Isabella, this is Sarah, the sweeter half of the McMillans.”
“Hello,” Isabella said as she changed her daughter. “But isn’t your name Randall? I thought Russ said—”
“I was adopted at birth and that’s my adopted parents’ name. I haven’t changed it.”
“You might as well,” Sarah said with a smile. “Everyone calls us Randalls,” she added for Isabella’s benefit.
“As soon as Russ gets the bottle ready, we’ll be able to talk. Angel is rather single-minded at this stage,” Isabella said with a smile.
“May I hold her?” Sarah asked, sitting on the sofa beside Isabella while Russ went into the kitchen to fix the baby’s bottle. “We’re expecting a baby in early summer and we’re so excited.”
Isabella transferred her tiny daughter to Sarah’s arms. “I do apologize for her behavior.”
“This will take care of it,” Russ assured them as he presented the bottle to Sarah. “Put this in her mouth to give us some relief.”
“Me? I can feed her?” Sarah asked. “I have fed the twins, of course. It takes two to handle feeding at my sister’s.”
“I can’t imagine taking care of twins,” Isabella said with a shudder. “It shouldn’t be so hard to handle one baby, but it’s the fact that there’s no letup. Every four hours, no matter what, she demands your attention.”
They all laughed as Sarah gave Angel her bottle. Angel immediately began to suck. “Well, she’s certainly enthusiastic. You don’t have to worry about her appetite.”
“No,” Isabella agreed.
Russ moved toward the kitchen again. “I’ll get dinner ready so we can eat after Angel finishes,” he said, excusing himself.
Nick followed him to the kitchen. “Maybe I can help.”
“Sure.” In about two minutes they’d transferred the food from the oven to the table. “We still have cake for dessert,” Russ added.
“Terrific. Uh, listen, I have something to tell Isabella that…well, I’m afraid it may upset her.”
“What is it?” Russ asked.
“I can’t tell you. You’re not my client.”
“Nick?” Sarah called. “Come look at her. Isn’t she beautiful?”
Nick left Russ in the kitchen and went out to admire the baby.
Russ followed. “She gets her curls from her mother,” he said.
Sarah looked at Isabella. “Your hair is naturally curly, too?”
“I’m afraid so.”
“Oh, you’re lucky. My hair doesn’t do anything!”
“And I love it straight,” Nick said with a grin. “It’s just like you—perfect.”
Sarah rolled her eyes and laughed.
“Is Angel through eating?” Russ asked. “I’ve got dinner on the table.”
“Yes, of course. I’ll just put her down in the bedroom,” Isabella said, standing and reaching for the baby. Sarah gave her up reluctantly. She turned to Russ. “She is so sweet. The boys are fun, too, but not as sweet as a little girl.”
“Hmm, sounds to me like a little prejudice,” Nick protested.
Russ ignored the teasing. “When are you going to tell her?”
“What?” Sarah asked, confused.
“I’ll wait until after we eat. I don’t want to spoil her meal.” Nick quickly explained to Sarah what he was talking about.
“I knew there was something wrong. You become very noncommittal when there’s something wrong,” Sarah said.
“With good reason,” Nick muttered as Isabella came back into the room.
They moved to the table and settled down with chicken spaghetti and steamed broccoli for their meal, along with garlic bread.
“This is delicious,” Isabella said. “I would love to have the recipe.”
“It’s B.J.’s, but I’m sure she’ll share it,” Sarah said.
“Who is B.J.?”
Russ grinned. “Another family member. She married Jake, the oldest Randall. She’s Toby, Caroline and Josh’s mother.”
“And a very good vet,” Nick added.
“And she takes time to make meals like this?” Isabella asked. “She must move nonstop.”
“Nah. Caroline’s in medical school in Chicago, Josh is away at
“Hello,” Isabella said as she changed her daughter. “But isn’t your name Randall? I thought Russ said—”
“I was adopted at birth and that’s my adopted parents’ name. I haven’t changed it.”
“You might as well,” Sarah said with a smile. “Everyone calls us Randalls,” she added for Isabella’s benefit.
“As soon as Russ gets the bottle ready, we’ll be able to talk. Angel is rather single-minded at this stage,” Isabella said with a smile.
“May I hold her?” Sarah asked, sitting on the sofa beside Isabella while Russ went into the kitchen to fix the baby’s bottle. “We’re expecting a baby in early summer and we’re so excited.”
Isabella transferred her tiny daughter to Sarah’s arms. “I do apologize for her behavior.”
“This will take care of it,” Russ assured them as he presented the bottle to Sarah. “Put this in her mouth to give us some relief.”
“Me? I can feed her?” Sarah asked. “I have fed the twins, of course. It takes two to handle feeding at my sister’s.”
“I can’t imagine taking care of twins,” Isabella said with a shudder. “It shouldn’t be so hard to handle one baby, but it’s the fact that there’s no letup. Every four hours, no matter what, she demands your attention.”
They all laughed as Sarah gave Angel her bottle. Angel immediately began to suck. “Well, she’s certainly enthusiastic. You don’t have to worry about her appetite.”
“No,” Isabella agreed.
Russ moved toward the kitchen again. “I’ll get dinner ready so we can eat after Angel finishes,” he said, excusing himself.
Nick followed him to the kitchen. “Maybe I can help.”
“Sure.” In about two minutes they’d transferred the food from the oven to the table. “We still have cake for dessert,” Russ added.
“Terrific. Uh, listen, I have something to tell Isabella that…well, I’m afraid it may upset her.”
“What is it?” Russ asked.
“I can’t tell you. You’re not my client.”
“Nick?” Sarah called. “Come look at her. Isn’t she beautiful?”
Nick left Russ in the kitchen and went out to admire the baby.
Russ followed. “She gets her curls from her mother,” he said.
Sarah looked at Isabella. “Your hair is naturally curly, too?”
“I’m afraid so.”
“Oh, you’re lucky. My hair doesn’t do anything!”
“And I love it straight,” Nick said with a grin. “It’s just like you—perfect.”
Sarah rolled her eyes and laughed.
“Is Angel through eating?” Russ asked. “I’ve got dinner on the table.”
“Yes, of course. I’ll just put her down in the bedroom,” Isabella said, standing and reaching for the baby. Sarah gave her up reluctantly. She turned to Russ. “She is so sweet. The boys are fun, too, but not as sweet as a little girl.”
“Hmm, sounds to me like a little prejudice,” Nick protested.
Russ ignored the teasing. “When are you going to tell her?”
“What?” Sarah asked, confused.
“I’ll wait until after we eat. I don’t want to spoil her meal.” Nick quickly explained to Sarah what he was talking about.
“I knew there was something wrong. You become very noncommittal when there’s something wrong,” Sarah said.
“With good reason,” Nick muttered as Isabella came back into the room.
They moved to the table and settled down with chicken spaghetti and steamed broccoli for their meal, along with garlic bread.
“This is delicious,” Isabella said. “I would love to have the recipe.”
“It’s B.J.’s, but I’m sure she’ll share it,” Sarah said.
“Who is B.J.?”
Russ grinned. “Another family member. She married Jake, the oldest Randall. She’s Toby, Caroline and Josh’s mother.”
“And a very good vet,” Nick added.
“And she takes time to make meals like this?” Isabella asked. “She must move nonstop.”
“Nah. Caroline’s in medical school in Chicago, Josh is away at
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