Weddings And Reunions Part 1 free porn video

Prologue January 1999 Kurtis Benson was in tears. His big secret was out. His worst fears were realized as his parents had managed to uncover his darkest secret: he was transgender. He had just fled from his home after telling his parents that he could no longer live as a male and was a woman inside even if he was born as a male. As expected of them, his highly masculine father tried to beat some sense into him before literally tossing him out of the house to face the harsh Winnisimmet winter all alone with little clothing except for the thin jacket and shorts that he was wearing. Kurtis fled for his life, trying to get as much distance from his parents as he could and unsure where he would live or how he would survive the night with barely any clothes to wear and nowhere for him to go. All he knew was that he could never return home. He was alone in the world without a friend and without a family and looking at a cold, brutal death. Lost in thought Kurtis literally bumped into the one person whom he had always confided in, his longtime mentor and surrogate father, Louis Reagan. Kurtis tried to run off but he was held firmly by Louis who looked Kurtis over with an angry face. Kurtis knew he was stuck there and prepared for the worst as his father surely had spread word about him being a, "Queer" and, "Fairy" and that he wanted he wanted Kurtis brought back for punishment. Louis hugged him tightly, telling Kurtis warmly, "It had to happen and you aren't going anywhere. So long as there is breath in my body you will be who you need to be." Kurtis was in tears again, hugging Louis back but unsure about the truth of Louis' statement but losing all control of his emotions as the words hit home hard. Louis walked Kurtis to the Reagan home where his wife Tamara doted over the two. Kurtis tried to shy away but Louis announced to him, "She knows everything. She suspected that you weren't really Kurtis ever since you cried over being forced to play with G.I. Joes instead of the Jem dolls in kindergarten. She cares about you and wants to help you." Tamara sat down and asked Kurtis to explain what happened, sparing no details. Kurtis drew a sharp breath then began, "Mom found my stash of panties and bras. She accused me of stealing them from the neighbors but saw that they were nothing like the Playtex bras all of the women on our block wear. She started hitting me, calling me all sorts of names before she dragged me out to the living room where my father beat me with his belt and threatened to shoot me with his pistol." Louis nodded to his wife who started to dial someone. Kurtis was encouraged to continue, stuttering as he told them, "Dad told me to get rid of everything. I refused and admitted that I was a girl and I couldn't live as a boy any longer. Dad grabbed me by my hair and tossed me out of the house, telling me that if I ever came back he'd kill me. He tried to shoot me, firing his gun at me as I ran off! He intentionally hit the pole beside me to make a point to me that he could have killed me easily if he wanted to!" Louis was lost in thought. Tamara though smiled and informed them, "Social services knows about the incident and are going to investigate fully. They are working with the state police and expect that this will be just what is needed to kick the final changes to the city into high gear." Louis grunted at hearing that, adding a defeated, "Without any real evidence against that vile woman, Victoria Williams will still run free. She knows how to cover her tracks and who to pay off to get away with all of her crimes. I doubt that your father will get any real discipline from this as he already had a kid remove the bullet from the pole but he can now kiss any jobs with the state and feds goodbye and he sure as hell is going to lose any shot of running for city council after he retires. I'll fight him to tooth and nail to ensure that he never wins a single vote." Turning to Kurtis Louis smiled and announced, "Tamara was just talking with her close friends at social services. They are going to place you in my care so you can graduate with full honors and go on to a nice college like we had planned for you to do. This is non-negotiable, you are too smart to waste away in some godforsaken rat hole- or worse, ply the streets of Boston like some Combat Zone reject. I have seen it happen to someone that I cared about before and I swore I'd never let another person I knew be forced to live that life just to survive." Kurtis tried to object, telling him, "I can't go back to school, everyone has already abandoned me and Roland Finn is making life a living hell for me enough as it is." Tamara patted Kurtis' shoulder then added, "You have more friends than you think. Melanie Rivera is your friend no matter what you say. She tried to help you but you ran off before she could reach you. She has known you were different for years and it's why she has always been around you even when you didn't want her close to you." Louis added, "Roland Finn will be taken care of. The bastard is manipulating his father's illnesses to get away with crap that Brent and Catherine would never allow. John is not going to let him hurt you no matter what. Stick close to John and if Roland goes over the line John will be the first one to confront him. He knows how to deal with Roland and make him make a mistake that costs Roland dearly." Kurtis was defeated. He had nothing to counter what they said. Louis finally added, "I am going to do something drastic. I'm pulling adoption forms so that we can keep you as our daughter. Your parents aren't going to be able to refuse this as they will be fighting for their freedom and your father for his own job. But first you need to change and Tamara will see to it that you get everything you need." Kurtis was led to his new bedroom and Tamara pulled out a set of clothes that fit him perfectly. She grinned, telling him warmly, "Louis' cousin-in- law Peggy left these here a few weeks ago and we just haven't gotten around to returning them to her. Sorry if the style isn't right but we have plenty of time to get you some more tomorrow. We can't rightly call you Kurtis anymore, so what's the name that you have chosen as your real name young lady?" Kurtis sat on the bed and nearly lost it. He looked up with tears in his eyes and announced, "The girls at daycare would call me Katie when they couldn't call me Kurtis so I guess my real name is Katelyn. Katelyn Benson." Tamara hugged her tight and softly told her, "It fits. Welcome to the family, Katie." Katie was led downstairs to eat once Tamara helped her get changed and styled her shoulder-length hair. Katie dreaded what Louis would say but he kept quiet about the clothing. After dinner, he made a few phone calls and had some heated words with several people but grinned as he announced, "You have an appointment with your new psychiatrist tomorrow. Then we will go see a friend of mine, Judge Matthews, and get your name legally changed. After that, we will go to the school department and get you officially signed up as Katelyn." Katie was scared but Louis grinned at her, telling her affectionately, "All of that arguing was with the soon-to-be former secretary for the superintendent of schools. She had to have a few things pointed out to her about your legal rights and made aware of the fact that as a special student and you would be entitled to use any of the staff bathrooms rather than the centralized bathroom. And since you passed your required two semesters of physical education you didn't need to use the locker room. In short, there is nothing preventing you from being a student just because you are changing your gender." The next day was a whirl of activity as Katie and Louis met with various doctors. She was given a preliminary evaluation by Dr. Edith Bell, a young doctor that Louis knew about by reputation whom he trusted fully to help Katie. She was told that she would need another evaluation before she could fully proceed with her transition. She also was given a paper stating that she was indeed suffering from a case of severe gender dysphoria with psychological abuse and that she was to be allowed to attend school as her true gender without question. Judge Matthews, in particular, was interested in hearing her story, with the judge telling his clerk to have some words with the state police to ensure that the upcoming investigations by the state into Chief Benson weren't stalled or ignored. He told the ADA on duty at Winnisimmet District Court to follow the two to city hall as he expected trouble from the chief. There was no argument, Chief Benson was notorious to the ADAs for his weaselly ways and they wanted a crack at him. At the school department, Louis met the expected opposition as Chief Benson's most trusted lackeys were there trying to force him to give up Katie to them for her, "Punishment" as they called her beating. He told them that he was now her guardian and that Chief Benson and his wife had lost the right to call themselves her parents. The four lackeys tried to strong-arm him, punching him in the gut several times as they told him that the chief would ensure that he never made it home unless he gave up, "Kurtis." Louis grinned and pointed to the ADA and four state troopers who were standing behind them, who then slapped handcuffs on them for assaulting Louis while adding that they had recorded every word. The lackeys were led out and started squealing in the cruisers but at the State Police barracks quickly shut up and claimed that they were there on their own and would not testify against the chief. Chief Benson gleefully escaped prosecution for masterminding the assault with the ADA forced to give up going after him by Chief Benson's lawyers due to lack of evidence. The superintendent didn't bat an eye at seeing the paperwork for making changes to Katie's records that was being submitted. Katie's changes included a legal name change and a photocopied the letter from Dr. Bell along with statements from Judge Mathews forcing the city to comply with federal regulations. He was more fearful of Louis and did what was required despite having a personal objection to Katie attending school as a female but Louis' shark-toothed grin and, "Try me" look overruled his personal bigotry in favor of career survival, which was already over anyway without the man knowing it. Katie went back to school the following Monday and immediately caused a stir among the students. As she had expected, Roland Finn harassed Katie but each time John Finn stepped in to stop his brother. John never said a word to Katie about any of it, always turning away every time he saw her and trying hard to focus on something else with a sheer force of will preventing him from saying anything to her one way or another. Katie felt bad that John took multiple punches from Roland before Roland was suspended for the duration of the school year. John was always silent around Katie but when she was out of view but not yet out of hearing range she could hear him say, "I don't know how she does it but she has more balls than anyone in school. I couldn't do what she is doing, I don't have the willpower and determination." Melanie Rivera would always counter, "She has the balls but she wants to lose them." John would then groan and apologize but Melanie added, "I know what you really mean, I just hope that she knows that you mean well. You can come off as a jerk towards people, I hope she doesn't think you hate her and are only helping because her father asked you to." Katie could never figure out John but Louis always assured her that he was different than anyone else, just not different in her way. She stopped trying to figure him out after a week, he never said anything to her but never showed any aggression except against someone who wanted to harm her physically or verbally. He was just there for her- her silent, protective sentinel. Katie never saw her parents again after being forced to flee. Chief Benson was able to avoid jail and even any serious investigation thanks to Victoria Williams tampering with evidence and intimidating any potential witnesses. The residents never knew about his shifty deals or his family issues. The Bensons never sought custody of Katie despite beating the rap for assaulting her, Louis had used his friend Jorge Castillo to have some words with the chief and his wife and got them to renounce all ties to Katie before telling them that she was to be adopted in short order by Louis. Chief Benson may have been under the thumb of Victoria Williams but even she knew never to mess with Jorge and his people, he wasn't a crime lord but he could act just as ruthless to protect people he cared about or who were under the protection of people he cared about and that now included Katie. Katie had her gender reassignment surgery soon after graduating high school and earned a bachelor's degree in elementary education but realized that being transgender would likely cause a panic and she wasn't likely to find a job teaching kids. She followed her advisor's recommendation and became a lawyer in an attempt to repay debts to her adoptive father and mother. To her school's shock, she ended up graduating #2 in her class behind Kennedy Eaton: another young lawyer with ambitions to help people much like Katie but doing so from behind the scenes instead of in front. She never met Kennedy but had to admit that she worked much harder than Katie herself did and earned the top spot. Things were alright for a few years but a rival at her law firm found out about her past. Katie was fired from her law firm then turned around and sued them for wrongful termination and discrimination. She won a hefty $20 million judgment and enjoyed seeing the firm's prestige taking a beating from the trial as well as from other lawyers and employees coming forward with their own lawsuits. She befriended a young lawyer named Ricardo Ramirez during her brief tenure with the law firm. He was another loner who had lost much of his family due to his being gay. The two were kindred spirits. They often talked about their families with Katie feeling bad for Ricardo but Ricardo insisted that she was much worse off as he still had his sister, niece, and nephew whereas Katie really only had just Louis and Tamara and her rarely spoken to sister Lindsay. After living a boring life for a short time off the winnings from her lawsuit Katie decided it was finally time to do something with her life to help others and sought out employment as a first-grade teacher in the town of Endicott far away Winnisimmet and away from anyone who knew her and her past. The work was tough but rewarding as the kids loved her and the parents enjoyed her approach to teaching. The kids excelled in all areas and even outshine their counterparts in other classes. This lasted two years before her life came to a grinding halt as she was outed as being transgender by two sets of parents whose children were failing her class and whom Katie refused to allow to bribe their way out of Katie failing their children. Nobody in the school district outside of the superintenden knew that she was transgender and immediately she was seen as hiding something dreadful or criminal with no evidence of any wrongdoing by anyone. The facts didn't matter to anyone nor did they care about the facts, all parents wanted was to keep up appearances of their schools being, "Pure" and, "Normal." The school district had to get rid of her to avoid the humiliation and media circus that they feared the hateful parents would incite. They didn't know that the media refused to run with the story but it was enough to terminate Katie's employment and blackball her from getting another teaching position in the area. They didn't care about the cost to themselves, they just wanted her gone no matter the costs. Ricardo stood by Katie and sued the school district and won her another $10 million with the principal also being forced to pay an additional $2 million due to her slanderous and untrue statements in court and to parents whom she thought were sympathetic to her cause about what she feared would happen. The principal was hired by Winnisimmet Public Schools and given a job overseeing the Early Learning Center. She conveniently left off why she was let go by her former school district but those on the Winnisimmet school committee didn't really care, they just saw that she was qualified and wanted the job that nobody else would touch and saw it as a big loss by Endicott's school system. The principal, Ms. Mead, was angry with people like Katie and would often spout off about them and what would happen if any kid tried to act like Katie. She found no sympathetic ears except in the arms of a kindergarten teacher named Mr. Hogan. He, in turn, would go out of his way to show that she was right and wasn't afraid to hurt anyone who was different. This act of showing Mead was right included harming a young boy named Kevin Clarence who was identified right away as being like Katie. The two made it their mission to toughen him up but both eventually cooled their jets as the winds of change in the city overtook the schools. Hogan kept his activities to a minimal and only tried to toughen up one more child, a boy by the name of William Kelly, Jr. Hogan stopped once Mead was promoted to one of the elementary schools and he lacked anyone to support him in his crusade against girly-boys. Hogan kept his views though and whenever Katie tried to apply for a job at the school he would be quick to shoot down the attempt. The principal, Ms. Parker, finally kept her file on hand but refusing to hire Katie until Hogan was gone. Ms. Parker hated to do it but Katie was a fighter and Parker knew that Katie would eventually come to them in some form or another. She just hoped that it would happen before Katie lost the will to teach or someone was harmed by one teachers particularly Mr. Hogan. Katie felt humiliated after being rejected by Winnisimmet. She had hoped to follow Tamara's legacy in teaching the young minds of her hometown and continuing her adoptive father's legacy of ensuring the next generation was in better hands than the generation before. It pained her to watch kids struggling in his program and she being unable to help them without causing a ruckus but she steeled herself against the thoughts and soldiered on, knowing that the cost wasn't worth the humiliation. She didn't have much of a chance to dwell on the failure though as she needed to be frequently by the side of Ricardo. Ricardo found himself on the outs with his law firm when one of the senior partners took offense to the young star being gay. The firm had a longstanding anti-gay policy that they never advertised but all employed knew that it was in place. He was threatened