Authors' note: This chapter is all Hannah/Frankie/Will. We hope you enjoy and ask that you please take a moment after reading to leave a review and let us know what you think!
Frankie spent that morning fighting off what she amounted to be a panic attack. They had agreed to let Mallory visit with Hannah and were meeting her in an hour at a nearby restaurant.
"Mummy?" Hannah called out from her bedroom. "Mummy, have you seen my purple jumper?"
"It's in the closet," Frankie replied.
Hannah appeared in the doorway. "I can't reach it. It's on the top!"
Frankie turned and looked blankly at her daughter. "What?"
"My jumper," Hannah replied. "It's on the top shelf. I can't reach it."
"Oh," Frankie replied. "I'll get it for you."
"Thanks," Hannah said gratefully. "Daddy's having trouble getting Izzie dressed. She keeps crawling away from him!"
Frankie managed a smile.
Hannah followed her into her room. "I'm glad that they're going to meet her too."
"Right," Frankie said, reaching for her daughter's jumper.
"Ha!" Izzie exclaimed as she crawled into Hannah's room. Hannah laughed and walked over to her sister. "Iz, you're fast!"
"HA!" Isabelle crowed happily.
"Where is she?" Will asked. "Where is the little exhibitionist?"
"She's in my room, Daddy!" Hannah called out.
Will came to the door shaking his head.
Hannah laughed at the expression on his face. "She just wanted to see me, Daddy."
"You are her favourite," Will said dryly.
Hannah grinned. "Izzie, you have to let Daddy get you dressed so we can go out. You can't go in your nappy."
"Ha," Isabelle laughed at her.
Hannah took her sister's hand. "Come on. I'll help you."
Hannah carefully tugged her sister to her feet and helped her walk out of the room.
Will looked over at his wife, who was hugging Hannah's jumper to her. "Frankie?"
"Hmm?" Frankie asked.
"How are you holding up?" Will asked her.
"I don't know," Frankie said. "I'm terrified right now."
Will put his arms around her. "It's just a meeting. That's all."
Frankie nodded.
"She's our daughter and nothing and no one can change that," Will said holding her tightly.
"Right," Frankie forced herself to think positively.
Hannah helped get Isabelle dressed and ready and it wasn't long before the Barrons set off for the restaurant.
"I want to push them in their stroller!" Hannah said excitedly.
Will smiled. "Okay, love."
Frankie laughed as Hannah stretched her arms to take the double wide stroller.
"Hold on, Izzie and Nathan!" Hannah announced in a dramatic voice. "You are about to go on the ride of your lives!"
"Just be careful, baby." Will said.
"I will," Hannah promised as her brother and sister laughed happily.
"They just love her," Frankie said, taking Will's hand.
"They do," Will said squeezing her hand.
"It's got to stay this way." Frankie said.
"It will," Will said to her as they followed behind. He decided to ask his wife something else to distract her. "So, Brian said that Darla was due any day now."
Frankie nodded. "That's what Maddie told me."
"I imagine she's ready," Will said thoughtfully.
"I know I was," Frankie said. "Scared as hell, but ready."
Will squeezed her hand. "And look at you now..."
Frankie grinned at him.
They arrived at the restaurant to find Mallory was already waiting. Frankie had never felt less like eating in her entire life.
"Hello," Mallory said standing up. "I know I'm early, but I was really excited."
Will held his hand out. "It's nice to see you again."
"You too," Mallory said shaking his hand. She looked at Frankie. "Hello."
"Hi," Frankie said.
Mallory turned her attention to the little girl standing beside Frankie. "Hi, Hannah. I'm your Aunt Mallory."
"Hi," Hannah said shyly.
"You look just like your mother," Mallory said kneeling down.
"That's what mummy and daddy say," Hannah said, still feeling shy.
"Shall we sit down?" Frankie suggested.
"I reserved us a table," Mallory said. "Just over here."
"Great," Will said pushing the stroller. Hannah looked up at Frankie uncertainly.
"Come on, baby," Frankie said, running her hand over Hannah's brown hair.
