Weddings And Reunions Part 5 free porn video

Chapter 25 The following morning the family went their separate ways. David, Emma, Jaimie, Miles, Cat, JD, Ethan, Nichole, Nigel, Karen, and Nigel Jr. made the trip north with Ophelia and Reardon while Bradford stayed behind in London for Michael's interview. John was stern in his warnings to JD and Cat, but both got the message and neither wanted to anger their parents or grandparents. Reardon was pleased to have the near legendary Jaimie joining them and immediately treated her as part of the family. He was a bit miffed that she and Miles refused to ride north with Ophelia, both insisting that Nigel jr. Ethan, and Nichole should join their grandmother for the ride. Ophelia smartly realized why they refused, she herself had had little time with them in London and would be stuck entertaining the other kids during the wedding. She whispered to Reardon, "They are letting me have some time with the children" getting a nod and smile of respect for their heartfelt gesture that was exactly in tune with their personality. After a long drive, the three vehicles stopped outside the manor house with Cat and JD being at a loss for words at the sight of the huge home. Rarely were they quiet, but seeing the large home amid the sprawling countryside around it left them speechless. Jaimie herself could only say, "It's bigger than I thought" prompting Miles to add, "Inside is much nicer than anything you have ever seen before. It even makes Governor James' office look bare by comparison" Reardon helped them with their bags and directed the maids to put them in their rooms with Jaimie and Miles sharing rooms with JD and Cat. Emma was given a cold stare as Reardon instructed one of the maids to put her bag upstairs in the guest rooms. Reardon firmly told the staff, "You were warned about this and I will not accept any abuse from any of you towards Lady Emma. Either treat her as she is: a member of the family, or find another job." The staff moved quickly but there were still some quiet whispers among the staff. The fact that she was one of the family only made things worse for them. Any of their planned pranks would result in their immediate firing making retaliation for her being treated, "Better" than them moot. Emma was justifiably upset at this cold reception by her former colleagues but David stood firmly with her and walked in with her, Jaimie, and Miles. Karen made a show of walking with them as well, with Nigel pulling the housekeeper aside and informing her sternly, "Emma is our daughter now so if you or any of your maids have an issue with that too bad. She is also legally married so any insulting remarks about her sleeping with her husband will result in you facing discipline. They are led by example and if you have an issue with our daughter then please lay it out now before things get more complicated and result in one or more of them losing their jobs for your actions." She was about to tell him that he had no right to do that but Ophelia stepped in to add, "Before you say otherwise it is already done. You can either listen to my son's warning or you can ignore it and start looking for a new job. I allowed your maids to freely talk in the past when there was little to do and they needed some relief but I won't allow them to insult a member of my family. Do you understand?" The housekeeper reluctantly agreed and walked off to finish overseeing the settling of the guests' bags. Emma helped Cat and JD settle in while David settled their luggage. Jaimie and Miles helped Nichole and Ethan with their luggage, theirs being more extensive since they would be staying until Alison and Katie's wedding. The four could hear the maids whispering about Emma and David and making snide comments about her but through sheer force of will, they didn't react, knowing it wasn't worth the fight. The twins listened to Emma's every word, with Cat eagerly helping to put her clothes in the wardrobe and hanging up her dresses. David kept JD busy when he lost interest in helping them, taking him to the nursery to play with Nigel Jr. while his sister helped Emma put the clothes away. Cat was acting mature, Emma noted that Cat tried hard to impress her and wouldn't let her move all that much unless it was to put something on a shelf out of her reach and trying hard to ensure Emma wasn't overexerting. After putting away their luggage, the eight went downstairs for lunch. Chef Cara Farquhar made simple sandwiches for them and some light soup for Nigel Jr. who was happy that she had remembered his preferences. Emma had to endure cold stares from the maids as they passed but Chef Farquhar kicked them out of the dining room then out of the kitchen area in retaliation for their actions as they were not actually working- rather, they were gathering more gossip for the rest of the staff. Ophelia joined Nigel Jr. in eating the soup which made him very happy. Nigel and Karen did the same, telling the kids, "As much as we like sandwiches, Chef Farquhar's soup is just too good to miss." Cat just nodded at that, getting the hint and seeing that she was going to have to try new foods. JD shrugged it off, he didn't mind soup but he didn't want to seem to give in easily either. Jaimie wasn't a big fan of it but it was partly due to the thin stuff she was forced to eat in foster care. Miles quietly informed Chef Farquhar and Ophelia later about it getting them to understand her reluctance and not to be insulted by it as anyone in her shoes would have the same reaction. When they finished eating Ethan suggested that they walk around the grounds so Cat and JD could get used to the estate and meet the horses. JD wasn't too happy to do that but Cat's face lit up at hearing about the horses. Emma stayed behind with David, relaxing in one of the downstairs sitting rooms talking with Ophelia, Karen, and Nigel. JD ran off just as soon as they got outside prompting Miles to have to run after him to catch him. Cat held Jaimie's hand, her shyness became apparent and was lovingly reciprocated by Jaimie who herself was nervous about meeting the horses and groomsman, Marion Paine. Nichole whispered to both, "He's a nice man and he loves to teach people to ride, Michael, Daisy, and Faith rode so you two can too." Marion was inside the stable shoeing one of the horses and told them to stand back for their safety. Cat watched with wide eyes as the horse let him fix the shoes then get used to them. Marion, in turn, washed up and gave the horse its midday meal, earning a snort and nod from the big beast. Marion took one look at Cat and was immediately concerned. Nichole formally introduced Jaimie and Cat to which he mumbled:, "The legend in the flesh" getting a nod from Nichole. Ethan led them on to the horses, introducing Cat to each with the horses letting her stroke their foreheads as they met Cat. As Ethan was showing Cat the horses Nichole was asked:, "Is this the calm before the storm?" Nichole shook here head, explaining, "She's growing out of her mischievous phase and is normally very anxious. She won't be the problem this time. JD though, he's her twin brother, may be what we thought Cat was. He is acting out and had to go for a walk with Miles before he is introduced to the horses." Marion looked at the meek and timid Cat and thought she recognized some of Bryan in her. He added a somber, "She's more like Lord Bryan thank Lady Hannah, the way she lets Ethan lead her is a bit like Lady Hannah leading him around." Nichole nodded, adding an additional, "She takes after her sister, they may not be blood relatives but her behavior is all learned reactions from Uncle John and her." Ethan finished introducing the horses and let Cat feed them some treats getting a grunt of thanks from the horses causing her to smile. Miles entered with JD who wasn't too happy to be caught, trying hard to get away from him again and run around. Miles introduced him Marion and gave JD a strong lecture on how to act around the horses and what to do Marion whispered to Nichole and Ethan, "I see that the warning was right, but for the wrong child. No problem though, he won't get in a saddle unless he is able to act civilly and without fear of hurting the horses or himself. I would rather see his angry looks than having to deal with your angry grandparents over him hurting himself." Miles overheard what was said and knelt in front of JD, explaining to him calmly and softly, "Marion is concerned about your behavior. If you can't behave you won't be allowed to ride because you may scare the horses or hurt yourself. Do you understand this?" JD silently nodded then looked away, knowing that he had gotten himself into trouble already and had only been there for a short period of time. Ethan led them around the estate, showing them the stream and the small dock that they jumped from the year before. Cat asked, "Is this where you showed your boobies?" That got a blush from Nichole and Miles while Ethan nearly fainted at the memory of Hannah and Paige topless. Jaimie had to explain, "If you mean they took off their tops, the answer is yes. But what they did was untie their ties so they didn't get tan lines on their back. You won't be doing that here, not with the boys here. They may be your brothers and cousin but it still isn't right for them to see you without your shirt on, do you understand?" Cat nodded, but Nichole still blushed deeply at the reminder of the previous summer trip's unintentional moment of nudity. JD asked what the big deal was. Miles groaned and explained, "Do you want all the girls to see your little wiener? It may not be a big deal to you since you can take off your shirt easily and nobody will say anything but that's what it is like for the girls especially older ones like Nichole and Jaimie." JD gasped in shock with Miles grinning and trying hard to avoid laughing. Ethan shrugged at all of this and led them on, not bothering to say anything further. Like, Nichole he didn't want to be reminded of the unintentional show he got from his sisters the previous summer when they got so relaxed that they forgot that he was there with them. Back at the manor, Nigel Jr. was looking for attention and got Cat to give him some. The two went off on their own to the nursery with Jaimie keeping an eye on them. Karen asked how their walk went with Miles pointing at JD and mentioning, "You told everyone here to be ready for Cat, JD is the one who is looking like he may be a problem. He's rebelling for some reason, he might be jealous of Cat but there something else is going on. This isn't the same JD that was Cat's best friend a month ago." Karen watched as Cat and Nigel Jr. played with his trains while JD just moped in the corner, bored and unsure what to do. She walked in and asked JD to come with her, taking him into her room and asking him warmly, "What's going on with you?" When he tried to say he was fine she looked him in the eye and added, "Don't lie to me I know you better than that. You are such a good boy, not one who gets into trouble or breaks the rules. You aren't acting normal and we are concerned about you." JD was on the verge of tears as he admitted, "Mommy is mad at me. She said I need to act like Cat and everyone loves Cat now and don't like me anymore." He finally broke down and tried to run off but was caught by Karen and hugged tight, letting him cry himself out. When he was finished Karen sat him down and explained to him, "Do you know why Cat was getting all of that attention? It's because she was feeling the same way you are now. You and she are starting to drift apart and find things that you each like. You took to Virgil and were playing boy things while your cousins left her alone leaving her with nobody to play with. Your aunts explained why they were wrong to do that which is why Daisy and Faith are playing with her again. You, though, started acting up and got in trouble for it. Your mother knows that she was wrong to voice her frustration that way but we all saw that you were acting out wrongly. She is disappointed in you but she is more so in herself for it." JD looked like he was going to cry again so Karen admitted, "You are a good child but you need to act like you did before. That's the real Joseph Daniel Finn, not the masculine brat who throws tantrums and won't listen to adults and who ignores his sister and who runs off in a strange place that could get him hurt or cause him to drown. You can love to play boy games and watch boy shows but you don't have to act out because your sister doesn't like everything that you like anymore. She's still your sister to you." Karen looked at JD then asked softly, "Are you a girl inside?" JD shook his head firmly, "No" to which Karen added, "I had to ask because some boys will often act as you act because they fight feelings that they should have been born with girl parts. For many, it happens at your age. Deborah, Kylie, Nichole, Sam, Reyna, and your Aunts Kennedy and Katie were all like that." JD mumbled back, "I'm not a girl, I'm a boy" getting a hug and kiss and soft, "I know, but I had to ask." She asked further, "Why were you really ignoring your sister? She loves you and you two always played together. You never had a problem playing with her but now you do now." JD countered with a surprising, "DJ and TJ said I can't play with girls or I'll become a girl. Their friend Liam said boys have to be boys and only play boy things or they start to become a girl too. I don't want to be a girl, I love Jaimie and the others but I am a boy inside not a girl." Karen laughed, adding a quick, "I take it this came from a boy who has older brothers and a big, tough dad?" JD nodded to which Karen told him firmly, "That's just stupid. Boys can play dolls too, especially when you are playing with your sister. Look at your dad, do you think he isn't a man because he played dolls with me and your Aunt Leslie? I mean he's a police officer, a teacher, and loves sports just like their dads. He stinks at all sports but he still loves sports." JD shook his head no to which she shot back, "Then why shouldn't you? If DJ and TJ feel that way then so be it, but they will learn quickly that those views aren't shared by anyone else, especially their brother and sisters. Dan, Mike, and Melanie won't be happy either and I can guarantee you that they won't play with that boy anymore especially as he is making you feel the way you do." JD hugged her then went off to play with Cat while Karen made a quick phone call to Melanie and Mike. This was going to be nipped in the bud before the cousins turned on one another. TJ was eager to make friends and DJ wants to stand out from his sisters but this was not the right way to do it. George and the girls needed to be involved, possibly Michael and Miles. Nigel, Jaimie, and Miles saw the change in JD immediately but didn't say anything. Cat simply looked relieved, happy to have her brother back to normal. Karen discretely informed them, "Problem has been found and sorted out. The two behind it were put right. It ight mean they lose a friend but they are keeping something stronger intact." Over dinner, the family discussed plans for the week. Jaimie complained about going north with Karen fighting laughter as she normally was open to new places. Miles wisely told her, "It's not an option, dad is going to make us go because it's our heritage now." Jaimie still complained, "I just don't want to eat haggis just because Bryan and Hannah made fun of it. We get penalized for their bad jokes." Karen grinned as Chef Farquhar cleared her throat behind Jaimie. Karen proudly told her, "Chef Farquhar has been gracious enough to give your dad and the twins the name of a lovely bed and breakfast that features the finest haggis in Scotland." Jaimie apologized to her but Chef Farquhar simply added, "Don't worry my dear, you aren't being punished for getting in touch with your family roots. Give it a try, you may find it's tastier than some of the slop you eat at home." Jaimie was about to say something but Karen added a soft, "Don't say you aren't a Finn because you are a McKinnon because