with being terminated by the firm if he didn't resign and take a job elsewhere. Ricardo finally had enough and fought back against the man. He recorded the threats and had Katie play them in open court for all to hear. His colleagues were outraged that he breached their trust but the judge grinned and openly boasted, "You have no right to be outraged, you yourselves have done the exact same thing to force him out." Ricardo won $20 million from the law firm alongside damages and in the ensuing chaos of the firm's ingrained bigotry becoming public the firm broke apart as rivals swooped in to pick up the rising stars while leaving the tainted partners behind for scavengers to pick apart. Katie didn't take a penny of Ricardo's money, instead telling him to use it on himself and to find himself a boyfriend. He did the same, with Katie correcting him adding, "I actually like women but I know you mean well." Ricardo introduced Katie to his family and heard all about this young woman who set the firm on fire before taking a leave of absence to have twins, just before all of the fireworks involving Ricardo had started. Katie never learned the woman's name, only being told her name was Valerie and she was from Winnisimmet too but came over from Missouri with her family. She grinned at hearing that, telling Ricardo affectionately, "I hope she knows what she is getting into, that place is a whole other world." Three years later, week of April vacation Barnstead, Lincolnshire, England. It is April vacation week and Lady Karen Smith is up to something. After meeting with her mother and father-in-law she asked the Smith's junior maid to enter Lord Bradford Smith's office. Emma Walker was immediately scared but seeing Karen smiling at her and mouthing, "It's alright" to her, Emma quietly calmed down. Bradford grinned and told her warmly, "We need you to sign some things for us. You need to verify that David was with you at certain dates and times and certain places." Emma nodded and pointed out where and when pictures were taken and by whom. Karen told her warmly, "You are invited to Hannah and Paige's wedding as an honored guest, not as a maid." Bradford added, "Your service ends while you are in the US so there is no point in pretending to be working for us. In fact, you can't legally work in the US without a visa, you are going as a guest and member of the family and before you say otherwise that is the exact words from Lady Hannah herself." Emma signed the documents placed in front of her and went on her way. Karen reviewed them and told Bradford, "Her family won't help her out so I must ask that you sign as her closest family." He grinned at that, telling her sharply, "It's too bad she is too old to be adopted." Karen smiled then added, "She has Nigel and myself backing her as well as Walter and Lillian. She is going to make a lovely daughter to Lilly and a wonderful mother. I just hope that David doesn't need the 'bat' treatment from John and Dan but I have faith in him that he'll do the right thing for them." Ophelia Smith ventured in and added, "It's a shame that you can't do for her what was done for Lilly. Emma needs family and you and Nigel are the best people to help her." Karen's eyes glinted as she listened to that. She hugged Ophelia, telling her lovingly, "I'll have Valerie fax over the forms. It may not be legal in the UK but it'll be legal in the US and to us that is all that matters." Bradford looked at Ophelia who told Bradford sternly, "Make the changes necessary. She deserves a piece of our legacy." Bradford turned to Karen and asked her meekly, "Do you really want to do that for Emma?" Karen nodded, adding, "She is worth it." He, in turn, added, "Indeed she is." Early June. Broken Siding Retirement Village, Sally, Florida Danielle Kelly finished packing her possessions into boxes for their long trip north to Winnisimmet. She had little to her name as most of her possessions were pictures of her son and grandson. She had lived a thrifty life and only retired due to pressure from her employer several years before. The one thing that she kept by her side at all times was a framed picture of the man she calls, "The one I had to let get away." She kissed the framed photo every night and quietly said:, "One day I'll see you again." It was the only thing that she would not entrust the movers with, it was the one thing she would protect above all others. Junior used to ask about the picture but the last year and a half he stopped asking about it. She asked him during the most recent vacation stay why he stopped asking. Junior gave her a grin and didn't say, only looking away with a blush. Two days later Danielle landed in Boston, greeted by her son, grandson, and her new daughter-in-law Amanda. She immediately set out to kiss each of them, telling them that she missed them so much. Amanda was quiet but Danielle hugged her tight, telling her affectionately, "You are more beautiful than I could have imagined, it is no wonder William fell in love with you so quickly." Danielle had the picture in her suitcase and immediately checked it for damage. Amanda asked about it getting a quick, "Not now" from William as well as a soft, "You will see later" from Junior. She quickly dropped the questioning as the two would never tell her something like that unless it was something private and important to Danielle. At the Kelly home, Amanda helped Danielle get settled in while Junior and William went out for a, "Walk" which Junior complained about. Amanda immediately saw why they wanted to leave as the picture was placed beside Danielle's bed with Danielle telling her affectionately, "The boys know the story about the picture but you don't. You deserve to know the story." Danielle indicated to Amanda to sit down then began explaining, "The man in the picture is the only man I ever loved. He was in the military and was often off on dangerous missions. After a tragedy struck some friends of ours, he started to become distant and eventually stopped coming around here so often. Before he left to go to medical school he unknowingly gave me a final present, William. I never told him about William and William doesn't know who he really is, only that the man is his father." She showed Amanda the picture. Amanda's face went white as she recognized the face, the man who William and the other adults saw as their collective father figure. Tears ran down her cheeks causing her to have to look away in shame. Danielle gave her a few minutes to compose herself and didn't say anything further, sensing that something was going on involving the picture. Amanda mumbled the words, "Sean Beretta" in a soft tone but Danielle heard it clearly. She, in turn, hugged Amanda, telling her asking her, "How do you know him?" Amanda immediately told her, "I can't say. That is something that is between you and William. This is personal, I may be his wife but this is between you three." Danielle didn't pick up on the word, "Three", instead, she hugged Amanda tight. Danielle kissed her cheek, telling her, "Thank you for thinking about us first. This is between you as well, you are married and there are no secrets between spouses." Amanda got up and told her, "Some secrets need to stay secret until they are ready to be told. This is something that is more than just the three of you, this is nine of us. Talk with William, he will tell you everything." William came in with Junior and as soon as the front door closed Danielle asked:, "Why did Amanda have a bad reaction to the picture?" Junior blurted out, "We know who the man is." William shook his head and added, "The man is Sean Beretta, and I know he is my real father. I didn't know that, though, until we befriended a neighbor of his. I look like you but Junior is starting to become the spitting image of him and I know that he looks nothing like your parents as I've seen their big noses and chins. The others haven't noticed it yet but it's only a matter of time before Cat and Daisy say something." Danielle was flabbergasted. She looked up at Amanda for advice only to be told, "He lives around the corner and adopted a daughter last Christmas. Junior has two lovely cousins and a handsome uncle." Junior then added, "Francesca knows the truth. The only ones who don't know are Cat and JD and that's because Cat has a big mouth and JD is too easy to trick. Daisy got us to tell her by tricking us." Danielle had tears in her eyes now. Amanda and Junior hugged her tight while William called Sean to ask him to come over. He then called Beth Herman to ask her to come over with her family. An hour later the group was sitting in the living room silently looking at one another before Sean could finally admit, "I guess the jig is up. Everyone knew but us." Benny kept trying to go to Danielle for a bit of attention prompting Beth to let him walk over, with Amanda holding his hand to steady him. He jumped into Danielle's lap and hugged her, kissing her cheek, then falling asleep in her arms. Beth had to stifle a laugh and shook her head prompting the others to ask what was going on. Francesca grinned and proudly told them, "She meets Benny's approval. He knows she is special to grandpa and let her know he likes her." Beth grinned and asked Sean, "When are you going to do what is right?" Sean turned to William who then added:, "Mom waited for this day for years." Amanda looked at Junior and Francesca who both nodded, telling Sean, "I may only have known you for two months but even I can see that everyone wants the same thing from you two." Sean was backed into a corner but slowly turned to Danielle and asked:, "Is your offer still open?" Danielle silently nodded to which Sean added:, "Then I have no choice, will you marry me, Danielle Kelly?" Danielle passed the sleeping Benny off to Beth then deeply kissed Sean. Junior looked away in mock disgust but smiled at the couple. Danielle hugged Beth, telling her, "I guess I have to make it right with you. Sean has to officially adopt William as his son so there is no reason not to do so for you as well." Ben Herman knocked on the door and asked what was going on. All of them looked up at him and grinned with Beth adding, "Just giving dad and William what they always wanted." Ben just shook his head, telling them all, "OK, as long as they don't mind changing diapers." Mid-June, Columbia, South Carolina Ricardo Ramirez and his husband Alex Vincent were meeting with members of the South Carolina Department of Social Services regarding two young kids. Ricardo had to hold back Alex multiple times as they were not receiving warm receptions from the administrators. The meeting was tense as the two presented forms and applications for approval by the state regarding the fostering and adoption of six-year-old Stanley Lee and eight-year-old Sydney Lee. Ricardo looked over the information about the kids and grinned as he found something of unique interest to the duo. Ricardo announced, "I see that you didn't do a very good job looking into Stanley and Sydney's immediate family. Their immediate next of kin are each guests of the United States Government as well as the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for the next 50 years. It shouldn't have taken you more than a few minutes to find that out, they were front page news for weeks in Boston last month as they were just convicted on dozens of felony charges." Grinning and not even looking down at the information sheets in front of him Alex asked:, "They are the nephews of Felicity and Colby Lee?" The DSS staffers asked how he knew their names to which Alex grinned and announced, "Ricardo's niece is friends with their former daughter. Former as in her and her older brother Donald were removed from their care in April by the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families. Both children are adopted by a close friend of ours. As to Colby and Felicity, well they were convicted on charges of child abuse, neglect, criminal conspiracy, stealing government secrets, selling government secrets, mishandling classified materials, and a slew of other charges. In other words, they are spending a long time behind bars." There was no denying the application based on any close family being available. Ricardo then added, "We are aware of the two believing that they are girls born as boys. We have dealt with children like them before. Your state won't help them, but we will. As they have expressed to our friend Kennedy Pena a desire to live as girls we are prepared to seek out treatment for them. To deny the two a proper loving home based on anything other than an actual factually supported belief that there will be harm to them you are seeking a lawsuit on their behalf by Mrs. Pena not to mention ourselves." The DSS staffers were at an impasse. The only one not to say anything was the director, a person who rose up through the ranks and helped to weed out the bad seeds and horribly racist people in his department. Now he was seeing the new frontier in their department, transgender children. The director sighed and asked bluntly, "Are you prepared to deal with the issues that they bring along with their desire to change gender?" Alex grinned and proudly proclaimed, "We have a pediatrician, two social workers, multiple teachers, and dozens of people willing to help them. Those people include people who have suffered severe mental and physical abuse as well as young ladies who are transgender like Stanley and Sydney. We know the exact teacher who will be teaching Sydney when she attends school in the fall and he has had experience with girls like her, two in fact. We also are close friends with a psychiatrist dealing with children who are transgender and know a psychologist who has dealt with victims of child abuse." The director grinned and announced, "These two men have shown they are ready, willing, and able to help Sydney and Stanley and are seeking out the best care for them. You have no legal reason for denying their placement with these two gentlemen and the only possible reason for denying them will result in our department getting put under unwanted heavy scrutiny. Sign the forms and allow them to leave with their new fathers." In just under five minutes Ricardo and Alex were the proud fathers of Stanley and Sydney. Outside the two girls hugged Alex and Ricardo but before leaving Alex asked Stanley if she could take the name Eve as her new name. She asked him, "Why can't I be Starla?" Alex smiled and warmly told her, "Eve was my grandmother's name and she was the only person in my family who showed me any affection after I came out to my parents. I loved her deeply and swore that if I ever had a daughter I would name her after grandma." Looking up at the smile on his face she hugged him again, telling him, "Thank you, daddy." Sydney asked, "Do you want me to change my name too?" Ricardo shook his head, adding, "Sydney is a fine name." The two led the girls to the awaiting car then drove to the airport for their flight to Boston. Arriving at Logan Airport Ricardo told the girls, "Your new brother is waiting. He is also with your new cousins. They know not to go overboard but Eric is happy to have siblings now." Sure enough, the three were waiting for them with Alice Rodriguez telling them, "He was starting to think that you were going to have trouble." Ricardo grinned but then turned serious, telling the three, "The girls need to settle in while we have to make some more arrangements." At Eric and Alex's home, the girls settled in as Alex and Ricardo called Gabby Bollinger to ask her to come over with Donald and Amy. She didn't ask for an explanation, but Ricardo did tell her, "It's important for the girls." As they arrived Sydney and the newly dubbed Eve shied away from the others. Donald and Amy came into the living room and both blurted out, "It can't be!" The two immediately hugged their cousins as the girls burst into tears at seeing their cousins for the first time in several years. Alex informed Gabby, "Felicity and Colby had a sister who had two children. They moved away from their sister and called the state on them claiming that she was abusing the kids. The kids were taken away and their sister never heard from again. They were placed in a foster home and started to dress as girls until they were kicked out and forced to live on a farm. This farm turned out to be a modern day slave plantation as the kids in care were worked hard and forced to earn their keep. The woman who ran it was then found to be taking part in a bunch of seedy operations until the neighbors caused ripples and forced changes to the county, uncovering the farm's horrible situation." Gabby was straining to hold herself together. Ricardo added, "Last month Kennedy went down south to help a friend, this was part of that situation. The girls were rescued from the farm and sadly their mother and her girlfriend were found buried in a grave not far from their former home. The girls had nobody else and as Kennedy doesn't have space in her home to help the girls she asked us to help." Gabby looked at the four in the living room and smiled. She looked at Eric and saw the concern on his face. Turning to Ricardo she asked affectionately, "Did you finish the paperwork for Eric?" He nodded, telling her, "The date is the same as the others. Judge Perez is doing them all at once." She turned to Alex and hugged him, telling him warmly, "They are lucky to have you two. I'll help as much as I can but knowing that they have blood family along with the three of you the girls are in good hands. Chapter 1 It was late June at the Smith estate in Barnstead, Lincolnshire, England. The bags were packed and the maids and grounds staff were given a staggered two weeks off so each could enjoy a week of holiday. It was an extremely rare treat for all as it meant little normal work to do without the family present and what was left was simple dusting and regularly scheduled cleaning that took little time to do Lady Ophelia insisted that they take their time off especially as some of them rarely took personal time for themselves, particularly the senior staff. Lord Bradford had even given them a bonus which paid for flights or train tickets to wherever they needed to go. The one person the staff was surprised to see not receiving one in front of all was Emma Walker, their junior maid and the one who was the closest to the five Smith grandchildren. When word got around that she didn't receive one the rumors started to spring up and Emma was put down by just about all of the junior maids. The leading cause was her still unacknowledged pregnancy, something seen by the others as being insulting to the family and an embarrassment to the staff. Emma heard them all and felt the sting each time one of them looked at her but it was nothing that she hadn't expected when she revealed