Authors' note: Enjoy the latest chapter! Catching up with the Barrons...
Frankie and Maddie were enjoying a rare afternoon together while their children played together on the floor. Kiera had gotten all sorts of toys from her recent birthday and Christmas and was happy to share with Nathan and Isabelle.
"Isabelle looks so much like you," Maddie said to Frankie.
Frankie grinned. "She's got Will's eyes."
"Mummy," Nathan said looking up. "Where Han?"
"Hannah's at school," Frankie told her son. "We'll go pick her up in a little while."
"Speaking of Hannah," Maddie said in a quieter tone. "What's going on with Mallory?"
"I haven't heard from her in awhile," Frankie said. "I'm not sure what she's up to."
"Is she writing to Hannah?" Maddie asked.
"She was, but it's been two weeks since we've seen anything in the post," Frankie told her.
Maddie smiled. "So you have nothing to worry about."
"I hope not," Frankie said. "It almost worries me when I DON'T know what she's up to."
Maddie looked at her friend. "You're hiding something."
"I'm not," Frankie replied. "Really."
Maddie folded her arms. "David Wright."
"She compared me to him, you know," Frankie said distastefully.
Maddie knew about that, of course. But, she had also seen a vision of her best friend visiting David Wright in the jail.
Frankie sighed. "It was just one time, Maddie."
"I just don't like the idea of you being anywhere near that man," Maddie said.
"I promised Will I'd never go back," Frankie said. "And he's useless anyway."
"I'm glad to hear it," Maddie said. "You just need to concentrate on what's important. Your family---Will, Nathan, Isabelle and Hannah."
Frankie nodded. "How long does Gwyn usually kip for?"
"She'll probably be up soon," Maddie said looking at her watch. "She's been down since lunch."
"Mummy," Isabelle said. "Can I have a biscuit?"
"Sure," Frankie replied.
"I've got some in the kitchen," Maddie stood up.
"It's okay Mads," Frankie replied. "We brought some with us."
Maddie made a goofy face at Isabelle. "You've been holding out on me, Izzie?"
Isabelle giggled. "Yes."
"She was afraid you'd eat them all," Frankie teased reaching for her bag.
"Is that so?" Maddie reached for her.
Isabelle nodded.
"Well I promise not to eat them all," Maddie nuzzled her. "I'll save you one..."
"Just one?" Isabelle frowned.
"Or two," Maddie teased.
Kiera giggled and looked up at Frankie. "One?"
Maddie laughed. "You my love, just get one."
Kiera clapped her hands together and grinned at her mother.
Frankie reached into the bag and brought out a bag of biscuits. "All right," she said.
"Chocolate chip," Maddie said dreamily.
"My favourite," Isabelle reached for them eagerly.
At that moment, the baby monitor came to life with the sound of Gwyn's cries.
"That's my cue," Maddie said, setting Isabelle on the sofa.
"Ba-by," Kiera said.
"You are so smart," Frankie said affectionately, giving all the kids a biscuit.
"Tanks," Nathan said eagerly.
"You're welcome, my love." Frankie gazed at her children.
"Save for Han," Isabelle said to Frankie.
"Hannah's got some at home," Frankie said to her daughter.
"Oh," Isabelle said thoughtfully.
"More for you, sweetheart," Frankie said.
Isabelle and Nathan looked at each other and grinned.
"Ummy," Kiera nibbled on a chocolate chip.
Maddie carried Gwyn into the sitting room and Frankie's face lit up at the sight of the baby.
"Let me see her!" Frankie held her arms out.
Maddie giggled. "She's a little fussy, Frankie."
"She won't be for me," Frankie eagerly took the infant into her arms.
Gwyn blinked her eyes open and stared up at Frankie.
"Hi," Frankie whispered.
Gwyn gave her a toothless smile in response.
"You little heartbreaker," Frankie said, running her finger over the infant's cheek.
"She is," Maddie agreed. "The other day we were in the shops and she and Kiera were just charming everyone."
"I can see that," Frankie bounced Gwyn gently in her arms.
"Ba-by," Kiera said toddling over to Frankie.
"Do you want to see your sister?" Frankie held the infant lower.
Kiera nodded.
"There we go," Frankie made Gwyn wave her tiny hand at Kiera.
Kiera giggled and Maddie couldn't help the smile that spread across her face. A lot of her friends had warned her that Kiera might be a little jealous of the attention that was going to shift to Gwyn, but so far, that had not happened.
