Weddings And Reunions Part 7 - Finale free porn video

Chapter 37 Alistair was found the next morning by his valet who alerted the Young manor's butler to start the preparations for the change of ownership per Alistair's wishes. He then called Bradford to inform him of Alistair's death followed by Alistair's solicitor to ensure that he had alerted of the impending death of his client. All expected the call, with Bradford knowing already. Bradford had been the one who was called the night before by Alistair so he was not caught by surprise by his impending death. The proper government authorities were notified and Alistair removed by the hired funeral director to be prepared for his cremation. Bradford had to tearfully inform the two couples of Alistair's death and somberly told Bryan and Pete, "You two now bear the titles of the Young family. Wear them with pride and dignity, Lord Peter and Lord Bryan. Alistair would expect nothing less from you two." He then hugged Hannah who was sobbing while Ophelia held the sobbing Paige. The two newly titled nobles gathered their thoughts and finally asked about the arrangements. Bradford told them everything that they would need to know including where and when the interment and memorial service would occur and who would be involved in it. They didn't waste time and told John what happened and why they needed a change of plans. He made them on their behalf, keeping the rest of the family away from them while the Smiths were left to mourn. Ethan and Nichole were the last to be told with neither taking the news of Alistair's death well. Karen and Nigel comforted them but it was still tough to take for the two kids who had now lost four close relatives in their short lives. Nigel Jr. was handed off to Emma and David who would take him to John and Valerie for the week while Karen and Nigel helped out there, Nigel Jr. was not told about what happened and just took it to mean that he got more playtime with Billy. The rest of the family figured out quickly that it was private and left it alone lest the four toddlers figure out something was going on. Nigel Jr. was quiet and thankfully didn't ask what was going on, simply running to Valerie when she appeared. Valerie didn't lie to him about his parents staying, telling him warmly, "Your mom and dad need to stay a few more days to take care of some things so you get you come home with us and play with Billy, Jack, and Benny." As expected, he happily agreed to go without causing a scene. Addison led the procession of two coaches and rental vans south after their bags had been packed and the family accounted for. She was quiet but knew that this was the end of their trip and she would see them in a few weeks when her internship ended. Victoria and Jorge told her that the teens were going to help her move into her apartment when she arrived, it would be tough to keep them away from helping. For the first time in a long time, Addison felt good. They weren't just being nice to her, they genuinely wanted to befriend her. The James girls were the ones who vocalized the friendship, telling her warmly that they were going to ensure that her landlord knew that she was moving out and found new people to replace her, plus Paul James added they'd ensure her things didn't suddenly disappear over the summer. Finally, the time came to depart. Christian told David he'd talk with his captain about keeping him out of action for a few extra days due to the loss of Alistair but it shouldn't be a problem. Deborah and Patrick would keep their house safe for a bit, but it was going to be boring without the couple there. Addison led Emma and David to the embassy for Emma's long-awaited meeting with immigration. Inside Emma was met with a cold shoulder and accusing faces. She was put off by their attitudes and David had to step in to set the interviewer straight when he accused her of using the baby as a way of getting around the whole immigration process. He kept his cool but wanted to throttle the man. Lillian grinned then told the man firmly, "She is doing no such thing. She has had two lawyers oversee all paperwork to ensure that she followed all procedures and has several different routes to citizenship let alone permanent status so there is no reason to deny her permanent residency let alone a visa. She is legally married to a citizen, adopted in good faith by two citizens, and is carrying the child of a citizen who was conceived before she sought to immigrate. She also has a permanent job in addition to a fully paid scholarship the source of which is directly from the personal account of a highly respected citizen and is backed by multiple officials. To deny her a visa would be going against our own laws as well as the rules and regulations of your agency." Addison stepped in and quietly told her that Walter was coming over to see what was going on. The man sneered at her to which Lillian added, "Make one comment about her and you will be tossed out on your rear and on the next plane to the US. You may not like her but you have to abide by the rules and regulations of your agency and what you just did violated several of those." Walter grinned widely and added, "Don't worry, he's leaving. His supervisor has decided that he violated the rights of Emma in his accusations and is to be sent home on the next flight as it wasn't the first time that he had done this. Her application interview was just a paperwork formality to show that she was who she said she was and not someone else trying to use her name. Paul James had a judge ready, willing, and able to sign off on her appeal but it isn't necessary anymore." Emma was given a permanent residency card based on her multiple verified reasons so she would not have to worry about immigration again. She would still have to wait to get citizenship but that was simply a formality. John had already decided to help her as much as possible, as was expected of him. The two hugged Walter then went back to the Smith estate to help out with the arrangements. By the time they arrived things were finished and only the will left to be settled. Emma was able to relax with a swim at the request of David who felt she had enough excitement for the day. The family gathered together that with all toasting Alistair and giving him a send off that he deserved. They were happy that he was able to enjoy himself as his own person in the presence of people who respected and loved him and that his legacy was intact even if thousands of miles away. Both Pete and Bryan asked that Bradford handle all of the affairs and merge the two estates together so that the entire family was able to benefit and someone who knew what they were doing took care of everything. He agreed, with it actually being Alistair's plan for how things would happen knowing they would want to do something like that out of respect for him and Bradford. Things were quiet all week as the group prepared for the funeral and internment in the Young family's crypt. All eyes were on the two couples as the funeral commenced and afterward, Bradford had to explain to Alistair's business associates as well as school friends who the three couples were and why they were there. They understood fully and were proud that the four newly titled nobles would remain in their country to help see off their great uncle with respect and dignity. Camille was a ghost that whole week. She was told of Alistair's death and tried to claim his estate only to be told that she was barred from receiving a penny per the terms of his will. She tried to claim that she would fight it but was told that if she filed her lawsuit then she would lose everything that she would inherit as it was part of the will that she didn't receive anything if she contested it. Her only consolation was that she had a home to go to, but she would have to budget her money to make her small amount of income last through the rest of her lifetime. Eventually, it was time to return home. Bradford said a tearful goodbye to the three couples with Hannah and Paige crying in return. Emma kept from breaking down but added a soft, "I'll miss you" to him. Ethan and Nichole saw them off and told them not to have too much fun prompting their parents to fight a laugh as all four tried to find the right words while Emma and David smiled at the reactions. After a tiring flight, the family was met at the airport by an eager Nigel Jr. John, and Valerie. Nigel Jr. had been on his best behavior and his only disciplinary issues were at bedtime, which was his usual problem. The rest of the family stayed away allowing Nigel Jr. to not dwell on why he was home without his parents but with the fun of playing with the other toddlers he didn't mind not having Nigel or Karen there. Cat had spent the week in daycare with other kids her age. The boys kept their distance and the girls were reluctant to befriend her because JD was often hovering close by. They played with her, but it was tough to overcome the feeling that at any moment JD would come over and want to play too. Daisy and Faith would play with her in the afternoon and she helped Amanda at the dance studio two evenings but otherwise, she would stay inside and play alone. John coaxed her out for walks and visits to the park but otherwise, she was sitting in her room playing dolls with Sammi or watching a DVD. Alison knew this was just her trying to get back to normal after their trip so her parents didn't panic, but if she showed signs of being depressed they had to do something. Katie had talked with her sister and gotten her to start to pack everything and get herself in motion to move out. She was serious about them moving soon and added that she was going to come out there herself with four helpers. Lindsay could sense that she would not win this battle and let her come. Katie didn't realize that she didn't know if the four would agree yet so she first called Patrick and Deborah to get their agreement. They were happy to help but Deborah wanted to keep a low profile to keep her cousins and other relatives away from her just in case. Next was Miles and Reed who agreed to go as well, they didn't trust anyone else to do it and they didn't need to work so they were free to go. Katie smiled widely as she called Lindsay again, informing her, "Four are coming with me. Dad can vouch for their effectiveness and trust me on this they are good at what they do. We will be staying at a friend's home while there so you don't have to worry about putting us up. He'd never allow us to stay anywhere else anyway." Katie made the flight arrangements and had to do so behind John's back. When she told Kennedy and Valerie both burst into laughter as John came into the room and wanted to know what was going on. John saw the look on Katie's face as Valerie explained the situation and backed away, adding a bitter, "Can't spend my money on the people I love then who can I spend it on?" John was willing to do anything for friends but this was personal to her, Katie held firm and he reluctantly agreed. As expected Lindsay called her father to ask about the four people coming with Katie. Louis smiled and happily informed her, "Miles Finn has organized several moves before including a cross country move a year ago. Reed Pena is great with kids especially ones Willow's and Tyler's ages. And Patrick Peterson drove his wife Deborah's belongings east when she accepted John's foundation's scholarship. She is local so she knows how to get around LA easily. I am surprised that Katie didn't ask Reyna to come but I can see why she wouldn't want to go back there again." She caught the name, "Pena" and, "Finn" quickly and asked about them. Louis sighed and asked that she save the questions for when she sees John. She pressed to which he added, "The family is complex and a lot of kids are adopted. There are also family connections that are buried by adoption and family pride. There is a lot that will be told to you in due course, just know that they are the best people to help you move as they have done it all before." She didn't press further, only adding that she was happy to have the help and would try to respect their privacy until she could properly speak with their parents. Louis added a happy, "It's not that it's painful, it's that the boys would rather their parents tell you than have it repeated. Just know that Willow and Miles will get along and Reed and Tyler are very similar in terms of personality. It'll be alright." For the rest of the family, the week was spent getting the kids to get used to being back home and on Eastern US time. Benny and Jack were tough to get down for naps and sleep causing Ben and Jake a lot of frustration. Dan, John, and Willie were able to offer their condolences and helped when they could but it normally took Amy and Donald to get them down while their parents watched in awe at the two toddlers listening to the two youngsters' orders. The biggest shock during the week was that Joseph and Evelyn requested a meeting with Sarah and Mick. The couple eagerly accepted their request and brought the three kids to their condo to talk. The three had never been there before so it was a big surprise for them to see it in person. Once there, Evelyn handed Mick some paperwork and asked him to sign, telling him firmly, "It's been a year that you have lived here and I believe that Michael has had enough of the constant explanations about his relationship with you. We are asking something huge from you in exchange for settling an old demon. Please accept, if only for Michael's and the kids' sake." Mick was reluctant to accept the adoption request. Joseph chimed in with, "We had less reason to adopt Lilly and Melanie but did so anyway. It's for the kids, Lance should not have to be brought up every time someone asks about the four kids. He is gone from our lives, and should be forgotten by all." Mick looked at Sarah then at Faith and Neil and signed. The kids asked if it meant that he had a dad now to which Joseph laughed and told them, "He has a dad and a mom, along with three sisters. You are now officially Daisy, Cat, Jaimie, Michael, Miles, JD, DJ, Stacy, Rebecca, Claire, David, and Patrick's cousins and never have to think of yourself as anything but a relative to them again." There was a complication though. The Jones name would be hard to retire but Joseph simply ignored it, it was explained by saying he was adopted and anyone who pressed wasn't getting a further answer as it wasn't any of their business. Evelyn hugged the kids and told them they would be happy to help out with picking them up from school if they weren't able to get a ride from William, Danielle, or Lilly. The kids grinned widely, their other grandparents were dead and their new ones were beloved by all of the family members. Evelyn broke the news to Lilly, Valerie, and Melanie that evening. All three burst into laughter with Valerie asking, "What took so long?" Evelyn snorted and giggled then added, "We had to make sure that the kids were fully settled in and that Mick was on solid footing before we did this. The whole Ethan, Al, Amy, Donald, and Deborah situation delayed it until this summer. Something always came up." That evening the 14 Johnson grandchildren in Winnisimmet were told about what had happened. Michael hugged Neil tight followed by Faith. Michael told his grandparents warmly, "Thank you, Grandma and Grandpa. That man is truly gone and we never have to mention his name again." Daisy and Faith hugged tightly. The two beset friends were now connected on a familial level in addition to the friendship level. Cat hugged Faith as well with Faith hugging her back, regretting her previous bad behavior of ignoring the younger girl. All talk turned to Miles and his trip west which prompted John to grumble about being left out of the loop by Katie. Miles laughed hard, with Deborah and Patrick shaking their heads at their uncle's antics. Patrick finally told John, "This is personal to Katie so just let her have her way once. This isn't like going to a funeral, this is moving her family and the last thing that they need is to see someone who has everything in the world and barely knows them flexing his wealth while they are struggling to get by." John conceded his point and apologized. Evelyn and Joseph both patted him on the back and added, "That doesn't mean that you can't arrange for them to have a home when they come here. Louis might be putting them up but it's not a home to them. I believe there's one next door to Hannah and Pete that is just sitting empty that is perfect for them." John's face lit up and he went to work. The place had been vacant for over a year, ever since the woman who lived there was arrested for breaking into Iris' former home and trying to assault Iris after she fled her abusive parents. Rachel actually owned the home, and John knew that it needed repairs that were held off while it was maintained for future use. Dan caught wind of what John was being planned and handed him what would be required and how much it would cost. John just handed it back and told him, "Do it. Everything necessary to make it a modern home for a family with two growing kids." Louis and Tamara were asked to come over so they could discuss things. John's big grin was enough to send Louis right into an apology for going around him to get the trip done. John just grinned wider and announced, "As of September 1st they won't have to live with you officially. We have a house that is sitting empty that is perfect for them. I won't take no for an answer, just assurance that she takes it." Louis grinned back and asked, "Iris or Rachel?" John