"Well of course, Caroline. If that's how you want it. Be happy to look after Flora, if, you know, it came to that. If you or Greg couldn't." Gillian smiled, a little surprised and pleased. "Didn't know you thought that much of us."

Flora and Calamity were playing an elaborate game of make believe on the rug in front of them that neither Caroline nor Gillian really grasped. Calamity was busy instructing Flora on truck, block, and doll placement, who on occasion injected "Okay" or "No. Here." But for the most part she just smiled at her cousin, awaiting direction.

"You're family, Gillian. I mean, it's not the likely scenario, but if something were to happen to me and to Greg, well it would be foolish not to have something in place. I learned that the hard way – with Kate." Caroline quickly raised her mug up as Calamity came bounding over with an offered toy and crashed, smiling, into her knees where she sat on the couch. Caroline took it and smiled. "Thank you dear."

"Welcome, aunt Car-o-line." Her pronunciation was slow and deliberate. She frowned, concentrating on the articulation. Calamity was pleased with herself, and with Caroline and her gracious acceptance. She turned her attention back to Flora, who had taken in the exchange. As Calamity toddled back toward the rug where Flora sat, Flora stood with her own toy in hand and ran toward Caroline, waving it over her head and eager to participate in this new gifting ritual.

"Thank you, my darling." Caroline took the large wooden building block and held it in her lap, next to the doll Calamity had offered.

"Yep." Flora nodded briskly and crinkled her nose in a smile.

"She's the spitting image you of, sometimes." Gillian inclined her head at Flora and gestured with her mug. "Can see your thumbprints all over her."

Caroline smiled over to Gillian in an almost carbon copy of Flora's expression.

"There it is." Gillian laughed and sat back on the couch. "So it's none a my business really, and I can see how it's a bit – early – for things. Don't know if you think it's any of 'hers, either. But how's this new legal arrangement going over with Eleanor?"

"I don't know. Alright, I suppose. I've mentioned it to her. Formalizing Greg with parental responsibility and updating my will. She told me it was the smart thing to do. Didn't really go on about it." 'Was a bit quiet.' Caroline had brought it up last month after she'd gotten home from New York. Eleanor had been supportive, and encouraging. But circumspect.

"Ya." Gillian nodded. "That – all - going all right? Eleanor?"

Caroline smiled softly. "It is. It's hard, her being gone like this. But I love her. I really do."

"Well I know that look. You're hopeless for 'her, I can see that clear 'enough."

"I suppose I am."

"Good for you. You deserve to be happy." Gillian sat forward again and grinned. "You've come a long way from beating yourself up over 'Eleanor fucking Strathclyde.'

"Yes I have, haven't I?" Caroline laughed along, remembering sitting right on this couch with Gillian, a cold winter night, her fair share of wine, a good fire and reluctantly warm thoughts about Eleanor. Her first real thoughts about Eleanor. "And I do deserve to be happy."

Gillian stood. "More hot water?" She kneeled to pick up Caroline's mug.

"Yep. Thanks."

"Ya." Gillian walked into the kitchen. Caroline sat quietly watching Calamity and Flora. Small disputes were continually arising, but they'd managed to keep working them out. 'Much easier at that age, when you're fighting over Barbies. Doesn't seem like it though. Problems always seem difficult. Until they're solved.'

Gillian raised her voice from the other room. "Speaking of happy things, 'have you heard from John since he got knicked?"

"Thankfully, I have not. I got a check in the post for the bail. I think he's still pending a court appearance." Caroline frowned and shook her head.

"Eh. Couldn't have 'happened to a nicer bloke." Gillian returned and set Caroline's mug on the table. "Added another bag. Was looking thin."

"Ta." Caroline reached to pick it up. "Perhaps he'll actually learn some sort of lesson, this time."

"You think?" Gillian sat back down.

"Nooooo." Caroline frowned and shook her head vigorously.

They sipped on the hot tea, watched the girls playing. Occasionally Flora would look up and over to Caroline, hold up a toy and name it along with the color. Caroline would narrow or widen her eyes and smile or nod in approval or offer a thumbs up.

