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Setting EJ down, I look up and realize Edward has yet to move a muscle. I glance at<br />
him, then the direction of his room, and then back at him. "Aren't you going to go<br />
after her?"<br />
He huffs, and without saying a word, stomps off. When EJ looks up at me confused,<br />
I shrug.<br />
"I don't get it either, <strong>baby</strong>."<br />
-x- 20 -x-<br />
"Who's ready for the scavenger hunt?" My mom sings, and a sea of little hands fly in<br />
the air chanting, 'Me! Me!'.<br />
I smile at her. You would think with all her complexes about getting old, she wouldn't<br />
be involved with the kids very much, but quite the contrary. She's easily the coolest<br />
grandma on the block. Shit, <strong>my</strong> bad ... I mean 'Mama Esme'.<br />
Since EJ's birthday ends up falling on Easter Sunday this year, we planned to<br />
incorporate not <strong>just</strong> the egg hunt, but scavenger hunt to include birthday related<br />
themes and other things he likes. He doesn't understand a damn thing, I'm sure, but<br />
since everyone around him is having fun, he seems to be enjoying himself as well.<br />
And by everyone, I mean all our relatives and <strong>just</strong> about every child any of us have<br />
ever been in contact with. We take the birthdays very seriously in this family.<br />
I take the time to go inside and enjoy a few minutes of air conditioning while EJ is<br />
distracted. Sitting on one of the kitchen stools, I sigh and rest <strong>my</strong> head on the<br />
counter.<br />
"Hiding out?"<br />
I jump up at the voice. When I look up and see the person standing there—muscles,<br />
blond hair, blue eyes— <strong>my</strong> lips unwittingly curl up into a smile.<br />
"James, hey."<br />
-x- 21 -x-