Topic: Beginning To Look A Lot Like ...

Bethany Daly

Date: 2016-12-19 03:38 EST
The first snows had fallen on Maple Grove, blanketing the vast estate with the first layer of this season's snowfall and providing the first wintery wonderland for the children to enjoy. Winterfest was in full swing, and with it came the approach of Solstice, Yule, and Christmas, those holidays associated with family, where relatives who spent much of the year far away came together to celebrate the season. With one week to go until that time, several houses on the Grove were preparing for such visits, but it was Rose Cottage that welcomed their house guests first. Cackling laughter brimming over with joyful delight announced the arrival of the Daly twins, each holding tightly to their mother's hands as she walked them from the main gate and toward the house where their grandparents lived. No father or dog in sight just yet, but then, they were likely still at work. Bethany was early, and laughing just as hard as her children as she hauled the two-year-old twins through the snow.

And there to greet her daughter and grandchildren was Miranda, squealing like a child herself as she spied them, little Rowan in her arms waving madly. "Look, Ro! It's your cousins Evie and Brody come to play!" she said from the door. "Hurry, children! I have hot cocoa and cookies!"

"Gramma!" Brody hauled himself away from Beth's grip to run up onto the porch and hug Miranda's knees, giggling up at Rowan.

Behind him, Beth hoisted Evie up onto the porch and released her, instead turning her attention onto her own adopted little sister. "RoRo! Say howdy, munchkin!" She grinned, rescuing her mother from Rowan to plant a smooch on the eighteen-month-old's cheek in hello as her own children did their best to love their grandmother over onto her backside.

Ro went happily into Bethany's arms, as Miranda crouched low to gather her grandchildren into a hug. She kissed both cheeks and hugged them tightly. "Oh, I've missed you both so much."

"Daddy's comin' later," Evie assured her grandmother, cuddling in close to the hug that was offered to her and her brother, while Brody was already working on getting his award for the sweetest boy alive made secure by smothering Miranda's cheek with kisses.

Bethany chuckled, listening to Ro's slightly incoherent babble in her ear as she watched her mother and children together. "Well, Daddy's gotta leave a note for Santa so he knows where we are," she pointed out in amusement, catching Miranda's eye with a grin. "Can't have Santa going to an empty house, can we?"

"Santa is going to be very busy this year. There are a lot of children he has to visit at the Grove this year," Miranda added with a grin. "You have a pair of new cousins to meet, too! But first, cookies!" she told them both, with a tap to each of their noses before moving to her feet and taking both their hands, leaving Beth in charge of Rowan for the moment. "Grandpa Rufio is running some errands, but he'll be back later."

"Grandpa Rufio?" Beth laughed uproariously at this interpretation of her father's title when it came to the children, setting Ro off into peals of giggles as she followed Miranda and the twins into the house. "Shoes and coats, little monsters," she reminded the toddlers, and snorted with laughter as Brody set off for the kitchen and cookies without a backward glance, while Evie sat down to investigate how to take off her own shoes.

"That would be Dad to you," Miranda pointed out with a smirk at her daughter's amused laughter. She was never going to hear the end of it if the children repeated it to their grandfather. "It fits, don't you think" Rufus sounds too serious and stuffy," she reasoned aloud. "Save some for your sister!" Miranda called after the little boy before she turned her attention to helping Evie with her shoes. "Boys!" she huffed with a wink at her grand-daughter.

"Brody, get back here!" Beth called to her son, fighting not to laugh at the exaggerated sigh that floated back to her as the little boy turned himself around and thumped back toward the door.

"Purple boo's," Evie informed her grandmother, wiggling her little feet as she was helped to get out of said boots. "B'ody greedy."

"Very pretty purple boots," Miranda agreed as she pulled one and then the other off her grand-daughter's feet. "Brody has to share. Isn't that right, my love?" she asked as the little boy rejoined them. "Sit down here, and I'll help her with your boots, and then, we'll have milk and cookies all together."

"Love Gramma," Brody offered, hugging Miranda about the neck for a moment before obediently plonking himself down on the floor to await help with his boots.

Behind them, Beth was crouched on the floor, letting Ro work on undoing the toggles on her coat, quite content to be as patient as was necessary. "So Dad's running errands, huh?" she asked curiously, reaching to undo Evie's coat absently. "What did he forget to buy this time, the potatoes?"

"I am not at liberty to say in present company," Miranda replied, just about admitting that Rufus was out Christmas shopping without coming right out and saying it. "So, what did you children want for Christmas this year?" she asked, setting both little pairs of boots aside and starting to work on each coat.

"Wanna swwword," Brody offered up immediately. "Bang, bang, swword."

"Dolly," was Evie's cheerful addition. "Wiv flars on."

Over their heads, Bethany silently translated the wishes into, "Lightsaber and flower fairy," winking at her mother as she did so. Feeling her coat fall open, she turned her attention back onto Ro, full of praise for the little girl who had managed to undo all her big sister's toggles all by herself.

"Ohhhh," Miranda murmured thoughtfully. "Lightsabers don't go bang, bang, you know, Brody," she pointed out, as she helped his sister off with her coat. How Bethany had gotten flower fairy out of what Evie had just said, Miranda didn't know, but no matter how much their children babbled, mothers almost always seemed to know what they were trying to say. "What color lightsaber and what kind of flower fairy?" she asked further as if this was the most important topic of discussion in all the world.

"Zzzrooom?" Brody suggested, actions included now he was freed from his coat. "Swword go zzzroom, bang, cash!"

"He's never even seen Star Wars," Beth chuckled, hanging her own coat up before hiking Ro back up onto her hip once again. She glanced down at Evie curiously, wondering why her daughter wasn't being openly forthcoming with her own wishes. It wasn't like Evie to be shy, but she didn't like to interrupt when Brody was in full swing.