you are one. Mick had done a project in college on family histories and yours was traced back to none other than a separate branch of the Finn family. You really are one, as is your brother and cousins. It's eight generations deep but it's still a connection. You are a Finn by blood." Chef Farquhar grinned at that. She served Jaimie more than the others and was happy to treat her a little better than the rest. She needed a little assurance and had a confirmed her suspicions of being a great person at heart as well as being timid and caring as her brothers and cousins had painted her to be. Miles grinned at her, she grinned back and told him warmly, "I have the ingredients at your father's request." Miles and Jaimie both told her, "Don't use his recipe!" to which Chef Farquhar shot back, "I'll never understand the way you Finns insult the poor man's cooking." Jaimie showed her a picture to which she immediately added, "OK now I do. It's your great-uncle's recipe, not your father's." Ophelia was all smiles at seeing the little bit of fun. The maids made insulting remarks about Jaimie and Miles in front of the housekeeper. She, in turn, told them to finish work for the night and be ready in the morning then added that they weren't to be around the guests anymore as they could not hold their tongues and would lose their jobs if one of the family heard what they had said. After dinner, the family went for a swim. Cat was happy to get into the water while Jaimie was a bit reluctant. The swim relaxed Jaimie as Cat and JD spent much of their swim playing with Nichole and Ethan, swimming back and forth with them while Miles supervised giving Jaimie some space to relax. After the swim, they showered in the en-suite showers their rooms thankfully had. When they came out Jaimie was greeted with a scream from one of the maids who jumped forward and started to hit Jaimie, calling her a freak and pervert. Jaimie didn't fight back, she was more concerned with the screaming Cat who was afraid for Jaimie's safety. Karen and Miles came in to see what was going on. Karen pulled the maid off of her, demanding an explanation. The woman began to spew a barrage of inflammatory accusations before Ophelia yelled at her to stop. Jaimie pulled Cat back into the bathroom to get dressed but was stuck without clothes. Miles tried his best to avert his eyes while Jaimie put on a robe then he demanded to know why the maid was in Jaimie's and Cat's room in the first place. Karen was going to say something but Ophelia had Nigel take her off to calm down while Miles and she handled the maid. Miles demanded an answer, telling her firmly, "You are already going to be terminated for assaulting a guest without provocation, what were you doing in this room without permission?" Ophelia smirked at seeing Miles so angry and added, "He is right, you were told to leave for the night by the housekeeper so what were you doing up here? You have no business here." The woman fought for an excuse until Cat pointed to the dresser, trying to get the attention of the others. Miles saw jewelry strewn about and grinned, telling Ophelia, "Cat just found what she was doing, she was trying to plant something on Emma." Ophelia looked at the jewelry and noticed that it was some earrings, two small rings, and two pendants and necklaces. One thing that stood out was the, "E" shape of one and a, "C" for the other. Ophelia just grinned and added, "She was trying plant jewelry alright, but she made a huge mistake- Emma was supposed to receive that as a gift from the girls and the other I believe is supposed to be for Cat but I guess that surprise is ruined." Ophelia firmly told the woman, "Your services are no longer required and we shall be informing the police about your assault. Further, you were caught in the act of trying to steal jewelry from a guest." Ophelia led her downstairs and had Reardon call the local constable. When he arrived she tried to lie and claim that she found the jewelry in Emma's room then claim that Jaimie assaulted her but Cat told him loudly, "She hit Jaimie! She was looking through my Sammi when she hit Jaimie!" Ophelia looked over at Cat to which Jaimie told her, "I thought something like this might happen so I hid the jewelry in Sammi with Cat's blessing. The only way they could have been out like that was if she opened up Sammi to look inside. Sammi was on the floor when we came out, we left her tucked into bed earlier" Jaimie thought again then added, "My necklace is missing, I think you need to inspect her for it because I didn't see it in Sammi or on the dresser." The officer asked her to empty her pockets and sure enough Jaimie's gold and diamond, "J" pendant and gold necklace were in her pocket. Jaimie told the officer, "My name is engraved on the back of the 'J' and my initials 'JMF' on the necklace's clasp. I know that you doubt my claims about ownership but my father has the insurance information regarding its value and ownership on him." Miles showed pictures of Jaimie wearing the pendant and told him, "It's a match for several of our friends and relatives." With that confirmed the woman was placed into custody and taken away, with the officer telling her firmly, "Be glad Ms. Finn is not pressing charges for assault or you would be sent down for a long time. You might think little of them but her family is respected around these parts." The group went to sleep late with Cat falling asleep with no prompting from the others. JD had slept straight through, not noticing Miles wasn't in bed nor waking up during the night. Before she turned in for the night Jaimie sighed and told Ophelia with a sad voice, "This won't be the end of things, she will raise hell for us just out of spite. I just hope that it doesn't harm yours or Lord Bradford's reputations." Chapter 26 The next morning rains hit hard and severe thunderstorms all but eliminated any chance or riding the horses that day. Marion would be busy keeping them calm and helping to repair any damage to the stables and the trees on the property. Cat was saddened to hear that but understood why they couldn't go out as she heard the thunder rumble. Breakfast was quiet as JD was deep in thought while Nichole and Ethan were afraid to say anything about the night before. Emma hugged Jaimie and Cat tight but didn't say anything while David was furiously texting someone. Karen was trying hard to not say anything while Nigel politely asked for condiments and kept to himself. The only one not in deep thought or trying to avoid the subject was Nigel Jr. who simply ate away at his muesli. After they finished eating the kids went upstairs to relax for a bit. JD was told that he was in charge of Cat and Nigel getting a big smile from him as he led them in playing. Nichole and Ethan were more concerned with what their friends were up to and talked with them as they ate breakfast at the hotel. Miles and Jaimie kept close to Karen, knowing that something was going to happen very shortly with regards to Jaimie and Cat. David came in and announced, "Jonas will be here in less than an hour, Aunt Valerie and mom are both following him." Miles put his head down in fear, muttering, "This is serious now. Mom wouldn't come up here unless she expected trouble, serious trouble." Jonas, Lilly, and Valerie arrived an hour later. Ophelia directed them inside with Reardon keeping the staff away from the sitting room where they were going to talk. Reardon then made himself scarce, directing the housekeeper to personally oversee cleaning of the rooms from while the guests were there. He told her in no uncertain terms, "Lady Ophelia is outraged that the staff would disobey your direct orders. I know better, I am saying now that anyone out of line will be terminated on the spot. There are no more grace periods, we can find replacements who are willing to follow orders and who need the job as breaking orders to me means that the offender no longer has a need for said job. I suspect there is more to this than it appears and I won't let it happen but until I get proof you are still in the line of fire for your subordinates' actions." Reardon's warning resonated through the staff. His word was law, and for him to take the housekeeper to task meant he was not going to let anyone get away with bad behavior. He was backed up by, Chef Farquhar, the head groundskeeper, and Marion. The senior staff were all in agreement, the junior staff were the ones who had the issues and all of them were the ones who worked with Emma and who had issues with her treatment by the family. The housekeeper was caught in the middle but it was either she followed the orders or she was out of the job herself. As Lady Ophelia had issued the orders thus there was no way around them for her. She hated that there was a problem but she chose to do the right thing and take care of the problem before it spread and Lord Bradford intervened with everyone being fired in retaliation. She reluctantly told two of her maids, the two worst offenders and the ringleaders of the anti-Emma sentiments, "Your services are no longer required. You have undermined my authority for too long. You wanted my job for the past year, well you assured yourself that you will never get it. And as you have seen fit to insult and belittle a member of your employer's family you assured yourselves that you will never get a job in a household again and will be lucky to get jobs in the service industry again." Reardon grinned and told the two, "Pack up your possessions and be out by the end of the day. You will be driven to the train station in Lincoln. At Lady Karen's request, you will be given a small severance package but you are on your own from now on." The rest of the staff wisely kept clear of him and the housekeeper, with those who did interact being careful to not do something to upset either. Reardon informed Ophelia that the problems were taken care of. She didn't ask anything further, giving him a nod and letting him get back to work. He whispered to Emma, "The rats have been flushed out and exterminated, you need not worry about any further harassment." She nodded silently in return. Jonas reviewed the situation and talked with several of the maids about what happened. All of them confirmed that Emma was being targeted by two jealous junior maids due to her being seen as being treated better than any of them. Jonas asked about the plot, getting told:, "She was only supposed to take one of the necklaces and leave it in Emma's room then say she found it in the morning." The maids were asked how they knew that there was jewelry there. They sighed and admitted, "Lady Hannah and Ms. Paige told Lady Ophelia about the necklaces last year, if it is tradition then the new guest would have one too. She was supposed to only take a necklace, nothing more." Jonas nodded, then added, "That's Lady Paige now. Anyway so she was told to break the housekeeper's orders, told to search through a guest's belongings, and steal something only to plant it another guest's room?" They both nodded to which Jonas grinned, adding, "They never realized that Emma being part of the family, she would be receiving a necklace and pendant or that it wold look odd that she had the item in the first place?" That stopped them cold, nobody thought about that. She was setup from the start. Valerie was taking notes and wrote something that Jonas nodded at. He told them, "All of you were used. You get in trouble while the ringleaders benefit. They get a promotion when the housekeeper was fired for allowing you to blatantly break her orders, you, in turn, get let go so they don't have any loose ends. In addition one of you ends up in jail due to the theft. They got all of the benefits but none of the risks." Valerie nodded with Ophelia adding, "You ladies are eager to impress and follow orders that you didn't notice the manipulation. The only ones to truly get away without a mark were them." She sighed then added, "They have been dealt with and are no longer employed here. Reardon has seen to it that they are sacked. We will be removing and replacing them with people who can be trusted and who appreciate their jobs and will change stations for you and your coworkers to allow more even distribution of workload so all have to actually work not just the lowest on the ladder." Reardon reentered and handed Ophelia a note, to which she growled:, "They are here." She got up and directed the guests inside, seating them across from Jonas, Valerie, and Lilly with Karen hovering in the background with Miles. Nigel left them, moving upstairs to keep an eye on the kids and keep them from going downstairs until they had to. Ophelia seated the guests then explained to them, "As you have seen fit to investigate an accusation by yet another person sitting in gaol after committing a crime on my family's property I have seen fit to ensure that the accused is given a fair shake. This is Mr. Jonas Bloomfield, solicitor for the accused. With him is Mrs. Valerie Finn the mother of the accused as well as the supposed victim. And next to her is Mrs. Lilly Peterson, aunt of both the accused and victim and mother-in-law to the intended target of the actual crime that was committed by the same woman being held in gaol." Valerie wasted little time and demanded to know why Jaimie was being investigated. The senior social services woman was taken aback but Lilly informed her, "We know exactly what was claimed and you failed to get the full story otherwise you wouldn't be here. So until we know exactly what you are trying to find out we will refuse access to Catherine or Jaimie until we know exactly what is going on and why. Bare in mind that Jaimie is also under 18 and thus a minor and cannot be questioned without an adult present and her mother has made it clear that she will refuse access until certain it is being done for the protection of Catherine and not a witch hunt born out of bigotry." Jonas prompted the social services workers to begin. She angrily stated, "Your so-called daughter is accused of fondling the child then assaulting the accuser." Ophelia grinned, then asked firmly, "Did she explain what she was doing in the room?" The woman tersely told her, "That's irrelevant." Jonas casually told her, "So this woman, who is accused of theft, having been caught red-handed having in her pocket an expensive piece of jewelry belonging to the girl you are trying to investigate, claims that she witnessed Ms. Finn molesting her younger sister? All this while she was in a room she was not supposed to be in? It is dubious claim at best, blatantly false at worst." Valerie grinned then asked, "Since you have already used the words 'so- called' in your describing my daughter there is no need to interview her as you have already shown your bias personal against her and whatever she tells you will be twisted against her." Jonas nodded then added, "You are not remotely interested in the facts of the case. Therefore, I am going to file a counter complaint against you and your office for again mishandling a complaint and not following proper procedure." Lilly firmly stated, "I'll save you the trouble of asking. The girls were showering after swimming in the Smiths' pool. Catherine is nearly four years old but requires someone to help her because she isn't old enough yet to bathe or shower on her own. The maid who accused Jaimie of wrongdoing was caught right as Jaimie was about to enter the shower herself after getting Cat dressed. The en-suites are all soundproofed so multiple people sharing a room don't wake each other up when showering. This maid snuck into their room thinking they were still downstairs but was caught when Jaimie came in to get her clothes. She was assaulted by the maid while Jaimie herself was naked and Catherine fully clothed.' Jonas looked at Lilly angry, she told him bluntly, "Miles called us immediately. John told Walter who is speaking with some people down in London at this very moment." Jonas didn't say anything but had a knowing look that said to Valerie that this was going to backfire against social services again. Valerie kept quiet, trying