A/N: Thanks to Tessa, and Heaven's Littlest Angel for reviews once more!
Hug for you both! In answer to Angel, the kids' names are Felicity Margaret
and Benjamin Jack or 'BJ' Pierce. They are both still named after 4077
staff.
June 1954
I went to Boston five days before Ben and Felicity turned 12 weeks old. I was going to stay with the Winchesters for 17 days, and then we'd fly across to San Francisco for the reunion, planned on July 4, my birthday.
"You must be Annabelle?" A beautiful young woman met me at the airport, I was waiting at the front with a porter who had my and the children's bags.
"Yes, Annabelle Dawson." I replied. Her face lit up into a warm smile.
"Pleased to meet you Annabelle, I am Honoria, but call me Nora." Though she stuttered I hardly noticed.
"Thankyou Nora, I'm Anne really." She motioned to a car and the driver got out and began taking my bags.
"My brother was postponed at work, he sends his apologies, so I came to meet you. This is our butler, Giles, Giles this is Miss Anne, who is staying with us."
"Pleased to meet you Miss Anne." He motioned to the old army-issue duffel bag I carried. It had a few toys, clothes and other baby things that I needed.
"No I'll keep this with me, thankyou."
"We'll go now." I got in the car and we drove to the expensive Winchester residence.
"Mother, Daddy, this is Annabelle, Charles's friend from Korea." Honoria introduced me to Charles and Diana Winchester, her parents. Charles was every bit as stuffy as his son, but Mrs Winchester was a very sweet lady.
"Pleased to meet you Annabelle, and these must be the babies Charlie told me of!"
"Yes Mrs Winchester, this is Felicity and this is Benjamin." Honoria nursed one baby, while I nursed the other.
"May I?" Nora placed Felicity in her mother's arms. We sat down on an elegantly designed sofa.
"I'd give you Ben, but he's not great around new people." I explained.
"Nonsense, I have a way with babies, may I try, and you must call me Diana! I want you to feel at home."
"Good luck Diana." I shifted Ben over to her. He let out a squawk as soon as I began to move him, and lay on Diana's lap looking very worried, his little brow creased.
Felicity meanwhile, was as happy as a clam. She adored the attention that Diana and Nora were lavishing upon her, and delighted them with smiles and soft chortles, reaching up to touch Nora's face once in a while.
"Hello Benjamin, you must look exactly like your daddy, because your mummy doesn't look a bit like you!" Diana cooed. Ben had had enough; he opened his mouth and let out an ear-shattering yell. As soon as he started wailing, Felicity's little mouth puckered up and she started to cry too.
"Ben, shh my sweet, this isn't how you make friends with Mrs Winchester is it now?" I lifted my son from her arms and rocked him, but he'd really had enough now, he was tired and cranky and yelled all the louder as I lifted him to my shoulder. Diana had soothed Felicity, but Ben was still crying, as I stood up and walked around a little.
"Would you like a tour, perhaps walking around will settle him?" Diana stood up, Felicity still happy in her arms.
"We can try, he didn't sleep on the flight down, he's not the most sociable baby. Mum says that I was a lot like Felicity there, and their father was also a very friendly baby, everyone in the town always says how much Ben's nature differs from his father's." I kept talking, rubbing Ben's back.
"This is your room, next to Charlie's, Honoria's is just across the hall. Here's the nursery on the other side, I'm afraid we only have one cot though." Diana opened the door, while talking over Ben's loud yells.
"That's perfectly alright Mrs Winchester, they can share the same cot. I might try and put them down now, Ben especially hasn't slept much lately. Oh, my bag's downstairs." I had taken off the duffel bag when I sat down.
"Clarissa!" For the first time I noticed the woman. "Please go down and fetch the bag in the sitting room."
"Yes ma'am, where do you want it Miss Anne?" The maid now turned her attention to me.
"In the nursery thankyou." I smiled.
"I had Charles and Charlie set everything up again when I heard you were coming. Charles is my husband, Charlie is my son, it's less confusing." Diana explained. Ben was still howling, but wearily now.
"I see Diana, thankyou Clarissa." I placed Ben on the change table and took off his sweater and corduroy trousers, I checked his diaper and put him in a one-piece suit, he'd stopped crying now, but was having a small whinge.
"Do you mind if I fix Felicity? I would love too, I haven't been able to hold a baby in a while."
"Sure." I sat down in the rocker and began to feed Ben while Diana changed Felicity and Nora made up the cot. Ben was quiet except for a slurp now and then. Nora took Felicity and rocked her, her blue eyes seemed to get heavier, and heavier.
