Sammy & Ilna: Thankful for you both, always.
Sammy thanks for the transition and 'Bun' in this one :)

REALMcRollers: so thankful to be in the middle of the THIRD annual Thanksgiving Marathon with you all.

Always Your Baby

Part 4 of the REAL World Thanksgiving Marathon

Steve took the day off to accompany Mary, Aaron, Joan, Joseph and Grandma Ang to the Foster Botanical Gardens on a private tour arranged by Boris. Over breakfast, Elizabeth begged off claiming she was suffering from a case of jet lag compounded by over-excitement from the barbecue and Catherine quickly volunteered to stay home and keep her mother company. Sensing mother and daughter wanted some alone time, the others set off promising they'd all meet up later for lunch.

Elizabeth Rollins watched her daughter move across the kitchen and sighed happily.

Catherine took two mugs down and reached for the honey. "What kind of tea? We have that mango infusion you like, and chamomile …"

"The mango is fine, sweetheart." She moved up beside her and took the mugs. I'll pour, are you hungry?"

"Do you want a snack? We have plenty of fruit and Steve bought those cookies Dad likes …"

"No, no, I'm fine, I thought you might want something."

"I'm good with just the tea. How about we have it on the deck? We have a whole three hours to just hang around, let's take advantage."

They shared a grin.

"Perfect." She made her way outside and Catherine followed with Cammie at her heels.

"I'm just going to let her have a quick potty break, be back in a second."

Elizabeth sat on one of two chaises and placed both cups on the table between them. Looking up, she watched Catherine as she bent to kiss the attentive dog who was frolicking at her side. She smiled and took a sip of tea as other images of her daughter entered her mind.

Flashback
Spring 1980

"We have a whole day to plan, what do you think of that?" Elizabeth tapped her daughter's nose and laughed at the happy 'Yay!' "So, first we're going to have some breakfast, and then a walk in the park and then, ohh I know, we'll call Grandma Ang and you can talk to her."

"Gamma An!" The dark eyed toddler clapped and pointed to the wall-mounted phone.

"That's right, we'll talk to Grandma Ang and then we'll go to storytime and surprise Daddy at the base."

"Daddy?" Catherine looked around and not seeing Joseph, cocked her head in question.

"Daddy's at the base working, but we'll go surprise him later. You can wear your new sailor dress. Right now, we're going to have some cereal. You're such a good girl, Mommy loves you." She hugged her daughter and placed a kiss on the little one's cheek, inhaling the scent of her freshly bathed baby's hair and reveling in the hug when she said, 'Wuv Mama.'

"Love you, baby, so much."

August 1993

"Got 'cha, Salty!"

Elizabeth looked up at the sound of her daughter's laugh carrying on the wind of the beach. Her long, dark hair was in a ponytail and the blue and white anchor pattern of her bikini was obscured by the medium sized dog she'd scooped up at the surf line. She was placing kisses on his furry face and the dog's tail was wagging wildly with joy.

Putting down the application of a volunteer tutor for the program she'd started at the base center, Elizabeth stood and greeted Catherine as she ran up the back steps of the small cottage. Living off-base at Joseph's current billett was a nice change and the house was close to the beach. It was small but perfectly suited to the family of three.

"Hungry, sweetheart?" She laughed when Catherine grabbed her in a soggy hug. "Ohhh you're chilly. Water's cold today." She grabbed a beach towel, said, "You left your towel up here," and wrapped her up, hugging her in the process. "That's better."

"Aww, thanks." She kissed her mom's cheek and smiled. "I'll take a fast shower and help start dinner." Instead of moving though, Catherine turned and hugged Elizabeth back. Smiling brightly, she said, "I love you, Mom."

Noting for the hundredth time that summer how her 'baby' was now a shade taller than she was, Elizabeth gave her an extra squeeze before letting go. "Love you, sweetheart, so much." Turning to the happy dog who was wagging his whole back end, she smiled. "Okay, Salty, come on, let's rinse you off and warm you up. We love you, too."

Present

"Mom? Mom?" Catherine repeated as she took her seat and scooted over so Cammie could join her on the lounge.

"Oh, sorry, I was lost in my head." Elizabeth smiled. "And that's adorable." She pointed to how, as soon as Catherine got comfortable, Cammie sighed and placed her head on her thigh.

