May 19, next day

Park house, Midtown Manhattan

Matilda's Point of View

Today is my thirtieth birthday, and it's been one of my best birthdays to date.

It started at seven-fifteen this morning when my family woke me up, singing 'Happy Birthday' to me and carrying a tray of all of my favorite things to eat, including French toast, fresh fruit and bacon. There was so much that I felt like I wouldn't have to eat for days afterward.

After the food came all of the presents, and there were heaps because along with the ones from my Jung, Shakayla, Grayson and Zoe Jane, there were presents from Jung's parents as well as from both of my older half-brothers, Kevin and Thomas, as well as a few from my sister-in-law Jenny's parents. (They treat Kevin, Thomas and I like their own since none of our parents are around anymore) I only got through a small portion of my gifts before Shakayla had to remind Grayson that they had to leave right at that moment for the subway if they wanted to male it to school on time. That left Jung and I with five-month-old Zoe Jane, who had a field day with the wrapping paper when she found it, ripping the discarded paper and throwing it up in the air.

Midday has been the highlight so far because both of my darling brothers dropped by with big bouquets of daisies, and took me out to lunch at my favorite Italian restaurant in Times Square, all as a surprise. I treause times like that with them because up until nine years ago, I didn't even know they existed!

Luckily, I only a had a half-day of illustrating business to take care of because I have a book launch party to get ready for. The book in question is for the Rick Castle's first children's book: Nikki Heat, Almighty Hank the Tank and the Case of the Missing Canary. Calvin and I are the illustrators for the story, which is geared towards the six-and-under crowd, and we just got the advanced copies yesterday. When he saw his name in print next to mine, his favorite illustrator, he was practically in orbit because he was so excited and proud.

Just as I was packing up to go home, Jenny stopped by to whisk me away on a shopping trip. She knew full well that I had a book launch because she was also going, but 'a little birdie' told her that I still didn't have a dress yet, so she decided to come with me to make sure I actually bought a dress.

(I've known Jenny since I was twenty-one, and we treat each other like the sisters we never had)

And now, at five o'clock, I was arriving back home to get ready for the party and when I arrived home, the house was disturbingly quiet.

"Hello? Is anybody home?"

Jung came around the corner from the kitchen, holding Zoe in his arms.

"I'll trade you that garment bag for a baby." He joked as our daughter squealed happily at the sight of me.

"Here you go." I swapped him my garment bag for Zoe and looked around. "Where are Shakayla and Grayson?"

"They left about thirty minutes ago to get ready at Miranda's house."

(Miranda Gates is Shakayla's girlfriend)

"So that leaves me, you and the baby…"

I looked down at the baby perched on my hip, holding onto my shirt and babbling happily to herself.

"Sometimes," I mused to Jung as I gave Zoe a cuddle. "I'm still surprised that Zoe's hair is red because you and I both have such dark hair that's never changed color naturally."

"I've said it before, but I'll say it again: she didn't get it from me because of my deep and authentic Korean heritage, and you said your mom wasn't a redhead, so it stands to reason that it was your dad."

"Yeah, but I wish that I could have known his name and what he was like, even if he was a drug dealer. He was killed thirty years ago today…"

"What kind of talk is that on your birthday?" Jung put an arm around my shoulders and steered me towards the stairs. "Now why don't you go show me this dress you got?"

"It's a ball gown that makes me look like a Disney princess!"

"But it's your birthday, and besides, I know Rick is the author, but you're one of the illustrators, and it's no secret that you have a legion or two of young fans who are going to be there, each one more thrilled than the next just to see you, and they'll think that it's the neatest thing that you're dressed to the nines on your special day."

I felt better immediately and began describing the dress in detail.

Across town, Gramercy Park

Alexis' Point of View, same time

Way to go, me! Not.