Bethany Daly

Date: 2016-12-19 03:39 EST
"Well, we'll have to rectify that, won't we?" Miranda grinned, though it was a rhetorical question. She'd been looking forward to this visit for a long time and was determined to spoil her grandchildren rotten while she could. "Do you have a favorite flower, Evie?" she asked, as she scooped the little girl up off the floor so that she wouldn't get knocked over by her brother.

"Hey, if you think you can get him to sit still long enough, feel free," Bethany chuckled, booping Ro's nose before reaching down to gently touch Brody's hair. "Go on, kiddo, lead the way."

With Brody marching off toward the kitchen once again, Evie turned her shy smile onto Miranda hopefully. "S'pink," she intimated secretively. "An' pretty. Like Gramma."

"Not as pretty as you, my little lovely," Miranda replied, with a fond smile for her grand-daughter, touched by her praise. "I'm sure Santa will grant all your wishes," she assured her, touching a kiss to her cheek as they followed Brody into the kitchen where there was a plate of freshly-baked chocolate chips cookies awaiting them.

Thankfully that plate was on the table, or Brody would have made off with it as soon as he arrived. "I know we're early," Beth said almost apologetically. "But we just couldn't wait. Well, I couldn't wait." She grinned at her children, settling Ro in the high chair securely before moving to hoist Brody up onto one of the booster seats. "We were supposed to wait for Jase, but I got bored and called him instead."

"He couldn't get off work early?" Miranda asked as she settled Evie onto a matching booster seat. As fond as she was of Jason, it was kind of nice to have a little time alone with her daughter. There had been a time when all they'd had was each other, and even though they were both happily married now with lives and children of their own, there would always be a special closeness between mother and daughter.

"Lucky's being assessed today, he can't knock off early," Beth explained, moving to exhume the ever-present sippy cups from her mother's cupboard to make sure each of the children had a drink. "But we have a whole three weeks for once, so we don't need to rush away as soon as Christmas is over this year." It was obvious from her beaming smile that she was delighted by this, pausing to wrap an arm about her mother and hug her fondly. "I miss you, you know."

"I miss you, too," Miranda said, returning her daughter's hug, glad she couldn't see the frown on her face. Bethany had been the center of her world, ever since her birth, the only connection she had to Rufus until just a few years ago. Things had changed since then, and they both had lives of their own, but not a day went by that she didn't miss her. "You could always move here," she suggested, not for the first or last time. "I'm sure Jason could find something." She didn't bother to point out that Desmond was here, too. Des and Jason were best friends, but Jason's career kept him in New York, while Desmond had settled in Rhy'Din.

"We might, one day," Beth told her softly, kissing her cheek. "But for now, New York is home. Anna doesn't have much time left; I wouldn't want to take that time away from Jase." She touched her forehead to Miranda's for a moment, smiling reassuringly before pulling away to set the cups down in front of the collection of toddlers who were working hard on demolishing their cookies.

"You could bring her here, too," Miranda suggested further, but she wouldn't push the issue. She knew how important Jason's mother was to him, just as Miranda was to Bethany. "How is she doing?" she asked as she turned to fetch a carton of milk from the fridge.

"Surprisingly well, actually," Beth nodded thoughtfully. "There's been no sign of the Alzheimer's since she was treated, but if the spell holds true, we could be saying goodbye to her in a couple of years' time. It'll break his heart, Mom. How am I supposed to help with that?"

"Someone once said that it's not the time we have, but how we choose to use it," Miranda told her daughter. "There's not much you can do, but be there to remind him how much she loved him and how lucky he was to have the time with her. If there's one thing I've learned it's that life is short, and no one knows when their time will be over."

"She keeps talking about his inheritance," Beth added in a worried undertone. "Like she's sitting on some vast horde of wealth, and I know she's not. Not unless she's got investments Jason never knew about."

Evie looked up, waving her cookie at them. "Gramma lookit, cookie!"

"She's probably just worried about leaving him with expenses he can't afford. Does she know money isn't really an issue?" Miranda asked, turning to look at Evie with a soft smile. "Yes, darling ....You're supposed to eat it."

"B'ody cookie, an' Wo cookie, too," Evie added, beaming up at her grandmother cheerfully.

"An' joos," Brody tacked onto the end of his sister's comment, pushing another cookie onto the tray of Ro's highchair for his cousin.

"Milk, but close enough, kiddo." Beth smiled at her son, leaning to flick the kettle on. "I don't think Anna's really got her head around how much of a non-issue money is for us," she admitted to her mother. "I mean, she's been here, and she knows that we live pretty comfortably on Jason's paycheck and my allowance, but I'm not sure she realizes that there's a big old nest egg we haven't touched yet."

Even though it might appear Miranda wasn't paying much attention to the children, she was keeping track of just how many cookies were ingested so that the trio didn't end up with too much of a sugar rush. "And Gramma cookie, too!" she said, snagging a cookie from the pile and taking a bite. "Maybe you should talk to her instead. These things can be hard to talk about," she suggested, as she pulled a couple of mugs out of the cupboard and gathered the tea fixings.

"Oh, believe me, I know," Beth laughed, shaking her head. "Jase is still a little prickly when the subject comes up. Still, she let us pay for her cruise - that's where she is now, by the way. She decided she wanted to go on a Nordic cruise for Christmas, so she boarded this morning, and she's back on the 3rd."

"She's more than welcome here, you know," Miranda pointed out, though she wasn't going to argue about it. If that was how Anna Daly wanted to spend her holiday, it was her choice to make, though Miranda wasn't quite sure she agreed with it. "How does Jason feel about that?" she asked, fitting a teabag into each mug.

"I know, and so does she," Beth assured her mother. "But it's what she wanted. It was her birthday present - we thought maybe she'd like to go on one of those Mediterranean cruises over the summer, you know" But no, she wanted to see the Norwegian fjords at Christmas. He's not happy that she decided on Christmas, but he gets that she's doing all the things that neither of them ever thought she'd be able to do. She's definitely living her life, and that's a good thing."

