Thank you all!

Chapter 16

Anna tied the bow around Zoey's second pigtail, securing it tightly so it wouldn't fall out as she played around at school. Then she lifted her into her arms and kissed her cheek.

"Mummy!" Zoey giggled. She kissed Anna back. "Do you really have to leave?"

"Darling, I'm just going into a meeting this morning. Mama is taking you to school. I'll be back with you after school," Anna assured her. "I'm only leaving a little bit before you leave with Mama."

"Oh okay," Zoey sighed.

Anna kept Zoey on her hip and walked her down the stairs to the couch where she handed her a quick breakfast and put on the telly. She checked her watch. She needed to leave in the next ten minutes to be on time. Just as she dropped her arm, she heard the whistle of the teapot. She rushed to quickly prepare the peppermint tea.

Then she took it upstairs where Mary sat on the floor next to the toilet. Anna gave her a sympathetic smile, handing her the cup.

"Thank you," Mary said quietly. She let out a shuddering breath before bringing the cup up to her lips.

"I wish I didn't have this early meeting. Are you sure you can manage to get Zoey to school? Should I cancel?"

Mary took another sip of the warm tea. She placed the cup beside her and stood, giving Anna a small smile.

"I'm fine. The sickness has passed." Her hand rested on the swell of her belly. It was the smallest swell, but both Mary and Anna could now see it. Anna inched forward, placing her hand over Mary's.

"As long as you're sure," Anna said. She brushed her fingertips against Mary's forehead.

"I am." Anna bent forward and kissed Mary's cheek.

"Love you."

"I love you, too."

-X-X-X-X-X-

"No! No! No!" Zoey screeched as Mary attempted to get her out of the car.

"Zoey, darling, you promised me you would go to school today," Mary reminded her, trying to stay calm. The little girl had backed herself to the other side of the car, shaking her head sharply and kicking out her legs.

"I don't want to go to school! I want to stay with you!"

Mary stood up, letting out a breath. She glanced around to see if any other parents were having trouble getting their child into school today or if it was just her.

"Darling," Mary tried again, leaning down. "Mama will pick you right up when the bell rings."

"No!" Zoey called out.

"You loved school. What's happened?"

"I don't want to be away from you! Or Mummy. Please, Mama! Please!" Zoey's pleas grew louder.

Mary chewed on the inside of her lip. She had never been good at the discipline side of parenting. Whatever Zoey wanted she usually got if Mary could give it to her.

"What if we go to school and Mama brings you a treat afterwards?" Mary tried.

Zoey paused her fussing to ponder what her mother offered her. One of the bows Anna had expertly tied into her hair had slid down halfway and the other pigtail was askew. She crawled her way closer to Mary and hugged her arms around her neck before she whispered into her ear,

"Please, Mama. I love you. I need you."

That's when Mary's heart broke.

"Oh all right, just one more day. But after today, you must go to school."

"I will, Mama! I promise."

Mary sighed, knowing she was probably going to regret this later.

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

Anna finished her meeting famished. In all the hustle of getting out of the door, she hadn't eaten more than a quick breakfast bar. She decided to head down to Mary's office and see if she was up to going out for an early lunch.

When she entered her office, she found Mary with her back turned to her, working on a project. Anna tiptoed inside, bending her head down to Mary's shoulder.

"Do you remember our first time?" Anna murmured. "You shoved me up against that wall right there. Should we try it again?"

Mary turned, her eyes wide.

"Anna!"

"What do you say?" Anna saucily asked. "But maybe this time, I take you up against the…"

"Anna…wait don't…"

"Mummy!" Zoey exclaimed, jumping up from behind Mary's desk.

"Zoey! What is she doing here?" Anna asked. "Is she sick?"

"No," Mary said quietly. "I…."

"Mama said I could stay with her again," Zoey ratted.

"Oh, did she?" Anna turned her gaze back to Mary who lifted her chin.

"I did. Um, Zo- why don't you go and see if Donk needs some help."

