That Fall Feeling

                                    

                                          

" Mm this smells so good Momma..." Emma inhaled deeply, eyes falling shut as the rich scent of the chili filled her sense with warmth and delighted anticipation of the meal she and her Mother were cooking together " the jalapeno and cheddar cornbread muffins I made are going to be so bomb with that."

Celine let out a tiny chuckle at the girl's term as she continued stirring the thick, spicy soup full of delicious seasoning and perfectly cooked veggies and beef.

" I think you're right...it'll be 'bomb' for sure." She exaggerated the word, pleased to receive a laugh and playful eye roll from her daughter " I love that we get to do this together."

" Me too." The 35 year old beamed before jumping a bit as the timer on the oven went off " oh I think they're done!" She all but squealed in excitement grabbing two oven mitts before opening the oven door to pull out the tray of golden brown cornbread muffins.

" Now those smells delicious, oh my God." Celine groaned in appreciation as the young woman brought the muffins over to pop out of the tray and onto serving platter, arranging them to look as beautiful as they smelled " you're such a little creative in every way." She mused with a grin watching her girl.

" I get it from my Momma." Emma winked causing the woman's chest to warm with love as she turned off the stove.

" Okay this is all done too and I have toppings over here if you'd like some..." Celine  pointed at 3 small, white bowls full of sliced green onion, cheese and sour cream.

" Perfect." Emma beamed turning to grab two bowls from a nearby cabinet, handing one to Celine before going to ladle a generous portion of chili in her bowl then topping it with each topping before grabbing a spoon to dip into the soup, blowing lightly before taking a bite and humming with pleasure " Oh my God, Mom, you really out did yourself this is spectacular."

" Thank you baby." Celine blushed shyly at the compliment as she fixed her own bowl of chili and grabbed a muffin that she dipped into the hot liquid before taking a bite  " Emma these are wonderful, great job sweetheart."

" Thanks Momma." Emma smiled warmly as she carried her bowl over to the kitchen table, picking up a muffin on the way, once her food was securely set down she went to pour herself and Celine a cup of sweet tea " ice or no ice?"

" No ice." Celine answered, quirking an eyebrow when Emma chuckled a bit with a shake of her head " and what is so funny?"

" You and your no ice ways always crack me up." The young woman laughed softly before bringing the two glasses over for herself and her mother " you're a little weird you know that?" She teased playfully, receiving a swat on her arm from the older woman.

" I'll have you know that iced drinks are bad for my voice so if you want to keep your inheritance secure you better learn to like my 'weird' ways." Celine shot back with a smirk and grin, laughing when Emma held up both hands in surrender before giggling herself " So I feel like this is very American fall of us, yes?" She asked looking over their dinner.

" Yes it is actually." Emma nodded " all about the soups and cornbread!" She smiled before growing curious " what did you eat growing up in Canada?"

" A lot of soups as well...." Celine answered after chewing and swallowing a bit of chili " one of my favorites my Maman made was Chicken stew with dumplings..." A nostalgic smile played at the woman's lips as she was taken back to Canada in her mind in the modest home surrounded by her brother's and sister's " we didn't have much so soup was always a go to because it stretched well which is important for a 16 person household..." Celine laughed softly " Maman always handmade every bit of the meal – roasting and shredding the chicken, homemade dumplings to go on top and even her own chicken stock from the chicken bones....it was always delicious, the kind of food that makes you want to lick the bottom of your bowl."

" That sounds so yummy." Emma warmly replied " I wish I could've met your Mom, it seems like she was incredible."

" Oh you would've loved her....she would've loved YOU." Celine smiled softly reaching out to lightly touch her daughters arm " She helped me so much when I lost you, I was a complete wreck – I could barely feed myself much less be any type of partner to your Papa or mother to RC..." She confessed feeling a bit guilty, looking a way a moment " the grief was...insufferable...but my mother, your grand mere....she took care of me and my home and family till I was able to get back on my feet again and she was always a source of strength and hope for me, I'm so grateful I had her so many years....I still miss her so very much." The mother's eyes misted a bit at the memory and love she held for the woman who had given birth to her.

" Now I know where you get your strength and incredible ability to love from..." Emma quietly responded after a moment, eyes empathetic as they took in how still after so many years Celine still missed her mother – Emma understood that pain having lost Rosalie the year before – she couldn't even allow herself to think of the day she would lose Celine, it was something she refused to even entertain for a minute in her brain " I'm so glad she was there for you when I couldn't be." Emma reached out to place her hand over her mother's " though I think my heart was always somehow with yours as silly as it sounds." She laughed a bit shaking her head as she retracted her hand.

" It doesn't sound silly, you were always alive in my heart too sweetheart...I thought of you every single day, especially on your birthday...your Papa never scheduled anything on that day for me, I just couldn't function." Celine disclosed vulnerably " and once he passed I still did the same....till last year when I celebrated you even though I didn't know it was you." The woman's voice broke just a bit but a smile played at her lips " I'm so happy we are back together."

