Fourteen: New friend and wedding jitters

Plot: Taking place after chapter thirty one of Family Love, babysitting Evanna for Aiden takes Nell's mind off the biggest upcoming change in her life: marriage. Yet Lydia can see that she's more than just nervous about saying I do.

"No no Elena. Teddy's for cuddling, not eating," Lydia smiled softly, taking Teddy out of Elena's mouth.

Helping Nell with her daughters was routine since their birth as Lydia placed Teddy on the dresser next to Elena's crib. Nibbling on her toys was a new habit her granddaughter had gotten into with the hopes of being a phase.

"Mama, she doesn't know better," Nell smiled softly, carrying Gabby in her arms. "Caught this little lady walking last night and bumped her head on my bedroom door. We'll probably have to replace the cribs soon for big girl beds."

"Big girl?" Elena smiled, looking at Nell's engagement ring. "Mommy ring!"

"Yes, that's my ring," Nell smiled, "Your Daddy gave that to me."

"I get ring too?" Elena asked.

"Not until you get married, and that won't happen until you're at least as old as Bianca!" Nell smirked.

"Oh Nellie!" Lydia laughed, taking Gabby from her. "I'll get Gabby ready. Elena will be too distracted by your ring to fuss about getting ready."

"She's a mini Amber!" Nell teased, covering Elena in kisses.

"Me Amber?" Elena asked in confusion.

"That's right," James said as he came in to check on them and tell them about the music he'd found for the ceremony. "You're just like Amber in every way, except one-eighth her size."

Nell started laughing, hearing his rendition of one of Bobby Lee's favorite movies. "Breathtaking. I shall call her...Mini-Amber!"

"Just make sure Elena doesn't gnaw on her kit-ty!" James grinned as he showed them the music.

"I no hurt Kitty!" Elena cried, holding the little stuffed jaquin her namesake had given her.

"We know you won't Love Bug," Nell assured her. "But you've been chewing on other toys lately."

"Elena bad girl?" Gabby frowned.

"Of course not!" Lydia cooed. "Let's get you changed as I heard Daddy say that you have a friend coming today."

"Friend!" Elena smiled.

"Who coming?" Gabby asked.

"Daddy's friend Aiden is bringing his daughter to meet you," Nell smiled.

"Why?" Elena wondered.

"He wanted to sweetie," Lydia smiled, musing her hair. "You and Gabby can share your toys."

"I be good girl!" Gabby giggled.

"Me too! We get new friend!" Elena smiled.

"I'm glad to hear that," Nell smiled. "It's nice to have some friends your own age."

"She bring toys too?" Gabby asked.

"I'm sure she will," Nell smiled. "But like we said, it's nice to share with each other."

"Okay! We be good and we share!" Elena giggled.

"Yeah!" Gabby agreed.

"Good girls," Lydia smiled, carrying Gabby to the changing table.

Elena stared at Nell's engagement ring while she helped her get ready. It had her calm enough that Nell smiled at the lack of fussing she would usually get.

For once there wasn't any screaming or crying as Elena tugged on her dress.

"Yes my big girl?" Nell smiled, stroking her hair.

"Potty," Elena frowned.

"You think you're ready to use the potty like a big girl?" Nell smiled. "That's wonderful! I'll take you there right now!"

When they came back a few minutes later, Elena was happily dancing around the room. "I big girl! I use potty like a big girl!"

"Is our new friend big girl too?" Gabby asked.

"Well, Daddy said she's a little older than you, so she probably knows how to use the potty," Nell reasoned.

"Nell? Miss Lydia? Mom and Dad wanted me to get you," Sofia smiled, coming into the nursery.

"Fia!" Elena giggled, running towards the older girl.

"What's gotten you so excited huh?" Sofia wondered, playing with her hair.

"I go potty like big girl!" Elena cheered.

"Congratulations, Elena!" Sofia smiled. "Is there anything I can do to help, Nell?"

"Maybe you could help watch Elena, Gabby, and Evanna when she comes," Nell suggested. "There are still a few things Mama and I need to do, and I could really use some extra help."

"I'd love to watch them," Sofia smiled. "We'll all have fun together, right, girls?"

"Yeah!" Elena giggled, jumping up and down.

