Authors' note: Tonight's chapter brings back Neville and his family. We hope you enjoy the chapter and please review and let us know what you think!
While Harry and Hermione were enjoying their trip down memory lane, Neville and Cho were preparing dinner for two of their daughters. Chiaki already knew about what was going on with her grandparents, but tonight Cho and Neville were going to break the news to Frankie. They planned to tell Allison once she was off bed rest.
They were also concerned about Hannah- Frankie had filled them in on the things the little girl's classmates had found out and Cho was hoping Frankie would have an update to that situation.
Neville had made two versions of his famous spaghetti---a vegetarian version for Chiaki and Cho and a regular version for him and Frankie. Cho was just setting the table when Chiaki came into the kitchen. "It smells delicious in here, Dad," Chiaki said walking over to him and giving him a hug.
Neville smiled and hugged her back. "I'm glad you lot made it."
"I haven't been able to think of much else," Chiaki said. "I don't even know how Frankie's going to react."
"Hopefully she'll understand," Cho said.
Neville had read over the research countless times and he still was not sure what to do. The idea of having his parents back was almost too good to be true. The consequences if this spell went wrong were almost too much to think about.
Cho seemed to read his mind. "We'll help you figure it all out, one way or the other." she told her husband.
"Mum?" Frankie called out.
"In the kitchen, love," Cho called to her.
Frankie appeared in the doorway. "It smells amazing in here."
Cho gave her daughter a hug. "I'm so glad you could come by. How are Will and the kids?"
"They're fine," Frankie said. "Excited that they got to all have pizza tonight since I was coming here for dinner."
Chiaki laughed. "That's how Tosh and the twins were."
Frankie hugged her older sister. "I haven't seen you in awhile, Chi."
"We've both been busy," Chiaki said. "You look gorgeous as always."
"Thank you," Frankie glowed from the compliment.
"How are things with Hannah?" Cho asked handing her daughters a glass of wine.
"Better," Frankie said. "We had a talk with her teacher- and apparently the boy who started all this- his father is a lawyer, and had to reference the case in court. He was talking about it at home and the boy overheard it."
"No one else is giving our Hannah a hard time are they?" Neville asked.
"Not anymore," Frankie said. "I told her teacher if they kept having a go at her, I'd come in and have a talk with them myself. But now they're giving her a bit of a hard time about being adopted."
Chiaki folded her arms. "Why on earth do children have to be so cruel?"
"If they weren't children..." Frankie shook her head. "Will kept calling me Mama Bear. I've always been overly protective of Hannah, but I feel like I have to be."
"She's your girl in every single way that counts," Chiaki said. "And as long as Hannah knows that, that's all that matters."
"She does," Frankie nodded. "Nathan and Isabelle don't know what's going on, of course, but they've been extra sweet with her lately."
Cho smiled. "That's great, Frankie."
"Other than that, I've been really busy with the team," Frankie said. "Saffron's coming back in a few more weeks."
"Can you get Tosh and me tickets?" Chiaki asked. "We'd love to see her first match back."
"Sure," Frankie replied.
"Dinner is served," Neville said to his family.
"I'm starved," Chiaki said.
The four of them sat down at the table and Frankie's eyes fell on the empty chair beside her. "Allie's going stir crazy stuck in bed."
"I hope this isn't a difficult pregnancy for her," Cho said, passing the salad around the table.
"Me too," Frankie said. "But if she listens to Lizzy, everything should be fine."
"We miss her at the office," Cho replied.
"Emma gives us a report every class," Chiaki said fondly.
Frankie grinned. "She's so funny."
Neville remembered the way his own mother had picked up the photograph of Emma.
He shared a look with Cho, who nodded in understanding. "Frankie," she began. "Your father wanted you here because he's got something he wants to discuss with you."
Frankie looked across the table at her father. "What's going on, Dad?"
"Well..." Neville said. "I've recently been made aware of a cure for my parents. There's a possibility of them being... well being brought out of the state they're in."
