Chapter 4
Jo Polniaczeck-Bonner was starting to think that the drive was never going to end. She adored her kids, and knew that the drive had only been two hours; but even half an hour in the car with them was an eternity. Joey wouldn’t stop bugging Rikki, who was trying very hard to write in the journal. At the exact moment that Jo thought she’d lose it, she saw the promised land Mrs. Garrett’s house, a place with a big yard where everybody could do their own thing without crowding anybody else.
Jo: Okay, kids. We’re at grandma’s.
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At 7:30, Edna once again heard the doorbell. Natalie and Tootie both saw how eager she was to open the door, and it warmed their hearts. Edna definitely was not expecting what happened when she opened the door. She opened the door and the next thing she knew, she had two children in her arms yelling, “Grandma, Grandma!” She had instantly recognized them as Rikki and Joey, Jo and Rick’s kids so she just held them. Edna suddenly looked up, and there leaning against the doorframe was Jo.
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Jo had never seen anything more beautiful than her children in the arms of the woman that she considered her surrogate mother.
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The moment that passed between Mrs. Garrett and Jo left both Natalie and Tootie speechless. At first neither Mrs. Garrett nor Jo moved, and then in a perfectly synchronized movement they walked into each other’s arms and just held in an embrace.
Edna: Come and sit down Jo.
Natalie and Tootie hug Jo.
Jo: Hi, guys.
Natalie and Tootie: Hey, Jo.
Edna: Jo, we’ve established a routine; it’s called update Mrs. Garrett on her grandchildren.
Jo: Will do. Guys come here. Well, Mrs. Garrett this here as you know is Erica Rose Polniaczeck-Bonner. She is now nine years old and loves to write, and I mean that this kid can spend hours in a corner writing in her journal.
Rikki: Grandma, I spent the whole drive writing on my story. Do you want to read it when I’m finished?
Edna: Of course, I do sweetie.
Natalie: Hi, Rikki.
Rikki: Hi, Aunt Nat. Is Samantha here?
Tootie: Rikki, Samantha is upstairs with Nathan, and my two. Why don’t you go up there Samantha can introduce you to Jessica and Dennis.
Rikki hugs Tootie and goes upstairs.
Joey: Wait for me!
Jo: Freeze. Come back here, you can go upstairs in a second.
Joey comes back.
Jo: This here is Joseph Charles Polniaczeck-Bonner. He is eight years old and loves to play baseball. He recently pitched a no hitter; he’s great at it.
Joey: Hi, everybody.
Natalie and Tootie: Hi, Joey.
Joey: Okay, Mom. Now can I go upstairs with the rest?
Jo: Yes, sir you may.
Edna: Jo, they’ve gotten so big.
Jo: I know, I can’t believe it myself. The only thing I know is that they can be quite a handful.
Natalie: Jo, where’s Rick?
Jo: He’s outside, I saw the other men out there and decided that, that was probably the perfect place to leave him. This way we can catch up all of the children under eighteen are upstairs, and all of the ones over eighteen are outside.
Tootie: I’m just so glad that Bruce got us all together.
This statement quiets the room, everyone gets very pensive. Jo starts to say something very softly.
Jo: We aren’t all together.
Edna: I wish Blair were here.
Natalie: I miss her.
Tootie: So do I.
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[This message has been edited by Panda Bear (edited 08-08-2001).]
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