her upcoming bundle of joy to the Smiths. The rumors were running wild until the maids were overheard by Ophelia. She grinned as she then told the worst offenders that their services were no longer needed and that they should know better than to insult a member of the family as Emma was now considered to be. She then told the other maids to spread word that the reason for Emma not receiving the bonus like the rest of them was that she was, in fact, going with Bradford and herself as an honored guest at the request of Lady Hannah Smith. That little fact had been ignored by the worst offenders, despite them being told back in April that she was going to the wedding alongside Bradford and Ophelia. The revelation hit the gossiping maids hard. Emma wasn't dismissed, she was being rewarded. Ophelia then added, "We have something special planned for Emma that can only be done in the United States. She is to hereby be considered as a special guest along with every other guest who will be coming with us from Boston including close friends and family of Lady Smith." Emma was partly unaware of the plans for her. She knew that she was invited and was told that she was going along with them but without hearing anything further since April she took the fact that she wasn't receiving a bonus to be her clue that her service was no longer required and her time with the family was over. She hated to leave and wanted to see Hannah and Paige get married but she felt that her presence there was not one that was wanted. As she finished packing Ophelia's bags she was told to sit down. Emma was on the verge of tears at the request, knowing that what would come next would be the end of her time in service to the Smiths. She prepared for the worst, hoping that they at least let her down easy and offered her a good reference. Ophelia quickly hugged the 19-year-old and tenderly kissed her forehead. Emma flinched but Ophelia told her sternly, "You deserve to finally hear the truth. You are being let go from your service to us but it is due to your coming with us as a guest of Hannah and Paige. We told you before that you were invited to the wedding as a favored guest at their request. The two refuse to hold their wedding without you. Further, David needs to know about you having his child. Before you think the worst, the man has been inconsolable and lives only for your phone calls on the weekend. He is madly in love with you. His family is sponsoring your immigration to the United States as both a student and as the mother of the child of a citizen and Ambassador Gorman has made it clear that you are to be cleared to move without any delay. You are moving on to better things, you deserve it and we are happy to see you go onward." Emma got up to leave but Ophelia embraced her strongly again, this time adding, "You are special to all of us. Karen and Nigel are going to look after you under our orders. She has something that she needs to ask of you and it will impact us. She wouldn't do it unless she felt strongly about you." The next morning the staff kept their distance from Emma as she gathered her personal items from her room in the servants' wing. Reardon, the Smith family butler and head of the manor, carried her bags and packed them away inside the estate's Land Rover. He then sat her in the family in the manor's Rolls Royce alongside Ophelia and Bradford. Marion Paine, the estate's groomsman and Chef Cara Farquhar, the estate's cook, drove the Land Rover before heading north for their private holiday. The two hugged Emma goodbye with Reardon telling her that she was going to enjoy the family. Emma blushed but he then added, "Lord Bryan and Lord Peter have told me many stories that they haven't told you, trust me when I say that you will enjoy them and they will enjoy you." As they approached the check-in Emma was handed her ticket. She looked at it closely then gasped at what she saw- a first class ticket! Ophelia grinned and proudly told her, "That is non-negotiable. John Finn insisted that you fly comfortably and as a special guest of the brides you deserve nothing less." The flight was long but Emma was comfortable. The flight crew knew that the three were guests of a major shareholder and thus should be treated with respect but Emma's politeness gave them a sense of content to serve her. Ophelia let slip that Emma was formerly in service to their family which made the respect for the crew get put into perspective. The flight took six hours but Emma was happy to have the pampering end. The crew allowed her and the Smiths to exit first as they being elderly and she being pregnant they had every right to do so. The fact that Emma was, "One of them" as they saw her was extra, common courtesy mattered to them and they were proud to explain that to any of the complaining passengers. Karen Smith was waiting for them as they left customs. Emma had to be reminded that she was here for pleasure and not to serve which got the customs people concerned but a simple explanation and whispers in the ears of one officer cleared her quickly. Emma heard them quietly talk and distinctly heard, "He's in for a real treat" coming from them. Karen grinned at the officers which led Ophelia and Bradford to ask what was going on. She explained, "The two senior officers were the ones who arrested Jeffries last October. They work closely with David so you can probably guess that they know all about Emma." Emma didn't hear the discussion, she was trying to figure out something. She didn't notice two people come up behind her and tap her shoulder, causing her to turn quickly and get enveloped into a large hug by both young women. Hannah Smith hugged her tight, telling Emma, "You are growing big in all the right places, the little one is making you fill out more." Karen pointed out something and had Paige and Hannah hide Emma. David Peterson came walking over, wearing his duty uniform and looking for whoever paged him. He noticed the three Smiths and gave a sullen look as he started to look around for someone else. Karen grinned and asked him pointedly, "Looking for someone else?" David tried to play coy with her but Hannah and Paige snickered, with Hannah telling him, "Did you really think we'd allow her to be left in England and not come to the wedding?" Hannah and Paige moved away revealing the scared Emma, with David's face growing pale at seeing her visibly pregnant body. David had to step away, telling Karen, "I need to make a phone call. Please tell mom I need great-grandma's ring." He turned to Emma and added, "I swore that whatever happened I would be there for you and I meant it. I need to see my brother and sisters about something important first. Hannah and Paige can take you to my mother's house later. Please don't think the worst, I just can't leave until my shift is over. I want to leave now but I just can't." David reluctantly went back to his rounds while Karen explained to Bradford and Ophelia, "He is going to propose to Emma this evening. The Petersons have a tradition where David's great grandmother's ring is used by the men to propose to their love. He fully intended to marry Emma, the fact that she is with child made it happen earlier than expected." Looking at the time Karen had to ask that Bradford and Ophelia follow her as she needed to pick up the kids from school. Emma was driven off to stay with Hannah and Paige at their home while Karen led the Smiths to Winnisimmet. Bradford drove the rental car following Karen's lead and parked behind her as they arrived at the school. The kids were getting out en-mass with the Smiths seeing how diverse and different the school children were. Karen grinned as she told them that Nigel said the kids in their school have much better behaved than the ones in Nichole's former school even though they had less money and could not afford uniforms like the kids in her former school were forced to wear. The duo kept quiet about that, seeing the kids wearing t-shirts, shorts, skirts, sundresses, and any manner of clothes was overwhelming. Karen introduced Ophelia and Bradford to the other parents assembled. Todd Flynn and Paul Douglas were impressed that the Smiths were not put off by the children being their normal selves. The two had expected to hear comments about the kids but didn't hear anything. After a few minutes, Karen pointed to one of the doors and spotted Nichole coming out with her three friends Kylie Pena, Margaret Douglas, and Nancy Flynn. After them came Ethan and his friends Junior Kelly and Neil Jones. Karen waited for them to say something but the adults kept coy and grinned at the kids when they came into view. Nichole finally asked, "What is going on?" Ethan realized something was up as well and asked:, "Where are they?" Karen signaled and Bradford and Ophelia walked over to the delight of Ethan and Nichole. The two hugged their grandparents tight as their friends were left unsure how to react to them being there. Neil kept silent as well, unsure if he should say something or not. The parents gave them some space while Karen got Neil and Kylie into the car so they were saved from having to say something to their friends and gave them some privacy. After they broke their hugs the two asked what they were doing at the school. Bradford grinned and told them warmly, "We were a little late getting in due to customs taking a long time to clear us and your mom needed to pick you up so we just followed her here, it wasn't planned but we are glad to have done so." Ophelia added, "We didn't mean to embarrass you in front of the school." The kids hugged their grandparents tight, getting snickers from onlookers until Margaret pointed out, "They haven't seen their grandparents since April, some of you see yours in a few minutes." That sent the message loud and clear and with the knowledge that they were English nobility the kids backed away from making fun of the two. Karen smirked as Yvette Prince, the kids' principal, and Ivan King, Neil, Ethan, and Junior's teacher, came over. Karen formally introduced the two to Ophelia and Bradford who in turn thanked them for their kindness to the kids, particularly Nichole. Ophelia added, "You should be proud that the kids think the world of the two of you." Nichole had to blush and Ethan tried to shy away as Mr. King had a big grin on his face. Karen told the two educators, "Tomorrow is the last day but it seems you are going to have another member of the family next year. Sorry if the two-year break is only one year, but Daisy should be toned down by then. She isn't as bad as her cousins, nobody will ever be as bad as Hannah and thankfully Cat is only naughty when John is watching her." Bradford and Ophelia let out a laugh as the two winced at the mention of the two. Yvette told Karen sharply, "I have made all possible precautions and have her mother on standby. She surely can't be as bad as Hannah but at least we know what to expect." Ivan added, "John said she is a real sweetheart, although she is a bit on the rough and ready side." The two bid the family adieu allowing them to head to their hotel. Nichole insisted on helping while Ethan kept quiet, knowing that there was more going on. Finally, in the car, he asked where Emma was. Ophelia wasn't sure how to phrase it so Bradford did the honest thing and admitted the truth, "She is with your sister. She and Paige are getting her settled in, she is staying with them before the wedding. She won't be returning to England as our maid." Nichole asked, "Did David see her yet?" Ophelia tried to avoid the question, only saying, "He said he had to get something from his mother." Nichole and Ethan squealed with delight, Nichole happily telling them, "Then he is going to propose!" The two were shocked but Ethan added, "Everyone in the family knew what he would do. Uncle John told him that he would have to do the right thing and Aunt Lilly insisted on him buying Amy and Donald's house for his own home. She said it was so he could give Patrick and Deborah their own space but none of us believed it." The two helped Bradford and Ophelia settle in before they drove back to Winnisimmet with Nichole having to navigate for them. Once parked, Nichole went across the street to play with Kylie while Ethan went to visit Neil and Junior. Karen stopped Bradford and Ophelia, telling them, "Beware of Cat. She is cute but she will use you to get what she wants. Don't let her talk you into doing something for her or buying her something. She really is just like Hannah, but lacks the filter that Hannah developed over time and can come off as insulting or rude when she means to be nice and complimentary. She is a darling most of the time but she doesn't know when to stop trying to be funny." No sooner had she said that than Karen was enveloped in a big hug by Cat Finn. The little girl took one look at Bradford and Ophelia then ran off. Karen shook her head at Cat's reaction, telling the two, "She is up to something, be ready for her to return." Karen didn't have to wait long as she heard the distinct yell of, "Catherine Melanie Finn where are you!" Karen cringed as she had to tell them, "Now I know why she was affectionate- she had another of her 'art' projects on the wall of the playroom. She does them every so often just to see how much trouble she can get in with her parents." Ophelia snickered as Bradford tried to figure out what she was referring to. Cat came out again and tried to hide behind Karen, pushing her inside so her mother's focus was on the visitors rather than her. Valerie Finn opened the front door and calmly asked Karen, "Where is she hiding and how much did she try to bribe you with?" Karen snickered and pointed to the car where Cat's pigtails were clearly visible moving around inside. Valerie shook her head then announced to Cat, "You better go next door to tell your cousins dinner will be shortly. Your aunt will need help changing Marcus' diaper. He's about ready for his afternoon poop. Don't forget to wipe everything good and clean." Cat reluctantly walked over to her aunt and uncle's house muttering something under her breath earning her a quick, "You also get to change his diaper tomorrow for that, you know you are never allowed to swear." Valerie now turned to the Smiths and apologized for Cat rushing outside and trying to use them for cover for her naughtiness. The two went inside and were greeted by the morose JD Finn, who was sporting a face colored with bright marks from the markers the twins had been playing with. Karen just shook her head, asking the boy, "What did she promise you if you let her do this?" JD shrugged, telling her, "She said she'd pay me but she never said how much." Ophelia whispered, "Was it really like this for you with Bryan and Hannah?" Karen nodded, then added, "She knew how to get Bryan to do all of the dirty work no matter what was being done, although she didn't offer to pay him. JD has to learn not to listen to her plans and if he does, to get payment up front from Cat because he won't get it otherwise." The two laughed at the joke as JD walked away to wash up for dinner. Valerie was busy cleaning up Cat's mess so Karen showed them in. Ophelia asked about John getting grin and quick, "He is grading papers, he should be home shortly." Cat came over, complaining about the stinky diaper she had to change. Valerie came downstairs and told her to wash up quickly before her sister and brothers came. She then sat on the couch alongside Karen when Cat was out of hearing range, telling the trio, "It's only two more months before she is the school's problem for the day." Valerie took a couple of minutes before she was recovered enough to formally introduce herself to Bradford and Ophelia. She grinned as she added, "I am truly sorry for my daughter's behavior, she knew that you were coming and decided it was the best time to act up. I love her but these Finn women are too clever for their own good at times. JD, thankfully, didn't join her this time, although he is extremely susceptible to her manipulations." JD came in with Cat who loudly said:, "Hello Lady!" JD gasped in shock, telling her, "You can't say that to her." Cat grinned then told him, "Yes I can, Nichole said she was a lady like Aunt Karen, Hannah, and her." JD finally got the joke, groaning at her but not repeating it as it was meant to get him into trouble. Bradford calmly told Karen, "I see what you meant about her, it's like Hannah in miniature." Cat simply grinned as she tried to make herself look cuter. JD just sat down on the floor to play, pulling Cat down to get her away from the adults before she got into more trouble. Rachel and Iris Sylvester entered with their mother Leslie and father Mark. Leslie carried her 4-month-old son Marcus in her arms and sat alongside Valerie while the twins swiftly moved away from Marcus. Marcus giggled at Cat moving away from him with the adults trying to fight a laugh. Marcus tried to get the attention of Ophelia and Bradford much to the amusement of Karen. He went to Ophelia when she offered her arms, giving her a hug and snuggling into her chest. As expected, the front door opened and immediately John complained, "Seriously? Am I the only person that you won't go to? Of all the things that you could take after, it had to be that!" Marcus looked at him and giggled, hugging Ophelia harder. John walked away while Miles, Michael, and Jaimie Finn all stopped and stared at the two sitting in the living room. Jaimie was the first to talk, asking calmly, "Lord and Lady Smith, what are you doing here?" Karen answered for them, explaining, "They are staying for dinner. Your cousins should be over shortly afterward." Michael whispered something into Jaimie's ear who then looked at Karen and got a nod. She stopped asking questions, going instead upstairs to change and prepare for dinner. Melanie Lopez came in with her husband Dan, son DJ, daughters Stacy and Rebecca, and Karen's son Nigel Jr. Nigel Jr. immediately went to his grandparents, loudly calling, "Gamma, gampa!" Melanie shook her head, telling Karen, "He knew they were coming and was on his best behavior." Valerie countered with, "If only he could teach his cousin to act that way" getting a laugh from all but Cat." The doorbell rang again and Melanie answered it. She immediately told the person at the door, "Brace yourself." Turning to Karen and Valerie she told them, "Get your ear plugs in, the five girls are going to screech loudly when they see." As soon as she stepped through the door Nigel Jr. went for Emma. He stopped short when he then saw David coming in with her. Jaimie immediately spotted the ring on her finger and told Iris and Rachel, "He actually did it!" All five girls screeched with joy and went to David, with Jaimie insisting that he tell them all. Chapter 2 After separating from Karen, Ophelia, and Bradford