"It was fun pretending to be your student. Do you always have a full class?"
"The students are quite eager in the beginning but as the reality of their class load and expectations my classroom drop to less than half the students."
Fiona escort Mother Jenny out of the lecture hall.
"Ready to eat? I just need to drop off these papers in my mailbox." Fiona goes into the main office and quickly places her documents into the small square box. She returns to Mother Jenny waiting patiently.
Jenny looks at the students passing through the halls, "They are so young."
"My dear friend, at first glance you look like any other student."
Jenny stops forward movement, "What do they see at second glance?"
"Your eyes have a different story." Fiona leans into her Mother-in-law, "Your wisdom and life experiences are not hidden from your mature eyes. Most of the time, you have me in awe. Besides these young minds could not grasp your life's journey."
Jenny Flints walked through the halls a little taller. "My life has not been calculated or planned. I am lucky."
"Which makes it more remarkable."
The two sit down in the large window seat and eat their lunch.
Fiona looks up and taps Jenny's hand, "There, over there at the table."
Jenny looks out the window to witness Odea and Mirum sit down.
"When do they eat together?"
"Everyday."
"There is your other daughter." Fiona points to a running woman across the grounds.
Alaya quickly sits down at the table with her sisters.
The three sisters share notes, laugh and have their lunch time together.
"What about the other girls?"
"From what Alaya told me that this is a habit they formed at Trinity. This is the time they take for each other, and there has never been an exception. When they returned home, they insisted Alaya join them whenever possible."
"Why?" Jenny asks without taking her eyes off such a private moments between her daughters.
"They need each other and have a connection."
"Vastra has always talked about being close to her sisters. Do you think their Silurian blood is their connection?"
"I don't know, but they truly need each other." Fiona smiles at her wife, "My Alaya has been smiling more after the lunches. I believe you and Vastra have created something wonderful with these three."
Jenny attempts to eat her sandwich but finds herself pointing towards her daughters, "I never seen anything like this together. I know they care about each other, but this is intimate."
"Intimate, yes." Fiona looks at her wife tilting her head back laughing. "It is more residue from your wonderful life; one more thing you did not calculate or planned."
"Do you suppose they will keep this up when they have families of their own?"
"Maybe not daily, I am sure they will find a way to keep close."
"Is this why you brought me here?"
"I wanted to show you my classroom, your daughters and ask you a question."
"We have known each other a very long time", Jenny smiles as she observes her daughters leaning in closer as if a secret is being shared. "You are my closest friend, second to my Vastra, of course."
"I am ready to have more children. What is your opinion?" Fiona quickly says before she takes a large bite of her sandwich.
"I am not sure if now or later is a good time."
"I have been thinking about that too. Are you ready or are you content?"
"I would fill our home with many more if I could. Especially if they end like these three." Jenny nods into the direction of her three daughters. "But, should I? Physically?"
"You can handle two to three more pregnancies. But that is only speaking to your biology. It plays a havoc on you emotionally."
"If this was just Vastra and me, there would never be a Mirum or Odea." Jenny takes her eyes off her daughters and looks at her only close human friend, "If you were not in our lives there would just be Alaya and those damn injections."
Fiona simply nods; she will not allow herself to imagine what her life would have been without the Flint family. "I want to make sure understand that if you decide not to have any more children I still will be having one or two more. I will depend on you with the transition. That Silurian heartbeat is taxing."
"Oh, don't you worry. If I just smile at the thought of more children, Vastra glides around the room."
"Alaya would have ten more if my body could produce such a herd."
Jenny and Fiona watch the three daughters of Madame Vastra and Jenny Flint until the little group disburses an hour later.
"Thank you." Jenny looks at the now empty table, "I never imagined something so wonderful."
"It is beautiful," Fiona stands up and gathers herself. "One more class to teach, and we can go home."
"I see them differently."
"How?"
"I am not sure." Jenny stops for a moment and ponders out loud, "How do Silurians handle family dynamics with a long life?"
"Another topic of conversation we need to ask Vastra."
"Ahhhhh! My brain has just put up the closed sign." April announced to the room and punctuated it with closing her book with a loud thud.
"Mine too!" Announces Mirum from her chair closest to the wood stove.
Jennifer holds up a finger.
Everyone is still.
"Done," Jennifer puts down her hand and closes up her paperwork. "I can now enjoy some recreation without guilt. Shall we listen to music downstairs, go to the cinema or head the pub?
"The pub sound perfect."
"I will inform the mothers," Odea runs down to the drawing-room.
Mirum follows everyone downstairs.
"Are you going to change?" April turns around on the stairs to Mirum, "You can wear anything you want. You insist on wearing the same five outfits. We know how to sew and there is a tailor shop downstairs."
"Is there something wrong with how I look?"
"No."
"Good." Mirum bends down to April and softly replies, "I don't want to out dress my sister or my aunts. Please know that I am very sensitive to not stand out. It is bad enough I don't have scales or outward Silurian traits I don't want to compensate with the plumage of fashion."
April bursts out laughing, "Mirum you don't have to do that. You are the lucky one who is not required to wear a perception device."
"I do wear one," Mirum says as if it was a matter of fact. "I wear one constantly, and I am not able to turn it off. My skin does not match my heart or soul. I can't imagine what the real me looks like."
April looks to her friend, "I never thought about that. I can turn mine off in private while you have to remain hidden."
Mirum nods her head and a tear falls from her cheek, "A tear! I hate these things."
April wipes away Mirum's tear with her tongue, "I am sorry. I did not know."
"Thank you for listening."
"Mirum!" April touches her friend's hand, "Please do not hold back from me. It saddens me knowing you have felt like this. I like knowing you even if gets a little gloomy."