shot a quick, "Rachel owns it, but next to Iris' old home. Hannah and Pete are getting new neighbors. Plus those three are the only ones who would be able to put up with the holier than thou bigots that may still live nearby, they won't dare go against the three of them with your wrath being held over their heads." Tamara asked why he was doing that for Lindsay. John subtly pointed out Cat which she immediately understood. The two were being setup as friends and it would be a match made in heaven for the lonely girl. Plus only having Pete and Hannah nearby allows the trio to have privacy and ease into the family, even if there was going to be a constant Paige and Bryan encounter for them. Everyone seemed to be thinking the same thing about Cat and Willow. Louis reluctantly got back on point and added, "You can probably guess why Katie chose the four to help Lindsay move. Willow and Tyler will be alright with Reed helping them pack, and Miles is the best at organizing things, he's even better than Rebecca. Deborah knows her way around so she is going to do the navigating and Patrick is their pack mule. Sorry, Patrick." Patrick was going to say something but thought better of it as he noticed JD and DJ listening to them. Deborah reluctantly added, "We could use the time together and it'll give us a last chance to be alone before Patrick starts working on his project for his degree. Plus it'll give them plenty of time to get used to being around the family first." John chose his words carefully, informing them, "Take an extra day to get back. There's no real rush, just don't spend too long on the road. Spend the night in Erie, St. Louis, and Las Vegas. Spend some time looking around and enjoying a few hours gambling or seeing a show. And any pictures of the arch would be greatly appreciated." That last part set the others off and showed John had no ill feelings. Chapter 38 The flight details were hammered out with Katie feeling relieved that John wasn't forcing his way. Alison regretted not being able to go but work dictated her remaining behind. She would help Tamara prepare the house for them so she wasn't entirely on her own for the few days they were away. Miles had to keep Jaimie from fussing over the trip, making him pack perfectly and carefully. This was one time where she had a reason to want to help but her presence might be too much for the kids. It was tough enough with five newcomers, having her there would be a bit too much even without her gender situation making the kids possibly uncomfortable. She was simply not needed but was wanted. Christina and Jessie helped pack Miles and Reed, giving each kisses and hugs as they did so. It was a great thing that they were doing for people who needed help and to them, it was worth the time away. The boys were the most sensitive among the teens, they would be able to best help the kids. Dan and his crew checked out the new house and weren't happy with what they saw. The old woman's family trashed it over the decades and made it barely livable and what you saw from the outside was nothing like the inside. Checking over the records it was one of the houses that had been ignored by the city's building inspectors who were paid off by the infamous Victoria Williams It hit Dan hard, he had been lied to by his crew and had to fire two of his supervisors for accepting bribes to sell the house to Victoria. He had to get the house up to code and needed to do it fast before Rachel got in trouble with the city. His crew was going to pay for the renovations using the money they got from Victoria but were finished as contractors as they were getting blacklisted by every reputable contractor and construction company in the region. The house would require a major renovation to bring it up to standards and it wouldn't be ready for months, likely not until January or February. Lindsay would have to have a different place to live and John had just the place in mind, one that would be perfect for them. He wouldn't tell though, it was a secret that only Greta and Beverly would know about and he had kept to himself. The five California travelers left a week before the 1st of August. Throughout the flight, Katie kept wondering what John was up to but he had kept his plans close to the vest. Miles had a strong idea as did Reed but neither had the evidence to support it and weren't about to ask John directly. At the airport, Katie rented two cars and called Lindsay to alert her that they were on their way. Their first stop was a truck rental place where Patrick reserved a truck for the move. Once it was confirmed Katie confirmed the address with Lindsay and an hour and a half later they were outside her apartment building ready to start the move. They didn't like the look of the place. It was run-down, dark, and the neighborhood didn't look like the best of places. Deborah recognized some of the graffiti and told them to get them packed up as quickly as possible, the kids needed to get out of there. She knew best, Katie thanked her deeply for telling her. Lindsay was embarrassed to see the five looking around the hallway suspiciously. Katie shook her head and told her firmly, "Dad will be extremely upset at you but happy that you have done the right thing for the kids." Deborah added, "Tyler wouldn't make it out of the neighborhood. Sorry but it's true. I've seen it all before. Those gangs wouldn't let him live on his own so it was either join up or die." Deborah's natural LA accent suddenly appeared causing Patrick to flinch. Miles simply walked inside and let them talk, he was going to do what needed to be done before the name, "Felix Arnold" was mentioned. Same for Reed, he didn't want to tell Lindsay that the kids were going to suffer mental issues in the near future much less the pressure from the gangs. Both chose to focus on the move. Miles made constant notes on his iPad with Reed crunching the numbers on what was needed and what was going to the trash. As expected there weren't many big things to take, just electronics and pictures with housewares. They left the kids' rooms for later as they didn't want to walk in uninvited by them. The raw numbers were enough to downgrade the needs for the move. A smaller truck was needed and both could handle it instead of just Patrick. Deborah just smiled and added, "More time in Las Vegas" getting a laugh from Lindsay that she sorely needed. Miles added that the kids' rooms would be the last to pack up but anything they didn't take would be replaced with new items especially as his mother and aunts wouldn't let them have something old or broken or have cheap quality clothing. Reed stopped her complaint before she said it, forcibly saying, "Our moms won't let them do without or feel inferior because their things were bought from goodwill or secondhand stores. Uncle John will pay for it and it will be done without question. He did it for all of us and he won't take no for an answer. He will see it as helping family, especially someone that your father cares deeply about." Lindsay reluctantly agreed. Tyler and Willow finally came out of hiding after hearing raised voices and listened to the conversation from their usual hiding spots. Reed spotted them moving and told them firmly, "You don't have to hide, this involves you too." Miles softly added, "We need your help." The two walked out reluctantly with fearful looks on their faces. Reed and Miles just smiled at them, telling them warmly, "We have to start packing your things for the move. You are going to get a lot of new things to replace things that are old, broken, or worn out. Our dads and moms are going to take you shopping for new things and get you a lot of things you can't do without." Reed and Miles walked with them to their rooms and helped look over what they had. Tyler was too old for the toys in his room and Willow's dolls were either broken or badly stained. Their bedding was worn down and completely unsuited for the winter weather. They would need a lot of basic things that made their rooms their own and would need help getting set up how they wanted it to look. Both texted their parents to let them know to clear their schedules for the needed shopping trips. The smile on their faces caused the younger kids to grow concerned, but Reed just smiled back and added, "We are telling our mothers to clear their schedules to go shopping. Your grandmother is going to join them as are your aunts. They'll get you everything that you need for your rooms and for school." They packed clothes for the two then set about figuring out how many boxes needed to be obtained. It took a few minutes but after several changes of clothes and the bare essentials to get the kids to sleep were packed into a suitcase with the two ready to go. Miles calmly told Willow that the girls would be happy to help her get some dolls while Reed added:, "JD and Virgil will be itching to play their game systems with you but be careful of TJ, the little man is smart but has a bad temper." Tyler asked about them, being told warmly, "Virgil is six, JD is almost four, DJ and TJ are only three but try to act older than they are. JD is more mature than the other two and plays more with Virgil so he probably will be around you when we get home. Don't worry, they are good kids overall." Willow asked about kids her age. Reed sighed and carefully explained, "Our cousins Faith and Daisy are seven but sometimes act like they are older. My sister Kylie and cousins Nichole, Nancy, and Margaret are 10 and normally play on their own but let the younger girls play with them." Miles got a nod then added, "My sister Cat is almost 4, she's JD's twin. We think that your grandparents, aunts, and our parents want her to be friends with you as she doesn't have any friends her own age. Faith and Daisy have stopped trying to play with her and the kids at her daycare don't like to play with her because of the boys. She is a good girl and just wants a friend and would be yours if you let her." The kids were left to ponder their new information. Lindsay and Katie were busy going through her personal items and found a lot of stuff that simply wasn't going to be going with them. She had enough clothes and business attire but still needed some items to replace the worn and ill-fitting items. Her bedroom was basically a waste, all that really needed to go were the antique dresser and bed frame. Her ex-husband had all of their personal items from their marriage, bought with his money as she paid for the rent and utilities. It was no big loss, she just didn't need it anyway nor want it anymore. Katie asked about jewelry and things like her class ring. They were mostly gifts from Katie and their mother so she hid those away, her husband would have hocked them had they not been kept safe. Lindsay showed them off, getting a sigh of relief from Katie and happy, "Mom will be happy" from her. The boys added up the totals and handed it off to Patrick who went off to rent a smaller truck for them. Deborah gathered up Lindsay's personal items along with the kids' bags and announced they were ready to go. The kids were reluctant to go but Katie assured them, "We have a nice house waiting for us to use. The owner is very happy to have you over and there's a nice pool to relax in while we get ready for dinner." The kids reluctantly agreed but Lindsay was still unsure about the whole situation. At the house, Deborah showed the group around then left to get food. Miles and Reed got the kids situated in their room for the night with the sisters taking a second and the couple taking the third. The kids were more interested in swimming than anything so it was quick work. As Reed and Miles kept an eye on the kids Lindsay asked whose house they were staying in. Katie grinned and told her warmly, "It's Miguel Toro's. I told you about his connection to Juan Alvarez well Miguel's niece is dating Reed and Miles' cousin. He is happy to let us use it, he demanded it. He would have happily hosted you three whenever he played here but he will happily do that back east." She asked about Deborah knowing it so well, getting a blush and soft, "She stayed here after she had her surgery. She is like me, as is Miguel's niece and Miles' and Reed's sisters. She is from Alma Perdida along with Reyna and Reyna's mother Lupe. It's why she wanted us out of the apartment so quickly, she recognized the gang markings." Looking at the two teens playing with the kids she asked about them, noticing something about both that bugged her. Katie nodded at seeing the recognition, adding, "Reed is my cousin. He was originally both a Clarence and a Castillo by birth. Now he is a Pena through Willie and a Castillo through Jorge adopting Willie as his son. He knows that this will come up so please don't make a big deal out of it but Miles is the niece of Melanie Lopez, you knew her as Melanie Rivera. Before you say otherwise a year ago Melanie and John found out that Melanie wasn't an only child, she was actually the second child of her mother and father. They gave his mother up for adoption before they were married so she never knew that she had an older sister. By fate, he ended up in John's care and became her nephew." Cringing Katie added, "To make things worse Miles is the son of Felix Arnold, the guy who kept trying to date you before you moved west for college. After you moved away he started to date Miles' mother and stayed with her until she died. You were smart to avoid him at all costs. The only thing he ever did right was creating Miles but even then he failed as his father." Lindsay wanted to ask more about the two but Katie shook her head no, explaining, "It's a complicated story and you need to meet everyone first before you can fully understand just how things ended up happening. John is Miles' father now. Through John is an interlaced web of families and friendships like you have never seen before. Dad has been lucky so far in staying out of it directly but unfortunately, I got dragged in when my friend and his fiance got Alison and me together." A smile crept across Lindsay's face leading Katie to know that it was time to talk about Alison. Katie grinned as she retold their forced date thanks to Marion, Ricardo, and Alex pushing them to get out. Lindsay asked about the two which added further fuel as Katie grinned and explained, "I said it was a complex web, well Alex's son is friends with John's sons and daughter. Jaimie's boyfriend's new sister is friends with Ricardo's niece. They met by accident and ended up falling in love. As if that wasn't coincidental enough, Ricardo has been involved with many of the family's legal issues for almost three years so he had been in contact with or known to several people they both knew before he met them including Alex! Alison has been part of it as well but she kept her distance for the sake of the girls." The humor was there and Katie loved talking about it. Miles added a happy, "You forget that you were also involved in things without being directly involved. Mom was by Uncle Ricardo's side most of the time in court but you were the one doing all of the research and drafting the briefs with him. Uncle Roland, Jeffries, Tom Lawrence, Amelia Daniels, Reverend Murphy, that witch Ingrid Raymond, and Francesca's former grandparents all fell before your solid legal arguments." Katie just blushed while the kids had no clue what the older people were talking about. Reed kept them occupied as Miles got their clothes out for bed. They again didn't fight them, and Lindsay fought hard to restrain herself from asking about the kids. Katie finally offered a small, "They have experience with little kids. Reed more so than Miles. They are going to make great fathers when they graduate college. Those two are utter gentlemen and are setting tough examples for all of the teens." Deborah returned with Patrick and the food. She smiled at the food, a nice platter from a burrito and taco joint that she had come to a few times with friends in school. Thankfully, she didn't run into any of them but it was still tough to see it. The kids were happy to have the food and both Miles and Reed were content to try something special to Deborah even if they were partial to Jorge's food more. The kids were sent to bed early so the adults could talk. Reed and Miles ended up going out soon after the kids, not wanting to set a bad example and feeling the effects of jet lag. Once they were asleep on the couches in the living room the sisters discussed the move with the couple with Patrick showing just how organized it really was. Deborah had their route planned out including where to eat and where to stop off. Lilly had given them $100 and told them to enjoy a couple of hands of blackjack with any winnings going towards their future children. Katie burst into laughter with Patrick blushing and telling Lindsay, "My brother is having a child so she is hoping we would adopt soon. I keep telling her we will wait but she is in her grandmother mode already. She's just as old as you are for heaven's sake!" Lindsay wanted to ask something so Patrick beat her to it, adding, "Mom isn't our 'real' mom as she adopted us after dad married her. Our 'real' mom didn't want us anymore and moved away after dad met mom. I guess I should just go out and say that one of our sisters is our biological sister and our other is not dad's biological daughter but he claimed her as his own when he married mom while she was pregnant with her. The man who knocked mom up also knocked up our former mom eight years ago giving us our other sister so she is related to both us and mom." Katie looked at Patrick who