"Here," Isabelle held out a biscuit to Maddie.
"Thank you," Maddie said smiling at her.
At that moment, the fireplace whooshed to life and startled all of them. Nathan almost flew into Frankie's arms as Ethan stepped out, coughing.
Gwyn face scrunched up and she started to cry in earnest.
Maddie set the biscuit aside and took her daughter into her arms. "Its okay love, it's just Daddy."
"Sorry," Ethan said dusting himself off.
"Hi!" Kiera said happily, trying to propel herself to her father.
Ethan scooped her up into his arms and hugged her tightly. "How's my girl today?"
Kiera giggled. "Daddy!"
Maddie patted Gwyn's back in comforting fashion and the baby's cries subsided. "Daddy didn't mean to spook us, Gwyn."
"I'm sorry," Ethan apologised again.
"It's okay," Maddie reassured him. "You're home early."
"We finished up," Ethan replied. "Hi Frankie... hey you two!"
"Hi," Frankie said smiling at him. "You have soot in your hair."
"I'm surprised you could see it," Ethan said, running his hand through his inky hair.
"Like everything else about me, my sight is perfect," Frankie said winking at Maddie.
"Oh brother," Ethan rolled his eyes playfully.
Frankie laughed. "Shut it, you."
"Shut it," Nathan repeated.
The smile on Frankie's face fell. "Oh no..."
Ethan laughed. "Nice job, Frankie."
"Shut it," Nathan repeated.
"No baby," Frankie said. "We don't talk like that."
Isabelle giggled. "Shut it, you!"
"Both of you," Frankie said. "That's not nice."
"I guess we've found something that isn't perfect," Ethan teased.
Frankie cast him a glare. "This is your fault you know."
"Me?" Ethan asked. "I wasn't the one who said it."
Maddie continued to comfort Gwyn. "Isabelle doesn't want to talk like that," she said to the little girl. "She's a big girl, and big girls talk nicely."
Isabelle nodded in agreement.
"No more," Isabelle said to Nathan.
Nathan nodded. "No more."
Frankie sat back. "Will would kill me if they were spouting off rubbish."
Maddie sat down with Gwyn. "Don't worry. They'll move on to something else quickly."
"Here," Kiera said, pointing to her stuffed bear.
"What?" Frankie asked looking at the little girl.
"There," Kiera pointed to her bear.
"You want your bear?" Frankie asked her.
Kiera pointed to her.
"You want me to have your bear?" Frankie asked.
Kiera nodded.
"Oh, sweetheart," Frankie said smiling at her. "That's so sweet, Kiera."
Kiera giggled and buried her face in Ethan's shoulder.
Ethan hugged her tightly. He loved spending time with his daughters.
Gwyn finally calmed down and Maddie took her seat on the sofa. "There we go," she said soothingly.
"How's Will?" Ethan asked Frankie.
"He's been really busy lately," Frankie replied. "They've started a whole new round of textbooks for the new school year."
Ethan nodded. "We'll see what Katie and Ashley think about them, eh."
"Have you heard from the girls?" Frankie asked.
"They write when they can, but they're both busy with school," Ethan said.
"At Christmas, Katie was talking about being in Slytherin," Frankie recalled. "She seems to love it."
"Not all Slytherins are bad," Maddie said. "And Katie has a good heart."
"She is a good kid, for the most part," Ethan nodded. "She's just got that Malfoy streak in her... and I don't mean that in a bad way. It just shows up more in her than it does in Ash."
"There's more Potter in her," Frankie said. "It kind of balances things out."
"Thankfully," Ethan sat down next to his wife. He still held Kiera in his arms.
"I still can't believe my Aunt Ginny showed up at Christmas like that," Maddie said.
"Allie was telling me about it," Frankie shook her head as Ethan finally set Kiera down. The little blonde half walked, half crawled across the room to the stack of toys in the corner.
"It was quite the show," Ethan said. "Poor Nick having to grow up with those two."
"Amazing to think he grew up like he did," Frankie agreed.
"He's great," Maddie said.
"Let me see her," Ethan said, reaching for Gwyn. "I was gone before she was up this morning."
Maddie gingerly handed the baby to him.
"Hey little girl," Ethan made a goofy face at his daughter.
Gwyn cooed happily at her father.
"Sure now she's happy," Maddie said with a grin. "She's been fussy all day for me."
"She's a daddy's girl," Ethan said.
