"So you would go back to school?" Sienna asked.
"Sort of, there would be some further education and plenty of practical experience," Gretchen answered.
"You are well suited for your job," Sienna noted.
"Thank you," Gretchen replied with a slight smile.
"Did you find out what you two are going to have?" Sienna asked curiously.
Gretchen simply nodded.
"Are you going to reveal to everyone?" Sienna asked.
Gretchen shook her head, "No we're not. That's the one thing that Ferb and I know we can keep secret."
"I'm sorry about that. Phineas should know better," Sienna apologized for the red head.
"No harm was done," Gretchen replied.
"How often does Ferb's back spasm?" Sienna inquired.
"Swift change in the weather or when he's under a lot stress," Gretchen answered.
"Does he complain about it?"
"I'm aware of his discomfort, but he'll never say anything to anyone else."
"I'm surprised Phineas didn't know."
"I think Phineas is aware that Ferb's got some residual pain, but not aware of the intensity."
"So that's why you adjusted his back?"
Gretchen nodded in reply.
"How often does that happen?"
"Only if he can't, or forgets to take his medication."
"Phineas was worried about you guys after you left."
Gretchen gave another nod, "I'm sure he was."
"That wasn't the way you wanted to tell the family about your pregnancy," Sienna noted.
Gretchen gave a slight laugh, "Not in the slightest."
"When were you going to tell everyone?"
"Ferb was seriously going to call everyone from the hospital," Gretchen replied with a slight shrug.
"Surely you would have thought that someone would notice when you started showing."
"It might have been obvious at that point," Gretchen admitted.
"However you are seven months along and it's barely noticeable," Sienna noted.
Gretchen smiled, adjusted her blouse and placed a hand on her slightly swollen abdomen, "This baby is sitting very far back."
"Lillian made sure everyone knew I was pregnant by the time I was five months along," Sienna remarked.
"Your pregnancy was obvious even before that," Gretchen stated.
"How so?" Sienna asked in surprise.
"I'm not sure if you've noticed that Phineas has a habit of scratching his ear when he lies," Gretchen said.
"Yes.. What about it?" Sienna asked, she had become aware of that habit over three years ago.
"Remember the barbecue we had that summer at Linda and Lawrence's before Ferb's and my wedding?" Gretchen asked.
"Yes."
"Then Candace asked if you were expecting, and Phineas jumped into the conversation and promptly declared "No, of course not." He was practically pulling his ear off," Gretchen replied.
"Did anyone notice?"
"Ferb, myself and Candace."
"Did you three-"
Gretchen cut her off, "Ferb and him had a talk. Nothing more. Of course it was the same thing Ferb had repeated when Linda and Lawrence found out."
"Thank you for being supportive."
Gretchen shrugged, "Why wouldn't we be?"
"My family was less than thrilled to find out," Sienna admitted.
"Your father seems to have accepted the fact that you and Phineas have a family together," Gretchen noted.
"He still doesn't like Phineas. Do you have any siblings?" Sienna asked, changing the subject.
"Just one, my older brother, Greg. He lives in another state though. I only get to see him on holidays or family functions," Gretchen replied.
"How much of an age difference is between you and Greg?"
"Six years."
"That's a fairly large age gap."
"Well, there's five years between Candace and Phineas."
"That's true."
"There's four years between Amanda and her brothers."
"And there's going to be four years between Lillian and your child."
Gretchen nodded and placed a hand on her abdomen.
"Have you and Ferb discussed having more than one?"
Gretchen's expression became worried, and she bit her bottom lip, "We've not broached that subject yet."
"What about you? Do you think you'll want another?"
Gretchen smiled softly, "I'd like to have a couple of children. We'll see what happens."
"Any time I bring up the subject, Phineas quickly changes it," Sienna remarked.
"I don't think he wants to put you in any further of a compromising situation with your family," Gretchen pointed out.
"Isn't it my choice?"
"It is... however, Phineas should have some input into the decision."
"How did you and Ferb start talking about the subject of having children?"
"We'd been talking about it since before we got married."
"You have?"
Gretchen nodded.
