A Family Gathering
1043 Words
The following morning was Sunday.
"Babe, how about we invite the family around for a meal today?" Camilla asked Bradford.
"It would be a lovely idea. However, we would need to check with Morgan and Annabelle. The main house is now theirs," Bradford laughed.
In the main house, Layla, who was accustomed to getting up early in the mornings, was the first to wake up. At four years old, she was very mature for her again and extremely self-sufficient.
Going to the bathroom, she washed herself and brushed her teeth before going to pick put her clothes for the day. After getting dressed, she descended the stairs and went to the kitchen. Rosy was in the kitchen preparing breakfast.
"Good morning, Miss," Rosy greeted her with a smile.
"Morning," Layla greeted excitedly. "What is your name?"
"I'm Rosy. I am the cook. I prepare the meals," Rosy explained.
"I'm Layla. Princess," she laughed.
Giggling with the young lass, Rosy picked her up and propped her on the chair. Come have some milk." Rosy poured her a cup of milk.
A few minutes later, Trish descended. "Layla, you shouldn't distrub the others."
"It's no problem, Miss Trish, we're used to little ones in and out. It makes our day lively," Rosy reassured her. "Breakfast will be served in fifteen minutes." She handed Trish a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice.
As Trish sat by the table with Layla, the door opened. "Morning Rosy, Morning Trish," Camilla greeted the staff.
"Morning, Mrs. Camilla, Sir," they both Bradford and Camilla.
As Camilla and Bradford entered the home, Morgan and Annabelle came down from their room. "Mom, dad," they greeted.
"Son, daughter, good morning. Let's go eat."
Rosy served breakfast. A spread lay before them. Freshly baked breakfast muffins, granola with yoghurt, scrambled eggs, and rashers of bacon along with slices of homebaked bread with butter and strawberry jam, and to drink was freshly squeezed orange juice.
"Rosy, this looks amazing, thank you," Annabelle complemented her.
"Mommy, did you sleep well?" Layla asked.
"I did," she responded with a smile, "and how did our princess Layla sleep?"
"I slept like a princess." Everyone roared in laughter.
As everyone was enjoying their breakfast. Camilla received a call.
"Michelle," she greeted her longtime friend and cousin.
"Cams," Michelle greeted back.
"Mom and Frederick, Tamara and kids are back for the weekend. We wanted to know if you would like to come through for lunch today?" she asked.
"Actually, I was just going to speak to the kids now. Let me call you back in five," Camilla responded and hung up the call.
Looking at Annabelle and Morgan, she asked, "we wanted to have a family meal here today. Would it be okay with you guys?"
"Mom, you don't need to ask," Morgan responded, "it's still your home also, and it would be nice for Layla to spend time with the cousins."
Calling Michelle back, she said, "we will hold the meal here at our place. We have a surprise for everyone also."
"Actually, we have a surprise for you as well. It's been too long since we had family time together," Michelle said.
Later that day, the rest of the family arrived. Layla already knew River and Coralline, and Emilla and Coby and her uncles and aunts. So today, she would be introduced to the extended family.
Everyone gathered in the living room. "Aunt Ruby, Frederick, Tamara," Morgan began, "This is Layla. Layla, this is your great-great aunt Ruby. This is your grans cousin Tamara and her husband Frederick. This is Aunt Michelle and your cousin James."
"Why is she Aunt Michelle and Tamara not?" she asked with her inquisitive mind.
Everyone exploded in laughter. "Because honey, I have been granny's best friend since we were three years old, and her children called me Aunt Michelle," Michelle said, bending down to her level, "this is my daughter Grace."
"Oh!" she responded.
Tamara also bent down, come meet my babies they are around your age. Joyce Willow and Arthur Toby, this is uncle Morgan and Aunt Annabelle's daughter Layla. I want you to play nicely with her."
Layla was a very friendly little girl, and she loved playing with other children.
"Why don't I take everyone outside so that the grownups can talk," Grace suggested.
Grace was now around twenty years of age and started doing her accounting course to be a chartered accountant, working in her father's company.
As the kids ran to go play outside under the watchful eye of Grace, the adults were enjoying wholesome conversation. "I'm moving permanently to Tenerife," Aunt Ruby informed the family.
"Mom, since when?" James asked.
"Son, you have Michelle, and Grace is big now, so I'm going over to help with the twins," she let out, soothing the tension.
"I understand, Mom, it's okay," he reassured his mother.
There was another announcement to be made, "everyone," Morgan announced, "Annabelle and I are having a baby."
"This is fantastic news," Michelle said.
Little did they know that Layla had overheard the news.
"What," she said, in a soft tone, her heart a little saddened, "does this mean you don't want me anymore?" Tears rolled down her eyes.
"No princess," Morgan walked over to her and picked her up.
Carrying her back to where he was sitting, he lifted her onto his lap. "You will always be our first princess. You are not going anyway, Layla. You are a Hemmingway," he explained.
"Daddy," she cried into his chest.
"Which, in fact, I wanted to ask. Those who could, can you make it tomorrow? We want to change her name and officially declare her a Hemmingway. This is why we agreed to the family gathering today."
"Mom and I will be there, son," Bradford confirmed. As did Marshall and Danielle, Lloyd and Meghan and Michelle and James. The others also agreed.
"See, Princess! you are a part of the family forever, and so dearly loved." Annabelle confirmed.
Layla's face started to shine again, and she wiped away all the leftover tears. "Forever," she whispered.
With that single word, the room filled with a renewed sense of unity, love, and excitement. Tomorrow would be a day to remember. The day Layla officially became a Hemmingway.
- Writer