her hardest to come up with a way of hanging the woman by her own words. Miles sharply told them, "It's funny that I was there immediately after the accuser screamed and nobody seems to even give a damn about what I saw." Valerie grinned then asked, "Why didn't you ask him? You should have asked to see him before trying to speak with either of my daughters. Seeing as he was one of the first people to enter after this woman screamed he should have been able to tell you exactly what he saw since it was just a few seconds after it happened." Miles grinned, Jonas tried his hardest not to feel pleased but it showed through his stoic facade. Miles bluntly told the woman, "That maid lied. First Cat wasn't in the bedroom she was in the bathroom still. I saw her come out of it when I rushed into the room to see what was going on. Second, Jaimie was dry which means she just undressed and was getting her clothes from the bedroom before her own shower. Third, this maid was on top of Jaimie hitting her so hard she was unable to defend herself. Whatever she claimed happened is a boldfaced lie! Jaimie didn't do anything and you are taking the word of a woman facing prison without a lick of proof." Valerie calmly added, "My daughter has been to report any 'bad touching' no matter who it is from. You heard what my son said and he would never under any circumstances lie about something as serious as this. You also never asked to speak with my sister-in-law nor Lady Ophelia in addition to ignoring my son. Why? They were witnesses as well." Ophelia added firmly, "I'd like to know that myself since we were there and no matter how much I may like Jaimie I would never EVER allow that kind of behavior from anyone especially against someone who is innocent. Catherine had every chance to speak up yet she never said a word to myself nor Miles. She was upset Jaimie was hurt and she was angry at the woman spewing foul language at her sister. Not once did this woman even utter a claim that she was stopping Jaimie from sexually assaulting her sister, not once! So you have to ask 'did this even happen?' Well the facts are that nobody saw it, the person claiming that it happened did so after she was sent away for stealing and I honestly doubt that you have any intention of even trying to find the truth as Valerie was right, you made up your mind already and are using Jaimie's gender change against her despite no evidence." Jonas finally had enough and informed the social services worker, "Given that you have made your intent clear by a simple phrase I am putting a halt to this. Further, I will also take action against your department for improper investigations. You will not speak to either Catherine nor Jaimie Finn." She threatened to take Cat away to which Jonas added, "That was the final straw. Leave now. I won't let you threaten my client." The woman's cell phone rang to which Jonas told her firmly, "To borrow a phrase from the Yanks 'here comes the cavalry'. I expect it'll be your supervisor informing you that you are suspended due to an big inquiry into why you failed to follow proper investigation procedures and went after a minor with only a single accusation from someone under arrest and with no proof nor corroborating witnesses." She answered her phone then her face grew red with anger. She forgot where she was and stated firmly, "That freak has no rights! He did it! I know he did it! She said she saw him do it! I know where she's at and for why but she said he did it. No, I won't stop calling him a he. I'll appeal! You can't do this to me! I'll get you for this! Do you know who my father is? I'll have your head for this!" Jonas grinned then pointed to a digital recorder which he then stated, "This entire interview was recorded within the law and all of your comments have been recorded. The lack of questions against two direct witnesses is noted. Your statements against Ms. Finn will be used against you at your disciplinary hearing and again in court. Ms. Finn will be suing you for slander and your department for falsely accusing her of wrongdoing despite knowing that she was innocent." Reardon appeared and showed her to the door. Her assistant wisely asked to conduct the interview by the books to which Jonas stated:, "We will agree to it so long as you follow proper guidelines." She agreed and asked a series of questions to the three witnesses individually and accidentally made Miles feel sick at remembering Jaimie nude but syncing up with everything Karen and Ophelia said. Jaimie was finally asked and she told her exactly what Miles, Karen, and Ophelia did and showed the marks from the assault. This was recorded and after a long delay, the junior social services worker was allowed to speak with Cat with Nigel in the room with her. What she said was right in line with everything the others said leading the young social worker to conclude that it never happened and that the real crime was an assault and theft. She apologized to the others for her superior's behavior and left. As the junior social services worker was interviewing the others her superior was being led outside by Reardon. A police constable was waiting, the social services woman grinned and claimed that she has the authorization to remove the victim. The constable shook his head and stated, "No madam, I am here for you. Your threats against your supervisor were overheard by the chief constable and he has decided to press charges for threatening your superior. Ms. Finn is also being asked to not leave as assault charges are going to be added to the charges against the woman who started this mess and the resulting bruises need to be documented. You are further going to face charges for criminal negligence over your not investigating an assault against a minor." The constable read her her rights then placed her in his cruiser for transport. Jonas greeted the detective and woman police constable as they arrived, showing them up to Jaimie who was waiting. Valerie was with them, not letting them be left alone with Jaimie and seeing the damage for herself. Jaimie was happy that the bruises were not on her arms or face, but there were several deep bruises on her back and sides. Her legs had several long ones, but thankfully none below her knees. The constable asked what she was wearing, cringing as Jaimie admitted, "Nothing" to her. After photographing the bruises and getting her statement as well as the statements from Karen, Miles, and Ophelia they left. The detective was adamant, "The CPS will be going to go after this woman for assaulting you for a hate crime. She is in deep trouble as it is, but the CPS are not going to let this go. The woman from social services is going down for other crimes and her case files reviewed for similar instances of neglect and improper investigations." Once the officers had left Ophelia invited Jonas to stay for lunch. Chef Farquhar greeted Valerie warmly as Lilly and Karen introduced her. She was happy to tell Valerie, "The children are delightful and so well mannered, it was hard to believe they are related to Lord Bryan and Lady Hannah." Valerie asked if she had really decided to make the rice dish getting a nod then asked quietly, "Jorge's recipe I hope?" Chef grinned and added, "That poor man." Valerie laughed, explaining to Jonas about John's culinary failures and his ever present attempt to master Jorge's recipe. Jonas tried his best but it was just so hard to believe the failures until Jaimie showed the pictures and he finally felt sympathy. Cat was happy to see her mother was feeling less upset as was JD. Cat tried to say something about the night before but Valerie hugged her, telling her warmly, "You don't have to say anything." JD was lost so Valerie gave him some affection getting his mind moving elsewhere. The meal went quickly and Jonas bid them goodbye. Karen made sure that he confirmed his attendance at the wedding, telling him firmly, "The brides will not let you refuse. You have done a lot for them and they would not be here in the first place if not for your help." He smiled at that, Valerie added a laugh and quick, "Told you those three were going to insist." Nigel Jr. Cat, and JD insisted that Valerie played with them forcing her to spend time with them Jaimie finally relaxed, letting the tension she had since the previous evening release. Karen led her upstairs to the bedroom and put her to sleep, insisting that she rest after the sleepless night. Nigel added that she wasn't to come out until morning and he'd bring up dinner to her so she didn't need to get out of bed. She barely said OK before she finally gave in to her exhaustion and fell asleep. Downstairs, Miles talked with Ophelia about the events. She knew that Jaimie had had some issues in the past but Miles filled her in on the other incidents. The first done by Chief Benson's thugs just over four years before, the second that left a small scar on her leg in addition to Nichole needing emergency surgery. The other times were kept from their parents, but she was frequently targeted by guys who wanted to hurt her for making them feel less like men because she was better looking than most of the girls in school and who wanted to earn credentials with the bigots over harassing her. Karen listened intently but kept quiet. Nigel tried his hardest to not say anything but finally blurted out, "The poor girl goes through so much and has never once complained." Miles added on, "She doesn't feel that she can complain, she is the one everyone goes to for advice and support but who can she go to for that? Michael and I will never be able to understand her, Nichole and Kylie are too young, Reyna has Uncle Miguel's fame looming over her. She doesn't have anyone to sound off to for help." Lilly shook her head and added a strong, "She has Deborah and Kennedy and especially Katie. Katie has been through this before and everything I have heard about her points to her being exactly like Jaimie in every way. We just need to get her to go to Katie, for both of their sake." Valerie came back in and added, "Katie is willing to do that. I talked with her about this before and she wants to help Jaimie. She just needs Jaimie to come to her first. We can't force the two together, Jaimie is too stubborn and Katie is too timid to approach her." Valerie's phone rang and she put John on speaker. He told them about the group's activities or lack there of then asked what happened up there. Valerie carefully told him about what happened after they got there and listened to him laugh then add, "They didn't take long to pounce. Karen and Nigel's names carried a lot of weight and that was before they knew they were Lord and Lady Smith." Valerie asked about Michael and Courtney to which John explained, "They aren't staying here for the summer. There was a big issue that Michael had with the firm and he didn't hesitate to walk out. Lord Smith followed close behind him, whatever it is that happened only led to them taking another meeting but Michael is simply going to work from home and under James' supervision." Chapter 27 While Jaimie, Cat, and JD were getting used to the estate in Barnstead Michael was preparing for an important interview almost five months in the making. This was supposed to be a courtesy interview at Bradford's request so it was taking its toll on him. Bradford kept him focused on what he needed to say and do but Michael's mind was racing with images of being rejected for saying or doing the wrong thing at the wrong time or worse, for being too childish. Bradford picked him up from the hotel early then drove to the nondescript skyscraper in the heart of, "The City". Michael was dressed to impress, John having made sure that he wore his best suit and Courtney ensured that he was well groomed and looked like he was any other businessman, albeit young looking. Michael felt ridiculously overdressed for the occasion but it was for his future and as a favor to Bradford so he would endure it for a bit. The meeting at Evans Investments Ltd. was tense for Michael. After being introduced to them it was clear to him that he was only being considered because Bradford asked on his behalf. The heads of the investment and stock management departments barely gave him a glance as they talked with Bradford, trying to get in his good graces and land more business with him. After an hour of just sitting around as they talked around him pretending he wasn't there Michael got up and told Bradford, "This isn't worth it. With all due respect, these gentlemen could not care less about me or what I could do for their company. They want you and your money and are only putting up with the illusion of an internship for me just to get more money from you. I am sorry for wasting your time and causing you to miss out on time with Ethan, Nichole, and Nigel at home." Bradford thought back about everything they talked about and understood what Michael was saying. Not once has Michael been mentioned nor had they even looked at him after the introductions. He was proud of the boy for looking out for him and ending the charade. Bradford informed the two, "This young man knows more about this business after nearly three years of mall scale solo trading than either of you two has learned in 30 years each and has some of the best teachers aiding him. He is 17 but he is years ahead of any investment firm around. He calls things like he sees them and has brought down one firm and helped start another. Evans Investments are losing an asset, one that will come back to haunt you." The two walked out but were stopped as the head of stocks blurted out, "We know about his family. We will break him. His so-called ?sister' is a freak of nature going to cause his ruin. Nobody will deal with someone who associates with people like that." Michael shot back a hard, "I don't have to work at all, I got involved in this business for fun. I have more money in my bank account than you will ever earn in your lifetime. All of it was earned through my hard work and careful oversight. You can try to ruin my reputation but you are also smearing a 17-year-old GIRL, one who has twice the money that I have and 1000 times the reputation and support to back her up. The best you can hope for is to find someone dumb enough to listen to you, the worst you will do is cause yourselves to be fired for violating HR policies on treatment of minorities as you have not only broken a major rule you have opened the company up to a lawsuit. That is if you aren't sacked for causing ties in the US to be severed once our aunt and my mentor hear about your insulting remarks about my sister and your threats against me." He grinned as he added, "I am not joking when I say I don't have to do this for a living. You two, on the other hand, live with managing other peoples' money. You don't have any real assets, your stocks are all tied up in your employment and your retirement pensions are a pittance compared with my own trust fund that my father set up for me from his own wealth. So please, tell me how I will be ruined when I don't have to do a single thing and still enjoy the fruits of my labor while you toil away after losing Lord Bradford's respect and more important- his money?" Bradford laughed at hearing that. He led Michael away while telling the vice president of finances that he was moving his business elsewhere until the two of them were sacked. The ensuing chaos was swift but Bradford already knew that Michael was thinking of a way to get Bradford's assets into a new, safer environment. Michael finally admitted, "I know they were friends of yours but I just couldn't work here. This kind of place is a ?stab to get ahead' office as Uncle James calls it. I saw it before and I swore that I'd never work in a place like that." Bradford sighed and sat Michael down. The young man was starting to get upset over disappointing him but his actions were far from it. The father and grandfather in Bradford came out and overrode his ingrained aristocratic nature, he needed reassurances from Bradford. Bradford finally told him, "I'm proud of you. You saved me a lot of money as I