For disclaimer, see chapter one. Thanks!

A/N: Hi hi…thanks for all the reviews! I won't leave you all in suspense any longer. o)

Changes Approaching

Chapter Seven: A Lovely Surprise

April 23 (two and a half months later)

Annie Camden stood nervously by the security check in the local airport waiting to see her daughter's face. Last month, Mary had called to say that she and Ben wanted to come out, that they had a surprise for everyone. Ever since, Annie had been wracking her brain trying to figure out what on earth Mary could have to say! In the past, Mary's surprises hadn't been the best, so truthfully her mother was nervous.

That night the whole family would be coming over for dinner so that Mary could share her surprise with them as well. Annie clasped her hands in excitement when she saw Ben's head in the crowd. They were here! Minutes later, Ben and Mary walked through security. Annie rushed to hug her daughter and son in law. After she backed up, she was about to ask what their surprise was, but before she could, it became all too obvious. Her eyes became teary as she walked over to her older daughter and knelt down to look at her round stomach. She looked up at Mary who couldn't help but smile. Annie stood and threw her arms around her again.

"Mary! Ben! Oh this is the best surprise a mother could get!" She gushed, backing up again to view her daughter's stomach. "How far along are you?" Annie asked. "I can't believe you could keep this secret for so long!" Mary laughed.

"Well, I'm 7 months along, and I'll be 8 on the fourth." Mary reported. "We found out in February, I was 5 months along then." The group walked to baggage claim to get their things, then dropped the bags off at home, immediately hurrying out to Mary's favorite café for lunch. After they ordered their food, Annie decided to ask for more information.

"So tell me," She started. "Was this planned?" Mary and Ben laughed and looked at one another.

"No." Mary said. "Not at all. I didn't want a baby in any way shape or form. But when I told Ben, he was so excited that it was hard not to be. Ever since we shopped for the nursery and got some clothes, I've actually been getting really excited. This definitely wasn't in the plans, but it's turning out to be a wonderful accident." Annie smiled as Mary reached for her husband's hand.

"And…do you know if it's a boy or a girl?" She asked in anticipation. Mary bit her lip and nodded. "Tell me!" Annie laughed, knowing she couldn't wait another second.

"Well mommy," Mary said, "You'll be getting a new grand daughter. It's a girl."

"A girl? That's great. Mary, Ben, you'll have so much fun with her. Have you gotten any little dresses yet?"

"Yes!" Mary said. "Aren't they adorable. I love the tiny tiny little sun dresses." She smiled and Annie nodded, remembering dressing her own daughters.

"Do you have a name picked out for her yet?" Asked Annie. Ben answered this time, on Mary's request.

"We do." He said. "We've decided to call her Bailey Ciara."

"That's adorable!" Crooned Annie.

"Thanks." Said Ben. "We think so."

"Enough about us." Mary said. "How's everyone here doing? I'm still in absolute shock that my little sister is going to be a grandma. We're just starting out!" Annie smiled and nodded.

"Well, that wasn't exactly planned either. Haylie's 7 months along, also soon to be eight months. She's due just a few days before Bailey is on June 28th. They've decided to name her Hannah Peyton." Mary shook her head in disbelief.

"How crazy." She said. "Grandma Lucy." She laughed. "I won't be a grandma for awhile" She paused. "Well, I hope not at least." She laughed and gave a stern look to her daughter in her stomach, getting her mother and husband laughing too. "How about everyone else?"

"Well, Sarah and Matt are doing really well, Jacob just got into NYU, so he'll be a freshman there next year, Kate will be a senior already. Let's see here…Kev and Lucy are really excited for the baby to come, of course. The rest of the kids are as well, especially Maddy, she's making everyone call her "Auntie" already." They laughed. "Cecilia and Simon are pretty good, the kids are getting so big! Ben will be 17 in a few weeks, Noah's 16 in 2 months, and Grace is 11! From the little bit of communication we seem to have these days, Ruthie and Peter are good. Jack turned 6 last month, and Cady is four. Lina and Sam are good too, Lina's really enjoying teaching the 6th grade. Molly has her learner's permit, and has been having fun driving. And last but not least, Natalie and Dave are doing really well. The kids are just absolutely adorable. Liv is 4 now and Landon's two. I don't know if you remember, but they adopted another baby last year, Emma turned one last month. That kid is so funny to watch with her brother and sister." They all smiled.

"Well I'm so glad that everyone is doing well! It's been hard to live so far away from everyone. Especially with this pregnancy! I'm so happy to be here! Who's coming to dinner tonight?" Annie pulled out her palm pilot, a Christmas present, and looked over the list.

"Sarah and Matt will be there with Jake and Amanda, Lucy and Kev said they'd try really hard to be there, and they'll have Elizabeth and Maddy. The twins have a football game to go to tonight so they won't be able to make it. Haylie and Kyle said they'd try to make an appearance at some point, but they're so busy with school and the pregnancy and everything. Cecilia, Simon and all three kids, Lina and Sam with all four, and Natalie and Dave will be there for a few hours, but need to get home by 9 to but the kids to bed." Mary nodded.

"Well that's still quite a crowd…24 people not counting us or Haylie and Kyle I think." Annie smiled.

"It's going to be fun. I love to have everyone over. I get lonely in that big house all alone you know." She took Mary's hand. "I just wish your father could have been here to see this." She said in a quieter voice. "He would have been so proud." A tear came down Mary's cheek that she quickly brushed away.

"I know mom. But he's here. He knows." She said with a small smile and Annie nodded. Even though Eric couldn't be there in body, she knew with out a doubt that he was here in spirit, and that he was in deed beaming down at them with pride.

A/N: Sorry this is a bit short! I wanted to get a new chapter out for you all. Please review, and as usual, the more reviews I get, the faster a new chapter will be posted!