CHAPTER 9

Molly hurried down the path that ran from Jemma and Aaron's house to Julie and Jason's. She couldn't help but laugh at just how neat and well kept the path was, she knew that Uncle Jason and Uncle Aaron made certain to keep the path as clear as possible since it was always being traversed between the two houses by Aunt Jemma or Aunt Julie, and especially considering carrying Amie and Jacob back and forth, she knew that there was just no earthly way that any of the adults would allow there to be any type of preventable obstacles or dangers that might cause harm. Even though she missed Candy and would be happy when she and Jeremy got back from the honeymoon trip, she had to admit that she enjoyed all of the time and fun that she was having, helping with the babies, spending time with her Aunt Jemma, Aunt Julie, Aunt Lottie, and even helping with getting the new library ready. Even though it had only been a few days or so, Molly giggled at how silly she felt as she remembered how afraid that she had been the night that Candy and Jeremy had left on Captain Clancey's ship when she had learned of the plans that the adults had made to keep her and Christopher occupied.

She knew that she would spend a lot of time with Aunt Jemma, helping with the babies, especially while they all worked on the new library, however, what she had not thought about was that she and Christopher would not be sleeping at the dormitory; neither child had considered that possibility. Once everything had settled after the newlyweds had departed and they had returned to the dorm with Biddie, Christopher, noticing Biddie rushing to pack two bags, furrowed his brow in perplexity;

"Whatcha packing those bags for, Biddie? I didn't think that we were supposed to start doing that for a couple of weeks yet, not till closer to time for Candy and Jeremy to come home. So why you packing bags tonight?

Facing the boy, Biddie explained;

"Why, Christopher, I'm not packing all your things, I'm just packing a few things to tide you over while you're staying with Jason and Julie, it makes ever so much more sense, especially since you'll be going to the logging camp with Jason."

Confused, Molly wondered;

"But Biddie, I'm not going to the logging camp, so why am I going to stay with Aunt Julie and Uncle Jason?"

Biddie patted Molly's shoulder;

"Oh my heaven's no, Molly, you're not going to be staying with Jason and Julie. You're helping with the twins, remember?"

Biddie gave a quick survey of the room, a puzzled look on her face, before her features lit as if she suddenly solved a mystery as she nodded;

"Oh, how on earth could I have forgotten that?"

Glancing towards the siblings she assured them;

"I'll be right back you two, I have to get your bathrobes."

Once Biddie had pulled the door closed behind her, worried Molly turned to Christopher;

"I thought that we were going to stay here at the dorm while Candy was gone."

Unconcerned, Christopher shrugged;

"What's the big deal, I don't mind; besides, Uncle Jason's lots of fun and Aunt Julie's real nice."

Placing her fists on her hips, Molly admonished;

"That's easy for you to say, I have to stay with Aunt Jemma and Uncle Aaron."

The confusion evident in his big brown eyes, Christopher demanded;

"So what's wrong with that, Aunt Jemma loves us a bunch and she's always been nice to us and fun to be around; plus, she's a really good cook."

Nodding, Molly agreed;

"I know, but don't you remember how grumpy Uncle Aaron can be?"

Her dark blue eyes reflecting her concern, Molly asked worriedly;

"What if I do something wrong and make him mad?"

Putting his hand on his sister's shoulder, Christopher shook his head as he tried to reason;

"I don't think that Aunt Jemma would let him fuss at ya or anything. Besides, he's never fussed at us or nothin."

Her deep sigh conveying her worry, Molly reminded;

"No, but we've never had to stay in the same house with him before either."

Tilting his head to the side, Christopher reminded her;

"Well, Candy said they'd only be gone a couple of weeks and then we'd all move into the cabin. I'd offer to trade with ya, but since I'm going to the camp everybody would wonder why."

Shaking her head in resignation, Molly ventured;

"No, this is what the adults thought would be a good idea so I'll just have to try not to do anything that might make Uncle Aaron mad."

