Phoebe hadn’t been so exhausted in her entire life. The baby had been up all night, and Joel had been called in to help an elderly woman near Phoebe’s cousin Nikki’s bookstore when she thought she saw a prowler. She had no clue how her mother had managed eight children. Especially the twins.
One child was absolutely exhausting her.
Phoebe told her daughter that, marveling again at how absolutely beautiful her baby was. She had Joel’s smile. Wicked and mischievous. Aria lifted her foot to her mouth and tried to chew on the tiny boot.
“That won’t taste very good,” Phoebe warned Aria as she carried her inside her father’s house as quickly as she could. Pete had a big project due in his co-op speech class. She was there to help him. Glenna had taken over the house chores, but Phoebe was still responsible for seeing that her brothers were homeschooled properly.
It was a massive undertaking, but one she had been doing for years. She had everything planned out by grade now.
She just…really needed a nap somehow.
Glenna was in the kitchen, taking a large pan of what looked to be meatballs out of the oven. She smiled when Phoebe walked in. “Good morning.”
“You’re hard at work.” And looked super-energic. Phoebe fought the envy.
“Yes. For the first time since we got here, all three girls slept in their own beds. I’ve forgotten what that’s like.” Glenna studied her for a moment. “You look exhausted.”
“I am.” Far more than she was ready to admit aloud.
Glenna sat the pan on the stove and pulled off the oven mitts. “Let me help you with her.”
“Thank you. She’s teething, and we were up all night.”
“I remember those days. I remember crying to Robin how I just couldn’t do it any longer. I had a bit of postpartum after Evangeline. Lasted about three months. Then she started teething at five months. I don’t really think I’ve slept a full night since—until last night. There are still some biscuits and gravy left. Have you eaten?”
Phoebe just shook her head. “I couldn’t. I had a bit of an upset stomach, and I was so tired I didn’t have time…”
Glenna patted her on the shoulder. “Sit, I’ll get you something to eat. The kids are cleaning up their rooms now, and getting their school books. You have a few minutes.”
They had figured out a routine for the homeschooling that was working well. Glenna gave her girls their instructions and got them started on whatever they needed to do—she was project-oriented, Phoebe had noticed. And that worked well for the oldest, with the middle girl participating as much as she was able, as she was still a bit too young for full homeschool yet. Glenna worked on the basics with the youngest girl when she could throughout the day. Singing songs and playing counting games, that kind of thing.
That left the other side of the dining room table for Parker and Patton and Pete, with Phoebe. It was a similar routine she’d worked out with Pip years ago, when Pip would take the younger two boys and Phoebe would work with Pete. School was more of a struggle for Pete than Patton or Parker. She had had to devote a great deal of time to him at first.
It was working out well with Glenna. She wasn’t overstepping, but she wasn’t timid about doing her job either.
She just sort of…blended in. Like she had always been there.
It was strange to see another woman in her mother’s place in the kitchen though.
It had been different when it had been Pan doing the cooking and the cleaning. Or one of the twins.
But now…it was Glenna and her girls running around everywhere.
Phoebe still didn’t know how that made her feel.