" Me too." Emma answered sincerely " so I'm thinking that after we finish our food we can carve pumpkins if you want? I bought us all the things we need and little tea candles to sit inside so they light up." The blondes childlike excitement both amused and melted the older woman's heart.

" Is this what you were like as a little girl? Always 'doing' and delighted to be doing it?" Celine looked her over with a lifted brow and smile pulling at her lips.

" Oh absolutely." Emma laughed pulling out her phone " and actually I can show you, hold on..."

Celine looked at her a bit confused, straining to see what was on her phone but the girl moved so fast through the files she couldn't keep up till she turned the phone to face her,  a video pulled up and on pause.

" Before my mom passed away she had all of our old home movies put on dvd and digital so we could have them...this one definitely shows me as that hyper, excited kid." Emma grinned " just push play."

Celine took the phone in her hands, softly pressing the pad of her finger to the arrow button and suddenly there was an old home movie of Disney World in the early 2000's – the castle in full view as someone, who she assumed to be Rosalie, narrated where they were.

" Mommy look at me! Look at my dress and ears!" An angelic, tiny voice demanded and then suddenly the camera angel shifted down and there she was – a 6 year old Emma, bright blue eyes shining and one tooth missing – a pair of Minnie ears atop her head and a white dress with a Minnie pattern all over it that she spun in letting out the most beautiful, melodic laughter Celine had ever her " come on Mommy! We are going to go to the castle to see Cinderella and then ride the train and dumbo and Aladdin and ....and then meet mickey and minnie!!!" The little girl squealed with exactment causing both of her parents who were behind the camera to laugh in utter adoration as the moved quickly to keep up with her, only stopping when the girl did for moment " I love you Mommy and Daddy.." Her little voice was tender and sweet, face glowing with love for her mother and father "thank you for my Disney birthday! Now lets go!"

With that the video cut off and Celine was left speechless, emotions filling her chest and eyes. She couldn't help but rewind the video and watch it all over again.

" Oh you're so beautiful..." She laughed softly, one hand covering her mouth as tears fell down her cheeks " just perfect....my little baby girl." Celine gushed watching the video till the end before meeting Emma's eyes that were blurred as well " thank you for sharing this with me it means absolutely everything....I wish I could just scoop that little girl up."

" I do too." Emma whispered before standing up from her chair to walk a few steps to wrap her arms around Celine who reciprocated the motion immediately, the two simply basking in each other's presence and wishing it had always been this way " you are so special and I'm so glad you're my Momma." Emma smiled as she pressed a kiss to the top of Celine's head before moving to sit back down.

" You are the sweetest little girl you know that?" Celine smiled broadly " and I'm so glad you're my daughter." She winked.

The two enjoyed the rest of their meal before clearing the table, covering it in a plastic cloth then gathering the tools Emma had brought and the pumpkins to begin their little project. It was a time full of joy – both of them struggling to cut the pumpkins and then squirming and squealing as they dug out the guts of the vegetables – laughter filling the large home like music.

" I mean I think we did a pretty damn good job." Emma complimented herself and her mother as they stood outside of the front porch that had a carved pumpkin Jack-o-lantern on each side of the doorway glowing with the lit tea candles.

" I think so too, we are pretty good team you know that?" Celine looked over at her with a grin, wrapping an arm around her waist.

" Yeah we really are..." Emma smiled as she leaned into her mother's embrace " you know my Mom Rosalie and I used to do this every single year, even her last year with me...it was always so fun...." The young woman swallowed thickly " I really miss her so much."

" I know you do." Celine turned to press a comforting kiss to the girl's temple " we never stop missing the people we love and who loved us so well, that's completely normal." She encouraged.

" It doesn't bother you that I bring her up does it?" Emma looked up at the woman who stood about two inches taller than her " I don't ever mean to hurt you with missing her."

" Sweet girl..." Celine sighed, eyes softening as she turned to fully look into her daughter's eyes, a hand coming up to cup her face " it never, ever bothers me...I am so grateful that despite our mix up at your birth that you were raised in a house of love so deep that it makes the missing so hard...it lets me know that my baby was safe and cared for...I am so thankful for Rosalie despite never knowing her and it is completely normal for you to miss her, she is your mother as much as I am." Celine swallowed thickly " and I would never take that from you okay? I promise."

" Thank you." Emma whispered before stepping forward to wrap her arms tightly around the older blonde who cradled her close " I'm so grateful for you."

Celine's chin rested atop the blonde's hair, a bittersweet smile pulling at her lips and mixed emotions at her heart as she rocked the young woman back and forth in her arms, shifting from foot to foot.