Hannah nodded. "You'll sit beside me?"
"The whole time," Frankie promised.
Hannah walked with her mother to the table. She noticed that there were photo albums on the table. "What are those?"
"I don't know," Frankie replied. "Probably something Mallory brought..."
Hannah sat down across from Mallory.
"Hannah, I brought these here so you could see some pictures of your mother when she was younger," Mallory told her.
"Oh," Hannah replied eagerly. "I'd like that!"
"Hannah's neighbours before she lived with us were nice enough to salvage some photos of Abbie before everything was repossessed," Will told Mallory. "Hannah keeps them in her bedside table."
Mallory smiled. "I'd love to see those."
"Perhaps sometime soon," Frankie said, noncommittally
Mallory opened up the photo album. "This is your mum when she was your age."
"I look just like her!" Hannah exclaimed.
Mallory grinned. "I told you so. You see that dress she's in there...that was her favourite dress."
"She was so pretty," Hannah said softly.
Mallory felt tears well up in her eyes. "Yes, she was."
"I'm sorry to make you cry," Hannah said anxiously.
Mallory reached across the table and patted Hannah on the arm. "It's okay, sweetheart. I'm just---I'm very happy to have found you."
Frankie bit her lower lip.
Hannah turned the page and smiled. "You had a garden!"
"Yes we did," Mallory nodded.
"Mummy and I had a nice garden," Hannah remembered. "We worked on it when Daddy wasn't home and we had flowers and vegetables."
"Sunflowers?" Mallory asked.
Hannah nodded.
"Those were your mum's favourite," Mallory said.
The waiter came over to the table and took their order.
"Can I get my own pizza here?" Hannah asked her father.
"They don't have pizza here," Will told her. "But you can have a cheeseburger or a club sandwich with chips."
"Oh," Hannah said. "Okay."
"I'm going to have the chicken Caesar salad," Frankie said to the waiter. "And a sparkling water."
"I'll have a cheeseburger with everything but pickles," Hannah placed her own order.
Mallory grinned. "Your mother hated pickles, too."
"I only eat them sometimes," Hannah admitted.
"She likes them when I make her a turkey and cheese sandwich," Will told Mallory. "But she only has them on the side, never in the sandwich."
"They taste yucky in there," Hannah made a face.
Mallory grinned and looked at the waiter. "I'll have the club sandwich."
"Very good," the waiter replied. "I'll have that for you soon."
"So," Hannah said. "What was my mummy like when she was little?"
"She liked to read," Mallory said. "All the time."
Hannah grinned. "She liked to read to me."
"I bet she did," Mallory said. "She'd read to me too."
"Did you have any pets?" Hannah asked.
"We used to have a dog," Mallory told her.
"Really?" Hannah asked.
"A beagle," Mallory nodded.
"I have a puppy," Hannah said, launching into a story about Belle. She didn't notice the worried look Frankie was shooting Will.
Will patted his wife's hand reassuringly.
"And now you're a big sister," Mallory said to Hannah.
Hannah nodded. "I love being a big sister so much."
"Nathan and Isabelle, right?" Mallory asked motioning to the two toddlers.
Hannah nodded.
"They love Hannah very much," Frankie said looking pointedly at Mallory. "Very, very much."
Mallory looked slightly taken aback. "I... I'm sure they do."
"They like it when I sing to them," Hannah told Mallory. "And Nathan likes to pull on my hair. Izzie crawls so fast, but she's getting really good at walking, too."
"Hannah's been teaching them," Will told Mallory.
"I can see how proud you are of her," Mallory said. "And you've done a great job raising her."
"Thank you," Will said.
"The social worker said that you took quite a shine to Hannah while she was in foster care," Mallory commented.
"We liked each other," Frankie recalled. "She opened up to me when she wouldn't talk to anyone else."
"That's great," Mallory said. "I'm glad that she had someone..."
"Where were you?" Hannah asked Mallory.
"I live in America," Mallory told her. "I've been looking for my sister for quite some time. Your dad...he kind of kept her away from me."