Bethany Daly

Date: 2016-12-19 03:39 EST
"I suppose," Miranda admitted, though she wasn't too sure. There were few things she'd rather do for the holidays than spend it with her family, but then, she and Anna had led very different lives. "Is there anything we can do to make him feel better" Desmond will be happy to see him. I know that much."

"Well, I taught her how to Skype before she set off," Beth shrugged. "The idea is that we can connect up for a few hours at least on Christmas Day, so she's a part of our celebration before she heads off to the Christmas cabaret or whatever it is she's been wittering about. Apparently the star turn on the ship is a singer she's had a crush on for the last thirty years."

"I hope she isn't doing this because she feels she's in the way or something," Miranda blurted, never having been one to beat around the bush much, at least where Bethany was concerned. She hoped Anna wasn't staying away because of her or her family.

"I asked." Because Bethany was Miranda's daughter, and some things just can't be resisted when they're passed on. "She insisted it was because she wanted to go. I mean, she came here last year, so we know she's not uncomfortable to be around everyone. I think this really is something she wanted to do, Mom. I'm not sure that Jason's quite on board with the idea of his mom going off on a cruise and flirting wildly with cabaret singers for fun."

"I'm sure she'll have fun," Miranda said, unsure what else to say. What was there to say about someone who was nearing the end of their life and was trying to tick as much off their bucket list in the short time they had left as they possibly could" It was better than getting depressed about it, she supposed, but she didn't envy her. "We'll try and give Jason a good holiday. Promise."

Beth smiled at her mother fondly. "Mom ....she smacked my hand and told me not to worry so much," she said in amusement. "Look, I still have the bruise." She showed off the back of her hand - the knuckles were reddened from where Anna had forcibly told her off that morning.

"Okay, okay! I won't mention it again," Miranda replied, though it had been Bethany who'd brought the subject up. She made a mental note to call Anna after the New Year and arrange an overdue visit.

A slurping noise drew Beth's attention to the table, where Brody had up-ended his sippy cup to get the last drops out of it. She smiled fondly. "Just as well I brought the potty with us rather than leave it packed up in the car," she chuckled. "He's gonna need to go pretty soon."

"Is he potty-training already?" Miranda asked, a little surprised, but then they weren't babies anymore. Time was flying too quickly, and she was reminded once again of her own mortality. Rhy'Din or not, no one lived forever - not humans, anyway. "The Shanachie is doing The Nutcracker this year," she said, changing the subject as she filled the mugs with hot water. "Would you like to go?"

"Mom, they're two and a half," Beth chuckled softly. "They're almost done with the training, both of them." At the change of subject, however, she brightened up hopefully. "Oh, really' Like when we'd go to the ABC together" That'd be amazing."

"Just you and me. I was thinking maybe we could make a day of it. Go to lunch, do a little shopping. Your father and Jason can handle things here for one day. What do you say?" she asked as she fixed Beth's tea just the way she liked it.

"I think I want to worship at your feet for a couple of hours," was Beth's warm response, arms wrapping around her mother from behind as she kissed her cheek. "I haven't had a proper day off in months, and there's no one I'd rather spend it with."

"Then it's a date," Miranda said, chuckling as she got hugged and kissed. "Think the boys can handle it?" she asked with a smirk as she turned back around to hand her daughter a mug of tea, just the way she liked it.

"I love you," her daughter sighed happily into her tea cup for a moment. "Who cares if the boys can handle it or not' It's just a few hours, and they'll appreciate us more when we get back and calm the chaos in seconds." She grinned an evil little grin. She did know her twins, after all.

"That's true. If your father spends more than a few hours alone with Ro, he gets spastic. I think I'll warn him in advance that I'm turning my phone off, too," Miranda added with a grin. If two grown men couldn't handle three small children, there was something wrong - and there was plenty of help at the Grove if they got into trouble. "You have to meet Jon and Vicki's twins while you're here. They're precious."

"Oh, absolutely," Bethany agreed with wicked good humor. "And I want to get a good feel of Kaylee's bump, too. I seriously did not believe that she was pregnant until she sent me the scan pictures. How are they coping with the idea of having a baby to deal with in a month?"

"They're doing very well, actually. She's grown up a lot since, well, you know," Miranda said with a light shrug, not wanting to mention the nightmare both Kaylee and Taylor had gone through a few years ago. "They moved to the Grove a while back. I'm sure we'll see them at the Christmas party, if not before." She took a sip of her tea, before darting a glance at the children to make sure they weren't too much of a chocolatey mess. "What about you? Is Jason ready for another yet?" she asked, with a smirk.

Beth snorted with laughter, following that glance to the table. Evie and Brody were very seriously swapping pieces of their cookies with Ro, making sure she got the best bits. "You really think we could cope with another baby right now?" she asked her mother in amusement. "Those two are trouble with a capital T. Just you wait, you'll see."

"If you think those two are trouble, wait 'til you see Gabi's boys. They're growing like weeds. I don't know how she keeps up with them." Of course, like most families at Maple Grove, Gabi had some help.

"God, they must be, what ....nearly four now?" Beth asked, smiling at the thought of her quiet cousin. "I have so much more respect for her now I know what the terrible twos are. I can't believe she dealt with that virtually on her own - if it wasn't for Jase, I would have dropped Brody down a well by now."

Miranda chuckled. "I should probably be grateful I've only had girls. At least, I can give the boys back." She frowned just a little as she looked over at Rowan. She wasn't really hers by birth, but she didn't love her any less for it. "I don't ever want Ro to think that she's different."

"She won't." Beth was supremely confident of that, gently nudging her mother fondly. "She's got the best mom in the world, someone Lei chose to be her mommy. I speak from personal experience, you are an awesome mom. And you don't let Dad drop her too often, either."

"I'm not perfect," Miranda pointed out, smiling a little as Beth nudged her, but then, who was? "Your father really seems to be enjoying being a father, even when he's changing diapers. I think he's getting a sense of everything he missed with you and really trying to appreciate the time he has with Rowan."