Hannah drove straight to Hannah and Paige's home. Paige explained, "Hannah and I are living here until the wedding then Hannah is moving in with Pete while Bryan moves in with me. We all shared the house but it wouldn't be right to stay all together before the wedding and upset Lord Bradford and Lady Ophelia. Plus we didn't know if David would be an idiot or be a man. Obviously, he is going to be a man and do the right thing for you three." Hannah silently nodded but added, "There was never any doubt in any of our minds, but mom thought you might prefer to be around people you know and get used to Deborah and Patrick in case you didn't like them. Before you ask, they are good people and Deborah is like our sister as much as you are like our sister. Patrick is a blockhead at times but we love him anyway." The trio pulled into the driveway and was met by Peter and Bryan. Both looked over Emma and with scowls asked, "Where is he?" Hannah tersely told them, "He's working and he is asking for the ring. You don't have to worry about a thing, it's being taken care of. Mom made sure of it, dad talked with Aunt Lilly before he went to work so she was ready for the call. All we needed was Emma to be there." The two took Emma's bags inside and then had her sit down to rest while Hannah and Paige got her things squared away. A knock at the door caused Hannah to yell out, "In here, Reyna." Emma winced but Hannah told her, "She is part of the family and who we need to keep everyone away. As much as they mean well, you really don't need dozens of people smothering you with affection just yet." Reyna Toro came in followed by her mother Lupe. Emma was a bit afraid of what they may say. Reyna sat down and asked, "What do you want me to tell the others? You know they are waiting for word from you. They'll know she's here by now if Aunt Karen already has your grandparents with her." Hannah groaned and told her, "Tell them to hold off coming by until Aunt Lilly meets with her. This comes directly from Uncle John and Aunt Valerie. This is only to be between the Petersons, Finns, and Lopezes until tomorrow. Nobody is to pester anyone for information and until Claire gives the say so. Nobody is to text for updates either, Claire and Rebecca will send out texts when it is time." Emma was unsure what to think about the whole scene. Reyna just grinned and texted away but also told them, "You are going to have to say something to Aunt Olivia and Uncle Richard. They know that Emma is here already." Hannah sighed and added, "They will find out when Jaimie tells Rick. They know best not to ask questions yet. They'll figure it out on their own once they see the guys' reaction." Reyna just smiled and got up to leave. Lupe stayed behind and insisted on talking with Emma with the four being told to back away for a bit. Hannah was reluctant to go but she saw the look in Lupe's eyes and backed off knowing the mother in her was flaring up and she needed to talk mother to daughter. Lupe sat next to Emma and asked her warmly, "Are you sure you want to spend your life with David?" She tried to avoid the question but Lupe shook her head and told her, "You don't have to pretend to not notice things anymore, you are smart enough to put things together and see just what is really going on around you. You don't have to marry him just to please everyone else. It's your life, not theirs." Emma nodded, sighing and telling her, "I do love him. I want to spend my life with him. We had one accident during our time together and it resulted in our child's conception but I really do love him." Lupe smiled and boldly told her, "He loves you too. He is brilliant and can see things that others can't but when it comes to you he becomes a little boy. We all know he is in love with you, only true love can make someone as smart as him become someone who can barely string a few words together." Emma laid down for an hour, falling asleep much to the amusement of the ladies. Hannah woke Emma who was told, "That was Claire. Things are all set and we should get going before he loses his nerve. He's struggling with this enough already and might completely breakdown if we don't hurry." Emma looked scared but Paige countered with, "She was talking about Patrick. He is sensitive to these kinds of things and doesn't think he should be there for when we come by. He thinks that it's a private matter between you and David. David won't back down, not with Uncle John and Uncle Dan ready to smack some sense into him with their bats. That's before Bryan and Pete have their own go at him." The three drove over with Emma trying her hardest to focus on anything except the fact that she was about to meet with the love of her life and his family, all six of them. She knew that Lilly was kind and caring but she didn't know how to react to David's brother and sister-in-law. All she knew about them were that they were married and that Deborah was friends with Pete, Paige, Hannah, and Bryan. The drive was over all too quickly as Emma was helped out of the car by Paige. They were soon greeted by a happy Daisy who latched onto Emma and led her inside. Daisy had to be told to go easy on Emma but the young girl was on autopilot as she guided Emma into the living room to sit. Lilly entered followed closely by Claire and the woman who Emma could only guess to be Deborah. She was upset to see another two women enter, one barely a teenager and another who was about the same age as Deborah but who looked very similar to David. Emma was looking at Claire and Daisy for help but both were smiling at her. Lilly introduced the three, explaining, "This is my daughter-in-law Deborah, my niece Sheila, and her sister Avery. We wanted to ensure that David understood just how serious we are about you and him. We don't want to pressure you but we did want to make sure that you knew that we were supporting you even if my son wasn't man enough to." The door opened and David walked in with a man who had to be Patrick. Patrick was practically dragging him inside and Emma could hear David saying, "Are you sure that she is going to be here? I don't want to do this if she isn't going to accept. She shouldn't be pressured because of my stupidity." Patrick pointed to the living room and saw that Emma was sitting there and heard everything. He tried to say something but was speechless. Patrick shook his head and reached into David's pocket, took out a small box, then opened it for him. David was fumbling with his words as Patrick led him to where Emma was sitting. David tried to speak and after a minute of silence Daisy got up, forced him onto his knee, then used him like a puppet and told Emma, "Will you marry me?" Emma looked into David's eyes as Daisy manipulated his jaw and lips and cried, telling him passionately, "Yes!" Daisy got up and told David firmly, "I expect payment for your stupidity." Claire groaned and added, "Leave it to you to try to earn a buck from our brother's immaturity." Emma was giggling now as the girls hugged her while David fought for the right words to say. Lilly snorted at the scene. She turned to Sheila and quietly asked:, "Do you think Ian will have all of that trouble when he asks you to marry him?" Sheila shook her head, softly telling her, "He hasn't come to see you yet, but when he does I think he might need a shotgun in his back to get the courage to ask me." Avery grinned and winked at Lilly who then hid her smile as Avery mouthed, "Soon" to her. The trio looked on as Emma tried the ring on but saw it was too large for her fingers. Deborah looked concerned but Emma just smiled and thanked them for including her in the family tradition even, it was the thought that counted. Lilly left and came back with another ring, this one smaller and less ornate. Emma tried the ring on and it fit perfectly, albeit a bit loose. Lilly had to smile as both Claire and Daisy asked whose ring that was. Lilly softly told them, "Your grandmother Evelyn's. Valerie never got to wear it and Melanie and I didn't need it. They wanted Emma to try it on just in case your great-grandmother's ring didn't fit her." Emma had to fight back tears as Lilly hugged her tight. Daisy didn't see what the big deal was until Claire told her firmly, "Emma has family now. You weren't in the Range Rover when she told us about her family abandoning her because she wanted to go to school. She didn't have anyone before, now she has all of us as her family." Lilly told Emma firmly, "You are not to do anything while you are staying with Hannah and Paige. You are not their maid, you are their friend and cousin now. They need to learn how to keep house for themselves, they are old enough now and they will have husbands who can help them as well. In fact, I think you should stay with David, you need to get used to one another." Deborah told them, "You should stay with us, I could use the company while these two are busy with work." Hannah tried to say something but Lilly's look caused her to stop cold. She mumbled, "We will get her things together for her again. I guess you now have to take her to mom and grandmother and grandfather." Lilly nodded, adding, "She needs to meet her cousins and get their excitement over with." Lilly helped Emma up, with Daisy and Claire flanking her. Emma felt odd being treated that way but Lilly told her sternly, "You need to get used to people helping you. The girls don't want you getting hurt because of your trying to do everything yourself. Like with Paige and Hannah David and Patrick can cook and clean, let them do things for themselves so you and Deborah can relax. They are old enough to marry you two beautiful ladies, they are old enough to provide for you as well as take care of you." Deborah snorted as Patrick's face went white at realizing that his mother had just told him that he had to, "Man up" and help around the house. Deborah hugged Emma and made her sit next to her as Patrick drove with David still stunned silent next to him in the front passenger seat. Deborah quietly told Emma, "Give him a few hours, he is normally a good guy but this is something beyond comprehension. Mom wants what is best for you and the family is going to be there for you- all of them." The four drove over in silence as Emma comprehended what was happening. Deborah was all smiles as she explained, "Mom said the family is there, so it's Aunt Melanie, Uncle Dan, and their kids along with Uncle John, Aunt Valerie, and their kids, Aunt Leslie, Uncle Mark, and their kids, and Aunt Karen and her kids. Lord and Lady Smith are there as well but the most important thing is you being there." Emma didn't realize how small the city was until she arrived after barely three minutes. Deborah saw the concern, telling her, "It takes a while to get used to the small size. It's large when you have to walk bu small when you have to drive. It's not LA or London large, but it's still tough to walk in the winter." Emma was led to the door with Deborah holding her hand for support. David and Patrick held back while Lilly parked her car. Deborah rang the doorbell and when the door opened Emma was told, "Brace yourself" while waiving the two inside. Emma was immediately grabbed into a big hug by Nigel Jr. who noticed her now bulging womb and stepped back to give her space. The girls came over to see Emma and immediately noticed the ring on her finger. The girls noticed David trying to hide his face leading them to yell out, "He actually did it!" Jaimie was quick to look at the ring then went towards David, followed quickly by the others. Emma was led inside to get away from the encompassing girls and sat next to Valerie and Karen. Emma was uncertain as to what to say so she kept quiet. Karen sagely told her, "I told you that he would do the right thing." Turning to Dan she added, "You can put the bat away, you won't need it." Dan groaned and yelled to John, "Cancel the shovel, he manned up and did the right thing!" John then added, "But I had the whole weekend planned! Now what am I going to do up in New Hampshire?" David's face went white as the girls all started laughing at him. John and Dan slapped his back, telling him bluntly, "You didn't plan on this but you did the right thing. We knew you were going to propose to her and are proud of you. Decent people don't run away from parenthood, you are already better than your mother ever was." The girls finally stopped hounding David and focused on the ring on Emma's finger. None of them recognized it. Melanie finally asked, "Whose ring is that?" Valerie smirked and blurted out, "My grandmother's. Mom thought it might be good to use both since Lilly is part of the family too and Deborah was such a perfect fit for the Peterson family ring. It's the same meaning, and I guess they were right to do it since it looks like it's a good fit for her. Give it some time and she will grow into it." Valerie then swiftly added, "Too bad there aren't more proposals coming soon." All three ladies turned to Sheila and grinned at her. Avery added, "Oh don't worry, grandma has a ring all set for Ian to use." Sheila wasn't sure if Avery was joking or not but the look between the ladies showed that Avery wasn't kidding and had something planned. Melanie burst into laughter as Sheila tried hard to see if they were kidding or not, with Valerie holding a strong poker face that kept Sheila guessing. Once the fervor over the engagement died down the teens were sent off to study for their upcoming final exams the next day. Karen called Sarah Jones to tell her that it was time to go and added:, "Can you bring him by as well?" The adults all looked at her but the smile on her face told them that it was meant for the Smiths more than anyone else. Karen then called Kennedy and told her that it was time for Nichole to go. Kennedy asked what was going on across the street only to be told:, "Just ensuring that the Peterson name lived on to a new generation." Kennedy had to think about what she had just said then snickered, adding, "I'll tell Willie that he doesn't have to provide Dan and John with an alibi for tomorrow night." A few minutes later Nichole came in with Ethan following behind. Sarah Jones entered carrying a large car seat with the sleeping Brent Jones inside. Brent woke up and saw all the people and immediately started giggling at them, trying to get their attention. Karen explained to Bradford and Ophelia, "This is Brent Jones, the little thing you saw inside the plastic incubator in February. It took him until May to get out but he is getting so big and strong. Thankfully for John, he doesn't like to play around with your emotions and loves the attention." Sarah took him out of his seat and handed him to Ophelia. Marcus looked at Brent and giggled as Brent did the same back. The two held onto Ophelia who in turn was scared that she would drop them. The boys sat still for a few minutes and soaked in the attention before Marcus wanted to go back to his mother while Brent cuddled close to Ophelia. There was little to say as everyone waited for Brent to tire of them and want to go back home. When he finally did he was put back into his seat to fall back asleep with the teens looking over him while Sarah sat down with the adults. Marcus wanted the same attention and was put in his own seat next to Brent. Sarah immediately hugged Ophelia then Bradford, tearfully thanking them for allowing the kids to go visit them. Bradford understood her need to express her thanks and kindly told her, "We could not deny a request from our grandchildren especially ones so close to them." Ophelia added, "It was nice to see what we missed out on and what we can look forward to in the future." Valerie called them to attention by announcing that it was time for dinner. Ophelia and Bradford were seated at the head of the table while the teens filled in around them. Cat was grumpy as nobody was paying attention to her giving Bradford and Ophelia a real sense of why they were warned about her. As expected, Cat tried to get someone's attention and flung food at her brother but instead hit Leslie on the side of the face. Valerie had to pull her away and send her to her bedroom while Jaimie followed behind to ensure she fell asleep. When she came back a few minutes later John simply asked, "Usual anxiety?" She nodded, adding, "You know how she is with new people, she doesn't know what is bad attention and not but she feels a little warm so it might be her coming down with something." Valerie shook her head and explained, "She is alright most of the time but when she meets new people she tries to show how smart and fun she is. Her favorite thing to do is antagonize her brother which was why Leslie is between them. She will be fine the next time she sees you, just please don't reference what happened here or she will think you dislike her and won't go to the weddings." DJ and JD started to waver prompting Miles and Rebecca to take them to bed. Ethan blurted out, "Don't let him hug you" getting a terse, "Why don't you carry him then" from her. Ethan giggled while Melanie added, "You can help her get him ready for bed for that remark." Ethan tried to shy away but Karen told him firmly, "You made the joke, you can pay the penalty." Ethan reluctantly went off with Rebecca and DJ, being careful not to let him hug him. Miles came down shortly thereafter and finished eating while the adults cleaned the table. Jaimie did the same but focused on the conversation the adults were having. Karen asked about sleeping arrangements for the few days before the second wedding. Jaimie wisely suggested she and Miles stay there if Cat and JD were going to stay at the manor. Miles was reluctant but Karen grinned and nodded, with Valerie adding, "The twins should be alright, it's only a couple of days and you can always drop them off with us if they aren't able to make it without John or me." John told the six teens to finish studying for their finals causing them to groan and head upstairs or back to their own homes. Avery smiled at them but John added, "Mr. Taylor won't let you slide so you had better ensure that you are prepared for a last minute quiz tomorrow" getting a groan from her. Lilly took that as the cue to drive Claire, Sheila, Daisy, and Avery home and hugged John goodbye. Before she left she asked Karen, "Are you still taking them to the high school tomorrow?" Karen nodded with John adding, "It will be a nice surprise for them." Bradford and Ophelia asked what it was about getting a smile and quick, "Just teaching them a little something that they are going to be hearing a bit about next year. It's a boring period so they'll enjoy the little diversion." Melanie bid Valerie good night and hugged and kissed Emma on the cheek. Once she was gone Karen looked over at John and asked Emma if she remembered the forms she signed back in April. Emma nodded