As Jeremy's delighted giggles bubbled...
Illustration
As Jeremy's delighted giggles bubbled from the front room, Janet stepped quietly to the kitchen door to see what had initiated his expression of joy. It always paid to check. The last time she'd heard him laugh like that was when he was trying to feed the goldfish to the cat! The scene that met Janet's inquiring gaze caused laughter to rise in her, too. She caught it just before it bubbled out, just before it would have spoiled the surprise. Her mother, Jeremy's grandmother, had obviously arrived early for the dinner Janet had been preparing. Seeing Jeremy playing in the front room, Liza had quietly let herself in. Jeremy's giggles must have come as his grandmother scooped him up in a hug. Now the two of them were creeping on tiptoe toward the kitchen, each motioning the other to be quieter, neither of them quite able to contain their delight as they anticipated surprising Janet. Turning back to her cooking, Janet felt a deep contentment steal over her as she recalled similar games she and her grandmother had played with Liza a generation ago. The memory was almost like being held once again in her grandmother's loving embrace. -- Fannin