Frankie glanced around the table at her mother and older sister, not sure if what her father was telling her was the truth. Cho nodded.
"How?" she managed.
Chiaki squeezed her sister's hand. "Their healer has been testing a counter spell for quite some time. He's had some success at it and he thinks that Grandpa Frank and Grandma Alice would be perfect for it."
"Wow..." Frankie was stunned. "I mean... do they think it will really work? What happens if it doesn't?"
"There's a chance that they could be worse than they are now," Neville said quietly. "Coma. In one case, the patient...."
"Do you think it's worth the risk, dad?" Frankie asked.
"Of course it is!" Chiaki replied before Neville could. "Think of it, Frankie. We could have them back in our lives---for real. They could get to know our children...."
"That would be wonderful," Frankie admitted.
"And Dad---Dad would have his parents back after all this time," Chiaki said.
"Have you decided to do it?" Frankie asked.
"I don't know," Neville admitted. "If something happened, I couldn't live with myself."
"But think of the possibilities if it goes well," Cho reasoned.
"I have," Neville said.
"I think it sounds like it's worth it," Frankie said after several long moments. "Of course... that's a very uneducated statement from me, considering I really don't have any facts here... but I know I'd love to get to know them, and have the kids know them too."
"Me too," Chiaki said softly.
Neville nodded. "I've been thinking a lot about that."
"Ultimately, the decision lies with you, Neville," Cho said.
"I know," Neville sighed.
"What does your heart tell you to do?" Frankie asked gently.
"I don't know," Neville said. "Part of me thinks it's too big a risk. But the other part says to go for it."
Frankie could tell how this was weighing on her father and she reached for his hand. "Daddy, whatever you decide, I'll support you."
"Thanks, baby," Neville smiled at her. "I appreciate that."
"Allie doesn't know?" Frankie asked.
"We thought it best not to involve her while she's on bed rest," Cho said after a moment. "Especially if she's having a difficult pregnancy. We don't want to stress her out."
Frankie nodded. "Well, I don't want to speak for her, but I think she would feel the same way. She's going to support you in any decision you make, Dad."
Neville nodded again.
"When do you have to let them know?" Frankie asked.
"Whenever I'm ready," Neville told her.
"We wanted time to go through all the research," Cho explained.
"I understand," Frankie nodded. "That's very important."
"I remember the stories Gran Longbottom told us about how they used to be," Chiaki said softly.
"Yeah," Neville said wistfully. "They were really something."
"And they have a great son," Cho said. "Who loves them very much and would do anything to keep them safe."
Neville nodded. "I would like to have them back..."
Chiaki smiled at her father.
"I suppose it's worth the risk," Neville said thoughtfully.
Cho stood up and hugged her husband. "You don't have to rush this decision, you know."
"I know," Neville said. "I still want to do some research before I just make a decision."
Frankie nodded. "Of course. I'd like to read over it myself, if I could."
"Sure," Neville nodded.
Cho promised to give her a copy to take home. Frankie wanted to go over it with Will.
"He'll probably understand it more than me," Frankie replied. "But I'd like to think about what could happen here."
"It's good to be informed," Neville agreed. He pushed his plate away. He wasn't very hungry at the moment.
"So," Frankie said after a moment. "Do you think Allie will be upset you aren't telling her about this?"
"Yes," Chiaki replied.
"Perhaps it won't be so stressful on her as you think..." Frankie said.
"And she'll hate that we kept this from her," Chiaki said to her mother. "Allie's strong."
"Let your father and I handle this," Cho told her daughters.
Chiaki opened her mouth to say something but thought better of it.
"What is it?" Neville asked his oldest daughter.
Chiaki shook her head. "It's not my place, Dad. If you want to tell Allie, that's your decision. I just think she has a right to know."
Neville nodded. "Perhaps we'll go over to see her. Your mother and I just don't want to take any big risks though."
"You're not hungry, Dad?" Frankie asked him.
Neville shrugged. "Not really."
Frankie had never seen her father like this before. She tried to put herself in his place. What would she do if she found herself facing the same momentous decision that he did?