It was such a sweet emotion of feeling like this missing piece of her heart had been put back into place and to then have that piece be so open, so adoring and so grateful for her was...overwhelming goodness. But then there was the reality that they'd been together less than 2 years but had lost over 3 decades, that coupled with the young girl's grief of losing both parents that raised her pained the mother of her birth – even more that Rene was gone too so she couldn't even provide a full family for her to be restored too.

It was pain and it was joy, all at once, all the time.

" I think maybe baking some pumpkin bread would heal my heart..." Emma's voice spoke up, a glint in her eyes and smirk pulling at her lips.

" Oh is that so?" Celine chuckled shaking her head " I think you're taking advantage of Maman's emotions..." She raised a brow laughing fully when Emma shrugged playfully " let's do it, it will do my heart and taste buds well too." The mother winked before grabbing Emma's hand in her own and walking back inside the house.

The two began to gather ingredients before beginning their baking, chit chatting and enjoying each other's company – soon making fresh cups of coffee to enjoy with the sweet bread baking in the oven.

Just as the oven timer went off both Nelson and Eddy came through the back door.

" Oh my God it smells so freakin good in here!" Nelson groaned walking into the kitchen, his mouth pulling into a bright smile as he saw Emma " hey sissy." He swept his older but much more petite sister up into his arms causing her to give a little squeal and laugh as he spun her around before sitting her back down " you and Mom starting a bakery in here?!"

" Maybe we are....Dion's Delights has a ring to it yes?" Emma teased causing Nelson and Celine who listened in as she pulled the bread from the oven to laugh " I see you two showed up just as there was food to eat huh?" Emma raised a brow with a smirk.

" Yep, we are pretty awesome like that." Nelson grinned.

" If there's food count us in." Eddy shot with a chuckle as he stepped forward to kiss Emma's cheek " you good sis?"

" Yep all good, just been keeping Mom entertained today." She cast a smile over at the older woman before focusing back on her brothers " what have you two been up to?"

" Honestly just studying for my BAR exam and Eddy has been getting ready for his finals while trying to keep going to the gym and staying hydrated and eating....it's a lot to balance." Nelson laughed a bit, rubbing his tired eyes.

" Well I'm very proud of both of you....you will be a fantastic lawyer..." She met Nelson's eyes before looking to Eddy " and you will be a hell of a marine biologist."

" Thanks sis." They both said in unison with big smiles.

" Heard your new single...it's amazing." Nelson complimented the young woman " it's all over tik tok too, going viral and topping the charts, just like mom."

" We're both cheering you on and so is RC, he called us today and we were hyping you up." Eddy beamed.

" You three are the best brother's thank you." Emma blushed happily at the compliments and support.

Celine couldn't help but feel overcome with gratitude as she watched her daughter's and twins interact so lovingly with so much support and pride in one another. It was a scene she never thought she'd see outside of her dreams but here it was before her eyes in real life. It was a wonder.

" Are we having a party in here?!" RC's voice came through the back door followed by little feet running across the floor towards Emma.

" Auntie!!" A little boys voice yelled as RC's son, Jeremiah all but leapt into Emma's arms " I missed you so much!"


" Hi my baby love!" Emma cooed pulling the 5 year old up into her arms and covering his face in kisses " you missed me in the whole 24 hours we were apart?!" She giggled happily.

" Mhm." He nodded, nestling into her hold " Meme what are you making? It smells good in here!" He called out causing everyone to laugh, all of the Angelil men were foodies, just like their father and grandfather.

" Sweet pumpkin bread, would you like some?" Celine smiled warmly at her grandson, loving the bond he shared with her daughter.

" Yes please!" The little boy politely quipped.

" I'll take some too Ma....me too....me three!" The brothers all chimed in causing both women to laugh and roll their eyes playfully before Emma sat Jeremiah down to help Celine – gathering plates for the slices of bread and slathering on a layer of butter that melted on the steaming desert then beginning to brew each of the adults a cup of fresh coffee and pouring a cold glass of milk for the little boy.

Soon the whole family was settle together out on the back porch, the sons all in chairs while Emma and Celine, with the little boy between them, sat under a light blanket on the sliding swing. Laughter filled the air as they enjoyed their food and one another's company.

Celine's heart was full and warm as she took in the scene, eyes closing a minute as she could almost feel Rene's hands behind her on her shoulders and his lips pressing a kiss to her cheek whispering " look how good we did" at the sight of their family so close and all together. Even though he was gone he was always near in the eyes of her children and the family their love had created.

Fall was a time of thanksgiving and gratitude and on that Autumn evening she had to admit she was so thankful and more grateful than she could ever say.

She had sown so many tears over her husbands loss and her daughter's seeming death but now it seems those tears were only irrigating her hopes and dreams because here on the back porch sat her harvest, in abundance.

What a wonder.

What a gift.

Exceedingly, abundantly – above and beyond.