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The kids spend the rest of the afternoon playing UNO together while I frost and decorate the remaining cookies.  I cleaned out my chest freezer a month ago, so I have plenty of room to store these treats for the next few weeks.  The kids and I will fill tins of goodies for our friends once we have all the different cookies, candies, and breads baked.  Today is just the beginning.  We still have so much more to do.

An hour into the UNO tournament, I place slices of peppermint fudge on a plate and carry it out to the living room.  “Anyone want to sample the result of your hard work?”

Several eager faces glance my way before many hands make an empty plate.  I laugh as I gaze down at it.  Then I look around at the smiling faces now surrounding me.  All six boys are chewing the product of their labors.

“What do you think?  Is it any good?” I ask.

“It’s delicious!” Lyric responds passionately.  He eyes the empty plate balancing on my hand still.  “Is there any more?”

I smile.  “For a connoisseur as delighted as you, I think I can find some more.”

Just then, I glance out the picture window.  I’m astounded to discover a foot of snow covering the ground.  And the snow just keeps coming.  My eyes travel back to the face of my daughter’s new boyfriend.  Then they make their way to the clock.  Three thirty-five.  Hmm.

I motion to my eldest son. 

“Kookie?  Would you come help me in the kitchen for a moment?”

He glances up at me with a quizzical expression on his face, but he follows me without comment. 

After we enter the kitchen, I whisper into his ear, “It looks like you may be sharing your room tonight.  How do you feel about having a friend sleep over?”

“Huh?”

“Lyric.  I don’t see how he’s going to make it home.  We’ve already got a foot of snow on the ground, and it doesn’t look like it’s going to stop any time soon.”

He quirks a dark eyebrow at me.  “You’re going to let Janna’s boyfriend stay the night?”

“You’re right.  I’ll have to lock you both in your bedroom.”

He chuckles.  “I think that’s a bit extreme.”

“Do you?  Have you seen your sister?  She’s pretty cute.  And that guy seems pretty crazy about her.”

He grins at me as he shakes his head.  “I’m pretty sure they haven’t even kissed yet.”

“What makes you so sure?” I ask suspiciously.

“I feel certain one of us would have overheard Nana and Emmie giggling about it if they had.  And I haven’t heard anything.  Have you?”

I shake my head.

“I’ll keep an eye on him, Mom.  But I really don’t think he’d try to pull anything with you in the house.”

“It’s clear what I’ll be doing tonight,” I murmur.

“What’s that?”

“Camping outside your door.  Clearly, I’m not going to get one wink of sleep,” I assure him.  But then I wink at him, completely ruining the effect of my blank face.

Kookie chuckles again.  “You really like having a house full of kids, don’t you?” he queries a moment later as he glances back into the living room at the laughing horde of children and teens assembled around our coffee table.  “You’ve always encouraged us to bring our friends here.  I can’t remember one day when you asked us to play at someone else’s house when we were younger.  And you’ve never encouraged us to hang out anywhere else in the last few years.  Not once.”

“I know.  I’m strange.  I actually like my kids.”  I reach out and tweak him on the nose.  Which is amusing now that he’s four inches taller than I am.  “I like your friends too.”  I grin at him.  “Almost as much as I like you.”

“I like you too, Mom,” he flashes those pearly whites at me once more.  Completely melting my heart.  But then I am forgotten in his search for more consumables.  He walks to the fridge, opens the door, and peeks inside.  “Were you telling Lyric something about more fudge?  Where is it?”

“Listen, bub.  If you guys want to eat much more, then you’re going to have to help me make another batch.  I need enough for our gift baskets.  At the rate you and Lyric are going, you’ll eat up all our hard work this weekend, and we’ll have to start all over next weekend.”

He just shrugs.  “Works for me.”  Then he turns to cast that darling grin at my feet again.  “You know I can’t resist your baked goods, Mom.  They’re just that good.”

“Ah, I think I recognize a flatterer when I hear one.  But you know what they say…”

“What’s that?”

“Flattery will get you everywhere.”  I glance out the kitchen window at the blizzard overtaking our yard.  “I guess we’ll have plenty of time this evening to make more fudge.  At the rate this snow is coming down, no one is leaving the premises today.”

“Perfect,” Kookie opines.

“What?” I ask him, confused.

“You’ll have a full house tonight, Mom.  Just what you always wanted.”

My eyebrows challenge the kitchen ceiling.  “You thought my lifelong dream was eight children?”

“Nope.  I think your lifelong dream is ten children.”

“Ten children?”  Those eyebrows are now assaulting the heavens.  “What on earth ever made you think I wanted ten children?” 