nodded so she added, "The girls' biological father is Roland Finn, John's brother. Lilly adopted Daisy as her own when they found out who she really was. He tried to use her as a pawn to get a lighter prison sentence but it failed. And since it'll come up anyway, he was in prison for breaking parole for old drug charges and for being involved in a drug trafficking case, attempting to kidnap and extort money from Miles, and finally killing Miles' father. Miles hates the man with a passion, and the rest of the Finns have given up all attempts to try to help him out." Lindsay shook her head then sadly added, "I can't believe he would become such an animal. He was a tough guy but he was always caring." Patrick grimaced and added, "He was actually a total scumbag at home and only acted that way around girls like you to get into your pants. Ask Aunt Katie just how bad he really was, if you have those feelings about him you must never heard her horror stories especially the school ones. He was two-faced around girls, you were just another girl whom he charmed." Katie nodded at that, tearfully telling Lindsay, "He was horrible! When he wasn't trying to ruin my work he was getting the guys to chase me down and hurt me. John was severely beaten by him and if not for Willie, Paul, and Juan he would have killed his own brother to get at me. The man is simply a monster." Patrick nodded, adding a solemn, "He was careful around authority figures, that's why he never did it near your dad or the teachers. Outside their view, he was a terror. Now the only thing he fears is Uncle John's wrath. He scared Roland to the point of pissing himself when Uncle John told him just who he tried to kidnap and hurt, all it took was Uncle John to give him a cold look and raise his voice." Katie calmed down as Lindsay hugged her tight. The four retired to their respective rooms with a final check on the teens asleep on the couches. In the morning Miles and Reed were both up early and had breakfast prepared for the eight. The others woke up to the smell of fresh food with the kids happy to have something different than the normal cornflakes and juice. The six sat down to eat after Miles and Reed finished. Katie, Patrick, and Deborah didn't say anything, only nodding to one another as if they expected the two to do that. Lindsay tried to say something but thought best to just let them do what they needed to do and would get an explanation later. Lindsay helped the kids get ready while the five cleaned up and made plans. Patrick confirmed the smaller truck and the expected number of days they would be on the road with Deborah confirming their reservations in Las Vegas, Erie, PA, and St. Louis. Lindsay asked why they were stopping in those cities with Patrick pointing out, "Uncle John wants pictures of the arch for school and the other two are easier places to stop. We could go straight through to Chicago if we wanted but it's easier on the eyes." The kids were ready quicker than expected and were told that they didn't have to help but would be easier if they did. The trip to their apartment was quick and once there they hurried to get everything packed and ready to go. Patrick had the truck parked outside and Miles and Reed carried most of the boxes with Katie keeping things organized and ensuring what was not needed was left aside. After three hours they were finished with the bulk of the work with only the things going to charity remaining. Deborah had already called for the collection with the person arriving just after the group finished their lunches. There was nothing left in the apartment when they were done, so the last act was to simply return the key to the building super and get her deposit back. Katie was ready for trouble and had her lawyer speak ready to go. The man thought he could weasel the money out of Lindsay but Patrick's thorough inspection and Katie's threats of a lawsuit settled him down. He gave over a check for the full amount plus accrued interest with Lindsay now having a nice nest egg for when they got home. Lindsay was impressed but it was nothing to Katie, she was her sister after all and she would have done it no matter what. They set off for the nearest bank branch and deposited the check into a special account then transferred the account to Lindsay's new address in Winnisimmet. After that, they drove to Miguel's home and settled in for the night again with Deborah again going out for food, this time a simple Italian meal. The kids swam and got their anxieties out before eating. Reed and Miles joined them with the two helping them swim. They both grinned and told them, "You are going to love the beach. It's not like the ones out here, it's more for family day trips than anything." Deborah added, "It's crowded but the sand is nice and there's not too much surf. Plus the waves aren't high so you can enjoy them." The next morning saw a repeat with the teens cooking but this time the kids were up early and helped. They asked why they cooked and not the adults, getting a happy, "Dad makes us cook for ourselves" from Miles. Reed added, "Mom and dad have to work a lot of mornings so it's easier to cook for myself and Kylie. Plus eating cereal and oatmeal gets boring after a while." The group finished and cleaned up, disposing of the leftover food while getting their things together. They hugged Patrick and Deborah goodbye and wished them luck in Las Vegas with Miles joking, "Here's $20, if you hit the jackpot I'll split it with you!" Patrick grinned and said he'd do it but Deborah added, "I'll ensure that Aunt Valerie knows just where the winnings came from, you better hope that Aunt Beverly doesn't make you pay taxes on them" causing the others to laugh hard. At the airport, the kids were naturally scared as it was the first flight for Willow and only the second for Tyler. Miles assured them that they were alright and sat between them to ensure they were feeling OK. Katie had them get lunch then snacks and drinks with the kids being quick to enjoy the treats. They were shocked to see that they had been upgraded to first class but Miles shook his head and told them, "Dad got you good!" Turning to Lindsay he explained, "Dad wouldn't let you get away without some comfort. It's a small gesture on his part but trust me on this- it'll be worth it. Don't thank him, he won't accept it. You are family to him even if you don't realize it." When they landed the trio were met by Louis, Tamara, and the Raymond branch of the family. Nancy hugged the kids and told them, "Mom, grandma, and grandpa wouldn't let Uncle Louis and Aunt Tamara greet you alone." She led the kids away with Katie left to explain what was going on. Lindsay hadn't known about the Raymonds being so close with her dad but Katie sighed and admitted, "Uncle Joshua kept his distance because of his ex-wife Ingrid. Once she was gone for good and he could reconnect with Tanya they have been close. Astrid got close to Todd and is getting married to him and Nancy has demanded that Astrid adopt her. The only one missing are Sam and Virgil but I suspect Sam is out on a date with Iris and Virgil is playing with the girls. This is just a taste of what is to come, the rest are waiting until the wedding to meet you but you will meet the key ones soon." Lindsay was both shocked and happy. The teens just shook their heads and added, "You will get used to it. Just don't let Cat and Daisy sweet talk you into anything. Those two are too cute at times." Chapter 39 Lindsay noticed a group of teens coming right for them but ended up bypassing them and stopping at Miles and Reed. Both were immediately enveloped by two girls then all but dragged away by them as two other girls looked on shaking their heads. They didn't say anything to the others, just took their bags and walked away to their waiting cars. She was about to say something but Louis beat her to the punch, telling her, "Those four were Courtney and Jessie Bollinger and Christina and Jenna Connors, Reed's and Miles' girlfriends and their sisters. Jessie is dating Reed and Christina is dating Miles. They are here to give us some privacy before you meet up with John and Valerie later this afternoon. If they went straight home Jaimie and her cousins would be all over them for the full story, this way they won't tell until we are ready to tell the others." The four went off with Lindsay following her parents to their car and another car that was sitting without anyone inside. Louis gave her keys and told her firmly, "These are for you and I refuse to hear you refuse this. You need a car to get around so just take it." The minivan was fairly new but not right off the lot new, it was what they needed right then. The kids were still with Nancy and Astrid so all of them drove in with Nancy keeping the two occupied while Lindsay drove. At the Reagan home, they simply walked out with Louis showing the kids their rooms and telling them that they would be expected to listen and follow their mom's rules while there. They silently nodded with both putting their clothes always while Nancy helped. Tamara and Peggy helped Lindsay get her own room situated then told her they would go shopping the next day for what they needed to buy. She tried to dissuade them but both laughed. Peggy softly told her, "You know John won't let you do without and the kids need more clothes and entertainment. Karen and Leslie are the best at getting what you need so just let them help you." The kids were bored and starting to get anxious so Louis called and got the blessing from John to come by. John mentioned that Cat was out so Willow would be on her own for a bit. Louis parroted that they were all set to go with the Finns expecting them shortly causing the kids to get anxious again. The drive was slow as they had to stop and divert around the bad traffic. They passed by one house and saw Reed being enveloped by a hug by a tween girl. Nancy laughed at seeing that, telling the kids, "Amy must have missed Reed a lot, she's his girlfriend's sister." The kids could see him being dragged inside while two adults tried to fight laughs as Reed let her drag him. The drive eventually led to the block that the Finns lived on. They saw three toddlers playing with three slightly older boys in the driveway next to the house they were parking in front of. The Raymonds pulled into a driveway across the street instead of alongside Lindsay. Nancy smiled and pointed out to Lindsay, "That's Uncle James and Aunt Tanya's house." Nancy looked over and saw someone calling her name. Astrid smiled and told her, "Go and play with her, she won't let you get out of it. Just don't go anywhere without telling me first." Nancy walked over and hugged Kylie, with Astrid softly telling Lindsay, "That's Kylie, her best friend. Those two are always together, she is trying to get Todd and me to move closer so they can be together more often and the two can have more time together. We are looking for a house but John has one lined up for us nearby." Before Lindsay could ask a question John came out and greeted them. Taking a look at the kids he turned to Louis and blurted out, "If you don't get Sean to stop by he will play some of his old 'hide and seek' games with you. I think he still knows a few hiding spots for you up in Devens." Louis gulped and called him to come over as John told the kids, "Your grandfather's old friend is in for a surprise. You look exactly like him when he was younger. I wish dad was alive to see you two but Sean's reaction should be one I know dad would give if he met you too." Sean walked over to greet Lindsay and the kids and laughed at seeing them. Louis asked what was so funny, getting a hearty, "John knew exactly what I'd do to you if you didn't show off these two angels. If you don't take a picture with the two of them Walter will skin you alive. Tyler is you at that age and Willow thankfully takes after Tamara and Lindsay and not your ugly mug!" Danielle had to fight her own laugh and hugged the two kids then hugged Lindsay. She turned to John and asked, "You knew we'd make him take the pictures, didn't you?" John nodded, adding a happy, "He doesn't have any of him and the kids, plus I know he'd love it. Both he and Aunt Lillian will." Louis smiled and explained to the kids, "Sean is an old friend, as is Danielle. We have known each other since your grandma and I were 18 and I was in the Army. Sean's a good man and a proud grandfather of three and great uncle of three. He looks tough but he's an old softy for you kids." Sean tried to glare but laughed back. Smiling at the kids Danielle added a soft, "I think Amanda will want to see Willow dancing soon, that is if she wants to?" Willow asked what dancing to which Danielle whispered, "Ballet and tap" then added, "She wanted Cat to try it but Cat won't do it without someone else. The older kids are doing it so it might be good for you to do it too. She's a good teacher, she loves kids and knows how to handle kids who are new or don't have many friends." Lindsay tried to refuse but Danielle informed her, "She doesn't charge the girls in the family because they are just that- family. She has a nice steady business now and having your daughter in class will be a big help to her as other girls see that it's alright. Your dad's name carries weight, as does John's." John ushered them inside as Sean and Danielle hugged Lindsay goodbye. Louis asked where Cat was with Valerie chiming in with, "We just got back from shopping just before you got here so she's upstairs in the playroom. I think Willow should go up there for a bit while we talk down here." Valerie led Willow upstairs to the twins' playroom. Cat was sitting down playing dolls with Sammi prompting Willow to hold tight onto Lindsay. Valerie calmly told Cat, "This is Willow. She is Uncle Louis' granddaughter and just moved here. Could you please play with her for a bit while we talk downstairs? She could use some time with a girl her own age." Cat nodded silently then handed Willow a doll so they could play. Willow sat down and waited but Cat kept playing prompting Willow to do the same with both feeding the dolls their bottles. Valerie smiled at the sight, Willow was more afraid of Cat than Cat was of her and both had broken the ice. Cat waited for their mothers to move out of hearing range then softly told Willow, "Mommy wants us to be friends. Jaimie said they want us to be friends because nobody will be friends with me. She said it was very important to Uncle Louis and Aunt Katie that I do this for you." Willow mumbled, "Miles said the same thing. Aunt Katie knows a lot and Grandpa said Jaimie is smarter than everyone." Cat sat next to Willow and hugged her tight. Willow hugged her back. They went back to the dolls and started playing together with both talking back and forth about what to do and why. Cat got more into the playing than she had ever done before and Willow started smiling at the fun she was having. Valerie had a big smile as Lindsay watched the sight. Valerie whispered, "Jaimie told her you were coming but she wasn't supposed to tell her the plan. It looks like they are going to be alright with one another, the big thing will be if JD tries to break them up or leaves them alone. I think seeing Tyler will cause him to hold off pestering the girls and maybe be a little more well behaved." The two walked downstairs to which Valerie hugged John tight as she giddily informed him, "Our little girl just made a friend in under a minute. They know why we wanted them to play and are playing dolls and even hugged. Our little sneaky weasel is turning into our little angel." The others smiled at hearing that while Tyler ignored it. He was getting bored at sitting with the adults. JD came in and asked for dinner then stopped when he saw Tyler with his parents and Louis. He wasn't sure what to do and was directed to go with Tyler to play with the video game system while they got dinner sorted. Tyler followed, not sure what to say or do but playing video games was better than sitting with the adults. JD didn't say anything, only put on a game and played with Tyler until they were called, laughing at the game's characters and storyline as time passed by and deferring to the older boy as the game went on and they learned what to do with certain characters. The last to arrive were Tanya, James, and Virgil. Virgil was grumpy at having to go school shopping while his sister stayed home with Iris. James sent him downstairs to play for a bit while they got dinner sorted which prompted him to complain but missed the grins of the others as he was set up by his dad. JD gave the controller to Virgil as soon as he saw him and let him play alongside Tyler. The boys didn't say anything while down there, they were too focused on their game to speak. When they were called upstairs they still kept to themselves while they sat next to their grandparents. Virgil finally noticed Tamara, Katie, and Louis there and stopped short. The three grinned at him as Tyler walked by and didn't look at Virgil. Tanya had to fight a laugh as Virgil fought for words, finally asking, "What is going on? Is someone in trouble?" Tanya knelt down and told him, "Nobody is in trouble. Uncle Louis and Aunt Tamara are here because their daughter is here. Your Aunt Lindsay and her kids just moved east and are staying with them. Willow is upstairs playing with Cat and you just played with Tyler." Tyler was finally introduced to them with he and Virgil blushing at being put together by the adults. John then told the two, "You will be in the same class in school and we have a special job for you. You need to protect and