"You can just lie her down, she won't wake." I whispered, Ben was asleep and I carefully detached him. I laid him in the cot too removing the blanket, it was too warm for that.
"Sleep tight baby." We tiptoed out and went downstairs. Charles had just returned and was talking to his father.
"Charles!" Both heads, as bald as each other, turned towards me.
"Annabelle, it's a pleasure to see you!" Charles crossed the room in a few steps and hugged me. I brushed a kiss against his cheek.
"It's great to see you too, we were just up putting the twins to bed."
"Father told me, I'm terribly sorry about being delayed."
"Never mind Charles, Nora met me." I realised that Charles was holding me around the waist while my hands rested on his shoulders.
"Well, it's wonderful that you could come. Make yourself at home, we have our butler Giles, and a maid Clarissa at your disposal. If you or your children need anything at all, don't hesitate to ask."
"Thankyou Charles, it was lovely of you to invite me." I smiled, pulling back a little.
"Excuse me, tea will be ready in twenty minutes." Giles informed us seriously.
"Thankyou Giles, would you like to freshen up Annabelle?"
"That would be wonderful Charles."
"Right this way." Charles showed me upstairs to a bathroom, and was about to leave me in my room while I found something to wear.
"Wait, Charles, how should I dress?" His blue eyes swept over me, taking in my sloppy travelling clothes, with easy access to my front for breastfeeding.
"Personally you look just fine, however we are having another doctor and his girlfriend for dinner, so I would suggest you wear a dress, talk to Honoria if there is any trouble."
"Shouldn't be a worry, what about this?" I held up a silky blue evening gown. I'd been told to bring something nice in case we went out.
"Divine." Charles smiled and left. I dressed and Charles came to escort me down to dinner when I was ready.
"Who's the doctor?" I sat before the vanity, twisting my hair into a pretty knot.
"A very talented Jonathon MacIntyre, he's my second-in-command if you will."
"Is the lady he's bringing Carlye?" I pinned the last lock in place and applied a tiny bit of makeup.
"I believe he was bringing a Miss Breslin."
"That's Trapper! Charles, Trapper was Hawkeye's friend in Korea, you never met him, but he was a great guy."
"I never made the connection, I do remember you received a rather surprising letter from a MacIntyre. That's them now, come." He took my elbow and escorted me downstairs. We appeared in the hall just as Clarissa let them in.
"Jonathon, it's wonderful that you could have made it." Charles said, drawing his attention to us. I saw a pretty blonde woman standing next to him.
"Annie! Is that you?"
"Trapper! It's so wonderful to see you!" Trapper crossed to me quickly and hugged me tightly.
"I missed you so much!" He kissed me full on the lips, and very surprised I pushed him off. He looked a little hurt. I gave him a very firm look, one he'd often received 2 or 3 years before whenever I didn't approve of something.
"This must be Carlye," I said distancing myself from him. "I'm Annie."
"Yes, Carlye Breslin. So you're Hawkeye's wife. I always wondered who would be special enough to have him settle down." I filled them in briefly on the not-so-settled situation, when we were called for tea.
"Miss Anne, I checked the nursery, you daughter has woken up, would you like me to bring her down?" We were having dessert, and the babies had been asleep for nearly an hour and a half.
"Please, she'll probably be wanting a bottle soon." As the babies had gotten older, I fed them on bottles as well.
"Would you like me to heat one?"
"Thankyou Clarissa, that would be lovely. I hope no one objects to having the baby at the table."
"No, I'd be delighted." Charles replied, everyone else agreed too. Clarissa brought Felicity, whom she'd wrapped in a blanket. My daughter was suitably admired and I began to give her the bottle and eat at the same time.
"She's beautiful Annie, here, let me help." Trapper took the spoon from my hand and began feeding me. I protested violently, and Carlye looked furious, but he ignored that.
"John, may I have a word?" She asked with a steely gaze at him. By that stage I'd deposited Felicity in Charles's lap, and rather bemused he was giving her a bottle.
"I can manage myself thankyou John." I informed him, removing the spoon from his grasp.
"John?" Carlye called from the door. He rolled his eyes and left the room.
"Thankyou Charles, I can take her back if you like."
"Don't worry, I'm enjoying this. She's beautiful." The conversation between Carlye and Trapp was getting louder. A scream sounded from upstairs, and I excused myself to get Ben, calling to Clarissa to please heat another bottle.
When I returned with my son, there was a lot of shouting going on in the other room, everyone else was trying to act normally and Clarissa had heated the bottle. I tested it on my wrist and soon Ben was content.
