Wednesday afternoon showed up quickly. And Alexis was content as took even happy recent events into account. Could she ask for more? Would she? No.

Her life had become tremendously charmed.

Today just added to it.

Why?

First, Alexis was going to observe Lilibet at play in her learning class at the local Gymboree building. She had no memory of Meredith making this kind of effort on her behalf. At all. Which meant she was building this memory on her own. For herself. And it felt... Surreal.

But...

Alexis was downright excited about something else, too. She would be going home with her family after this. Only if for a little while. To Amethyst Falls. She could finally be seeing the place her family called home. And... Every little curiosity and thought about the place fueled her joy.

Alexis found the building lobby to be just what she expected.

Bright colors. Promotional but learning-themed posters everywhere. Nursery rhymes playing softly overhead. The front desk was even fully-staffed. One hallway led to the beginnings of the classrooms. Different people of all ages came and went, each child accompanied by a parent or a caregiver. Alexis even heard an elevator ding. Somewhere nearby.

A voice called out to her. "There you are, beautiful! Welcome!"

Alexandra had somehow spotted her. Now she was kissing her hello, and touching a hand to Alexis' baby bump.

"Wow. Hello to you, too." Alexis hugged her briefly when they pulled apart. "Have you been here long?"

"Uh-uh. Five minutes. At most." Alexandra told her. "But… We have a new project ahead of us: introducing the little one to the concept of time-telling."

Alexis wrinkled the bridge of her nose. "Did Bette get on a verbal hamster wheel again?"

"Bingo. Your darling cherub has been an absolute m-o-t-o-r-m-o-u-t-h since waking up from her nap." Alexandra gave a theatrical eye roll. "Asked if it was time to go to class. Frequently. I would do anything for her to get the basics of time."

Alexis briefly reflected on her quest to help Lilibet not see bath time as wartime, and the countermeasures she would be introducing later. New challenge? Not a problem. She was already excited.

Alexis turned to Lilibet, saddled on Alexandra's hip. And... She was uncharacteristically quiet.

But Alexis hugged the little one.

When Lilibet only blew her a kiss, Alexis had a sigh.

"Do you need the bathroom?" she asked her.

Lilibet laughed: Alexis had guessed the answer to the riddle she hadn't asked.

"Yep!" she told her. "I do!"

Alexandra stood straighter. "Well... At least the toilet training is beginning to stick now. Come on. Bathroom break for everybody."

Lilibet's classroom was located near the building's top floor. In the art wing.

And... The exterior was decorated with ladybugs.

Pretend insect footprints and leaves lined the classroom's area of the hallway, adorable graphics of the insect decorated the windows above the hallway cubbies, and a sign overhead the classroom entrance read 'THE LADYBUG ROOM.' Even the doormat was in the shape of the insect.

"Cute, huh?" Alexandra said to Alexis.

The redhead nodded. "Yep. Do all the rooms have themes? For helping the kids find where they need to go?"

"Mhm. This whole floor is bug-themed, and I love i—Bette! Hold your horses!"

In much her own haste, Lilibet had tried to enter her classroom. And so she let out a squeal of surprise when her parents caught her and worked together to help her get fully ready to play. Lilibet vanished into the room at her first free moment.

But Alexis understood why, upon entering the room, Lilibet had been so eager: all of it was an art studio. Geared towards toddlers. A creative person like Lilibet no doubt found the place a wonderland.

Momentarily, Alexis watched the children socialize with each other and their teachers while they waited for more people to arrive. It wasn't time for the session begin.

Alexandra let Alexis by the hand towards the far end of the room. Near the clean-up area. Here stood a door to a different spot. Separate.

Alexis entered to find a room full tables and chairs. They were spread throughout the space. And different ones were some of the parents of the students. Alone. In pairs. Or groups.

But the main feature of this little side room was that one wall was composed entirely of a very sturdy floor-to-ceiling double-sided mirror.

"Do the kids know that this," Alexis pointed to the mirror as she and Alexandra took a table at the far end of the room. "Is here?"

"Yes and no. They kids are aware it's a mirror. But they don't know we can see them. Occasionally, they do funny things without realizing we can see every moment. I have not caught Bette at it."

Alexandra indicated the room at large as they draped their cold-wear and purses over backs of their chairs now. Student artwork adorned the walls. A long table near the door hosted snacks and refreshments. There was even a restroom.

"Parents can drop their kids off in the classroom for the hour, but those who don't wait in here."

"Very cool..."

Alexis' thoughts drifted momentarily: a new aspect about who she was a person had occurred to her on the drive over, and she'd made up her mind in regards to sharing it.

But... She still wondered what her girlfriend would think.

"Hey." Alexandra patted her hand gently. "What are you thinking?"