"I hate him," Hannah said vehemently.
"I do too," Mallory said. "But he's never going to hurt you again. I promise."
"I know," Hannah said. "Both Mummy and Daddy promised that too."
"We'd never let anything happen to Hannah," Frankie told Mallory.
"I know," Mallory said quickly.
Hannah grinned when she saw a photograph of her mother with Mallory. The two girls were sitting on Santa's lap.
"I remember that day," Mallory said. "I spilled on my sweater- my jumper, sorry, and she let me wear hers."
Hannah beamed at her. "That was nice!"
"That's how Abbie was," Mallory said softly.
"I hope I'm the same way with my little sister," Hannah said looking fondly at her baby sister who was starting to nod off.
"I'm sure you will be," Mallory reached over and squeezed Hannah's hand.
Hannah smiled and regaled Mallory with stories about Isabelle and Nathan. Their food arrived and Frankie picked up her knife to half Hannah's cheeseburger, but Mallory beat her to it. "This will make it easier for you to eat," Mallory said kindly.
"Thanks," Hannah smiled at her. Frankie pressed her lips together but said nothing.
"So how do you like your school?" Mallory asked.
"I love it," Hannah said.
"She's doing really well," Will said proudly.
"I got full marks on my last exam," Hannah said.
Mallory held out her hand and Hannah slapped her five. "That's my girl!" Mallory exclaimed proudly.
Frankie opened her mouth to say something when Will gave a tiny shake to his head.
Frankie picked up Nathan. "I'm going to go change him. I'll be right back..."
"He didn't smell like he had a bad nappy," Hannah said.
Frankie let out a hollow laugh as she grabbed her bag with her free hand. She took Nathan around the corner and pulled out her mobile. She dialled Allison's number. "Allie, I need you to just listen for a moment..."
"What?" Allison asked. "Frankie?"
"I'm at lunch with Abbie Wright's sister and Hannah," Frankie explained. "And this woman...she has some nerve! I know she lost her sister and I feel sorry for her, but I'm Hannah's mother!"
"What's she doing?" Allison asked.
Nathan squirmed in Frankie's arms. "She's cutting her sandwich and just making me feel completely obsolete!"
"I'm sure she doesn't mean it," Allison said reassuringly. "This is her first time meeting Hannah and I'm sure she's just as nervous as you are."
"Really?" Frankie asked uncertainly
"Of course," Allison said. "Just let her have this visit and she probably wont' bother you again."
"Okay," Frankie said. "Thanks, Allie."
"Good luck," Allison told her sister. "And I don't think you have anything to worry about. Hannah loves you."
"Thanks, Al," Frankie said gratefully. "I'll ring you afterwards."
"I'll talk to you later then," Allison said.
Frankie stuffed her phone back into her bag. She looked at her son. "We can do this, right?"
"Ma," Nathan said.
Frankie hugged him to her. "Let's go then."
"No dirty nappy," Frankie announced as they came back to the table. "False alarm."
Will took Nathan from his wife. "Hey, mate. Your twin here decided we were too boring to stay awake for. How are you doing?"
Nathan laughed. "Da!"
"Did I miss anything?" Frankie asked before taking a bite of her salad.
"We were just looking at more pictures," Hannah said, picking up her cheeseburger.
"I actually have some photos from Brighton in my bag," Frankie said. "You can show those to Mallory, Hannah."
Hannah brightened. "Cool!"
Frankie handed the envelope to Hannah.
"Mummy, can you and Mallory change places?" Hannah asked. "That way she can see better."
"Sure..." Frankie said after a slight pause.
Frankie picked up her plate and stood up. Will smiled reassuringly at her as she sat back down. Mallory smiled at Hannah.
"This is me and my best friend, Emma," Hannah told Mallory. "We were on the beach."
"What a lovely photo," Mallory said, her hand on Hannah's shoulder.
Hannah giggled. "And this is me, Nathan and Izzie at the beach house. Mummy and me made a tent and I slept with the babies down there. It was so much fun!"