Bethany Daly

Date: 2016-12-19 03:40 EST
"I'm glad." And to her credit, Beth was glad of that. Her childhood had been father-free, and she'd felt the lack, despite Miranda's best efforts. It was good to know that little Ro would experience the best Miranda had to offer, and the best Rufus did, too. "Besides, I always wanted to be a big sister. It's kinda cool, in a way."

"I'm not sure what we should have her call you," Miranda mused aloud, a thoughtful frown on her face. "Would you prefer Beth or Aunt Beth' You're not really her aunt, and she's a bit young to be much of an aunt to the twins."

"She can just call me Beth," she said warmly. "Seriously, I think you're over-thinking the relationship a bit. I don't call Gordon Uncle Gordon, do I" Because I'm an adult, and it feels weird. They're gonna grow up together, so adding titles is just strange for them."

"He is your uncle, though," Miranda pointed out, but she got her drift. Having a child so late in life was complicated enough as it was without worrying about how exactly she fit in. "Wait until you see Elle. She's about to pop!" she informed her daughter with another grin. "Humphrey's in his glory with all the children."

"Oh, I'll bet he is," Beth chuckled, twisting to grab the kitchen roll and begin the rounds of cleaning little hands and faces. "You're so mucky! All of you! Little mucky angels!" She proceeded to plant loud kisses on all three children before continuing the conversation cheerfully. "He's gotta be loving all these new kids every year. The Christmas party's gonna be packed with them!"

"I worry about him. He's not getting any younger," Miranda admitted sadly. Sometimes it seemed like Old Man Granger was going to live forever, but he was only human, after all. They had been lucky these last few years. Though there would always be a few black sheep, the family had grown in the last few years and had suffered few deaths.

"Even on Rhy'Din, we don't live forever," Beth said softly, unclasping the harness from about Ro's waist to swing the little girl down onto the ground. "He's had a good innings, Mom. Not just in years, but in what he's accomplished. He's put his business in the best hands he could find, and the family are more together now than we have been for decades."

"I know, but ..." Miranda was frowning again, debating whether or not to reveal a small secret. "I never told you this, but Humphrey was one of the few people who knew about you. He helped me get established in New York, made sure I had a place to stay and that I never had to worry too much about making ends meet. He knew about Rufus, too, and he never judged us for the decision we made. He was far more supportive than anyone else, save Gordon. I'm not sure I would have made it without his help, and I've never really said thank you."

"So say it now," Beth told her mother, helping Brody and Evie down from their seats at the same time. "Go on, monsters, go and play nicely with Ro before nap time." She straightened up as the three little people toddled out of the kitchen. "You're always going to regret it if you never find a way of saying it, Mom."

"I'm not sure how," Miranda admitted, her frown deepening. "Thank you seems so ....inadequate. How do you tell someone that they practically saved your life" He did more for me than my own parents," she admitted further. She hadn't planned on sharing these secrets with her daughter, but Beth was no longer a child.

Giving the table a quick wipe clean, Beth drew her mother down to sit with her, half-an-ear on the sounds from the main room as the children played together. "You never talk about your parents, Mom," she said quietly. "Is this why' Am I the reason they never come up?"

Drawn to a chair, Miranda sat down, two hands wrapped around her mug as she stared into her tea a moment. Talking about her parents was hard enough, and it didn't help that they were no longer around to see what came of Miranda's decision to keep her child. "It's not your fault, Beth. It's no one's fault really. They never liked the idea of me going to New York. They wanted me to stay in Rhy'Din and get involved in the family business." That business being GrangerGuild Conglomerate, of course.

"Like Kaylee's parents did," Beth nodded, putting the information into perspective. She knew about Kaylee's parents and the way they'd managed to edge her onto Earth and indirectly into the mess that had resulted in seven months of hell for her. Thankfully, the same had not happened to Miranda. "I did wonder why I never met them," she admitted thoughtfully. "They didn't approve of Dad not marrying you, did they?"

"They didn't approve of your father, period, or of what he did for a living. I met your father when we were at college, and I have to say, it was love at first sight. He was young and handsome and terribly shy." Of course, Rufus was still handsome, but he'd overcome some of his shyness by now. "I could never do anything right in their eyes, but it wasn't until after you were born, and I decided to stay in New York, that they cut me off. Gordon fought for me, but they wouldn't listen. If it wasn't for Humphrey, I really don't know what would have become of me."

"Oh, Mom ..." Heartbroken for this rift in her mother's life, Beth leaned closer, wrapping her arms around Miranda. "I had no idea," she murmured. "You never said anything about this before now."

"There was no need," Miranda explained. "You never really asked about your grandparents. It was your father who you were always curious about." She sighed, her eyes bright with unshed tears. "I wish I'd had the chance to make peace with them before they passed, but I had you to think about."

"I'm so sorry, Mom." Though it was the last thing Miranda would have wanted, Beth felt the guilt for having been the cause of the rift between her mother and grandparents. "If it helps, you gave me an amazing childhood. If I do even half as well with the twins as you did with me, I'll be proud."

"They meant well in their own way, I suppose," Miranda said, though she didn't really need to make excuses for her parents anymore. What was done was done, and there was no undoing it, unless she wanted to risk unraveling what had already happened. She smiled and reached over to touch her daughter's cheek. "I have no regrets, Beth. I wouldn't change a thing."

Beth smiled affectionately. "Good, because I'm big enough to spank you these days," she informed her mother fondly, reaching over to hug her once again. "Wanna come and chase the terrible twosome for potty time?"

Miranda laughed, hugging her daughter back before dabbing carefully at her tears. She didn't bother to warn her not to mention this to her father as she knew her well enough to know she wouldn't. "I'm not as young as I used to be, you know," she warned, though she was more than able, chasing after a toddler of her own these days.

"You're still sprightly enough to sprint halfway across Central Park to catch Dad and make sure he got the right ice cream," Beth pointed out with a chuckle. "I think you can handle Evie's single-minded escape plan, which is to find a chair and hide behind it. I'll take Mister Speedy."