then Karen showed a letter addressed to her. She opened it and immediately burst into tears. She showed it to David who asked solemnly, "Why?" Karen sighed and told him sternly, "Because she deserves it. Nigel and I feel that it is the best thing to do for her as she has shown more love and care for Ethan and Nichole than even Nigel and myself have. Mom and dad can't do it legally but we can. She has been a sister to Hannah and Paige, well now she is legally their sister. Emma is now a Smith by adoption." Chapter 3 Emma didn't know how to react to the news. John snickered then burst into laughter. All eyes turned to him but he grinned and admitted, "Those bloody fools that she called her parents kicked her out and turned her into a real live lady. I do believe that your country has a reciprocal agreement regarding adoptions and even if they don't allow adults to be adopted they honor the adoptions done legally in another country. Thus, Emma, you are a Smith and will soon be a Peterson, a Johnson, and by your new mother's blood, you are now a Finn. I can't wait to see the look on your parents' faces when you tell them just what kind of family you are part of." John hugged her tight, letting her cry into his shoulder as the emotional toll took hold of her. Jaimie came downstairs to get a glass of water to break the monotony of studying and carefully asked what was going on. John casually told her, "Nothing much, your aunt had Emma sign some forms back in April that turned out to be adoption papers and it was finalized last week. She's now your new cousin through her in addition to through her marriage to David." Jaimie thought he was joking as she shot back, "Sure she did." Karen showed the form to her causing Jaimie to nearly drop her glass as she realized it wasn't a joke. She walked away shaking, Miles and Michael saw her shaking and asked what happened getting only mumbled, "Emma is our cousin. Aunt Karen and Uncle Nigel just adopted her." Both told her, "About time." Jaimie shot them an angry look but Miles calmed her, telling her, "Aunt Karen didn't like that Emma was abandoned by her family and Hannah told us that she was planning something big for Emma because she didn't want Emma to feel all alone. You didn't get to see her over in England but Michael told me how much Emma treated Nichole and Ethan like her siblings. Reed and I saw her trying hard not to stare at us as we worked with Ethan. She was jealous of us and felt sorry for herself at being all alone. She needed family and Aunt Karen was willing to give it to her." Michael added, "Aunt Karen told us as we were leaving that she would take care of Emma. Nobody expected her to go this far but she got closer to Hannah and Paige than anyone, closer than even Deborah and Sheila. It feels sudden but Aunt Karen has been back and forth to England five times since last August and each time she and Emma have been like mother and daughter. I may only have been with her a week but it was easy to see that Aunt Karen wasn't treating her like a maid, she was treating her like she was her daughter." Jaimie had to fight back tears. Michael rolled his eyes and groaned, "Women" to which Miles added, "She can't help it if she's the emotional one. Not all of us can disassociate from others like you can." Jaimie snickered but added, "It's just so much like a fairy tale. She goes from the lowly maid to the daughter of the lady of the manor with a stroke of a pen. She never has to worry about a family again, she has all of us now." The trio called it a night but Jaimie felt like she was on cloud nine. Miles had to suppress his own feeling of happiness for Emma as she never questioned his relations to Karen despite his Latino features being prominent compared with Reed. Michael's mind was the most at ease, it wasn't that far beyond belief to know that Karen loved Emma like a daughter when he had seen her doting on Emma as a daughter instead of a servant right down to the refusal to let Emma put away her clothes when she arrived at the manor. Downstairs, Bradford asked about Jaimie. John told him firmly, "She is emotional and if I know her she already told her brothers. She will take a while to adjust but she knows not to interfere with Emma and David's wedding, she already has enough on her plate planning Hannah and Paige's wedding." John then turned to Emma and firmly told her, "You are staying with Deborah, David, and Patrick to rest and relax. I don't want you doing anything for the next three days. The trip over here may have been in first class and during the day but it still takes a lot out of you and even though it's evening here it's pushing 1 AM in England. David and Patrick will cook and clean and if they know what is good for them they will not complain once. Right boys?" Both said, "Yes Uncle John" in response. Deborah grinned widely as she tried to think up what to have them do while Emma looked at John to see if he was serious. Valerie nodded to her with Karen adding, "You should have been resting for more than an hour but we needed to get this over with this evening so you didn't have anything to worry about. The anxiety that you would have had waiting for David's response was too much of a risk, you needed to get the introductions and answer right away." John added, "You are going to be inundated by the sheer number of people who want to meet you. Kennedy, Willie, Reed, Kylie, Willie Jr, Aunt Victoria, and Uncle Jorge should have been here for the announcement but none of us knew Karen was going to pull that surprise. Nigel should have been here as well but he is going to be short on time the next two weeks getting in as many shifts before the trip." Looking at the time John signaled that the kids should go. Karen gave Emma a big hug and told her affectionately, "You aren't going anywhere until the 4th of July party up in Endicott. Your sister and brother are the guests of honor but you are going to be there with them. If you don't want to go that is perfectly fine, nobody blames you and I am sure Valerie would be happy to spend the day with you although Hannah and Paige will want to introduce you to the James girls." The group departed with Nichole and Ethan hugging Emma tight. Emma finally left with David, Patrick, and Deborah. John sat down with Valerie and asked her, "Do you think she is doing the right thing? It just feels so sudden and irrational." Valerie kissed him on the lips, telling him, "She kept this from you on purpose as she knew you would see more into it than it really was. She loves Emma more than any of us will ever know and if she didn't do something to keep Emma close to the family she feared she would lose the respect of the twins. She does see Emma as a daughter, and to be honest, everything she has told me tells me that she is the counter to Bryan and Hannah much the same way Miles is the counter to Jaimie and Michael. She isn't the voice of reason like Miles, but a true mediator." The next morning Bradford and Ophelia woke up refreshed after a nice 10- hour sleep. The two didn't talk about the fact that they now had another granddaughter but it felt right. Emma was different than the rest of the staff and she simply didn't fit in among them as an employee. The two were invited to Cambridge for lunch at the UK's Consulate General's office. Bradford had known the woman for years and had kept up ties until the past year when family commitments and uncovering Harry Smith's deceptions and criminal activities took much of his time. Ophelia disliked the woman, she was, "Old money" who was intent on making a name for herself in the foreign service while using her family to bail her out of trouble she usually caused. The two clashed constantly and she could sense that the woman wanted Bradford in her bed and didn't take no for an answer. The consulate general's husband was another matter. He was always good to Ophelia and knew that his wife was woefully ill-equipped to be in her position and had gained it through sleeping with people in power. He had to endure the horrible truth as he himself couldn't stand to let his homosexuality get out and ruin his good name and cost him his only remaining family members. As expected, the woman was all over Bradford as soon as he entered. Her husband ignored the actions and introduced Ophelia and Bradford to his niece, Ms. Pamela Essex. Ophelia's smile turned to shock as she recognized the name while Bradford seemed to not know why she had that reaction. As her aunt pulled Bradford away to, "Talk about old times" Ophelia sat with Pamela in a separate room. Ophelia wasted little time and asked, "Are you related to that revolting man who verbally harassed and abused my granddaughter Nichole?" Pamela nodded, telling her apologetically, "He has been the black sheep of our family and someone that none of us want to associate with since our parents died. He took after them but none of our cousins or our aunts and uncles shared his and our parents' beliefs in what was 'right and wrong.' What he did to your granddaughter was beyond comprehension and was criminal in all ways. I have personally met her when your son and his brother-in-law visited my school and for the life of me I could not believe that he would willfully harm such a beautiful and brilliant young lady." Ophelia asked about that, unaware that Nichole had ever considered going to another school. Pamela explained, "Mr. Finn wanted to have her evaluated and possibly attend our school if she felt the need to continue with the British style of education. She did well and we offered her a place but she declined, citing that she wanted to be a normal girl in her new country. Mr. Finn accepted her reasoning for not wanting to attend the school and offered us a tidy scholarship fund to compensate us for the time spent evaluating Nichole. He need not have done that but it was something that helped other children thrive." Pamela asked about Nichole getting a smile and happy, "She is thriving among her new peers and made lifelong friends with several girls. She even helped another girl like herself, one who is now her second cousin." Pamela felt relieved, she was genuinely concerned about Nichole adjusting but the smile on Ophelia's face showed that it was unnecessary. Ophelia then added, "Her brother is doing just as well." Pamela's face dropped, she mumbled a very concerned, "I didn't know she had a brother, only a father. It's been nearly two years but I swear she mentioned that she was living alone with her father." Ophelia drew a sharp breath then explained, "At the time it was only Nichole and her father Nigel. But that changed soon after as Nigel fell in love with, impregnated, then proposed to Karen Finn, John's sister. They soon married and adopted each other's children. Last August my younger son Harry was revealed to have been involved in criminal activities and died in prison. His wife was shown to be suffering a losing battle with an illness and her son, my grandson Ethan, was bequeathed into Karen and Nigel's care with the intent on them adopting him as their own son. So yes, she has not one but three brothers as well as two sisters." Pamela let that sink in. Ophelia then added, "We reconciled with Nigel and Nichole last summer and have gotten used to having several grandchildren and thanks to Nichole have opened up our eyes to children suffering from gender issues." Pamela nodded, adding a solemn, "So have I. John Finn gave us several amazing students thanks to his scholarships, children who have improved our school and made strides in the community." The two finished their private talk and walked in on Bradford fighting off the unwanted advances of his so-called friend. Pamela tersely announced, "It is time for lunch, I am sure Lord and Lady Smith have a busy afternoon ahead of them." Bradford grinned at her and mouthed, "Thank you" with Pamela grinning and nodding in return. Over lunch, the consulate general tried to antagonize Ophelia into making remarks that she had hoped would embarrass Bradford. They were simple barbs but they were meant to hit hard and cut into her deep. Ophelia didn't bite until she brought up Nigel and Nichole. She was straightforward and asked, "Has your son tried to contact you lately? The one who is allowing his son to dress as a girl? I understand that he is barely scraping by with the scraps given to him by the hospital in London, one that he is blamed for causing financial hardships at." Ophelia was about to say something when Pamela proudly proclaimed, "Nichole is doing well. In fact, she was the one who caused Randal to be arrested for embezzlement and being a public nuisance. Nigel is gainfully employed at a nearby hospital and is one of their top nurses. Nichole, sadly, declined to attend my school but ensured that several children had funding to attend who in turn boosted our test scores enough to earn several grants for expansion." Bradford grinned and added, "Both Lady Nichole and Lord Nigel are doing just fine. Lady Nichole is attending school with her brother Lord Ethan. Her mother Lady Karen would have come here today with us but sadly she had to help broker a multi-million dollar deal for a company based in Hull to expand operations into New England. Nichole's sister, Lady Hannah, and her brother, Lord Bryan, are busy preparing for their wedding with their future husband and wife, respectively. Her other sister, Lady Emma, is resting with her fiance and his family. We would have brought her little brother, Lord Nigel Jr. but he is spending the day with his aunt and uncle Valerie and John Finn." Ophelia delighted in the name drops as the consulate general tried to comprehend what was just said. Ophelia then added, "I am debating whether I should inform Ambassador Gorman that his nephew-in-law and great-niece were so thoroughly insulted but I feel that he will know about this before we leave the building. Before you ask, he is Lady Karen's uncle by choice but is also Lord Bryan's and Lady Hannah's first cousin thrice removed and Mrs. Gorman's only living relatives. Suffice to say, expect a phone call from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the UK Ambassador himself. Neither will be pleased with your actions and I doubt you will be allowed to remain here for much longer." Ophelia got up to leave followed by Bradford. The consulate general tried to make it seem like she was sorry but Bradford told her bluntly, "Going after my son and granddaughter to anger my wife is the final straw. We grew up together and I put up with your shenanigans for years out of respect for you parents and your relatives but this was inexcusable. What you have been trying to do for years is appalling and you should be ashamed of yourself. I am a happily married man, a grandfather of six, and soon to be a great- grandfather of one. You are not now nor will you ever be my lover and the fact that you would even consider it is disgusting. Good day, madame." Pamela burst into laughter and told her harshly, "They are not kidding. I talked with Nichole and saw the pictures of the meeting with Ambassador Gorman. I checked his biography and he happily states that he doesn't have any children but has multiple nieces and nephews through his close relationship with one Brent Finn and Louis Reagan. I also advised you once you were stationed here last year to get to know the Finn name as it is extremely important in this region, well now you know why. Enjoy the rest of your time in Boston because I can guarantee you that you will be recalled in disgrace and will be lucky to have any sort of job within Her Majesty's Government again." Outside, Bradford let out a heavy sigh and immediately apologized to Ophelia for what happened. He told her affectionately, "I should have ended our friendship years ago but I guess I was just too stubborn and sentimental. I only have eyes for you." Ophelia giggled and admitted, "I know, I trust you fully and would never think for a second that you would cheat on me with such a floozy. Besides, she needed someone to lay down the law once and for all." Ophelia grinned as she looked at her watch, telling Bradford, "We have to meet Karen and Nigel Jr. soon." She drove the car into Winnisimmet and then followed Karen to the high school where they met Jake Bollinger outside. Karen introduced the two then told them, "Jake is a longtime friend of John's and the principal of the school. Sadly, he is also Will's father." That joke got Jake laughing while Ophelia had to remember Will and his personality. Bradford had to point out, "He is the young man who is dating Claire, the one that almost gave Claire a heart attack over a joke." Jake added, "He paid for that joke in the van, he was forced to actually go shopping for a bra with the girls as punishment. They tried on several but couldn't find a bra in his size." Ophelia now recalled the incident and had to stifle a laugh as Bradford's face went beet red from the joke. Karen shook her head and added, "He isn't kidding, the three girls made him go with Claire and Lilly. It took him two weeks to live it down but he learned his lesson from that experience. He refuses to go shopping with anyone anymore." Jake escorted the four to John's classroom, arriving just after the late bell rang. Rachel quickly said, "Hello Lady Smith, Lord Smith." The rest of the class looked over at them to which Rachel told them, "They are Aunt Karen's in-laws." Iris added a quick, "Aunt Karen is a lady as well." John jumped on the open joke and proclaimed, "That's no lady, that's my sister" getting a laugh from the class. Rachel groaned and told the class, "He has been sitting on that joke since August. Aunt Karen actually is Lady Karen Smith, Countess of Boston. Lord and Lady Smith are the Marquess and Marchioness of Lincoln and Aunt Karen's in-laws." Nigel Jr. got grumpy and blurted out, "Me lord!" Rachel grinned and added, "OK fine. Our little cousin Nigel is Lord Nigel, the future Earl of Boston." John grinned and added, "That is Boston, Lincolnshire not Boston, Massachusetts. That leads us to our discussion, since it's our last class and you don't need anything heavy I'll tell you about the county and the peerage system of the United Kingdom as it will play into some of what you will learn in World History next year." The class listened intently as John went through a prepared speech and presentation to tie-in with their lesson the next year and to give them a chance to unwind before their next final exam the following period. Karen whispered to Bradford and Ophelia, "He had this saved up all year. He is good at his job and the students love him. Even though our eight know what he is about to tell the class they still listen to him tell it out of respect and because the others are looking at them for getting special treatment." After the presentation was finished