Over the next few days Molly found that goal to be more of a challenge than what she had imagined; not because of anything on Aaron's part, but because she was trying so hard not to cause any problems or to get in the way that she was turning herself into a nervous wreck, something that became highly apparent her third night with the Stempels as they were finishing up with supper. Eager to help when she realized that Jemma was about to begin clearing the table Molly jumped up from her chair to help gather the dishes to take to the sink. Unfortunately, her sudden movement was just enough to send one of the plates over the edge of the table which found Molly whirling about in a desperate attempt to catch the dish. However, in her haste, her elbow came into contact with the almost full glass of milk that Jemma had poured for her to go with her dessert; Molly could only stare in horror as the glass fell on its side and the contents rushed towards the end of the table and all over Aaron's lap.

Although she wasn't certain as to the reason for the little girl's behavior, Jemma felt her heart go out to the little girl as tears welled in her eyes as she looked from the spilled milk on the table, to the shocked look on Aaron's face at being covered with milk, to the broken pieces of the plate on the kitchen floor. Jemma's sympathy and Aaron's shock turned to bewilderment as Molly rushed from the room, tears streaming down her face. Turning to look at each other in confusion, Aaron demanded;

"Sweetheart, what in the world was that all about?"

Jemma stood, giving a slight shake of her head, as she tried to fathom what had just taken place;

"Darling, I don't know I mean, I know she's probably upset over spilling the milk and the plate."

Puzzled, Aaron shrugged slightly as he began mopping up the milk from the table and his lap;

"Yes, but it was just an accident I mean, as upset as she got you'd think that she was afraid of us or something."

Aaron's eyes widened as if he had been struck by a sudden ray of understanding;

"Or more specifically, afraid of me."

The shock of her husband's statement evident on her face, Jemma quickly denied;

"Aaron, darling, surely Molly isn't..."

Rising from his chair to help clean up the debris from the broken plate, Aaron pointed out;

"Jemma love, you know good and well that I don't exactly have a reputation for being light-hearted and lively, not like your brothers at any rate; everyone thinks of me as surly and brusque and Molly must have heard the adults offering their opinions to that effect."

Dumping the pieces of plate in the rubbish can, Aaron crossed his arms over his chest as he leaned against the counter;

"Not to mention; is it just me or does it seem as if that little girl has spent her time here with us as nervous as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs?"

Her chest rising and falling sharply as she sighed in frustration, Jemma could only nod;

"You're right, I just didn't put the pieces together until now. She asked me the other day when she was helping me put the laundry away if I was sure that she folded them the way you liked and did she put your things in the right place. Yesterday, I found her in your chair reading a book and when I said something about understanding why she'd want to sit there since you find that chair so comfortable, she immediately jumped up and began apologizing and making certain that she didn't mess your chair up in any way I swear it was almost as if she was afraid you would be mad or upset with her just for sitting in that chair."

Although to anyone else, the look Aaron wore would seem no different than that of his normal countenance, Jemma knew better, she could see the glint of hurt in her husband's eyes at the idea that Molly was afraid of him. Deciding to approach the issue, per her usual way, in a direct manner, Jemma stood before her husband to venture;

"Well, I don't know about you, but I, for one, want that little girl's time with us to be as fun for her as possible, especially considering just how much she loves Jacob and Amie and how much they love her. Not to mention, she's family and I know I'm very fond of her and I happen to know that you are too."

Chuckling as he shook his head in amusement, Aaron placed his arms over his wife's shoulders as he ventured;

"Alright, Jemma darlin, so what do we do to help ease Molly's worry and make sure that the rest of her time with us isn't nerve-wracking for her?"

Glancing towards the kitchen door as if the answer might be just on the other side, Jemma considered the best way to handle the situation with Molly Finally, deciding on the best course of action, she took her husband's hand;

"Come with me."

Already knowing just where Molly would have sought comfort and solace, they hurried up the stairs and stopped just outside the nursery where they heard the unmistakable sound of Molly crying. Motioning towards their bedroom, Jemma quietly suggested;

"Honey, why don't you go and change into some dry clothes and let me talk to her for a few minutes and then join us; okay?"

