She’s nervous about my mammy arriving. I should never have told her Mammy could make this house shine because now she’s worried Mammy will judge how she keeps it.
“Aye, she will judge you, lass, for about five minutes, and then we’ll tell her you’re pregnant, and all will be forgiven, I assure you.”
Andie keeps straightening the curtains until I physically restrain her, wrapping my arms around her and hugging her to my chest, dipping my head, and kissing her thoroughly.
It seems to calm her until Seamus’s car pulls up at the curb, and he emerges, helping Mammy out.
She glares up at the house, striding ahead of Seamus as he collects her suitcase. She’s inside the front door without even knocking. That’s something that I will have to talk to her about. She doesn’t live here anymore. She might be staying with us for a week until her new house is ready, but after that, she has to knock, just like everyone else. This is Andie’s home now.
“So, this is the lass then?” she asks, cocking an eyebrow.
Andie flushes under her scrutiny. Mammy’s eyes drop to the ring, taking it in as she sniffs and marches into the living room.
“Where is my piano?” she screeches. We all hurry in after her.
“There was an incident. We had to replace a lot of things.”
“I can see that!” Mammy sounds shocked. “All the lovely furniture is gone.”
Andie is getting smaller and smaller beside me, especially when Mammy rounds on her.
“This is all your taste then?” Jesus fuck, Mammy sounds accusing.
“Andie and I picked the furniture together.”
Mammy harrumphs, eyeing Andie again. “Ye’ll have the wedding all planned then?”
I wrap my arm around Andie’s shoulder. “Actually, we’re already married.”
Mammy’s eyes cut to our hands, narrowing as they take in the wedding bands.
“It was a small ceremony. Us, Paddy, Seamus, and the priest.”
Mammy swells up like a bullfrog. “Ye couldn’t even wait for yer own mother?”
She sounds hurt now, and I shrug at her. Andie seems petrified into permanent silence. I think she might be a little overwhelmed.
I did warn her that my mammy was a lot to take in.
“It’s a good thing I started packing as soon as ye called and said ye were going to ask the lass to marry you.” Mammy rounds on me as Andie starts with surprise beneath my hands. “Otherwise, I might have missed ye having a wean as well. And when might that happen?”
She is glaring at us. I hug Andie tighter to my side as I smirk.
“Five months or so.”
Suddenly, she’s lighting up like a Christmas tree, all hostility gone.
“No wonder ye rushed the wedding!” she crows, rushing over and grabbing my face, pulling me down to kiss my cheek, turning to Andie and folding her into a tight hug.
“Ye’ll be wanting to decorate a nursery. That den up on the third floor will be the perfect place.”
And she’s off, dragging Andie away from me and into the kitchen. I follow, watching Mammy sit Andie at the table, making a pot of tea and fussing over my pregnant wife.
Seamus swallows his laughter, coming up beside me and slapping me on the back.
“I’ll take her to see Tiggy and Cillian in a bit. That’ll give Andie a break for a few hours.”
“Thanks,” I mutter gratefully, but he’s grinning because the prick isenjoyingthis.