defend a girl in your class and if your teacher says or does anything to make fun of or insult her you are going to tell us." Virgil looked down in embarrassment. He confessed, "Emma told me the same thing. Daisy said our teacher is mean and yells a lot and Trinity is going to be hurt by her." Tyler asked who Trinity was getting a somber, "She's a girl who was born a boy. Her mommy just died and her daddy works a lot. The kids make fun of her and Ms. May is tough with kids who she doesn't like and Trinity got yelled at by her before about becoming a girl even though she wasn't her teacher." Tyler looked down and blurted out, "I hate bad people" and walked off. It wasn't his place to say anything one way or another, but he hated bullies and mean people. He would help her if he was needed but he didn't know her. His cousin knew her and would know what to do, he'd let him do it. The group sat down to eat with the girls being coaxed to set aside their play so they could eat too. Willow looked much happier and Cat looked less depressed. Katie and Louis shared knowing looks, this was the best thing to happen to the girls and they had done it all in a matter of seconds. Virgil finished quickly and was excused. Tyler followed quickly behind him with the two going downstairs to play more of the game. Tyler broke the ice and asked about Trinity to which Virgil happily told him, "She is fun and loves to play the same games as me but not some of the rough games. The girls push her away but let her play house and pretend when they need more girls. She felt bad about losing her mommy and some of the kids were mean about it but she got better." Tyler let that sink in. She didn't sound any different than anyone else, he couldn't figure out why anyone wouldn't like her. He was more concerned about Ms. May and what she may do to them but from the way the adults made it sound she was in deep trouble already and they were going to make sure that Ms. May ends up being punished for it. Upstairs, the girls went back to playing and were so engrossed with the games that they lost track of time. Both started to nod off and on instinct walked over to Cat's room and fell asleep in each other's arms, both cuddling Sammi. Their mothers had to quickly back out, it was just too cute and they didn't want to ruin the moment. This was final proof, they were the best of friends in full. JD tried to stay up longer but fell asleep on the couch in the game room. He was carried up to his room while the boys ended their gaming session. Tanya said they could play more the next day if they wanted with both quickly agreeing but trying not to sound too eager much to the adults' amusement. Just before they were ready to leave six teens started to storm inside the house somewhat loudly. Katie nodded to Lindsay who knew not to say anything until she was formally introduced to them. The three couples were in deep kisses for several minutes until they needed air and slowly separated. Miles blushed deeply and walked in without saying a word while Michael had to be coaxed to end his kiss with Courtney, the two doing what they always did without noticing the presence of others much to their embarrassment. The last couple was Jaimie and Rick, the latter who finally stopped his kiss as he laid eyes on the guests and pulled back quickly. Jaimie looked up and blushed deeply, unable to say anything. John shook his head and quietly told them, "Any longer and we would have sprayed the hose on you two." John formally introduced them with, "You know Miles and Christina albeit only briefly. This is Michael and his girlfriend, Courtney. And this lovely young lady if you remember from your brief meeting is our daughter Jaimie and her normally in control boyfriend Rick." Rick yelped and apologized as he ran off to get out of John's ire and the crooked smile of Valerie causing Lindsay to smile at his quick exit. Jaimie asked where the kids were getting a quick, "Virgil and Tyler are finishing up playing downstairs, JD is asleep in bed, and the girls are asleep in Cat's room. Your little talk with Cat before worked, she let Willow play with her and they got along great and even put themselves to bed." She nodded and went up to her room. When she was away Lindsay was fighting for the right words. Finally, she told the others, "She is beautiful. She looks better than you did, sis, and you were a natural beauty. I can see why her boyfriend was fighting his urges with her." John tried to suppress his embarrassment at that. Katie smiled and added, "She has a keen intellect and sense of right and wrong. I would try to get her into law school but she is destined for medical school. Alison is intent on her being involved in gender counseling and helping kids, she is just so great at getting people to talk with her and solve their problems." Valerie snickered and added, "Rick is going into law. He doesn't have the scientific aptitude to handle medical school." Louis added, "Valerie is a lawyer and Rick's father is a pediatrician so they are taking on each others parent's job. John was hoping that one of the kids would take up teaching but they all have a mind of their own." John pointed out, "Deborah is doing that, plus the kids need their own lives." Looking at the time Tyler needed to get to sleep plus Lindsay was fighting her own fatigue. John told her warmly, "I think the single mom group is going to get together to help you shop. Karen and Leslie just can't keep them from helping and Lilly will be wanting to give the girls a chance to spend time with Willow. It'll be easier to have us all together to get the discussion out of the way. We know you want to ask a lot of things, it's best to have them here especially Lilly and Melanie." Louis led them out with Tyler reluctantly ending his game. Virgil didn't say anything, but James added:, "Your mom told you that can play more tomorrow" getting a nod from him. Tyler just walked out quietly, fighting his own fatigue and losing badly. Lindsay asked about Willow to which Valerie added, "She is alright over here. The way the girls are snuggled up together we would have to wake up Cat to separate them so it's easier to let her sleep in. Jaimie will be there if she needs help and she can borrow some clothes from Cat. Chapter 40 The group departed with the family settling into the Reagan home. Tyler went right out, not bothering to change out of his clothes. In the morning he was startled as he woke up but noticing that he was still clothed in the same shorts and t-shirt as the day before he remembered where he was. He waited until he heard his mother before he left to go to the bathroom. When got back from his shower his clothes had been laid out by Lindsay with her telling him, "Be careful with Virgil. He is a good boy but he might take you saying something wrong and hard. He is protective of his sister and parents. And if you meet Iris please don't make a big deal out of it. She and Sam are both girls and they have as much right to love one another as anyone, just let them kiss and hug if they do that." He didn't really care too much about it. He had seen enough of it at the mall and beach when his dad took them there so he didn't care. As long as they didn't try to kiss him he was fine, he hated anyone kissing him especially his mom. In his mind he was too old for mom kisses and kisses from girls were a close second on his list of things he didn't like, not even kisses from Willow were allowed anymore. Lindsay was helping Tamara when Tyler finally came down. He ate silently as the two waited for Louis to finish up his paperwork and give the three hugs goodbye. Tyler asked where he was going to which Tamara tried to explain, "He has to talk with some people about taxes and other boring things regarding the city government. He is pretty busy, which is why he trusts the Finns to help your mom get what she needs to get for you. He will be around later." Over at the Finn home, Willow woke up after Cat and found herself in Cat's bed hugging Sammi. She took some time to realize she wasn't home but when Cat came in she realized she stayed over Cat's house. She hugged Sammi tight, unsure what to do until Cat told her, "Mommy said you can wear my clothes. We are too small to shower without mommy or Jaimie so she said to just wash with a facecloth. Breakfast is downstairs and my aunts are coming over in a little while to go shopping." Cat helped her wash and secretly dressed her similar to herself. Willow didn't notice the clothes until Valerie snickered at them as they came into the kitchen. Michael rolled his eyes and joked, "If she starts acting like Cat I'm moving to Alaska. The last thing we need is another Cat." JD had to look twice as he thought he was seeing things. Willow didn't say anything but JD hugged her as he sat down. Valerie put her hand on his shoulder telling him that was a good deed but he ignored it, to him it was just a hug to his sister's friend, one of relief that she would be off his back from now on letting him play with the boys instead of making him play with her out of guilt and obligation. The girls quietly ate as the teens were quick to eat and leave, with only JD taking his time. The two went upstairs to play with Cat's dolls again leaving JD to finish by himself and Valerie to tell him, "She needs you to leave them alone for a while, if you want to play with Tyler and Virgil you can go over to Virgil's while we are out." He agreed, hugging her for understanding him. Tyler and Lindsay arrived just after Valerie cleaned up breakfast. Soon after Virgil came by to get Tyler and JD with the two letting Virgil lead them on to his toys and games. Sam made a hasty exit, telling Virgil, "Be good with him" prompting Virgil to snicker, "Don't kiss Iris too much" which set Tyler and JD off as she stuck her tongue out at him in response. Tyler watched as Sam and Iris hugged and kissed for Virgil prompting him to shake his head at them making a scene. Tyler softly added, "She's beautiful." JD added, "She's my cousin, they love each other like mommy and daddy love each other. Francesca is prettier than her but she is always with Donald so we don't see her much." Across the street, Tanya and Leslie were looking over Miles' notes and adding things to the list. Karen came in with Nichole and added her own suggestions to the list. The last to enter was Lilly with Daisy and Claire in tow, both bickering before they noticed their aunts waiting for them to stop. Daisy softly asked where Cat was, then quickly went upstairs to get out of their sight before she got punished. Claire beat a hasty retreat next door to see Stacy before she had to endure the same. Lilly just shook her head, asking if those two would ever go a day without arguing over something. Leslie and Karen both shot back, "It's when they stop arguing that you should be scared." John added, "There's something about those Williams women that just make you shiver" prompting his sisters to both whack his head. Lilly just smiled and added, "I'm telling Hannah that you said that." John immediately begged her not to getting all three to laugh at him. Valerie turned to Lindsay and shook her head, telling her, "I must apologize for John's foolishness, he knows better than to try to take on his sisters especially when he's outnumbered three to one. He is lucky that our niece Hannah isn't here or he'd be on his knees begging her not to humiliate him for his unflattering words about the seven most dangerous women in his life. The poor man would be broken before she finished with him." John glared at her but Lindsay asked 'who is Hannah?" Karen quickly shot back, "My daughter and the one person who John has never been able to counter verbally. She has bettered him since she was born and has been tongue lashing him since she learned to speak." Nichole added, "Hannah is with our sister-in-law Paige looking after Nigel Jr. while Ethan and dad are out with the boys. They are still getting their houses set up for when Bryan and Pete come back home." Karen added, "They are down in Georgia training with their National Guard unit. They will be home for the wedding, that is if the two don't force the guys to spend all of their time with them first." Kylie entered with Kennedy and Reed and went off with Nichole to find Daisy and the girls. She saved Karen from another explanation but added a quick, "Before you ask, Ethan is my son and is out with my husband Nigel and friends for some father-son time. The girls are probably going to be here later on so you will meet them then. They are decorating and can't get it done with the guys there, the two guys are horrible at choosing things and the girls want to try to do things on their own without asking for our help, they figure they are mature enough to not need us anymore. They do, but they think they don't." The five girls came down and went across the street to Kylie's house without bothering to tell the adults. Kennedy just shook her head and added:, "Willie is trying to keep them out of our hair so we better get a move on it." They waited a few more minutes for Lupe to come with Reyna before setting out. Reyna went on to see Rachel and keep Marcus occupied so Mark could do some work. The group of ladies set out with Lindsay barely comprehending the number of people there. She asked Tamara if that was all of them, getting a chuckle and quick, "That's some of them. Anne Connors is with Paige and Hannah while entertaining Nigel Jr and Ruth James and Alice Rodriguez are up in Endicott with Ruth's parents and their kids. Ruth's daughter is dating Alice's son." The group made the necessary stops for clothes for the kids with some extras purchased such as toys for the kids and a new cell phone for Lindsay to replace the old, outdated, and broken one she currently owned. Karen and Leslie led the charge, they found outfit after outfit in the right sizes with half of them being clearance and the rest on sale. They left no rack untouched as they found just about everything they would need and extras for them when they grew. Lindsay had three bags of clothes by the time they were finished. Their next stop was for bedding and toys but they made a diversion to a specialty shop so Karen could buy a special present for Willow. Leslie grinned as she saw the stuffed cabbit backpack, one that was the counterpart to Cat's Sammi and one that they had seen the picture of them cuddling the night before. Lilly and Valerie loved the gift. The way they were cuddling Sammi as they slept meant Willow would need one so Cat wouldn't have to share her most prized possession with Willow. Willow needed her own stuffed animal and one like Cat's was perfect for her. The last stop was to get Lindsay some suits for work. It took all of the ladies to get her to accept the need for them as they explained why they were needed. Lindsay didn't want to accept the handout but Lilly explained it best with, "It's not a handout, it's hiring the best person that can be found. Your new bosses have heard just how good you are and with your experience, they would be foolish to pass you over. You already an informal interview and your references were checked out, you earned the job." Lindsay demanded to know what she meant by, "Interview." Lilly grinned and pointed out, "The majority owner of the company hiring you is my daughter- in-law Deborah. You remember that she talked with you about your previous job, well she gave Paul and Christian James, the other owners, the go-ahead to ask your previous employers about you. You are too good to be a receptionist, you are better suited to being Zachary Phillips' assistant. And if you weren't wasted as a secretary Jake, Yvette, Alice, or Dorothy would have hired you in a heartbeat at the schools. At least this way Louis doesn't have to explain why you have a job at the schools making it look like nepotism despite your qualifications." The ladies settled on several dark blue suits and white blouses, perfect for the office. Zachary was growing the business so she was going to be hard at work coordinating resources. She was a gifted coordinator and had a business degree and worked part-time before landing a private secretary job before the kids came along. Once she had them she was of little use to her employer so she was stuck having to work as a menial secretary and receptionist until she was laid off so the new job was what she had studied for and what she was best suited to doing. The ladies went home with full trunks and big grins as they waited for the rest of the mothers to come around. Gabby and Beverly Bollinger were itching to meet her after their husbands told them about Lindsay, both knowing her by having met her at some point in their lives and through reputation from Louis. Nigel and the dads were trying to avoid the mothers and beat a hasty exit so they were close by but essentially hiding at Sean's house while the ladies enjoyed a girls' day together. The ladies arrived and went inside, seeing to it that the kids were there so they could both try on their clothes to ensure they fit. Tyler reluctantly did so with the mothers snickering that he is already starting to become more independent and fight the need for his mother. Willow took some encouragement from Cat but put on a fashion show for the ladies as Cat helped her dress getting a big smile from them. After a bit, Jaimie, Claire, Iris, Sam, Reyna, and Rachel joined their moms and watched the action going on. Willow didn't have any fear among the teens and eventually just accepted their help in choosing the right things to put on. Sam and she got close and after a bit Sam hugged her, telling