Aaron offered a silent nod of agreement and hurried into their bedroom as Jemma quietly made her way into the nursery. True to her prediction, she found Molly sitting on the floor, her back against the crib with her knees hugged up to her chest as she silently wept. Quietly, Jemma approached the little girl as she asked softly;

"Do you mind if I join you?"

She knew that she had surprised Molly by the way that her head snapped up in shock as she began furiously rubbing at the tears with the heels of her hands as her face turned red in embarrassment. Finally, she offered a slight nod as Jemma sank to the floor next to her, something that found Molly's eyes lit with curiosity just before they filled with saddened embarrassment as she asked softly;

"Uncle Aaron's real mad at me, ain't he, Aunt Jemma?"

Jemma couldn't help but feel a tug at her heartstrings at the despair in the little girl's voice and the sadness in her eyes. Placing her arm around the girl's shoulders, she sought to ease her worries;

"Oh, sweetie, I promise you that Uncle Aaron isn't mad or upset with you Honestly, he's worried about you."

Placing her finger under the little girl's chin, Jemma gently turned Molly's face towards her as she asked;

"Molly, I want to ask you something; you've been nervous since you've been staying with us, that wouldn't happen to be because you're afraid of Uncle Aaron, would it? The truth now."

Her eyes looking downward, Molly nodded slightly as she answered in a whisper;

"Yes, ma'am."

Pushing the girl's pigtails over her shoulder, Jemma ventured;

"Molly, sweetie, I want to explain something to you. First of all, I know that you've heard people say different things about Uncle Aaron; some might be good and some might not be. But I want to ask you something; has Uncle Aaron ever been anything but kind to you and Christopher?"

Shaking her head, Molly offered;

"No, Aunt Jemma."

Relenting somewhat, Jemma softened;

"Honey, I know that he can be a little surly and loud sometimes, but that doesn't mean that he's not kind as well. And I happen to know that he's just as fond of you and Christopher as I am."

Hugging her close as she tickled her slightly, Jemma remarked;

"And you know how much I love you two little monkeys."

Jemma was relieved to hear the soft giggles and see a smile brighten the little girl's face, but she wasn't surprised, given that Molly shared much of her sister's personality traits when her face darkened slightly;

"But, Aunt Jemma, are you sure Uncle Aaron isn't mad at me? I mean, I broke a plate and spilled milk all over him, I made a mess of things."

Both turned towards the doorway, shocked as they heard Aaron's unmistakable voice, to find him leaning against the door frame as he vowed;

"I promise, Molly, I'm not the least bit mad or upset with you. Besides, Amie and Jacob have done much worse to me and I never get mad at them, so why would I get upset with you for something that was an accident?"

Molly couldn't help but turn from one to the other as she studied Aaron carefully, the skepticism obvious in her eyes;

"You're really not mad at me, Uncle Aaron?"

Closing the distance between the doorway and where she sat with Jemma on the floor, Aaron lowered himself to sit on his heels to put him eye level with the little girl as he reached out to take her hand as he vowed;

"Molly, sweetie, I PROMISE you, I'm not mad, upset, irritated, frustrated, or cross with you in any way, form, or fashion; accidents happen. I know that I yell and fuss a lot, but, as Aunt Jemma will tell you, my bark is a lot worse than my bite."

Her mouth puckering as did her brow in consideration, Molly ventured;

"Is it sorta like you have to be kinda grumpy, you know because of your business; sorta like Uncle Jason? I heard Candy say one time that, sometimes, when you're in business you have to sorta act kinda mean and tough so that people don't try to take advantage of you; is that why, Uncle Aaron?"

Looking over the top of the little girl's head, Aaron could see by the look of astonishment on his wife's face that he wasn't the only one surprised by just how astute Molly truly was. Finding humor in her observation, he couldn't help chuckling as he nodded;

"Yes, Molly, that has a good deal to do with the reason why."

Noticing the hint of curiosity in her pale blue eyes, Aaron realized that he and his wife were about to get their first experience in satisfying a child's curiosity. Nodding towards Amie and Jacob's cribs, he suggested;

"I get the feeling that there are more questions you'd like to ask, or am I wrong, Molly?"