"He looks just like his father I'm sorry to say." Charles laughed, watching as Ben drank eagerly.
"I'm not, he's got beautiful soft black hair, and wonderful grey-blue eyes." Nora laughed.
"It sounds as if he's very special to you, the twins' father I mean."
"In a way, I still live in their house, I enjoy the company, and Hawkeye and Daniel, that's Hawkeye's father, love having the babies around."
"Well, Felicity is great company." Charles laughed, quite smitten by my three-month-old daughter. "May I hold Benjamin?" My son in question had finished the bottle and was making a meal of my finger.
"You can try but when your mother held him he cried, he's not one for being passed around." We had raised our voices slightly, trying to drown out the argument in the other room. Charles passed Felicity to Diana and held his arms out for little BJ.
"Okay my boy, this is your Uncle Charles, be good for him okay? Charles this is my son Benjamin, but we call him Ben or BJ." I placed him in Charles's arms. Ben looked surprised as Charles supported him.
"Hello Master Pierce," Charles spoke softly, BJ's eyes were trained on his face now. "I feel very sorry for you, you look just like your daddy." Ben gave a gurgle, and then a definite laugh.
"I'll be, he likes you." I smiled, amazed. More shouting came from the other room, then footsteps and a door slamming. Trapper reappeared long enough to say goodbye and apologise, before dashing off himself.
We spent the rest of the evening playing with the babies. Even Mr Winchester seemed to enjoy their presence and little BJ had taken to the Winchester men like a duck to water. Daniel rang at 8, and I had a talk to him, letting him know I was fine. Nora and I gave the babies a bath and by 9, they were in their cot, fast asleep. Thankfully they both slept the whole night.
It warmed up a lot in the first week, and I revelled in the summer sun. Charles and I had gone out to lunch, leaving Diana and Nora with the babies.
"A toast, to your beautiful children." Charles raised his glass; I touched my glass to his and took a sip of wine. We were having a very nice lunch, and enjoying our first bit of time alone, without the rest of his family.
"Charles, Annie," It was Trapper. "I'm sorry about what happened the other night, Carlye was upset about the way I acted. She left me, but I'm sorry for how I behaved, I shouldn't have kissed you like that."
"I'm sorry to hear that Trapper, are you coming to the reunion?"
"Yes, I'd better go. See you round." He left, and Charles and I shook our heads.
"He never did learn in Korea. Couldn't really commit to one woman, I doubt he only had me."
"That's terrible, I'm sorry to hear that. But there's something else of great importance I'd like to talk to you about Annabelle." Charles put his glass down and clasped my hand.
"Ever since I first saw you, when you greeted your husband in Korea, I became extremely fond of you. And when you yelled at me when we were in the OR, and we had to spend the evening together, I began to feel something that I had to hide. I love you Annabelle, but because you were married, I couldn't let it show."
"Oh, Charles, I'm very deeply touched."
"Hear me out, I still love you, and I would be honoured if you would be my wife."
"Oh Charles!" He took a little velvet box out of his pocket, and opened it, inside there was a diamond and sapphire arrangement set in gold. Although probably considered 'suitable' for a Winchester, he'd obviously picked for my tastes as it wasn't too big or fancy.
"I would be honoured beyond all words if you would."
"I'm so honoured, you think that I'm worthy of the Winchester title."
"Even if you weren't I'd still have you. Annabelle, I could give you everything you ever wanted, and look at how well the twins like me, please consider it." He still clasped my hands.
"I, I don't know what to say." I stammered.
"I would like to hear you say yes." Charles admitted. A million emotions washed over me at once, and began to laugh and cry at the same time. It had been seven months since I'd divorced, but I felt really good about it.
"You know what, I've got a right to live too! Yes!"
"Thankyou Annabelle!" Charles slid the ring onto my finger, and leaned across the table to kiss my cheek. "You don't know how much this means to me Annabelle."
"Let's get one thing straight Charles, it's Annie." I laughed at him, positively beside myself.
"Of course, if that's what you want." Charles smiled, he leaned across to kiss my cheek again. "I think we should go home, Mother will be thrilled to hear the news."
"Of course." We paid the bill and left, both of us laughing, smiling and hardly able to believe what had passed.
Diana and Nora were delighted with the news. Nora told me she'd had her suspicions and Diana said that she would have been disappointed if it didn't happen. Mr Winchester seemed pleased, and said that I should call him Charles if Charles (III) and I were to wed. However we talked them into being quiet until after the reunion, we wanted to tell our friends ourselves before it hit the society pages, and I needed time to sort things out at home.