"It's a hard decision," Chiaki said softly. "I wish I could help you decide what to do."
"Thanks, sweetheart," Neville said. He stood up. "I'm going to take a walk. Clear my head, you know?"
"Do you want some company?" Cho asked.
Neville shook his head. "I'll be back."
Cho watched her husband leave. "He's really torn up about this."
"What do you think he's going to do, Mum?" Chiaki asked.
"I hope he'll decide to do it," Cho said. "I think there's an amazing chance that they could recover."
Chiaki smiled. "I think so, too. It would so great having them back."
"I'd certainly love to get to know them," Frankie said. "And I'd love for Hannah, Isabelle and Nathan to get to know them as well."
"Mas and Sukie too," Chiaki agreed.
"He knows," Cho told her daughters. "He knows exactly what you're thinking."
Neville spent the next hour walking around the neighbourhood. He tried to clear his mind but all he saw was himself as young boy visiting his parents. The scared boy who never knew what he was going to see when he walked into their shared hospital room. Would his mother be scared or would she be having one of her better days? Would his father stare into space or would he at least look at him?
His chance of growing up with them had been taken away, but now he had the chance to get to know them properly. On the other side of the coin though, he worried that it would all go awry.
Chiaki and Frankie were obviously leaning toward doing it and though she hadn't come out and said it, Cho also seemed to be in favour of it as well.
He wondered what his middle daughter would wind up thinking.
Neville found himself walking in the direction of Allison and Jon's house. Perhaps Chiaki was right; Allison did have a right to know what was going on with her family. Neville knocked on the door. He heard music and then footsteps. "Who there?" he heard Adam call out.
"NO!" Emma exclaimed, grabbing her brother by the arm. "You can't answer the door, Adam. You're a baby!"
"I'm not a baby!" Adam yelled at her.
"Are too!" Emma said in a sing-song voice. She was wearing her dress up clothes, a tiara and a pair of sunglasses. "Big baby!"
"Mean Em," Adam said angrily. "Go 'way!"
Neville opened the door.
"GRANDPA!" Emma said happily.
Adam grinned, forgetting momentarily his anger toward his sister. "Grandpa!"
"Hi you two," Neville had to smile.
Caroline hurried into the room. She was helping her father make dinner for the family. "Grandpa, what are you doing here?"
"Hi Angel," Neville replied. "I wanted to have a word with your mother, actually."
"She's upstairs," Caroline said. "Daddy went upstairs to check on her."
"How's she doing?" Neville asked.
"Better," Caroline replied.
Neville smiled at his granddaughter. "What smells so good?"
"Daddy and I are making chicken," Caroline said proudly.
"And I'm going to eat it ALL!" Emma announced proudly.
Adam looked at Caroline. "No, Sissy! No let Emma do that!"
"Don't worry Adam," Caroline soothed. "There's no way Emma can eat it all."
Neville patted Adam on the shoulder. "I'll be right back, you guys. I just need to talk to your mum."
Caroline hurried behind him. "Daddy says we have to be really good, and can't tell her any problems."
"I know," Neville said looking down at her. "I just want to talk to her is all, sweetheart."
"Okay," Caroline said anxiously. "But only nice things."
"I promise," Neville said to her.
Caroline smiled and turned her attention back to her siblings.
Upstairs in their bedroom, Allison was laughing at something Jon had just told her. She hated being bedridden like this, but she knew her husband was doing everything he could to make this easier on her.
"I don't need you to read me a bedtime story," Allison said nudging him. "If you just bring me a plate of that chicken casserole, I will be grateful. It smells soooooo good."
"Caroline's doing most of it," Jon admitted. "She's as good as you in the kitchen."
Allison smiled. "My little helper."
Neville knocked on the doorframe. "Hi Allie... hello Jon."
Allison looked up in surprise. "Dad, what are you doing here?"
"Just wanted to see how you were doing," Neville replied.
Jon shook his father-in-law's hand. "This is a nice surprise. Do you want to stay for dinner?"