Zoey skipped out of the room, leaving Mary and Anna alone. Anna eyed her wife.

"What's going on?" she asked carefully.

"You didn't see her, Anna. She was screaming and crying right outside of school. I've never seen her throw such a fit, not even when she was younger."

Anna pursed her lips together thoughtfully.

"She is going to have to go back to school," Anna said. "She can't come to work with us every day."

"Can't she?" Mary asked. "What if we got her a governess?"

Anna laughed. "Mary, it's not 1910. Zoey needs to go to her school."

"I know, but she was so upset. I hate seeing her like that. She needed me, her mother, to be there for her."

Anna touched Mary's cheek, caressing it with her fingers.

"She knows she has you, love."

Mary brought her hand up to cover Anna's.

"I'm sorry."

"It's all right," Anna assured her. "We will have to get to the bottom of what's causing Zoey to be so clingy. But I have a feeling part of it is knowing her mama will give in if she cries a little bit about going to school."

"A little bit?" Mary gasped. "It was more than a little bit. She was screaming, kicking her legs. It was an all-out tantrum. There must be something going on."

Anna frowned. "She loved school at the beginning of the year."

The door opened and Zoey stood on the other side, holding a lolly in her hand. She grinned, lifting it up for her mothers to see.

"Donk said I could have one."

Robert kept a stack of treats in his office for his granddaughters. He spoiled them all relentlessly.

"I doubt snacks from Donk will encourage Zoey to go back to school," Anna said before giving her daughter a small smile. She lifted her into her arms and went over to sit with her daughter in her lap.

"Mummy, do you like my lolly?"

"I do," Anna said. "Now, darling, why won't you go to school?"

Zoey narrowed her eyes and then turned them to Mary.

"I just want you and Mama," she quietly said.

"But you loved school," Anna said. "Is anyone being mean to you?"

Zoey shook her head.

"Are you sure?"

"Yep." Zoey began to unwrap the lolly, but Anna pulled it out of her hand.

"After lunch," she said.

Mary came over and bent down so she was at level with Anna and Zoey.

"Are you upset about the new baby?" Mary asked. Zoey shook her head, again.

"I just want to be with you," Zoey simply answered. She wrapped her arms around Mary's neck, nearly knocking her back. Anna reached out to keep her from falling over.

"We have to be careful," Anna reminded Zoey. "Mama has the baby in her belly."

"Baby?"

Anna and Mary both glanced up, surprised to find Robert standing in the doorway. He looked between them both before his lips began to curl up in a bright smile.

"You're having another baby?"

Mary quickly stood, putting Zoey at her side.

"Shh…." Zoey told him, placing her finger over her lips. "It's a surprise!"

"Papa," Mary began. She reached out for Anna to stand with her. "Yes, we're having another baby."

Robert clapped.

"How exciting. But I thought it was too dangerous for Anna…."

"I'm carrying this one."

"Oh!" Robert's grin grew. "Well, how absolutely wonderful. So no one else knows?"

"No, we were hoping to tell everyone this weekend."

"Right, well I can keep it a secret until then," he said with a wink.

"Can you?" Mary asked, raising her brow. "You won't spill it to Mama?"

"I won't," he promised. "Oh but another grandchild!"

"Yes, we're thrilled," Anna said, bringing her arm around Mary's back to pull her closer to her.

"But honestly, don't tell Mama or anyone else."

"I won't," Robert said. He congratulated them once more before walking out of the room.

Anna chewed on the inside of her lip. She knew Mary had planned out how they were going to tell the family they were having another baby. She hoped this didn't take the wind out of her sails.

"Are you all right?" Anna asked.

"Yes," Mary replied. "Papa won't ruin it and if he does, then I'll just never let him live it down," she teased.

"I'm sure you won't." Anna leaned forward and brushed her lips over Mary's.

"Kiss again!" Zoey exclaimed. Both women chuckled and then kissed again.

To be continued...