"It looks like you had a fun time," Mallory said wistfully.
"We had a blast," Hannah said. "Ooooh...and this one is of Mummy and me. That's not real mud on my face. Mummy said it was a mud masque and it makes our skin nice and soft."
Frankie smiled at the memory. "We had fun that day."
Hannah giggled. "And Daddy ate the cucumbers you wanted to put on your eyes!"
Frankie laughed. "Yes he did. We had to go buy more."
"I didn't know that was what they were for," Will said defensively. "Who puts cucumbers on their eyes?"
"All girls do," Frankie, Hannah and Mallory said.
Will rolled his eyes. "Well, I can see I'm outnumbered."
Hannah grinned. "Just this time, Daddy."
Mallory laughed. "You know, my sister would be very happy that her daughter is being raised by two wonderful people."
Frankie felt herself relax at Mallory's words. "Thank you."
"Thank you," Will echoed.
"They're the bestest," Hannah said loyally.
Will mussed Hannah's hair. "And we didn't even have to pay her that much to say that."
"Not at all," Hannah giggled.
They finished the rest of their meal and decided to go to a nearby park. Will hung back with Mallory while Frankie and Hannah pushed the stroller together.
"Did you have a nice time, baby?" Frankie asked.
Hannah nodded. "She's really nice."
"Good," Frankie said.
Isabelle cooed happily. "Ha!"
"I'm right here Izzie," Hannah called. "I'm not going anywhere!"
Frankie nudged her daughter. "We should put a step on the front of the pram so they can see you."
Hannah giggled. "Or just hold a picture in front of them."
"All Hannah, all the time!" Frankie joked.
"That sounds like a show on the telly," Hannah replied.
Frankie grinned. "That's Nate and Izzie's favourite show, you know."
"Well I like to watch them too, even when they're sleeping," Hannah said.
"Me too," Frankie agreed. "And with you. Before I go to sleep, I check on all three of you and make sure that you're okay."
"Sometimes I'm still awake when you do," Hannah confessed.
"You are?" Frankie asked.
Hannah nodded. "Just a few times."
"I never knew," Frankie smiled at her.
"She seems very happy," Mallory said thoughtfully to Will.
Will nodded. "She's been through a lot."
"I keep wishing I'd pushed harder to help Abbie," Mallory said quietly.
"It wasn't your fault," Will reassured her. "You weren't to know."
"I knew he was horrible," Mallory replied.
"He took her away and cut off all communication," Will said. "I know you want to second guess yourself now, but what happened wasn't your fault. Your sister wouldn't blame you. I think---I think she would be happy that you'd found her daughter."
"I hope so," Mallory said, gazing at Hannah who broke away to run for the swings.
"We were really hesitant to allow this meeting, especially Frankie," Will told her.
"I know," Mallory replied. "I guess I'd be a little cautious too, if the situation were reversed."
"She's worried because she doesn't know what your true intentions are where Hannah's concerned," Will said.
"I just want to meet her, and get to know her," Mallory said. "She's my blood niece, and one of my only living family members."
Will smiled. "She likes you, you know."
"I hope so," Mallory said. "I really do."
"She does," Will said. "She's very shy around people she doesn't know very well, but she seemed to warm to you quickly."
Mallory smiled. "I'm sure she feels familiar since we're family."
"That's part of it," Will said as the two of them stood beside Frankie.
"She really loves to swing," Frankie said. "It's one of her favourite things to do when we come to the park."
"I can tell by the look on her face," Mallory grinned.
"You... you should go push her," Frankie said. "Hannah likes to go high."
"Are you sure?" Mallory asked.
Frankie nodded. "Go ahead."
Mallory eagerly walked toward Hannah.
Frankie sat down, turning the pram so she could keep an eye on her youngest.
"Alright?" Will asked her.
Frankie shrugged. "Yes and no."
Will sat down beside her and put his arm around her.
"I just don't know what it is she wants," Frankie said.
"She told me all she wanted was to get to know her niece," Will said.
