"I bought you something."
Alaya pulls out from her back a leather briefcase and hands it to her wife.
Fall has brought more changes to 15 Savile Row residents with Fiona taking a teaching position and being surgical consultant two days a week for London Medical School for Women.
"This is beautiful!"
"I wanted you to know that I noticed all the papers you are bringing home." Alaya adds as watching her wife put on the backpack she had worn since the first day she rode past the window on 13 Paternoster row. "Your backpack isn't going to survive much longer."
"I will call you after my classes to update you on my afternoon." She secures the briefcase to her bicycle where her portable typewriter used to be placed. She gets on her bicycle, and before she pedals off she turns to her wife, "Thank you, the gift is perfect."
Alaya watches her wife ride off and with a deep breath she runs back inside to begin her Tuesday.
The four young children have a strenuous educational schedule. The morning sessions begin at eight in the morning, a lunch break at noon, afternoon sessions and the learning day ends promptly at three forty-five in the evening.
Miss Shaw teaches languages. When Miss Shaw is teaching Miss Gardner takes over for answering the phones for the three businesses.
Miss Gardner teaches mathematics. Since Miss Shaw doesn't do accounting each night, Miss Gardner stays an extra hour or works while eating lunch. When she stays late, her Tori comes to her office, with a book and patiently waits to escort her Allie home.
Madame Vastra in charge of art and literature that include monthly visits to the art museums, studios and live readings.
Jenny Flint teaches humanities and domestic science.
Alaya teaches social studies Tuesday and Thursday while Monday, Wednesday and Friday it is English.
Fiona teaches science and biology Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
Commander Strax teaches nutrition and military strategy.
Once a month Alaya, Fiona and April take a box of used copies of literature to Elm House.
Fall 1918
April watches her mothers take a box into the classroom, takes three copies of each book off the shelf and put them into a box. She runs over and looks into the box, "Where?"
"They are going to girls that do not have such books like these," Alaya explains, "Since you girls love to read we will keep one copy on the shelf."
"Where?"
"It is a very nice home for girls who do not have a mother and father."
"Orphans?"
Fiona nods yes,"Do you understand what an orphan is?"
April shakes her head and climbs up the ladder and points to book titles, "Jane Eyre, Oliver Twist, Anne Shirley, Cinderella, Mowgli, Cosette, David Copperfield, Pip and Pollyanna."
"We have that many books on orphans?" Fiona grabs her daughter and pulls her close.
April nods, "Yes."
"You are not an orphan." Alaya tickles her daughter stomach.
April shrugs, "Maybe."
"Maybe?" Fiona tells her daughter, "You are not an orphan."
April pulls back and looks at her mothers, "No Father."
"There is not father." Fiona smiles, "You are correct. You have two mothers. Is that acceptable?"
April thinks about it nods yes and looks down at the books in the box. "May I help?"
"Of course."
Alaya pulls the car up to the Elm House. Alaya and Fiona carry the boxes up the walk.
April tugs on her mother's skirt, "Yes April?"
"I want to help," As she holds out her arms.
Alaya looks in the boxes and find three books small enough for her daughter's arms. "There. Let Mrs. Fry and Miss Kate give instructions as to which rooms get the books."
April nods.
Fiona knocks at the door.
Running can be heard as girls run down the stairs.
"Welcome, Fiona and Alaya." Kate smiles down, "Who have we here?"
The young Silurian hybrid takes a deep breath and whispers loudly, "April."
"Hello April." Kate gestures all to enter.
April blushes as the attention is drawn towards her, and she travels behind Alaya's skirt peeking out holding tight to the three books in her arms.
Mrs. Fry comes out of the back room, with her usual hair out of place. "More books for my girls?"
Alaya and Fiona shake their head yes.
"Good. Kate you can handle it from here while I get tea ready for the four of us."
"I will join you shortly." Kate nods and gives her attention to April. "April you have three books?"