"I told you, she knew before I did." She passed a hand over the dog's head. "What were you thinking? Or should I guess?" Her eyes lit with her smile.

"That I'm so excited for you to be a mom." He eyes crinkled with her grin. "And that I can't wait to meet my grandchild."

Catherine ran a hand over her tummy. "Gonna have to wait a little while."

"And I'll love every minute of it." She reached across and took her daughter's hand, squeezing gently.

"I'm going to have a lot of questions."

"And I'm ready to answer whatever I can." She looked in the familiar brown eyes, so like her own. "You have one now?"

"I do. Mom ... what did it feel like? When I moved?"

"The first time?"

Catherine nodded.

"I was just about to fall asleep and I felt like a very tiny bubble sort of appeared, moved up and popped. I remember thinking, was that it? Should I wake your father? It wasn't anything like I'd expected. So I waited a few minutes and then I was sure."

"How?" Catherine was paying rapt attention.

She smiled. "In light of what your father calls you, in hindsight I should have known." She chuckled and shook her head. Catherine tilted her own head in question and Elizabeth grinned at the gesture. She knew it was one she herself made and her daughter had made it for as long as she could remember. "It was like having a really strong butterfly trapped in my tummy."

"Ohhh." Catherine smiled. "Really?"

"Absolutely. I woke your dad up but he couldn't feel it yet. But by the time I was almost six months along, he could feel you kicking away. Oh, and you'd get hiccups if I ate anything spicy."

"That's … amazing."

"It's all amazing, sweetheart. And once the baby arrives it's even more so." Her look was one of pure love. "Even when they're amazing adults with incredible lives and your baby is having a baby. And …" she smiled softly. "They're always your baby."

Catherine stood and moved to sit next to her mother, hugging her tightly. "I love you, Mom."

Holding on for a good while before letting go with a sniff, Elizabeth chuckled. "If I can be half the grandmother Grandma Ang is …"

"You'll be incredible. So will Dad. I've always been so lucky to have you both and now the baby will be too."

Elizabeth cupped her cheek, nodding her thanks. Clearing her throat, she chuckled lightly. "You know, your father thinks the baby will look like you. Me. Us."

"Really?"

"Absolutely."

The women looked up at the sound of footfalls as Steve's voice reached their ears. "Then we'll have the best looking kid ever." He stepped up and kissed Catherine. "Came back for Joanie's elephant." He held it up. "Sorry to interrupt. Call if you need anything." He smiled at Elizabeth, ran a hand over Cammie's head and backed out through the lanai door.

"That is one very, very happy father-to-be," Elizabeth stated the obvious.

"He's trying really hard to control the protective streak."

"How's he doing?"

"Jury's still out," she said with a grin. "No, I'm kidding, he's doing okay. Although I get the feeling he and Cammie have had a few meetings." The dog pricked her ears at her name and the women chuckled until Catherine asked, "So, did you have any cravings?"

"Are you having any?"

"Not yet. Danny keeps teasing Steve about weird food combinations, trying to gross him out, but he knows there's really nothing Steve won't eat."

Elizabeth shook her head. "I didn't crave anything odd. I liked soup. Or rather, you did. Especially chicken noodle. I must have eaten a vat of it. And butternut squash soup. I do remember Grandma telling me she craved pot roast and pierogi when she was expecting me and chocolate eclairs with your uncle."

Catherine grinned. "Really?"

"And my brother still prefers dessert to dinner."

"That's incredible."

"Every pregnancy is different, just like every baby is. And I can't wait to meet this little one. We may have to tether your dad when the baby arrives, he's so happy he might float away."

"Mom … I ..." She stopped and started again, "I just …"

"What, sweetheart?"

"Thanks."

"You never have to thank me, Catherine, for anything. Your dad and I are so happy for you and Steve. And remember, anything you don't know? You'll figure out together. Just like you always have. Because, my beautiful daughter, you two are going to be amazing parents." She took her hand. "You'll be a great mommy, I promise."

"If I am, it's because I've watched the best." Catherine smiled and squeezed her mother's hand gently. "Just like you did."

# End Thanks for reading.

Don't miss tomorrow's story: part 5 of the REAL World Thanksgiving Marathon!

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