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Giggles erupted from the formal dining room.  Diana smiled to herself as she heard a low roar and the wild laughter that came after.  Shrieks of “Mom!” and “Help!” along with the laughter made her grin even more. 

 

“Snack time!”  The growl came closer to the door, along with more squeals and shouts of “Daddy!”  Diana sat at the table, beginning to pour drinks for her small family.  The kitchen was large but the little nook was perfect for her little group.  Mart plunked the blond five-year-old in the seat across from Diana and the dark-haired angel in the seat to her right.  He placed a kiss on his beautiful wife’s cheek as he walked to the sink to wash his hands.  -

 

“Ah, wife number one, I see our midday repast is prepared and we may now consume the victuals.”

 

His six-year-old looked at her younger sister and translated, “Daddy said lunch is ready.”  Again, giggles erupted from both girls.

 

Diana shook her head   Mart swung a leg over his chair and dropped into his seat.  “Perfect timing, darling.  We were planning on mounting an attack into the kitchen to pillage and plunder.  The girls were starving, but I was fine.”

 

“Nuh-huh, Mom,” little Marie argued, tugging on Diana’s arm.  “Daddy said he was hungry as a lion and he was going to eat us.”

 

Her sister Helena nodded her head only, since she was busy stuffing much of a Crabapple Special into her mouth.  Mart grinned sheepishly at his wife when she nudged him to “fix” a food habit their daughter had picked up from him and his youngest brother during the Christmas holiday.  He leaned down, his hand skimming the top of her head as he whispered something quietly to her.  Helena put her sandwich down and took a swig of milk, apparently trying to help wash down the too large bite.

 

“So, how much is left to move out of the dining room?”  The Lynches were remodeling and had asked Mart and Diana to supervise the removal of the current furniture while Ed and Carolyn were in the Caribbean. 

 

Mart smiled.  “We’ll be finished tomorrow.  But after lunch, we have a surprise in there for you, Momma.” Mart winked at Diana. 

 

Both girls bounced up and down, nodding their heads as they continued eating.  Mart continued, “And we also decided it’s a pizza night tonight.”

 

Diana’s eyebrows arched.  “Oh, really?  And where was I when this was decided?”

 

Helena giggled.  The two girls were at that stage where everything their daddy said and did made them giggle.  “You went to town without us.  Did you bring us anything?”

 

Diana peered at her youngest.  “I don’t bring you something every time I go.  You know that.”  Both girls looked down at their plates.  Mart took that light barb because he knew he was guilty of being a loving dad who had a bad habit of bringing little things back for the girls every time he went to town.  Diana hid her smile.  They’d talk about that later.  “But I do have a surprise for all three of you later.”

 

The girls started pleading as Mart looked at his wife, his eyebrow raised in question.  Diana gave him a small smile and turned towards her girls.  “You’ll know later on.  Let’s clean up the dishes and then maybe you can show me your surprise.”

 

The girls started to clean up their plates as Mart walked behind his wife’s chair.  He bent to nuzzle her ear as he quietly asked, “Exactly where did you go this morning, huh?

 

Diana just patted his back end and pushed him towards his little girls. 

 

 

Soon all was cleaned and put away   Helena and Marie were jumping in anticipation of their surprise for Mom.  Diana and Mart were now waiting for the girls to call them in.  Mart put his arms around her and squeezed.  “You didn’t eat much.  Are you still not feeling good?  I’ll get you a smoothie later, if that will help?”

 

Diana leaned back.  “Maybe later.  I feel all right now, I got a little something while I was in town.”

 

“Oh, yeah.  Your lunch date?  Going to tell me who your boyfriend is?”

 

The girls called for them to come in.  “I’ll tell you as part of the surprise.  Will that be okay?  Let’s go see what you three have been doing this morning.”

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“I think the tent is great, girls.”  The trio had arranged the remaining chairs, a bike (How did that get in the house?), some of her mother’s favorite lace tablecloths (We will never tell.), clothespins, and some old maternity muumuus of her mother’s from years ago to make a giant inside tent.  Mart assured her the chandelier could hold the attached fabric and that the power to the lights was disconnected until the remodel was over.   Her daughters proceeded to tell her silly ghost stories that made no sense at all.  Finally, they were settled down on the blankets and bedspreads they had nabbed from upstairs.  Diana looked as her girls snuggled into their daddy, waiting for her surprise.

 

Diana reached in her pocket.  “First, these lollipops are for you three.  Now can you guess who I saw today?”

 

Both girls shouted, “Nurse Patti!”

 

“Yes, and she wanted me to give those to her three best kids!” 

 

Marie turned and laughed at her dad.  “Nurse Patti called you a kid!”  Both girls laughed when Mart wrinkled his nose at them.  Then Marie looked at her mom.  “Did she give you a shot?”

 

“No, sweetie,” Diana smoothed both girls’ hair down.  “I went and talked to the doctor. “  She kept her eyes on the girls, doing her best to not look at her husband.  “I wasn’t feeling well and I wanted to see why.”

 

“Why, Mommy?  Why are you sick?”  Helena moved over and started stroking her mother’s arm. 

 

“Well, the doctor says we need to eat lots of good food, play outside a lot, and repaint my office.”  She looked up at her husband of seven years.  His eyes were widening as he started figuring out her little mystery.  She nodded as she looked at the girls.  “You are going to have a little brother or sister right around the time you go to school after the summer.”

 

Both girls jumped up and down as Mart reached over and pulled his wife over for a soft, simple kiss.  The girls continued to celebrate as Mart whispered.  “Quite the surprise, Miss Di.  I’ll stock up on the makings for your strawberry smoothies now.  Does this mean I already gave you your Valentine present? “

 

“No, dear.  This time with you is my everyday gift.  I think this family is a gift that keeps giving back more and more joy every day.  I love you, the kids, and this child to be.”

 

“I have no more words.  I love you all.”  As Mart leaned down to kiss her again, both girls jumped in for their hugs.

 

 

 

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This was written for CWP #3.  I used picture #7 for it and it include 1171 words.  What a nice way for Diana to inform her family but in a very stretch-walled tent.  I thank Bonnie immensely for posting this to her website for me.

 

”Wife number one” is an old joke at my regular Friday night group of friends.  Seeing as that couple has been married over 25 years, we were always right in considering it a joke.  DON’T use it on your spouse unless he understands it’s a joke!

 

Again, if I owned Trixie Belden, I’d be making money off this and setting up some great Jix authors to write it.