“I’ve gotten soft,” Isaac muttered. “Too used to Lori cooking for us.”
It was a school day, so the usual kitchen helpers were at school. Natalie and Babsie were looking after and teaching the younger kids. Isaac, therefore, was the only one left to arrange lunch. Sure, there were only ten people, including himself, to prepare lunch for, and he had done it many, many times before, but he hadn’t done it for years.
He tapped his fingers on his legs and headed for the pantry.
“Wow, Lori sure keeps the place neat. And organised,” he added, looking at all the labels on the shelves.
Isaac shook his head.
“Okay, Isaac, just decide what we’re going to cook for lunch here. Work out proportions later.”
Isaac was in this dilemma because Lori and Jack had gotten married a few days ago. They were taking a couple of weeks off to go on their honeymoon. Lori’s son, Jordan, had been left with the Hansons.
“This is something you’re going to have to deal with, Isaac,” he muttered to himself. “Another week an a half to go. And how did you manage to get out of cooking all those times Lori had days off anyway?”
He knew the answer to that question: Babsie and/or the kids. But today Isaac didn’t have any meetings or urgent deadlines to meet, and his wife had put her foot down.
The phone rang and Isaac snatched it up gratefully.
“Whoever you are, I love you,” he said.
“Well, thank you Ike,” a voice giggled on the other end.
“Psy?”
“Got it in one.”
“Hey, how’s it doing?”
“Oh pretty good. And you?”
“Not too bad. I’d be better once I can get lunch out of the way.”
“I see.”
“Yeah, you rang just as I was wracking my brain trying to think what the heck I’m gonna prepare for us.”
“So that’s why you love me. I stopped you from giving yourself a brain hemorrhage.”
“Something like that,” Isaac laughed. “So, what’s new with you?”
“Well, that’s actually why I’m calling. You know how a few months back I told you guys that I was pregnant?”
“Mmm.”
“Well, umm… Babsie’s going to feel really sorry for me. I feel really sorry for me. This is just… painful to even think about.”
“Did you lose the baby?” Isaac asked, completely concerned.
“No. Worse. I’m having quadruplets.”
Silence. Then Isaac started laughing.
“Hey, you’re not the one who has to deliver them!” Psy objected. “It’s not funny.”
“Your reaction is pretty funny,” Isaac chuckled. “I’m sure that after the labour it’ll be fine.”
“Oh you know provided I live through the labour,” she muttered. “Normal labour pains times by four, and then of course there’s the first few years of their lives. I’m never going to sleep again.”
“It’s not that bad. Believe me, I know.”
“Yeah, I seem to remember what you were like when Babsie went into a coma. You were practically a zombie looking after them.”
“Yeah, and I have more kids than you – are. About to have,” he amended. “You’re going to have plenty of people to help you. Jarod for a start.”
“Oh, Jarod…” Psy sighed. “He’s working so hard on this movie right now. I just… I don’t know.”
“Is something wrong?”
“No, no. Not between us anyway. But I do know he’s been having problems making this movie, and it might take longer than expected.”
“I see.”
They chatted a little while longer, and then Isaac passed the phone to Babsie. Having done this, Isaac looked in the kitchen, sighed, and started wracking his brain again.
“Quadruplets!” he heard Babsie yelp. “Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!”
Isaac grinned to himself.