into the holidays

"Oh, I think its just amazing!" Betty would say it with glee about the new news of Charlie's pregnancy while Betty was holding her newborn grand-baby. Britt was still taking time off from work, but of course that meant someone else could keep not only the infant but Theo, too. Britt was out Christmas shopping with Carson's mother. They needed some me time, evidently.

She thought it was nice that Charlie and her daughter Lily came over with Christmas cookies to visit Doris(Lily's grandmother who lived with Betty).

Charlie smiled, but looked at Ed who was drinking coffee at the kitchen table.

"Oh, that's just Ed." Betty told her he was Ollie's dad. Although, Ollie was nowhere in sight. It was hard to say what he was up too, but he was never far.

Of course, Ed didn't say much, other than a nod. Betty wanted to smack him, sometimes and tell him to sit up straight, but she knew it wouldn't do any good.

Charlie was taking Doris out to a coffee and tea festival, so Doris and Lily were wearing matching outfits. Charlie didn't look as festive in her jeans and flannel.

"Are you sure? You, even want to go?" Betty thought she should sit down and take it easy.

"Its all right." Charlie nodded. They would be on their way.

Lily was hoping Brick would be around so she could show off her holiday dress, but he was home with his mom.

"He's probably doing some puzzle with her." She'd given them a 500 piece puzzle at Thanksgiving. Betty held in a laugh, thinking how miserable Tiffany looked when she saw the box with the pink Popsicle on it. Betty told her then she thought the baby would be a girl. Tiffany gave her a scowl.

Who would have thunk she'd be part of the big picture with this population explosion going on in her family.

After they left, suddenly, Betty was overwhelmed with tears. She remembered Carmen. She would have been  twenty-seven this year.

"What's the matter?" Ed asked.

"Oh, its all right." But the tears came, and he reached for a tissue to bring her. "She would have made the best mother." She was certain of it. Carmen always took the babysitting course ever summer at the library. She made good money babysitting. "Just thinking about one of my girls." Betty told him she was smart. "I miss her." She shook her head. "I wish I thought about her more, but I know she would want me to go on with things, instead of sitting around, crying."

She sniffed the tears and hugged the sleeping baby close. Ed went to check on Theo who had found the train set in the livingroom. They were in a slow process of getting the Christmas tree up.

She got up with the baby and went to see what was up, because Ed didn't come back to the kitchen. He started putting pieces of the artificial tree together. Earlier, he'd fretted and made his son Ollie mad. He'd stomped off to put on his Converses and went out with his friend Kramer.

Finally, Ed seemed at peace and of course, Theo wanted to help.