would not be able to say no to them without offending them. You stood up for your sister and exposed two people for the frauds that they are. They won't survive the day, they will receive a visit from HR then will see themselves sacked for breaking strict company policy. They may not be aware of it but Grace Evans, the CEO, has a child like Jaimie: a son named Arthur who is transitioning from a girl to a boy. He just started out. She won't let them get away with insulting people like her son, especially not ones who cost the company millions from losing an amazing prodigy." Bradford's phone rang and he immediately handed it to Michael. Michael went into a deep conversation about what happened and why and tried his hardest to not lose his temper at retelling it. He grew silent as the conversation turned to stocks and analysis that Michael had done in the past to which Michael was quick to steer and quicker to shoot down the traditional trends that he knew was used by the old guard. He wasn't afraid to voice his concerns with the lack of change nor the following of trends. Bradford waited in the background, silently grinning as Michael talked openly with the person on the other end. When Michael finally ended the call Bradford told him, "We will be taking lunch with her then set up your internship from home. James is going to oversee you, I don't think you should make any major moves without his input." Lunch was quiet as Michael was first introduced to a young boy named Arthur and his parents. Arthur entertained him for a bit as the adults talked, listening to him talk about football and rugby. Michael had to admit, "I am not too familiar with rugby, I am involved more in American football and martial arts and normally just hang out at home." The two found common ground in their martial arts with Michael being shown pictures of Arthurs new activities. Michael skillfully told him, "My cousin and friends are better than I am, they have done it longer or have more natural talent. Two are about ready to assist sensei in class." Michael wasn't surprised when Arthur had to get up and go to the restroom for a few minutes. Michael calmly told him, "You don't have to try so hard to keep your secret from me. I figured it out as soon as your parents and Lord Bradford introduced us." He was starting to get scared but Michael assured him, "Your mother and Lord Bradford are sly. He told me about you then I get a phone call and explain what happened earlier only for us to get invited to lunch with you. I believe they wanted us to meet since you need assurances that you are doing fine." Michael sighed then stated, "Jaimie, Nichole, Reyna, Kylie, Al, Deborah, Amanda, Kennedy, and Katie. Those names don't mean anything to you but they mean the world to me. They are my sister, aunts, and cousins. All are like you but were born with male parts. They have been through their own living hell and all have come out on top with the love and support of family and friends. You will too, or your mom will make the people who harm you pay dearly." Michael showed him a picture of Jaimie to which Arthur smiled and said, "She's hot" getting a chuckle from Michael and quick, "I'll take your word for it since she's my sister but she's also taken." He seemed to become more at ease but asked:, "Did you always support your sister?" Michael sighed and admitted, "I was uncertain at first but she became a whole new person and I couldn't hold being true to herself against her. She changed physically but no different than what I was doing at the same time only she needed more help. I had a harder time when she started to like boys, she started to date my best friend!" The two talked for an hour before they had to leave. Arthur?s mother Grace pulled Michael aside and told him how much she appreciated him talking with Arthur. Michael told her back, "I didn't do much except treat him as a human being. He just wants to be normal, it may not be easy for you or him but try to do that for him. It'll make the change much easier on him and show that you are a family and will stand by one another. What others think be damned, his health matters most." Courtney greeted Michael and Bradford at the hotel as the family was getting ready to go out for the afternoon. Michael was asked what happened to which he had to reluctantly tell her, "I was offered a different position. I'm going to be working from home and speaking with senior management directly instead of department heads." Courtney wasn't so broken up over not staying there as he expected. She softly told him, "Mom wasn't too thrilled to allow her daughter to spend the summer with her boyfriend especially her 17-year-old daughter." Michael countered with, "Neither were mom and dad. I guess it's for the best, at least we can still enjoy wearing skimpy outfits at the beach." He said that just in time to have Will hear him. Will immediately shot back, "The string bikini looks good on you" to which Courtney countered with, "But I thought you were saving that to wear for your trip to the lake." Michael wisely added, "I prefer one-piece suits, less chance of losing my top and I'm not an exhibitionist like you, Will." That brought out laughs as Will nodded in agreement. The group visited some additional sites around greater London while Michael stayed behind to watch Marcus, Brent, Benny and Jack with Olivia. The six went for strolls in the nearby Hyde Park that wore down the two toddlers allowing them to relax inside the suite. Olivia was told about the meeting and listened to Michael admit that he felt weird about Courtney staying with him and how it would look when they went back to school and their classmates found out. Olivia smiled then boasted, "Your mom owes us $100 each. We told her that you would only care about Courtney's reputation. We know you aren't looking for sex and it would be the farthest thing from your mind." Michael admitted, "I wouldn't want to be around a bunch of bigots anyway, and I am glad that I got to help out someone who needed the confidence boost even if he said Jaimie was hot." Olivia just grinned at him as they finished changing the infants' diapers. Olivia kept a close eye on him, grinning and secretly thinking that he was going to be a great father in the future. Marcus snorted while Brent kicked and giggled as they took their time to put on the diapers. Michael had a thought occur to him. He timidly asked, "Are you going to be upset that Al and Jaimie won't be able to do this with their children? It's years away but it's still something they are going to ask you about in the future." Olivia shook her head and bluntly told him, "There is a chance this could happen for them, it happened for Kennedy so it could happen for them. I just hope that it isn't for the same reason as I don't want to think about the poor kids involved in that situation. There is always a surrogate and donor eggs, Jaimie may be unable to carry a child but she could still feed and care for Richard's baby. Trust me, as much as I loved being pregnant there are a lot of bad things that she should be thankful that she doesn't have to endure. You saw it with your mom and your aunts, it isn't all fun and games all the time." The rest of the family came back soon afterward, enjoying a big dinner at the hotel. Olivia talked with Gabby about what Michael discussed and got a big smile. Gabby felt it hard to see Michael as anything but her future son-in-law even if he was a few years from marrying her daughter. The evening was slow as the 10 children and six tweens grew bored easily. They managed to get the adults to agree to a movie with the strict orders that the six tweens to keep their mouths and hands to themselves. Al blushed deeply but her boyfriend Kyle spoke for them and agreed in full. The following day the weather was nasty. There was not much to do except stay inside and enjoy the spa and watch movies and the telly. The seven boys were underwhelmed by the day but thankfully Ethan gave Junior and Neil a chance for a distraction while Kyle and Oscar had to make due with talking with classmates back home. They were more interested in hearing about the girls than Kyle and Oscar but it was better than sitting around doing nothing. Michael took a while to notice that both Lilly and Valerie were missing. He asked his father where they went only to be told:, "Come with me." Michael sensed trouble to which John nodded silently. When they were alone he sat Michael down and informed him, "There was trouble last night at the estate and Jaimie is going to be questioned by social services for a crime she didn't commit. She was accused of molesting Cat by a maid, someone who was caught in their room stealing Jaimie's necklace and pendant. Jonas Bloomfield is on the way with them and will have it cleared up." Michael grew angry at what happened and demanded to know why he was left behind. John sighed and admitted ?we decided to leave you here for this very reason. You are protective of your sisters and that is why you were left behind. We thought it best to have you stay away until things were clear and with those three plus Karen, Nigel, and Ophelia they will be soon." Claire and Courtney knew something was going on and went to find Michael. When he was found they demanded to know what was happening so Michael told them. He could barely control his rage and it took Courtney kissing him firmly on the lips to stop him. Claire sat him down and told him, "Let them handle this. Miles and Aunt Karen were there too and will ensure that Jaimie gets a fair investigation then will rip them to shreds for trying to humiliate her. If the others find out they will want blood and if that happens it won't be good for anyone." Michael had to stop then and there. He knew exactly what would happen with his cousins knowing. Hannah would demand to go up north and Bryan would want a pound of flesh from the people who are responsible. It was best left alone for now. If there was any news his mother would not hesitate to call. Courtney invited Michael to the pool, with Claire groaning at being the third wheel. Will sought them out and when he heard that they were going swimming he quickly got his trunks then gave the girls a leery look which caused them to tell him firmly, "No funny business, there are kids present and not just you. I don't want to have to explain to DJ and TJ why you are grabbing my boobies or my butt!" Will immediately went red and apologized. Claire hit him hard but she did have a point, Will was frisky ever since they came to London. Rick pulled him aside and asked what was going on to which Will showed a claim that he was just with Claire to hide being gay. It didn't matter that he and Claire had been dating for years, a claim like that carried a lot of weight even among classmates that knew them. They both knew who posted the claims but they couldn't do anything about it while in England. He did make a simple phone call to Louis to keep him up to date on how things were going but also to ask if he could have some words with a couple of punks on Will's behalf. Louis was more than happy to do so and added that he'd have Juan Alvarez do some additional legwork online and among the teens to see if they were doing this to others, if Will was a target then easier ones were already being hit or have taken impacts from them. The pool relaxed Michael and Will seemed to cool his libido. Claire didn't mind the affection but not when it wasn't genuine and meant to appease some jealous jerk. She got a kick out of Oscar and Kyle having trouble keeping their eyes off of her, at least she knew why those two were acting weird and it actually made her feel better than she could turn heads even of boys who knew her like those two did. The swimming calmed Michael and mellowed Will while also giving the tweens a chance to unwind their tension. Al was practically flaunting her body in front of Kyle who had to hide his obvious boner. Oscar blushed deeply and didn't move from his own spot in the pool, treading water as the girls swam around him trying their best to make him uncomfortable. Amy gave him a big kiss on the lips for being so gentlemanly but had to hold back from hugging him lest he have an embarrassing release of semen or she accidentally feels something on him that she wasn't supposed to feel. Courtney was going to say something about her doing that but Claire and Jenna told her that she was doing the same thing with Michael only much more intimately. Christina even mentioned her hand placement seemed to suggest she was helping him adjust his netting, sending Courtney into a deep blush and gasping for breath as the other girls tried hard not to laugh. The girls were enjoying razzing her, but all of them knew that she needed a distraction from the trouble of the morning. Word got around from the five 4th and 5th graders about the Jaimie incident and with Courtney suggesting a swim it had to have been affecting her internally. Michael's relaxed look clued them in that they were right, with Claire's constant looks towards him confirming it without anything said. Those three were acting a bit too relaxed and keeping a close eye on one another. The five youngest kids, thankfully, let them have a distraction from the stewing and teasing, ensuring that they didn't take things too far or say something that would be difficult to explain without their parents coming down hard on them. Jessica and Jenna were the most level-headed and freely admitted that they wouldn't have been able to hold on as long as Michael had. Christina was the most vocal, telling the girls firmly, "I'd be demanding all evidence and ripping apart everyone in my way. Jaimie is going to need a break from this mess, that means shopping and other fun!" Chapter 28 The next morning the group ate breakfast then headed north. Their destination was Cambridge, with the kids and teens getting a chance to stretch their legs for a bit before they descended upon the manor that afternoon. The newlywed Smiths continued north with Bradford and the luggage with Bradford driving, surprisingly eager to drive a people carrier and happily saying, "I never get to drive anymore." Cambridge proved to be a hit with the kids as they walked around the city's various buildings and rode in the famous punts. It was intimate for the teens with Christina and Rick having to forgo the rides due to feeling a bit weird riding something so intimate with a future in-law. None of the others dared say anything as the two were more than happy to let them have their fun without saying anything back. The drive to Barnstead, Lincolnshire was quick and seeing the estate caused an almost unanimous, "Wow" from the kids and teens. They were greeted at the door by a happy Valerie, Lilly, and Ophelia, then directed inside to enjoy dinner. Cat came bouncing out with JD, both of whom went for John and Michael and eager to tell them about what they did. Nichole took Kylie, Nancy, and Margaret up to her room while Ethan led Junior and Neil to his. The teens just lounged in the sitting room and billiards room, waiting for instructions from the adults. Michael showed them around some of the rooms and out back with Scott, Claire, and Jessica greeting Chef Farquhar and Marion with big smiles. Miles talked with the adults about what the kids would do, getting a solid, "They can stay here but they aren't going to be riding and swimming all week." Alice and Ruth were adamant that Raul and Avery not stay there, they didn't fully trust the two of them yet which wasn't really justified but the others got the other hint that they were now mature enough to join the other teens at the hotel and enjoy the other activities. They settled on the kids and tweens staying there, with Virgil staying with his parents. Oscar, Trina, Kyle, Al, Stephanie, and Amy were told to keep themselves under control, which they all blushed at. The elder six were split up into three rooms with Al sharing with Stephanie, Trina with Amy, and Kyle with Oscar. Kylie, Margaret, and Nancy would share a room with Nichole while Neil and Junior shared with Ethan with both groups