"Why?"
"Stuff does happen. We thought it best to be prepared," Gretchen pointed out.
"Did you two..." Sienna paused, embarrassed, "you know... sleep together before you got married?"
Gretchen blushed deeply as she started shredding serviettes then nodded.
"Why did you wait to have children?"
Gretchen emitted a worried sigh, "Ferb's got some residual neurological damage from when he was assaulted."
Sienna looked at her, shocked.
"He had to be tested to see if he had regained any feeling in his extremities. He had himself tested again last year to make sure," Gretchen explained.
"Phineas mentioned that he was assaulted but-" Sienna began.
"Phineas never knew the extent," Gretchen stated, then she notice someone out of the corner of her eye whom made her blood run cold, and she quickly looked down.
Sienna noticed this and asked: "Something wrong?"
"That guy over by the ficus, the one with the extremely uncomfortable looking young woman. He's the one who assaulted Ferb," Gretchen replied then muttered some not so pleasant things under her breath.
Sienna glanced over in the direction then lowered her voice, "He assaulted Ferb? Didn't Ferb fight back or anything?"
Gretchen stared at the table, "I didn't witness it. Ferb was already walking with a cane and he was pushed down a flight of steps."
"That's terrible."
"I didn't see Ferb until a couple of hours later, Phineas caught up with me and told me what happened."
"Why'd he do it?"
"Because Ferb forcibly removed him from me," Gretchen replied, meeting Sienna's eye.
"What?" Sienna asked, confused.
"I dated him briefly. He started touching me at Phineas's birthday party while I was dating Ferb. Ferb came over and told him to back off. He called Ferb a gimp, Ferb didn't do anything to him, but Buford pushed him into the pool after hearing him call Ferb that. Then after Phineas and Isabella helped him out of the pool, Jason called Ferb a gimp again. Phineas then pushed him into the pool," Gretchen summarized.
"Isn't that a derogatory name for someone who's..." Sienna trialed off, unable to understand why someone would use that word.
"Disabled, yeah."
"So, you had both brothers watching out for you?"
"Not really. Ferb was being a bit of a protective boyfriend."
"That's not changed," Sienna noted.
Gretchen smiled, "Phineas was watching out for Ferb."
"It seems that has changed."
"Not really, they both watch each other's back still," Gretchen replied.
"Do you know why Ferb turned him down for a job?"
"I don't know the exact reasons, but I'm sure it's because he'd rather have Phineas as a brother and friend; not a co-worker," Gretchen answered.
"That makes sense."
"Ferb prefers smaller projects to Phineas's large scale ones," Gretchen pointed out a major difference between the two brothers.
"Yeah, Phineas can go over the top," Sienna admitted.
Gretchen laughed lightly, "When Ferb and I got married, Phineas wanted to do a massive ice sculpture, but Candace put her foot down."
"Didn't you have any say in how your wedding would be?" Sienna asked, surprised.
"Of course I did. Candace was our wedding planner, she knew exactly what I had envisioned," Gretchen replied.
"Candace offered to be our wedding planner. I told her that wasn't necessary," Sienna remarked.
Gretchen knew how the older woman could get at very rare times, "Was she understanding?"
"Yes, but a tad disappointed," Sienna replied to Gretchen's relief.
"Has he moved yet?" Gretchen muttered, not daring to look over at the table where the distasteful man sat.
Sienna glanced over and shook her head.
"Well, you are getting married in a couple of months. Do you have anything organized?" Gretchen asked.
"I thought it would be easy to plan a wedding. Set the date and..." Sienna trailed off again.
"It's not too late to call Candace," Gretchen said softly.
"What can she do? There's not much time and I don't have a dress," Sienna replied.
"She pulled a wedding together in a matter of hours once," Gretchen revealed.
"Seriously?" Sienna asked in disbelief.
"Yup. It was for their Aunt Tiana and Uncle Bob," Gretchen replied referring to Linda's sister and brother-in-law.
"Wow, I didn't know that," Sienna said.
"That's probably where Phineas got the idea for the ice sculpture," Gretchen giggled, "After all they did one then too."