"How's Celia doing?"

A brisk nod in response from Caroline. "Good. She's good. Still – em – forgetful? Right? I mean I'm sure you've noticed. But I don't think things have – progressed." She looked away from Gillian and out the window, to the rolling green hills in the distance.

"Ya. Kinda what I thought."

"She's a follow up appointment Thursday. Day after we all see the solicitor and the judge, in fact. You know, to set things with Greg."

Gillian held her mug in both hands. "It feels weird to ask her about her health. And Dad just looks stricken when I mention it. So sorry if I'm prying,"

"You're not prying Gillian. It's sweet. I'd think you a real jerk if you didn't."

"You think I'm a jerk anyway."

"Only sometimes."

"How's London today?" Caroline tossed a dishtowel over her shoulder, phone crooked in her other shoulder and turning over a pancake in the fry pan as Flora watched her intently.

"Splendid. It's a lovely morning in the city. Nice breeze and the smog has cleared out." Eleanor's phone was crooked on her shoulder as she walked toward the towering glass office building, bag at her elbow and tea in the opposite hand.

"Did you manage to connect with Lily last night? How is she?"

"Over the moon. She's twice as in love with Edinburgh and Scotland as she ever was, and all she does is play piano all day. She couldn't be happier." Eleanor beamed. A passerby on the sidewalk caught it and returned the smile just for the sake of it.

"I'm glad the program's working out."

"Oh I am as well. But I miss her and June terribly. It's a difficult feeling, isn't it? Having them out in the world, beyond the scope of your protection."

"It is. But you get used to it. It's better if they're happy." Caroline fidgeted with the dishtowel on her shoulder.

Eleanor paused at an intersection. "It's the big day with Greg and Flora. How are you?"

Caroline smiled. She still enjoyed the sound of her name spoken in Eleanor's smooth alto voice. She didn't mind 'darling,' either, coming from Eleanor. But they hadn't yet stopped calling each other by their first name on occasion, that was just fine.

"Good. I'm good. Fine actually. It's the right thing to do. And I'm happy. I am."

Eleanor smirked, knowing Caroline well enough to hear it when she'd accepted something in her mind but not yet fully in her heart. "It's absolutely the right thing." Eleanor's grin faded and her brow wrinkled. "I'm sorry I can't be there."

"It's just papers. A quick stop. Nothing to it." Caroline's expression was neutral and she flipped off the burner. "Not a big deal."

"Still. I would have preferred it. You and Flora both mean a lot to me."

"I know that. That's what counts, I suppose." Caroline smiled and pulled Flora's plate over closer to the stove. She ran the spatula down the pan and plated the pancake. As Flora approached age three the variety of acceptable foods continued to dwindle. Fortunately the list had stayed pretty much in the acceptably nutritious zone.

"In any case, we can celebrate Saturday morning over brunch. I'm making waffles. A giant pile of them, covered in strawberries and whipped cream."

"Now you're speaking Flora's language." Caroline laid a hand on Flora's head. She was doing well with a fork now, and tucking right in. Caroline looked out the kitchen window to the green hedges swaying in the morning breeze. "What time will you be home Friday night?"

"I've had to schedule a late meeting with a distributor in from Munich. But I should be done and on the train by 5 - so around 8?"

"Text me when you leave. Flora and I will come and collect you from the station. It'll end up past her bedtime but I bet she'll go out like a light in the car."

"Fantastic. I'm counting the seconds."

"I know you are."

"I've arrived at the office. Let me know how it goes today?"

"Yep."

"Good luck with it all. Love you, Caroline."

"Love you back." Caroline clicked off and set down her mobile. She put the remaining pancake on to her own plate and sat down at the counter next to Flora.

"Your paperwork is all in order. All the documentation is clean and clear enough." The judge looked from Greg to Caroline, and settled on the solicitor between them.

"Yes madam. Both clients are in accord, here. It's all straightforward. Caroline's got clear rights, as outlined by Kate McKenzie in the most recent and extant version of her will. Caroline is in agreement that parental responsibility should also be granted to Greg Abbott, and he's more than willing to accept it. Both parents have been express in their wishes."