treating it as a sleepover. Daisy and Faith simply acted like it was a normal night. Ophelia and Bradford approved the idea, with Jaimie and Miles remaining in their rooms with the twins to oversee the kids. They would be replaced by Scott and Jessica when the Finns went up to Scotland, with the two happily forgoing some of the sightseeing around Lincoln and Boston that they had already seen before. The parents agreed with this, as did the teens and kids. The family sat down to a big dinner in the main dining room. The staff was worked hard but they were surprised to see that the kids were well behaved and their parents weren't a bunch of snobs who all demanded quick service, frequent refills of alcohol, and acted like they didn't exist. They heard a lot of, "Please" and, "Thank you" from everyone and the few who drank wine drank it slowly. Chef Farquhar was asked to speak with Jorge and Victoria and once the three started to talk she learned a lot about the infamous bad cook John Finn and received praise for making food that the kids enjoyed. Jorge was also pleased that Chef Farquhar was able to find all of the ingredients, although she had a bit of trouble translating the name of a couple into English from their Puerto Rican names. Dinner took longer than expected but it was a fun time for all and the staff actually didn't mind as there wasn't much for them to actually do. When it ended and the family ready to head out, the itinerary for the news few days was announced. Not surprisingly, Bryan and Hannah weren't happy to go on the trip to Scotland but John was firm and both Pete and Paige asked them to do it for them. The kids were happy to stay behind, with Jaimie and Miles keeping them in line as they got their bags put away. The two went over the rules with the six tweens again, firmly telling them that any breaking of it would mean mucking out the stables for Marion. That was enough to cause Stephanie and Trina to nearly vomit but they understood. Al couldn't help but add that they would both see themselves nude anyway as they changed which Jaimie had to add, "I guess you need to be discreet then, but I know your mothers will be severely disappointed if you do do stuff in the showers." After finishing laying down the law, Miles went downstairs with David, Emma, Paige, Pete, Bryan, and Hannah. Paige grinned as she asked Ophelia, "Did you happen to notice Francesca's face as she saw the bookcase?" Ophelia asked what she meant to which Paige grinned and admitted:, "You have all of the Wendy White-Clarke books on the shelf." Ophelia didn't know what was going on so she told her, "I am a big fan of her work. I may be a lady but I still enjoy a good love story. It's a shame that there won't be any more of them." David added, "There's a reason why she was happy to see the books, Francesca was her daughter." Ophelia's eyes grew wide at hearing that, Paige added, "Al wasn't the only one involved in the accident in December. Wendy and her wife Belle were killed alongside Al's parents. Al would have died too but their car took the brunt of the force." The news hit Ophelia hard. Hannah added, "Before you ask, Aunt Beth and Uncle Ben adopted her at her former mothers' request. She got Aunt Beth out of her postpartum depression and made her see that she was needed and appreciated by others. Her mothers left Francesca everything and she was able to finish editing the last book for them. She will get you a special copy, one that only special people who know the family are able to get. And you were even in their house, the home Paige and Bryan moved into was their former home" Upstairs Cat and the girls were having fun playing with Nigel Jr. The little one was getting a lot more attention than he normally got and basked in the spotlight. Daisy and Faith were trying their hardest to enjoy playing with him and avoid their selfish actions from the previous week which Cat happily took to mean that they were really trying. Nichole got a brilliant idea and started up the DVD player with their favorite anime show. Cat smiled as her favorite character came up, with Nigel Jr. copying her moves. Cat got into the spirit of it and did the same thing with the girls getting an idea to create a game out of it. Nichole had them bounce around then squat with their hands and arms pressed back. It followed he actions on the TV, with them going from acting like a rabbit to acting like a cat. Al grinned and said, "Cat is neko and rabbit is usagi, so say neko they act like a cat and usagi they act like a rabbit." As they were doing that the girls were giggling with Nigel Jr. having fun imitating them. Jaimie walked in to see them acting like cats and rabbits and groaned as Nichole announced:, "They are all playing ?cabbit.?" She walked on out, going downstairs and shaking her head at the kids' imagination. When she explained what they were doing to Karen she snickered, adding, "It's one way to get them to play together and don't think that you didn't do the same thing at Daisy and Faith's age." Jaimie gave her an odd look to which Karen told her, "Your mom and Greta told me you were friends with Jessica, Scott, and Michael when you were really young. I know it pains you to remember back then but it's the truth. It's why Michael has cared about you for so long, why he was the first to support you when you changed, and why he loves you unconditionally." Jaimie shed a tear and excused herself. Karen felt bad but Emma went after Jaimie instead of Karen. She found Jaimie crying in her room, to which Jaimie tried to act like nothing was going on only to be told:, "Don't lie to me, I know hurt when I see it." She sat down with Jaimie and got her to open up, hearing, "I have spent five years trying to be myself but I always get reminded that I have not always been who I want to be." Emma hugged her as she sobbed. Emma confessed to her, "I know what you mean. I am supposed to be part of your family and now a Smith but I am still just the poor girl from a family obsessed with money and social climbing. I was supposed to always be a shop clerk and take over the family business but the way they were running it I'd be out on the street no matter what. When I came here the other maids treated me poorly because I wanted to only be here a year then go off to nursing school, they had nowhere to go and no ambition to do anything more than serve until they earned their pension. It was hard and until your aunt and uncle and cousins came here it was lonely. I tried to quit several times but they wouldn't let Lady Ophelia accept it." Jaimie smiled and told her, "You mean your mom and dad and your grandmother." Emma had her. She was purposely saying the names wrong to get Jaimie's attention and focus on something else. Emma added, "I like our family a lot. It's the family I always dreamed of. Everybody loves one another and I love mom and dad more than I ever loved my own parents. Don't feel bad because a few people can't get over their own bigotry and bias against an amazing girl who is changing the world. I have never seen so many people angry and upset and ready to seek vengeance for someone before, it was thrilling and inspiring. You are a girl, never let anyone tell you otherwise." Emma sighed and added, "Your aunt brought up the past for a reason, you really were like your sister back then. Your mom and aunts see that the signs were there long ago, they don't see ?Jaimie the former boy' they see ?Jaimie the beautiful girl'. I believe mom wants you to know that you were a fun girl then, someone who enjoyed pretending. That's all." Jaimie nodded and said she was sorry. Emma went back downstairs and told Karen and Nigel, "She's doing better now." Karen grinned, then asked ?what did you say to her?" Emma told her everything to which Karen hugged her and added a warm, "Don't ever doubt yourself, we love you and you are going to make an amazing mother. You reacted a way only a mother could. Your instincts are strong, follow them." The next morning Miles and the boys went for a run around the estate while the girls practiced their ballet. Nichole played with JD, Cat, and Nigel Jr. up in the nursery while the others were busy. Ophelia was going to say something about Nichole not joining them but Jaimie told her, "She tried it. It wasn't for her. She doesn't have the balance and coordination to be a ballet dancer. She is better at other dances and other sports but simply not ballet." The ladies worked hard for an hour before going for a swim. Kylie was bubbly and eager to try out the pool while the others were blas? about it. Nancy blushed as she reluctantly changed and within seconds the others saw why. Kylie was jealous, Nancy was just starting to, "Sprout" on her chest while the other three were still a long way off. The others tried not to make light of it but it was hard to miss. Nichole finally admitted to her, "We knew you were the most mature of us, we now have proof." That got the others laughing while Kylie added a soft, "You are lucky" which the others hugged her for. Nichole added a soft, "Your time will come, I think this also means that Uncle Richard can consider getting you blockers but I think he will want you to save your semen like Aunt Katie did just in case you want your own baby." The older girls wisely kept their mouths shut about what the four girls were talking about. Amy knew best how Nancy was feeling as she started to sprout breasts at the same time but her womb donor refused to believe she was maturing. Trina and Stephanie were both late comers to puberty so they had nothing to say but fully understood fully what Kylie was feeling. Karen noticed the girls talking about something and listened closely to what they were saying. She felt embarrassed at what she heard but felt even odder having to tell Todd that his daughter needs to go shopping for some intimate apparel. She had to call Todd and explain to him what needed to be done, hopefully, he was alright. Todd answered quickly, thinking the worst. Karen explained to him, "I have some bad news for you, your little girl is starting to become a young woman. She needs some additional things bought for her that I didn't think would be a good idea to buy without your blessing." Todd nearly fainted and had to hand off the phone to Astrid. Karen explained what happened and got a smile from her. Todd calmly begged Astrid to go with Nancy for this, he couldn't handle it. Astrid had tears in her eyes to which Todd told her affectionately, "It's as good of a time as any for her to get used to being around you if I'm going to be dating you. Plus you know what to do, I'm utterly clueless." Karen had to hold back from crying herself, it was just so touching. Astrid was told where to meet them and got a happy, "Thank you" from her. The girls were done swimming and changed and were happy to go with Karen to the shopping center. They asked what she needed to get to which she had to draw a deep breath and admit, "Nancy needs some camisoles. It'll help your chest avoid irritation and cover your nipples better as I can see from the little movements is getting worse." The girls all blushed but Karen added, "Astrid is going to help you. She wants to talk to you about something important." Nancy mumbled, "I already know that she's dating dad, she doesn't need my permission to do so." Karen countered with, "She just wants assurance that you are alright with her dating him. She cares a lot about him." Nancy blurted out, "He loves her, she loves him- that's all that matters. Dad needs someone better than that bitch who dumped us. I like Astrid a lot and if she is to be my mom then I like it. She already cares about me more than bitch ever did and she makes dad happy." Karen was shocked to hear Nancy speak that way but knew it was a long simmering feeling about her birth mother that until that moment had gone unspoken. The girls showered and changed and this time they didn't stare. Nichole led them downstairs to where Astrid, Rachel Douglas, and Kennedy were all waiting. All four girls felt odd about them taking them shopping but Rachel grinned and declared, "It's a mother's right to do this with her daughter. Besides, I think you all could use some of the same items since it's only a matter of time before you start yourselves." Kylie and Nichole looked glum but Kennedy added, "You will be on blockers soon and if Alison thinks that you are finally ready then you can start very low dosage hormones. Same goes for you, Nichole. You should be ready to start your hormones shortly, there is no real reason to not do so given there is no interference, unlike Kylie. Plus it?s more for mental health now than physical changes." The girls went into the lingerie section and the four ladies showed them what they needed to know and why they needed their new underwear. Nancy blushed as she admitted her nipples were irritated and puffy which Margaret admitted, "They looked normal before" not realizing why they were reacting that way. She took a moment then realized it was the first signs, which Nancy teased her with, "Yours should be getting that way too, your birthday is a month after mine" sending the other two into a giggle fit. The ladies felt that this was a good sign and moved the girls on to other things. Nancy kept close to Astrid and at points held her hand, getting the other three mothers to grin and mouth, "Already acting like her mom" to one another. Todd called to check up on them to which Nancy seized the chance to make him squirm before telling him her feelings. She happily told him, "Astrid is better than mom ever was and if you want to marry her when we all get back home she better be my new mom and you better give me a new brother or sister too." Astrid nearly lost it listening to that. Karen proudly told her, "I think she has all but picked out your wedding gown and honeymoon suite." Astrid just silently nodded while Nancy grinned at her. When they walked along Nancy told her proudly, "I mean it, I don't like dad and you not being serious. I like you more than my old mom and I do want a baby brother or sister." Astrid hugged her for that, she was warming up to the idea of having a new daughter and her biological clock was ticking ever since her sister became pregnant. The group paid for their purchases and went to the hotel to drop off Astrid, Rachel, and Kennedy and got held up by the teen girls who wanted to know where they went. Karen was honest with them, telling them firmly, "We needed to pick up some items for the girls that are now needed, you all had to endure it and know how it felt so please be respectful." Sam sensed that her aunt had something happen and pulled her aside to get the truth. Nancy followed her and told Sam, "Dad and your aunt are dating and I told her I want her to be my mother." Sam looked at her aunt then grinned, telling her, "About time Aunt Astrid, mom and dad thought you two weren't going to tell anyone else for a while." Astrid was going to say something but Sam added, "They saw the way you were looking at the girls and at Todd. Mom and Grandma wanted to get you two together ever since Aunt Katie met with them. Plus you two were always off on your own, mom and dad had to make up excuses which nobody bought. The teens asked when they were going to stop hiding their relationship. Sam grinned and added, "See what I mean" to which Astrid added, "I guess we have nothing to hide now." The younger girls helped set up a date between Astrid and Todd with the teens adding their input while Astrid let them get their energy burned off and let them figure out things on their own. She didn't have much to add, the girls know what they were doing and she wanted Nancy to know she cared enough to listen to her. Eventually, the girls finished their planning and had the teens set things up for Todd and Astrid. The whole thing was really all for nothing as the girls went with a simple dinner and movie date with the others leaving them alone to do their own thing. Sam would talk with her parents and grandparents to keep them from disturbing Astrid but she knew they were alright with the date. Back at the