Three Cheers

As soon as we arrived, Thora came rushing at us; "Tell me! Tell me! Tell me!"

Gerard picked her up, "Not yet."

"How come?" She pouted.

"Because it's a surprise." I told her.

"Where's your sister?" Gerard carried her in with me behind.

Thora yawned, "Outside."

Fran came from the kitchen with Anthony on her hip, "Spill the news."

I cocked a brow at her, "We're not telling anyone."

She whined, "Aw! Why not?"

"Because we don't want to." I teased. "Did you talk to Busy?"

Fran hummed, leading us to the living room, "I sure did. You're welcome."

Gerard looked at her with skepticism, "What'd you say?"

"You'll see." Fran smiled. "Biz, come here."

Busy took a moment to come in from outside; she had a bit of dirt on her knees, and she had her hair up; "You're here already?"

Her baby tooth was missing and I frowned slightly, "Your tooth is gone, B?"

She touched her mouth, "Uncle Frankie pulled it out."

Fran gasped, "Frank! I told you not to do that!"

Frank came in front outside, holding Busy's baby tooth in his open palm, "She let me!"

Busy looked at me guiltily and I just smiled. Frank handed the tooth to me, "It's a big one."

I looked at it. "I think I want to put it in a jar and keep it."

"No!" Thora exclaimed, "The tooth fairy is gonna come and give B monies!"

Busy grinned, the little gap on her bottom row was too cute. "I want money."

Gerard chuckled, "I'll give you $5 for it."

"No!" Thora again shouted at Gerard, "It's for the tooth fairy!"

"It's Busy's tooth, she can do whatever she wants with it." I told her.

Busy held out her hand, "I want to give it to the tooth fairy."

I handed it to her, "Fair enough, baby. Make sure you keep it safe."

Busy put it in her sweatshirt pocket with zippers. She looked at Frank, "I told her not to do it."

Frank threw his hands up, "Hey, I asked and you said yes!"

Busy huffed, placing her hands on hips, "'Cuz you asked a million times!"

We all laughed, and Fran went over and put her arm around Frank, "Stop being so persistent."

"It was waving at me." He defended his actions.

Busy huffed again and came over to me, "Am I in trouble?"

"No," Gerard said, "Frank is."

Frank scoffed, "I'm not your kid."

I shook my head, "Okay, okay, no fighting. We should get home and let Thora take a nap before she gets cranky."

"Wait a minute," Fran said, "You've got to tell me what you're having first."

"It's a surprise." I sang to her.

"Oh, please?"

"Nope, sorry. You'll know soon."

"That is so messed up." Frank added with a laugh.

"Don't worry, you'll know soon enough."

She huffed, "I better know soon. I don't like waiting."

I hugged her and kissed Anthony's forehead, causing him to giggle.
"We'll see you. Bye cutie pie."

Gerard, Thora and Busy all said goodbye, and then we went home; the entire ride, Thora kept pestering us about wanting to what sex the baby was. Gerard and I wanted to tell them, but we kept it to ourselves for a moment, relishing in the thought of it being a secret. Thora finally relented and made up her own mind; "It's a baby!" She announced, "And I'm not tellin' what it is, see how you like it!"

Gerard laughed as he set her on the couch, "It's nice to have a secret, Thora."

She pouted, "Don't you hate it?"

Gerard just smiled, "No."

She and Gerard continued to argue about secrets while I went to check on Busy, who slipped away to her room. I found her putting her tooth under her pillow; "How much do you think I'm gonna get?" She asked when she saw me.

"I don't know, how much do you think?" I sat beside her on her bed.

"Um..." She hummed and thought dramatically; I smiled. "Um, $100!"

"You think a tiny fairy can carry $100?" I laughed as she nodded vigorously. "How about you aim lower, Biz?"

"Okay," she giggled, "Daddy said $5."

I thought animatedly like she had, "I think the tooth fairy has $5."

She smiled and then she looked up at me, "How come she collects teeth?"

"I dunno...I think she likes teeth."

"Did you want my tooth, mommy?" She wondered.

I shrugged, "I'm not the tooth fairy."

She looked excited, "You can put on a necklace!"

I raised a brow, "You want me to? What about the tooth fairy?"

Busy shrugged, "I want you to have it so I can see it all the time."

"Maybe you should write her a note and tell her."

"I will."

I smiled as she reached under pillow and handed me her tooth. I looked it over and then placed it in my pocket; "I'll take care of it, B."

Busy nodded and sat up, "Can you tell me what the baby is?"

I gave her a little funny look, "Are you still going to be mad at me?"

"I'm not mad at you." She smiled guilelessly at me.

"Huh? How come you've been ignoring me and daddy?"

She tweaked her lips, "Cuz I don't want another baby."

"Why not?"

"Because I like it being me and Thora."

"Well," I licked over my lips, "You'll eventually love the baby, ya'know, and they'll love you, too."

Busy nodded to my words, "Auntie Fran told me that."

"What else did she say?"

"She said that when the baby is born I won't be lonely when no one is around...like if Thora busy with daddy or somethin'."

"And what do you think?"

"I don't know. She said I should be lucky, 'cuz she and uncle Frankie didn't have brothers or sisters." Busy hummed, "Are you gonna have lots of babies?"

I laughed, "I don't think so, Biz. I already have lots of babies."

She smiled at me, the little gap was almost comedic. "Good."

"So, we're square, Busy B?" She tilted her head, confused. "We okay?"

She nodded, "Yes."

I wrapped my arm around her and kissed her cheek, "Then, I can tell you our secret."

She grinned now, "What is it?"

I leaned into her ear and told her.