her warmly, "Mom is having a baby boy so I guess you are the next best thing to a little sister. Plus no dirty diapers to change on you!" When they were finished Melanie came over with Rebecca and Stacy as they waited for John, Dan, and Louis to return from whatever they were up to. Melanie was quiet about the whole thing and purposely didn't join them on the shopping trip. Lilly and Valerie sensed something was going on but Melanie kept quiet, only telling them, "Wait for John to come." Inside Melanie figured it was best to tell Lindsay the truth about the whole situation. Getting the nod from Valerie Melanie explained, "With Lilly's blessing and knowing you the longest it's my job to tell you that you were smart to both avoid Roland's and Felix's advances. Both were terrible people who turned to crime as soon as they were out of school." Lindsay admitted, "Katie told me about that." Melanie shook her head then added, "She didn't tell you everything. Roland was in and out of jail for years and finally got clean at my husband's request to John. But as soon as he was released he broke his parole and got into trafficking again. He was clean and stayed away from taking drugs but he still got involved in the trade and with his old friends. He took up with the Williams family, Victoria was a big criminal mastermind who was behind the drugs in this city that, until John came along, had gone unchecked by everyone." Lindsay was taken aback, everyone had known Victoria to be a sweet old lady. Melanie added, "That old lady was not as she appeared and ran her criminal empire from Florida with her nephews being her enforcers and acting as her go-betweens. Felix and Roland got involved with it and eventually, it got Felix killed because Roland's debt to them was blamed on him. Roland tried to take it out on Miles. Miles was then placed in John's care after Felix was sent to jail and as there was no place for Miles to go after he was badly beaten and nearly killed in his group home by Roland's goons." Valerie nodded then Melanie continued with, "The kids, particularly JD, fell in love with him and helped him get back into the fold with friends that he thought had abandoned him when they befriended both Michael and Jaimie. Felix did a real number on his self-esteem and it took him years to overcome it, he still has bouts of doubt but they are few and far between now." Lindsay started to get the picture, the family helped him out when he needed someone. Waiting for her to grasp that Melanie continued, "Anyway Roland was after him for weeks while in John and Valerie's care and tried to have some guys who worked as football coaches to go after him. When that didn't work he had him beaten and tried to use a DCF employee to go after him. This backfired as well. After Miles ran away and Willie and Sean talked with him he admitted who was really after him causing John to get Roland to confess to dozens of criminal violations without realizing it." Kennedy burst into laughter at that. Lindsay looked at her oddly but Kennedy happily admitted, "It's too bad Anne isn't here to tell you it as she was in the room with them but the man pissed his pants when John calmly and coldly told him just who he tried to kidnap! The man is all bluster and manipulative but when it came to John he resorted to being a little boy and had the piss scared out of him by John. He didn't have to lay a finger on Roland, his words did all of the damage to Roland's fragile ego!" Valerie laughed and added, "His stooges turned on him when his power over them broke so he is serving life in prison for Felix's murder. He managed got back at Victoria this past May and told all about her many dealings leading her to get a nice 20 years in prison per charge. She lost everything, and the rest of the Williams family have either been thrown in jail or run out of the state. Her favorite nephew even gave up his family name, Zeke Williams is now Zeke Bollinger and happily married with four lovely kids and another one on the way! You met two already, Courtney and Jessie are his daughters now." Turning to Melanie Lindsay asked about Miles' connection, hoping for the real story. Melanie shook her head and confessed, "Mom was forced to give up my older sister so she grew up in Springfield and moved out here after she graduated high school. We never met because I moved down to New York then finally out west with Dan. She died when Miles was eight and until Mick Jones looked into her life we never knew she existed. He is my nephew and I couldn't be happier that he ended up in my best friend's loving care as my nephew in blood and thanks to mom and dad as my nephew by adoption." Lilly then started in with her story. Lindsay listened as she told her, "After Miles' situation settled Daisy came into our lives. Her mother was another of Roland's conquests and after some legal fighting that Roland lost badly and had his lawyer disbarred over I adopted her as my own daughter. He isn't just connected to me through Daisy. He and I had a one night stand that resulted in Claire. When I found out I was pregnant I met the man of my dreams and married him, took his two amazing sons as my own, and he claimed Claire as his own daughter. I hid the truth from her until Daisy came and didn't know who he really was until Daisy pointed him out. By luck or fate, the woman who was Daisy's mother was also the woman who gave birth to my sons so she is blood to all three of her siblings." They waited for the next bombshell so Lilly admitted, "During this struggle we had to deal with Daisy's birth defect. She was born with ambiguous genitals and raised as a boy but she was physically a girl. We fought and won the right to have her undergo a needed operation. She isn't like Jaimie, she really is a girl inside. She isn't the only girl like that, Sam is as well and could have died last years if not for Sarah Jones seeing the problem and getting her help." Lindsay finally had enough and asked about Jaimie, knowing they were saving that for last. Valerie told her the whole Newhall story, not leaving out anything important. When she came to the part about Lance Jones she sighed heavily and mumbled, "He is Michael's biological father but he has never claimed him as his son. John has been his father practically since the day they met." Lindsay asked about the Jones name getting a defeated, "Mick is Lance's younger brother, the good son to Lance's evil son. Mick is a federal agent and his wife Sarah is a doctor. Mom and Dad adopted him as our brother so none of the kids have to explain how he is connected to Michael again. They did the same to Lilly and Melanie so they don't have to explain Claire and Daisy or her and John's relationship. They always wanted a son, and Mick is already the brother to the guys so it fit nicely." Melanie added a happy, "Your dad knows this story well, he organized and was there for the whole extended custody hearing. He was the first non-Finn who accepted Jaimie as a girl and helped make her school year go smoothly." They then turned to other things while waiting for the kids to finish up, not wanting to dwell on other things that weren't their place to talk about without the consent of the others. John finally came in with Dan and Louis. Mark came in with Marcus and tried to hand him off to John only to get another cry from him. Lindsay burst into laughter, adding a happy, "Some things never change, eh John?" He glared at her prompting the other ladies to laugh while Marcus cooed at her. John sat down across from Lindsay and informed her, "The house we were going to have you move into had a big problem, it won't be livable for several months. We found an alternative house though, one that should be good for you." Louis added, "The previous owners defaulted and ran off weeks ago. It's in pristine condition and ready to move into. It only needs furniture. Dan tried to stifle a laugh as the ladies all looked at John oddly. John grinned and blurted out, "The thing is the families that live near it are some of the worst in the city. I don't think you will like it, some of the ladies are bad gossips and the kids can't stop causing trouble." Dan lost it now. The ladies demanded and answer so Louis shot back, "It's directly behind this house. Dorothy, John, Valerie, Melanie, Dan, Mark, and Leslie are her immediate neighbors. Sorry, Lindsay but it was the best option in the city without having you wait six months." Dan handed her the keys and told her they can take a look at it. He, John, Louis, and Lindsay walked out and around the block to check it over. She was speechless as she saw the house. It was at least four bedrooms, had an attic, and had a backyard and small front yard. Inside the floors were new and it was airy with lots of windows. The bedrooms were spacious with closets and the master bedroom had a nice walk-in closet with plenty of shelving. The biggest prize was the small utility room with washer and dryer as well as a large entertainment room in the basement that was like John's but with different furniture. It was perfect for them. Lindsay was in tears. It was her dream home and it was near people who were family to her as well as friends with her children. Louis hugged her tight as she cried, telling her firmly, "You need stability and these people need you. Willow needs Cat as much as Cat needs Willow, Virgil needs Tyler as much as Tyler needs Virgil. John wouldn't do this if it wasn't important to all of you. Please don't make me force you to accept, you are too old for me to do that." She hugged him back and cried. Turning to John she asked how much he spent. John grinned and only told her, "I can't put a price on my daughter's happiness nor my friend's. I won't say how much because it doesn't matter how much I spent on it, it's your home now. Sadly it also means that you have about 22 babysitters who won't mind watching the two for you along with Valerie, Todd, Astrid, James, and Tanya if you let them." Louis laughed at hearing that. Lindsay asked who they were to which John shot off, "Jaimie, Miles, Michael, Rebecca, Stacy, Sam, Iris, Rachel, Francesca, Reed, Bryan, Hannah, Paige, Pete, David, Emma, Deborah, Patrick, Ian, Sheila, Raul, and Avery. That's not counting Christina, Courtney, Jessie, Scott, Thomas, Rick, Donald, or Reyna if their parents let them babysit with their significant others. There's also Jessica, George, Eric, and Jenna who would do it just because they can." Louis snickered at Lindsay's reaction. He warmly added, "Those kids are dependable, caring, and have experience with kids from their own siblings and from being around Cat, JD, DJ, Virgil, Daisy, and Faith. They would do it for you especially as you mean something to them- my daughter and Katie's sister." Chapter 41 Dan, Louis, Lindsay, and John walked back to John's house to break the news to the kids. Tyler was anxious as he saw the adults huddled together while Willow looked over at Cat who nodded to her that it was alright. Lindsay knelt in front of the two and told them, "Your grandfather has gotten us a house, one that you two will love. The bad news is we will be moving in a few days but the good news is it's right behind here so you don't have to go far to play with the other kids especially, Cat and JD." Cat hugged Willow who hugged her back. Tyler tried to act like it was no big deal but succumbed to JD hugging him. The kids were getting what they always wanted, a good home with friends close by. Lilly smiled and told them, "Your things should be here in about three more days, the lovebirds had to make a stop in Denver because I guess John didn't notice that it was 22 hours driving time to get to St. Louis directly from Las Vegas." John let out a big, "Oops!" followed by the kids snickering at him. Lilly added, "They played the money Miles and I gave them and won big both times. Unfortunately for Miles, he has to pay taxes on $1 million but I don't think he minds." John shook his head and added, "He better pay, I don't want to have to arrest my own son" prompting more laughs and a scowl from Miles. Lindsay was smiling at that. The others let them have some time to process the news as they prepared lunch. DJ and TJ came in with a tired looking Mike and George and got JD to go off with them letting the two to settle down. Lindsay listened as George told all about the boys being so full of energy and running them ragged while trying to get them to do the simplest thing like eat their lunch. John's phone rang and he grew worried. Karen shook her head and added, "You knew she was going to tell her yet you still made the joke, it's your own fault." John tried to slip away but the ladies kept him there. A few minutes later when the front door opened John immediately told them, "I was kidding, I wanted to make a joke for Lindsay to lighten the mood. Please don't do it, it's too embarrassing!" Hannah just smirked as she handed off Nigel Jr. to her mother and calmly told him, "I won't do that to you, it would be too cruel. Besides I think I got my point across, I don't think Lindsay will mind not hearing all of the humiliating things I could tell her about you." He flinched but Lindsay turned at him to see if she was joking. John was turning a deep shade of red and avoiding her gaze, she was serious about her threats to John! Paige finally spoke up, adding, "OK that's enough of that. Any more and he might pee his pants and I don't think we have diapers large enough for him and I don't want Nigel and the others to think they don't have to potty train because Uncle John can't control himself." The kids laughed at them, enjoying seeing John squirm and the two making him so uncomfortable. John tried to get one last parting shot, telling them, "I thought aristocratic ladies were supposed to be above such petty acts." Hannah was going to say something but Cat told Willow, "My cousins are real ladies." John had the last laugh, they had to tell the title story to the three while he went upstairs to, "Check on the boys" and avoid Hannah's wrath yet again. Hannah groaned and told Willow, "Dad is an English lord so mom, Nichole, Paige, Emma, and myself are ladies too. Our three brothers Ethan, Nigel Jr. and Bryan and my husband Pete are lords." Cat added, "Bryan and Pete have titles, they just got them because their great uncle died." Lindsay quietly asked her dad if it was true or if they were telling the kids that to make them feel better. Louis calmly explained, "It's true. Nigel's parents are The Marquess and Marchioness of Lincoln, Nigel and Karen are the Earl and Countess of Boston and heirs to the marquessdom, Ethan is The Earl of Frampton and the heir of the heir, Bryan and Paige are The Viscount and Viscountess Braintree, and Pete and Hannah are The Baron and Baroness Gosfield. We were over in England for their wedding at the family's estate just after your sister called you to tell you about her own wedding. It's why she didn't fly out to see you directly after she called you so she could help you." Hannah figured out on her own that there was something up and asked what was going on and why. Louis shook his head and asked, "Do you always have to be so straightforward?" Hannah shot back, "Have I ever been anything but that? You know I don't like beating around the bush" causing laughter. Lindsay explained what was going on and watched as Hannah did some calculating before telling her, "Aunt Valerie is your best choice to get the kids to and from school. Aunt Tanya and Uncle James are busy at work so Aunt Valerie will have to do the school run for the five of them. As much as you would want her to, Aunt Katie will not be able to do it as she will be taking over for Ms. May after two days, probably closer to one day given her attitude last year. That is if she doesn't move close by." Valerie just shook her head but Hannah boldly told her, "Let's be realistic, you are only going to do some volunteer legal consulting between the school runs so you are the only one available. And if they got sick you would be the only one free to take them home." Valerie smirked and added, "Next you are going to plan what we are all wearing to Katie and Alison's wedding." Hannah shot back, "Of course, someone has to tell you all how to look good." That sent the others off as they made plans for getting what they needed for the house. John and the dads quietly gathered outside with Mike telling him, "She's a good one, she already has the girls impressed." John added, "She is Louis' daughter in all ways, except the looks. Thankfully for her that is all Tamara's looks. It's only now starting to show that she's like him, she tried hard to be like him." Things quieted down for the next few days as the kids adjusted to the city and got used to going back and forth to the various parks, the pool, the beach, and finally their new home. Louis had a fun time setting up the furniture while David and Ian helped by being the pack mules for the newly delivered items. They complained but their wives were quick to stifle them with kisses and hugs. Tyler had a good time helping move smaller things and holding tools while the adults set up the furniture. He missed doing these simple things with his dad but found his uncles happy to have him do them especially when it involved him and Virgil. Todd even got into the spirit as he and the boys did their own thing while Lindsay and Willow were busy with the other parents and playing with Cat. When Patrick and Deborah finally arrived they found themselves diverting to the new house and helping to unpack everything. The kids loved making them move things around for them while they tried