Last night, I was given a pleasant surprise when mom, Gram and Ashley's mother, Molly, decided to treat me to dinner at my favorite fancy restaurant in Midtown. Gram asked me what kind of wanted, but I was thinking about other things, and my automatic response was "No wine for the preggo." Mom, Gram and Molly were very surprised and excited nonetheless by the accidental reveal of the news, meaning that dad and Ashley's dad, Seamus, were going to find out by the end of the night.

Ashley and I had been planning to tell our families during a family gathering, but that obviously backfired because even LJ and Jameson found out. The two of them commandeered mom's phone to video chat happily with me about it.

At least Tobias knows and is over the moon…

DING DONG!

"Can somebody please get the door?" I called into the din of seven extra people in a small space. "That should be Melissa!"

Jessica was happy to oblige and went to let her in while I coaxed Grace Esposito away from the cabinets of pots and pans that she was determined to get into. It took a few minutes because she started barking at me, sounding like an angry Chihuahua puppy, but I was finally able to shoo her out of the kitchen and into the living room where she immediately stayed next to Bella.

"What's going on, Alexis?" Melissa asked as she set her purse down but held onto her garment containing her new dress. "Calvin told me to meet you here to get ready for an event tonight, but he's been sworn to secrecy about it and can't or just won't tell me anything."

I shrugged. "Well, I guess it's because you don't have kids yet, but we're going to get ready for the book launch party of dad's new picture book, you know: Nikki Heat, Almighty Hank the Tank and the Case of the Missing Canary."

"So that's what it's called…"

"Plus, it's at the children's bookstore downtown, The Story Cave." Jessica chirped. "We are regular visitors there because they have a wide selection of books in Braille."

"The best part about tonight, though, is that it's also a surprise for Tillie as gift from her fans because she has an astonishing amount of little ones who love her work. My parents, Calvin, and the president of Black Pawn Publishing all put it together. As far as Tillie knows, she's just going to a book launch."

Melissa was nodding as she looked around the apartment living room. "Okay, but why are there so many kids here? Toby lives here, but what about Bella, Grace, Tokutaro, Mitsunobu, Shinju and Nozomi?"

"Bella is here because she's my daughter," Jessica teased, holding her hands in the small of her back, to relieve the ache from her huge pregnant belly. "And Gracie tagged along because Bella asked for her. Leon is here, too, but he's napping in Tobias' room."

"Javier and Lanie aren't coming?"

"No, because papa is bone tired from work and I also thought it would be nice for them to have some quiet time with my new sister, Liberty. She's two weeks old now and getting so big already!"

Melissa smiled, but her expression seemed vacant, something that Jessica wouldn't catch because she's blind.

"Why don't you explain to Melissa why four of Yoshi's younger siblings are here?" I said in a pointed tone.

"Jim just went out of town today to teach a short course at his alma mater in Pennsylvania and will be gone for about a month, and Amaya is at the hospital overnight with one of her patients, so she's going to be home at some point tomorrow, and Keiko is being babysat by Amaya's parents. It's all hands on deck at the house right now, and Yoshi and I are running the show."

(So it looks like Jessica has fully moved in at the Serizawa-Beckett house…)

"Where is Yoshi?"

Working, but he'll be along soon. I already brought his suit over…"

"Awwww!" I gushed. "That's cute, the way you're keeping tabs on his things like that!"

Jessica gave me a playful shove which made Melissa smile a little bit.

"Why am I always the last one to know about these kinds of things, though?"

"Because you and Calvin don't have any real reasons of your own to be regular customers at a children's bookstore. Not yet, anyway."

"That's what you think…" she muttered.

Jessica and I stared at her in shock, having instantly understood what she meant, and when Melissa realized that we knew, she burst into tears and left the room. We found her sitting on the edge of mine and Ashley's bed.

"What's the matter?" I asked Jessica and I sat on either side of her. "It's okay to cry, but why did you start?"

"My money is on a pregnancy because you totally just gave it away." Jessica added.