John gave them free time so they could calm themselves before their last final exam the next period. John introduced the two to Jessie and Donald Bollinger, Sam York, Reyna Toro, and Francesca Herman. They were formally introduced to Rachel, Iris, and Rebecca who didn't get the chance to meet them directly the previous evening due to the commotion surrounding David's engagement announcement. Thomas Samuels was the last to be introduced. As expected Ophelia asked, "Is he related to Richard Samuels?" Thomas embarrassingly mumbled, "He's my father." Karen added, "He and Al were adopted on Christmas Day, he had already gone to visit his girlfriend Rebecca when Al called us." John pointed out, "Jessie is the young lady that Reed complained about missing last August and whom you saw in the background as her mother examined the estate's computer." Jessie blushed while Ophelia asked where Reed was. Karen pointed out, "He is a year ahead of these eight. They are the only couple who aren't in the same grade." Bradford took the time to thank Rachel for her hard work the previous August. The rest of the class listened in on that, Iris told them, "You thought she was lying well you heard it from the man who hired her to hack his own computer to find important files hidden inside." Bradford nodded, adding, "She is due to receive an award from the Crown Prosecution Service for what she found, there were a lot of people whose criminal activities were uncovered thanks to her." John led them out and pointed out the older teens to them. Bradford asked, "What is Paige doing here?" John chuckled and pointed out, "That is Paige's younger sister Christina. They look a lot alike but she is much quieter and less adventurous than Paige." John introduced them, first officially introducing Jaimie and Stacy then moving on to Jenna Connors, Eric Vincent, George Daniels, and Will and Courtney Bollinger. He purposely introduced Rick Samuels last, adding, "Yes he is Richard's son and Thomas and Al's older brother. Unfortunately, he also took the heart of my daughter." Outside Karen explained more about Christina, saying, "She has more to be humble about than Paige." John didn't realize the mistake and apologized, telling the Smiths, "She is right, the poor girl nearly lost everyone she cared about because of her attitude and behavior. Hannah and Paige turned her around and Jenna got her to open up and be herself. It's almost impossible to remember the old Christina, the one before she became a Connors." Ophelia tried to press for more information, getting a solemn, "It was like Ethan only with her parents actually physically hurting her. She was placed in foster care along with Paige and were adopted by a close friend of ours and ever since has been a new woman. She needed someone to show her that she was already a good person." John added a warm, "She has Hannah to thank for a lot of her self- reflection and personality change, she can be very persuasive when she needs to be and very protective of people she cares about. Miles brought out the best in her and if it wasn't for Christina showing Miles that he was loved by someone we might have lost him by his running away to New York or somewhere worse." Karen ushered them along, hoping that they realized that the family was more complex than they thought. In the car heading towards the Finn home Bradford solemnly told Ophelia, "Those kids are something else. So many of them are damaged but they seem to find exactly who they need to help one another." Ophelia nodded in agreement, offering a loving, "Ethan took to them for a reason, they truly understand him and he understands them." Chapter 4 The two drove the rest of the way in silence. At the Finn home, they were greeted by an eager JD and DJ. Karen introduced the Smiths to the other two guests, Willie Jr. and TJ Daniels. Both were more interested in playing with their friends Nigel Jr. and DJ to offer more than a stilted, "Hello" to them. Nigel surprised everyone by insisting that Willie Jr. should be called Billy with Willie Jr. nodding in agreement, Karen and John asked why with Nigel insisting, "He Billy." The adults snickered at the innocence and let them play. Ophelia asked about Cat, getting a quiet, "She is up in her bedroom napping, she wasn't feeling well last night and acted up yesterday because of it. In her nearly four-year-old logic, she would rather you saw the Cat who got into trouble than the girl who was ill. She knows you know about her being like Hannah and Daisy and wanted to keep it that way." Cat came out in a still dreamy state and saw the Smiths then ran back upstairs. Valerie shook her head and went back up, taking Cat's lunch of soup and toast up to her. Karen and John wrangled the boys who ate their lunch with their help while Bradford and Ophelia watched in awe as the four didn't fight them nor make much of a mess. John made the worst mess as he knocked over a cup of juice causing the four to laugh at him and getting a disappointed, "Still a messy eater" from Karen. The boys laughed at John and finished up, going back to their play while John cleaned the table. Valerie came down and shook her head, insisting that he stop and get to work on his grading. He tried to complain but she overruled him, insisting that the sooner he get it done the sooner that he could relax. John spent a few minutes to talk with the Smiths about their plans. With no clear plans, John told them that they were welcome to join them on any excursions they liked. Valerie told them, " tomorrow after court the kids are going to the beach, it may not be all that interesting but it's an option for you." Ophelia asked why they needed to go to court. Karen smiled and proudly admitted, "Several of the children are getting adoptions finalized. TJ there is being adopted by his foster father Mike Daniels. Junior Kelly is being adopted by his stepmother Amanda. Jessie, Courtney, Donald, and Amy Bollinger are being adopted by their stepfather Zeke. And Eric Vincent is being adopted by his stepfather Ricardo. And last but not least, Kyle Douglas is being adopted by his aunt and uncle." Valerie saw the brewing questions and added, "Eric's father married Ricardo two weeks ago and Eric demanded that Ricardo adopts him back when the two announced their engagement back in February. TJ's mother is George's mother but Mike is not Timothy's father yet he is the only father he has ever known. And Zeke has known Gabby since they were in middle school and like Eric, the four kids demanded that he adopt them. Junior's mother died when he was a baby and he fell instantly in love with Amanda. Kyle's parents decided that they cared more about reputations than about bringing up their child properly and his aunt and uncle already cared for him as a mother and father would." The whole situation brought a chuckle from Bradford. The three looked at him oddly but he countered with, "It's a bit odd but it's all done out of love for the kids and by the kids. The six of them demanding adoption, I know usually it's the kids against their parents' new spouses." Karen had to grin at that, he understood fully. Bradford then asked about James York. Karen smirked and tried to dodge the question but John cut her off, informing him, "He's a great person to deal with. He knows what he is doing with your money and not afraid to take risks if he feels that the rewards are going to be great. He doesn't fully commit to one single investment, any mistakes he makes are soon mitigated by his smaller investments that he knows will pay off so you at least break even." Bradford nodded at that. Ophelia asked about his relationship with Michael to which John grinned and told her, "He was a surrogate son. Virgil is an amazing boy but he isn't interested in stocks like Michael is and isn't mature enough to talk shop with James. He is expecting his first biological child just before Emma so David is going to have some company at parenting classes." Their talk came to a halt when there was a knock at the door. Valerie called out, "In the dining room" to the person. A minute later a tall man entered wearing a police uniform and grinning at the four. Willie Jr. came running towards him, hugging him tightly and yelling, "Daddy!" Willie Pena sat next to John and introduced himself to the Smiths. Valerie informed him, "Nigel has been calling him 'Billy' again and he seems to like the name. We try to correct them but they don't seem to understand." Willie grinned and knelt down, asking him, "You know your name is Willie, short for Wilfredo, right?" He nodded then added, "Me Billy no Willie." Willie nodded then added, "Alright, it's perfectly normal for a Will name to be called Billy. If you can call your cousins DJ and JD and your uncle 'Uncle Dan' then you can be called Billy. Better to be called Billy than Little Willie, I think that isn't exactly a nice name for a person if my British slang is correct." The four saw the reasoning and agreed with him. Willie then added, "Just remember, it's your nickname and not your first name. Just like JD and DJ are nicknames. You are still Wilfredo, just as JD is Joseph and DJ is Daniel." The newly dubbed Billy agreed, hugging his dad as then going back to play. Bradford had something crossing his mind and asked:, "I recall that Kennedy is unable to have children, did they purposely find Latin-origin children to adopt?" All three said a quick, "No" then John added, "The fact that they are mestizo, half white and half Latino, is purely coincidental. Kylie and Reed were put into the care of Willie and Kennedy because they were able to house them and were previously looking to adopt children and they had all of the clearances in place for a quick placement. Kylie, in turn, was found to be like Nichole and Kennedy while Reed proved to be a strapping young man who is following in his mother's footsteps in investigations." Willie beamed with pride. He added, "You didn't mention your uncle taking me as his son giving mom and him their own grandchildren." John grinned but Karen added, "It also gave them a reason to keep a close eye on us, although Kennedy does love having in-laws who treat her like a daughter." Looking at the time the two were told they better get a move on and pick up Kylie, Ethan, and Nichole. Billy came strutting out, smiling as they said, "Goodbye Billy" to him. Cat finally came down, looking better and sitting in John's lap while hugging him tightly. She tried hard not to look at the Smiths but caught glances of them and saw that they weren't going to say anything about her being there. After a bit, she got up and walked over to the other three kids and started to play with them but didn't say anything. John started to think then asked, "I was planning on taking the three boys to Connecticut to visit a few museums that Ethan and Neil would enjoy. It seems like a waste to leave you behind while the ladies enjoy a spa treatment. You are more than welcome to come with us if you want. I am sure Ethan would enjoy some more time with you." Bradford grinned at hearing that, accepting the offer and thinking that John was extending an opportunity to get to really know his grandson and see him among his friends as they enjoy themselves. The teens started swarming inside with Karen coming in soon after with her three. Cat immediately went to Jaimie who got her to sit down and take some medicine before putting her down for another nap. JD, DJ, and TJ tried to say something but John's glare stopped them while Miles ushered them up to the play room to get them doing something else. Ophelia asked about that to which Valerie told them, "The boys were looking to have some fun at Cat's expense. It's harmless and normally would have been followed by her retaliating but she isn't in any condition to fight back yet. She should be fine in a day or two, I'll have to leave her with my parents when we go to court though." Miles and Michael got ready for their dates while Jaimie slipped out of Cat's room to get ready for hers. She stopped in to talk with the Smiths before Rick showed up and met them with smiles. John was quick to tell her, "No funny business, you two came home with too much makeup smeared over your face. You had to have been going at it pretty heavy for Rick to have your lipstick on his neck and nose." Jaimie blushed in embarrassment then gave a solemn, "Yes dad, Uncle Richard already told us this." Rick entered and saw the angry look on John's face and immediately told him, "Mom and dad gave me the 'back it down or else' talk, we won't be doing that again. I have to take Al, Kyle, Oscar, and Amy with me as punishment." Rick called out to the 12-year-olds waiting patiently outside. Al Samuels, Amy Bollinger, Oscar Pierce, and Kyle Douglas came in after Rick and reluctantly greeted John and the Smiths. Ophelia's face lit up as she and Bradford recognized the young lady in front of them, much larger and more feminine than the skinny girl they saw on Christmas Day. Al finally noticed the two staring at her and gave a concerned, "What?" to them. Ophelia barely uttered a surprised, "You have gotten so beautiful since Christmas." Al blushed and moved away, trying to hide her embarrassment. Rick added, "She is a whole other person, not everyone can become someone new and look as good as she does." Al calmed down as she heard Bradford mention to the curious John, "We saw her at Christmas when she Skyped the children. She looked so lovely that we could not believe that anything bad had happened to such a person. We didn't mean to upset her, she was just talked about so much by our grandchildren that it was hard not to see her." Off to the side, Kyle stood next Al as they listened to the adults talk. She whispered, "I guess I don't know what to say, I am used to people knowing me but it's odd knowing that someone took an interest in me from so far away." Kyle hugged her from behind and kissed her cheek, adding, "They knew about you and were genuinely concerned about you. Seeing you in person is different than seeing you on a computer and you really have changed a lot. I just hope you still like me once the boys start to notice how good you look and how much you have grown as a woman." That set Al off, causing her to blush deeply as Oscar and Amy held their own tongues at the two being overly affectionate. The four walked over to Rick who was now ready to go after checking in on the younger kids. Jaimie hugged and kissed John as the six left, with John telling them, "No funny business" getting a loud, "We know the rules" from the two younger boys followed quickly by, "I was talking to Jaimie and Rick" from John. Michael came over with Miles and hammered out the details of their dates with John not even batting an eye. Bradford asked about they, getting a smile and, "Courtney isn't as affectionate as Jaimie despite a lot of kissing and tight hugging and Miles won't do more than kiss until they are out of high school. His birth mother was the result of a teenage pregnancy and he refuses to even think about putting Christina through that humiliation." Bradford asked for clarification so John added, "Miles was in our care for almost two years. It took him a long time to get used to having a family but seeing Michael find that the Jones family is his biological father's family and related to Jaimie through her great-grandmother he felt isolated. We didn't find out about his living relatives until Mick Jones sought out information on Miles' behalf and came up with the orphanage's records and by luck or fate he ended up in my care and the biological nephew of my best friend, Melanie, whom you met last evening. She is his biological aunt. His grandmother had been secreted away to have a baby in Springfield then came back east to act like nothing happened, not even Melanie knew and she and her mother were extremely close." The two looked at one another and had to feel tender feelings, the family was showing its soft side and again explained why Nichole and Ethan were welcomed with open arms and they tried to help them so much in England. Karen suggested that they get going so Nigel could meet them, with Ethan and Nichole adding nods as they got up to go. Before they could leave Cat rushed downstairs and hugged Ophelia tight, catching her off guard while the others looked surprised. John casually told them, "She's fine now, she just wanted you to know that she's around. Next time she sees you she won't act like a brat. I can't guarantee that her brother won't." Cat walked away while the group looked on at her. Karen ushered them out before she realized they were watching her. Outside she sighed and told them, "She tries her hardest to be someone she isn't. The poor girl has a lot to live up to being Jaimie's baby sister. She knows Jaimie isn't 'normal' and everyone knows her and few know Cat. She thinks that she has to be a brat and draw attention to herself. JD thankfully hasn't tried to be like his brothers yet but in time he might be as irrational and emotional as them. John's family may seem like the ideal group but deep down they are all still human and suffer the same issues as everyone else, Cat just hides it closer to the surface than the others." Nichole directed them away so they could get to dinner with Nigel. She asked about their day getting a glowing, "We met Ms. Essex the headmistress of the British School of Boston." Nichole blushed and asked what she said, getting a hearty, "She said you opened doors for several children who made the school better and regrets that you didn't decide to attend her school." Karen asked what else happened, knowing that it wasn't the only thing. Bradford shook his head and told them, "I had to put a vain, oversexed woman in her place for insulting Nigel and Nichole. She deserved the lashing your grandmother gave her and when she loses her job tomorrow she will have nobody but herself to blame." The drive was done in silence as Karen made a phone call to Walter to ask him not to go overboard about the incident with the consulate general. He, in turn, added a terse, "I had to do my duty as a representative of our country and sadly sometimes it means asking that a person is removed from his or her post. She was woefully under-educated and ill-equipped for the job. Lord Bradford wasn't the first to complain about her and her professional manner left much to be desired. She needed to go, he simply gave us the final nail to have her removed and a person who could do the job put in place." Walter sighed and added, "We are proud of your father-in-law. It took a lot to stand up to someone you have known for years. He deserves credit for being a good family man, I'll tell him personally at the wedding. I also hear that you did something else that needed my attention?" Karen blushed as she had spent all day focused on business that she