to think of where they wanted to put certain items. Cat made it a game to get Patrick to move something then move it another place before he caught on that they were playing with him. Deborah had to fight laughter as the two were enjoying themselves to thoroughly at Patrick's expense. Finally after two days of unpacking the three were fully moved in and spent their last night at the Reagan home. Louis had to hold back tears as he watched the three pack their bags again, but this time it wasn't his daughter leaving for good to move across the country. Tamara kept him focused on keeping the kids happy and knowing that they were now only a short drive away from them. The next morning Lindsay fed the kids and cleaned up the breakfast mess and left her father's home again, tearfully hugging him as she said her goodbyes. A short drive later and she was in her new driveway with the kids rushing to go to their new rooms. Cat was in the backyard playing and opened up the newly fixed gate to Lindsay's yard so she and Willow could play. The two hugged as they realized they were together now with only the fence separating them. Willow asked for Cat to stay over which got Lindsay to approve pending John and Valerie's approval. Cat rushed inside and asked her parents, getting shocked looks as it was something they never expected from her. Both happily agreed but added that she could come home at any time if she needed to. That was the biggest indication that Cat was finally over her previous problems. She never slept over any other home except her grandparents' and even then she had to be coaxed into doing it. JD shrugged it off when he heard, for the past year he did it a lot with DJ, TJ, and Virgil so he was used to it. To him, it was just a night without his sister and as long as she didn't bug him about it then he didn't care. Cat and Willow played for hours in Willow's room and finally fell asleep after staying up an hour after their usual bedtime. In the morning the two spent hours playing with their dolls in Willow's room keeping to themselves allowing Tyler to focus on playing his game system in peace. Lindsay was never happier as the two hadn't fought and kept to themselves instead of antagonizing one another. Cat got Willow to name her cabbit after someone, just like she had done with her own Sammi. Willow took a bit of thinking and came up with the name, "Barry". Cat asked why Barry and got a simple, "I like it" to which Cat laughed. Willow had her one sense of things and it fit her personality perfectly. After a long delay in planning and getting everything in order as much as possible on their own, Lindsay got Katie to finally succumb and let Melanie and Valerie help her with her wedding. Lindsay herself was out of her depth and was happy to get the two involved, they had done it multiple times before while she had never done a real one. Alison purposely kept her own ignorance as she didn't want to influence Katie's choices, the wedding was really about her and healing her old wounds which Lindsay had unintentionally gotten her to heal wit ha simple act of deference and friendship. Tyler complained that he had to wear a suit which caused Lindsay to snicker as she pointed to Willie, John, Dan, and James wearing their uniforms. When he saw Sean coming out with his uniform he stopped all complaining and just stared in awe at the old soldier's uniform. Lindsay joked that she should have gotten her father to wear his uniform but Sean laughed it off, insisting that Louis wouldn't fit in it anymore which got Tyler to let out a laugh of his own. At the ceremony Tyler was only supposed to be just the ring bearer but ended up being the wrangler for the four toddlers as well, all of whom looked up to the older boy with keen interest. TJ and DJ grew jealous of Tyler but Dan and Mike kept them from acting out, earning the two boys a grumpy time-out and no dessert. Tyler felt bad for them until he realized that they were going to make his day tougher, instead focusing on the four other boys who were eager to follow his orders. The girls were well-behaved and even JD behaved as he was out of the spotlight that he normally was under at weddings. Willow and he started to get along and slowly let one another play with their toys. He was still on his own doing his own thing with DJ, TJ, Tyler, and Virgil but he made time for his sister and Willow when they were both around him without the other boys. Willow was the center of attention as she led the wedding party down the aisle as the flower girl. Katie entered first with Louis giving her away followed by Alison with Dr. Charles Dane giving her away. Ricardo and Marion Reidmiller acted as the self-described, "Mates of honor" for the couple and greeted them with happy smiles. Judge Matthews was beaming with pride as the two people who he had come across indirectly so often were standing in front of him, enjoying the chance again to join people who in his view belonged together. He wasted little time as he always did, performing the ceremony without delay. Marion and Ricardo both cried as they handed the couple their rings and watched them kiss. Alison herself was in tears as Katie was announced as, "Katie Eliza", dropping a family name that meant nothing to Katie and showing to her beloved Alison that she had finally moved on from her past. The reception was a typical Finn Family gathering with the kids loving the chance to party while keeping things calm and orderly. Louis was at a loss for words as he fought back tears at seeing his beloved daughter finally getting her wish and marrying the woman of her dreams. He was joined by Marion in crying as she hugged Alison tight and told her firmly, "I am glad that you listened to my orders back in February!" After six long months Marion, her niece Tarja Milenham, and future stepdaughter Averil Overington finally got to meet the Kylie, along with Nichole, Jaimie, Reyna, and Al that Willie, Alex, and Mike raved about during their brief talk in Connecticut back in February. The girls were in awe of the older girls with both refusing to believe that they shared something in common- all being born as boys. Kylie was the one to do most of the talking as Jaimie, Al, and Reyna got pulled away by Rick, Rachel, and Kyle for some private dances and kissing. Nichole let Kylie do the talking, she needed to do it for her own sake as much as the girls'. Nichole was used to being seen as an idol but Kylie needed this confidence boost and it was her story that prompted that helped ease the girls' anxiety in February. Tarja asked about Kylie's birth parents to which Kylie told her the truth, hoping that she had a better understanding of her home life. Tarja realized that she was lucky so far in that her mom and brother supported her but still felt the sting of losing her dad. Kylie had lost her entire family to prison, but she had found something better- parents, who understood and loved her. Nichole's face dropped when she heard about Tarja's father getting caught up in the whole US part of the Jeffries investigation. Ethan was called over so he could hear it, to which he shook his head and added, "It's his own fault. Don't feel bad about it, he doesn't care one bit about you as a person otherwise he would have accepted you in the first place and not been horrible to your family." Nichole confessed to Tarja, "His birth dad, my uncle, was like your dad and got involved with the whole smuggling scheme by helping to fund it. He ended up being killed when it was exposed by our family. Ethan doesn't like people who hurt other kids because they are different. He's always been close and when he became my brother he has been my biggest help. Be grateful for your own brother's support." Tarja and Averil understood the family more now. They knew about Jaimie's situation from Marion but the other girls were new to them and they were even more interesting as they could relate to them more than Jaimie especially as they were their own age. Kylie was what Tarja could have been had she not had her mom and aunt for support, and seeing her be a normal girl gave her hope that things would be better in the future once her father's influence ceased to hold sway over her. Marion kept a close eye on the girls. Kennedy came over and sat with her as they watched their girls. Marion finally admitted, "Your husband is truly something else. You are lucky to have found someone who understood you and loved you unconditionally." Kennedy smiled and pointed out the truth, "It wasn't because of me, it was because of Katie. He simply understood her more than he let on and suspected something was up with me for years but didn't make any moves and didn't show that he knew out of respect for me. Even when he insisted that I stay with his family during breaks he never tried anything on me. We fell in love the natural way, through shared interests and being close to one another. Katie, though, opened his eyes to my suffering and when it was time for the truth to come out he didn't need it, he didn't care and loved me anyway." Alison's kisses of Katie warmed Marion's heart. She confessed to Kennedy, "She and I were close in college and medical school but she didn't do too much. We were both exploring our sexuality but it didn't feel right. I loved her but it was more of a sisterly love, and seeing her with Katie I can fully understand that she wanted more than anything to be loved fully. It's too bad it took an accidental encounter in Connecticut to cause her to try to find that love." Kennedy shot back a quick, "If it wasn't for that same trip there would be two men who wouldn't have had the guts to ask the other to marry. You prompted Ricardo and Alex to get over their anxiety and take the plunge. They are truly good together and made Eric happy to finally have the second parent he deserves. Alex hasn't been the same since meeting you, and we thank you for that." Lindsay and Katie talked with Marion about the girls and caught Lindsay by surprise when she was told the truth about them. Lindsay just smiled, it really didn't matter anymore to her. The kids knew about Jaimie from Cat and JD telling them so two more younger girls being close to them albeit for just an afternoon was no big deal. They accepted things at face value, to them they were girls and that's it. Louis had a strong sense of pride in seeing his adopted daughter getting what she always wanted in life. She was going to turn heads when they have their baby but as long as she was happy the hell with critics. He already shut down several who wanted to use her marriage against him, anyone dumb enough to try would find themselves on the wrong side of the law as he brought them down hard. After a lot of merriment, the bouquet tosses were conducted. Stacy caught one which caused Dan to nearly faint. A few seconds later Jenna caught the other after it bounced around off two walls which caused Anne and Mike to both groan at the seemingly divine intervention from Anne's deceased husband and Jenna's father George Connors. Both Scott and Jenna's boyfriend George kissed the girls and accepted the ribbing with pride, it was perfect for them as one was love at first sight and the other was love through years of their parents being close. The garter toss was done the same way but this time it was caught by Eric and Will. The parents all burst into laughter as all seven 17-year-old couples had caught the bouquets or garters with Reed and Jessie being lumped in with them. Marion had to have it explained to her and she too snickered at the significance of it all. Tarja and Averil were told it as well and both just smiled at the closeness of the group and the way things had worked out for them as a whole. There were looks of relief from Donald and Thomas as both of them along with Rebecca and Francesca missed the garters and bouquets. Thomas was honest with Dan, telling him, "We are way too young to think about marriage." Dan shot back a quick, "That is why I like you, you know exactly what to say." The celebration went on for several more hours but Marion had to get the kids back to Connecticut. She hugged the couple tight and told them they had to be at her wedding in a few months. The girls hugged Kylie and Nichole and thanked them for their talk then gave Ethan a kiss on the cheek each causing him to flinch and blush as the girls giggled to one another over his reaction. Marion had to stifle a laugh as the girls had just caused the poor boy to nearly faint at being kissed by them. Chapter 42 After a group effort to clean up the hall, the rest of the family left to give the Reagans and Elizas their privacy. With just their immediate family Katie sat them down and announce that the couple had news. Alison blurted out, "The insemination worked- we are having a baby!" Katie knelt down in front of Tyler and Willow softly explained:, "You two are going to be cousins, not just third cousins like you are to Nancy, Virgil, and Sam but actual first cousins to our new baby." Tyler hugged her for telling them but boldly told her, "I am not changing diapers no matter how cute the baby is." Willow was unsure but happily accepted that they weren't going to be the youngest in thekr family anymore, even if their cousins the Yorks were having a baby too. Louis asked if it was confirmed to which Alison nodded, telling him, "I'm two weeks late. My doctor doesn't want to confirm it officially until I miss my next one. I know though, I can feel the difference." Lindsay and Tamara shared knowing glances. It wasn't rocket science, she knew her body and as a doctor she knew the signs better than most. Lindsay hugged Katie, telling her affectionately, "You will be a great mother. Thank goodness you had the sense to listen to dad all those years ago and saved your swimmers just in case you found someone. I am glad that you didn't listen to me then." Alison gave her an odd look. Lindsay confessed, "I didn't think that it was worth the money to save something that Katie hated producing. Dad was adamant, and thankfully she had the brains to listen." Tamara deflected the impending questions from the kids about what they were talking about by telling them that they had to tell the others or they would start to get worried that it didn't work. Alison realized that Sarah and Richard would be the first to suspect something may be going on followed by Olivia and Nigel but the teens would be onto the scent as well, especially Jaimie. The two set a date for the following weekend. They elected to tell Sarah and Richard first as they were the ones most likely to ask. At her normal session with her Alison told Jaimie directly, asking her not to tell anyone and explaining to her, "I am telling you because I know you are suspecting that there might be a problem. There isn't, we just want official confirmation first. But I know already that I am. You are the first to suspect so I have to tell you to allay and fears that you may have about it." Jaimie hugged her tight, crying into her shoulder over being told the truth. She quietly admitted, "I know that you would know something by now but I didn't want to ask because it's too personal. Mom and dad tell me not to get into other peoples' issues and this is very personal to you. But Aunt Katie needed this so I was hoping that it worked." Alison hugged her back, explaining to her warmly, "We know that you care which is why I told you first before I told anyone else. You are the most like Katie, not because of your pasts but because the two of you two care so much about others that it wouldn't be right to keep the news from you. And if we were unable to have a child I am glad that she can say that she has a niece who is taking after her in so many ways. I only ask that you don't tell anyone else as we want it to be a surprise." Jaimie smiled and was sworn to silence, being too honored to even consider going against their request to wait. Jaimie carefully cleaned her tears so Nichole didn't notice them but the little girl could tell something went on. As she went inside she asked if Alison had told Jaimie that she was pregnant, getting a concerned look from Alison. Nichole lowered her head again and asked, getting a soft, "Yes" in return. Nichole blushed and admitted, "It would be the only thing that would cause Jaimie to cry but not you. If you weren't she would have caused you to cry because she cares so much about you and Aunt Katie." Alison smiled at her candidness and explained, "We are going to tell everyone this weekend. We had to tell the ones who would suspect something was wrong first, so your dad was told today and Richard and Olivia were told last night." Nichole told her, "I won't tell anyone, not even Margaret or Kylie." The two kept their word and didn't say anything to anyone. Karen didn't notice that Jaimie had cried and if she did she didn't ask as it may have been related to her therapy session. Nichole didn't cry and kept the news to herself, although she nearly lost it when Paige and Hannah accidentally talked about periods with Karen as they had to borrow some items from her with great relief on their faces as they were afraid that they may have accidentally made her a grandmother, "Celebrating" their marriages. The family gathered at the joint Finn/Reagan back yard that Dan had carefully redesigned to allow for everyone to gather at. Katie got everyone's attention then announced, "While you were enjoying a week in England we were undergoing a procedure to help us become parents. It is with great glee that we announce that it was a success- Alison is expecting our first child in early April!" Jaimie hugged Katie