"Hmm, I'm not sure if you got the easier twin or if I did," Miranda mused with a laugh. She moved to her feet and deposited the empty mugs in the sink before turning to go chase after her daughter and grandchildren.

Bethany Daly

Date: 2016-12-19 03:40 EST
As it turned out, Miranda definitely did have the easier twin. Evie was so pleased to be visiting her grandparents that she didn't even try to run away, quite happy to have her pants pulled down and her bottom inserted onto the potty, all the while babbling at Ro who was watching with interest. Bethany, on the other hand, spent a full fifteen minutes chasing Brody, who had learned early on how to take corners at speed. If Andy, Miranda's soppy cat, hadn't intervened and distracted the boy, he'd have kept running until he wet himself.

"Right, monster, here we go," Beth declared, with Brody under one arm, marching back to where the potty had been left to put the boy on it pointedly. "Wee, poo, do what you have to do, because it's naptime for everyone."

Naptime, not so much because the children needed it so much as the adults needed the break. With Rowan balanced against one hip and Evie's hand in the other, Miranda led the two girls upstairs to the bedrooms where the nursery and guest bedrooms awaited.

"Evie bed wiv Wo-Wo?" the toddler was asking as her grandmother helped her navigate the stairs, surprisingly biddable for once. It wouldn't last, but for now, Miranda could bask in the glory of being the one adult in the house who could get the children to do anything with just a look. From downstairs came the crow of praise for Brody finally using the potty successfully without needing to be pinned in place to do so.

"Hmm, well, you both won't fit in the crib, but maybe we can sort something out. Beth?" Miranda called from the nursery. "What do you think about a kiddie camp out?"

"A what?" Slightly breathless, but triumphant, Beth came into sight with Brody clinging to her hands and standing on her feet. "A camp out?" She eyed the twins thoughtfully. "If we put a couple of quilts on the floor and cover them with blankets, it could work. With the baby gate across the door, because these two like to wander and we'll lose Ro down the stairs if she follows them."

"I was thinking the same thing, but I'm not sure how much sleeping will get done," she replied, taking a look around to find a good place for a makeshift camp-out. "Why don't you take Ro, and I'll see what I can find."

"Okay, then." Gathering her little sister onto her hip, Beth sat down on the floor with the three little ones, speaking in a low voice as she attempted to lull them into sleepiness. By the time Miranda was ready for them, Ro was already nodding, and the mere fact of having to be quiet so as not to disturb her was enough to make Brody and Evie yawn.

Miranda knew better than to make too much noise while she set up the makeshift bed on the floor of the spare bedroom. By the time she was done, there was a layer of quilts on the carpet almost as comfortable as a bed, and a couple of blankets to cover them with. She plucked Evie up and carefully transferred to the quilts, kissing her cheek before tucking her in without saying a word. The girls were easy; it was Brody she was worried about.

They had an ace in the hole when it came to Brody, however. The little boy would do anything for his sister, and when Evie shushed him and held his hand, he settled down beside her without a peep, letting Beth tuck the blanket over him with a kiss to his hair. All three of them cuddled together as the adults backed up, setting up the monitor before climbing over the babygate across the door.

"They've been so excited about coming to see you," Beth whispered from the doorway, one arm hugged about her mother's waist.

"Really?" Miranda asked, smiling softly as she watched the three children settling down to sleep. It was nothing short of a miracle, considering all the chocolate they'd eaten, and yet, they'd worn themselves out. "I miss them, too," she whispered honestly, though she didn't want to make her daughter feel guilty for choosing to live in New York. It was where she'd been raised, after all, and where she felt most comfortable.

"Give it a couple of years," Beth murmured softly, her head on her mother's shoulder. "Let Anna go peacefully, and maybe Jason will be able to get a transfer to something here. While I'm staying at home with the kids, a move is easy for us."

"There are always possibilities," Miranda replied, smiling as her daughter laid her head against her shoulder, her memory drifting to earlier days before Bethany had dared to grow up. "I would like that very much, but you have to do what?s best for you and your family." She couldn't help but smile a little at another bittersweet thought. "Your father will be so happy to see you. He's missed so much."

"I owe him a little father daughter bonding time," Beth admitted with a smile. "He's the best at wrapping presents, so he gets to watch me balls it all up until he snaps and does it for me."

"He loves you very much," Miranda told her, though her daughter should know that already. After all, it took a special kind of man to make the kind of sacrifices he'd made for their safety. "He's enjoying Rowan. Fatherhood is good for him. I think he sometimes worries you might be jealous."

Beth laughed quietly, gently drawing her mother away from the nursery to let the children nap in peace. "Yeah, 'cause I really want to be bounced on his knee while he tries to pretend he's not reading something incredibly inappropriate to me," she teased fondly. "He's getting better at me. He just needs to be a little less afraid of speaking his mind."

"He is getting better at it," Miranda confirmed, taking hold of Beth's hand to follow her from the nursery, back down the stairs. "Would you like another cup of tea?" she asked, unsure if they should talk over tea, or sit together on the couch. "We can have some cookies without worrying about the children stealing them," she added, with a gleam of mischief in her eyes.

"I think ....tea and the couch, and I can show you the video from their nursery Christmas play thing," Beth suggested, finally managing to take her shoes off as they reached the downstairs. "I swear, if I never have to make another star costume, I'll be happy."

Miranda laughed. "Welcome to motherhood," she said, patting her daughter's hand before starting toward the kitchen to fix the tea. "Be glad I taught you to sew."

"You'd have thought the pumpkin would be harder, right' But no, the damn star with its pointy bits that went the wrong way and material that could not hold a stitch even if it tried, that was what had me up all night," Beth complained cheerfully. "She looked adorable in it, though. Brody's hidden the hat from the pumpkin costume somewhere - he loves it too much to let me re-purpose the thing."

"You could have asked me to help," Miranda pointed out, though she knew Bethany had her pride and had wanted to do it herself. Miranda's mother had taught her daughter to sew nearly from the time she could walk and talk. It was almost as second nature to her as breathing.