"We should even things out with a little boy," Maddie said with a grin as Nathan dumped out a box of blocks.
Frankie looked at her friend. "You are trying for a Quidditch team, aren't you?"
Maddie laughed. "That is a good idea."
Frankie shook her head. "Maddie the Mum."
"I love being a mum," Maddie said happily. "It's one of the best feelings in the world."
"I know," Frankie agreed looking over at Nathan and Isabelle. The twins and Kiera were playing with a set of blocks.
"Blue one," Nathan told Kiera. "That one."
Kiera picked up the blue one and held it out to him.
"Good," Isabelle patted her arm.
Kiera beamed at her.
"Red now," Nathan said.
Kiera looked at the blocks on the floor. She reached for the one beside Isabelle's foot.
"That's yel-low." Nathan shook his head.
Kiera frowned. "Oh."
"Red," Isabelle picked up the block. "This."
"Good," Nathan took it from his sister.
Kiera picked up a green block and tried to give it to Nathan.
"They work well together," Maddie said to Ethan.
"It's nice that we all have big families," Frankie commented. "The kids all pretty much have someone else their age to play with."
Maddie nodded. "Kind of like we were."
"Frankie always had an eye for the boys," Ethan teased. "Even when we were kids."
Frankie swatted at him. "No, I didn't."
"Sure you did," Ethan replied.
"And you always did like to annoy people," Frankie retorted.
"Me?" Ethan asked innocently.
"You," Frankie replied. "Little man."
"Come on you two," Maddie said. "Don't bicker. The kids might think you're married instead."
Frankie scrunched up her nose. "Eww. Good point."
"Being married to me isn't so bad," Ethan replied, looking at his wife.
Maddie smiled. "No, it's not."
Gwyn cooed as Ethan leaned over and gave Maddie a kiss.
"I love you, Ethan James," Maddie whispered.
"Love you too," he grinned at her.
"Are you two alone in the room?" Frankie asked.
Maddie blushed. "Ethan, why don't you go and get the children some juice?"
"Sure," Ethan replied. "How about you two?"
Nothing for me, thanks, "Frankie said.
"Are you sure?" Maddie asked.
Frankie nodded. "We have to leave to pick up Hannah soon."
"Oh, of course," Maddie nodded.
The children had their juice and a few minutes later, Nathan, Isabelle and Frankie set off to pick up Hannah. Isabelle wanted to be carried while the independent Nathan insisted on walking.
"Look at you," Frankie said. "My big boy."
Nathan beamed up at her.
"What about me?" Isabelle asked.
Frankie mussed her daughter's curls. "You're my big girl."
Isabelle giggled. "Me and Hannah!"
"Two peas in a pod," Frankie said hugging her daughter tightly as Nathan navigated the steps to Hannah's school.
"Zoom!" Nathan said happily.
Isabelle laughed. She could not wait to tell Hannah about playing with Kiera and seeing the new baby. Hannah's class was still going on and Frankie peered into the window. Her oldest daughter was sitting at her desk and Frankie saw her wipe at her eyes. Hannah was crying.
Concerned, Frankie set Isabelle down. She wanted to knock on the door but had to impatiently wait until school was over.
The bell rang and children started filing out of the classroom. Frankie saw Hannah gathering her books and another little boy said something to her in passing. Whatever it was upset Hannah and the boy chuckled with friend before leaving the classroom.
Frankie stood aside with her two youngest, who were oblivious to the fact that Hannah was upset about something.
"Han!" Isabelle jumped up and down. "Han! Come out!"
"Shhh," Frankie said. "Hannah will be out when she's done."
Isabelle continued to bounce up and down. Hannah finally came out of the classroom.
"Baby what's wrong?" Frankie asked.
"Nothing," Hannah lied. She looked at her brother and sister. "Hi, you guys."
Frankie looked pensively at her daughter as Isabelle and Nathan threw themselves at Hannah. She decided to wait until they were home and the twins were down for their kip before asking again.
Nathan and Isabelle chattered away to their big sister about the day at Ethan and Maddie's.
"It sounds like you both had fun," Hannah said softly.
"They did, but Kiera and Gwyn missed you," Frankie said.
"Oh," Hannah said, tugging on one of her plaits.
Nathan reached for her hand. "Han-nah."
Hannah smiled at her little brother. Seeing them made her feel better.
"No kip, Mummy," Isabelle said to Frankie.
"Yes, kip, Izzie." Frankie said as they started home.