tight, telling her softly, "I didn't tell anyone" to which she replied, "I know, and I am proud of you for heeding our wishes. You are maturing so much lately, I really am proud of you." Jaimie asked if she had picked out a name, getting a smile and happy, "Bailey Summer or Bailey August. We want it to be a name that could be a boy or a girl so he or she would not feel the same struggle that we had to endure. It is easier to change a middle name, people don't normally remember those so it wouldn't be hard to get the name changed without causing a stir. Actually, it's easier than your dad and mom changing the spelling of your name to include an 'i' in it since you never did have to add the first 'i' in your name but chose to." Alison hugged Jaimie as well, adding, "We know you will be a great help. I just wish this had been able to happen for you but some things just aren't meant to be." Jaimie was happy to tell her, "I don't really mind, we get to give a child a home which is more important to me than having a genetic offspring. Besides, there is always a donor egg and surrogate if Rick ever wanted to have a biological child." They knew all of this already but had to hear it from her to truly believe that she was alright with the situation. Deborah came over to congratulate them and gave the same response, she cared about Patrick more than being a mother and she wouldn't mind being someone's mother by adoption. It was the love that mattered, with both finally accepting that she and Patrick were happy as they were. Finally, the party broke with Alison having to accept the family helping her as she progressed. The two saved the other major news from the family: they were moving to Winnisimmet and it was close to the family; Alison was selling her Boston condo and Katie her small home on Navy Hill to be closer to the family especially Lindsay, the Yorks, and the Flynns. Katie kept John out of the loop and made the purchase on her own with Dan getting her the approval to buy the house after a quick inspection. Dan fought to keep it from Melanie and barely succeeded in doing so, much to their relief. Lindsay went with Katie to do the inspection with Dan. Katie trusted her enough to not tell anyone but also had to tell Tyler and Willow about the move so they didn't think something bad was happening. Cat ended up being told by default as she was always at Willow's side but Alison assured Lindsay that Cat simply needed to be told the truth and she would heed her request for secrecy from all, even from her parents, as she didn't want to hurt Katie's feelings and wanted to enjoy her father's reaction. The house was next to the Kelly family which meant that they were close to loved ones but not in the middle of the action. William kept to himself despite being part of the group and Junior didn't associate with the other neighbors after being shunned by them for years. Amanda was always busy at the studio and when home she was often with Junior enjoying quality time so she didn't interact with neighbors. The house itself needed work but it was mostly exterior work that could be done while Alison worked and Katie went to visit her sister or parents. She kept the kids occupied and enjoyed taking them to the beach and pool and helped them learn to swim. Cat and JD were frequently with her as was Virgil, each enjoying having another aunt who didn't treat them like the babies of the family. The deal on the house was quick to close especially as the bank was making a small profit from the purchase. Alison was shocked to see that it cost less than her condo was worth but Dan happily told her that it was due to the exterior appearance. Some paint and gutter work and it would look nice again raising the real value by $150,000. Alison's small profit went right into a bank account for the baby. Katie added her own money and both had Greta keep an eye on it for them. When the time came to move they kept the move a secret from everyone except William, Amanda, Mick, and Sarah who had to know as they would see them there. Danielle got Junior, Neil, and Faith to go out with her as the movers quickly moved all of the Elizas' possessions into the house. By the time the kids returned they were moved in and gave the kids a surprise as the were introduced. The kids burst into laughter at the ploy, but they didn't say anything to the others out of respect to their parents and not wanting to make a bad impression on the two. After some frantic unpacking, the two went over to visit John and break the news to him, Willie, and Melanie. All three took the news in stride but were disappointed that they didn't want help from them. Alison just smiled and admitted, "You guys did enough for us already, we need to do some things on our own. We knew you'd want to help but it's something we have to do as a married couple." The teens were told and they got the same reaction but Jaimie was surprisingly agreeable about the whole situation. She knew that it meant a lot to them that they be their own family and try to do things their own way but they still were part of the family. She just smiled and told them that they at least had ten experienced babysitters close by so they could have a night to themselves every once in a while. The last to be told about the new house were Louis and Tamara. Their involvement would have sparked the others to try to help thus they had to be the last to know. Tamara was pleased that they were seeing things the right way, the stress was bad for the baby and they wanted to be independent yet still rely on help from their closest family when needed. Louis simply nodded and congratulated them, but told them that they had better expect him over from time to time to play with his grandchild. The move soon gave way to a feeling of dread among the kids as school started two days later. It would be a whole new experience for the four newcomers as Cat, JD, and Willow started pre-kindergarten and Tyler started 1st grade. Virgil tried to make them see that it was going to be fun but they still had their anxieties over the new school and meeting new kids their own age. The kids were happy to see that they were going to be joined by their parents and closest relatives for the first day as all of them wanted to see them off. John was greeted by the teachers with Cat and JD being introduced to the various teachers who were surprised to see him there. The twins had met most of them before but this was different, this was them as students not as the son and daughter of a highly respected teacher. Willow was all but ignored as Lindsay wasn't known to the school nor was her connection to Louis. Cat led her inside to their room and got them situated as Valerie explained to them that she was going to be ready to take them home if they needed to leave. She didn't think they would be but she had to explain anyway just in case there were any scared feelings. Virgil and Tyler went to their room with James and Tanya leading them. Ms. May recognized Tanya and gave her an angry look which prompted Virgil to realize that he was going to be in trouble at some point during the day no matter what he did right. Tyler saw it as well, quietly whispering, "Mom said we have to be good for Ms. May but not if she is going to be bad to us." Virgil nodded, it was what Emma told him before as well. Trinity made her way into the classroom and hugged Virgil upon seeing him in there. Her dad quickly left to get to work so he didn't meet Ms. May. Tyler was happy to meet her, she was just another girl to him but she and Virgil were talking like old friends which helped ease whatever tension he may have had about meeting Trinity in person. Trinity was wearing a light blue dress with short sleeves. She had a matching ribbon in her hair and matching blue shoes. Virgil told her that she looked pretty causing her to blush and thank him. It was true to him, she did look pretty but it was an innocent statement. She was the best- dressed girl there. Ms. May introduced herself and asked each student their name. She looked over her notes about each student then made her own about each. For Virgil she wrote a quick, "Troublemaker family" while for Tyler she wrote, "Not too bright" as he was anxious and barely told her his name. Trinity was last. She purposely saved her for last as she had a meeting with the principal about her. Ms. May asked her name then demanded her real name. Trinity kept telling her that her name was Trinity but Ms. May told her, "Your name is not Trinity. Your name is Terrence. I refuse to call you by any other name no matter what anyone says. Your name is Terrence!" Tyler shot back a loud, "Her name is Trinity! She is a girl and you can't call a girl a boy's name!" Virgil just smiled and told Ms. May, "I'm telling my uncle on you. You can't do that to Trinity! You can't treat her like she is in trouble for telling you the truth!" Ms. May scoffed at that, telling him, "Your uncle isn't your real uncle no matter what your parents try to say. He doesn't scare me. Just because he has money and is a teacher doesn't mean he can bully me! The other idiots may let him walk over them but I am not letting John Finn push me around!" Tyler realized she just made a huge mistake. Tyler added, "I'm telling grandpa what you said! Mom said you can't do that to Trinity and grandpa said to tell him if you broke the rules! You are in big trouble!" Trinity, Tyler and Virgil were sent out. Ms. May told the three that she wouldn't put up with their disruptions and if they continued they would be suspended from school. She refused to even allow Trinity back into class until she acted like a normal boy and dropped the fantasy that she was a girl. Trinity was on the verge of tears at getting into trouble but both boys told her, "She is in trouble." Virgil added, "Uncle Louis will handle this. Uncle Louis is more powerful than Uncle John!" In the office Virgil and Tyler being there immediately caused the secretary to rush to the phone and call Valerie. The principal, Ms. Parker, came in and asked what was going on to which the secretary blurted out, "May just killed her career! She just pissed off the wrong family!" Ms. Parker asked, "Is Valerie Finn going to sue the school?" Her secretary gasped and told her bluntly, "She isn't the one to be afraid of- that is Louis Reagan's grandson! I was the one who registered him for school two weeks ago, Valerie Finn is nothing compared to an upset and angry Louis Reagan! The man will make sure that you are out of the job because it was your stupidity that brought back May after last year! You moron- she lied to you to save her own skin!" Ms. Parker looked at Tyler and asked his name. Tyler immediately told her, "Tyler Louis Reagan." Ms. Parker thought he was joking to which the secretary asked:, "Who is your grandfather and what does he do?" Tyler immediately admitted, "Louis Reagan, he is on the city council." Valerie arrived 10 minutes later with an angry look on her face. Looking at Trinity and the boys she softly told the three, "You aren't in any trouble. I am proud of both of you for not letting her treat Trinity like she was anything but the girl that you see." Turning to the secretary and Ms. Parker Valerie explained, "Ms. May violated Trinity Palmer's rights and will be immediately removed from the classroom or you will be removed and your replacement removes her. Either way, she is gone from the school. You know that I know the school district's policy on discrimination and that woman has violated it for the last time."' Ms. Parker tried to ask that she reconsider. Valerie drew a sharp breath and angrily told her, "Ms. May was supposed to be gone last year but you somehow managed to convince the superintendent that there was nobody better to replace her. Well, we found out just why you found nobody to replace her and that will be rectified. There was a vastly more qualified person that should have been hired before you even thought of hiring her and that person is going to be here tomorrow morning. Further, you will find yourself looking for new employment as the city council will want to know why you repeatedly and purposely ignored a valid candidate by using a list compiled by a disgraced administrator who is rotting in prison for her behavior." Katie entered and told Valerie, "I tried to keep him out of it but dad is on his way. He went right to the superintendent. He refuses to cover this up, both are gone today with extreme prejudice." Valerie just nodded and added, "Tell Ricardo that it's all on him now. Go full crash and burn. Ms. May deserves nothing less and she will need it. Just try not to bankrupt the city." Katie walked out and out with Valerie smiling, telling Ms. Parker, "That woman is the one who was supposed to be hired by your school THREE YEARS AGO. She is fully qualified with experience that is twice what May had. The only excuse for her not being here is your predecessor, Ms. Mead, refusing to hire her because of what she used to be and you continuing to use a list of blackballed candidates compiled by her that never explained just why she was not fit to be in the classroom. Well, you made a mistake, and you will pay for it now with your job. Just be glad she didn't sue you, I would have." Louis entered and immediately hugged both Tyler and Virgil then told Trinity that she was going to be alright from now on. Turning to Ms. Parker he bluntly told her, "Get your things and get out. The city won't defend you, you personally backed May and gave us assurances that what happened with the Finns was not what really happened. They bought it for their own reasons, I didn't. You called Valerie Finn, Karen Smith, Sarah Jones, and Lilly Peterson liars in front of the council, we are not going to let our school suffer because you believed the claims of a power hungry troglodyte witch." The vice principal was appointed the temporary replacement with Ms. May removed immediately by school security and a substitute teacher put in place for the day to replace her. The kids were left unaware of what was going on with Trinity, Virgil, and Tyler returning to class quietly and refusing to answer their questions. The superintendent sat Ms. May down and explained to her, "You were warned last year that your bullying toward students would not be tolerated. You should never have been retained and manipulated Ms. Parker, the now former principal, into keeping you and putting the blame on people who have ironclad reputations and steel strength ties to this city. You went one step further this year, you verbally assaulted a vulnerable student whom you were warned to leave alone and to follow the district's rules regarding the education thereof. Her father has grounds to not only sue the school but bring the state and federal governments down on us! You can kiss any chance of ever teaching again goodbye. No district will touch you and the Finn family going against you will keep any private schools away." Ms. May loudly shot back, "That thing is a boy in a dress! I called him by his real name, not some made up name meant to make him feel better! You have no right to remove me let alone fire me! He should be removed and never allowed near normal children! I don't deserve to be fired for not coddling that freak of nature or putting up with his antics!" The superintendent just smiled, telling her loudly, "Thank you for making this easier. You just lost all right to appeal as you just openly admitted in front of several witnesses including the union's legal counsel, a representative of the city council, and myself that you refuse to abide by the city's, state's, and federal government's guidelines. And to boot you have opened yourself up to a lawsuit by Mr. Ricardo Ramirez on behalf of that little girl. The city can't win so we won't fight it and when we are asked we will admit that you manipulated the former principal into retaining you then openly violated the rights of a student intending to make her into an example of the supposed suppression of rights." Louis then told her, "You can claim it's their word against yours but my great-nephew and my grandson were in the room. Further, thanks to John Finn, the room is recorded so we will look at the recordings to guarantee exactly what you said to her. I know Virgil said he would get his uncle after you, well I am his uncle and am going after you with a vengeance. And before you claim we can't do that, you were told just like everyone else that the classroom is recorded for the protection of the children and yourself so you have no actual complaint about it. It's your own ego and ignorance that screwed you over." Ms. May was led out with orders to never return. She tried to file suit against the city that afternoon but a counter-suit was already in place with full supporting evidence whereas she had nothing to go on except her own exaggerated claims. She tried to contact the union but they told her to buzz off, Valerie had already contacted them and told them to back away but word reached them directly from the other teachers at the school. An hour later the superintendent called Katie into his office in city hall and asked that she take over Ms. May's former class. Katie told him that she had a direct link to two students but that was waived off as this was not any different than John Finn, Sean Kelly, or Beth and Ben Herman teaching their own children and grandchildren. If she could set aside her personal feelings towards the kids she would be able to teach them alongside the rest. Katie bit her lip then confessed to him, "I have to tell you that I am transgender and it will be a problem with both parents and