Neville shook his head. "It smells wonderful, but I'm not hungry."
Jon smiled. "I'll be downstairs then. Al, yell if you need anything."
"We will," Allison said as Neville sat down on the edge of the bed.
"You look great, sweetheart," Neville said. "Are you feeling okay?"
Allison shrugged. "I hate lying about like this."
Neville smiled. "You know that's the way your Mum was when she was pregnant with Chiaki."
"She was on bed rest?" Allison asked.
"For part of it," Neville said, not wanting to tell his daughter about what had happened at Hillsdale.
Allison sighed. "I can get up here and there, but I have really limited time that I'm able to move around. I don't like feeling so useless."
"I know you don't like it, but it's the best for you and the baby," Neville said.
"I know," Allison replied. "So what brings you over?"
Neville looked at his middle daughter. He was not so sure this was a good idea now that he found himself sitting here. "I just wanted to see how you were doing."
"Bored, while the kids are gone." Allison admitted. "I'm glad for the company."
"I visited your grandparents the other day," Neville told her.
"You did?" Allison asked reaching for the glass of water at the side of her bed. "How are they? Were they having a good day?"
Neville shook his head. He told her about what Alice had been doing to herself.
Allison shook her head. "That's just terrible. I wish I could go see them."
"Something happened though," Neville said. "My mother spoke…she...picked up a photograph of Emma and said 'baby'."
Allison gasped. "She recognised Emma?"
Neville nodded.
"That's amazing!" Allison exclaimed. "You must have been so excited!"
Neville nodded. "I was. But, that's not all, Allie."
Allison looked at him quizzically.
Neville thought about his words. He didn't want to upset his daughter. "Well, Healer Turner has been working with them for years, as you know. He spoke with us the other day and he had some news for us."
"Good news?" Allison asked. "Or something bad?"
"I don't know," Neville replied honestly. "Um, it seems that Healer Turner has been working for years now on ways to counteract the effects of the Cruciatus curse."
Allison stared at him, her jaw fallen slack.
"That was pretty much my reaction too," Neville admitted.
"What are you going to do?" Allison asked him.
Neville shook his head. "I honestly don't know, Allison. Ever since I can remember, I've visited them at that hospital and they could remember me, but I don't think they knew that I was their son. I have boxes and boxes full of those gum wrappers Mum gave me. I would give anything to have them back. But---there's a chance this spell could do them great harm and that scares me to death."
Allison nodded thoughtfully.
He told her about the possible outcomes of the spell.
"It's definitely a lot of risk," Allison replied. "I don't blame you for taking your time to figure it out."
"Chiaki's known about it since she was there when the healer spoke with us," Neville told her. "And we just told Frankie tonight."
"Oh...." Allison couldn't explain why, but she was bothered that she'd been the last one told about this.
Neville squeezed her hand. "We didn't want to stress you out, Allie. That's why I didn't tell you sooner, but you had a right to know."
Allison nodded. "Of course."
"What do you think?" Neville asked her.
"I don't know," Allison replied truthfully.
"Me either," Neville said.
"I think it all comes down to what you want to do, Dad." Allison said.
"I'm thinking I want to do this," Neville admitted for the first time.
"It's quite an opportunity," Allison told him.
Neville smiled. "It is."
"I'm completely uneducated on this," Allison began. "But I know I'd like to get to know my grandparents."
"I want that for you and your sisters too," Neville said.
Allison pushed herself up. "Then perhaps we should go ahead with it."
Neville nodded. "I'm really sorry for not telling you sooner, Allie.'
"I know..." Allison said. "It hasn't been an easy month."
"If all goes well, your grandparents will get to meet that little one," Neville said looking at her stomach.
Allison's eyes filled with tears. "I hope so, Dad."
Neville gave his daughter a hug. "Me too."
Jon knocked on the door frame. "Everything okay?"
Neville turned. "Yes, I was just sharing some good news with Allie."
"Oh yeah?" Jon asked curiously.
Allison told her husband what her father had just divulged.