"Was Candace easy to talk to about the wedding?" Sienna asked.
"Once I told her that I wanted the wedding my way, she was really easy to talk to," Gretchen replied.
"Your wedding was beautiful. Who's idea was it for the swords?"
"Ferb's."
"Really?"
Gretchen nodded.
"How was Candace able to do all that?"
"You'd be surprised at what she can do."
"Did you help with any of it? Beyond the initial planning?"
"Candace had me going for dress fittings and shoe shopping. She also had me go to various bakeries to check their designs and availability. I guess I helped a fair bit."
"Would you help me out if I ask Candace?"
Gretchen rubbed her abdomen as her son changed his position, "As much as I can."
Sienna noticed this and asked, "Your baby's going to be a couple of weeks old isn't it?"
Gretchen gave a slight nod.
"Are you going to-" was as far as Sienna got before Gretchen interrupted.
Gretchen gave a slight smile, "I wouldn't miss it for the world."
"My sister said I shouldn't have children at the wedding," Sienna blurted out.
Gretchen raised an eyebrow, "That would be difficult, you've got Lillian."
"My thoughts exactly," Sienna replied.
"Candace had her daughter at her wedding," Gretchen revealed.
"She did?"
"Amanda was four days old. Besides don't you think Lillian would make a cute flower girl?" Gretchen asked.
Sienna smiled slightly, "Yes."
"I'm sure Phineas would want his daughter as well as his niece and nephews at the wedding," Gretchen said.
Sienna didn't notice the lack of plural of niece, but remarked, "I never thought of asking him about that."
"Ferb didn't want to be directly involved with planning, but he wanted to know what was happening," Gretchen said.
"I'm going to have to talk with Phineas later," Sienna said.
"You ready to go to the shops?" Gretchen asked.
"Are you up for all this walking?" Sienna inquired in return.
"Yeah, it's not a problem."
The two women paid their bill and started to leave, both didn't notice that Jason got up and was headed their way.
"Where should we start?" Sienna asked.
"Maybe we should start looking at wedding dresses," Gretchen replied.
Jason quickly blocked the path and stepped in front of Gretchen.
"You ruined my life," he growled at her.
Gretchen gave him a hard look, "You ruined it yourself, Jason."
"If you hadn't started dating that gimp-" he continued.
Gretchen was searching for escape avenues when she replied, "You made your choice to assault him, you were convicted, it's your own fault."
Jason looked around, "No one here to protect you."
"If you keep stalking me I'll have to get a restraining order," Gretchen threatened, hoping that would make him go away.
Jason looked her up and down. Gretchen could see an animalistic hunger in his eyes. She wrapped her arms around herself as if to shield herself from his gaze.
Jason's girlfriend stepped up to him, "Jason, leave her alone."
"You stay out of this. I've got some unfinished business with her," Jason snapped then grabbed Gretchen by the arm.
"Leave me alone, Jason," Gretchen said as she tried to break free.
Jason glanced at her left hand, "You're married?" he took a closer look at her, and anger and lust burned in his eyes, "You're pregnant?"
Gretchen twisted her arm, trying to get out of his vice-like grasp, "Stop touching me, let me go."
Jason's hand rocketed across her face and he shoved her roughly to the ground. Gretchen didn't react, she was stunned by the course of action that had just taken place.
Sienna took this moment to step between Jason and Gretchen. She glared at him and said with a shaking voice, "How dare you..."
"Get out of the way, this doesn't concern you," Jason snarled.
Sienna's voice became accented and harsh, "It does when you are harming my future sister-in-law."
"Get out of the way," Jason snarled again.
His girlfriend tried to pull him off Sienna and Gretchen, "Leave them alone."
Jason glared at his girlfriend, "Shut up and sit down!" Then he turned his attention to Sienna, "Move it. This twat owes me."
Jason didn't see the husky man coming up until the man had seized him by the front of his shirt and lifted him a good four inches off the ground. Jason didn't have time to note the black tee and cargo pants the man wore, nor his close cropped dark hair. What he did have time to note was the fury burning in the man's dark brown eyes.