"Well, you're right about that. I'm upset with myself because Calvin and I wanted to tell you two together, and I've spoiled the surprise." Melissa laughed a little bit. "I'm five weeks along, and we just saw our precious little one on the screen at the appointment this morning."

"I understand why you two would keep something like this quiet because Alexis and I have both been in situations where that was imperative," Jessica said. "But do your sisters know?"

"They found out shortly after me, and they were horrid. It was like a kneejerk response, but it was still horrid."

Melissa went on to explain how they had reacted, leaving Jessica and I sympathetic but confused because she was smiling.

"The biggest silver lining is that Jordan and Rafferty extended me an invitation to move in there."

"Oh, that's great!" I chirped. "Did you take it?"

"Of course, and we'll be there until we've found a place of our own to live." She ran a hand over her belly where I could see a small bump forming. "I just hope it's before the baby comes…"

"I'm sure it will be," I addressed Jessica, too. "And guess what, you two?"

"What?"

"Jessica's baby boy is going to have two playmates because I'm expecting, too!"

Both of my friends gave happy squeals and hugged me, but we didn't get much time to talk because Shinju appeared suddenly in the doorway politley knocking on the doorframe.

"Tía Lexie?"

I turned towards her. "Yes?"

"Mitsunobu just tolded me to tell you that it's time to get ready to go. Also, I think Leon is wakin' up."

I thanked her as I got to my feet and gave her some instructions. "One of us will get Leon, but you go round everyone up and tell them to come back here because everybody's fancy clothes are hanging in my closet. And if Grace barks again, get one of the big boys to carry her in here!"

Understanding my words, the seven-year-old scampered out while Melissa left to get Leon and Jessica fished her dress out of the closet and changed behind my huge Chinese changing screen in the far corner of my room. In the midst of the chaos, Ashley and Yoshi both arrived at the same time and were happy to help everyone get ready.

The task of dressing baby Leon fell to me because I was the only person he wanted to be with and as I sat on the edge of the bed, getting the infant dressed and cooing to him in baby talk, my husband and son both wandered in, dressed in tuxedos.

"Hey, Red." Ashley greeted me with an old pet name. "Are you ready yet?"

I made a conscious effort to speak in a normal tone. "Almost. I've got my favorite maternity dress on, but I need to finish getting Leon ready first."

Leon, who had started looking around at the mention of his name and began babbling louder than before.

"Isn't that right, little guy?" I cooed enthusiastically, propping himself up so I could put his hat and socks on him a little easier. "All your Tía Lexie has to do is finish getting you ready and then it's my turn!"

Leon just laughed and squealed in response.

I finished with him and stood up, but felt vertigo for a second. Ashley caught me as I swayed and helped me to sit back down, but for good measure, he sat Tobias next me and took Leon in his own arms.

"What's the matter?" my husband asked with concern.

I massaged my noticeable baby bump. "Just a little vertigo spell, is all. It'll pass."

Because Tobias' leg isn't done healing yet, he's still in a cast, so he half crawled, half dragged himself towards me and gave my belly a rub.

"Sissy, be goo' fo' mama!" he admonished in an authoritative manner for a one-and-a-half year old. "Be goo' an' then have lotsa fun!"

"Those are wise words, Toby. Are you setting an example for the baby?"

"An' Leon! He es my buddy!"

Ashley chipped in a question at this point. "You think the baby in mama's tummy is a girl?"

Tobias nodded, responding in Spanglish, the language he seems to prefer the most. "Si! Baby es girl 'cause-a wissin' sta's!"

He crawled away after that, humming the tune to 'Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.' Ashley and I stared after him before I got to my feet again and continued getting myself ready. Once I was done, it took another twenty minutes to make sure everybody had what they wanted to bring, but we were all out of the apartment in a flash when the doorman called up that the town care my dad had previously arranged for had arrived. After everybody got settled and the driver started driving, Shinju's voice could be heard from the backseat, loud and clear.

"Next stop: The Story Cave for a book launch! Full speed ahead, Captain!"