Smith estate, the boys wanted to know what happened. Al and the older girls picked up on what was going on and told them firmly, "They were shopping for bras" which caused them to cringe and apologize for being nosy. The younger girls giggled at their reaction but Al smirked and whispered:, "In a way, they are a cousin to bras but don't let them know." The four tween girls listened as they told about Astrid and her date with Todd getting, "Awws" from them. Jaimie grinned and added, "They do care about each other, maybe they will get married." Nichole added a swift, "Nancy has already picked out the wedding dress" getting a laugh and hug from Nancy. When the girls went to play with Nigel Jr. Cat, and JD Jaimie stopped Nancy and talked with her away from the others. She asked her pointedly if she was truly alright with her dad dating. Nancy smiled brightly and firmly told her, "Everyone asks me that but I really do want dad to find love and he likes Astrid a lot. She likes him a lot too and she treats me better than my own mother. I want them to get together. I told her that I wanted a baby brother or sister and she looked like she was going to cry." Jaimie hugged her tight, telling her firmly, "Everyone likes her and the two of them deserve love. Think of it as gaining three cousins, four when Aunt Alison has her baby. You would have three aunts and an uncle and a grandma and grandpa." She smiled at that, telling her, "I always wanted a bigger family." Chapter 29 The next day saw the girls finally getting a chance to ride the horses. They were supposed to ride in the afternoon but the shopping trip sidetracked things. The six boys noticed that the girls were wearing something extra under their shirts and wisely kept their mouths shut about it. They could see it was an important event to them and they weren't about to upset Karen, Emma, or worse- Jaimie. Marion gave them the same warnings he gave the others back in February. Cat listened intently and held onto Jaimie who could see that she was listening and intended to follow orders. The others knew what to expect and kept silent out of fear and respect. Nichole and Ethan showed them what to do, letting them get used to the horses while Marion prepared the saddles, with Cat trying her best to follow along. Marion told them that JD and Cat were too small for solo riding forcing Jaimie and Miles to have to ride with them. Both were fine with that, but Jaimie needed some refreshing before she could ride. It had been several years since she last rode and she didn't want to do something that would cause Cat or herself to get hurt. Memories started to come back to Jaimie as soon as she got on the horse. The others saw her looking out beyond them in a zoned out state, she was in the midst of a flashback and lost track of all that was going on around her. She could ride, Marion saw her doing normal things that were learned experience but she needed to collect herself before she was allowed outside the paddock onto the trail. Ethan walked beside her horse, leading her inside so Jaimie could dismount and collect her thoughts. When she realized what happened she was in near tears but Ethan told her firmly, "Mom said there were some things that would trigger memories in people. I guess this was one of them for you. You didn't do anything wrong, Marion knows you know how to ride and just needed to clear your mind. Just wait a bit, brush the horse, then come out. I'll try to keep Cat busy but I think Nichole is handling that. Jaimie silently nodded and brushed the mare's mane while scratching her ear. The mare snorted thanks and nuzzled Jaimie's head as she tried to remember what she learned. The memories started to come back, some good and some horrible. Jaimie's earliest memories were of trips to the parks, the Missouri River, and playing with other kids. As she thought about it things finally clicked- Michael, Scott, and Jessica were there playing with her as their mothers sat watching them! She smiled at playing in the park, running around the trees, playing dolls, then playing house. Things grew darker as she started to remember her father's reaction to her playing dolls and acting, "Girly" with Jessica. Her mom and dad got into a fight and he stormed out as Jaimie cried. Her mom cared about her feelings and asked why she played with Jessica so much. She started to tear up as she recalled tearfully telling her, "I am a girl too, girls play dolls." Her mother told her firmly, "You are a boy and you need to do boy things. Boys don't play with dolls and they don't play house. You can't do that anymore even if she is your friend." Jaimie had to go inside. She led the mare back into the stall and offered her a treat while trying her hardest to stop herself from crying at the memories. She didn't say anything to the others and went right up to her room and broke down as soon as the door was closed. 12 years of memories flooded her mind, all thanks to doing something she hadn't done since before her parents were killed. These were years of frustration and pain because she couldn't be who she felt that she was inside. Her memories seized her, she could barely contain herself and went up to her room to think. She never saw the adults talking or anyone calling out to her, she was on autopilot as she went up to her room neither hearing nor seeing anyone around her once she put the mare back into her stall. Emma noticed Jaimie returning and asked if she was alright. Jaimie let out a weak, "I'm fine" which Emma didn't buy. Emma went downstairs to tell Karen that something was going on with Jaimie which prompted her to rush up to the room and ask to come in. Jaimie reluctantly opened the door for Karen, who hugged Jaimie tightly. She sat her down on the bed and asked her what was bothering her which caused more memories to flood Jaimie's mind. These weren't good memories either, they were troubling ones that made her feel horrible at knowing. When she recovered enough she tearfully told Karen, "I remember everything." Karen asked what she meant to which Jaimie tearfully told her, "I remember mom and dad and wanting to be a girl and what they said. It wasn't what I thought they were like. They didn't like me being a girl. They hated that I am a girl. I don't like these memories!" Karen softly mouthed to Emma, "Call Valerie" which got her moving quickly. Valerie was quick to drive over, bringing Greta with her. Greta insisted on going, Jaimie needed the support of people who were there and who knew her parents. Scott and Jessica tried to go but were held back as it may be too much too soon for Jaimie especially given the content of the memories. Jaimie dozed off while Karen kept an eye on her, with Emma keeping the others from going near them. Ophelia and Bradford understood what was happening and let them have their privacy. David was stuck having to pick up the slack with the kids but Miles had things completely under control with Cat doing her best to cope without Jaimie's influence. When Jaimie woke up she saw her mother and Greta and was in tears again. She apologized to her mother for dragging her away from seeing the sites which she countered with, "We were just babysitting Brent and Marcus so we weren't missing anything big. You matter more than any sites, you need us and whatever we were doing doesn't matter." Karen gave them some privacy as Valerie asked what was bothering her. Jaimie confessed to recalling the memories due to the horses and feeling so horrible that she is what her parents didn't want her to be. Valerie listened closely and understood everything, she kept the past from Jaimie on purpose, knowing that she would react badly to the truth about them. When Jaimie was finished Greta asked if she should tell her or if Valerie was going to. Jaimie asked her mom to tell her so Valerie admitted, "Your parents didn't like how you were starting to act and your statement that you were a girl upset them deeply. They loved you but their minds were set on you being what they felt you should be. Your parents were trying to save up to send you to a psychiatrist to figure out how to ?cure' you which was why your dad worked so hard and your mom needed to work as well." Greta added, "They were really on the way to take you to visit the doctor when they died. They were of the belief that this was just a cry for attention or that you had something else wrong with you. We tried to reason with your mom but she wouldn't listen to us. Your father was adamant that you were sick and the new doctor would cure you. The reason for none of your family claiming you after the accident was your father telling them about your feelings as he asked them for money. They refused to help him and caused the other family members to shun you afterward. It's likely why Mick and Sarah never found out about you, they would have helped you had they known you survived the accident regardless of the gender situation. You survived, I know it is painful for you to remember what happened to you but you survived and you are a better person despite what happened." Jaimie felt horrible but Valerie added, "They truly loved you in their own way and wanted to get you help. They didn't know the facts about what was going on with you and if they did they would have gotten you treatment. Despite her views, your mom would have understood and gotten you help. It didn't help that Dr. Eliot kept filling their heads with lies whenever possible. The man refused to refer you to a specialist, that's the biggest reason why your parents had to work so hard to afford to get you help, the insurance company wouldn't pay for the psychiatric evaluation because he refused the referral. They honestly did love you but they were badly ill- informed about your condition." Jaimie let that settle in for a bit. Jaimie finally asked, "Would they have loved me as I am now?" Greta a little too quickly told her, "They would have loved you no matter what. They wanted the truth and sadly they died before they could get it. Your mom was more open than you think, she may have said some bad things to you about wanting to be a girl before but she wasn't the kind of person to discriminate or not support her daughter in her transition." Valerie sighed and confessed, "I don't know about your father. He was taking the news hard and he was listening to Dr. Eliot too closely. It might have ended your parents' relationship but I believe he did truly love you and when it finally came time for you to transition he would have supported you." They let Jaimie settle down for a bit, telling her to take another nap after handing her some paracetamol for her headache. Downstairs Greta admitted, "I hate lying to her about her parents but the truth would upset her too much. She is fragile as it is, the truth might send her over the edge and she shouldn't have to endure that horror after years of living in a truly loving family." Karen asked what she meant to which Greta informed her, "Her father was a racist, homophobic, sexist drunk that could never hold down a job for long and always found ways of blaming his failures on any person he could. Her mother was one of those women that believed women belonged in the kitchen and their husbands were always right no matter the cost to their family. They were actually taking her to have conversion therapy, he insisted that Jaimie goes to it after her mother told him about Jaimie's bold declaration of being a girl. She did truly love Jaimie despite all appearances, but she couldn't go against what she was taught and what others were saying- especially her husband. We tried to get her to speak to a lawyer about a divorce and had a job and home lined up for her but she refused all of our help." Unbeknownst to them, Jaimie heard everything. Jaimie asked firmly, "Is it true? We were on the way to conversion therapy?" Greta tearfully admitted, "It is worse than that: they were going to beat you until you admitted you were a boy. Your father was facing humiliation from his family and coworkers over your declaration. Dr. Eliot was no help in the matter, he egged your dad on to get you that ?help'." Jaimie tearfully told them, "You didn't have to lie to me, I would rather be told the truth than being told a lie. They are dead, they died because they wanted to hurt me. I lived and I am better now than I ever would have been with them. So after all of these years, all of these tears were because I remembered someone who wanted to hurt me? You shouldn?t lie about them, I deserve the truth." Valerie hugged her, kissing her forehead and telling her, "They still loved you, deep down all parents love their children." Jaimie shot back a cold, "You know by now that not all of them do Ask Amy, ask Kyle, ask Kylie and Reed, ask Nancy, ask Al!" Jaimie sighed and sat down then asked:, "Why did you let Michael and Jessica play with me if you knew how bad my really parents were?" Greta smiled and told her, "Jessica loved you and Scott was always a lot better around you two kids. Believe it or not, I could see that you were a true friend to them no matter what you were inside and they both loved you for it." Valerie added, "Michael loved you as a friend and Tiffany was pleased that Scott found someone who didn't use him for their own means. When she died you started to act as Scott's shoulder to cry on and through you, he got out a lot of grief. Things would have been a lot worse for him had you not been there for him. That's why: you were always the caring, loving person that we know to this day. You are a good person, boy or girl. You always were. That's why Jessica loves you so much, that's why Scott was so devastated to have to hurt you, that's why Michael was so quick to befriend you again." Greta suggested that Jaimie might be better off with Scott, Jessica, and Michael for a few days so she could have people around who could help her with the flashbacks. Karen asked about Cat getting a soft, "She will be alright, just tell her that she is big enough to join the girls and she will see it as being a sign that she is finally a big girl" from Jaimie. Valerie smiled at that, Jaimie would know better than anyone and Cat had been wanting to be treated as a big girl. Jaimie reminded them that she had to go up north to Scotland with her dad the next day so she wouldn't have much time with Scott and Jessica. Greta sighed and conceded, it was still a good idea but some time with her closest relatives might be better. There was no pressure, just the five Finn grandchildren and John driving through the country as a family. Jaimie asked why Ethan, Nichole, Claire, Daisy, Iris and Rachel weren't going. Valerie sighed and admitted, "We didn't think they would want to go." Jaimie countered this claim by telling her, "They are Finns no matter what. They should go too. It isn?t fair to them to not ask if they want to come." Valerie nodded then sought out Daisy. She gave her a resounding, "No" which quelled that idea fast. She added, "I know I'm a Finn but I would rather go with the others. I don?t want to remember ?him? even if this is for Grandpa Brent. I don?t need to do this, he?ll understand why I don?t want to go." Nichole and Ethan added the same, with Nichole telling her, "We know that we are Finns too but we both think this is something for you to do on your own." Ethan added, "We have obligations to see to. We promised the others that we'd stay with them. We could do this another time with Uncle John. He?d want to do it for Cat, JD, Marcus and Nigel too when they get old enough." Valerie sat Cat down to tell her that Jaimie was going to go with her back to the hotel. She took the news better than expected, hugging her and asking, "Is she alright?" Valerie nodded, adding, "You don't need to sleep with Jaimie anymore. You can sleep with Daisy and Faith in their room, it'll be like the older girls. You are a big girl now, you don?t need Jaimie to keep you calm. The girls are just as scared as you at being here but all of you can keep each other calm. Your brother, though, will be coming with me since he won't sleep without either your dad, myself, or Miles." She nodded