"Mom! Wow, what are you doing here?!"
"Spencer!" she called out, immediately taking his face in her hands, stroking his cheeks and worrying about him out loud, "You're not getting enough sleep. And you are still drinking too much coffee!"
He moved her hands from his face but held them in his own and leaned forward to kiss her on the cheek.
"Hi Mom! It's great to see you." He surveyed the group around him: a man in orderly wear, a woman in a suit, JJ and Rossi. His eyes narrowed, made contact with Rossi's and Rossi confessed and made introductions.
"Elizabeth Simpson, a nurse I retained the services of for the duration. Tim Jackson, nurse and attendant. And I believe you already know the other two guilty parties," he laughed, indicating JJ and himself. "Mr. Jackson flew out from Las Vegas with us, he's actually Bennington staff who has been seconded to DC until we send him back. And Elizabeth I hired here, to stay at the mansion with your mother and Mr. Jackson."
"Spencer?" Diana Reid interrupted to get her son's attention. "Where are the babies?"
"Sit down, Mom," he indicated the chair she'd been sitting in; and the mug and biscuits on the table in front of it. "Finish your tea and snack and we'll go up and see them in a few minutes." To encourage her, he took a seat next to her and invited the others to join them. Tim and Elizabeth declined, saying they were going to get themselves some lunch and discreetly wait for the Reids' visit to be concluded.
JJ bent down to tell Spencer she was going to go pick up the children from school and would bring Anna over to the hospital so she could visit. He thanked her, and as she left Rossi returned with two coffees in his hand. He set one in front of Spencer and sat at Reid's other side. Diana was preoccupied with her tea and Rossi took the opportunity to explain.
"JJ and MaryBeth wanted your mother to be able to see her grandchildren. JJ enlisted my help. So, I flew to Vegas on Friday and convinced the warden of the institute holding your mother that she could come out east," he gestured as he spoke, "Stay at my mansion. All I needed was for him to allow it, and to let me bring your mother's favourite attendant along. I promised warden I'd have a female nurse for her too. She's doing really well, Spencer, she went for a walk through the grounds today, and Elizabeth and Mudgie went with her. Your mother really likes my dog."
Reid smiled and thanked Rossi for his efforts, and they spent about half an hour in the coffee shop with Diana as she drank her tea and regaled her son with tales of her terror on the flight in from Vegas.
Knowing she would have been sedated for the flight he guessed, "You had a bad dream on the plane, Mom?"
"I did," she agreed. "A nightmare. An absolute nightmare." She looked around and smiled at her only son, "But I made it. I'm here. Now, where are those grand babies?"
The door to Melissa's room opened, and Spencer ushered in David Rossi and Diana Reid. After introducing herself to them both, and thanking Rossi for his role in bringing Diana to them, MaryBeth excused herself and told Spencer she was going to go home. She kissed Melissa goodbye and pulled out her cell phone as she left, texting a message to JJ.
Melissa hugged her mother in law and took her hand, walking her over to the isolette where the babies were sleeping. Rossi followed with Reid and peeked at the sleeping angels then stood aside to allow Diana to move closer.
Diana smiled down at them for a moment and then Melissa led her to a chair to sit down. She still had Spencer's iPhone and she picked it up off the table and quietly pulled up a chair beside Diana. Clicking the phone on, she proceeded to show Diana all the photos they'd taken.
"They've been sleeping for about an hour, and I'm sure they'll be awake soon, then you can see Spencer and Erin better," Melissa told her. Diana didn't quite understand how to scroll through the photos so Melissa helped her and suddenly Diana gasped.
Spencer, who'd been chatting with David Rossi heard the gasp and glanced over. Rossi excused himself, citing work and bade them goodbye, telling them he'd be back later.
Diana was reading the screen and she read aloud,
"Erin Diana Maeve."
Melissa nodded.
"You gave your daughter my name as a middle name?"
"Absolutely."
A tear sprang to Diana's eye, and her voice dropped to a whisper, "And you honoured Spencer's first love too?"
Again Melissa nodded, her own eyes threatening to well up.
Diana reached over and patted Melissa's hand. "What a truly lovely girl you are."
