"JJ, we need to talk about what happened in New York."
The family was back at the Prentiss House, and after Emily had been settled into bed, JJ was down in the living room with Emily's parents. She sat in her favorite spot by the lit fireplace while Elizabeth and Maximo sat in the armchairs nearby.
"Yeah, I owe you two that much, considering what happened the last time Emily and I came back from there. Where do I start?"
"The top." said Elizabeth. "Please."
JJ explained everything that had happened over the past few days (the civilian version, at least), and by the time she was finished, Elizabeth and Maximo were both stunned, to say the least.
"She went through all of that, including getting those injuries, to save those girls?" Elizabeth asked at length.
"Mhm." JJ nodded, blinking back tears. "I'm so proud of her because she mothered them and looked after them even when she was terrified. It takes a lot of strength and courage."
"I know you've heard many tales of Emelia's crazy streak from when she was younger," Maximo said thoughtfully. "But she's always been very compassionate with children, especially little ones in distress. This is just the first time—that Betty and I know of—that Emelia's ever gotten hurt over it."
"Taking risks is in the job description, but you're saying that Emily going this far is nothing new?"
"Precisely. She definitely got it from her mother and myself."
JJ arched an eyebrow. "Oh?"
An impish twinkle appeared in her eyes. "As you know, JJ, Betty and I have been together almost an entire lifetime, but we often got into trouble together."
Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "Excuse me! We did get into trouble, yes, but as I recall, it was often me getting roped in when Erin had the presence of mind to stay away."
"Will you give me an example of one those adventures?" JJ asked.
"There was one time when we decided to go exploring school after dark—" Maximo began.
"Woah!" Elizabeth cut them off. "How many times have I said that we can't tell that story without getting wine in our systems? Change lanes, Max."
"Oh, alright." He turned back towards JJ. "There was another time when we were twelve that we found an injured owl—we were in the English countryside—and we spent weeks and weeks taking care of it, nursing it back to health."
"What was wrong with it?" JJ wanted to know.
"It had a broken leg and could barely stand. We worked together to look after it until it was healed up and we let it go. Erin covered for us a lot, regarding the owl."
"Did you ever get caught?"
"No, actually, but there were a few times when we came close."
"And you took a risk over a wild animal." JJ mused. "Was it worth it?"
"Absolutely, especially because it was our first baby, of sorts. It's risks like that, to do what's right, even when there's a lot on the line, that Emelia learned from us."
"That actually makes me feel better."
Elizabeth raised an eyebrow. "Yet, you're thinking of something more, huh?"
JJ nodded. "Has Emily ever come back from something traumatized before? She won't even let me touch her, except for where the baby is concerned!"
"No." Maximo admitted. "We've never seen her like this before."
"Then what do I do? I'm going to take care of her because she took care of me when I was hurt and because she's the love of my life, but I have no idea where to begin on this one."
"My advice would be to take it as it comes."
"And," Elizabeth added. "In any healthy, loving relationship, a key factor is patience."
"Emily taught me a lot about patience in a few ways when my arm was broken. If she did that for me, I can definitely do it for her."
"And if it ever gets really bad, we're just a phone call away."
JJ breathed a sigh of relief that she hadn't even realized she'd been holding in. "Thank you both—for everything. I feel better now."
"So do we." Maximo said as he and Elizabeth stood. "You can ask us anything at all, whenever you want, but don't forget that this week is all about you, Emelia, and the babies recharging."
"I definitely won't forget that."
Elizabeth stepped forward and gave JJ a motherly kiss on the top of her head. "Good girl. If you want us, we'll be in the kitchen."
JJ nodded in acknowledgement and watched them go. She loved Emily's parents dearly, and really couldn't wait for them to meet her mother.
All of a sudden, the opening notes of Do You Wanna Dance from American Graffiti began to sound off—her mom was calling.
Crap, JJ thought as she reached for her iPad on the end table. Now I have to tell mom about New York!
"Hey, mom!" JJ greeted Sandy when she accepted the FaceTime invitation. "What's up?"
Sandy immediately raised an eyebrow: she could read her daughter like a book and immediately knew that JJ was trying a little too hard to act like everything was fine.