Greg smiled over to Caroline, who returned it. Her eyes were shining brightly.

The judge took notice. "Ms. McKenzie Dawson, are you quite sure this is what you want? This is a serious matter. It's a big step and a decision you don't want to have ambiguity about."

"Oh yes. I am, madam." Caroline sniffed and smiled. "It's just all a little emotional, isn't it?"

"Yes it is. You're not the first parent to feel overwhelmed by it." The judge smiled kindly. In small ways she reminded Caroline of Ginika. Likely the sharp wisdom in her eyes.

"Well then. Let's have both parents sign."

Caroline took Flora from her lap and handed her to Celia on her right, and came to stand next to Greg at the large oak desk.

Celia and Alan exchanged glances over Flora; Alan's confident and Celia smiling but as always, skeptical. Alan squeezed her hand and gave her an encouraging nod. Celia's skeptical look faded; she pulled Flora a little closer and smiled back.

Caroline stared at the two sets of identical papers; a pen next to each. She picked up the one directly in front of her, signed and dated. Greg did the same. They looked up and over at each other, smiling and awkward. Caroline made to change places with Greg, who didn't move, and they gently bumped into each other.

They laughed, a tight smile from Caroline and a grin from Greg.

"Let's just swap papers." Greg turned to the desk and switched the sets of documents.

"Good call." Caroline sniffed again, bent, and signed the final documents. She laid the pen gently atop the desk next to them.

Greg held out his hand to Caroline.

"Don't be stupid." Caroline hugged him.

"Right." Greg hugged her back. He turned to Jenny and gave a goofy grin and two thumbs up. She smiled back indulgently and returned the gesture.

"Well you look properly handsome, Greg. What with the suit and the haircut. Not at all the ruffian who showed up on the doorstep in the middle of the night two years ago."

"It's all Jenny's doing. And Flora's." Greg was all smiles, grins, and good humor, even more so than usual. He took a sip from the pint in front of him and held it up to Celia. "Thanks though."

"Don't let it go to your head. You're Flora's dad now, you know. Not one of your super heroes."

"Greg's always been Flora's dad, Mum." Caroline remonstrated Celia with a gentle look.

"I suppose."

Alan laid a hand over Celia's and held it gently. "He certainly has. And doing a good job of it, I say."

Caroline took a bite of her salad and smiled over at Greg, who had the good sense to look humble.

"I do have to thank you, Caroline, for giving me a chance. You didn't have to, but you did, and it's been grand. A real adventure of the best kind." Greg met her eyes over the table, face as serious as he could make it on such a happy occasion.

"Truly. Take it from a relative newcomer. Greg's a better man these days." Jenny leaned into him and smiled earnestly at Caroline.

"Hmm. I'll agree with that." It was hard not to think of him like a little brother. Sometimes she was equally annoyed and equally fond of him. But her ambiguity about sticking with him had long worn off.

"Ice cream time?" Flora looked hopefully at Caroline.

Caroline looked over to Flora's plate. "Finish your chicken, and your apples. Then yes."

Flora looked back with dark eyes full of challenge. "Just chicken?"

"It's not a negotiation, Flora." Blue eyes and black eyes clashed. Mum prevailed, but Flora made a go of it and held Caroline's stern gaze for a good five seconds.

"Okay Mummy."

"Okay."

Celia smiled warmly at both her girls. "You were lucky to have boys, Caroline. Now you're getting a bit of the picture, what it was like trying to manage you growing up."

"Mmmmm. I hope you don't expect empathy from me."

"Wait until she's twelve. Then you'll have empathy for your dear old mum coming out your ears."

"True enough, love. I remember Gillian growing up. Came to her stubborn nature by Eileen. Those two could shake mountains when they got up to it." Alan favored Flora with twinkling eyes.

"I don't doubt that." Caroline looked over to Alan with an impressed expression.

"Well it's a celebration we're here for, so let's have a proper toast." Alan held up his pint and the table joined him. "To family. Wherever we find it. Always a blessing."