"Hey little baby, you know, when you grow up, it's all going to be okay? Your mummy won't need to work all day like she said she would, and your step-daddy is one of the nicest men your mummy's ever met." I told Ben that night. "And you know something else BJ sweetheart? You might even get a baby brother or sister one day!"
"Annie, was there some concern in your voice just then?" Nora asked, she was watching me put BJ and Felicity to bed. She preferred this to helping. She said something about the way she felt watching us, the way I talked to them, sang little songs, and just treated them like precious jewels.
"Yeah, I knew eventually that I'd have to work to support them, and that they probably wouldn't ever have any brothers or sisters. I know I can't live off Daniel forever. But it looks like things are going to get better Nora."
"Ah!" Ben said seriously. I gave a laugh.
"Is that so baby boy? Well do you think you're ready to join your sister in the land of Nod?" I lay him in the cot, it was quite hot at nights so the babies slept at one end each, and wearing only diapers.
"You make Charles sound like a night in shining armour." Nora laughed.
"Well, in a way he is." I smiled. "Close those beautiful eyes of yours my baby boy."
"I'm really glad you agreed to marry Charles, it will be lovely having you around." Nora smiled.
"I really enjoy it here. Okay, let's go before they wake up." Nora and I tiptoed from the room, leaving the 12 ½ week old babies sound asleep.
"Pardon me, I think that I should go up to bed." I yawned, as we finished a game of gin some nights later. Charles, Nora and myself had been out to a concert, leaving the twins safe with Diana and Charles Senior. We'd returned and changed into our nightclothes and were sitting on the veranda trying to cool off as it was a very hot night.
"Of course, sweet dreams Anne." Diana smiled at me.
"Goodnight Diana." I bent and the woman brushed a kiss against my cheek.
"I might go too," Charles stood up and stretched. I said goodnight to Nora, and Charles and I went upstairs. I gave a huge yawn halfway up.
"I think I need some rest." I covered my mouth with one hand. Charles's hand on the small of my back guided me gently upstairs.
"We have a big day ahead of us tomorrow." The seven of us were heading west for the reunion in the morning.
"Goodnight Charles." I bent and kissed his head as he sat on the bed taking his slippers off. I sat down beside him and he put his arms around me.
"Ah, my sweet." He murmured, kissing my neck a couple of times and laughing softly as he did so. I giggled a little, pushing him off teasingly.
"I thought you said we needed to get some sleep."
"Ah, but you said rest, there's a difference between sleep and rest." He laughed, his thumb stroking my cheek.
"That's nice Charlie dear, but don't get your hopes up, remember I tore pretty badly." During labour, some of the tissues had torn needing stitches, and although it wasn't and never had been causing me pain, Daniel told me not to do things that would risk re-tearing it for the next few months because if it did, I would definitely get infected. He told me no running or horse riding, and careful dancing, but what he really meant was no sex.
"I understand completely and don't think that I was putting you under any pressure Annie." He said.
"You weren't I was just nipping all hope in the bud." I kissed him briefly.
"You little minx." He lay back on the bed, taking me with him, I let him kiss me for a second before I pulled away.
"Goodnight Charles." I said pointedly, rolling to the other side of the large bed.
"Sleep well Annie." He kissed the back of my hair, but I was already half asleep and too tired to reply.
"Master Charles, Miss Anne, Mrs Winchester requested I we wake you." Giles knocked on the door.
"Thankyou Giles; that will be all." Charles replied. We'd heard the knock and we were stretching, waking up slowly and luxuriating in the pleasant half-light.
I'd better check on Ben and Felicity, I'm going to need to bottle feed them before we get on the plane so they stay happy as long as possible, I can't heat a bottle on the plane so I'm going to have to breastfeed sometime, but the longer I can put it off, the better. Whoever thought having kids would be so much trouble?" I laughed.
"Obviously not you!" Charles remarked with a smile. I slapped at his rear as he turned away, and went to get the babies sorted.
Several hours later, once we'd packed, the kids had been fed, changed, dressed, played with and were content, we went to the airport.
"Charles how are we going to tell them?" I asked in the airport.
"It'll be okay." Charles smiled, "Don't worry that beautiful head of yours about it." He kissed my curls.
"If they love you as much as you've related to me Annabelle, they won't mind who you're planning to wed, your happiness should be what is of the greatest importance to them." Charles Senior said.
"Thankyou Charles! Come along Charlie dear, we've got a flight to catch!" I linked my arm with Charles's and we boarded the plane. I was feeling far more positive about telling our friends, and I was just dying to see them.