"Fun!" Gabby agreed.

Lydia and Nell laughed softly before following Sofia to where Miranda and Roland were as Elena ran up to them.

"Hello Elena," Miranda smiled, taking the girl in her lap.

"I big girl!" Elena cheered.

"I heard," Miranda smiled. "Well done, Elena! And I hear you and Gabby are going to get a new friend. The three of you will have fun together!"

"You meet Evan too?" Elena asked.

"Yes, I met Evanna," Miranda smiled. "Rollie and I were inspecting the guards, and she came crawling up to me. She was about six months old at the time. Mister Aiden apologized, but we told him it was all right. We watched as she played in the flowers, and Rollie said that was like what Amber used to do at that age."

"Amber meet guards too?" Elena asked.

"Oh, yes," Miranda smiled. "Roland said that she and James liked watching the guards when they were young too, but James was more interested than Amber. She liked playing in the flowers around their training field and watching the fountain."

"Flower pretty!" Gabby giggled.

"They are pretty but you like to play guard don't you Gabby?" Roland smiled, taking her in his arms.

"Believe us she does," Nell smiled. "Always ready for an adventure."

"We go see Evan?" Elena asked.

"They won't be here for a little while," Lydia smiled. "Mister Aiden said it takes a while to get her ready to go."

"We play with her!" Gabby smiled.

"And I'm going to watch the three of you," Sofia smiled.

"Evan like singing?" Elena asked.

"I'm sure she does," Sofia smiled. "If she wants to sing, I'll find James and you can all sing something together."

"Kitty song!" Elena cheered, flapping her hands.

"Which won't be for Mommy's wedding," Nell smirked. "Daddy and I cannot say I do with a kitty song!"

"What I do mean?" Gabby asked.

Lydia noticed her daughter's smirk turn to a nervous smile before squeezing her hand.

"You'll see soon enough, sweetheart," Lydia smiled. "But for now, why don't you and Elena come with us to meet Evanna? I just saw her and her mommy and daddy come up to the castle."

Gabby smiled as she picked up the plush frog she'd gotten from Aiden. She remembered Bobby Lee telling her the story of how he had taken her and Elena with him to his work, and how Mister Aiden had given her the frog, and Elena had been given a teddy bear.

Except the teddy bear was on her shelf for being chewed on as Elena hid behind Nell.

"It's okay Elena," Nell assured with a kiss on the cheek.

"Gabby friend with Evan," Elena frowned.

"Gabby is friendly with everyone isn't she?" Nell smiled, taking her in her arms. "You afraid of doing something that'll scare Evanna?"

"I flap my hands," Elena admitted.

"Don't worry, Ellie," Nell smiled. "If you flap your hands, it won't scare her. I think Mister Aiden knows about your autism."

"James play song for Evan?" Elena asked.

"If he wants to," Nell smiled. "We always love it when he plays the piano and sings for you."

"Kitty song?" Elena asked.

"If he wants to, but maybe you should let Evanna pick a song first, since she's our guest," Lydia agreed.

"Okay," Elena smiled.

"That's our Love Bug," Nell smiled before feeling Evanna's hands around her legs. "Evanna! Look how big you've gotten!"

"You got pretty ring!" Evanna giggled. "Who prince?"

"Me!" Bobby Lee grinned as he came up to them and took Elena. "It's good to see you, Miss Evanna. Your daddy said you've been excited to visit us today."

"That's right," Aiden smiled as he came up to them. "She's been excited about meeting your girls ever since I told her about them. She and my wife went out and bought a few toys that Miss Elena might like. I know about her autism," he added, seeing Elena hiding behind Nell. "Charlotte's brother is autistic as well, and we made a list of toys to bring with us that Elena can use too."

"What she bring?" Elena asked.

"She brought her favorite water toy," Aiden grinned. "It helped her with motor skills and hand-eye coordination when she was younger. Later she used it as a toy in the summer."

"Now this I want to see!" Bobby Lee grinned.

"Yes," Nell agreed, "If Elena likes it, we should get something like that for her."

"Toys for Elena!" Gabby giggled.

"Gabby got a boo boo," Evanna frowned.

