@jocievix’s birthday!!
He hadn’t been able to be here for Christmas three days ago—an Iris Message had been sent, but that wasn’t the same—and wasn’t supposed to be on this side of the country for another week. At least, that’s what he had told his parents. What they didn’t know is that on the evening of Christmas, he and Julie (who was now waiting downstairs with the baby) had left New Rome and boarded a train to Maryland. They had only just arrived. The three of them were tired and slightly cranky for different reasons (Julie from being seven months pregnant again, Sawyer from being eight months old, and Emmett from staying up most of the way to take care of them both), but today was special. Today was his baby sister’s tenth birthday. For any child, ten was big. So there he stood at her closed bedroom door, ready to surprise her. She would probably still be asleep. He rubbed at his headache, then raised a hand to the door. The knock was a perfect reproduction of the one their dad used, and he warped his voice into a nearly flawless imitation to call to her. ❛Joce!❜
Today was a big day for Jocie. It was her tenth birthday! It was a really big deal for her, and her parents. Of course, her mother would always tear up and say, "my little princess is growing up!" Her dad would always have to calm her mom down. But it was always a really sad day for her. She was so upset her big brother, Emmett, couldn't make it! And Julie and Sawyer couldn't make it, either! Jocie remembers crying over it when her parents gave her the news. They were stuck in California. Jocie jumped slightly when she heard the knock on her door. From the knocking pattern, it was her dad. Then she heard is voice calling her name. "Coming, dad!" She called back. She got up and walked across the room, and opened the door. Her dad wasn't behind it. It was Emmett! Jocie nearly knocked him to the ground when she hugged him. "Emmett! I can't believe you're here!"