and went off, smiling and telling Daisy and Faith that she was sleeping with them getting a simply, "OK" from them as they went to play with Nigel Jr. The ladies packed Jaimie's and Miles' things then added JD's bags. Cat moved her things to the other room and brought Sammi to sleep on the bed. The jewelry was put in the safe in the Bradford?s office where nobody except Bradford and Ophelia could access. The five gave hugs to the girls and boys as they left, with Cat smiling at being told:, "You are a big girl, please act like it." Daisy was told to keep an eye on her, and all assembled told Scott and Jessica would be coming by in the morning to be their sitters in place of Miles and Jaimie. The oldest six complained that they didn't need one to which Valerie added, "We know, but your parents insisted. They didn't want any heavy petting going on." They groaned at that with the 10 younger ones snickering at them. At the hotel, Scott and Jessica asked what was going on. Jaimie sat down and confessed, "When I was getting ready to ride the horses I had some memories come back, ones I tried to forget. They were from before the crash, of my parents being upset at my wanting to be a girl. I don't know what went on or why but I couldn't get control of myself and kept crying." Jessica hugged her tight, telling her affectionately, "We didn't mean to keep that from you, we felt that you should have fond memories of them to remember." Jaimie hugged her back but then told her firmly, "What mom and Aunt Greta told me about them makes me want to forget them. They were going to hurt me because I was a girl inside! You guys are the best friends I could ever want and I love you three for trying to save me from remembering bad things but the truth was they don't deserve to be remembered at all by me. I don?t want to remember those people, I want to remember the good times with you." Scott sat down with his head in his hands and tearfully confessed, "Dad was the one who told them what to do when that horrible Dr. Eliot said you were all screwed-up in your head. He was the one who gave them the name of the quack minister who they were going to see. Mom would never have allowed that to happen but once she died he would do anything to get us apart so Ma and Aunt Valerie didn?t learn of what they were going to do. He didn't want me to become gay from being around you. He thought it was going to lead to me liking guys even if I was only 8-years-old then!" Jessica looked at him in shock, he nodded his head and was visibly crying. Michael remained silent, letting the three of them talk. He had nothing to add to their discussion, he was torn between confessing the worst he heard and keeping his sister from going overboard. Jaimie finally went over to Scott and hugged him tightly, telling him firmly, "Your dad was a complete asshole, you only confirmed that he was always out to get me. You aren't him, you are better than he will ever be. The second you chose being a person over doing what he demanded that you do you were more of a man than him. You are Tiffany Myers' son, not Scott West Sr.'s son. He just gave you a name, that's all he ever really did for you. Don't kid yourself, no father would ever abuse his child the way he abused you. He stopped being your father the second he laid a finger on you. He isn't worth the tears, he isn't worth the memories. Your mom wanted to help me, that is all that matters to us." Jessica saw an opening and decided to give them both some happy memories, bringing up some of the fun that they did that she could remember and knew Jaimie would recall with just a bit of prompting. Jaimie had a big smile as she was starting to recall the events and who were involved. She smirked at Michael as Jessica told about him trying to kiss her when they were seven. Scott added that Jaimie tried to do the same until Greta caught them which led to both blushing as Jessica reminded them about the punishment- cleaning out the attic and Jaimie trying again, only to accidentally kiss her. The four spent several hours talking, stopping only when it was time for dinner. Scott hugged her tight, insisting, "Mom would have made it so that you and I would have gone out." Jaimie smiled and added, "Well you are the cutest of the boys, after Richard of course." Michael asked about himself to which Jessica added, "She said cutest, not most weird looking" earning her a swat on the butt and grin. Downstairs, their friends gathered around them asking what happened. Jaimie confessed, "I started to have flashbacks to when I was younger and my birth mom took me riding with Scott, Jessica, and Michael. Mom told me the truth about my birth parents and Scott told me who really sparked it all. It's nothing that I can't handle and thankfully these three know everything even if I can't remember it all." Rick hugged her tight and led her to the table as they sat to eat. Claire was finally asked by Valerie if she wanted to go with them up to Scotland and gave them a surprising, "Yes" to which Michael happily told her, "He's your past, even if he is a terrible person." She added a firm, "I'm a Finn no matter what, I want to learn more and screw him- he had years to do the right thing and ignored me. It'll beat going to the beach anyway. I want to do something interesting, and going to Scotland is." Rachel and Iris were asked if they wanted to go as well since they were Finns too. Both happily agreed to it with Iris adding, "Uncle John is a better tour guide than dad." Rachel added, "Plus mom just keeps smothering us. Ever since Reyna and I started to go out she has been always around us and it's getting annoying. I love her but we need some time away from mom and dad. Just as long as they don't end up with another ?present' like Aunt Karen brought home from her first trip" setting them off laughing. Scott and Jessica were told that Cat didn't need Jaimie anymore. Jessica looked a bit sad but Jaimie proudly added:, "She is a big girl now, she gets to do what the other big girls do." Michael also added, "It could be worse, JD will want to share with Scott." Scott groaned at that but admitted, "He's not so bad, at least he doesn't latch onto your neck like DJ." The two then heard, "You don't have to do it, we will do it for you." Paige and Pete were standing over them grinning. Pete added, "Mom thought it would be good to have us help out and give you two more time with Eric and Stacy. It'll be the only chance you have to be alone with them on the trip and we need some time with our new grandparents." Will complained about being stuck going to kiddie places. That led to a round of laughs with Jaimie adding, "Get used to it, Jack is getting old enough to want to go to those places." Stacy added, "Just think of it as training for when you two have your kid, you will have to go to the same places anyway." The teens all laughed with Will content to give in while he was way behind. Rick and Courtney got in some quality cuddling before bedtime with Will and Claire going for a stroll outside the hotel. Will calmly told her, "I truly love you and can't stop myself from acting like an ass at times. I hate being the one who takes criticism the worst even when I know it's by jealous people." He was on the verge of tears as Claire hugged him and kissed him deeply. She sat him down on a bench and put her arms around him. She looked deep into his eyes and smiled, telling him, "Fuck them. They are just jealous of what you have. You are very sexy, athletic, have a great group of friends, have girls drooling over you even though you have me as a girlfriend, and you have a big family that loves you deeply not just all of your extended family. They are just jealous of you. Fuck them all." Chapter 30 The next morning John packed up the seven going north and drove to the estate with Pete and Paige. Miles was all packed and Daisy happily said Cat slept through the night with Sammi snuggled in her arms. She complained that Sammi's ears kept flopping on her forehead getting a laugh from them. JD looked at Paige and Pete and asked to sleep with Paige. She agreed, seeing that he was a bit upset that Cat was on the verge of not needing someone by her side in bed. John quietly told her, "Tell him he's older now and doesn't need someone to sleep with him and have the boys play with him some more so that he feels like part of them, not the youngest boy." Pete and Paige kissed their spouses goodbye with Hannah nearly fainting at Pete's kiss. Jaimie caught her and grinned, Hannah never had such a loving kiss and Pete had intentionally done it to keep her on her toes and keep her on her best behavior. Paige fared better but she was blushing deeply and fanning herself when they broke the liplock with the kids snickering at her reaction. Ophelia saw the groups off with Paige and Pete getting their first nods of acknowledgment by the staff. Paige had to fight back giggles as she was addressed as, "Lady Paige" for the first time while Pete had to make due with, "Mr. Peter", something he didn't care for but knew they would not break the habit of calling him due to training. They had been at the estate three nights before but didn't have interaction with the staff making this their first time being addressed by their new titles. The kids giggled at hearing, "Mr. Peter", but Pete gladly told them, "I would rather be called that than be called ?Lord Peter' since it means Lord Alistair has passed and he is too good of a person to lose." The kids understood but JD didn't quite get it. Paige just shook her head and took him to play as the others awaited the arrival of the coaches to pick them up for the trip to Skegness for their trip to the beach. In the people carrier, John reluctantly handed driving over to Bryan, while he had more experience with the UK roads, Bryan had his military training so he could handle the larger vehicle better than John. John looked over at Jaimie who was deep in conversation with Hannah and looking much better than the night before. The talk with her friends worked and she was back to being her old happy self, she did talk with him in the morning to ensure that she was alright again and that she would be on the first train south should she have another episode. Miles didn't ask what happened after she left, he already knew from the way Karen avoided the subject that it was personal to Jaimie. He did admit to her, "If she feels she wants to talk about I'll be there, but she isn't going through this alone." Karen hugged him for that, telling him, "That's why you are my favorite nephew. Sorry to Marcus, JD, and Michael but you are such a good person to your sister." Miles sat beside John letting the others talk with Jaimie and Michael acted as Bryan?s navigator. Miles kept quiet, not letting the long ago issue that didn't involve him derail his fun. John grinned and quietly told him, "You are doing a good thing in letting them handle your sister for us, you did a great job with keeping the kids distracted and I am proud of you." Miles kept silent and nodded, knowing that John was just trying to keep him from dwelling on the issue that he had no control over. He simply added, "Thanks, dad" to let it end. John finally asked that they focus on other things. The group discussed where they were going to visit and why. Chef Farquhar's family just happened to live in the town that they were going to visit so it would make a perfect spot for dinner and to spend the night. She already called them and they had the dinner ready for them the following night. The drive took a while requiring a stop in Durham to stretch their legs and to get a snack before they crossed the border into Scotland. Their first destination was Edinburgh to visit some of the sites there before heading further north. John wanted them to see some of the most famous city in Scotland and visit the Stone of Destiny, the Scottish Parliament, and The Royal Mile. The group wasn't too enthusiastic about visiting historic sites but the shopping and change of scenery from the smaller Lincoln and Boston was welcomed. They spent the night in Edinburgh and visited some of the more famous sites before leaving around noon for the drive up north through the lowlands heading towards the town of Braemar. Bryan drove slowly through Cairngorms National Park, allowing them to see and appreciate the stark landscape and show that they were in a different place. They stopped at Kindrochit Castle for a bit to get used to the area and see why it was so important for so long. The teens all gave John a token gesture of listening while really wanting to get a move on to the next stop. Their next stop was Braemar Castle. John had managed to talk with the caretakers and gotten them additional access so they would have plenty of time to walk around and enjoy the large structure. There was some disbelief that Hannah and Bryan were what John claimed they were but a quick and discrete search proved right and they were given a more in-depth look around. John and the head caretaker spent a lot of time talking about the history, with John laughingly taking copious notes. This got the others giggling until John pointed out why it mattered so much to him. The head caretaker nodded in approval, acknowledging one's heritage was a big thing to the clan with the chief being pleased to know that there were people who were giving the family a good name in their hometown in the United States. After they left for the evening, Iris complained about going so far away from, "Civilization" to which Rachel countered, "It could be worse, we could have to go all the way up to Thurso. At least it's nice here and not fraught with dangers from rogue security service agents, smugglers, angry nationalists, terrorists, and nosy best friends" Iris groaned at the joke, explaining to the others, "She has been reading stories by Shiraz who is an author that Reyna likes who sets one of her stories in Thurso way up in the northeast of Scotland. I think she was holding onto that joke and waited to use it." Rachel smirked and nodded a, "Yes" to her. The others looked at her oddly, so Iris explained, "You know how Michael likes those Alecia Snowfall and Jessie Wolf books? Well, Reyna likes these books by Shiraz. They are pretty good but not my cup of tea. I prefer romance and fantasy to action and drama." Michael grinned while Jaimie looked them over, getting a smile from her for trying to understand her girlfriend and cousins. Rachel just shrugged, adding, "She's a great author and mom said I'd appreciate Aunt Kennedy and Reed a lot better now since their jobs are easy compared to the job that Tammy and her other star character Heather have to do. And I do, she may or may not do the job in real life but she really gives you a good look at why they do their jobs the way they do." John beamed with pride, the girls had started to change one another ever since they stopped denying that they liked one another. Rachel doing this for Reyna and finding something in common was a big move, just as Reyna trying to understand Rachel's computer abilities and love of forensics and NCIS. Iris needed something like that but she still had a couple of years to find her inner person. After another 20-minute drive finally arrived at their destination, a bed and breakfast near the outskirts of Braemar. John was met by two elderly people with thick accents but big smiles. John introduced himself to them then introduced the group. He grinned as he introduced Bryan and Hannah as Lord and Lady Smith getting glares from them but smiles from the Farquhars. They were led inside with Mrs. Farquhar eyeing the group closely. She informed them that the meal was ready and it was exactly as they expected. A collective groan went through the group but John quelled it, insisting that they try it once and if they didn't like it they could say that they tried the real thing and hold it over other peoples' heads as they tried what was thought to be disgusting but wasn?t. Mrs. Farquhar grinned at hearing that, it was a rare treat to see someone get an entire group of people to try something so different but she