"I hope that's it," Frankie said, still feeling uncertain.
"I think it is," Will said thoughtfully. "Where did you go, by the way? At the restaurant..."
"Just to talk to Allie for a few minutes," Frankie said.
Will grinned. "And did she help?"
"Yes," Frankie admitted.
"And did you see how happy Hannah was when she was telling Mallory about all the fun we had at the beach?" Will asked her.
Frankie nodded. "She likes her... and I'm glad. I just... there's something nagging at me."
"No one can take your place in Hannah's eyes," Will said softly.
"She changed so much for me, Will." Frankie said. "If I were to ever lose her--"
Will hugged her tightly. "She's not going anywhere."
Frankie sighed into his shoulder.
"I don't think we have anything to worry about," Will said. "And if it makes you feel any better, we can talk to Mrs. Roman and see if there would be any way something like this could happen."
"Okay," Frankie nodded.
"Ma-ma," Nathan called out.
Frankie turned and smiled at her son. "What are you up to, little guy?"
Will laughed. "I think he wants out."
"That can be arranged," Frankie leaned forward and lifted him up. "You are getting heavy!"
Nathan squealed. "Big!"
"That's right," Frankie said. "Big boy!"
Isabelle whined and held up her arms.
"Daddy's got you," Will lifted her up.
"Da," Isabella said putting her arms around his neck.
Will kissed her cheek. "How's my gorgeous girl?"
Isabelle gave him a toothy smile.
Will laughed. "You look just like your mum."
"Ah, she's much prettier than me," Frankie said with a grin.
"Likely she'll want to be just like you," Will teased.
"Oh heaven help us," Frankie laughed.
"Well I can already tell you she's not going to date," Will replied.
"With a face like that?" Frankie joked. "She's going to fight them off with a stick."
"I'll just enjoy her like this for now then," Will sat his daughter on his lap.
Izzie waved her hand in her sister's direction. "Ha! Ha!"
"Hi Izzie!" Hannah waved.
"Ha, Dad-dy," Izzie said turning to look at Will.
Will grinned. "Look who's a chatterbox!"
Frankie laughed. "She's a smart girl."
Isabelle seemed to know they were talking about her and kicked her little feet.
Hannah waved again as Mallory pushed her on the swing. "Nate, look at me!"
Nathan reached his little arms out towards his older sister.
Hannah got distracted as she waved and the next thing she knew, she'd fallen off the swing with a thud.
"OW!"
"Hannah!" Frankie cried out, setting Nathan into the pram and hurrying over.
Hannah let out a cry. "My arm!"
Mallory reached Hannah first. "Sweetheart I'm so sorry!"
"It h-hurts," Hannah said, her face red.
Frankie dropped to her knees. "Baby--"
"M-mummy, my arm hurts!" Hannah yelped.
"Let's get you to the hospital," Frankie said, too upset to think straight.
Frankie gingerly picked up her daughter. "It's going to be okay, Hannah. Mummy's here."
Hannah tried to hold back her tears. "It hurts really bad..."
Will had pushed the pram over to where they were standing. "Let me take her, Frankie."
Frankie nodded. Mallory stood by, feeling awkward and upset.
Will placed a kiss to his daughter's cheek. "It's going to be okay, love. I promise."
Hannah nodded and pressed her face into Will's shoulder.
They arrived at the hospital emergency room about ten minutes later. "May I help you?" a kindly receptionist asked.
"My daughter fell off the swing," Will said to her. "She's hurt her arm."
The receptionist pulled a sympathetic face. "I'll page a doctor right in."
Will nodded and sat down with Hannah. "You're being a brave girl, you know that?"
Hannah nodded. "I'm trying."
"I'm so sorry," Mallory said to Frankie while Frankie filled out the forms. "I was just pushing her..."
Frankie nodded, still too upset to really talk. She was a bit angry with Mallory as well.
Hannah looked at Will. "What if they have to do an operation?"
Will chuckled. "You won't have to have an operation, baby."
"Promise?" Hannah asked.