"We know sweetheart but Gabby's still Gabby," Bobby Lee smiled. "Why don't you show us your toys?"

"Okay!" Elena smiled. She ran off to get her favorite dolls, and her best friend Kitty. She hoped Evanna would like them as much as she did.

"You have water toy?" Gabby asked Evanna as Elena came back with Kitty and her doll Shirley, which was used as her feelings puzzle.

"That's right," Aiden smiled as he helped Evanna set it up in the back. "Evanna used to love playing with this when she was younger. She'd try to grab the fish, but they slipped out of her hands."

"That sort of thing might help Elena with her motor skills," Nell observed. "Gabby might also like playing with that."

"Well they do everything together," Lydia smiled.

"We grab fishy?" Elena asked, putting Kitty down.

"Kitty!" Evanna giggled, grabbing the toy.

"Yes we grab fishy," Aiden smiled. "Why don't you play for awhile while your mommy and grandma talk okay?"

Elena watched as Bobby Lee and Aiden set up Evanna's toy. "Fishies!" she giggled, trying to grab one as it floated by her.

"You push fishy through the hole," Evanna said as she showed everyone how she pushed a fish that was floating by her through a little hole. "Then you catch fishy!" She tried to catch another fish, but it floated by her.

"We try?" Elena asked.

"Okay!" Evanna giggled.

"Look at them," Lydia smiled.

"They are adorable. Bobby Lee's going to make a wonderful husband," Nell smiled weakly, turning away from the girls. "I know I should be excited—"

"But you're nervous?" Lydia guessed.

"I was nervous when Charlotte and I got married," Aiden admitted. "She already had a little boy from her first marriage, and her husband had died from an illness when Alexander was two. But after I'd rescued them from a robber, we got to know each other better. We spent time together, and I'd take Alex with me when I didn't have to work as a guard. We got married a year later, and a few months after, we had Evanna."

"That was like what Roland said to me," Bobby Lee murmured to Nell.

"That's right, he got to know Sofia before he and Miranda got married," Nell smiled. "And Miranda spent time with Amber and James so they could get to know each other."

"And you've known my granddaughters since they were born," Lydia smiled at Bobby Lee. "Acting silly around them."

"They do like that," Bobby Lee smirked.

"But I'm mostly nervous about saying I do," Nell admitted. "I thought being a mother was a big step but marriage is even bigger."

"Helen, what do we always tell the girls?" Bobby Lee asked.

"Take it one day at a time," Nell smiled a little. "It's not a race. But we didn't race into this. We've known each other since we were kids, and when Sabrina, Madeline, and I had been kidnapped, you spent every waking moment looking for me and trying to find new clues how to find us."

"That's right," Bobby Lee smiled. "And as soon as you were back in my arms again, I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you."

"You waited until yesterday to propose," Nell smirked.

"Yay Elena!" Evanna cheered.

"She got a fish," Lydia smiled.

"Fishy mine!" Elena giggled.

"You can play with it for a while, but you know it belongs to Evanna, right, Elena?" Nell asked.

"Yes, Mommy," Elena smiled. "Fishy Evan's."

"Good girl," Bobby Lee smiled. "Show your new friend what a good sharer you are!"

"Evan have Kitty," Elena smiled.

"You mean you gave your best friend to her?" Lydia gasped.

Elena nodded, playing with the fishy as Gabby tugged at Nell's dress.

"I let Evan play with Froggy," Gabby smiled, watching as Evanna made the frog hop over the pretend water.

"That's wonderful, Gabby," Lydia smiled. "It's so nice that you two are letting her play with your best friends."

"Kitty like Evan," Elena smiled.

"I'm sure she does," Nell cooed, picking up Gabby.

"Why Gabby up?" Elena frowned.

"She was getting a little tired," Nell smiled. "I saw that she was practicing her stretches as all of you were playing."

"She must have been teaching Evanna and Mr. Aiden the stretches she learns," Lydia reasoned. "I did see them doing one of your dances as the three of you were playing earlier."

"They like dance!" Elena giggled.

"We did," Aiden smiled before Evanna cam up to him in tears. "Evanna? What's the matter?"

"Kitty," Evanna sniffed. She showed Aiden the little jaquin, and he saw that one of Kitty's wings had been ripped. "Kitty got hurt!"

