Let's get Mattie and Charlie home to see how Martha and Jean managed looking after Grace and the house.

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Mattie and Charlie made a brief visit to his mother before heading off back to Ballarat. A week away from her daughter was enough for Mattie, it was nice but she missed breathing in that special baby smell and the little fingers pulling her hair. Elizabeth was delighted to see them and wished them well She had had Johnnie go out and buy a lovely little bangle for Grace. Mattie was touched at her thoughtfulness and hugged her gently.

'Thank you, it's really beautiful,' she whispered, smiling.

'Look after yourself, mum,' instructed Charlie, 'we'll try to visit more often and bring Grace, too.' He kissed his mother's cheek and they left with joy in their hearts.

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The train journey passed quickly enough and they took a taxi back to their home. Pulling onto the drive Mattie heaved a sigh of relief. Charlie paid the driver and took the cases to the porch. Unlocking the door he swiftly swung his new wife over his shoulder, fireman style, and carried her, protesting loudly into the hall.

'Put me down this instant Charlie Davies! Or I'm calling the police!' She screamed, bringing Martha running into the hall followed a little more slowly by Jean carrying Grace. Martha burst out laughing at her daughter's undignified entrance into the hall as did Jean. Charlie placed her quite gently back on her feet and she playfully slapped his arm.

'You forget, dearest, I am the police.' And in front of Jean and his mother-in-law he kissed her full on the mouth.

'Well, well, well,' grinned Martha, loving this easy affection between the two, 'what have we here? Most undignified, I must say.' With mock solemnity.

'Disgraceful behaviour, Martha,' Jean nodded her agreement, 'I don't know what they were thinking.' But she couldn't keep the laugh out of her voice.

'Hello, mother-in-law,' Charlie greeted Martha with a kiss on the cheek and Jean with the same. He was in a really silly mood, thought Mattie, but she forgave him as she took her daughter from Jean had hugged the two older women. She noticed how relaxed and happy her mother looked, but conversely Jean, she thought, looked a little jaded. Time for a check up she decided.

'Welcome home, sweetheart,' said Martha, noting how well they both looked.

'I'm glad to be back. We've had a lovely time, but it was time to come home. I missed Grace, and you all too.' Mattie smiled as Charlie put his arm around her.

'Well, the top floor has been turned into a flat for you.' Jean informed them. Lucien and I are going to use the studio and have a separate bathroom put in one of the side rooms. But for a few weeks we will have to share the bathroom, I'm afraid.'

'That sounds lovely,' Mattie was surprised at how quickly things had moved on in the house. She and Charlie knew that was what the Blake's had planned, but to get it sorted so soon was amazing. But better for the alterations to be over and done with before Jean had her babies. 'I hope you haven't been moving furniture, Jean,' she added trying to look serious.

'No,' Jean agreed it was a silly thing for her to be doing, 'Lucien had some of the station to help, and Martha sorted out the arranging of everything.'

'Jean kindly let me stay in your old room, dear,' said her mother.

'Your mother has been very helpful.' Jean smiled, 'did you know what a good cook she is, Mattie?'

'Is she?' Mattie was surprised, her mother was not noted for spending time in the kitchen at home.

'I needed help this week,' Jean finally had to admit to Mattie, she knew the nurse had noticed she looked tired, 'I'm a bit anaemic so I've been forced to rest, by Lucien and Martha.'

'You should have told me.' Mattie tried to look cross, 'I'd never have asked you to look after Grace if I'd known.'

'Why do you think I kept quiet and asked your mother to stay?' Jean looked close to tears.

Mattie put her arm round her, 'Okay, I'm sorry, it's just because I care, you know that, don't you?'

'Yes, but don't shout at me, it makes me cry and then I feel silly.' Jean managed a smile.

'When I've sorted out our luggage I'll do your check up.' Mattie wasn't going to argue, but she was going to do the check up, whether Jean liked it or not!

'Right, well in that case I'm going to put the kettle on.' And Jean turned and walked into the kitchen to make tea.

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'How are you, really?' Mattie asked once she got Jean into her consulting room.

'Well, I am tired, but not as much as I was,' Jean smiled, 'the babies are terribly active, even Lucien had commented on it when we're in bed! I still cry at the drop of a hat, I don't think I've cried so much for years.' She sighed. It was a source of consternation that she couldn't hold back the tears, and she had had to hastily leave anywhere public if someone said someone said anything remotely acidic. She had always been able to control herself before and it annoyed her that she couldn't now.

'Let me see,' Mattie looked at her notes, 'Mmm...ten weeks to go, if we got the first dates right.' She looked over the papers at her friend.

'That long?' Jean had enjoyed carrying the boys but this pregnancy was not going the way she had hoped. She'd admitted to Alice that she would be glad when she had given birth. She wanted the children, she had told her, but maybe she was a little old to be having babies.