Isabelle yawned. "Not sleepy."
"I bet you're not," Frankie said with a grin.
"I have to do my homework anyway," Hannah told her siblings. "When you wake up, we can play."
"Kay," Isabelle said, running ahead of them a bit.
"How was school?" Frankie asked Hannah.
"Fine," Hannah shrugged.
Frankie opened the door for them and the twins headed upstairs. "Go ahead and get settled at the table with your homework. I'll make you a snack after I put them down."
"Okay," Hannah replied, heading into the kitchen.
Frankie had to read the children a story before they fell asleep. When she came back downstairs, she saw Hannah sitting at the table with a blank expression on her face.
"Okay," Frankie said. "Time for you to tell me what's going on, sweetheart."
Hannah didn't answer.
"Hannah," Frankie sat down next to her. "Come on baby. You can tell me anything."
Hannah looked over at her mother with her eyes shining with tears. "S-someone at school found out about my real f-father."
"What?" Frankie asked, startled.
"One of the boys," Hannah said. "Told the whole class how he k-killed---how he----"
Frankie was so angry she almost couldn't see for a moment. "How did he find out? What did your teacher say?"
"I didn't tell her," Hannah said in a small voice. "He told everyone at recess."
"Come here baby," Frankie pulled Hannah onto her lap.
Hannah put her arms around Frankie's neck.
Frankie rubbed her daughter's back comfortingly. "What David Wright did... that has nothing to do with you."
Hannah knew this, of course, but she could still hear the taunts of some of her schoolmates from earlier today.
"You hold your head high," Frankie continued to rub Hannah's back. "Because you know what an amazing girl you are, Hannah Emily."
Hannah nodded and hugged her mother once more just as Will came into the kitchen. He set his briefcase down and looked at his wife and daughter. "What's going on?"
Frankie told him what Hannah had said to her. "I think we should go have a talk with her teacher."
Hannah shook her head. "No, Mummy."
"I think it would be for the best, sweetheart." Frankie told her.
"I do too," Will agreed.
"But then they'll all know I told," Hannah protested.
"No, they won't," Will reassured her.
Hannah rubbed at her eyes. "They said maybe someday I might be just like him."
Will sat down beside his wife and used his hand to gently tilt his daughter's face up. "Hannah, you are nothing like him. Absolutely nothing."
"I'm not?" Hannah asked in a small voice.
"Not at all," Will said smiling at her. "You are smart, sweet, compassionate, warm and loving."
Frankie smoothed Hannah's hair back. "You're our daughter, and we love you so, so much."
Hannah gave her mother a slight smile.
"We'll straighten this out with your teacher," Frankie said. "No one will bother you about this, love."
"Promise?" Hannah asked.
Frankie nodded. "I'll ring her right now and make an appointment. And in the meantime, if anyone bothers you about it, you just walk away."
Hannah looked at Will. "You're my real father."
"In every way that counts," Will kissed her cheek. "I love you so much, baby."
"I love you too," Hannah said.
Frankie came back into the kitchen. "We're meeting with her tomorrow afternoon."
"I'll clear my schedule," Will said.
"And I'll see if my mum or Maddie can watch the twins," Frankie headed for the fireplace.
Hannah looked at Will. "Can you help me with my homework?"
"Of course," Will told her.
Hannah wiped at her eyes. "Maths."
"Your favourite," Will joked.
"Hardly," Hannah laughed.
"I'll get us something to eat," Will said. "And we'll get this done and have a little fun."
"With Nathan and Izzie," Hannah said, feeling guilty that she hadn't paid them proper attention on the way home.
"I'm sure they'd love that," Will replied, getting up from the table.
Hannah opened up her books and hoped that none of her classmates would find out about this.
"I'll drop the twins off at Mum's tomorrow on my way to the school," Frankie said. "I had to move around a meeting I had with the team director, but this is more important."
Will pecked her on the cheek. "Absolutely."
"I was so angry," Frankie whispered to him. "How did someone find out?"
"I'm not sure," Will whispered back.
"I'd like to kill them," Frankie said furiously.
"Mama Bear," Will said squeezing her hand.
"More like a tiger right now," Frankie pushed her hair back.
Will put his arms around her. "I'm going to help Hannah with her homework."
Frankie nodded. "I'll start getting dinner ready."
"What are we having?" Hannah asked over her shoulder.
"I'm not sure yet," Frankie said. "Perhaps I should run to the shops."