Wait for the next chapter July 4 1954: The Reunion to find out how everyone will take the news of the recent engagement!!
June 1954
I went to Boston five days before Ben and Felicity turned 12 weeks old. I was going to stay with the Winchesters for 17 days, and then we'd fly across to San Francisco for the reunion, planned on July 4, my birthday.
"You must be Annabelle?" A beautiful young woman met me at the airport, I was waiting at the front with a porter who had my and the children's bags.
"Yes, Annabelle Dawson." I replied. Her face lit up into a warm smile.
"Pleased to meet you Annabelle, I am Honoria, but call me Nora." Though she stuttered I hardly noticed.
"Thankyou Nora, I'm Anne really." She motioned to a car and the driver got out and began taking my bags.
"My brother was postponed at work, he sends his apologies, so I came to meet you. This is our butler, Giles, Giles this is Miss Anne, who is staying with us."
"Pleased to meet you Miss Anne." He motioned to the old army-issue duffel bag I carried. It had a few toys, clothes and other baby things that I needed.
"No I'll keep this with me, thankyou."
"We'll go now." I got in the car and we drove to the expensive Winchester residence.
"Mother, Daddy, this is Annabelle, Charles's friend from Korea." Honoria introduced me to Charles and Diana Winchester, her parents. Charles was every bit as stuffy as his son, but Mrs Winchester was a very sweet lady.
"Pleased to meet you Annabelle, and these must be the babies Charlie told me of!"
"Yes Mrs Winchester, this is Felicity and this is Benjamin." Honoria nursed one baby, while I nursed the other.
"May I?" Nora placed Felicity in her mother's arms. We sat down on an elegantly designed sofa.
"I'd give you Ben, but he's not great around new people." I explained.
"Nonsense, I have a way with babies, may I try, and you must call me Diana! I want you to feel at home."
"Good luck Diana." I shifted Ben over to her. He let out a squawk as soon as I began to move him, and lay on Diana's lap looking very worried, his little brow creased.
Felicity meanwhile, was as happy as a clam. She adored the attention that Diana and Nora were lavishing upon her, and delighted them with smiles and soft chortles, reaching up to touch Nora's face once in a while.
"Hello Benjamin, you must look exactly like your daddy, because your mummy doesn't look a bit like you!" Diana cooed. Ben had had enough; he opened his mouth and let out an ear-shattering yell. As soon as he started wailing, Felicity's little mouth puckered up and she started to cry too.
"Ben, shh my sweet, this isn't how you make friends with Mrs Winchester is it now?" I lifted my son from her arms and rocked him, but he'd really had enough now, he was tired and cranky and yelled all the louder as I lifted him to my shoulder. Diana had soothed Felicity, but Ben was still crying, as I stood up and walked around a little.
"Would you like a tour, perhaps walking around will settle him?" Diana stood up, Felicity still happy in her arms.
"We can try, he didn't sleep on the flight down, he's not the most sociable baby. Mum says that I was a lot like Felicity there, and their father was also a very friendly baby, everyone in the town always says how much Ben's nature differs from his father's." I kept talking, rubbing Ben's back.
"This is your room, next to Charlie's, Honoria's is just across the hall. Here's the nursery on the other side, I'm afraid we only have one cot though." Diana opened the door, while talking over Ben's loud yells.
"That's perfectly alright Mrs Winchester, they can share the same cot. I might try and put them down now, Ben especially hasn't slept much lately. Oh, my bag's downstairs." I had taken off the duffel bag when I sat down.
"Clarissa!" For the first time I noticed the woman. "Please go down and fetch the bag in the sitting room."
"Yes ma'am, where do you want it Miss Anne?" The maid now turned her attention to me.
"In the nursery thankyou." I smiled.
"I had Charles and Charlie set everything up again when I heard you were coming. Charles is my husband, Charlie is my son, it's less confusing." Diana explained. Ben was still howling, but wearily now.
"I see Diana, thankyou Clarissa." I placed Ben on the change table and took off his sweater and corduroy trousers, I checked his diaper and put him in a one-piece suit, he'd stopped crying now, but was having a small whinge.
"Do you mind if I fix Felicity? I would love too, I haven't been able to hold a baby in a while."
"Sure." I sat down in the rocker and began to feed Ben while Diana changed Felicity and Nora made up the cot. Ben was quiet except for a slurp now and then. Nora took Felicity and rocked her, her blue eyes seemed to get heavier, and heavier.
"You can just lie her down, she won't wake." I whispered, Ben was asleep and I carefully detached him. I laid him in the cot too removing the blanket, it was too warm for that.