"Wow," Jon said. "That's... that's just incredible."
"It is," Neville said. "And I should probably get going. Your sisters and mum are waiting."
"They're all over at your place?" Allison asked wistfully.
Neville cursed himself for saying that. "Yes."
"Oh..." Allison said quietly. "Well... say hello to them for me."
"I will," Neville said giving her a hug.
Allison watched her father go and looked at her husband. "I bloody hate this."
"I know," Jon said sitting down. "But, dinner's ready. Caroline's bringing your tray."
"Another dinner in bed," Allison sighed.
"In two more days, you'll be doing it in a new house," Jon said trying to make her laugh.
"Right..." Allison leaned back against the pillows.
Just downstairs, Caroline was picking up her mother's tray and she carefully walked toward the staircase. Emma and Adam followed her. She turned and looked at them. "Daddy told you to sit down," Caroline told them.
"I want to see Mummy," Emma said. "She hasn't seen my new dress-up dress."
"You can see her after dinner," Caroline said.
"I want to see her now," Emma argued.
"Me too," Adam said.
"No," Caroline said firmly.
"You can't tell us what to do," Emma said running ahead of her sister.
"Emma!" Caroline called. "You get back down here and sit at the table!"
Emma ignored Caroline and took the steps two at a time.
"Bad Em!" Adam shouted, hurrying after her.
Emma ran into her parents' room and launched herself at the bed. "MUMMY!"
"Emma," Jon said. "I told you and Adam to stay downstairs and eat."
"I wanted to show Mummy my dress," Emma said standing up on the bed and starting to jump.
"Stop," Jon told his younger daughter sternly.
"Mummy, look at my dress," Emma squealed.
"Emma please," Allison closed her eyes. The motion of the bed was making her nauseated.
Emma stopped jumping and looked at her mother. "Mummy?"
Allison rubbed at her forehead as Caroline came in with the tray.
Caroline glared at Emma. "Emma! I told you to go sit down!"
"You're not the boss of me," Emma informed her.
"Well, I am and I want you and Adam to go downstairs and eat dinner," Jon said lifting Emma off the bed.
"I don't want to," Adam replied.
Allison looked at her two youngest. "Please go and eat dinner. You can come back up here afterwards and I'll read you a story."
"Promise?" Emma brightened.
"I promise," Allison replied.
"Okay," Emma said. "Come on Adam. We can eat really fast and we'll pick a good story."
Adam took his sister's hand and followed her out of the room. Caroline looked apologetically at her father. "They wouldn't listen to me, Daddy."
"They're pretty strong willed," Jon said sheepishly. "Sorry, Al."
"It's okay," Allison reassured them both.
"I hope you like dinner," Caroline said. "It smells soooooo good.
Allison smiled. "I'm sure I will. Thank you, angel."
"I'll bring you some dessert later," Caroline said. "We made strawberry shortcake."
"She did it all," Jon said putting his arm around Caroline.
Caroline blushed. "You helped a lot, Daddy."
"I bet he made a big mess, didn't he?" Allison asked Caroline.
"Just a bit," Caroline giggled.
Allison shook her head. "He's good at that."
"Thanks," Jon said sarcastically, but he was grinning. "Want me to bring you anything else, Al?"
Allison shook her head. "No, thanks."
"Come on Angel," Jon said. "Let's let your mum eat in peace."
Caroline nodded.
"Just holler if you need anything," Jon smiled at his wife.
Caroline looked at her father as they walked down the stairs. "Only two more nights in our house."
"I know, Angel." Jon said. "You okay with that?"
Caroline nodded. "I think so."
"You know, you do get the biggest room next to the master bedroom in the new place." Jon said.
"Max really does," Caroline said with a grin. "He's got the whole backyard!"
Jon laughed. "You're right."
Emma and Adam turned in their seats when they saw Caroline and Jon enter the room.
"Are you two behaving?" Jon asked suspiciously.
Emma smiled innocently. "Yes."
"Can I have more?" Adam asked. "Sissy makes good dinner."