Beth chuckled. "I was sorely tempted," she confessed. "If Mindy annoys me enough next time we have to make costumes, I am definitely going to wheedle you into making them, just to rub her nose in it. She's a "perfect" mom, you know" Got four kids, and never a hair out of place, and there's me, in my pajamas, dropping the kids off at nursery looking like I should still be in bed."

Bethany Daly

Date: 2016-12-19 03:41 EST
"No one is perfect, dear, and anyone who tells you otherwise is lying," Miranda pointed out as she put the kettle on once again. "I've found that the people whose lives seem perfect from the outside are often hiding something, and are secretly the least perfect of all."

"I know, I know," Beth agreed. "But I swear, if she gives me that smug smile one more time, I'm gonna throttle her with her own pearls. Although I might have to get in line. I'm not the only one who feels inadequate next to her."

"I did not raise my daughter to be inadequate. She is probably lacking something in her own life and feels the need to appear perfect to the rest of the world." But Miranda didn't really need to tell her daughter this. Even here on Rhy'Din, there were those who thought they were better than others, but she wasn't sure she wanted to get into that subject right now. "Do you miss nursing?" she asked, as she moved about re-gathering the tea fixings, as well as filling a fresh plate with cookies.

"Sometimes," Beth admitted. "I mean, it's not that I don't appreciate the kids, and God knows I'm definitely keeping busy, but I miss having conversations with people over the age of three who don't come with a child attached, you know" I had a career, and I think I was good at it, but the kids are more important than that right now. I can always go back, when they're older. It'll be different, but it's there."

"I hate to beat a dead dog, but if you move here, there are plenty of options. Teddy and Lis are working at the clinic, and they're about to expand. I'm sure they could use another set of hands," Miranda suggested off-handedly with a shrug of her shoulders.

"I'm sure they could, but right now, Jason needs to be near his mom," Beth reminded her mother gently. "Seriously, give it a couple of years, let him say goodbye. I'm pretty sure he'd be open to moving then, but right now, Anna's in New York and that's where we're staying."

"I know. I'm just saying." Than again, Anna could move here with them, but she didn't bother to suggest that just yet. There was plenty of room at Maple Grove, and Anna might benefit from the ready availability of healers, but she knew better than to push her luck. If and when they were ready to move to Rhy'Din, it would happen.

"I know, Mom," her daughter assured her, hugging her from behind affectionately. "But we should definitely visit more often. I'll make a point to do that - there's my New Year's resolution, right there."

"It's not because you think I'd take over, do you?" Miranda asked, worriedly. The thought had crossed her mind that maybe Beth and Jason didn't want to move to Rhy'Din because of her.

"No, of course not. Besides, it's not like I've never slapped you down when you get too excited," Beth chuckled cheerfully, releasing her mother to claim her teacup. "We can handle each other. I really am just worried about taking time away from Jason and Anna - they've lost so much time already, and now it's definitively finite."

"I won't push you on this, if it's truly what you want, but if you were to move here, Jason could easily take some time off work to spend with her, and she'd have the benefit of healers." She lifted a hand before Beth could argue. "I'm just saying, but I won't push. It's up to the two of you."

"I know." Beth smiled. She knew what her mom was saying, and she agreed with it, but there was that anxiety of asking Jason and his mother to up sticks and move themselves playing on her mind. "I'll talk to him, see if he's open to it."

Miranda nodded. There was nothing more she could do than that really. It was no secret that she missed her daughter terribly, but she would not deny Jason his last years with his mother. "Well, for now, we have the holidays, so let's enjoy them," she said, snagging a cookie from the plate with a grin and taking a bite.

"C'mon, then." With a cookie between her teeth and her tea cup in hand, Beth pulled her mother over to the couch in the living room, curling up together to pore over the video on her phone of Brody and Evie performing at their nursery's seasonal play.

It wasn't long before they were laughing at the twin's antics and sharing anecdotes about motherhood, which Beth was experiencing for the first time and Miranda an unexpected second.

It was a good welcome home for Rufus, who hadn't expected to be greeted by the sound of his wife and daughter laughing together until at least this evening. As the front door closed behind him, he tucked one particular present into his coat's inner pocket, and called out. "Darling, I'm home!"

"In here!" Miranda called back, tempted to hide Beth's presence from him so that she could surprise him, but it was likely he already knew. "Shall we go greet him or let him come to us?" she asked her daughter, the hint of mischief in her eyes once again.

"Aww, can I go scare the crap out of him?" Beth asked hopefully, though there was a certain amount of reluctance in the way she was untangling herself from Miranda as she said it.

"I'm not sure how much you'll scare him, but go for it!" Miranda replied with a grin, curious to see how Rufus would react to whatever Bethany had planned.

"Cool!" Grinning, Bethany pulled herself off the couch and broke into a run, disappearing from sight with a loud, "Daddy's home!"

There was a brief intake of breath, Rufus' startled exclamation of, "What the -" and the sound of two bodies colliding and hitting the floor with a heavy thump.

"Good gods, Bethany!" Rufus wheezed to the tune of Beth's cackling laughter. "Are you trying to kill me?"

That was definitely not what Miranda was expecting, and she couldn't help but laugh as she heard the two of them go thud on the floor. "Says the fearless vampire hunter," Miranda remarked as she arrived, standing over them with her arms crossed in front of her as she gazed down at the pair, eyes dancing in amusement. "Oh, pardon me ..." She corrected herself. "Watcher ....or whatever."

Flat on his back, with Beth giggling beside him, Rufus blinked up at his wife. "Should I go out and come back in again?" he asked in a resigned voice. "It's a little early for you two to have started on the nog already, surely."

"Aw, c'mon, Dad," Beth laughed. "You really think I need alcohol to be this weird?"

"She is your daughter," Miranda pointed out with a grin before offering them both a hand. It was a little different being tackled by a full-grown daughter than a miniature one, but they both adored him.