"Sleep tight baby." We tiptoed out and went downstairs. Charles had just returned and was talking to his father.
"Charles!" Both heads, as bald as each other, turned towards me.
"Annabelle, it's a pleasure to see you!" Charles crossed the room in a few steps and hugged me. I brushed a kiss against his cheek.
"It's great to see you too, we were just up putting the twins to bed."
"Father told me, I'm terribly sorry about being delayed."
"Never mind Charles, Nora met me." I realised that Charles was holding me around the waist while my hands rested on his shoulders.
"Well, it's wonderful that you could come. Make yourself at home, we have our butler Giles, and a maid Clarissa at your disposal. If you or your children need anything at all, don't hesitate to ask."
"Thankyou Charles, it was lovely of you to invite me." I smiled, pulling back a little.
"Excuse me, tea will be ready in twenty minutes." Giles informed us seriously.
"Thankyou Giles, would you like to freshen up Annabelle?"
"That would be wonderful Charles."
"Right this way." Charles showed me upstairs to a bathroom, and was about to leave me in my room while I found something to wear.
"Wait, Charles, how should I dress?" His blue eyes swept over me, taking in my sloppy travelling clothes, with easy access to my front for breastfeeding.
"Personally you look just fine, however we are having another doctor and his girlfriend for dinner, so I would suggest you wear a dress, talk to Honoria if there is any trouble."
"Shouldn't be a worry, what about this?" I held up a silky blue evening gown. I'd been told to bring something nice in case we went out.
"Divine." Charles smiled and left. I dressed and Charles came to escort me down to dinner when I was ready.
"Who's the doctor?" I sat before the vanity, twisting my hair into a pretty knot.
"A very talented Jonathon MacIntyre, he's my second-in-command if you will."
"Is the lady he's bringing Carlye?" I pinned the last lock in place and applied a tiny bit of makeup.
"I believe he was bringing a Miss Breslin."
"That's Trapper! Charles, Trapper was Hawkeye's friend in Korea, you never met him, but he was a great guy."
"I never made the connection, I do remember you received a rather surprising letter from a MacIntyre. That's them now, come." He took my elbow and escorted me downstairs. We appeared in the hall just as Clarissa let them in.
"Jonathon, it's wonderful that you could have made it." Charles said, drawing his attention to us. I saw a pretty blonde woman standing next to him.
"Annie! Is that you?"
"Trapper! It's so wonderful to see you!" Trapper crossed to me quickly and hugged me tightly.
"I missed you so much!" He kissed me full on the lips, and very surprised I pushed him off. He looked a little hurt. I gave him a very firm look, one he'd often received 2 or 3 years before whenever I didn't approve of something.
"This must be Carlye," I said distancing myself from him. "I'm Annie."
"Yes, Carlye Breslin. So you're Hawkeye's wife. I always wondered who would be special enough to have him settle down." I filled them in briefly on the not-so-settled situation, when we were called for tea.
"Miss Anne, I checked the nursery, you daughter has woken up, would you like me to bring her down?" We were having dessert, and the babies had been asleep for nearly an hour and a half.
"Please, she'll probably be wanting a bottle soon." As the babies had gotten older, I fed them on bottles as well.
"Would you like me to heat one?"
"Thankyou Clarissa, that would be lovely. I hope no one objects to having the baby at the table."
"No, I'd be delighted." Charles replied, everyone else agreed too. Clarissa brought Felicity, whom she'd wrapped in a blanket. My daughter was suitably admired and I began to give her the bottle and eat at the same time.
"She's beautiful Annie, here, let me help." Trapper took the spoon from my hand and began feeding me. I protested violently, and Carlye looked furious, but he ignored that.
"John, may I have a word?" She asked with a steely gaze at him. By that stage I'd deposited Felicity in Charles's lap, and rather bemused he was giving her a bottle.
"I can manage myself thankyou John." I informed him, removing the spoon from his grasp.
"John?" Carlye called from the door. He rolled his eyes and left the room.
"Thankyou Charles, I can take her back if you like."
"Don't worry, I'm enjoying this. She's beautiful." The conversation between Carlye and Trapp was getting louder. A scream sounded from upstairs, and I excused myself to get Ben, calling to Clarissa to please heat another bottle.
When I returned with my son, there was a lot of shouting going on in the other room, everyone else was trying to act normally and Clarissa had heated the bottle. I tested it on my wrist and soon Ben was content.
"He looks just like his father I'm sorry to say." Charles laughed, watching as Ben drank eagerly.