Caroline beamed at him. "Sure, Adam. I'll get it."
Jon smiled affectionately at his kids. "Save some room for that strawberry shortcake."
"We always have room," Emma said happily.
Jon laughed again. "I know you always do, baby girl."
"Daddy, is it gonna rain tomorrow?" Emma asked him.
"I don't know, Em." Jon said. "Why?"
"I want to ride my bike with Mummy," Emma replied.
"Mummy's not going to ride a bike," Caroline said exasperatedly. "She can't get out of bed, Em!"
"She walks along with me while I ride mine," Emma said as if the answer should have been obvious. "And she tells me stories."
"Emma Madeline," Jon said. "Your mother has to rest. She can't go walking, or riding a bike."
Emma set her fork down and folded her arms across her chest. "She rests like all the time!"
"It's just until the baby is born," Caroline told her. "And then she can get up and do all the stuff she used to do."
"How much longer is that?" Emma asked.
"Six more months, sweetheart." Jon replied.
Emma gasped. "We can't play with Mummy for six months?"
"You can go up and read stories with her," Jon said. "And you can play in her room, but you have to behave."
Adam frowned and for once he and Emma were in agreement.
"Behave being the key word here," Jon said. "I don't want the two of you arguing."
Emma nodded. "Fine."
"Adam?" Jon looked at his son.
Caroline set a new dish of food before her little brother. "You'll be good for Mummy, right, Adam?"
Adam nodded. "Best."
Caroline mussed his hair. "That's a good boy, Adam."
Adam grinned at her. "Can I bring up dessert?"
"Sure," Caroline replied. "I think Mummy would love that."
"Me too!" Emma protested.
"Of course, you too," Jon said grinning at her.
"Okay," Emma relaxed. "We have to think of a name for the baby."
"Ashley," Adam said.
Caroline and Emma giggled.
"Pretty name," Adam said before taking a bite of his casserole.
"Yes it is," Jon replied. "But perhaps we'll have to think of something more original. We still have that book... packed away I'm sure, but once we're in the new house we'll read through it with Mummy."
"Adam lurves Ashley," Emma teased.
"Em loves Gabey," Adam returned.
"I'm over Gabey," Emma said dismissively.
"You are not," Caroline said.
"Are too," Emma told her. "I love Cole. He's in my class and he's my boyfriend."
"Wait a minute," Jon said. "Who is this Cole and why don't I know him?"
"Cause he doesn't know I love him," Emma said blushing. "But he shared his biscuits with me."
"Must be true love," Caroline teased.
Jon hid a smile. "Emma---how is he your boyfriend if he doesn't know you love him?"
"Because I said so," Emma replied matter-of- factly.
"I had no idea it worked that way," Jon said leaning back in his chair.
Emma nodded. "Someday he'll find out and we'll get married."
Jon tugged affectionately on one of his daughter's plaits. "Well, when can we meet my future son-in-law?"
"You have to promise to be nice," Emma told him.
"I will be on my best behaviour," Jon promised.
"I'll believe it when I see it," Emma quoted.
Caroline giggled. "Emma!"
"Where did you hear that?" Jon asked, laughing.
"Grandpa Neville," Emma replied.
Allison heard her family laughing downstairs and sighed. She wanted nothing more than to be down there, eating with them.
She patted her stomach. "It's just you and me, kid."
Her dinner was delicious, but Allison found that she wasn't very hungry. Instead, she rubbed her hands over the small bump on her stomach.
She would do anything, of course, to protect the baby, but she was already stir crazy lying in this bed.
She picked a bit more at the casserole, but then pushed the rest aside. She had already read all the magazines they had left in the house, and all her books had been packed away.
In two days, they'd be in the new house and she wouldn't be able to help with the move.
"I can't help with anything," Allison muttered angrily.
It didn't take long though for her anger to turn to tears as she thought about her grandparents. Allison grabbed a tissue from the bedside table and started to sob.
"Al?" Jon asked from the doorway where he stood with the three children. Adam help the dish of dessert.