"Jenny, what happened? And where are you?"
"Emily and I are at her parents' house because we just got back from an exhausting trip to New York. The whole team is on a paid one-week vacation to recharge because Derek, Emily, and I all had some spills."
"Jennifer Abigail Grace, you better tell me everything that happened on that trip!"
JJ repeated the story, doing her best not to lose her composure a second time, and by the end, Sandy's heart was doing jumping jacks.
"Wow. How are you right now?"
"So, so wired, and the girls are very squirmy tonight." JJ wrinkled her nose as she felt frenzied movements in her belly. "I just got kicked by someone's feet, and punched by someone else's fists."
The older woman heard that, but only vaguely because was hung up on something that her offspring had said.
"You're having two little girls?"
JJ nodded proudly. "Mhm, and Emily's carrying a boy!"
Sandy sighed happily. "How perfect."
"I wish you were here, mom."
"Well, actually, I will be in town soon."
JJ's heart jumped. "It's yours and Kaida's birthdays this week! Mom, it slipped my mind with everything that's just happened…"
"Don't worry—you can have a free pass on this one." Sandy reassured her. "Do you think there'd be a chance that I can come visit you and your new family?"
"I'd love th—"
"JJ? Who are you talking to?"
Elizabeth had been passing by the living room on her way upstairs to check on Emily, but got sidetracked when she heard JJ conversing animatedly with someone in Russian.
JJ looked up at the sound of her name, and when she saw Elizabeth, she sat up and beckoned to her as she switched back to English.
"Lizzie, it's my mom! Come say hello!"
Elizabeth hurried over and accepted the tablet from JJ when she let her hold it.
"Hi." she said softly to JJ's mother, almost shy. "I'm Elizabeth, and I'm so happy to finally meet you."
"Likewise, Elizabeth. I'm Sandy."
Elizabeth turned to JJ. "Will you be a love and go get Max? He's in the kitchen, fretting over what to make for dinner."
Chuckling at the image, JJ got up and found Maximo in the kitchen and told him what was happening. He was out of the room in a heartbeat.
Around an hour later, JJ was in the library, playing the piano. It had been awhile since she'd played, but it was like riding a bike and she loved it, especially because the babies were so respondent to the melodies. It made JJ happy, even when her children began kicking and squirming in ways they never had before.
Just as she finished her third song, there was a knock on the door that she almost didn't hear because the walls of the room were soundproof. When the door opened, JJ saw that her new visitor was Elizabeth.
"Mind if I join you?"
JJ scooted over on the bench as Elizabeth shut the door behind her. "Of course."
Elizabeth sat beside JJ and set JJ's iPad on the song sheet stand.
"I thought I'd come bring this back to you."
"Thanks. You and Max have a fun chat with my mom?"
"Yes, and about that, sweetheart, we invited her, your brother, and his family over for a birthday dinner."
JJ brightened. "It's going to be fun, and I can't wait to tell Emily!"
"But best leave that until morning." Elizabeth advised.
"Okay…"
JJ stopped and arched her back, even holding her middle with her hands for a moment.
"Are they kicking?" Elizabeth asked.
JJ took one of Elizabeth's hands in hers and pressed it flat against her bump, while with her free hand, she gave the bump a tickle. The babies immediately went into a frenzy, kicking and punching even more when Elizabeth laughed in amazement.
"They know you're here." JJ let out a puff of air as she felt an elbow jab. "I'm just glad that none of us have the hiccups. Again."
Elizabeth motioned towards the piano. "Emelia was incredibly fidgety, but music always quelled her—we brought this piano back from Italy for her. Would you like to play something?"
"Sure! Do you know How To Save A Life?"
"I can't say that I do."
"Oh, I can teach you! Do you want to learn?"
"Alright."
JJ positioned her fingers on the correct keys. "Watch me."
Elizabeth actually did know the song—she could play most music she heard by ear—but she decided prolong the moment because JJ's musical side was a new aspect of her personality that she was curious about now, and she loved getting to know her, anyway.
And as it turned out, JJ was a great teacher.