prepared just in case to make something else. The teens looked at the food with disgusted faces but John dug right in. They weren't told what they were eating only that they had to eat it When he didn't flinch they followed suit. Nobody said anything about it, they just ate it without a word. Jaimie actually liked it with Hannah and Bryan fighting the urge to admit it wasn't so bad and John's concoctions were always much worse. Jaime cautiously asked, "What was that we just ate?" to which John grinned and admitted, "That was real homemade haggis, and it wasn't what you thought it was. Just because it was different doesn't mean it wasn't good. You'd be surprised at what you have eaten before that was similar in style to it. Don't get me started on the cheap hot dogs the school buys or the hamburger meat you get at the fast food places or even the sausages served at some of the restaurants two years ago." The teens looked at the Farquhars with suspicious expressions but they nodded. Michael mumbled, "It figures you would pull a fast one on us and tell us the truth only to have us not believe you. You never lied to us before so we had no reason to think you were lying now." That got a laugh from the three adults. Jaimie asked what was in it getting a smile and simple, "Some oats, some meat, some spices, some fat, and a long soak in simmering water." Miles added, "We have eaten a few different puddings and sausages, if you didn't tell us we wouldn't have known what it was." She grinned at hearing that, it was exactly as they had planned. The dessert was a simple trifle but the group ate it happily. They went upstairs to their rooms with both Miles and Michael complaining about sharing a room but getting a hearty, "Could be worse, you could be sleeping with Uncle Jorge" getting a shiver from the two. John had to explain, "He's a heavy snorer" to the uninformed Farquhars, getting nods of understanding. When the others were up in their rooms Hannah and Bryan went downstairs to talk with the Farquhars. They were asked about the wedding, showing off their rings and getting a, "Thank you" from the couple for giving them a chance to have their daughter and her boyfriend for two weeks while the Smiths were away. Both played it off as being nothing but the couple added a humble, "She speaks highly of you four and your younger siblings, you have made her work a lot more challenging and the staff happier." John asked what she had said about them both as a family and as guests. She had to think then gave them a smile and quick, "The kids have a good taste for new things, they have gotten their grandparents to change their diet for the better improving their overall health, and Lady Nichole is a delightful young woman. She was happy that the Jones children were so delightful in their hour of sorrow." Hannah asked why Nichole was singled out, Mrs. Farquhar shook her head and admitted, "She had only heard second and third-hand accounts of Lady Nichole and none of them flattering. When she met her she was happy to see that they were all wrong and that Lady Nichole was growing into a beautiful young woman. Even if she started out as Lord Nicholas that person is long gone and only the girl you see today remains. She is happy for her and making her grandparents happier." Bryan asked if she was alright her her change of gender getting a nod and humble, "She only knows what she sees and she sees a happy girl. Your brother is much better and she attributes it to your sister and wife. Things are getting changed at the estate and it's sending ripples through the aristocracy and she is patiently waiting when that awful Lady Camille finally tries to strike against you and will be ready for a big celebratory dinner for all when she is ruined once and for all." John nodded in agreement, adding, "She has nothing left to lose and everything to gain. She has no friends, she has no family except Ophelia, and she is going to lose her husband. All she has left is the hope that you will be humiliated and that hope can burn brightly in someone so vindictive and petty." Bryan grinned and offered a harsh, "She is going to find out just who she is up against as Ms. Prince, Mr. King, Uncles William, Paul, Mick, and Todd, and Aunts Rachel and Sarah get at her for what she did in tipping off the media." Hannah snorted, adding, "I seriously doubt Cat will hold her tongue and JD may finally try to outdo her. She is walking into a hornet's nest and doesn't even know it." The group headed upstairs to sleep with Hannah and Bryan thanking them for the meal. John shook his head at this, adding, "They were humbled that they could eat something they hated without knowing it." The Farquhars just laughed and let it go, it wasn't offensive and the twins were good people. The next morning the group ate a breakfast of porridge which they didn't say a word about. Miles whispered to the Farquhars, "They know it isn't the same oatmeal that they normally eat but they don't mind it." John eagerly ate it, informing the others, "Your grandfather made this a couple of times, the real deal and got your mothers and uncle to gag when they realized it wasn't sweet instant stuff. I didn't mind it so much, I wouldn't want to eat it every day but I don't mind it one bit." The Farquhars grinned and added, "You are definitely Scottish." John nodded and added, "If we had been able to afford some of the specialized bits and pieces of meat he would have made his own haggis but alas, it never came to be." The group gave him a joint, "Don't even think about it" which the Farquhars grinned at hearing, knowing the story of his culinary failures already. John sighed and added, "Kids these days. I swear you have no sense of trying new things." Rachel then countered with, "We do have a sense of taste though and you have a nasty habit of mangling recipes" getting more laughs as they finished loading their bags. Bryan drove with John taking pictures of the surrounding landscape. Eventually, they stopped at Balmoral Castle where they joined a prearranged tour. None of the teens were enthusiastic until they were told that it was the Scottish home of the queen which piqued their interest. John grinned at the turnaround which also got the tour stifling a laugh. The tour energized the teens and they seemed to enjoy the drive through Cairngorms National Park more than the previous drive. It helped that they heard that Inverness was a larger city thus had more food options so they wouldn't be forced to try more haggis or any other, "Exotic" foods against their will. They were fine with the neeps and tatties as they were made by the family during holiday meals but the other ingredients that could be used weren't exactly their thing. Claire was deep in thought the whole time and finally admitted to herself that it wasn't so bad so far and she was glad to have gone along especially since the adults wouldn't give them any alone time with the boys. John caught the subtle smile and texted Lilly, "Claire realizes she doesn't need to be withWill 24/7." Lilly shot back a big, "She gets that she is one of you despite being Roland's daughter." Claire caught the subtle texting and grinned, she could tell John was texting her mom and why. She then texted Lilly, "I can have fun without boys you know." Lilly replied, "He needed a break from you anyway" getting a snicker from Claire as the previous days? closeness had hit Lilly hard. In Inverness, there was little to actually do for the teens. They ate lunch at a chain restaurant, again not wanting to tempt fate and try something that didn't agree with them. Eating their fill they drove on to Loch Ness so they could see the most famous landmark in all of Scotland and bring a gift for JD to allay his jealousy over Cat getting Sammi. A stuffed Nessie was right up his alley, he loved dinosaurs and she would be appreciated even if he didn't know that she wasn't a real dinosaur. The drive was quicker than expected and the group took plenty of pictures of the loch as they drove by. The loch was as expected, underwhelming but a nice place to look at and they could claim that they had visited in person. They couldn't leave the gift shop at the Loch Ness visitor center without just one gift so the girls got the air friends souvenirs with Iris and Rachel getting Sam and Reyna charms for their necklaces which the others had to smile at. They were sweet little gold Nessie charms but were perfect for them. The gift shop employees were shocked by the amount of merchandise John and the girls were spending but he proudly pointed out, "They felt that they had to get them something besides pictures and it was bound to be asked by their classmates when they returned home." John made them stop at the nearby Urquhart Castle ruins for a personal stop. John got his few historical pictures and the others got some more shots of the loch from the balcony over the water's edge. It went as expected, John was eager and the teens bored but giving in to his enthusiasm with the promises of an evening to themselves to compensate for giving him what he wanted. They drove on to Glasgow to enjoy the evening as part of John's agreement. John let the teens explore St. Enoch's to shop with the express instructions to not overspend and load up with bags. A collective groan went out with Bryan, Michael, and Miles agreeing but the girls did have to admit it would be a bit much to buy out the stores only to have to hire a truck to ship the bags back south. The teens except Claire walked through the shopping center while John drove on and checked all of them in at the hotel. The two walked to the subway and grabbed a train to the station nearest Glasgow Tower for some pictures and quality time together. John didn't say anything about Claire being with him, he just enjoyed the company and let her come to him when she was ready to speak to him. At the top of the tower after taking multiple pictures Claire finally asked:, "Can you tell me about my grandpa?." John tried to say, "I never met your grandpa" to which she meekly stated, "Not my dad's dad, your dad. Grandpa Brent." John sighed and asked to explain back at the hotel, it was too personal to do that there and he needed time to figure out what to say. The two walked back to the subway station then met up with the rest outside St. Enoch's. The group went on to the hotel with Claire being asked why she didn't go and what they did. John filled them in on what they missed with the twins wisely seeing through it and redirecting their questions elsewhere. Inside the hotel, John sat Claire down and talked with her about Brent Finn- the man she never got to meet but whose impact loomed large over them. He started off at the beginning, telling her about his schooling and military life and then the immediate aftermath. He was tearful at recalling that sad story, with Claire asking softly ?is that why you helped Jaimie so much?" John nodded, adding, "That was after. I originally tried to help her with her depression and PTSD but it came up immediately and I couldn?t stand by and let her be hurt further. I could only see dad's view of helping people no matter what they are inside. She needed a father and I wanted to be that father for him then after the exam said he was a girl- for her." John spent the next hour telling her about Brent Finn's actions and reactions and all that he did for the family after the family had to move back to Winnisimmet when Claire's great-grandparents passed on. He hated admitting that the family struggled financially and only avoided losing the kids due to their inheritance from Catherine Finn?s parents. John, Karen, Leslie, and Roland Finn barely had enough to live on and once the inheritance ran out they had to accept money from the government to survive. Claire asked about Victoria William,s getting a cold, "The less I tell, the better. The best things to come out of her family are mom, Aunt Victoria, and your Uncle Zeke. Yes, he is related to us although he would rather not have it known given his aunt's actions. Courtney may have told you that already but it's still worth repeating for his sake- he is nothing like them in any way. He?s like mom, thankfully. I don?t think I could handle him being like Aunt Victoria- it?s bad enough having you four girls like her." Claire started to get a bigger picture of John, Leslie, and Karen the more that she heard about their lives and how they changed over time. She was smiling as John regaled her with tales of their exploits that until then he had kept to himself. Not even Jaimie, Michael, or Miles heard the stories before. He felt bad about that but they had grown past the point of asking about his past and tried to look to the future especially after knowing Roland was involved in the stories. They were happy to let the past be the past, Claire was seeking to do that but needed to know her heritage for her own sake. She was one of them, even if she tried hard to not be known as one of them. Claire asked question after question and finally got around to asking about good memories of Roland. John had to think and came up with some funny stories about Roland getting his just desserts from their parents for trying to outwit him or use John to get around the rules. John was proud to say that he could never lie to his parents and Roland would often not realize this until it was too late and the middle of the trouble that he had tried to get put on John. Claire felt better about getting to know her paternal family more. John softly added, "You can ask Aunt Victoria and Uncle Jorge about that anytime without the others knowing. The two would love to talk with you about them more especially as they lived it alongside your grandparents." Claire grinned at that, adding a joking, "And miss your reactions, no way!" Claire entered her room and Jaimie asked what happened. Claire just smiled and asked her not to dig into it, it was personal. Jaimie seemed to understand, adding, "No matter how much you try to ignore it you are a member of the family and we love you despite Uncle Roland." Claire added a soft, "Thanks but I just wanted to know more about the man I never got to meet. Uncle John took us 400 miles away from the estate just to fulfill a dream our grandpa never could. It's just so amazing, we know he loves family but this was a whole other level of love and respect." John went to bed with a smile on his face. This had been eating at Claire for a while but this turned into a true bonding session, one they had not had before. She understood the family, she understood why John was himself and why her aunts were the way they were. She even understood her own father more even if she doesn't want to acknowledge it. The past had been excised and her mind put at ease. The next morning the group loading into the people carrier and Hannah drove them south. They didn't make many stops, only stopping long enough to take care of business and get a quick snack. Lunch was spent in Manchester with a quick trip to Old Trafford to get some souvenirs for the kids' Freshman and Senior English teacher, Justin Stoner. John sneakily got him to tell him that it was the only thing he knew about England outside of London and Stratford-upon-Avon and it made for a nice pit stop. The group arrived back at the hotel in mid-afternoon and were immediately greeted by the other teens and their parents. Valerie was all smiles as she told them that JD had moved on from sleeping with someone and had wanted to go with the boys. John was relieved, as was Miles. The teens were given their gifts with Reyna and Sam both in near tears at the little charms. Will cracked jokes about them buying half the store to which Hannah threatened to gladly give his gift to Marcus to play with. Will meekly apologized but was given his personal gift and a big kiss from Claire. Claire asked about her mother, brothers and cousins' trip with Emma to see her parents. Nobody would give her a straight answer, all looked down in shame. Melanie finally found her voice and told Claire, "It went as expected only David nearly beat the man senseless and avoided getting arrested."