Alice had pooh-poohed the idea. Every pregnancy was different, it was just that she was having twins that made it harder.

'Well, twins often come early,' Mattie informed her. 'Perhaps yours will.'

'Lucien wants me to go into hospital for the birth.' Jean said with a wry look on her face.

'In this case I think it would be wise, but don't worry we'll both be there, I'll make damn sure if it!'

'Oh, Mattie, thank you. That was what I was worried about. I want Lucien there, he is a doctor after all, and if you could be there too I'd feel so much happier.' Jean instantly brightened at the thought.

'Well, if I'd known that was what I needed to say to cheer you up, I'd have said it earlier.' Mattie went round the desk and hugged Jean. 'Come on, let's go into the living room, and be sociable.'

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Mattie spoke to Lucien about Jean wanting them both to be at the birth, it had been a worry for her.

'Oh I wish she'd said so,' Lucien relaxed, 'I didn't know she thought I'd be kept out of the delivery room. I certainly had planned to be there, as a doctor, not her husband. Nothing is keeping me out!'

'Well go and tell her, for goodness sake,' Mattie told him sternly, 'stop kissing her for a minute and start talking!'

'Spoilsport' quipped Lucien with a grin.

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Martha had decided that Jean's needs were more pressing than hers. She could wait until she could get Mattie alone to tell her she was divorcing her father, and why. Mattie had wondered how her mother had managed to engineer such a long stay in Ballarat but she was sure she would tell her soon. She had been disappointed that her father had not told Gina and Cookie that she had come back to Australia, but given his current attitude, she was not really surprised.

Mattie and Charlie settled back into life in the house quickly. The flat worked well for them, they had a sitting room, which her mother had bought the furniture for as a wedding present, a bedroom for themselves and a separate room for Grace. The bathroom would be theirs when the new one downstairs had been completed. It couldn't come soon enough for Jean, climbing the stairs so often was tiring, but she had no choice. Work had started but having workmen in the house during surgery hours was a nuisance. Lucien said it had to be done, otherwise it would take even longer.

A couple of weeks after the new Mr and Mrs Davies had arrived home Martha found a time she could be alone with her daughter. Mattie had taken some of Grace's laundry up to the flat to put away. Martha took a tray of tea up to the little sitting room and invited her daughter to join her. Mattie had a feeling her mother wanted to talk. There was an air about her that made Mattie think there was something bothering her, and she had stayed away from Melbourne for a lot longer than usual.

'Mum are you ok?' Mattie asked quietly.

'Mattie,' Martha looked her in the eye, 'I need to talk to you about me and your father.'

'You're getting a divorce, aren't you?' Mattie knew it wasn't subtle but she wanted to make it easier for Martha to open up.

'How did you guess?' Martha was surprised Mattie should have worked it out and been so bold.

'Well,' Mattie took her mother's hands in hers, 'you've stayed here over a month now, and while we love having you, I had expected you to have to organise a function or accompany dad to one. So the only explanation is that you're divorcing.'

'We are,' Martha was surprised to feel tears prick at her eyes. 'I caught your father in bed with his secretary the last time I went back.' She wasn't going to hide anything from Mattie, she was a married woman and deserved the truth.

'Oh no!' Mattie was astounded.

'He didn't notice me,' but then, Martha thought, when did he ever? 'I just closed the door and packed and went to see my lawyer the following morning. I left him a note with a photograph of you, me and Gracie, and left.' She told how she had stayed in a hotel until she was due back at Ballarat, and was not going to tell Mattie until she got back from her honeymoon.

Mattie leaned in and hugged her mother. It had taken a lot for her to admit everything to her daughter, from the letter to this.

'Your father has agreed to my terms; a yearly settlement and I won't disclose what he did.'

'What do you intend to do?' Mattie wondered what her long term plans were. She knew Jean would not turn her out and she had been such a help. She also seemed to fit in amazingly well. In the coming months Mattie thought her mother would be more than welcome, especially after Jean's twin were born.

'Eventually I would like to get a little apartment, here in Ballarat, but until then Jean has asked me to stay. I am paying towards the household expenses and trying to help out where I can.' Martha looked to her child for approval.

'Mum, I think that's wonderful. I know how much Jean values your help and friendship, and I like to think that you can see so much of Grace.' Mattie was genuinely pleased, they were building bridges, making up for lost time, and she liked it. She didn't think her mother would interfere in hers and Charlie's lives and, hopefully, would make a life for herself in Ballarat. She also hoped she could find someone to love her, as her father had not.

'I'm sorry I didn't realise how unhappy you were with dad.' She really was.

'Don't worry, darling. I'm putting that behind me. This is going to be a new life, one I can live well.' Martha tidied up the tea things and went downstairs, feeling relieved and relaxed.