"What's wrong, Mummy?" Caroline asked anxiously. "Is it the baby?"
Allison wiped furiously at her eyes. "No---I was just sitting here feeling sorry for myself."
"Al..." Jon felt bad for his wife.
Emma stepped over to the bed and looked at Allison's baby bump. "Listen, you!" Emma said pointing a finger at her belly. "You're making Mummy sad and you make her not be able to do stuff with us!"
"Emma," Jon said. "The baby can't hear you."
"It's not the baby's fault anyway," Allison said to her daughter. "Come here...
Emma eagerly climbed onto the bed.
Allison hugged Emma to her. "I miss doing stuff with you, too. I heard you lot downstairs and I just wished I could be down there with you having fun."
"You could just sit at the table," Emma suggested.
"Yeah," Adam agreed, handing the dessert dish to his father so he could climb on the bed too.
"Maybe soon," Allison said, putting her other arm around Adam.
Jon smiled reassuringly at his wife. "It was quite enlightening at dinner tonight. Apparently, Emma's engaged."
"What?" Allison asked. "I didn't hear about this!"
Emma rolled her eyes. "I'm not 'gaged, Daddy. I said I might marry Cole one day, but only if he does EVERYTHING I say."
Caroline giggled. "Including give you all his biscuits?"
Emma blushed and buried her face in Allison's shoulder.
"Daddy says to name the baby," Adam said. "I want Ashley."
Jon handed Allison the strawberry shortcake. "That might get confusing since we already know an Ashley," he told his son.
"I like it though," Adam insisted.
Caroline grabbed the baby name book from her mother's bedside table. "How about we look through this and see if we like anything?"
"I thought we packed that," Jon replied.
"I was looking through it earlier," Allison said.
"Think of anything?" Jon asked.
Allison shook her head.
"I like the name Cole," Emma said, blushing again.
"For a girl?" Caroline asked. "Emma---"
"Cola?" Emma suggested innocently, making them all laugh.
"Cola's a drink, Em." Caroline shook her head.
Allison took a bite of her dessert. "This is really good, Caroline."
Caroline beamed at her mother. "I'm glad you like it, Mummy."
Jon thumbed through the book. "Well, we won't be needing the boy names..."
Adam made a face. "Mummy, have a boy, please?"
Allison laughed. "I'm sorry, Adam, but it's out of my hands now. You're going to have a little sister."
Adam shook his head. "Not another Em."
Caroline giggled. "I don't think our family could handle more than one Emma."
Emma frowned at them both. "I'm fun."
Alison put her arm around Emma. "Yes, you are and I think we'd be very lucky to have a little girl as sweet and fun as you."
Emma smiled in satisfaction. "See?" she said to her brother and sister.
Adam just shook his head.
Emma stuck her tongue out. "Let's just pick a name!"
Allison smiled. "Of course, Em. Can you read some to us?"
Emma happily took the book from her father and thumbed through it looking for just the right name. "Meg-an."
"That's cute," Allison said.
Emma grinned. "Don't pick too soon though. Let's see...Mabel?"
Caroline made a face. "Yuck, Em!"
Emma turned a page. "Olive?"
Caroline peered over her sister's shoulder. "That's not Olive, Em. That's Olivia."
"I like that," Jon replied.
"Olivia," Allison said.
"That's the one," Emma decided.
"Adam?" Allison asked. "What do you think?"
"Okay," Adam shrugged.
Allison laughed. "We need a middle name..."
"Emma," Emma said mischievously.
Jon tickled Emma's side. "One Emma is enough for this family."
Adam nodded. "One Em too many."
Emma frowned. "Shut it, Adam."
"Emma," Allison said. "That's not nice. And Adam, stop teasing your sister."
The family spent the next hour trying to pick out a middle name, but couldn't decide on anything. After Allison read them a story, the three children set off for bed. Jon came back into the bedroom after he'd tucked Adam in and sat down on the bed beside his wife. "Feeling better?" he asked.
Allison nodded. "I hate being left out of everything."
"I know," Jon said putting his arms around her.
