As always, thank you!

Chapter 17

Today, Anna and Mary were going to drop Zoey off at school. Anna lifted her daughter from her seat and into her arms. The little girl pouted and turned her face to Mary.

"Mama, do I really have to go?"

"Yes, darling," Mary replied with a reluctant sigh. She turned her eyes to Anna who just shook her head.

Zoey wrapped her arms tightly around Anna's neck and buried her face into her chest.

"Mummy, please, can I stay with you?"

"Not today. Remember what we talked about last night?" Anna whispered into her ear. "Mummy and Mama always come back for you. And you have fun at school, right?"

"Yes," Zoey murmured. "But I have more fun with you."

Anna and Mary walked up to the front of the school where drop-off was located. Then Anna slowly eased her daughter down so she was standing beside her. Zoey ducked her head and pouted her lower lip.

"Ah, Zoey! You're back! Was she sick?" the teacher asked, coming forward and reaching her hand out for Zoey to take. Zoey stepped back, hiding behind her mothers' legs.

"No," Anna said.

"She's been refusing to go to school," Mary added. "Have there been any issues?" Anna watched as Mary's brow rose. She knew her wife was preparing her mama bear response if there were any.

"No," the teacher answered. "Though this can be typical with children as they settle into their first year of school and the excitement wears off. I see this all the time, even with the older children." The teacher bent down to Zoey's level, putting her hand out again. "We have a fun craft today."

Zoey peeked out between her mothers and eyed her teacher.

"Craft?"

"Oh yes, it will be a ton of fun," the teacher promised.

Slowly, Zoey moved forward and took the teacher's hand.

"Have fun," Anna said, giving her daughter a wink.

"We love you!" Mary called out as Zoey went inside with the teacher.

Anna sighed a sigh of relief before turning toward her wife, who had tears in her eyes.

"Love," Anna murmured.

"I'm fine," Mary said, wiping below her eyes. "It's just these damn pregnancy hormones."

Anna inched closer to Mary, bringing her arm around her shoulders to draw her close to her as they walked back to the car.

"She'll always be our baby," she assured Mary. "Even when our new baby is here."

"I just hope she doesn't think we're replacing her," Mary furrowed her brows.

"Oh, she won't. We'll make sure she knows we're not," Anna promised before kissing Mary's cheek.

-X-X-x-X-X-

After they dropped Zoey off, it was time for Mary and Anna to meet Anna's mum for coffee. Mary wasn't prepared for this. She wanted to push it off until later, but Anna insisted it happen today so they were doing it now.

They parked and got out of the car. Mary saw Anna tugging on her fingers.

"We don't have to go," Mary said. "It's not too late to cancel."

"It is," Anna disagreed. Then she looked over Mary's shoulder and waved. "She's right behind you," Anna whispered.

Mary turned to find a woman walking towards her and Anna. Her brows furrowed and her jaw tightened. The woman was shorter than Anna, but they had the same blue eyes and nose. She took a deep breath.

"Hello," her mother greeted, passing right by Mary to head to Anna. She leaned forward, but Anna kept her distance, going closer to Mary.

"Mum, this is my wife, Mary. Mary this is my mum, Cheryl Jackson."

Anna's mum gave Mary a looking over, her lips pursing together tightly before reaching out to shake Mary's hand. Mary gritted her teeth and gave her mother a quick handshake. She brought her arm around Anna's, only to get the slightest glare of disapproval from Cheryl. It made Mary tighten her grasp, but Anna unlocked their arms, making Mary scowl.

"Let's go on inside," Anna said a bit too brightly.

Inside of the small café, Mary spotted a booth for them to sit at. She offered to get Anna and her mother coffee so the two of them could start their chat. While she didn't really want to leave Anna alone with Cheryl, she was trying to give Anna space in this matter. This relationship was Anna's alone to decide on fostering it or not.

As Mary stood in line, she watched her wife's body language closely. Anna was definitely a nervous ball of energy, bouncing her knees up and down beneath the table and leaning forward slightly with her hands closed tightly together.

"Miss?"

Mary realized she was next in line and stepped forward. She made the order and then waited impatiently for the drinks to come back out. Once she got the drinks, she quickly made her way back to her wife, sliding in next to her.

"So," Mary started. "What have I missed?"

"Oh, not much," Cheryl answered. "Anna tells me you are having a baby?"

"We're having a baby, yes," Mary said tightly.

"That's what she meant," Anna whispered then shot her mother a smile.

"Yes," Cheryl responded. "Of course. It's a shame Zoey couldn't come today. I would have loved to have seen her."

"She has school," Anna said, "but maybe next time."

"She looks so much like you did, Anna. Does she look like her…" Cheryl paused to think of the appropriate wording, "biological father?"

"Sperm donor," Mary corrected. "And no, she does not."

"Well, he is her biological father, correct?"

Mary inhaled sharply.

"Yes," Anna answered for her, placing her hand over Mary's and giving it a loving squeeze.

"She really is beautiful," Cheryl said. "Reminds me of you at that age, Anna." She smiled. "Oh, you were a spitfire too. Your father was the only one who could match your energy. You wore me out."

Anna inhaled sharply, bringing her hands closer to her chest and bending her head down.

"Yeah," she whispered. Mary knew how much Anna missed her father. He'd died when she was young but had a lot of happy memories from the time he was alive.