"Honey, you didn't do anything wrong," Aiden smiled. "I think Kitty just got caught on something. We'll fix her up and she'll be fine again."

"KITTY!" Elena cried, hearing the conversation.

"I'm sorry, Elena! It's ac-cid-dent!" Evanna cried.

"That's right, sweetheart, it was just an accident," Lydia smiled, hugging her and Elena. "We'll get Kitty fixed right up right now."

"I still Elena friend?" Evanna asked.

"Of course you are," Nell assured, giving a sleepy Gabby Froggy. "Elena knows you didn't mean to hurt Kitty."

"Where Kitty get hurt?" Elena sniffed.

"Her wing just got ripped a little," Lydia said as she examined Kitty. "Nellie and I can fix this, no problem!"

"Okay," Elena nodded. "I not mad at Evan. She not mean to hurt Kitty."

"That's right," Bobby Lee smiled, tossing her up. "Kitty will feel much better before you know it!"

"Daddy!" Elena giggled.

Gabby yawned, snuggling on Nell's chest.

"Looks like someone needs a nap-nap," Lydia smiled, taking Gabby in her arms.

"Why Gabby nap?" Evanna frowned.

"We told you how Gabby does stretches and exercises to make her leg better after she was bitten by a dog," Aiden explained. "Those dances and stretches you were all doing as you were playing together are what helps Gabby with her leg."

"She be okay?" Evanna asked.

"She always feels better after a nap," Bobby Lee smiled. "And don't worry; she'll be back in time to see me and Helen get married."

Evanna and Elena giggled at his words before running off as the youngest of the two spotted Sofia.

"Fia! Fia!" Elena giggled, flapping her hands.

"Hello, Elena! Is everything okay here?" Sofia asked, taking her into her arms.

"Yeah, but Kitty had an accident," Elena admitted.

"Don't worry, Elena, Miss Lydia and Nell can fix her and she'll be good as new," Sofia smiled. "I just came out to see how you're doing."

"We play with Evan's fishies!" Elena smiled, leading her over to where she and Evanna were playing. "You wanna try too?"

"Please?" Evanna begged.

"Okay," Sofia smiled.

"Yay!" Elena giggled.

The three girls had a good time playing with the fish. "We'll have to get you something like this, Elena," Sofia grinned.

"Yeah! I like Evan's fishy game!" Elena smiled.

"We'll certainly ask where Mr. Aiden got that," Nell said as she and Lydia came out with a newly-repaired Kitty. "It looks like the three of you are having fun."

"Kitty!" Elena cheered, running over to her best friend. "Look Fia!"

"I see," Sofia smiled, glancing at Nell. "You looked a little nervous this morning. Everything okay?"

"It is. I guess I just got wedding jitters," Nell smiled.

"Everything's going to be fine," Sofia smiled. "You've got so many people who love you and will be there for you. All you have to do is take it one day at a time."

"Robert tells you that too?" Nell smirked.

"And Mom and Dad," Sofia smiled.

"I see you get married?" Evanna asked.

"If Elena and Gabby's daddy makes yours best man," Nell smiled.

"Kitty come to?" Elena asked.

"We'll see," Sofia assured, covering her with kisses.

"Yes, Aiden's going to be the best man," Nell smiled. "Some of Daddy's guard friends are going to be groomsmen and stand in the wedding, and some of my friends are going to be my bridesmaids. Bianca's going to be my matron of honor, and Papa's giving me away to Daddy. And yes, Elena, you can bring Kitty."

"I can't wait to see it!" Sofia smiled.

"We see now?" Elena asked.

"Not for a few months," Lydia smiled.

"We still haven't thought of the flower girl and a ring bearer," Nell smiled.

"Ring bear?" Evanna smiled, seeing Kitty in Elena's arms.

"Maybe you'd like to do that," Nell suggested. "I know that's usually what a boy does, but James is going to be playing the piano for the wedding."

"Me too?" Elena asked.

"Me too?" Gabby asked.

"Well, I do like the idea of two flower girls," Lydia smiled.

"So do I," Nell smiled. "Elena can even carry Kitty in her little basket so she can see the wedding too!"