the press. That was why I was fired from my job in Endicott by Ms. Mead, I am transgender and never hid that fact from anyone in this city. I am known to dozens and it will come out and cause issues for the school and city." He let out a big laugh and countered with, "And if either concerned or angry parents or the media try to complain I'll have them removed. There is no story there and there never will be and anyone trying to make one will see just how much we are willing to protect our teachers especially ones who are valuable assets and who are role models for our children." Katie took the job, tearfully hugging her father as she did so. His connection was known but she had won the job by her track record alone. She would take over the next day with parents being told in a meeting a few minutes after class was dismissed. The parents were gathered and told what happened and why. Ms. May was known for her antics but to some this was bold and beyond comprehension. Others were angered that such a girl would be allowed in class in the first place. Those parents were put in their place by Valerie who was quick to point out that the school had no right to deny her an education nor did they have a right to verbally abuse her. The battle of words went on for a while until the vice principal ended it with firm words. He was quick to point out, "Ms. May should never have been teaching your students in the first place. She lied to and manipulated Ms. Parker, the now former principal, who then parroted that lie to the city council and school committee. Ms. May's had more than earned her firing last year but was retained due to her lies. Her replacement has credentials that are stronger than any other teacher in the school system with comparable experience and who is happy to teach your children without the bluster and anger. She has a vested interest, her own nephew and young cousin are students and will be treating them just as she treats your children- with respect and dignity which is more than some of you have shown them." The man was standing tall over the assembled group and wasn't backing down from his stance. One of the parents received a text and blurted out, "She's no she, that thing is another tranny freak! He's putting our kids in the care of someone who will hurt them!" The vice principal just grinned and added, "Ms. Parker just screwed up. Yes, she is transgender. But she is also fully qualified and not afraid to ensure that each one of you stays in line. Her previous job was as a lawyer and one that is feared for her ferocity, you would be insane to get on her bad side and we will back her fully to the point of legally barring any of you who harass and abuse her." One screamed out, "We will go to the media!" He laughed back, adding, "They won't touch the story. In fact, the five TV stations are in her favor thanks to it being revealed that she was not afraid to fight back against defamation and libel and all are still reeling from a thrashing by the courts over the rights of private citizens. The Globe and Herald are also not going to help, they have deferred to a colleague who actually knows her and won't print the story knowing the true origins and intent behind it. They, however, will be glad to go after people who have shown they are not afraid to bully children and adults because they are unfit to teach or lead others like Ms. May and Ms. Parker and yourselves." The few in the crowd to vowed to sue were told that it was their right but the vast majority gave up. Katie and Valerie were left to face those who were outraged over Katie and were quick to tell them, "You can pull your children and home school them, enroll them in private school, or demand they be placed elsewhere. Either way, she is staying and has the full backing of the school committee and the teachers union. She won't be abandoned by the city just to satisfy a few loudmouths." Neither Tyler nor Virgil were told who their new teacher would be. Valerie simply told them that they would have someone new to teach them and they would be alright with her. Katie was quiet but inside she was happy to finally be able to teach the kids especially ones that she loved. Trinity's father reluctantly picked her up and comforted her as she was brought home to her babysitter. Katie felt horrible for the girl, her father was working his tail off for her benefit but she barely saw him. It didn't help matters that he looked frail and it was clear that he wasn't in the best of health but he had to work to put food on the table and keep a roof over their heads. The next morning the kids had a big shock as Katie greeted them at school. She introduced herself to the students as, "Mrs. Eliza" and would be taking over for Ms. May. The kids were fearful of her but the arrival of Virgil and Tyler smoothed things over as their cries of, "Aunt Katie!" caught their attention. Katie sat them down and explained to them, "Inside this school I am just Mrs. Eliza, your teacher. I am your aunt all other times except in school. You won't get special treatment for being related to me nor will you be allowed to slack off or act up. I talked with your mothers and your father and they are in full agreement. Do you understand?" Both said, "Yes Mrs. Eliza" making her smile. Trinity was the last one inside and was met with a happy, "Hello Trinity, please take a seat." She sat down reluctantly but Virgil and Tyler nodded that it was OK. Katie knelt in front of her and softly told her, "I won't treat you like Ms. May treated you, I know what you are going through and will ensure that you have a proper education so you can be the girl we all know that you really are." Virgil whispered to her, "Aunt Katie was born like you" to which Virgil nodded at and Trinity's eyes lit up. It was one thing to hear that there were girls like her but another to meet one who became a woman. She was seeing that her life would get better if she didn't give in to the tough times like yesterday. Epilogue Katie spent much of the week adjusting to the curriculum but thankfully it was one thing that rarely changed, only the means to accomplish the teaching did and that was due to technological advances. The students were blissfully unaware of her prior life and listened to her closely as she taught. They liked her style, it was fun and most didn't realize they were still learning even when playing her games. The trio kept to themselves but slowly she began to see Virgil and Tyler making friends with classmates while Trinity was the class loner. The girls slowly accepted her as just another girl while the boys learned quickly not to make fun of her especially not around Tyler and Virgil. They defended her and each other to the point that the trio was inseparable except when they joined their genders in playing. Outside of school, the duo were always together and spent most of their time playing with JD at home after their homework was finished. They had classmates over from time to time but none of their classmates tried to make strong inroads into full friendship as they were too close knit. The only one who didn't interact with them outside of school was Trinity but that was due to her father's schedule. The pre-kindergarten trio had an uneventful time compared with Virgil and Tyler. Willow and Cat were the centers of attention immediately as they won over the girls of their class. The old Cat was forgotten as Willow and she showed the girls their true personalities. The few girls who knew Cat from daycare were forced to accept Cat as a classmate but she didn't try to win them over, she didn't want to. JD had a tougher time making friends with the boys but that was because the other boys in his class had known each other for years outside of school. He was friendly with them and eventually befriended two in class but it took a while to get them to accept that he wasn't his sister and wouldn't make them play with her. It helped that they had older sisters so they were used to being around girls but they still wanted to be left alone. Without Cat around at the daycare, TJ and DJ were slowly beginning to see that the boys who told them that they had to get away from girls were wrong. The boys were annoying and eventually, Liam, the one who was the biggest source of their issues, was kicked out after he hurt one of the girls because she was playing with something he wanted to play with. Melanie's anger was not lost on the boys and they kept their distance from any of the boys who were not the best towards the girls in their class especially ones who wanted to play with them. Melanie, Lupe, Leslie, and Tanya never made mention of the two boys changing their tune but Mike was happy and told TJ just how he felt about it. The ladies thought DJ needed that humility and seeing the adults proud of him for not falling for the, "Boys are stronger than girls" bullying garbage he wanted to continue that feeling. They stopped bothering to please the other boys and did whatever they needed to do and if it meant being their own person so be it. Lindsay went to work as Zachary Phillips' personal assistant and proved her worth the first day as she handled two meetings while he had to untangle a tricky situation with the new technology they had installed. She familiarized herself with their products and put on a strong show until Zachary could take over for her and handle the technical and artistic nuances but she had already done the hard work by then. She kept the office in order and had all of the needed supplies ordered and computer systems upgraded to meet the new demands within a week, saving Zachary time and money which he then devoted to immediately improving their designs. Zachary was at a loss as to how she had been able to slip through the cracks of the business world but was happy to have her. If she kept it up she might be able to be promoted into the role of running the entire office while he focused on the artistic and manufacturing side. Deborah was pleased to finally rid herself of any need to do work for the company with Paul and Christian eagerly making themselves back into silent partners and members of the board of directors with a hands-off approach again. Addison moved into her apartment over Victoria and Jorge in August with little fanfare and only the seven college-age ladies helping her. Carmen was her constant companion and slowly developed a deep friendship with her as they spent more and more time together. They were what each other needed as they began their new jobs full time with Carmen's bosses not batting an eye at Addison frequently dropping off and picking up Carmen and Juanita from the restaurant. The Vega sisters remained living with Dorothy but were usually joined by Zoe or Addison. She treated the girls as she treated her nieces and was happy to have them over especially as they frequently brought leftovers from the restaurant. She ensured that the girls didn't overwork themselves and didn't dwell on any culinary mistakes that they made as it was bound to happen from time to time. Karen, James, and Greta were pleased with Addison's abilities as their secretary. She had a strong way with clients and could detect someone who needed smoothing over and one who needed a strong hand before they got to her bosses. She had a way with people as they waited for their meetings, making them feel like they were with friends and not people who were being cultivated for their fees. Eventually, Addison had to face her demons as her father Carl and her brothers all located her. The confrontation didn't go well for them as Addison was defended by Jorge and Victoria with their usual looming presence making them appear even bigger than they were. Carl tried to make her out to be some monster but Addison told him that she never wanted to see them again and could not care less what they thought about her. It was her life and she was over 18 so they had no say in how she lived it anymore- they were dead to her. Victoria just grinned and told them firmly, "She said she didn't want to see you again, so that means you need to leave. If you come back here again you will be leaving in handcuffs. My son over there is about to give you your only warning. Don't come back." Willie just happened to be stopping by to see his parents and caught the confrontation. Addison's family were each given written warnings that barred them from ever coming by the house again then later that night given restraining orders against contacting Addison. He wasn't fooling around, he had the judge issue them on the spot and had Ian deliver them personally 20 minutes later. Seeing the massive Ian, they took the hint and never bothered Addison again- whatever they thought they could get from her wasn't worth the cost of their freedom especially as they had a long talk with some of Jorge's friends back at their home. Juanita and Zoe were a hot item and spent much of their evenings together. Juanita grew to accept that the James family would not let her believe that they were anything but accepting of their relationship. Sela and Isobel were jealous, the couple was always happy and their parents would frequently tease them about finding their own love interests. They opted to remain single but left their days open just in case a guy at the beach or the restaurant asked them out. The couple was allowed to spend the night with one another but neither had the courage to go beyond kissing and some light petting. They didn't need to do that, they loved the companionship more than the sex. Carmen did tell them that they needed to cool off a few times when their kissing was a bit too, "Rated R" for Avery and the tweens or for her own tastes but they laughed it off as she said it playfully. It took several weeks but Alistair's will was read with the couples in attendance via video connection. Camille tried to claim they forfeited the right to the will by doing that but the executor simply stated, "It was written into his will that they were to attend by any means necessary and due to their university studies they have to do so electronically. Your late husband thought of everything." He grinned at her as he announced, "As per the wishes of his will you have forfeited your stipend for your continuous infidelities and actions against your own family. Your attempt to prevent the rightful heirs from attending the reading is also in violation but he figured that was nothing compared with the breaches of his trust and confidence in you. You are only left with the small flat that he originally bought back in his bachelor days before he came into his money and you sought his companionship. It is the one thing that he could give to you to give you any chance of becoming a decent human being but I highly doubt that will work. Some people just can't change who they are." Camille was devastated and said she would fight the will until her last breath. He just smiled and added, "It's your right and your money, you just won't have any access to the estate's money. That went to Lord Bryan and Lord Peter and is in the care of your brother-in-law." Looking over the assets of the estate he thought it best to sell just about everything of value that wasn't tied to the family with those that were being given on permanent loan to museums in the name of Alistair. Bradford nodded in approval and signed the paperwork which would make both Bryan and Pete each worth about ?200 million after taxes thanks to Alistair's shrewd investing, his family's long ownership of minority stakes in multiple corporations, and the sales of houses. They never needed to work but would not stop them despite all of that newfound wealth, it just wasn't for them to do so. There was also land that was parkland held in trust by Alistair that Bryan and Pete agreed should be renamed in honor of Alistair and Ethan's birth mother Sammi. The presentation of the land in his mother's name brought Ethan to tears as he happily told them, "She would love it." Bryan and Pete had thought that he would need time to accept it but Ethan was beyond happiness at the gesture from them. Camille didn't last long on her own. Her health quickly declined as she ignored it for years despite what Alistair had told her. She died in October, leaving behind everything to her sister, She was interred alongside Alistair, with the family quietly honoring her despite the way she had acted toward them. They held no ill-will, she didn't deserve it and she would have to accept her behavior in the afterlife. She left a legacy of several million pounds to which Ophelia donated to help others, it was the best way in her mind to honor her sister even if she'd never approve of it. Trinity quickly adjusted to Katie being her teacher but still had anxiety about her situation. It didn't help that her father wasn't in the best of health and that he was frequently running late. Eventually, she got used to having to play in the playground alone while she waited, keeping out of sight of the new principal as she looked forlornly for her father's car. Katie knew that she was alone and tried her hardest to keep from reporting it but eventually she had to say something before Trinity got hurt. Trinity's dad took the rebuke hard and it only caused his already fragile health to deteriorate. Eventually, he was let go from work and was struggling to get by. Trinity's sad situation eventually caught the attention of Anne and Mark who had to take action on her behalf to protect her. Katie tried to beg them to leave the family alone but Trinity was in danger. Their action would change the lives of Katie, Trinity, and several other people that fall. The End.