Bethany Daly

Date: 2016-12-19 03:41 EST
Helped up, Rufus offered his daughter a wry smile, turning to envelop Miranda in an embrace that was only slightly chilly thanks to the weather outside. He grunted as Beth threw her arms around both of them, snorting with laughter at her warning.

"You think this is bad, wait until the twins wake up."

"Which they are about to do any minute," Miranda pointed out, turning her gaze upwards toward the second floor and listening a moment for movement. She touched a kiss to her husband's cheek and brushed the snow from his shoulders. "You're freezing. Let me make you a nice cup of tea," she said. It seemed she was doing that a lot today.

"Okay, hint taken," Beth grinned, letting them both go. "I'll go and get them up." She winked at her father, pocketing the little gift he had passed into her keeping before Miranda had joined them. It was incredibly difficult to surprise Miranda, therefore Beth was definitely a willing accomplice when it came to hiding her mother's presents.

Rufus chuckled, pulling off his coat. "Where did she put Jason, in a cupboard somewhere?"

Thankfully, Miranda did not notice the sleight of hand, or if she did, she was doing her best to pretend she didn't. "No, he had to work. He's joining us later," she told him, as she put the kettle on ....again. There was no lack of tea-making in this household. "You'll be happy to know that they're staying a few weeks this time."

"Oh, how lovely," Rufus smiled, setting the bag of last-minute goodies onto the table. It was mostly stocking fillers, something that he had turned out to be surprisingly good at. There was something very whimsical about the English sense of humor that made silly little gifts very easy to locate. "Is Anna coming, too?"

"No, she's ticking off her bucket list," Miranda informed him with a glance at the bag. "Stocking stuffers" You'd better hide them before the children come down!" she warned with a grin. "Are you playing Santa this year?" she asked once she had the kettle going and the snack fixings under control. There was also the matter of dinner.

"My darling girl, you know perfectly well that I never play Santa," her husband informed her in a fond tone of teasing amusement. "I am prepared, however, to simulate Father Christmas. I'm a lovable pedant." He grinned, leaning down to kiss her. "And yes, I will hide these before anyone gets a look."

"Those are big words, Rufus," she said, turning to face him and sliding her arms around him. "Isn't it the same thing though?" she asked, thoroughly amused at his proper Englishness. "Did you take care of all your errands" What did you buy me?"

He chuckled, not prepared to get into the conversation about how Santa Claus and Father Christmas were two very different beings. Instead, he wrapped his arms around her, kissing the tip of her nose. "All errands are done, and if I catch you hunting for presents, I am going to do something terribly un-English while your daughter is in the house."

"Like what? Spank me" How do you know I won't enjoy it?" she teased back, eyes shining. In point of fact, he probably already knew the answer to that question, but instead of giving him a chance to reply, she pressed her lips to his, warming him up the best way she knew how.

Chuckling into her kiss, Rufus held her close for a long moment, glad she'd had some time to reconnect with Beth. His shopping had taken him longer than he had expected it too, but he was glad of that now. "Looking forward to Christmas, angel?"

"I am looking forward to being with family," she told him. The fact that it was a holiday was just icing on the cake, but they'd both worked hard to make it a good holiday for themselves and their children and grandchildren. She kissed him again, before letting him go so that he could hide his surprises while she fixed his tea. "I was thinking about joining them at the main house for dinner later. Beth hasn't met the twins yet, and it will be a good time to reconnect without too many people to distract them."

"A good way of tiring our twins out so they don't complain about sleeping in unfamiliar beds tonight, too," he agreed, turning to pick up the bag and tuck it safely into one of the overhead cabinets that everyone but he and Miranda thought was just for show. "I assume Jason is coming straight from work, yes" So he'll be hungry."

"I assume so. I should probably call over there and make sure the cook is aware or she'll be grumbling about extra mouths to feed," she pointed out. They could just as easily have waited until the next day, but there was nothing as nice as dinner shared with family, and she knew Humphrey would be anxious to see Beth and Jason's twins.

"Then you call over there, and I'll go and give Beth a hand getting the children up," he suggested warmly. "She can't carry three at once." Pressing a kiss to her temple, Rufus smiled, heading for the stairs. He had to hide that bloody gift box before Miranda worked out that he had bought something for her on his outing.

He'd forgotten his tea, but she'd make sure he got it when he came back down. In the meantime, she called over to the main house and arranged for them to have dinner there to only minor distress from the cook. It was better than ordering out and it would be nice to spend time with the little family that lived there.

He'd have time for tea in a few minutes. And it was only a few minutes later that his voice became audible once again. "How on earth do you carry both of them at once?" he was asking Beth, clearly impressed.

"Practice," was Beth's chuckling answer as they came into view. Rufus had Evie cuddled in close, but looked in awe of Beth, who had Ro and Brody comfortably juggled in her arms.

"Your daughter, Miri, is the She-Hulk in disguise," he informed his wife merrily.

"Don't let it get around that she's a superhero or we might get inundated with requests for rescues." Miranda laughed at her husband's assessment of Beth's talents. "You learn how to juggle five things at once when you're a mother, Rufus," she told him, though she was juggling a little bit slower these days, no longer as young as she was when she had Bethany, but still young at heart. "We're going to the main house for dinner, so no need to cook," she informed them both, swapping Evie for the promised cup of tea.

"That's a great idea," Bethany grinned, taking a seat at the table with Ro on one knee and Brody on the other. The children were still sleepy, but letting them nap any longer risked a nightmare at bedtime.

Rufus chuckled as he was swapped out a toddler for his tea. "I have enough trouble juggling one thing at a time," he admitted cheerfully, sipping his tea. "Perfect, just the way I like it."

Bethany Daly

Date: 2016-12-19 03:42 EST
"Yes, well, you're going to have to juggle a trio of active toddlers for a few weeks," Miranda pointed out with a teasing grin as she took a seat at the table, hugging her granddaughter close. It was nice having a toddler of their own to spoil, even if the circumstances involved had been sad. "You'll have to watch the video of Brody and Evie's play later," she told Rufus.