"It was nice having you all up here," Allison told him.
Jon kissed the top of her head. "I was thinking tomorrow since it's our last night in the house, we'd all sleep in here...maybe watch a movie, have pizza."
Allison smiled. "I think the kids would enjoy that."
"I can't believe we're moving," Jon commented.
"I know," Allison said. "We've been in this house for so long."
"Had a lot of good times here," Jon said patting Allison's stomach.
"There's more fun to be had," Allison said. "Especially when I can be up and about again. I know Lizzy said the less movement on my part the better, but I can't stand this."
"When's your next appointment?" Jon asked.
"Next week," Allison said.
"We'll ask her how you're doing and see if you can get off of this bed rest," Jon said. "And see how little Olivia here is doing."
Allison nodded. "She said it's pretty likely I'll be on bed rest for most if not all of this pregnancy."
"Maybe not," Jon said squeezing her hand.
"There's a pretty good chance," Allison replied.
"If it's for the baby---" Jon started to say.
"I know," Allison interrupted. "I wouldn't do anything to jeopardise the health of our baby. But it doesn't mean I have to like it either."
Jon grinned. "What if I throw in extra foot massages?"
Allison looked over at him and smiled.
"I could even start now," Jon said.
"That would be wonderful," Allison replied. "Everything feels swollen right now.
Jon pulled back the covers and sat down at the end of the bed. He placed his wife's feet on his lap.
Allison studied him as he rubbed her feet. He had grown up so much from the time they'd gotten together. He was an amazing father to their children and she loved him so much.
Jon caught her eye and smiled at her. "What?"
"You're so good to me," Allison replied.
"I love you, Al," Jon said. "I'd do anything to make this easier for you."
"Thanks," she said softly. "You know... I've been thinking a lot about Hillsdale lately, when we first got together..."
"Oh yeah?" Jon asked, continuing to massage her foot.
"I just remember how exciting everything was," Allison continued. "When I woke up in the morning, I couldn't wait to get to breakfast to see you."
Jon grinned. "And I couldn't wait to see you at the lake..."
Allison laughed. "And when we would sneak away to snog..."
"The boathouse," Jon remembered.
"So many places," Allison remembered. "And then... just a little over a year later..."
"Married," Jon said. "And no one thought we'd make it. Too young, they all said."
"I knew I'd never stop loving you," Allison said.
"I felt the same," Jon said. "Being away from you like that nearly killed me."
"The beginning of that school term was awful," Allison said. "I was so depressed. I wanted to be with you all the time."
Jon smiled at her. "And then I had that crazy idea to elope."
"That was the best decision I ever made," Allison said.
"Me too," Jon said. "I know it hasn't always been easy and we've struggled with money..."
"But we're doing all right now," Allison said.
"We are," Jon agreed. "We worked really hard to get here."
"We've got lots of memories here," Allison said.
"Three of the best ones are in the rooms across the hall and next door," Jon said softly.
"Absolutely," she agreed.
Jon moved to sit closer to her and he kissed her.
Allison put her arms around his neck. "I love you."
"I love you too," Jon said holding her.
"So we have little Olivia in here." Allison said.
Jon nodded. "We do. And I bet she is happy to have all this alone time with you."
"We know it won't last," Allison said dryly.
"Adam was telling me that he liked it best during the day when it was just you and him," Jon said.
Allison smiled. "He loves playing in here."
"You're teaching him to play chess?" Jon asked.
"Trying," Allison replied.
"He told me you said you were the best player in our family," Jon said. "You know you've only beaten me twice..."
Allison laughed. "I've never said that."
"So you haven't been trash talking to our son?" Jon asked.
"Of course not," Allison denied.
"Uh-huh," Jon said.
Allison laughed as he squeezed her side gently.
"How about I get us some more of that strawberry shortcake?" Jon suggested.
"Sure," Allison nodded.
Jon gave her another kiss. "I'll be right back."
"Okay," Allison said watching him go. Things were about to change in their lives, but she knew it had to be for the better.
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