Her attention returned to the phone, and Melissa showed her baby Spencer's photos. She gave Diana the phone and stood up to stretch her legs a bit and take a few steps. Diana looked through them all, savouring the moment and looked up to say,
"I had the perfect son. The perfect baby. And still, somehow, he manages to grow into this wonderful man and one ups me with beautiful twins."
"Aw, mom—" Spencer started and the door to Melissa's room opened again and in raced Anna. JJ waved and told them "Gotta run! Henry and MaryBeth are waiting for me downstairs; we brought Anna straight from school." Reid walked to the door and called out a thank you as she disappeared down the hallway then turned back to the group assembled in the room.
Anna launched herself at Melissa who held out her hands to stop her. Spencer rushed over to help, knowing that Melissa was unable to pick up Anna until her stitches had healed.
"Hang on there, Anna. Shhh, the babies are sleeping. You'll see them when they wake up, okay?" Spencer told her as he swept her up in his arms. "Let your Mom sit down first." After Melissa was comfortably seated, Spencer set Anna down on her knee and she immediately threw her arms carefully around her mother's neck.
"I missed you so much, Anna."
"I missed you too Mommy." They snuggled for a long moment and Diana was transfixed, watching them closely. Finally, Anna climbed down off Melissa's lap and stood shyly in front of Diana, who was enthralled by Anna's sweet personality.
"Are you My Gramma Diana?" she asked tentatively.
Diana nodded, "I am indeed, Anna. You sweet girl. Just like your mother. You know, I tell everyone in the home that I live in just how smart and special you are."
Anna beamed and stepped a little closer, inviting a hug with her open arms. Touched, Diana leaned forward and gathered Anna into her own arms and stroked her hair.
"Dear child, dear dear child," she whispered as they continued to hug. "It is so wonderful to finally meet you. I have so many of your pictures and your lovely artwork in my room. And now I finally get to meet you."
At that moment, a squeak emanated from the isolette. As Melissa made her way over to the babies, Spencer chuckled and said, "Sounds like he's done with sleeping for now."
Sure enough, when Melissa looked down into the isolette, Erin was still sleeping, and Spencer was waving his little fists around. She picked him up and carried him over to where Diana was sitting. Anna had finally been released from the hug, and now stood before her grandmother. Melissa cuddled Spencer then offered him to Diana. His father held his breath, wondering if Diana would be able to properly hold an infant and he marveled at Melissa's trust and confidence in her mother in law. Diana carefully held the baby, supporting his head with one hand and tucking him against herself.
"Just breathtaking," she murmured. Anna stood next to her, staring in awe of her new baby brother. Melissa sat back down on the bed and patted the spot next to her. Anna eagerly climbed up and sat next to her and Diana beckoned her own son closer. As Spencer neared her, she handed him his baby and gestured towards Anna.
"I think somebody wants to hold her baby brother."
He smiled broadly and waiting momentarily as Melissa anchored herself by Anna's side to help support, then Spencer laid his baby namesake into Anna's waiting arms.
"Look! Look Mommy! I'm holding My Spencer!"
"You are indeed, and he looks very happy to be there."
Melissa and Diana laughed and Spencer reached for the iPhone to take pictures. Anna told her new baby brother all about Muttli and their house, and although he was too young to comprehend any of it, it was evident they were bonding. Anna was completely captivated by him and he was obviously content to be in her arms.
A little while later, Melissa took baby Spencer from his older sister and told Anna that it was time to change and feed him. Anna quietly got the box of baby wipes and a diaper from the tabletop beside the isolette and brought them back to her mother. Melissa laid little Spencer down on her bed and showed Anna how she cleaned him and changed his diaper. Anna was a little disappointed that she wouldn't be able to give Spencer a bottle but she remembered Melissa had told her about nursing the babies.
"Did I do that when I was a little baby too, Mommy?" she asked as she sat on the bed next to Melissa who was feeding Spencer.
"Uh huh. You sure did, Sweet Pea. That's how you got to be such a big and strong girl."
"Can I touch him?"
"You can pat his head, Honey, but don't distract him from what he's supposed to be doing." Melissa was careful to be as inclusive as she could with Anna. The older sister watched intently as the baby suckled. Melissa told her,
"He'll be way more fun for you, Anna, when he's a little older and you can play with him. Right now, all the babies do is eat, sleep, cry and mess their diapers."