"Anne's House of Dreams" April replies softly.
Kate stands up, "Let's see which room gets first dibs." She trails her pencil down one by one the books are distributed to each of the twelve room.
It is down to the last three in April's hands.
"April please you give one book to Helen." April holds out her arms as a tall, freckled face girl takes the top book.
"The second copy goes to Mary," A short, thin girl with black hair and smiles to display a front tooth missing comes forward and take the book from Alaya's arms.
April now has one book left. She looks up at Kate, "One remaining."
"Oh," Kate looks down at her clipboard. "Kay!"
A timid girl comes forward, looks into April's eyes and smiles.
April's heart skips a beat and proudly hands the book over.
"Have you read the book already?" Kate asks April.
April nods her head yes.
"Do you want to read it together?"
Kay leads April to the second floor and into a small room passing one cot after another until they are at the window overlooking the street.
Kay sits in the bed closest to the window, "This is my cot."
"May I sit down?"
Kay blushes at the respect and nods yes.
April sits down on the cot as they hand the book back and forth taking turns reading chapters.
After an hour there is knock on the door frame, it shatters the intimate literary world April and Kay created.
They both jump and look back to see April's mother, Fiona.
"I am sorry April; our time is up here."
April gets off the cot, hands the book to Kay and then looks at her mother with desperate eyes.
"You may visit again if you wish."
April looks to the smiling Kay, "Yes, please."
"Say your goodbyes."
April looks to her new friend and asks, "Are you an orphan?"
Kay looks sad.
"Like Anne Shirley?"
Kay sadness doesn't disappear.
"Don't get adopted until I come to visit again, please. I need to find you."
Kay smiles and nods. "You will come back?"
April beefs up her chest, "I will return. I will bring a book for just for you and I."
Kay smiles brightly.
April stands tall and almost marches out of the room in pride.
The research and detective business is booming.
Vastra is getting paid to translate Silurian books.
Jenny, Vastra and Alaya are out each night chasing down criminals that Scotland Yard can't be bothered due to their small staff.
Fiona is called into the morgue for autopsies at least three to four nights a week.
Strax still wages war on the moon each night.
"This is the fourth burglary this week." Alaya hands over her Mother Jenny the dossier, "There isn't a pattern, yet. We canvas the four locations, question neighbors and found impostors." She hands them another sheet of paper, "We were hoping that you would assist in finding a pattern."
Fiona nods.
Vastra perks up and puts down her ink pen, "How does tonight sound? We can hibernate in the drawing-room after dinner."
Vastra wheels in her corkboard with the assistance of five year old Mirum.
Jenny follows behind with a tray of biscuits.
Odea carries the small picture of milk and hands it to her mother just in time.
Jennifer runs into the room and tackles Odea from behind. They begin rough housing as Vastra quickly moves the table from the middle of the room.
April heads straight to her favorite chair, next to the window, with her latest book.
Mirum sits down nearest to the cork-board and leans into her human mother for warmth.
Fiona comes in with tea service and notebook.
Alaya comes from behind, closes the door and hugs her wife putting down a folder of papers, "Thank you for the tea." She kisses her wife passionately on the neck.
Jennifer looks up at her mothers, "Do you have to do that here?"
Alaya looks to her mothers, "Was I this bad?"
Jenny and Vastra nod yes.
Vastra tries to outdo her daughter's passion. She grabs Jenny, swings her around, dips, wraps her tongue around the waist, slinks it back in and kisses on the lips with such deep love all four girls stop what they are doing to watch.
Alaya and Fiona turn away from the intimacy blushing.
"Why don't you kiss mommy like that?" April asks her mother, Alaya.
"She does." Fiona quickly defends her wife.
April blushes and returns to her book.
Vastra stands up and straightens up her clothing while Jenny adjusts her hair.
"Now what are we trying to find?" Vastra asks as she pins up the map of London.
Fiona replies, "A pattern."