didn't check in on her new daughter. Karen reluctantly told him, "I adopted Emma Walker as my daughter." Walter then calmly explained to her, "I don't blame you one bit, that girl should never have been a maid. Her family deserves a smack across the head for kicking her out and trying to use her to their advantage at the expense of her education. She deserves a real family, and you all will give her one." Karen thanked Walter and ended the call, going over to the Smiths who embraced Nigel and were trying their hardest to make him feel loved. Nigel had to blush deeply but seeing Karen he grinned and asked:, "Was he alright with Emma?" She nodded and added, "He knew we would do something for her, I swear dad's influence on us is hard to miss to everyone but John, Leslie, and I." Chapter 5 Over dinner, Nigel talked with his parents about the situation with Emma and was surprised that they were supportive of the adoption. Bradford had to explain, "We aren't the old money ogres that we used to be, the only person who would take offense to Emma becoming family are the people who rejected her as family in the first place. The staff will either have to live with it or they will have to find new jobs. And I could care less what that witch Camille has to say, your mother may try to keep ties but as far as I am concerned that woman is dead to me and unlike what I did to you this is with good reason." Privately after dinner, Ethan told his grandparents, "Thank you for not taking issue with Emma. She won't be around you much if at all and David and his family are going to take good care of her. If you need to blame anyone for mom and dad doing this it was Nichole and I who asked her to do it, we didn't want to see her go and we didn't want her to be without help just in case David didn't want anything to do with her after he learned what he had done." Ethan's tearful plea wasn't needed but it did reinforce the reason for them taking little issue with Emma joining the family. Ethan never acted this way before and he would never plead his case to them unless it was something near and dear to him. Nichole was silent but she had the same look in her eyes, they were in full support and needed confirmation that Bradford and Ophelia were alright with it. Emma spent a long night after the introductions to her new aunts and uncles and new sibling-in-laws in bed with David by her side. She was grateful that the bathroom was next to the bedroom as she had to get up several times during the night. David didn't say anything about it, each time he hugged her and cuddled with her as she got relaxed. In the morning Patrick cooked breakfast for the four of them while David got ready for his shift. Emma tried to help but was all but dragged back to her seat by Patrick and Deborah. David had to carefully explain, "We are under order from Uncle John to keep you from doing anything and if we break that order we have the wrath of the family falling on us. Please don't try to do anything, you already have done enough just by accepting my proposal." Deborah's hand on her own caused Emma to sit and let them do the work. Emma wasn't used to anyone doing things for her so having someone serve her was a big thing. Deborah reassured her, "You get used to it, these two are willing to do anything for you. When I was laid up after surgery, Patrick game me a lot of massages and scrubbed the bathroom floor after an accident." Emma asked what she meant by surgery, not knowing Deborah's history. Deborah smiled and told her, "Last March I had my gender reassignment surgery. Before you say otherwise, it is true and it's a story that I don't think you should know yet as I don't want to upset you." Emma blushed but added, "Your sisters mentioned it to me before but it is hard to believe even seeing you in person. You are too beautiful to have been anything but a young lady." Patrick served their meals then David left for his shift, giving Emma a kiss goodbye. Patrick's phone rang and to his shock he blurted out, "We've been royally summoned. They didn't take long to send it." Emma's face grew pale as Deborah explained, "Aunt Victoria and Uncle Jorge want to meet you. They are going to be happy to meet you, don't expect to do anything except sit down and have them dote on you. You might even get out of eating if you aren't up to it." Deborah helped Emma get settled further, then saw that she needed additional clothing to cover her growing baby bump. Emma's wardrobe was slim, she had just a few outfits and all were either going to be too small shortly or were already pushing their limits or were simply worn out. Deborah shook her head in disbelief and told her affectionately, "We need to get you some more things, the bump going to get bigger and you won't fit into your old stuff for long. Plus your clothes are woefully ill-equipped for the weather here, you will overheat in some of those shirts and the light ones won't fit you anymore." Picking up the phone Deborah called her mother-in-law and aunts. Lilly immediately grinned at them helping Emma while Gabby was trying her hardest to keep Lilly in check. The two thought, "Why not" and called in Beth Herman and Beverly Bollinger to come along with them. All of the ladies were free and it was a quick and easy way of introducing Emma without the anxiety of meeting people for the first time. The fact that they could also do a little shopping of their own was beside the point. The ladies figured that she would appreciate being around people who were like her, educated but grounded in reality plus who had little ones of their own. Deborah drove them to the mall where the ladies were waiting. Emma was introduced to each of them with Benny Herman and Jack Bollinger grinning at seeing the new lady in the family. The two toddlers were fighting over who could hug Emma first and ended up both hugging at the same time getting laughs from the ladies and easing Emma's tension over the meeting. Deborah was quick to whisper to Emma, "Aunt Beth has a master's degree in French and is a teacher, Aunt Gabby is a highly paid web designer and network administrator. Aunt Beverly is an accountant and expert in taxation. And mom helped run Peterson Manufacturing. You met Aunt Valerie who is a lawyer, Aunt Melanie and Aunt Leslie who own a preschool, and Aunt Sarah who is a doctor. Mom wanted you to meet these successful women, all of whom are mothers and with the exception of Aunt Valerie came from humble origins like you. It's meant to show you that you aren't foolish to try to better yourself, those so-called parents were wrong and these ladies prove them wrong." The ladies doted on Emma, helping her choose the right clothes and building her wardrobe to fit the seasons and her growing body. She was a bit embarrassed at hearing them talk about the aches and pains and what precautions to take for certain things that Emma hadn't thought of. Deborah was a bit jealous but she tempered that feeling with the knowledge that Emma let her direct her as needed and listened to everything she suggested. Emma also didn't show any fear in being around her, something that Deborah had secretly feared Emma may do. Emma had enough clothes to fill a trunk and the back seat of Deborah's car, much to the frustration of the waiting Patrick. The mothers teased him about it being a rite of passage for a husband but he still complained about them buying half the store. Emma thought they might be playing it up a bit for her benefit but none of them thought about that possibility, it was actually a genuine teasing of him. Back at the house, Deborah put Emma's clothes away while helping her get situated for a rest. Victoria had called to ensure that she was still coming with Emma and demanded that Emma rested for a bit before they drove over. Jorge would wait, Emma's health mattered more than anything. Emma needed only an hour off her feet to recharge. The trio drove over to the Castillo home and as soon as they had parked in the driveway Patrick was whisked inside and told to eat. Deborah was left to comfort and prepare Emma, with Victoria knowing she would need a few minutes to gather her wits before they were able to come inside. Emma was nervous but once she steeled herself the two went inside and were met with Victoria telling them to sit while Jorge finished eating. Jorge took his time, letting Emma and Victoria talk. Victoria was blunt and asked about her family and her feelings about what was happening and much more importantly, did she feel pressured into marrying David. She then added that she would set the family straight if they were pushing the marriage on her. Emma was relieved, Victoria was genuinely concerned about her despite what it could possibly mean to the others. Emma happily admitted, "I love him and do want to marry him. Lady Karen's adopting me is a concern though. I didn't ask for that and I don't want to cause her any problems." Victoria grinned then pointed to a picture on the mantle. Emma gasped as she saw that it showed her, Bryan, Hannah, Paige, Pete, Nigel Jr. Nichole, and Ethan. She didn't remember posing for it but did remember Hannah asking her to sit with them. Victoria pointed out, "Nigel took this, Karen had been planning the adoption for months and only let the rest of the family know last night. There is no real problem, you are her daughter in her mind and she would not have gone through the trouble of doing it if she didn't truly feel that you were more than just someone hired to watch the kids, you are her daughter in all but blood." Emma understood what she meant but it was still hard to fathom just yet. Victoria ushered the two into the kitchen to eat while Jorge heated their food up. Emma recognized the food and hid a smile, Deborah whispered, "Don't take seconds, trust me on that. It is filling and he loves to pile it on" Emma nodded silently as she dug in and enjoyed the food that the kids had talked highly of and Chef Fahrquar had tried to imitate. Back at home, Emma laid down and rested again, this time feeling relieved that she had been treated so well and made to feel like part of the family by the two most respected members. Deborah laid with her, telling her about some of the plans for the upcoming week and asking her if she wanted to join them. Emma nodded silently, smiling at some of the seemingly simple things that she had taken lightly in the past were big things to the family, like a trip to the beach. That evening Daisy came by to visit for a bit while Patrick took the evening off to visit some friends. Daisy insisted on doing everything for Emma even if she could do it herself. Deborah groaned at her actions, telling her tersely, "You aren't going to be an aunt for another four and a half months, you don't have to go overboard now." Daisy burst into tears and cried, telling her, "I just followed Uncle John's orders. He said she wasn't to do anything!" Emma hugged her tight, hoping to calm her but only got pushed away. Deborah shook her head and told her firmly, "Stop the act, he told Patrick and David to do that not you. You know why he said it too, so don't pretend that it pertained to you. What are your really getting at?" Emma looked up at Deborah who had an angry look on her face. Daisy's face wavered then gave up on the crying act. She freely admitted, "Faith and I are trying to get a puppy out of acting mature. Mom said we weren't mature enough to get one yet. I thought it might help mom see us as mature enough to get one." Deborah shook her head and laughed. The little minx was playing a game with Emma as a pawn. She boldly told her, "That won't work. If she was serious about getting one then you would already be at the animal shelter adopting one. The fact that you were using Emma to get something for yourself showed you aren't mature enough to have a puppy. Now, are you going to genuinely help or do we have to call mom so you can go home and we can rest?" She quietly mumbled, "I'll help. Mom said that since I was so willing to help that I had to actually do the work." Deborah grinned and told her, "Then get the popcorn and juice and we will do what we were supposed to do." Daisy quickly followed her orders and the three spent the next three hours watching movies until it was time for Daisy to leave. Lilly asked what they had done, trying to see if Emma was following the orders. Deborah told her about the ploy by the girls and got a grin and, "I was going to get one after we get back from England but I may have to rethink that" from Lilly. Lilly had tricked the girls into admitting the truth then getting them to live up to their word. Emma was impressed while Deborah shook her head and told her, "Thanks a lot, I look bad for taking her to task while you get free labor." David got back and listened to what happened and could only shake his head. He carefully told them, "Mom is smart, she knew you would see right through her ploy and make her do the right thing. Daisy is a good kid but sometimes she takes too much time trying to outsmart us when all that effort could have gone into doing what she should be doing all along. She acts older but sometimes she really is just a 7-year-old girl." Deborah grinned and added, "You really are going to be a good father." David countered with, "And you will be a great mother too." Seeing Deborah start to tear up David added, "Don't give me any of that 'can't have kids' crap because you are insulting Aunt Beth, Uncle Ben, Jaimie, Miles, Kylie, Reed, Willie Jr. Francesca, Amy, Donald, Al, Thomas, Kyle, and Daisy. When Patrick gets his masters degree you two will be adopting and before you say otherwise I know damn well that he will do that as he told me that was his intentions. You have love to give and he knows you will be the best mother possible. The only reason you haven't tried to adopt a baby yet is due to your upcoming classes." Patrick came in to see Deborah in tears. He shook his head and told her, "Let me guess, you joked about him becoming a dad and he said you will be a good mom too. You know I don't care about you not being able to give me a child naturally. Having a kid doesn't make you a mother. If you feel strongly about it, we will look into adoption but I want you to finish your education first." The four went to sleep with Deborah feeling better while Emma questioned herself. David quietly told her, "You shouldn't feel bad about this, Deborah is still adjusting to being married and seeing Aunts Gabby and Tanya pregnant after seeing Aunts Leslie and Sarah give birth is taking a toll emotionally. She is still dealing with the aftermath of fulfilling her lifelong need and being so close to someone who didn't expect nor want to become pregnant is causing her issues. She is talking with Dr. Bell about it and she is going to talk with Aunts Kennedy and Amanda during the week." Emma woke up the next morning to Deborah telling her it was time for breakfast. Deborah looked well rested but still had a sad look in her eyes. Emma refused to eat until Deborah talked with her, knowing that she needed to talk or it would eat away at her. Deborah finally admitted, "I know I'm not going to give birth but seeing you pregnant makes me feel things I never thought I'd feel. I love Patrick and want him to not worry about things. I guess I'm just feeling like he made a mistake in marrying me when he could have anyone else." Emma smiled then told her firmly, "That man loves you deeply. Hannah and Paige could not stop telling me about you two ever since the three of us met. They said that he was madly in love with you and was deep in denial. It didn't take much for me to see that he idolizes you and wants you to be a part of his life. My parents barely tolerate one another, but he will do anything for you and do it with a smile. He loves you no matter what. He told you that it doesn't matter to him that you can't give him a child, well he means it I can see the seriousness on his face, he means every word of it." The two turned to see Lilly and Valerie standing over them trying hard not to say something. Deborah and Emma were about to say something but were told:, "We better get a move on or we won't get through security in time." The two quickly finished eating while Valerie and Lilly waited patiently, not making any light of their sisterly moment. The group drove over in silence as Emma was unsure what was going on. Valerie explained to her when they arrived, "Several of the children are seeing their adoptions finalized, it's not a big deal but it's something that we are happy to have happened. Yours is a little different than theirs, as you are an adult your adoption has fewer hurdles and complications but it still carries the same love and affection from Karen and Nigel. Theirs took time and people attesting to their parents' sincerity in adopting them." Inside Emma saw two dozen people grouped together. She tried her hardest to blend in among them and go unnoticed but Deborah insisted she meet the adults who were there. Emma was embarrassed but said hello to them while trying to think of a way of getting away without seeming rude. Deborah spotted Ophelia and Bradford with Karen nearby and led Emma along to them. Karen inquired about what they had done the day before and got a reluctant, "Shopping" from both. Karen gave them a smile and told Emma, "Oh good, then you got the worst out of the way. Lilly was afraid you were going to put up a fight and not let Deborah pamper you." The clerk signaled to Valerie to lead everyone in with the group quickly going inside. Emma had to sit in the front between Valerie and Karen with the kids flanking them. Karen told her, "I know you don't want to be here but it was a request from the others. They felt that you should see just how serious we are about family. It means a lot to them that you are here." Emma was surprised to see that Reed, Michael, and Jessica Nelson were there as well as Margaret Douglas. Karen saw the surprise and quietly told her, "Margaret's brother is being adopted, as is Jessica's boyfriend and Michael and Reed's girlfriends. Junior is in for a surprise so watch him closely." Judge Martha Perez entered and smiled at the kids. She called them and their parents to come forwards then asked each individually if they agree to the adoption. All of them said a swift, "Yes" to which Judge Perez ordered the adoptions finalized. Once the kids moved off and their parents, girlfriends, and boyfriends hugged them Judge Perez called William Kelly up. Karen whispered, "Watch" as Judge Perez read a decree to William. In it, she said, "It is the order of this court that your birth certificate change to reflect your biological father laying claim to you as his son. At the request of your father it is the order of this court that Mr. Sean Beretta is now to be renamed Mr. Sean Kelly to reflect his request to take on