As the month goes on

Rachel was beginning to think she'd outstayed her welcome at Ivy's. After all, she knew Dan would never trust her. And of course, the COVID cases emerged and made her stay home. Hopefully, they could get by with Jory's income. After all, she was pregnant and possibly going stir-crazy. She put her turkey sandwich together adding a little pesto. She was video chatting with Bom. At least, there was stay-at-home mom Bom who only went in part-time now.

"I think he's doing OK," Rachel said about Jory. "I don't know, sometimes."

"Well, guys get set in their ways," Bom gave her a shrug. "You can only do so much." She said her husband Brian was the quiet type. Always had been. She was happy that he helped with the kids. "That took forever to happen." She laughed now, but Rachel could see it wasn't always funny.

"Maybe you should let him cook more," Bom suggested.

"Oh, he's so tired," Rachel shook her head, no. "The holidays are never nice to a postman." This she knew. He'd worked so much over time. Then the snow hit and she really wanted him to stay home, but he wouldn't. The least she could do was to have some good homemade cookies waiting for him and of course hot lunches to keep him warm through the day. Driving that mail truck didn't exactly keep the cold out. 

A part of her wanted to keep working. She didn't want him to get hurt. Yes, she did want to make a home with him. She knew he deserved it.

Just then she got a ding from Amazon that a package had arrived. So she had to put her sandwich away and get on her slippers and trot down to the room of mailboxes. 

There she found the package along with a post office package that was addressed to Jory. It was from California with his last name.

It wasn't until now that Rachel realized there was the family who raised him. And they were sending him a gift. 

"But I don't want it," Jory couldn't help but be angry. He thought they wouldn't find him and they finally did.

"Well, I do. I want to know what's in it," Rachel was like a little kid when it came to anything in the mail, especially a package.

Jory sighed. He'd just soon see it in the trash, but it was too late. Rachel was already opening it. Of course, the gifts were meant for him. Expensive boots and a nice scarf, but there were gift cards too to use as money anywhere. In fact, there were over a thousand dollars at Rachel's fingertips.

"Give me that!" Jory ordered. 

"One for me and one for you." She smiled a bit sheepish. "I mean the baby. You have to remember the baby. We have to tell them about the baby."

"Why?" He was ever so solemn. 

"Because, everybody wants to be grandparents," Rachel said. "You can't keep it from them. Especially..especially, if they can help."

"Help?" He winced hard. "What do you mean?"

"Haven't you gone to the grocery store?" She squinted hard. Didn't he remember how enraged he was when he found out the tacos for two at Chipolte was over thirty bucks? He swore he'd never go back.

"We're doing OK." He was straight-lipped. At least she hadn't whined about not having enough clothes. She wore his shirts for the most part and jogging pants these days.

"These people love you," she said almost with a whimper. "Why can't you let them love us?"