"Is Zoey a spitfire too?"

"Sometimes," Mary replied. "She can be shy, but also very determined when she wants to be."

"She's a lot like her mama," Anna added, glancing back up and giving Mary a bright smile. "I'm so glad of it too. She'll get far in life with a determination like Mary's."

"Right," Cheryl said. "Does it get confusing with two mums?"

"No. I'm Mama and Anna is Mummy."

"But surely children at school must say something sometimes," Cheryl added as she pulled a face.

"We've never had any of that," Anna said. Mary could feel the heat rising in her chest. She opened her mouth to add something, but Anna continued. "People are more open-minded now, Mum."

"Oh Anna!" her mother then gasped, grabbing at Anna's hand. "What happened here?"

Anna turned her hand to view the scar over the skin. She chuckled.

"Oh, I burned it when trying to make cookies. That was years ago and it hasn't faded a bit."

"Tim still has that nasty scar on his face that you gave him," her mother teased. Mary felt Anna tense beside her and Mary began to turn red. "That was quite the nasty cut from his ear almost all the way to his mouth."

"I –" Anna swallowed hard.

"He got that cut because he tried to…." Mary was cut off when Anna squeezed her knee to hush her. Mary felt like she might explode. She cut her eyes to Cheryl, who didn't even seem to realize the misstep she'd taken as she was already onto the next topic.

"What does Zoey like?"

"All sorts of things," Anna continued, acting as though her mother bringing up her stepfather hadn't hurt her.

Mary just kept looking between the two women, confused at why her wife wasn't saying it was time to leave. By the time the coffee was over, Mary was fuming.

When they reached outside and Anna's mother walked away, Mary finally spoke up.

"I don't think you should see her again," she said, her cheeks flushed.

"What?" Anna breathed. "You said you supported me on this. You promised me that it was my choice, and now you're putting your foot down?"

"She brought up him, and not only him the scar you gave him when he tried to assault you," Mary said, lowering her voice so those walking around them wouldn't hear. "And she's homophobic."

"She's not…." Anna sighed. "Look, she's trying. She's trying to change and be a part of my life and Zoey's and even yours."

Mary rolled her eyes.

"She hasn't changed one bit, Anna. She's going to hurt you. I won't allow it and I definitely won't allow her to hurt our children."

"I wouldn't allow it either," Anna said, defensive. "But you aren't even giving her a chance!"

"A chance?! Anna, she brought up Tim. Tim! You know, the man who still causes you nightmares from time to time, who snuck into your bedroom at night from the time you were 12 until you slashed his face when you were 17?"

Anna balled her hands into fists at her side and hurt covered her features, making Mary feel guilty.

"I know," she said quietly. "I know." Her voice grew stronger. "But that was in the past. She's left him. She knows what she did was wrong. She's trying. She wants to be a part of my life, Mary."

Mary twisted her lips thoughtfully.

"I worry she's lying," she told Anna. "I worry you'll be hurt worse this time around."

"You don't get it," Anna said. "You have your parents and your sisters and Carson and everyone at Downton and have your entire life. I have no one. This is my chance to have my mother back."

Mary reached forward taking Anna's hands into her own. She ran her thumbs over the skin and pulled her closer to her.

"You have all of us," Mary said strongly. "But you're right. I don't understand, not fully. I promise I will drop it and trust you to make the decisions that you feel are right. And I'm sorry I said anything about him. I shouldn't have even mentioned his name."

Anna didn't respond, but she did lean into Mary, allowing her to hug her close.

"I love you, Anna, so much."

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

They gathered the next day for their family meal. The granddaughters had all convinced Robert to take them around for piggyback rides and to give them candies. Zoey jumped from one of the cushions up onto his back and Mary gasped.

"Papa, you can't let them jump all over you like that!"

"Oh, it's fine," Robert said before disappearing around the corner with Zoey on his back and the other girls following behind him and awaiting their turns.

"He won't listen," Cora said with a shake of her head. "He's wrapped around all of their little fingers."

Mary and Anna waited until he was back to make their announcement. The children were sent outside to play and Mary gathered Anna's hand in hers.

"We're pregnant," Mary announced. Cora excitedly covered her mouth with her hands.

"I thought you both said Zoey was going to be an only child," Edith spoke up.

"That's true," Anna said. "But we decided we wanted another. This time, Mary is carrying the baby."

"Really?" Edith asked, curling her lips awkwardly.

"Yes," Mary bit. Then she turned her attention back to everyone in the room and smiled. "I'm about ten weeks along. Baby is doing well. I'm doing well."

"And did you do the same thing as you did last time with the turkey baster? Is Bates the sperm donor again?" Cora asked, always interested in all the details.

"Yes," Mary simply stated.

"Isn't it wonderful," Robert said. "I've known for a couple of days."

"Oh you did?"

Her parents chatted about it for a moment before everyone offered them their congratulations. Mary made an excuse about needing to go to the loo. Once she was out of eyeshot, she made her way downstairs in search of Thomas. She found him sitting at the large table alone, reading a magazine. Upon hearing her footsteps, he stood.

"Lady Mary,' he greeted.

"I need you to do something for me," she said. "Under wraps. No mentions to anyone, especially Anna."

"All right. What is it?"

"I need you to tell me everything you can find out about Cheryl Smith Jackson and her ex-husband, Tim Jackson."

To be continued...