Part Two

"You stand there, and you stand there," Zoey told her cousins, lifting her chin and pointing where she wanted Marigold and Molly to go.

"I think I can handle it, darling," Mary cut in.

She lifted the youngest Crawley grandchild and placed her in the center of all the children. They were trying to get new pictures taken for her parents for their upcoming anniversary.

"I was only trying to help, Mama," Zoey said, beaming up at her. Mary reached across patting her head.

"I know. You're a very good helper, darling."

"A very bossy one," Edith said beneath her breath.

Mary stood up, shooting her sister a quick glare. Edith held her hands over her growing belly. She was about a month out from having her fourth child, another girl.

"Zoey is not bossy; she's a leader."

Edith shook her head, turning around too help adjust one of her girls. Sybil's two youngest twins, Orla and Cara, kept running around the other grandchildren. There were now 7 granddaughters with another on the way.

Anna swooped in and helped corral the young Branson twins. Sybil had to work, so it was up to Mary, Anna, and Edith to get the pictures done.

"Mummy?" Zoey asked, taking Orla's hand to help. "Am I bossy?"

"Maybe a little bit," Anna answered.

Edith smirked. Mary wished she could wipe that smirk off her face, but she just took in a deep breath instead. Anna walked up behind her and placed her hand on her shoulder before whispering in her ear.

"You can't let Edith get you all flustered. It isn't good for the baby."

Mary's hand fell to her flat stomach. They'd only just found out a week ago they were expecting their second child. When they decided they were going to start trying again, they decided not to tell the family right away. They were surprised when, after one try, Mary was already pregnant. They weren't going to tell the family for a little while longer. They wanted this just for them.

"All right, let's all smile!" Mary said to the children.

All the children smiled, except for the youngest, Mabel, who stuck her thumb into her mouth. Mary considered it a win and took several photos with her camera.

"Should we do individual shots next?" Edith suggested.

"I don't know. It took –"

"Oh, that could be nice! It's been a while since we did updated pictures of Zo," Anna broke in.

"Why didn't we hire a professional, again?" Mary asked with a loud sigh.

"You insisted you could do it," Edith said.

"Right. Oh, all right. We'll start with the youngest ones and then move up to the oldest ones. Might as well do the sibling groups, as well. Edith, we'll start with your girls."

Mary snapped several pictures of all her nieces and daughter. By the end of it, the older girls had all escaped down the hill and into the gardens. Anna and Mary left Edith with the younger girls to go down and get Zoey. They found her going over the directions of how to play hide and seek.

"Come on, Zoey, it's time to go home," Mary said.

Zoey's blonde hair bounced as she turned to face them, planting her hands on her hips.

"But we just started playing!"

"I know, but we have to meet Uncle John for dinner," Anna reminded her.

At the reminder, Zoey lit up. She waved to her cousins and ran right over to her mothers. She loved when they had their weekly dinners with John. She took both Anna and Mary's hands and walked with them back to their car.

"So we tell him tonight?" Anna asked.

"Yes, we said he deserved to know first."

"I agree."

-X-X-X-X-X-

"Uncle John!" Zoey called out, rushing toward John. He lifted her into the booth at the pizza place to sit next to him. Mary and Anna slid in across from them.

"Hello," Anna greeted.

"Hello. How has your day been?"

"Good!" Zoey answered. "We went to the Abbey and I played with my cousins. Aunt Edith called me bossy, but Mama told her I'm not bossy; I'm a leader, but then Mummy said I can be a little bit bossy. Do you think I'm bossy, Uncle John?"

"Um, no," John said.

Anna giggled.

"I don't think you're really bossy, Zo. Only sometimes with your cousins does the Mama in you come out," Anna said with a wink.

"And what is wrong with that?" Mary asked.

"Nothing," Anna replied.

The waiter came over and took their order. Once he walked away, Mary pulled the sonogram out from her purse. She slid it across in front of John.

"Baby number two is on the way."

"I'm going to be a big sister," Zoey said quietly, "but it's a secret. Don't tell anyone!"

"Oh I won't," John assured her. He then picked up the sonogram and smiled.

They had told him of wanting to grow their family. Technically, they didn't need to speak with him about it at all because they had what they needed kept at the sperm bank in a freezer. However, they felt it was the right thing to do to keep him involved. He was their greatest supporter in growing their family.

"Oh wow," he said. "Congratulations."

"Thank you," Anna said, beaming. "We're thrilled."

"And Mary is carrying the baby this time, correct?"

"Yes," Mary answered.

"How are you feeling?" John asked.

"Fine. No issues so far, but I'm not that far along yet."

-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-

The next day Anna took Zoey shopping for new clothes. She'd seemed to have grown a full clothing size overnight. Zoey lifted a few dresses for Anna to snap a picture of to send Mary. Since Mary had an important meeting, she hadn't been able to come along with them. However, Zoey wanted her involved in the process and so this was the compromise they came up with.

"Anna?"

Anna turned. When she saw who called her name, her heart stopped. Behind her, Zoey came up and hid behind her legs, poking her head out slightly to get a look at the new woman. While Zoey was outgoing around people she knew, she was extremely shy around anyone she didn't know.

"Oh Anna! Look at her, she looks just like you!"

Anna remained rooted in her spot. Her hand reached back to touch Zoey's head to comfort her.

"What…what are you doing here in Downton?"

"I've moved just over in Ripon. I wanted to be closer to my daughter and grandchild."

Anna swallowed hard. Before this moment, she hadn't seen her mother in over ten years.

To be continued...