Two months passed, bringing it to the beginning of July. The twins were now 8 months old and no one could believe how big they were getting. Ethan was returning from his fourth year at Hogwarts, so Ashleigh planned on staying at her Aunt's with the babies for a week or so, George going with since he can just apparate or floo to the shop from there.
"Are you coming now or later?" Ashleigh asked George. "I told Tracie I was gonna bring the twins and go with her to pick Ethan up".
"You go on ahead, I'll be over later. I have a few things I need to do at the Shop", he told her as he walked into the living room.
"Okay, try not to be too late though please", Ashleigh smiled; she gave George a kiss and then left with the twins.
Ashleigh arrived to Tracie's house and placed her and the twins' luggage in her old bedroom. She went to the kitchen where Tracie was preparing lunch for them.
"Hey", Ashleigh said when she saw Tracie. She put the twins in the high chairs Tracie had set up.
"Hi there", She smiled, placing a platter of different kinds of sandwiches on the table. Ashleigh pulled out some pureed food to feed the twins. "I can't believe how big they've gotten", Tracie said, sitting down beside Callum.
"I know, George and I can't either", Ashleigh said. Her and Tracie each fed a baby and then ate their sandwiches. Before they knew it, it was time to go to King's Cross.
They were waiting on the platform for a little bit before the train finally pulled in. Ashleigh saw everyone get off but she didn't see Ethan. Finally, he hopped off the train, basically the last one to get off.
"Hey", Ashleigh smiled, giving him a hug after he gave one to his mum.
"Hey, what're you doing here?" He asked. "Not that I mind, just curious".
"I figured since you hadn't seen Mason and Callum since Christmas, we'd tag along and stay with you guys for a bit", Ashleigh explained.
"Really? Cool", he smiled. His eyes fell onto the double stroller that carried his youngest cousins. "Wow, I can't believe how big they are", he smiled.
"We were just saying that", Ashleigh told him.
"Come on, let's get out of here. You can gawk at them at home Ethan", Tracie laughed.
Once they got home, Ethan was eager to hold the twins so Ashleigh took them out of the stroller in the living room.
"They're quick so keep your eye on them at all times", Ashleigh told Ethan. He nodded and sat on the floor with them and some of their toys that Ashleigh brought. Ashleigh and Tracie went into the kitchen to make some tea.
"So where's George, I thought he was coming?" Tracie asked.
"He is, he just had some things to finish at the shop today before he could come", Ashleigh explained. Tracie nodded in understanding. They heard Ethan calling for them so they walked to the living room. When they walked in they saw Mason standing all on his own, with no support.
"Did he take any steps?" Tracie asked.
"No. He was just holding onto the couch and then he let go, but didn't fall", Ethan told them. Just then, George came through the fireplace.
"What's everyone staring at?" He asked coming up behind Ashleigh. He then saw Mason standing there on his own. Ashleigh sat in front of Mason, holding out her hands to see if he'd walk to her. Sure enough, he took a few wobbly steps, but made it into Ashleigh's arms.
"Good job buddy", Ashleigh smiled, giving him a hug. George sat down beside Ashleigh and pulled them both into a hug. He saw Callum sitting there, so he pulled him into the hug as well.
"You know what this means, don't you?" George asked. Ashleigh shook her head.
"I'm gonna have to spend more time at the shop", he laughed. Ashleigh smacked him in the back of the head. "I'm only joking".
"You better be", she said sternly, before he put his lips to hers.
"Get a room", Ethan said. They looked at him with raised eyebrows. "Never mind", he muttered.
"Before I forget, mum wanted to know what day you wanted the wedding to be on", George told Ashleigh.
"I never really thought about it. My days are kinda busy", she laughed. "I'd like to keep our New Year's anniversary though. Do you think we could?"
"I don't see why not. There are charms that we could put up to make the back garden warm. I'll talk to mum", he smiled. Ashleigh nodded.
"Mum, what's for dinner?" Ethan asked.
"For you, pureed baby food", Ashleigh said, laughing at the look on his face. "You asked".
"Yeah, I asked my mum, not you", he said.
"A little touchy are you cuz?" Ashleigh said, looking at him.
"Come on, dinner's ready anyway", Tracie told them. They all went to the kitchen, Ashleigh and George feeding Mason and Callum first, and then tucked into their food.
"So Ethan, got any pretty ladies?" George asked.
"Not that it's really anyone's business, but yes", he told them. They all looked at him.
"You best not be doing anything you shouldn't be", Tracie said sternly.
"Mum, I'm 15 now. I think I can make my own decisions", he told her. "I'm not talking about this with you. Please leave it", Ethan said as Tracie was about to say something else.
After dinner, George told Tracie that he'd talk to him. So they went out to the back garden to have a talk.
"Ethan, you should listen to your mum", George told him, causing Ethan to raise his eyebrows at him. "Look, all I'm saying is to make sure she's the right girl before going all the way. And make sure she's ready too, not just you", George told him.
"Why is it such a big deal?" He asked.
"It may not seem like it for us, because we're guys. But for girls, it's so much more. They're more emotional and to them, sex is a really big deal. They need to make sure they're ready before doing something like that. You need to respect that", George told him.
"And if she says she's ready?"
"Do you remember when Ashleigh tried to commit suicide?" George asked. Ethan nodded. "That was my fault, and believe me, I still carry around the guilt".
"How was it your fault?"
"Well, i probably shouldn't be telling you this, but... I wanted to make our connection deeper, what better way than to sleep together. But there was no way I was gonna push her into it. So one night, she instigated it, she promised she was ready".
"But she wasn't?" Ethan asked.
"No, she wasn't. I found out a month or so later, that she had been assaulted at her last school, so it brought back all of those memories. And the next night everyone's teasing and joking got out of hand, it hurt my feelings so when I wouldn't talk to her, she remembered all of the horrible things her attacker told her. Which is ultimately what caused her to do that to herself", George explained. Ethan didn't seem at all phased talking about his cousin having had sex. He was more concerned with what happened after.
"I didn't know that", Ethan mumbled, shocked to learn this new information.
"Neither did I; until she invited me to go to one of her counselling sessions with her. But you never know a girl's situation, which is why it is best to wait", George told him. "Believe me, I wish we had waited another year or so to first do it, but what's done is done and it's in the past. Us guys, we always have urges as teenagers, even as adults, but real men wait until their woman is ready and not take advantage of her".
"I know", Ethan said, nodding his head.
"I hope so. Now please don't repeat what I told you. I shouldn't even have told you. But it was the only way to get my point across", George told him. Ethan nodded and they went back into the house.
"Ashleigh went to put the twins to bed", Tracie told George as she saw him looking around. "Thanks", she added, referring to his talk with Ethan.
"You're welcome. I think I got my point across", he said, looking to Ethan, who nodded. George went upstairs to Ashleigh's room and found her singing to the boys. He walked in and quietly sat on the bed.
"You scared me", she said as she turned around and jumped. "How'd your talk go with Ethan?"
"Good, I think I got my point across. However, I did kinda tell him about that Christmas", he told her. She nodded. "But I also kinda told him why you did that to yourself", he told her. She looked at him for a minute.
"It's fine. If it was to help him make the right choice, I'm okay with that. It was so long ago now, so I'm over it", she smiled. She and George decided to stay in the room for the night, instead of going back downstairs.