"Hannah and I can hold down the fort, can't we?" Will asked, winking at his daughter.
Hannah nodded. "Will you be gone long, Mummy?"
Frankie shook her head. "I don't think so."
Hannah smiled at her. "I'll miss you."
Frankie smiled back at her. "I will miss you, too."
"All right," Will said. "The sooner we concentrate on this the sooner we get done..."
Hannah nodded and reached for a biscuit.
Frankie hurried to get the shopping done. Her mind kept playing Hannah's words over and over in her head and she kept seeing her daughter's face.
What kind of child would think something like this would be funny? What had happened to Hannah and Abbie at the hands of David Wright was no laughing matter.
Frankie was still furious when she got home, but hid it. Part of her wanted to ring up the parents of those boys responsible and unleash her wrath on them.
She was relieved to see Hannah in better spirits. Her daughter was still doing homework with Will. "Daddy, that's not how you spell that word!"
"It's not?" Will played dumb.
"Cat doesn't start with a "k" and you should know that since you write books!" Hannah giggled.
"I guess you're just smarter than me," Will teased her.
Hannah looked at Frankie. "Mummy, Daddy's being silly."
Frankie smiled at them both. "He is awfully goofy, isn't he?" she set the bags on the counter.
"Well, this goofy man is going to go and wake the monkeys up," Will said nudging Hannah.
Hannah closed her book. "Can I help you make dinner?"
"Sure," Frankie replied.
"What are we having?" Hannah asked.
"I thought I'd make spaghetti," Frankie said pulling some tins out of the bag. "Your Grandpa Neville's recipe."
"Ooooh!" Hannah said. "One of my favourites."
"I know," Frankie grinned at her.
Hannah pulled a long loaf of bread out one of the bags. "Can I make the garlic bread?"
Frankie nodded. "Sure, sweetheart."
Hannah went into the icebox for the butter and the garlic to mash together. "I like when we make dinner together. When Izzie gets older, she can help too."
Frankie could not have agreed more. She loved spending time with her daughter like this. They would talk about anything and everything while they made dinner. Someday, she did hope that Isabelle would join in as well.
Hannah pulled one of the chairs over to the counter to kneel on while she worked.
Will came into the kitchen with a groggy Nathan and Isabelle.
"Hello you two," Frankie kissed Nathan's cheek.
Isabelle toddled over to Hannah. "Hi."
"Hi Izzie," Hannah set the bowl down and climbed off the chair to hug her sister.
Isabelle yawned and Hannah giggled. "I thought you weren't sleepy."
"I'm not," Isabelle said.
Hannah laughed. "Sure."
"Hungry," Nathan looked up at his father.
"Your mum is working on it," Will said picking him up.
"Why don't you three set the table," Frankie said, waving her wand and letting the sauce stir itself as she poured the pasta into water.
'Seat the table," Isabelle sang.
Will laughed. "Seat the table. I like that."
Hannah looked over at Frankie and smiled.
Frankie came over and stood behind Hannah. "That looks excellent sweetheart."
Hannah grinned. "Thanks, Mummy."
"I bet Izzie can help you spread it on the bread," Frankie said.
Isabelle turned. "Ooh!"
"Come on over here, you." Frankie said.
Isabelle ran toward her mother and held up her arms.
Frankie set Isabelle on the counter next to Hannah. "Here you are baby." she said. "You take this... and just spread the mix on the bread."
"M'kay," Isabelle said.
Frankie laughed as Isabelle tried to spread the garlic butter. "No, baby. Just like this."
Isabelle watched her mother. "My way funner."
"Your way messier," Frankie said with a grin.
"Which is probably why she thinks its fun," Hannah said.
Isabelle giggled. "Fun!"
Frankie tugged on her daughter's hair. "Come on, you. Let's finish this so we can eat."
With Frankie and Isabelle's help, Hannah finished the garlic bread and in no time dinner was ready.
Will put Nathan and Isabelle in their chairs.
Frankie levitated everything to the table. "Dig in," she said, making plates for her two youngest.
"Sketti, sketti," Nathan said.
"That's right," Frankie said, putting plates in front of them. "You two don't get messy--"
Isabelle picked up a handful of spaghetti and threw it at Nathan.
"No!" Frankie told her daughter. "Little girls do NOT throw food."
Nathan picked up a handful of spaghetti and threw it at Hannah.
"And you don't do it either," Frankie said. "Or neither of you will get any spaghetti."