Mirum nods yes and waves April down the stairs. "We will go surprise your Kay. I am sure all of us can relax with a few pints."
Once the four girls have left 15 Savile Row Vastra turns on the radio. Alaya brings out a deck of cards, Care to play mother?
Fiona and Jenny walk into the drawing-room each carrying a tray. We have sweets and tea. "Finally the house to ourselves," Alaya quickly grabs her wife and purrs.
"Alaya, dear. I have something to discuss." Alaya wraps her arms around her wife's waist.
"You called me dear." Alaya smiles, "This is serious."
"Your mother and I have been talking. We want to know when do you think our family should expand? Is it a good time or shall we wait?"
Vastra pulls her wife to her side, "There is never a wrong time."
"What of the war?"
"What of it?" Vastra looks to her wife, daughter and daughter-in-law, "We have no control over time and history. We must live our lives without second guessing just because we know of certain events."
Fiona nods yes, "Let me restate my question, do you think it wise."
"Can you guarantee your health?" Alaya looks into the Scottish green eyes with controlled excitement.
"Yes my body will be fine." Fiona looks to Vastra, "The burden is on you and Alaya. There is nobody we can turn to if things go wrong. Are we able to do this?"
Vastra looks to her dark haired London wife, "I suppose you are going to depend on me also?"
Jenny falls into Vastra's body, "I will not be upset if you do not want to have any more children."
"Do not be daft," Vastra swirls Jenny around the room. "I will welcome all the hatchlings you produce."
Alaya looks into her wife's eyes, "When do we start the process?"
"Process?"
"Temperature, timing and a wee bite of your Scottish arse."
"I wish we could forgo the bite," Fiona rubs her buttocks. "I still have the scar."
"I does not have to be the arse. Do you have a choice location?"
Alaya laughs as she pours the tea, "Mothers we will have to prepare. Not just the medical but the food we consumed is more than our rations. If we are going to do this, we must plan."
Vastra sits in her tall seat, pulls Jenny on her lap and sips her tea. "We have much in our private pantry. Will it be enough?"
"I wish Strax was here." Alaya becomes sober, "We will need assistance, a teacher and much more."
The room becomes silent.
"When the time comes the girls have much to offer. In the meantime, Jenny and I shall go to visit our blue-eyed pretty boy to see if he knows of a solution or could refer staff."
Alaya starts to pace, "I ... I ... just became anxious."
"Shall we write a list?" Fiona runs opens the secretary, grabs a notebook and paper.
"That is a great idea."
Fiona writes something down on the first page and hands it to her wife.
Alaya chuckles, "Yes, I believe either of these would make a wonderful choices."
Alaya sits down, takes the pencil and begins to write the task list. She underlines the heading 'Victoria/Alicia', "OK, let's talk details ..."
The rest of the evening, the four talked through the night until they were interrupted by the six youthful women enter the room.
Mirum quickly goes to her chair and laughs, "We had a marvelous time."
"I hope you kept to your budget?" Alaya looks at her girls.
"We did not spend a pence." April and Kay plop on the sofa close to each other.
"She was marvelous," Odea pulls Ada close as they sit in the window seat.
"Who was marvelous?" Vastra is irritated as information is trickling out of their mouths.
"Jennifer." April smiles proudly.
"Please, besides the obvious, why was Jennifer particularly marvelous this evening?" Alaya decided to cut the chase.
"She had won over seven pounds playing snooker." Mirum announces.
"It was simple geometry." Jennifer shrugs.
"I believe we made a few boys angry." April.
"I suggest we spend more time at The Gates," Odea laughs. "I don't think the men appreciate losing to a female."
Kay yawns.
Jennifer cautiously smiles at Kay's face.
Odea stands up, "April, and I will escort you home."
Jennifer gets but feels a tap on her shoulder. "It is my turn to chaperone. You just relax until next month." Mirum follows the couples out of the drawing-room.
Jennifer stretches and stands, "I am going to bed. Good night mothers, Grand Mamas."
As Jennifer goes up the stairs, she feels a warm touch on her wrist, she turns around to see her human mother trying to find the perfect words.
"I watched April."
"And?" Fiona is anxious to learn what Jennifer observed.
"She isn't less; she is much more." Jennifer looks down at her shoes. "She is what April needs. I saw my sister being supportive, curious and even more cautious about her actions. My sister can take care of April."
"What else?"
"My sister truly want to know me. She kept asking me personal questions and wanting to know more about me. I returned the favor with my own questions." Jennifer looked into her mother's eyes, "She is maturing into a good friend."
"Kay?"
"I need time to let go."
"You have spent enough energy on focusing on what you can't have. It is time to focus on what you already have and look toward your future."
"I am scared to be alone."
"My dear Jennifer, I can't offer predictions to give you hope that you will find love." Fiona dies a little inside, "I can't."
Jennifer looks down at her feet, "Good night."
Fiona pulls her daughter back, "But I can tell you this ... you will never be lonely."
Jennifer looks to her mother, "I need time."
Fiona nods her head in understanding, "Did you really win seven pounds in snooker?"
Jennifer laughed loudly, "I did!" as she walks up to her room. "Good night mother."
"Good night."
Fiona returns to the drawing-room and updates them on Jennifer's findings and the conversation.
"She will find love." Vastra slaps the table.
"How do you know?" Fiona asks with curiosity.
"We have to hope. If not, then we might as not have any more children." Jenny says quickly, "We don't want a family full of lonely hearts."
Vastra pulls her wife close, "Besides if these two old women could find love in Our London anyone can."
"Who are you calling old?" Jenny slaps her wife in the chest, "I am young looking enough to attend Fiona's lecture."
"My dear we are old." Vastra kisses her wife on her lips, "But forever beautiful."