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The new bathroom had been installed and Jean had been left 'holding the baby' while the household was turned round. The studio was turned into a large airy bedroom and the other side room into a nursery for the twins. Jean was now almost eight months pregnant. She was increasingly uncomfortable, Mattie thought they were quite big babies for twins and had secretly broached the subject of a caesarean to Lucien. He agreed it was a possibility but was not going to suggest it to Jean because it would upset her. As soon as she went into labour he was going to take her straight to hospital with Mattie, he wasn't going to take any chances with her life or those of the babies. Mattie could see he was quite worried. Jean's pregnancy hadn't been easy for her and although she was delighted to be having Lucien's children she would be glad when it was all over. She and Lucien had decided on names for them, two girls would be Fleur and Genevieve, two boys would be Charles and Thomas; one of each would be Fleur Genevieve and Thomas Charles, but they kept that to themselves.

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Three weeks before her due date Jean woke Lucien in the early hours of the morning.

'Lucien,' she whispered, why, she didn't know, they were alone in bed, 'I think I've started labour.'

Lucien turned over and placed his hand on her belly, he felt a slight tightening over the bump.

'I'll just alert Mattie and we'll get going.' He kissed her gently and slid out of bed.

Knocking on the room upstairs he called softly, 'Mattie, time to go.'

Mattie appeared at the door, 'Ok I'll just tell Charlie and I'll be right down.'

Five minutes later Mattie was at their door, washed, dressed and looking fairly professional. Lucien had his arms round a pale and tired looking Jean as he helped her out to the car. Mattie drove while Lucien sat in the back, trying to soothe his wife, who was in obvious pain.

'Everything's going to be alright, sweetheart,' he whispered, 'soon be there.'

Mattie and Lucien helped Jean into the hospital, into a wheelchair and straight to the maternity ward. Mattie instantly took charge. She got Jean into bed and started to examine her. She was not ready to give birth, Mattie hoped it wouldn't be a long labour but she had a feeling it might well be. Lucien came into the room, having told Sister that he was her doctor and nobody was going to keep him out!

Lucien examined Jean an hour later and determined she was getting ready to give birth to the first baby. Mattie organised some other midwives to help, not too many, it would frighten Jean. Just because she had already had two babies before didn't mean that on this occasion she would be any less scared.

Mattie and Lucien took it in turns to reassure Jean and give her sips of iced water.

Four hours in Lucien told Mattie that he could see a head and that number one was on its way.

'Next contraction, Jean, push.' he instructed.

Surprisingly quickly a little boy slid into his father's arms, and screamed loudly at having been disturbed. The baby was passed to a midwife to be weighed, cleaned and made ready to be handed to his mother. He had a good pair of lungs, Mattie remarked with a smile.

'Alright Jean, next one's on its way, get ready to push.' From his position at 'the business end' he could see her take a deep breath. While no one was looking he turned and quickly kissed the nearest part of his wife, her left knee. He saw her smile as she pushed out her daughter. Another strong pair of lungs gave vent and Jean relaxed.

'One of each,' Lucien grinned. 'Fleur Genevieve and Thomas Charles.' He allowed Mattie and the midwives to help Jean finish the birthing process and clean her up, make her comfortable, while he cradled his son and daughter. He moved to the head of the bed and leaned over and kissed her gently on the lips,

'You clever thing, you.' He whispered, 'I do love you.'

Jean gave a tired smile. 'I don't think we'll do that again, darling, I'm far too old.'

'You'll never be old to me, my love, ever.' He passed the babies to her and watched as she kissed their little heads.

'How heavy are they?' she asked, she'd felt like an elephant for so long.

'Fleur is five and a half pound and Thomas six pounds.' he looked at the notes. 'Good size for twins.'

Mattie looked at her, frankly, exhausted friend and smiled. Jean would have trouble feeding these two herself, so she suggested supplementing with formula.

'No buts, Jean' she looked stern, well as stern as she could, 'you need to get some sleep and these two will keep you awake all night. Their Lucien's remember! Evening feeds would be a good way to start, babies seem to be fuller with formula and they may go longer during the night. At least try.'

Jean nodded, Mattie made sense and she was too tired to argue anyway. They left her to rest and Mattie drove Lucien home.

Martha and Charlie were waiting on the kitchen. Grace was in her high chair having her breakfast. Charlie stood up as they came in,

'Well?'

'Fleur Genevieve and Thomas Charles and their mother are well.' Lucien slumped into a chair, suddenly aware of the enormity of what had just happened.

Charlie thumped him on the back, 'Congratulations, doc!'

'Yes, congratulations, Lucien,' Martha quietly passed him a cup of tea, 'Drink that and then bed, both of you.'

'Yes mum.'

'Yes, Martha.' smiling.

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Well, there you have it, Jean's had her twins, Mattie and Charlie are married, now what do I do about Martha?