"I promise," Will smoothed back her hair as the receptionist brought over some forms.
"You'll need to fill these out, too," the nurse said handing the forms to Mallory. "I'm not---I'm not her mother," Mallory said hastily.
"I am," Frankie said, reaching for them.
"Oh," the receptionist said. "I'm sorry---"
Frankie turned without a word and began scrawling information down.
"How are you holding up, Hannah?" Mallory asked.
Hannah shook her head.
"I'm so sorry," Mallory apologised.
"It's okay," Hannah whispered.
"Mr. and Mrs. Barron?" a nurse asked. "The doctor will see Hannah now."
Frankie scratched the last bit of information and gave the papers back to the receptionist.
"I can stay with the babies," Mallory offered.
Frankie shook her head. "You've done enough."
"I'm sorry," Mallory apologised. "I didn't mean for that to happen--"
Will looked at her. "It's okay, Mallory. It was an accident."
Mallory nodded. "I should go... um... would you let me know how she is?"
"Of course," Will replied.
"Bye, Hannah," Mallory said quietly. "I'm sorry about your arm."
Hannah nodded. "Bye, Aunt Mallory."
It seemed to cheer the other woman up a bit when Hannah called her aunt. Frankie didn't say a word only ushered Hannah into the office.
The doctor was waiting for them. "Hello, Hannah. I'm Dr. Stewart."
"Hi," Hannah said, holding her arm.
"How old are you?" Dr. Stevens asked with a grin. "Twenty?"
Hannah smiled thinly. "Seven..."
"Seven?" Dr. Stewart asked shaking his head. "I never knew a seven year old to be so brave."
Frankie smiled. "She's my bravest girl."
The doctor examined Hannah's arm. "Sweetheart, can you move your arm for me?"
Hannah tried. "OW!"
"Did she land on it when she fell?" the doctor asked Frankie.
"Yes," Frankie replied. "Off a swing in the park."
"I'm thinking it's broken," the doctor said thoughtfully. "I want to run x-rays to be sure."
"Of course," Frankie said. "Anything you have to do."
Hannah looked at Will.
"It's okay, love," Will reassured her. "They're just going to take a picture of your arm."
"A picture?" Hannah asked.
Dr. Stewart nodded. "We have a special camera that can take a picture of your arm so we can see the bone."
"Wow..." Hannah seemed impressed.
"Pretty cool, eh?" Dr. Stewart asked.
Hannah nodded.
"I'll stay with the babies if you want to go with Hannah," Will said to Frankie.
"Thanks," Frankie said.
Nearly an hour later, the Barrons left the hospital. Hannah's arm was broken and she was sporting a purple cast.
"Mummy will Emma be able to sign it?" Hannah asked, enthralled with the cast.
Frankie smiled. "Of course."
"Cool!" Hannah said.
Frankie laughed. "And since you were such a big girl, your Daddy said he was going to make enchiladas for dinner!"
"Ooooh!" Hannah brightened. "That's my favourite meal! Next to pizza."
"With lots and lots of cheese," Will grinned at her.
Hannah hugged her father with her good arm.
"That's my girl," Will said.
Frankie pushed the pram ahead of them. "How does your arm feel right now, sweetheart?"
"It's okay," Hannah replied.
"You let me know when it hurts again," Frankie said.
"I will," Hannah promised. She looked up at her father. "Daddy, did you see my bone! It was so cool! I couldn't believe that's what my arm looks like under my skin!"
"I sure did, baby." Will replied as they arrived back home.
"I can't wait to tell Emma," Hannah said.
"Will," Frankie said. "Shouldn't we just get some of that potion that mends bones?"
Will grinned. "I think I have some of that in my office."
"But does that mean I have to take off my cast?" Hannah asked in dismay.
"No," Frankie said. "You can wear it for a few days, baby."
"Good," Hannah said.
"Come on," Frankie said. "Let's get you settled on the sofa."
"I'll ring Mallory to let her know how our patient did," Will said grinning at her.