"Leave these women alone," the man said gruffly.
"This doesn't concern - Buford?" Jason said, placing the voice quickly.
"I said leave them alone," Buford repeated.
"Why do you care?" Jason returned.
"You are a coward," Buford replied, dropping him as Buford put himself between Jason and the two women.
"Don't think this is over," Jason said to a still stunned Gretchen.
Buford gave him a dirty look, "You better be damn well lucky that I'm keeping my anger in check," His voice took on a warning tone as he advised, "You better leave before something happens."
Jason adjusted his shirt, spat a few nasty names at Gretchen then grabbed his girlfriend and pulled her out of the restaurant.
Buford turned and helped Gretchen up, "Hey short stuff. I've been meaning to call you guys, but I just got back to town. Are you okay? Where's Ferb?"
"Ferb's at work," Gretchen replied, looking up at husky five foot eleven man in thanks.
Buford picked up her purse, "You dropped this," he gave her a brotherly hug, "What's that sorry excuse for a human doin' both'rin' ya anyhow?"
"He can't get revenge on Ferb," Gretchen replied.
"So he's both'rin' you?" Buford asked.
Gretchen nodded.
"That ain't right." Buford remarked, then he turned to Sienna, "So you're Dinnerbell's fiancée now?"
Sienna nodded, "Yes."
"That was bold of you," Buford noted.
"Why's that?" Sienna asked.
"He could have hurt you," Gretchen pointed out.
"Are you okay?" Sienna asked, worried that something might have happened.
"I'm fine," Gretchen replied.
"What about your baby?" Sienna asked concerned.
"Hold the phone? Baby?" Buford asked.
Gretchen blushed, "I'm pregnant."
"So, Ferb finally managed to..." Buford started.
Gretchen interrupted, "You don't need to be crass."
Buford feigned hurt, "I was going to say he finally managed ta get around ta startin' a family with ya."
Gretchen's blush darkened, "Yes."
"Gretchen, is your baby okay?" Sienna asked.
Gretchen placed a hand on her abdomen; she could feel the baby kicking, "Yes."
"You should get a restrainin' order on him," Buford remarked.
"I intend to," Gretchen said.
"You should also see your doctor, make sure that peanut is okay," Buford suggested.
"Buford, I've never known you to be this... caring," Gretchen noted.
"I've always cared about my friends," Buford said simply.
"That's true," Gretchen agreed.
A random patron came over and said, "I've got the whole incident recorded on my phone if you want to take that to the police."
"Thanks man," Buford said.
"A guy like that shouldn't be allowed loose like that," the man remarked.
Buford nodded his agreement, "Ya got a Micro SD card slot on your phone?"
"Yes," the man replied.
Buford handed him a Micro SD card, "Can you transfer the video to that?"
"Sure," the man said then handed back the card after the video was transferred.
"I don't like that he's roving about the mall...Do you mind if I accompany you for a little bit?" Buford said once the man left.
"How long is a little bit?" Gretchen inquired.
"Half an hour, maybe longer," Buford replied.
"What do you think Sienna?" Gretchen asked of her companion.
"That's fine with me...That guy is a creep," Sienna replied.
As the trio left the restaurant, Buford kept a keen eye out for Jason.
"You should call Ferb," Buford remarked.
"I'll tell him about it later," Gretchen hedged.
"Then call Dinnerbell," Buford said, using his longtime nickname for Phineas.
"Why?" Sienna asked, well aware that once Buford assigned a nickname you could never shake it.
Buford replied to Sienna, "Jason's seen ya now. Ya gotta be careful. Ya don't know what he's cap'ble of."
"I heard he pushed Ferb down a flight of stairs," Sienna said.
"Ya didn't see 'im after. Ferb was a mess," Buford muttered.
"I wasn't aware of that," Sienna said.
Gretchen became absolutely quiet.
Buford noticed this and was reminded that it wasn't the best of times for Ferb and Gretchen, "Sorry Short Stuff."
"It's a good thing you didn't retaliate," Gretchen replied quietly.
"I was surprised you didn't cold cock him back there. You have one hell of a hit when you're angry," Buford replied.