"I'm not, he's got beautiful soft black hair, and wonderful grey-blue eyes." Nora laughed.
"It sounds as if he's very special to you, the twins' father I mean."
"In a way, I still live in their house, I enjoy the company, and Hawkeye and Daniel, that's Hawkeye's father, love having the babies around."
"Well, Felicity is great company." Charles laughed, quite smitten by my three-month-old daughter. "May I hold Benjamin?" My son in question had finished the bottle and was making a meal of my finger.
"You can try but when your mother held him he cried, he's not one for being passed around." We had raised our voices slightly, trying to drown out the argument in the other room. Charles passed Felicity to Diana and held his arms out for little BJ.
"Okay my boy, this is your Uncle Charles, be good for him okay? Charles this is my son Benjamin, but we call him Ben or BJ." I placed him in Charles's arms. Ben looked surprised as Charles supported him.
"Hello Master Pierce," Charles spoke softly, BJ's eyes were trained on his face now. "I feel very sorry for you, you look just like your daddy." Ben gave a gurgle, and then a definite laugh.
"I'll be, he likes you." I smiled, amazed. More shouting came from the other room, then footsteps and a door slamming. Trapper reappeared long enough to say goodbye and apologise, before dashing off himself.
We spent the rest of the evening playing with the babies. Even Mr Winchester seemed to enjoy their presence and little BJ had taken to the Winchester men like a duck to water. Daniel rang at 8, and I had a talk to him, letting him know I was fine. Nora and I gave the babies a bath and by 9, they were in their cot, fast asleep. Thankfully they both slept the whole night.
It warmed up a lot in the first week, and I revelled in the summer sun. Charles and I had gone out to lunch, leaving Diana and Nora with the babies.
"A toast, to your beautiful children." Charles raised his glass; I touched my glass to his and took a sip of wine. We were having a very nice lunch, and enjoying our first bit of time alone, without the rest of his family.
"Charles, Annie," It was Trapper. "I'm sorry about what happened the other night, Carlye was upset about the way I acted. She left me, but I'm sorry for how I behaved, I shouldn't have kissed you like that."
"I'm sorry to hear that Trapper, are you coming to the reunion?"
"Yes, I'd better go. See you round." He left, and Charles and I shook our heads.
"He never did learn in Korea. Couldn't really commit to one woman, I doubt he only had me."
"That's terrible, I'm sorry to hear that. But there's something else of great importance I'd like to talk to you about Annabelle." Charles put his glass down and clasped my hand.
"Ever since I first saw you, when you greeted your husband in Korea, I became extremely fond of you. And when you yelled at me when we were in the OR, and we had to spend the evening together, I began to feel something that I had to hide. I love you Annabelle, but because you were married, I couldn't let it show."
"Oh, Charles, I'm very deeply touched."
"Hear me out, I still love you, and I would be honoured if you would be my wife."
"Oh Charles!" He took a little velvet box out of his pocket, and opened it, inside there was a diamond and sapphire arrangement set in gold. Although probably considered 'suitable' for a Winchester, he'd obviously picked for my tastes as it wasn't too big or fancy.
"I would be honoured beyond all words if you would."
"I'm so honoured, you think that I'm worthy of the Winchester title."
"Even if you weren't I'd still have you. Annabelle, I could give you everything you ever wanted, and look at how well the twins like me, please consider it." He still clasped my hands.
"I, I don't know what to say." I stammered.
"I would like to hear you say yes." Charles admitted. A million emotions washed over me at once, and began to laugh and cry at the same time. It had been seven months since I'd divorced, but I felt really good about it.
"You know what, I've got a right to live too! Yes!"
"Thankyou Annabelle!" Charles slid the ring onto my finger, and leaned across the table to kiss my cheek. "You don't know how much this means to me Annabelle."
"Let's get one thing straight Charles, it's Annie." I laughed at him, positively beside myself.
"Of course, if that's what you want." Charles smiled, he leaned across to kiss my cheek again. "I think we should go home, Mother will be thrilled to hear the news."
"Of course." We paid the bill and left, both of us laughing, smiling and hardly able to believe what had passed.
Diana and Nora were delighted with the news. Nora told me she'd had her suspicions and Diana said that she would have been disappointed if it didn't happen. Mr Winchester seemed pleased, and said that I should call him Charles if Charles (III) and I were to wed. However we talked them into being quiet until after the reunion, we wanted to tell our friends ourselves before it hit the society pages, and I needed time to sort things out at home.