"And this one's a champ," his father intoned. He took Anna's hand and helped her off the bed, suggesting they go look at her little sister now. "Quietly," he said, putting his finger over his own lips to demonstrate, Anna tiptoed over to the isolette and peered at Erin.
"She's beautiful, Daddy!"
"She certainly is, Sweet Pea, beautiful just like you."
Anna whispered, "How long before she wakes up, Daddy?"
"Look," he directed. "It looks like she's thinking about it right now."
Erin stirred and kicked her little legs, as much as she was able to, being swaddled in a blanket. Her eyes opened and she let out a huge yawn and Anna laughed. Spencer lifted her out of the isolette and motioned for Anna to walk back over to the bed.
Tenderly, he placed Erin into Diana's hands and introduced them.
"Erin, this is your grandmother, my mom. Mom, this is Erin Diana Maeve Reid, all four pounds nine ounces of her."
Diana blinked back tears as she cuddled the baby girl. She held Erin for several minutes, and then once again indicated to Spencer that Anna wanted to hold her little sister. He repeated the process of having her sit up on the bed, and placed Erin into her arms once Anna was settled. Anna was very careful to support the baby's head and then she told her father,
"You have to take pictures again Daddy! I need a picture of me and my baby sister!" He complied, taking many photos, and then asked Anna if she wanted some pictures with her Gramma too.
"Oh, yes!" the little girl enthused. Looking over at Diana, she amended, "If it's okay with Gramma Diana too."
Spencer took Erin from Anna so she could climb down off the bed and stand beside Diana for pictures. Melissa was burping little Spencer and once that was accomplished, she laid him down in her lap so she could take Erin from her father and feed her too.
Spencer took several photos of Diana and Anna and then he received a text alert. The message was from Diana's attendant, informing Spencer that it was nearing time for her medication and that she could probably use a nap. The drive from the hospital to Rossi's mansion was at least ten or fifteen minutes, Reid replied; indicating they should come up and take Diana to her temporary home. She spent the last few minutes before they arrived chatting happily with Anna, and kissed Anna goodbye as she left with her nurse.
"We'll see you again tomorrow, Mom," Spencer promised her as she left. Shutting the door behind them, he turned to his family. "I want to get a couple of pictures of all of you," he said, lifting Anna up and sitting her down on the bed next to Melissa. Spencer put Erin in Anna's arms, snuggled up against her mother. Melissa picked little Spencer up from where he'd been laying in her lap and moved his blanket from his face. She posed with the three children as Spencer snapped a few photos.
A knock at Melissa's door announced the arrival of Leeta, bearing a tray with Melissa's dinner. She set the tray down on the side table and asked Reid for his phone. He complied, and was about to ask her when she gestured for him to sit next to Melissa and the kids on the bed.
"Family picture!" Leeta explained as she took several photos for them. "And now it's dinner time for mom here. I'm going to take the babies down to the nursery for a while so you can eat your dinner."
Spencer picked Anna up as Leeta and Melissa each put one of the babies back into the isolette. She blew kisses to her little siblings and Spencer kissed Melissa, then said,
"I'm gonna take Anna home, get some dinner into her and put her to bed. She's had a long day. And speaking of long days, Mel, I think you could probably use some food and some rest too."
Standing behind Melissa, Leeta nodded her agreement and addressed her, "Perhaps you'd like to take a bath or shower yourself, Melissa?"
"That does sound wonderful," Melissa acknowledged. She kissed Anna and then Spencer and he took one of her hands briefly.
"This has just been an incredible, incredible day. I can't even—" he paused, bit his lip, squeezed her hand and then leaned forward and kissed her cheek. "Thank you. Thank you for Anna, for Spencer and Erin, for you, for us. I love you Melissa," he choked back tears and promised, "We'll be back tomorrow. You need to eat. And sleep."
Anna kissed Melissa once more, and then she and her father left for home. Leeta settled Melissa back in her bed, pulled the wheeled tray with her dinner on it around so she could eat. She told Melissa she'd be back in a few minutes and then maneuvered the isolette out the door and down the hallway to the nursery.