“Tell me where they went! My sons get married and start hiding secrets.”
“Who are we talking about?” I asked while I looked between the two of them. “And where is everyone?”
“Everyone left after I won the cook off.”
My brows lifted. “A cook off?”
“Yep. I challenged her to see who could make the better moussaka.”
I clutched my chest. Had Gabi gone insane? “You did what?”
“We did a blind taste test and Gabi cheated. She thinks she won.”
Gasping, Gabi flung her spatula at my mother, spraying white batter all over her face. “I did not cheat, Katerina! Admit it. Everyone liked my moussaka. None of the Maria’s could tell the difference!”
My mother moaned. “Traitors! They’re all traitors.”
I closed my eyes and shook my head while asking the Lord for strength. Looking back at Gabi, I said, “I knew from the beginning you knew what you were getting into with my family, but baby. I never dreamed you’d turn into my family.”
Gabi’s phone went off. Narrowing her eye at my mother, she said, “I’m watching you!”
Her eyes dashed down to read a text. When she looked up, she was grinning. When she looked back up, a tear was rolling down her face.
“Well now sweetheart, don’t cry because you know I’m the better cook.”
“Mama!” I said as I made my way over to Gabi. Brushing the batter covered string of hair away from her face, I lifted her eyes to mine “Hey, what’s with the tears?”
“Kilyn and Thano are asking everyone to come meet there their new baby.”
My mother dropped her spatula. “What? They had the baby? How? Why?” Then she covered her mouth with her hands. “You were Plan D, weren’t you?”
Gabi laughed. “Yes, Katerina. I don’t think I was originally part of Plan D, but I helped execute it.”
My mother started to cry as I wrapped the two women I loved more than life in my arms. “You’re both nuts do you know that?”
Pushing away from me, my mother was on the phone and running out to the living room to the few people still here.
“Thano had the baby! The baby is here.”
“Opa!” was cried out by everyone in the living room.
Gabi shook her head. “She does know Kilyn was the one who actually had the baby?”
Chuckling, I said, “She knows. Hey, where is Kira?”
“Claire took her up to the hospital while I kept everyone occupied with the cook off. Thano and Kilyn wanted it to be just them for a bit.”
I drew her closer to me, my lips inches from hers. “That was brilliant by the way. The whole cook off thing.”
She shrugged. “I’m slowly figuring out how to manage your mother.”
Our mouths crashed together in a slow sweet kiss.
When Gabi finally pulled back, she gave me an evil little grin. “By the way, Aunt Maria said she liked my moussaka better than your moms!”
“You better take that secret to the grave with you.”
Laughing, she said, “I promised her it would stay between the two of us.”
“Come on, let’s go meet our new niece or nephew.”
She pulled my arm back to stop me from walking then whispered, “It’s a boy, but I wanted your mom to be surprised.”
My heart squeezed in my chest at her words. I knew my mother could be a royal pain in the ass. But that small sweet gesture by Gabi just showed how much she cared for her.
Then I realized what she had said. Thano has a little boy. Damn. I’d never in my life been jealous of one of my brothers before, but with them both having kids now I was finding I was more and more jealous of both of them.
“Awesome. Then let’s lock this place up and go meet the next Drivas heartbreaker.”
Gabi and I sat in the waiting room and played with Kira while a steady stream of family came in and out of Kilyn’s room.
“She has to be exhausted, Nic. This is insane. Why won’t she tell your mother enough already?”
I shrugged. “Dad even tried to get everyone to leave.”
Gabi stood up. “We haven’t even had a chance to really look at Alec. I want to hold him before Kilyn passes out.”
The resolve to do something was already in full swing. I stood and took Kira’s hand. “Let’s go see your baby brother.”
Kira clapped. “Yay! Once Mitera came in, I couldn’t get to him anymore.”
I laughed as I scooped up my niece and followed a very determined Gabi to Kilyn’s room.
When we walked in both Kilyn and Thano looked exhausted. My mother was standing over the baby telling Aunt Agnes how Alec meant men in Greek. Yiayia was sitting in the corner watching TV with Dad. Well, Dad was actually asleep. Cousin Sophia was talking to Claire about setting her up with a nice Greek boy to which Claire declared she’d rather die an old maid.
Gabi cleared her throat loudly then spoke loudly. “I’m going to have to ask everyone to leave now.”
All talking ceased and every head turned to look at my wife.
“What?” my mother asked with a half laugh.
“It’s time for everyone to leave. Kilyn is exhausted, and the nurse needs to do a few tests on Alec, so I think now would be the perfect time to say goodbye and let everyone rest. Besides, Kira would really like to spend some time with her baby brother and her parents without someone trying to take the baby from her.”
“Yeah! What Aunt Gabi said!” Kira piped in.
Thano was smiling at Gabi and Kilyn looked as if she was about to burst into tears of joy when she saw people gathering up their things and heading out. Each person stopped to look at the baby one more time.
Everyone was telling Thano and Kilyn how beautiful Alec was.
When Yiayia walked up, she leaned over and took the baby in. “Don’t spit on him, Yiayia!” Kilyn cried out.
Gabi turned to me. “I didn’t think the Greeks still did that silly superstition anymore.”
I was about to answer her when my mother walked up and said, “You will make a wonderful mother someday.” She moved her lips and fake spit on Gabi. To which Gabi yelped and jumped back. Then they all followed my mother’s lead as they passed Gabi by.
When it came to Yiayia, Gabi cringed and closed her eyes. When Yiayia placed her hand on Gabi stomach she smiled. Gabi opened her eyes and gazed at my grandmother.
“Soon. Very soon. You better start eating or the child will starve.”
Gabi’s mouth fell open as she watched Yiayia walk out the door.
“Okay, first off, there is no way that woman can tell if I’ll be having a baby soon and they all spit at me!”
“Well, they didn’t really spit at you.” I said.
“Oh, I’m pretty sure Sophia let a real one fly!”
Kilyn laughed. “Thank you so much, Gabi. I was so ready for everyone to leave a few hours ago.”
Thano had sat Kira on the couch and placed Alec in her arms. The way she looked at him tugged on my heartstrings. Then she started to sing to him and I’m pretty sure the four of us were all crying like babies. I was too busy watching Gabi’s face to pay attention to Thano and Kilyn. The way she was looking at the scene before us was like she was wishing with everything she had that that would be us soon.
Once Kira was finished with her song, she asked Gabi to hold Alec while she went and snuggled with Kilyn.
“I’m more than happy to do that!” Gabi said. She sat in the rocking chair and rocked Alec as she traced her finger gently around his face and head.
I glanced over to Thano, he smiled at me and I returned the gesture.
I walked over to him and stuck my hand out. “Congrats little brother. He’s beautiful.”
Standing, he pulled me into a hug and then asked in a hushed voice, “Are you trying?”
“We are.”
He grinned bigger. “That would be awesome to have all the little dudes grow up together.”
“Yeah. Your kids, Thad’s little one, and God willing, one for me.”
“Just one?” Thano asked.
My hand pushed through my hair. “I’m not greedy.”
Hitting me on the back, he peeked back over to Gabi. “It’s a blessing, bro. And I have no doubt you’ll be experiencing it soon.”