"What, all by myself?" he laughed, sitting down with them as Evie cuddled into Miranda with a big yawn. "It will be nice to have everyone here for a good chunk of time. And, of course, you'll have to visit when Kaylee and Taylor get their little bundle delivered."

Beth snorted with laughter, rolling her eyes. "Is he always so metaphorical?" she asked her mother comically.

"Elle is due any day now, too," Miranda pointed out, though Bethany was not too well acquainted with Dom's wife, as yet. "She won't tell anyone what she's having, but I'm putting my money on a boy."

"Indeed, yes. We have babies coming out of our ears this year," Rufus chuckled. "It's lovely to see everyone settling down so happily together." His eyes fell on Ro, a faintly bittersweet smile on his face, remembering one person who deserved to be with them and hadn't been allowed that privilege.

Miranda noticed where his gaze had strayed and frowned a little, but didn't want to bring that subject up right now. They would make sure Ro was loved and well cared for and they'd make sure her mother was never forgotten. "It's certainly is," she mused aloud as she watched him, thinking that sentiment applied to them as much as anyone else in the family.

Sensing eyes on her, Ro lifted her head, rubbing her eyes with one pudgy little hand. She raised her arms toward Rufus, smiling her cheery little smile. "Wufust."

Snorting with laughter, Rufus put his tea down to lift the little girl over onto his knee, kissing her hello before pulling out his key chain to keep her amused.

Beth glanced at her mother, grinning. "Wow, look at you two," she teased her parents. "So domesticated."

"Is that so hard to believe?" Miranda asked, chuckled at their little girl's struggle to say her adoptive father's name. "We're enjoying it, aren't we, Wufust?" she asked with a grin over at her husband.

"Yes, Marzipan, we are," was his indulgent response, eliciting a loud giggle from Ro, who knew that wasn't her adoptive mama's name.

Beth cackled along with her, apologizing when the noise roused Brody a little faster than he was happy with. The little boy looked around grumpily and slid off her lap, stumping into the lounge to find something more interesting to do. "Lost him," Beth laughed, shaking her head. "He's such a grumpy little man when he wakes up."

"Marzipan?" Miranda echoed. "That's not even close, and don't you encourage him, little missy!" she warned, reaching over to tap Ro's nose. She chuckled a little as Brody stomped away. "Just like his father," she murmured with a smirk.

Burbling happily, Ro made a grab for Miranda's finger, swaying on Rufus' lap as he sipped his tea.

Beth, on the other hand, bit her lip in an attempt not to laugh at her mother's comment on Jason. "He's not so bad anymore," she defended her husband fondly.

"I'm sure he's not. He's got a beautiful family to wake up to," Miranda pointed out, needlessly. "Should I go see if I can make him smile or let him wake up on his own?" she asked, gaze straying in the direction where the little boy had gone.

"Maybe we should put some music on and you guys can dance, what do you think, Evie?" Bethany suggested.

Her daughter looked up from her cuddle with Miranda. "B'ody good dancin'," she offered with a smile. "Wo-Wo dance too?"

Miranda exhaled a sigh of relief. "Oh, for a moment there, I thought you were talking about your father and me." They preferred to do their dancing in private. "Think a little music will chase away Brody's brooding?" she asked her granddaughter.

Evie nodded. "B'ody like dancin'," she assured her grandmother hopefully. "Gramma dance?"

Rufus grinned at his wife over the little girls' heads. "Oh yes, Gramma, do dance with the little ones," he encouraged, knowing full well that Evie would take this as proof that Miranda was going to dance with them.

"Is that a dare, Wufust?" Miranda asked, never one to shirk on a challenge. She might not dance very well, but she could wiggle her hips with the best of them.

"Why, yes, angel, I do believe it is," Rufus nodded cheerfully, letting Ro down as the little girl waved her hands excitedly.

Beth chuckled, rising to her feet. "C'mon, Mom, let's show him how it's done," she declared, taking Ro's hand. "Where's the radio, Ro?"

Miranda rolled her eyes before setting Evie, too, on the floor to let her join the others. She waggled a finger at Rufus, eyes narrowed in warning. "You're going to pay for this, you know." She hadn't yet decided how, but she'd figure it out before long.

"Not before I have video evidence," he beamed, rising to follow them into the lounge. Ro had abandoned Beth to go and hug Brody into submission while her big sister flicked the radio onto a station playing Christmas tunes non-stop.

"Don't. You. Dare," Miranda warned him, eyes narrowing further. "Take any video, and I swear, I will tape you while you're pretending to be Pavarotti in the shower," she warned. If he was smart, he'd take her seriously and not call her bluff.

"I'll still have video evidence of you dancing to Christmas tunes, though," he pointed out with a smile, knowing even if she did film him in the shower, she'd never show anyone anyway. "Humphrey would enjoy watching it." He leaned in the doorway, smiling sweetly at his wife as behind her, Bethany cajoled Brody and Ro into dancing with her.

"You could dance, too, you know. It wouldn't kill you," she told him as she stepped out of her shoes. "What do you say, children. Should Grampa Wufust dance, too?" If she could get the children to cajole him into it, he wouldn't have any choice but to say yes.

"Go on, Brody, get your grandpa to dance with us," Beth suggested. "We could have a competition!"

Rufus didn't really stand a chance at that point. Brody, greatly cheered by the insistence of most of his family that he dance, toddled over to his grandfather and seized his hand, pulling him into the living room.

"Very well, ladies," Rufus managed in an almost dignified tone. "But I think you'll find that young Master Brody and I are by far the superior dancers here."

Miranda exploded into laughed at Rufus' claim, even as she took hold of Evie's hand and bounced with her to the beat of the music. How did the old saying go' Dance like no one is watching" Well, they were certainly doing that, the three big kids having as much fun as the toddlers.

It was one way to get the Christmas season started with a bang. If this was a taste of things to come, then Maple Grove was in for quite a merry little Christmas this year.