"Hey little baby, you know, when you grow up, it's all going to be okay? Your mummy won't need to work all day like she said she would, and your step-daddy is one of the nicest men your mummy's ever met." I told Ben that night. "And you know something else BJ sweetheart? You might even get a baby brother or sister one day!"
"Annie, was there some concern in your voice just then?" Nora asked, she was watching me put BJ and Felicity to bed. She preferred this to helping. She said something about the way she felt watching us, the way I talked to them, sang little songs, and just treated them like precious jewels.
"Yeah, I knew eventually that I'd have to work to support them, and that they probably wouldn't ever have any brothers or sisters. I know I can't live off Daniel forever. But it looks like things are going to get better Nora."
"Ah!" Ben said seriously. I gave a laugh.
"Is that so baby boy? Well do you think you're ready to join your sister in the land of Nod?" I lay him in the cot, it was quite hot at nights so the babies slept at one end each, and wearing only diapers.
"You make Charles sound like a night in shining armour." Nora laughed.
"Well, in a way he is." I smiled. "Close those beautiful eyes of yours my baby boy."
"I'm really glad you agreed to marry Charles, it will be lovely having you around." Nora smiled.
"I really enjoy it here. Okay, let's go before they wake up." Nora and I tiptoed from the room, leaving the 12 ½ week old babies sound asleep.
"Pardon me, I think that I should go up to bed." I yawned, as we finished a game of gin some nights later. Charles, Nora and myself had been out to a concert, leaving the twins safe with Diana and Charles Senior. We'd returned and changed into our nightclothes and were sitting on the veranda trying to cool off as it was a very hot night.
"Of course, sweet dreams Anne." Diana smiled at me.
"Goodnight Diana." I bent and the woman brushed a kiss against my cheek.
"I might go too," Charles stood up and stretched. I said goodnight to Nora, and Charles and I went upstairs. I gave a huge yawn halfway up.
"I think I need some rest." I covered my mouth with one hand. Charles's hand on the small of my back guided me gently upstairs.
"We have a big day ahead of us tomorrow." The seven of us were heading west for the reunion in the morning.
"Goodnight Charles." I bent and kissed his head as he sat on the bed taking his slippers off. I sat down beside him and he put his arms around me.
"Ah, my sweet." He murmured, kissing my neck a couple of times and laughing softly as he did so. I giggled a little, pushing him off teasingly.
"I thought you said we needed to get some sleep."
"Ah, but you said rest, there's a difference between sleep and rest." He laughed, his thumb stroking my cheek.
"That's nice Charlie dear, but don't get your hopes up, remember I tore pretty badly." During labour, some of the tissues had torn needing stitches, and although it wasn't and never had been causing me pain, Daniel told me not to do things that would risk re-tearing it for the next few months because if it did, I would definitely get infected. He told me no running or horse riding, and careful dancing, but what he really meant was no sex.
"I understand completely and don't think that I was putting you under any pressure Annie." He said.
"You weren't I was just nipping all hope in the bud." I kissed him briefly.
"You little minx." He lay back on the bed, taking me with him, I let him kiss me for a second before I pulled away.
"Goodnight Charles." I said pointedly, rolling to the other side of the large bed.
"Sleep well Annie." He kissed the back of my hair, but I was already half asleep and too tired to reply.
"Master Charles, Miss Anne, Mrs Winchester requested I we wake you." Giles knocked on the door.
"Thankyou Giles; that will be all." Charles replied. We'd heard the knock and we were stretching, waking up slowly and luxuriating in the pleasant half-light.
I'd better check on Ben and Felicity, I'm going to need to bottle feed them before we get on the plane so they stay happy as long as possible, I can't heat a bottle on the plane so I'm going to have to breastfeed sometime, but the longer I can put it off, the better. Whoever thought having kids would be so much trouble?" I laughed.
"Obviously not you!" Charles remarked with a smile. I slapped at his rear as he turned away, and went to get the babies sorted.
Several hours later, once we'd packed, the kids had been fed, changed, dressed, played with and were content, we went to the airport.
"Charles how are we going to tell them?" I asked in the airport.
"It'll be okay." Charles smiled, "Don't worry that beautiful head of yours about it." He kissed my curls.
"If they love you as much as you've related to me Annabelle, they won't mind who you're planning to wed, your happiness should be what is of the greatest importance to them." Charles Senior said.
"Thankyou Charles! Come along Charlie dear, we've got a flight to catch!" I linked my arm with Charles's and we boarded the plane. I was feeling far more positive about telling our friends, and I was just dying to see them.
Wait for the next chapter July 4 1954: The Reunion to find out how everyone will take the news of the recent engagement!!