Frankie shrugged
Frankie helped Hannah take off her shoes and then helped her daughter lie down on the sofa. She took the blanket and draped it over her daughter. "Nice and comfy?"
Hannah nodded. "Thanks Mummy."
"You know," Frankie said. "You were a lot braver than me today. I was so scared."
"You were?" Hannah asked
Frankie nodded. "You're my little girl and I never want anything to happen to you."
"I love you," Hannah said.
Tears welled up in Frankie's eyes and she leaned in and kissed her daughter on the forehead. "I love you, too, baby."
Hannah closed her eyes. The pain medication they'd given her made her feel sleepy.
"Sweet dreams," Frankie whispered.
Will was just picking up his mobile when Frankie came into the kitchen.
"How's our girl?" Will asked.
"Sleeping," Frankie replied.
"The doctor said the pain medicine would do that," Will said. "I was just going to ring Mallory."
Frankie snorted. "It's her fault this happened."
Will sighed. "Frankie, it was an accident."
"Whatever," Frankie muttered.
"You know I'm right," Will said. "Mallory wasn't at fault here, Frankie."
"I let her go off with Hannah, and our daughter gets hurt," Frankie said furiously.
"Frankie, if Chiaki had been the one pushing Hannah on the swing and this had happened, would you be reacting the same way?" Will asked.
"Maybe," Frankie countered.
Will just shook his head before punching Mallory's number into his mobile. "Mallory? Hi, it's Will Barron."
Frankie shook her head and turned away to get some plates out of the cupboard.
"She's fine," Frankie heard Will say. "They gave her some pain medication and she's resting now. But, she was really happy about the x-ray and getting a cast that all her friends could sign."
Frankie couldn't make out what Mallory was saying but her voice sounded relieved.
"Of course," Will said. "I'll tell her when she wakes up. You're welcome to call on her tomorrow."
Frankie shook her head but Will ignored her.
"You have a good night," Will said. "And don't worry."
Frankie glared at him as she pulled down a tray.
"She was really worried," Will said.
"I'm sure she was," Frankie said sarcastically.
Will didn't want to argue with his wife about this. He had a feeling he knew what her anger was stemming from. "I'm going to start dinner."
"Fine," Frankie replied.
"It's been a long, emotional day, Frankie," Will said moving to put his arms around her. "Hannah's fine."
"I just hate that she was hurt," Frankie said.
Will kissed the top of her head. "I do too, but she's okay now and it was an accident."
Frankie didn't respond. "I'm going to check on her."
"Okay," Will said.
Frankie peeked in first at Isabelle and Nathan, who were still kipping together in the pram. She then sat by Hannah for a few moments, who was breathing peacefully on the sofa.
Perhaps, she had overreacted. Mallory hadn't meant for Hannah to fall out of the swing. She'd seemed genuinely upset about the whole incident.
She brushed Hannah's hair off her forehead and sat for a few more minutes until heading back into the kitchen.
Will had turned the wireless on and was singing along softly to the song playing.
Frankie smiled as she watched her husband.
Will turned around. "Did you want to help?" he asked with a grin.
"I could," she said.
"You are the prettiest sous chef in the whole world," Will said nudging her.
Frankie laughed. "You're such a suck up."
"Yeah, yeah," Will said handing her a bowl.
"Those do smell delicious," Frankie said.
"Only the best for our brave girl," Will said.
"Absolutely," Frankie agreed.
"And what shall we feed the two little terrors?" Will asked.
"Probably some cereal," Frankie said. "We should start them on more solid food soon."
Will nodded and gave her a kiss.
Frankie closed her eyes and kept her lips pressed to his.
"This is a much better way to spend our time," Will said huskily.
"Yes it is," she said softly. "I think you need some Frankie Gai Pan later."
"Mmmm," Will murmured. "I haven't had that in a long time."
"It's been too long," Frankie said, kissing him again.
"Tonight after the kids are in bed," Will said. "We'll see what we can do about that."
Frankie grinned. "I can't wait."
Will gave her another kiss. "Now, quit distracting me."
"Yes sir," Frankie saluted.