Chapter 35

Revelations and new challenges

May 9th

We are on the plane coming into land at Boeing Field; I reach across for Samuel's hand whispering "all for one, one for all, whatever happens, babes" he just nods and squeeze's my hand.

I do, in my most secret moments, admit to some trepidation as to how my parents will react to our news.

I cling tightly to the thought daddy wants me to follow my dreams and this is one of my dreams 'just a year or three early' my snarky inner bitch reminds me as the plane taxi's to a halt on the runway and as the door opens I see my father waiting for us, alone, mom has opted to stay with the babies as they had their inoculations earlier today and Mireya has a bit of a sniffle and is running a slight temperature and I do wonder if this is the best time to tell daddy?

I run down the steps from the plane and throw myself into daddy's arms chattering ninety to the dozen as I tell him about my latest assignments and projects including the fact I now volunteer at the hospital in Pullman, on the ward specialising in head trauma, it's not long before we are at the house on the sound, only to be greeted by mom with Mireya in her arms, pacing in the hallway as she tries to quieten Mireya, tears running down mom's face, we are forgotten as daddy takes Mireya from mom's arms and rings Grandma Grace at the same time as he tries to calm my baby sister, mom stands wringing her hands and crying.

It seems there is no calming Mireya as daddy tries every trick in the book with her as I hold mom while she cries and Samuel gets our things settled in our suite, before brining Alazne to mom so she can be fed, and the little monkey is holding herself as stiff as a board and looking at him like he is the devil incarnate, daddy smiles as he dips down to kiss Alazne's head and saying "that's a good girl now educate your sisters please" before he slaps Samuel on the back saying "only kidding" but Samuel and I are unsure just how much daddy is kidding.

Grandma Grace walks through the door at this point and ushers us all into the family den taking Mireya from daddy as she say's "you're too hot aren't you baby, lets get some of these clothes off you, have a look at the injection site and take your temperature"

It's not long before Grandma has Mireya undressed and she is looking at what looks like quite an angry red risen up lump on Mireya's leg and I see the look on daddy's face, I would not like to be the nurse that did Mireya's injection today.

Daddy is up from the sofa, pacing and pulling at his hair while ranting and raving, letting us know he will be suing the doctors practice, Grandma just looks at him before saying "and that will help your daughter, how?" she then asks me to go and put a small amount of frozen peas in a food bag and wrap the food bag in a towelling cloth and bring it to her, I do and she places it on Mireya's leg and counting to twenty before removing it and counting to twenty again and placing it back on the site of the swelling before handing Mireya to me and asking me to keep doing that while she arranges a pain killing prescription for Mireya, and as Mireya quietens our family is back to normal, well what constitutes normal for us.

We spend the rest of the day quietly at the house as a family, just talking and enjoying our time together, now that Mireya is happier, daddy and I play a couple of duets on the piano before my grandparents take their leave of us promising to check in tomorrow and if mom has any concerns to just ring Grandma Grace whatever the time.

~0~

May 11th

After a really great day yesterday with both my parents and siblings, Samuel and I decided while enjoying lying in each others arms this morning, today is the day

We are sat at the dining room table after a lovely breakfast that mom and Samuel made while daddy and I played with the babies, Mireya is back to her normal self now, and my heart is pounding out of my chest as I push the envelope across the table to daddy and say "I know we said no more secrets but I couldn't take the disappointment in your eye's if you knew about this and we weren't successful"

"you could never disappoint me Asia, not unless you didn't try your hardest to archive your dreams" daddy replies as he takes the envelope, he opens it and Oh My God someone turned the sun on, his smile blinds me, and he is up from his seat pulling me into his arms as he shakes Samuels hand saying "WOW both of you, just wow, you both know how rare this is don't you" I just nod blinking back the tears as mom looks at us dumbfounded and daddy takes both the acceptance letters for Harvard and hands them to her, I see tears running down her face as she whispers "so far away angel, so far" daddy snorts "no it's not we can all spend every week-end in New York or I will buy a house in Boston or two houses next door to each other in Cambridge whatever you want darling"

"Oh Grandpa Carrick is going to so thrilled princess, we will throw a party for you both, let the whole family know" and mom laughs reminding him next week-end is the May Ball for her charity and the week-end after is the twins christening over two hundred guests, I think Aunt Mia and Aunt Kate got a bit out of hand with that, and then daddy's birthday before our engagement party, the last week-end in June.

Our engagement party! I get all gooey and soppy whenever I think about that and my eye's wander to my ring I notice daddy looking at me looking at it as he says "No it didn't disappear overnight" and mom laughs as I flush up embarrassed and Samuel picks my hand up gazing into my eyes as he brings my hand to his mouth and kisses the knuckle beside my ring whispering "love you Mrs Johnson to be"

It's not long before daddy is on the phone asking Grandpa if we can all come over for the day.

We arrive at my grandparents house in Bellevue, mom had rang Grandpa Ray and asked him to meet us all there, he had already arrived, living closer to them as he does.

Grandma opens the door to us all hugging mom and commenting "someone looks happy today" before she kisses daddy's cheek, mom laughs and says "yes, he is a happy bunny today" as grandma lets go of the two of them and turns to lead us into the family room, I see daddy swat moms bum and a look pass between them, ykk I know that look.

Once we are all settled in the family room Daddy turns to Grandpa Carrick saying "Asia has some news she wants to share" before everyone turns and looks at me, I take a breath and say "it's not just my news its our news" as I gaze into Samuels eyes smiling, out of the corner of my eye I see all my grandparents looking at us both and I'm sure I heard "no, please no, not yet"

I know what that thought/sentence was about don't I, god how many times are they all going to think any news is going to be that I'm pregnant, mom reaches across and takes my hand gently squeezing it before I open my purse, handing our acceptance letters to Grandpa Carrick, after all he is the one this will mean the most to, Grandpa Ray couldn't care less where I study as long as I am happy and getting an education.

All hell breaks loose as my grandparents are up and hugging us both, congratulating us before Grandma Grace goes to her study and brings a large gift bag out, handing it to me saying "I hope you will appreciate and treasure this the way I have since I received it from my parents the day I graduated medical school"

I open the bag and whisper "really grandma, are you sure, I'll treasure it forever" and I throw my arms around her, she has just given me her doctors bag.

"yes my little star, I wanted to give you this while I'm still here to give it to you myself" I hug her tighter as the tears roll down my face the thought of my grandparents no longer being here kills me, I wipe my tears away thinking about the day she started to call me her little star, I was about five and a star in the school nativity play.

A/N Merry Christmas hope you receive everything you heart desires