"I should be careful... for the baby's sake," Gretchen said.
"Of course. Heaven help him if he ever gets between you and your child. I'll vouch for you," Buford responded, mentally shuddering at the thought of a 'mama bear' Gretchen.
"Do you think he'll bother you again?" Sienna asked.
Gretchen shook her head, "I don't know. He was in the emergency a little while ago. Other than that I'd not seen him since the incident."
Buford took a side-long look at Gretchen, "Are far 'long are ya anyhow?"
"Seven months."
"Seriously?" Buford asked, surprised.
Gretchen nodded.
"Either it's a small baby or it's sitting further back," Buford noted.
Gretchen raised an eyebrow at the husky man.
"How'd you guess that?" Sienna asked.
"You should let your intelligence show more often Buford," Gretchen said.
"Buford don't do that ya know," Buford replied, dropping back to referring to himself in third person.
"The baby's sitting back," Gretchen said to let Buford know that his second guess was correct.
"You should see Ginger, Baljeet really put a bun in her oven. Girl must be carryin' triplets or som'tin'," Buford said.
"Isn't she only four months?" Gretchen asked.
Buford nodded, "Girl looks like she's five or six."
Gretchen gave a low hum.
"She could be carrying low," Sienna suggested.
"Could be," Buford noted.
"Have you talked to Baljeet recently Buford?"
"'Course I talked to him..He's still my nerd."
"Did he have anything to say about him and Ginger?"
Buford laughed, "He's a little panicked because he didn't account for the pregnancy."
"I feel as though I'm missing something," Sienna commented.
"Baljeet's my nerd. For a smart guy, he did something dumb," Buford said.
Gretchen flashed a sympathetic smile to Sienna before saying softly, "Uncle Buford? I think you're forgetting something."
"I never said that Dinnerbell was brilliant," Buford replied.
Sienna was unsure how to react, "Umm..."
"At least he loves you and is marrying you," Buford continued.
"Uh...thank you?" Sienna said.
"Buford..." Gretchen warned.
"I'm just saying most guys turn tail and run," Buford said.
Gretchen shrugged, "He's got a point."
"That's true," Sienna mused.
"So, where are you ladies off to?" Buford asked as they continued to walk through the mall.
"We were going to look at wedding dresses," Sienna answered.
Buford acted like a little girl, jumping up and down, squealing, and clapping hands, "Buford wanna help, Buford wanna help."
Gretchen replied to Sienna's unasked question, "He's straight."
Sienna snickered, "Seriously?"
Gretchen nodded, "But he's a good help."
"Okay then," Sienna replied.
"Yes!" Buford fistpumped the air.
"Buford helped me pick out my wedding dress," Gretchen said.
Buford scoffed, "Pfft, that was a no brainer."
"What do you mean?" Sienna asked.
"I wanted something with a long train," Gretchen said.
"There were only two dresses that had the removable train. Can you see this," Buford indicated Gretchen, "wearing a butt-bow the size of Texas?"
Sienna laughed lightly as the mental image came to her mind, "No."
"There you go," Buford replied.
"You could have gone into fashion Buford," Gretchen said.
Buford shook his head then asked Sienna: "So what kind of dress do ya want?"
"I'm not sure if I want a mermaid style or a short one," Sienna said.
"Let's see what they've got," Buford remarked.
Sienna nodded, "All right."
"Do you want to look at bridesmaid's dresses as well?" Buford asked.
"I don't know," Sienna muttered.
"You can pick a color at least," Gretchen interjected.
"I could," Sienna mused, she turned to Gretchen, "Would you help model for me?"
"'Course she will," Buford answered for the small woman.
"I should get you into a dress," Gretchen remarked.
"I don't 'ave the legs fer it," Buford replied.
Gretchen rolled her eyes sarcastically.
"Well I don't," Buford defended.
"Have you ever worn a dress Buford?" Sienna asked.
Buford paused as he was caught off guard by the inquiry.
"Buford?" Gretchen prompted.
"I was in a high school play," Buford muttered.
"I'm sorry I missed it," Gretchen replied.