200 Easter2

All the way home from church Crystal tells Brayden what to expect . 

"So did find your basket yet?" Brayden looks at her puzzled 

"Why do I need to find it ? It's always beside my bed when I wake up." He tells her not sure why she asked. Crystal looks at her hands not sure if she wants to talk anymore. Remi notices and explains to Brayden. 

"We have a tradition that the Easter bunny hides the basket and you have to look for it. Crystal didn't even try to find hers this morning since she was excited to go to church. Maybe you can help her look?" Brayden looks at Crystal's sad face and elbows her. 

"Hey don't pout,the Easter bunny doesn't hide my basket because we move around to much and I might not find it. I will help you find yours if you like." Crystal smiles brightly at Brayden and nods vigorously. 

"My Bray I just want you to have the best time with us. We will get small baskets of chocolate at Home. Every child gets one. My mommy makes the bunnies for them. We will also get a basket to find hidden eggs. Inside each egg is either a toy,candy or money. Whoever finds the golden egg gets a special prize. I hope I can find it this year. Aisling always tries to give the winner something she knows they like. Last year she gave an old gold coin. " Brayden giggles as his face lights up. 

"I just have one wish and that is that my Mom and I could stay here with your family always. I love it here and I love Marshal most." Crystal looks at him thoughtfully and tells him. 

"We love you too your my best friend. You know I think Marshal likes your Mom. Maybe we can get Uncle John to pray that they will get joined. Then maybe you can have a little sister or brother like me." Yona looks at Remi and she shakes her head no. Yona decides to tease Crystal a little. 

"So your mom has a kid I don't know about?" Crystal laughs and tells him. 

"No silly I'm talking about yours and Mommy's baby the one that will be here for Christmas. " Yona gives Remina shocked look. 

"Now Crystal we don't know if we will have a baby by Christmas. You know we are having four new babies before then are you thinking of them?" Crystal thinks a minute and shakes her head no . 

"it's going to be our baby it will come after we put the tree up." She turns to look outside as if to say this conversation is over. 

They arrive at The house and the yard already looks like a parking lot filled with so many cars. Brayden starts to fidget and Yona asks him what's wrong.

"I'm just worried that I might say or do something wrong I don't like it when a lot of people are around." Crystal takes him by the hand and tells him. 

"It's ok just stay by me no one here will hurt you because we are all family . " Crystal here's a whistle and her face lights up as she runs into Randy's arms.

"Oma did you bring me a present from California?" She asks the elder woman. "

randy's mom grins and hands her a small box. Inside is a small shell necklace with a pearl. Crystal gets so excited she squeals and races to show Brayden. Remi gives Rand's mom a hug and introduces her to Yona. 

"Oma this is Yona my husband." Oma begins to tear up as she hugs Remi. It's the first time she has heard her speak in years. Oma looks at Yona and gives him a hug. 

"Thank you for getting our little angel to talk. I had forgotten how beautiful she sounds." He hugs the elder back and they head inside to see what is needed to be done. 

Thomas gathers the kids around him. Wow he thinks to himself I never realized how many kids are in the family. He starts to divide them up in ages and tells them where to go. 

" Ok the infants are finding eggs in the front lawn. The three to five year olds are in the orchard. The six to ten year olds are in the wooded area and the lake . The older kids are the barn woods and gardens. There are four money eggs one in each area and one over sized golden egg . There are six hundred eggs total. So remember it's not how many you find but who gets the golden egg. So make sure that you play fair and give everyone a chance. So grab your baskets we have fifty baskets so we should have enough. " he blows his whistle to start the hunt. The helpers go with the smaller kids to help them find eggs. Thomas goes between each group to ensure that everyone is having fun. Charlie watches her son and her heart warms. It's hard to believe the change in him over the last few months. He has grown up and seems so much happier than before. Remi watches Thomas go over to Crystal, she holds her breath thinking he is going to be mean to her. Instead he kneels and ties her shoe and gives her a hug. He whispers in her ear and she takes off running to find an egg. Yona watches the Mom and Daughter as they watch Thomas. He decides it's time to make emend a with his mother in law. 

"Charlie , happy Easter I hope you liked the present I brought you from Chicago?" She smiles at him and pats his hand. 

" I did thank you for thinking of me. I need to ask for forgiveness for before. I was mean to Remi and so was Thomas . I was wrong to treat my child that way. I hope you can forgive me for some of the things I said and did?" 

Yona looks at her and tells her honestly.

"It wasn't something for me to forgive but for Remi . Since she has forgiven you then I have to. I understand how you must have felt. You see when my Dad died we lost our mother as well. She retreated into her own little world and doesn't even recognize us. So the person who raised us was Inola. You were mean to her but you still was here for her to make amends. We won't ever have that with our mother. I think Remi is lucky because you were still here. We don't get to choose when we die or who we may fall in love with but she has wonderful memories of her father and you. " Charlie looks at him and wonders if he will help Thomas . 

"Would you be willing to help Thomas he has decided he wants to go to law school. " Yona grins at her and tells her. 

"Now that I can do with know problems. I still have all my study notes and papers . This summer why don't I take him to Tennessee and he can have a vacation and look through my things." Charlie agreed that would be wonderful. 

Aisling is walking around watching her family. She is content at how many came to celebrate today and how well everyone is getting along. All of the elders are sitting watching the kids hunt eggs while the next generation is doing the cooking. This is how life is supposed to be. Oma comes over to walk with her. 

"Aisling dear can you tell me about Salali?"Randy wanted us to come get to know her. She seems to be a good woman. "Aisling looks at Oma and links her arm through hers. 

"Salali is my sister in law and I have had a strong connection with her since we met. She is as she presents herself, she has put her brothers first for most of her life and now she wants to put Randy first. She is a good cook and keeps a strict house. He will be taken good care of. She loves him and I'm happy to say he loves her. I think they should get married quickly so that they can give you that grand child you have wanted so much. You won't have to worry about a place for them to live Remi owns the building where Randy apartment is so even if he can't pay rent he will still have a place to live. " 

Oma pats Aisling's hand 

"That is good to know, I have a good first impression of her and if you look over there it seems my husband already has taken a liking to her." Aisling looks in the direction Oma is pointing to. Salali and Apa have teamed up to play corn hole against the reigning champs Uncle John and Aunt HeJin . The two ladies go to watch the fun as Randy cheers Salali on.