So Alexis just went for it. "My parents were about your age when they had me. Did you know that I remember them young?"

"No."

"It's true. My dad will do anything for me—he's been that way, my entire life. But Meredith? Not so much. She treated me like a human doll."

Alexandra's heart did a nasty flip. "Oh, Alexis…"

"My parents' ways back then forced my hand with independence. Just because my last name is what it is, that doesn't mean things were picturesque."

Alexandra chose her words carefully. "I suppose changing your last name at some point is a yes?"

"One hundred percent. I don't want my family name for the rest of my life because..." her words fizzled out when she lost her train of thought.

"You just want to see adulthood without living in your family's great long shadow." Alexandra deduced. "I promise, your feelings are valid. Completely."

Touched that Alexandra had understood, Alexis offered her a small smile as she spoke again. "Do you think it's odd I'm so invested in figuring out a mother-daughter relationship with Bette when I don't have one with Meredith?"

"No. It means the world to me that it's important enough in your life what you want to make in a priority. And... I think this is you breaking the cycle."

"Oh." Alexis immediately sat up a little straighter in her seat. "Never thought about it that way."

Alexandra winked. "I also promise, that if you ever get stumped and you want the help, I will bail you out. To the best of my abilities. What do you think?"

Alexis nearly proposed. On the spot. Alexandra's words had sounded like wedding vows.

But she pulled herself together. "I know that I love you. And thanks—for everything."

Both mothers then settled into lighter conversation.

But… Before long…

"May I join you?" came a new but voice.

Both mothers looked up to see Tallulah standing before them. Her arrival meant that her children had joined the throng of students on the other side of the mirror. Now she was just standing on social manners.

"Yes, Lu!" Alexandra rose to her feet and pulled a chair out for her friend. "Actually… I was just wishing that you were here…"

Tallulah nodded hello to Alexis as she sat opposite her. "Then why do I already have a feeling about what's up?"

Here, Alexis gave a soft, "Oh…" of understanding as she realized what was about to happen.

Alexandra cleared her throat as she resumed her seat. "We're a trio today because Alexis is coming over for dinner after this. But I also know that you're interested in making sure she know knows the ballad of how the two of us met...?"

"True. And you can go first." Tallulah decided. "But don't forget to tell her about your binder."

Alexandra turned to Alexis again. "Joelle keeps that binder on my behalf because when I was younger than Bette, I had an outrageous fever. It tanked me. And it left me with an 'after-effect,' let's call it."

"Oh? Might I ask what happened?" Alexis queried.

"The havoc in my body also spontaneously brought on a certain type of palsy that caused me to have a visible facial droop. I will explain it all another time." Alexandra briefly touched a hand to the affected part of her face. "You with me so far?"

Alexis nodded. "Mhm. Is what you're talking about a permanent thing?"

"Not normally. But the universe made it so." Alexandra sighed. "Thanks to it, my reminder of that time is my permanently crooked one-sided smile."

"But it's one of my favorite things about you." Alexis told her with reassurance. "Tell me: is that 'full extent' is why Joelle keeps that medical binder?"

"Yep."

Now a second epiphany occurred to Alexis here. "Bette's got the same kind of smile as you. Is our girl a walking statistical anomaly because she inherited the same condition?"

Quite impressed, Tallulah let out a single-noted whistle. "That is wildly sharp intuition."

Alexis arched an eyebrow. She wanted more.

"Wildly," Alexandra answered her. "Bette developed the same issue on her own. But when she was quite brand new."

Alexis could only stammer, "I... what...? But those kinds of chances are..."

"Astronomical." Alexandra didn't miss a beat. "I will explain this another time, too. Except for Bette's crooked smile, all else resolved on its own. I couldn't believe it."

"Does she like her smile?" Alexis asked asked softly.

"Mhm. In her eyes, we match. But... Bette was extremely floored the first time she saw Lu smile."

Alexandra shifted her attention to their table companion.

"Go."

"My own crooked smile is one of the many charming," Tallulah dripped a lot of sarcasm on to this word. "Markers of having cerebral palsy. The rest, in annotated form, is that time caught up with me. Now I can't use my legs the same way that I used to. Or eat properly."

But Alexis felt compassion and curiosity. "And that's why you're waiting on that wheelchair to come in. I get it now. Have your kids known you any other way?"

"No. This," Tallulah indicated herself overall. "Is their normal."

She then pointed to her feeding tube.

"Now for the crux of the matter."

Alexandra nodded. "Yes. Lex, when I was newly pregnant, there was a day that I had a… pain flare, if you will. 'Awful' is a severe understatement. But… It led to me needing a feeding tube."

"Had you had one before?"