"Flower Kitty!" Elena giggled.

"But you can't throw basket," Evanna smile.

"No we do not!" Lydia chuckled, taking Elena in her arms.

"That's right. Flower girls throw flowers not the basket," Sofia smiled. "I got too excited and did it by accident."

"That's okay," Nell smiled. "We know the girls will be careful, and Elena will keep a close eye on Kitty, right?"

"Yeah!" Elena smiled.

She squirmed out of Lydia's arms before joining Evanna as the two of them ran off, having Sofia smile.

"Knowing those two they'll find anything to play with," Lydia smiled.

"My little Love Bug loves playing with anyone," Nell added.

"She and Gabby do make friends easily," Sofia smiled, recalling how Elena and Gabby loved playing with the kitties in the stable. She had loved watching them petting the kitties as they sniffed the girls.

"And now they have another new friend," Nell smiled as she watched them play with Evanna.

"Which isn't a kitty this time," Lydia smiled.

"Where kitty?" Elena asked. "I see?"

Evanna tugged on Nell's dress, looking around before pointing to herself.

"Potty hun?" Nell guessed, taking her in her arms. "You can't play under pressure."

"Good idea," Sofia agreed. "Ms. Florence and I can watch Elena and Gabby while you help Evanna. And at least she'll see her mom and dad; I saw them going to the castle where they were going to show Mr. Aiden's wife around."

"Me potty too?" Gabby asked.

"Good idea," Nell agreed. "We should take care of that before the wedding. And I think Elena might want to try too."

"Yeah!" Elena agreed.

"We know you will little helper," Lydia smiled.

"I help!" Elena giggled, taking Gabby by the hand.

"There she goes," Nell smirked playfully. "Come Evanna. I'll take you to the potty."

When they came back a few minutes later, Aiden, Charlotte, and Bobby Lee were waiting for them. "Well, hello, ladies!" Aiden smiled. "Where did you go?"

"We all went potty!" Elena giggled.

"Individually!" Nell finished.

"That's our big girls!" Bobby Lee grinned.

"Well it's time for us to go home little one," Charlotte cooed, taking Evanna in her arms.

"No! I stay! I stay!" Evanna wailed.

"Kitty?" Elena offered, holding up her best friend.

"That's right," Nell smiled, "We can't get married without you, Evanna. Remember, you're the ring bearer for me and Robert!"

"Well then, we'll have to stay, won't we?" Charlotte smiled.

"You're right, of course," Aiden smiled. "We'll have to have someone bring Alex and your mother here, since she's watching him. Because after all," he added, turning to Bobby Lee, "You can't get married without all your friends here!"

"Who Alex?" Gabby yawned, having heard Evanna's wails.

"Evanna's big doggie brother I mean friend. But how did you get down here Gab-Gab?" Bobby Lee smiled.

"Crib!" Gabby giggled, clapping her hands.

"You climbed out of your crib? Well, it looks like we'll have to start thinking of a big girl bed for you!" Bobby Lee smiled as Charlotte and Aiden went to get Alex and his grandmother.

A little later, Charlotte was introducing six-year-old Alex to everyone. She had told him that Evanna was going to be the ring bearer in the wedding, and he was very proud. They would have asked him to be the ring bearer, but he had just gotten over a cold.

"You mad you not ring bear?" Evanna asked.

"You'll be great, Evvie," Alex smiled. "I don't want to make anyone sick."

"That's our boy," Aiden smiled.

"We're all very proud of you, sweetheart," his mother smiled. "We all know you'll do a wonderful job! And so will Helen's girls. I hear they're the flower girls in the wedding!"

"Flower girl?" Gabby asked in confusion.

Elena nodded, hugging her sister before looking at Alex shyly.

"Looks like someone has wedding jitters too," Lydia smirked playfully at Nell.

"They'll be all right," Nell smiled. "Elena, Love Bug, it's going to be all right. You and Gabby just sprinkle the petals in your baskets on the ground as I follow behind you. Afterwards, there's a big party and lots of dancing!"

"Dancing fun!" Gabby smiled.

"James sing kitty song?" Elena asked.

"We'll ask the DJ if he can play a kitty song for you," Nell smiled.