his wife's family name." Karen grinned as the others looked on in shock. Sean sat grinning as he pulled a fast one on the whole family with none of the family members except Karen knowing what was going to happen. Judge Perez grinned at the surprised looks and added:, "I should be shocked to see so many people here for a simple session but then again the last time you all were here with little notice ahead of time and this had several weeks to clear your schedules to come and witness." On the way out of the courtroom everyone stopped and congratulated the Kellys. Emma asked why Sean gave up his family name to which Karen told her, "His family is mostly deceased and those who are alive are not people that he wants to associate with or who have been shown to be terrible human beings. His real family carries different names: his niece Kennedy is a Pena, his daughter Beth is a Herman, and his son William is a Kelly. Since William is his son and he still loves William's mother Danielle after all these years he legitimized him and chose to carry his son's name so there will be no question who William's father is. It is all about love." Outside the courthouse, the kids asked if Emma was going to the beach with them. Emma tried to say no but the pleading look in TJ's, Al's, and Margaret's faces made her rethink her refusal. She reluctantly agreed but only because they were hard to say no to. Karen grinned and slyly gave the kids $5 each for their trouble. The teens shook their heads and told Karen, "We would have done it for free" before all heading off on dates. Chapter 6 Bradford watched as the ladies left for the beach. He drove with Karen to her office and a meeting with James York. Karen introduced the two and carefully told James not to go overboard while they talked as she backed out and went to do some work on her own. James went right into things and asked about Bradford's stock and investment portfolio and what he was earning from his investments. He examined the portfolio closely and grinned at several investments along with the timing. He nonchalantly told Bradford, "He must have sold you on his theories right away, you are doing much better than I was led to believe." It took Bradford a few seconds before he uttered a stilted, "Michael?" James nodded then pointed out, "We talked about these companies and he was heavy on them, I didn't think he could get you to invest in them. It was a long shot but you must have had some faith in his judgment to follow his suggestion after knowing him for such a short time. It took me almost a decade to have that kind of faith built in me and even then it wasn't with someone whom I had only just met a few days before." James and Bradford talked for two hours with Bradford seeing that he was losing out on good money by listening to the blokes in London. James was sure that some of them had a special deal with certain companies to sell people their stocks, ones that should have been avoided. Bradford agreed and actually knew that at least one of his investments was a bad one done simply because his broker talked highly about the company and he wasn't able to get much information about it in time to prevent himself form listening to the man. He would rectify that soon and get a better broker. The more James talked, the more Bradford could see why Michael respected and admired him. He had a passion for the trade and was well versed in trends and when they would occur and how bad they would be. James was someone who you could easily pay thousands to listen to and come away feeling like it was money well spent. After a bit Bradford asked about Virgil and if he had any inkling for the business. James sighed and gave a solemn, "He is bright but his heart is in sports and the arts. He is a good dancer but is also very talented at drawing. We think he may be like his mother and enjoy teaching kids in the future but it's a long ways away. He could want to follow in my footsteps but I am not going to force him to do what he doesn't want to do. He deserves the chance to follow his passions and I am trying to earn as much as possible to ensure that he never has to be for want again." Bradford understood fully. The man loved his son and it was refreshing to see someone willing to let him do what he wants to be happy than what would make him money. Bradford's own parents forced him into the family business when he wanted to go to become a lawyer but duty was more important than happiness then, thankfully for Bradford he served in the military until his forced retirement when his father died so he was able to have a career of his choosing before family obligation ended it. Greta Nelson came in and ended their meeting, forcing James to go home and give Tanya a break as well as give Bradford a chance to rest up for a quiet evening. Greta invited him to dinner the following night as a thank you from herself and her husband Quentin as well as her sister Sarah and brother-in-law Mick. Bradford had to agree to it, it was something that they needed to do and he didn't feel right declining the heartfelt offer. After Bradford left with Karen Ophelia rode in with Valerie and Emma. They were all immediately greeted by the twins as they arrived, with Cat hugging her mother and not letting her go. This Cat was in-between the mischievous girl she first saw and the tired, ill girl she saw the previous day. Valerie asked if she was feeling well enough to go to the beach, getting a grin and nod followed by a loud, "Beach!" from JD. Leslie popped in with a sleeping Marcus to tell her, "He has been waiting all day and was on his best behavior. Cat, though, has been her usual self but stopped when you got here. She isn't fully back but she isn't bringing everything back up like she was two nights ago." Emma was asked if she had a swimsuit, giving a head shake and, "I never needed one before." Cat led her to Valerie's room and took out her mother's old swimsuit and told her, "Try it on, mommy doesn't wear it anymore." Neither Leslie nor Valerie expected that but Ophelia informed them, "Karen said she was trying to say she was alright with us, I assume she must have heard the talk about Emma being her cousin and to take things easy." That caused both to look over at the baby monitor that they had placed over the mantle and groaned. Even when she is becoming sick the girl knew how to outsmart them. Valerie pointed out, "We should have put that thing away but with DJ then Billy and Nigel Jr. and later Jack and Benny we never got around to it. I don't know whether to punish her or praise her for using her ingenuity." Leslie answered for her, telling her firmly, "Talk with her. If she is smart enough to use that she is smart enough to talk with you about things. Besides, it's nothing we didn't do when we were kids. Mom and dad had to hide John and Roland's monitor from us because we knew when we were going to be punished and for how long and how to beat it." Cat came over and saw the monitor and tried to run away. Valerie caught her, picked her up in her arms, and asked:, "How long have you two been listening to us over this?" Cat was on the verge of tears as she said:, "Two years, we didn't want to be punished for what we did." Valerie hugged her and admitted, "I should be upset but you did what your aunts did at the same age so it is understandable. No more of that, these are for the babies." Cat hugged her and went away happy. Valerie looked over at Ophelia and forgot that she was there. Ophelia, in turn, told her, "She takes after you, as much as John may have given her her looks she is clearly her mother's daughter." Valerie blushed then asked Emma if the swimsuit fit. Emma told her, "It's snug but it doesn't make me feel like a whale." Leslie was about to say something but Valerie cut her off, telling Emma, "I said the same thing when I wore it when I was pregnant with the twins. Don't feel bad about it, it's a maternity swimsuit so it accentuates your body, not make you feel like a blimp. I don't even want to know how she knew to get that one but I am glad that I didn't toss it away after the kids were born." Cat walked by and said, "We wanted a baby brother or sister." Valerie's mouth dropped while Leslie burst into laughter at her niece and nephew being so bold. Ophelia stifled herself but could see that Cat had a funny logic and her nearly 4-year-old mind was working out just how to make that happen. Ophelia asked her warmly, "Wouldn't you rather be an auntie? Your brothers and sister are nearly old enough to have children, you could be an auntie instead. That way the baby won't keep you up at night and you wouldn't have to change diapers and help clean the house for your mommy." Cat looked up at Valerie who then told her, "That isn't going to happen for a few more years. Your brothers and sister aren't going to have children until they are almost done with college. Besides, you have two cousins and another cousin on the way. Surely that is enough for you?" She reluctantly agreed but added, "I still wanted to say I am going to be a big sister." Valerie got the rest of the items for the beach together and headed out, meeting the group at the usual spot and listening to the complaints of the seven new kids about having to wear swim shirts. Nichole tried to tell them, "Don't complain, you won't like the story" but they didn't listen. Ethan gave her an odd look but she kept quiet, knowing that it was coming anyway. Valerie looked at the mothers and got the nod so she started telling the story of John and the sunburns. They tried to look at Leslie to see if she was joking but she nodded silently while Nichole added, "I tried to warn you. I know you want to get a tan but it's just easier than dealing with burned shoulders. You will have plenty of time to get a tan at the estate, especially a topless one." In unison, the mothers all said:, "Oh no they aren't!" Ophelia grinned as Nichole set them up for that. Al asked, "Why can't we get a topless tan?" Nichole grinned and told her, "I can give you two very good reasons, look down." Al immediately blushed as Nancy and Margaret snickered at the joke. Ophelia added, "You forget that there will be four boys there not counting Bryan and Pete. I know your mothers wouldn't like them seeing something they shouldn't see for a long time." Olivia added, "We may be alright with you girls dating so young but we draw the line at the boys seeing your breasts. Sorry honey, but it's non-negotiable. The only way we would allow it is if the boys were away for the day and even then it would have to be for a short time and only if your fathers agreed. I know they won't." Kyle and Oscar kept quiet and waited for the girls to calm down before heading into the water. Junior, Neil, and Ethan followed close behind while the girls took their time. After losing every possible angle and being told that they could just as easily stay home if they kept it up the girls gave up and followed the boys into the water. Ophelia was surprised at the boys' reaction. Rachel Douglas grinned at it, telling her, "You didn't see the blushes and averting of their eyes. Kyle didn't even want to think about seeing Al like that, neither did Oscar about seeing Amy." Riley Pierce added, "As mature as they seem they are still only 12, the boys aren't ready for anything remotely resembling sex and that includes seeing their girlfriends topless. Not that they don't like to see girls naked, those boys are mature enough for that but seeing Amy and Al like that is another thing entirely." Olivia added, "The fact that both girls have older brothers who are very protective of the girls also helps to quell any of those feelings." Ophelia asked about Stephanie and Trina, both of whom started to turn red as Al tried to plead her case. Margo Phillips, Trina's mother, quietly told her, "They are dating each other. They have seen each other like that before but it still embarrasses them when anything like that is discussed. I don't think Al even saw that they were getting uncomfortable but thankfully she didn't bring them into it." Ophelia looked over at the couple and saw the way they were acting wasn't like the other girls. It was more intimate and affectionate while still friendly. The boys were close to the girls but keeping a safe distance, but Trina and Stephanie were closer and while interacting they had their immediate attention on one another. Ophelia noticed one person missing from the group. She politely asked, "Where is Kylie? I would have thought that she would want to be here." Valerie quickly told her, "She and Jaimie are with Melanie in Boston. They had an important appointment with their psychiatrist today. It was the only day that she could get that was free due to all of us going to England." Leslie added, "England is all the teens talk about. My two are shopping for the trip, not wanting to wear anything that would make them look too 'American' for the other guests. Poor Sam and Reyna got dragged with them even though they have plenty to wear already." Ophelia asked about Iris and Rachel getting a smile and quiet, "They are sisters but almost opposites. Iris is in love with Sam but the two girls are almost the same person whenever they are out on dates. Rachel though is a free spirit and when she isn't at home fooling around on the computer she is out with Reyna. She and Reyna have become attached at the hip and if my hunch is right they could be on their way to being a couple but neither will admit it. Reyna isn't sure of her sexuality, I believe Rachel is either ready to experiment or is trying to fight her urges towards girls. Either way, we all support them." Ophelia wasn't sure how to ask but Leslie smiled and told her, "Yes Sam is a girl, but we have known her for over two and a half years and she is an amazing young woman. Iris is different around her, she opens up and talks more while Sam isn't the meek, timid little girl that she was before they started to fall in love. They make each other into better people when they are together." Ophelia had to let that process. Two, possibly three gay couples among the children was a lot to acknowledge. She wasn't offended but it was very different. The way their mothers talk about them she couldn't help but feel warmth that they exuded. Emma was quiet as she rested and watched the kids play and listened to the adults talk. She liked seeing Nichole and Ethan happy and could see why they were friendly with their five friends. The quiet, morose young man was gone, in his place was a happy, fun-loving boy who played with his friends and enjoyed himself. She was extremely surprised at how much Al was enjoying herself among the girls and her boyfriend. Deborah seemed to catch on quick and asked her about what she was thinking. Emma blushed and told her, "I was thinking about the boys I used to know at their age and what they turned into. These two are more mature than most of the boys I went to high school with let alone those that age." Deborah grinned at the revelation. She told Emma, "The boys have good role models in their fathers and have been learning from Donald and Raul, Amy and Stephanie's older brothers. They aren't macho men, they are the kind of men that we dream about yet rarely see. The boys also know that they have boundaries and if they cross them there will be trouble from Thomas, Rick, Michael, Reed, and the fathers. Plus there is the ever looming bat, map, and shovel threat." Emma grew concerned and asked for an explanation. Deborah giggled and explained, "It's an old joke among the fathers and started when Uncle John offered a shovel and bat to Aunt Valerie when he first watched Michael before they married. He also gave her the name of a good divorce lawyer and his mother's telephone number so she could explain why he was dead and buried in the middle of nowhere. You didn't notice it but they gave the same treatment to David when we came over after he proposed to you. My point is it is a scare tactic and it works, the boys are almost always good to the girls and the one boy who wasn't got himself a beating from Bryan." Emma felt relieved, it wasn't what she expected. She mind started to dwell on something else Deborah said. Deborah picked up on it and added, "Before you ask, Michael was adopted by Uncle John as were Jaimie and Miles. The twins are his biological children and Michael is Aunt Valerie's biological son. Officially Jaimie was adopted by Uncle John before he married Aunt Valerie but that's neither here nor there. That's why this adoption thing isn't that big of an issue, it's all about love for you that Aunt Karen and Uncle Nigel have and it's why they take your care so seriously." The two watched the kids again and saw Kyle giving Al loving looks while Oscar and Amy were dancing around touching one another while looking at the adults watching them. It was touching to her, there was love and affection but none of the tween, on the verge of puberty, lust that you would expect from boys their age. It made her feel better about the family and seeing the parents all talk with one another as friends and almost sisterly she understood more about the family than words could describe. Emma was pestered by Nigel Jr. and Billy for attention and eventually gave in to help them play in the sand. Her maternal instincts must have kicked in because she lost track of time and after an hour they tired of building and went to lay down for a nap. She walked back to her chair and got grins from the mothers, none of whom said anything but when she sat down Deborah whispered, "I hate to say it but if there were any doubts in your mind that you could be a mother, what you did with your brother and Billy just proved that you were not only a great mother but a great sister as well." Over in Boston, Kylie wasn't too happy that she was missing the day at the beach. Jaimie tried hard to reason with her that it was for a good reason, that she could go to England for the full two weeks. Kylie didn't buy it but she knew that by getting her monthly appointment out of the way she was free to enjoy the sites. Jaimie added, "Aunt Karen said we can visit the beach there, she said some place called Skegness that is supposed to be like Kensington Beach but with much more stuff to do." Melanie wasn't paying too much attention to what the two were talking about. Her attention was on a woman talking with Dr. Alison Eliza, the girls' gender therapist. Jaimie looked at her as well and asked:, "What's going on?" Melanie tried to figure out how to break the news to her about who that person was and was failing to find the right words. When the woman kissed Dr. Eliza and heard her say, "I'll see you later honey" she recognized the voice. Melanie smiled and politely told her, "Katie Benson I am offended. You walk by me and you don't even say hello to your old friend?"