He shuts the refrigerator door and leans back against it while he gazes into the living room.  “Janna.  Lyric.”  He holds up his index finger and middle finger before adding his ring finger and pinky as he continues, “Me.  Emmie.”  His eyes spear mine.  “I’m not a dunce, Mom.  I know you’re hoping I’ll marry Emmie.”

I simply stare at him as he continues to list my children.

“Everett.  Some girl yet to be named.  Alastair.  Abner.  Possibly twin girls?  Do you have any candidates yet?”

Perplexed, I frown at him.  “What are you talking about?”  But, really, I think I know.

“You don’t just want us.  You’re already planning on lots of daughters-in-law and a son-in-law.  I know you.  When we’re all married, then you’ll have ten kids.  I’m sure you’re counting on lots of grandkids too.”  He smiles very sweetly at me now.  “I, for one, plan to make you very happy.”

“What do you mean?”

Now his eyes stray towards the living room again.  They come to rest on a certain honey-haired girl sporting a pair of glasses with purple frames. 

“I want several children too.”

“Do you now?”  My eyes fly from Emmie to Kookie’s face.  He’s still gazing at her.  I lean towards him.  “Got a wife in mind?” I tease him.

His eyes meet mine again.  A smile flirts with the corners of his mouth.  “Maybe.”

“Oh, maybe, is it?”

He shrugs.  “Well, I am only sixteen.”

“And you’ve known her nearly your whole life, Kookie,” I whisper.

“Well, maybe I’m a bit more sure than I let on,” he breathes.

Surprised, I exclaim, “Really?!”

He shrugs again.

“I mean, it wasn’t that long ago that you liked Melody.”

He grimaces.  “I just…I wasn’t…”  His eyes slide to the right again and come to rest on Emmie once more.

“Awake yet?” I supply.

He snorts.  “Yeah.  I wasn’t awake yet.”

“But you are now?”

His eyes find mine again.  “Yeah.  I’m definitely awake now.”

“Great,” I mumble.  “I guess I’ll be locking two doors tonight then.”

He laughs.  “Nah.  You can just camp out in the hallway.  No one will brave tripping over you to get to the object of their affection.  Although, if you don’t throw up any roadblocks, you might get those grandkids sooner than you think.”

“Kookie!” I smack him lightly on the shoulder with the flat of my hand.

He chuckles.  “You’re so easy to tease, Mom.”

I smile at him ruefully.  “I know.”  I glance out at the girl he loves.  “I know.”

“Mom?”

“Hmm?”

“You don’t have anything to worry about, you know.”

“What?” My eyes find his.

“I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one in this house who hasn’t experienced his first kiss yet.  I think you’ve got quite a bit of time before you need to concern yourself with chastity belts.”

I snort as my eyes careen into his.  I smack him again.  A teensy bit harder this time.  “Away with you!  I’ll bring some more fudge out in a minute.”

“That’s it.  Distract me and Lyric with sweets.”

“Distract you from what?” I ask dryly.

“I think you know what,” he answers playfully.

“Well, Kookie, if you really want to vacuum that badly, just go get the vacuum out,” I respond nonsensically.

His brow furrows.  “What?  What are you talking about?”

“I don’t know why you’d need me to distract you from vacuuming, but…”

“Mom.  I wasn’t talking about vacuuming.  And you know it.”

“Hey, there is nothing better than cleaning the house to distract you from certain other activities.”

“Really?”  He quirks an eyebrow at me in disbelief.

“Yeah.  There is absolutely nothing sexy about cleaning a toilet,” I respond dryly.

Jungkook snorts again.  Then he shakes his head.  “Maybe I should help you cut the fudge.  I’m really not sure you should be wielding a knife right now.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I think you’ve gone a little nuts today.”

“Mmm.  I’m pretty sure all my wits are still about me.”

“Well, put them to good use then.  I’m hungry!”

“Kookie…”

“What?”

“You’re always hungry.”

He unleashes his gorgeous grin on me.

“And, Kookie?”

“Hmm?”

“You’re going to need to get really good at cleaning toilets if you plan to become a father.”

“What?  Why?”

“Because the process of making babies often leads to the poor mother losing her lunch once the desired outcome is achieved.”

He grimaces.  “When you put it that way, maybe I’m content to stay a kid a while longer.”

“Good plan,” I respond.  “You have plenty of time to grow up and become a father.  As much as I want grandkids, I can wait a while longer.”

“Can you?” he teases me with that grin again.

“Yes, you little twerp.” I swat him with the kitchen towel, “I can.”

He shrugs.  “Okay.  But if you ever change your mind, just let me and Emmie know…”

“Jungkook!” I rebuke him more loudly as I chase him from the kitchen with my towel snapping.