Hannah, Nathan and Isabelle giggled.
"Excellent garlic bread, girls." Will told his daughters.
"Thanks," Hannah said wiping the spaghetti from her shirt.
"Thanks!" Isabelle echoed.
Will laughed. "So let's try and get through this without throwing anything else."
"That means especially you two," Frankie said to her youngest.
"Emma would be disappointed," Hannah told them. "Remember? No waste."
"No waste," Isabelle nodded. "Don't' tell Em."
"The wrath of Emma Weasley," Will said dramatically.
"It can be scary, Daddy." Hannah said.
"Yes, it can," Will said winking at her.
"This is very, very good Hannah." Frankie said. "Soon I'll have to teach you to make the sauce."
Hannah beamed at her. "Really?"
"Soon," Frankie promised.
Will nudged his wife. "I've been married to you for how long now and I've never been offered a chance to make the sauce."
"Because you're not a Longbottom," Frankie said primly.
"I married into the family," Will pointed out.
"Maybe we should teach him together," Hannah said. "Once I learn."
Frankie shook her head. "No, baby. Just us Longbottoms know."
"Thanks," Will said his tone slightly sarcastic.
Frankie laughed. "Oh, come on, Will. There are things about the Barrons that I'm not privy to."
"No there isn't," Will replied.
Frankie nudged him. "Your mother's top-secret oatmeal raisin biscuit recipe. I've begged her for that recipe, but she's never given it to me."
"All right," Will conceded. "There are a few things..."
"Gran's biscuits are really good," Hannah agreed.
"Maybe she'll teach you how to make them," Will said.
"I hope so," Hannah said.
"And then you'll give me the recipe," Frankie said.
"Sneaky girl," Will said. "She'll do no such thing."
"I'll keep it all a secret," Hannah promised.
"Se-cret," Nathan said.
"And someday, I'll teach you both," she said.
Isabelle nodded. "No waste."
Hannah giggled again. "That's right, Izzie."
The family finished their dinner and Will volunteered to clean things up while Frankie took the kids into the sitting room.
"I still have a few things I have to finish with my homework," Hannah said, carrying her books in.
Isabelle frowned. "No play."
"Just give me a few minutes," Hannah said. "It's just spelling."
"Come on, Iz," Frankie said. "Nathan and I will play with you."
"Blocks," Isabelle said, reaching for their bucket.
"Blocks it is," Frankie said making a goofy face at her youngest children.
"Izzie likes it when you play with them," Hannah said.
"No blocks," Nathan said. "Cars."
"Blocks," Isabelle insisted.
"Cars," Nathan said kicking one of the blocks.
"Nathan," Frankie said. "We don't kick at our toys."
"Bad boy," Isabelle wagged her finger at him.
"Stop!" Nathan glared at her.
Hannah looked at her brother and sister. "You guys, why don't you use the blocks to build a track where Nathan can play with his car?"
Frankie smiled at Hannah. "That's a lovely idea, sweetheart."
Hannah grinned. "Everybody wins."
"Big track," Nathan said, putting some blocks together.
Frankie helped her two children build a track and for a moment she forgot about the drama of the day. She still could not believe that someone had actually taunted Hannah about her biological father and what he had done.
Will joined them a few minutes later and he could tell his wife was still agitated. "What are you lot building?" he asked.
"A track," Hannah replied looking up from her homework. "So Nathan can race his cars."
"Good idea," Will replied. "Want some help?"
Isabelle nodded and handed her father some blocks.
Hannah hurried to finish her spelling. This night was just what she needed to keep her mind off what had happened during school that day.
She plopped down in front of Frankie and leaned against her mother.
"How are you, sweetheart?" Frankie asked.
"Okay," Hannah replied.
Frankie kissed the top of Hannah's head. "I love you so much, baby."
"I love you too," Hannah said turning and smiling at her.
"I'll always be here to take care of you," Frankie said. "No matter what."
"I know," Hannah said hugging her tightly.
Frankie held her tightly for a moment. "Come on," she said. "Let's go make a bridge over there for Nathan's cars."
"He's going to love that," Hannah said with a grin.
Frankie found another box of blocks and opened it up. "You and I can take this on."
Hannah giggled. "We can make a great bridge."
"Me too," Isabelle didn't want to be left out of anything her mother or sister did.
Frankie sat in the middle of her two daughters and shared a look with Will. They still had quite a bit to deal with, but for one night at least, they could put it aside and have a little fun.