"Mhm. Several times. But… I ended up having a longterm one during the whole duration of my pregnancy." Alexandra involuntarily rubbed her nose as she remembered the feeling. "Do you remember how I said that when my ex died, Kevin escorted me to the morgue so I could see him?"

Alexis nodded mutely.

"The stress of it did me in because it happened in the middle of that pain flare." Alexandra grew less tense when Alexis laid one hand atop hers. "I... uh... collapsed in Lanie's morgue."

Alexis promptly steered the conversation away from any morgue-related rabbit holes. "Did the feeding tube happen so Bette could get extra nutrients? Because your body was going haywire?"

"Yes. Exactly. But I was admitted to the hospital because I couldn't function without help."

"I can only imagine your misery. And… Who your roommate was…"

She looked over towards Tallulah. For confirmation.

"You're good." Tallulah praised. "Alexandra was indeed my room companion. It was fate."

"No kidding..." Alexis mused.

"I was pregnant at the time, but recovering from a small surgery. And... I was getting used to my first feeding tube."

Alexandra nodded. "I also got out of bed to help Lu when I saw her having a technical malfunction. We've been friends ever since. Even kept each other at tube therapy."

"Mhm. But," Tallulah rapped on the table with her knuckles. "We started finally hanging out after our kids wound up in this class. And the the rest has been history. What do you think?"

Tallulah had added this last part when she noticed that Alexis looked dazed.

"Honestly," the younger woman replied. "I'm feeling windswept. But you know what? I love it all. And I embrace every bit."

Tallulah felt relief. "Wow. I like you even more now, Alexis. Thank you."

As for Alexandra, she could only convey her thanks by kissing her girlfriend. But Alexis understood. Completely.

"I really am rebuilding my life right now," Alexis moved her attention back to Tallulah. "And I am happy to be friends with you. Truly. I think the only thing to complete it would be our family getting together with yours for dinner. Or something."

Alexandra felt a large dash of pride at Alexis' usage of 'our family.' Perhaps they'd delve into a particular topic later…

But Tallulah just quipped, "How funny that you'd say that."

"Why?" Alexis and Alexandra chimed in tandem.

"Because my kids' birthday is coming up. AJ and Zara are having a small party. Never been interested in one until this year." Tallulah slide an invitation from her purse across the table. "My babies turn four on October ninth."

Alexis took the invitation. "Wow. My birthday is the day before."

"More fate." Tallulah chuckled. "AJ and Zara asked Bette to come. However... They also asked for you because they know you're important to her."

"Color me flattered. Wow." Alexis then indicated the invitation's Peanuts comic theme. "And I take it that your daughters like the world of Charlie Brown?"

"Understatement." Tallulah pointed to the invitation. "What do you say? Are you in?"

The domesticity of her day, as well as and hers and Alexandra's friendship with Tallulah, was not lost on Alexis. Whatsoever. But she loved it.

"Yes." she finally told Tallulah. "I'm in. And I will get them presents. But... I don't think the entire picture is up me me..."

Both mothers looked to Alexandra.

She used a hair tie from one pocket to pile her hair into a messy topknot, a visual indicator that she was thinking hard. "Bette has never been to a non-family birthday party. This would be a real first for her. How many kids are you expecting?"

"Precious Bette would make four." Tallulah answered. "The other kid is called Finley. Her parents are my oldest brother and his wife. Bette would have a ball with my niece."

"Just four kids, then? Okay. I am also game. We can run it by Bette later, and... woah..." Alexandra had just noticed the party address location.

"Is there a problem?" Tallulah only just kept from laughing.

"Uh-uh. But," Alexandra pointed at the address line as she spoke in a brief undertone. "Your home is The Plaza Hotel?!"

"Yep. And it's quite a story. Do we have a deal-breaker?"

"No. Just a wonderful surprise. Only that."

Alexis chimed in, "I've been there and stayed. Multiple times. But this new revelation is also not a deal-breaker for me."

Relief was heavy in Tallulah's tone. "Excellent. But I think that we can all agree that AJ and Zara will be telling Bette of this event by the time the session is out."

Alexandra said, "Agreed. Do you have any logistics we should be aware of?"

So from there, she and Tallulah fell into conversations about their children liked. Or didn't.

Alexis gazed upon her portion of the mirrored wall. To see everyone.

And received a start.

Lilibet was there. Smiling. At her. And using her paint-covered hands to make a heart shape over the chest area of her craft smock.

Lilibet had no way of knowing whom she was looking at.

In truth… She was just practicing her shapes.

But Alexis reached out. Touched a fingertip to the middle of Lilibet's heart.

How she wished she could take a picture.

Meanwhile, Alexandra did notice what was happening. She paused briefly with Tallulah to discreetly get a picture of the moment.

And Alexandra accomplished her mission.

Just as Lilibet dashed off, once more.