Molly shook her head silently as Aaron offered;

"Well, I tell you what; Aunt Jemma just so happened to make a chocolate cake for dessert and I sure wouldn't mind a nice, big piece of it with some cold milk. How about you?"

Seeing her eyes light up at the prospect, he wasn't surprised as her head bobbed up and down eagerly as she jumped up from the floor to hurry downstairs. Glancing to the doorway, her eyes wide with amazement, Jemma turned to her husband;

"I think the last time I saw anyone move that fast it was you and I was in labor."

Shaking his head in amusement, Aaron stood and offered her his hand to help her rise from her place on the floor as he pointed out;

"Sweetheart there are three things in this world that would make me move that fast; you, our children, and your cooking."

Placing his arm around her waist as he led her towards the staircase he ventured;

"Besides, I think that little girl is as eager to ask us some questions as she is to enjoy a piece of your chocolate cake."

Glancing up at her husband in trepidation, Jemma lamented;

"I was sure that we had, at least, a few more years before we started having to answer children's questions."

Shrugging her shoulders, Jemma ventured;

"Oh well, as long as she doesn't ask anything about the facts of life I think we're safe enough."

Shaking his head vehemently as they made their way downstairs, Aaron lowered his voice as he vowed;

"I know I'm safe, love. No offense, but after having to have just such a discussion with your youngest brother, I refuse to have another discussion about the facts of life until it's time to talk to our children about that subject."

Shocked by his stance on the matter, Jemma stared at him in wide-eyed disbelief;

"Aaron! I can't believe that you just said that."

Facing his wife, Aaron gave a slight nod;

"Believe it, sweetheart. No offense, but I don't recall anyone having a heart to heart with me before we were married. Nor do I recall anyone, except maybe you, being concerned about how nervous I was on our wedding night."

Glancing towards the kitchen door and hearing the sound of Molly washing dishes, Jemma turned to wrap her arms around her husband's waist before raising on tiptoe to brush her lips against his as she offered in a softly flirtatious tone;

"And as I recall, my darling husband, the education I received from you as well as our love and instincts served us much better then any discussions we could have had beforehand; don't you agree?"

Unable to prevent the grin that lifted the corners of his mouth as he shook his head, Aaron could only wonder aloud;

"Jemma love, what am I going to do with you?"

Giving another glance towards the kitchen door to ensure that Molly as still occupied, Jemma looped her arms around her husband's neck to pull him closer to place a kiss on his cheek before placing her lips next to his ear as she whispered seductively;

"Well, once Molly is all tucked in and we're certain our little ones are all comfy for the night, I have absolutely no objections to you doing anything that you'd like with me."

Placing another kiss on his cheek, Jemma placed her hand where her lips had been before turning towards the kitchen door. Just as she reached it, she turned and glanced over her shoulder to offer her husband an inviting smile as she asked in a voice full of sweet innocence;

"Don't you want some dessert, darling?"

Aaron could only stare after his wife in amused surprise as he found himself reminded of one of the many reasons he had fallen in love with her; there was no denying just how full of surprises Jemma could prove to be. Although, there was also no denying that the more intimate side of her surprising nature was something that only he knew, a fact that he held in high regard and treated like a treasure since he knew that he would be the only person in the world to ever know that side of her. His surprise soon gave way to genuine mirth as he laughed aloud before closing the distance between him and his wife as she stood, ready to enter the kitchen, to lower his head to place a kiss on her cheek before bringing his lips next to her ear to advise her;

"I most definitely want some 'dessert', Jemma love. But I think I'll have a piece of chocolate cake first."

Placing his hand on the door, Aaron couldn't help but smile at her light laughter as she ventured;

"I think that we should join Molly before we forget that we're responsible parents."

Molly hurriedly washed and dried the dishes, eager to make up for what had happened earlier. Considering the conversation that she, Jemma, and Aaron had had upstairs as she worked, Molly realized that she had finally learned one of the first lessons that Candy had tried to teach her for quite some time; never pass judgment without firsthand knowledge because you never know the truth until you find it out for yourself. Hearing the sound of voices on the staircase, Molly quickly finished her task before placing three small plates with forks on the table along with the cake and then pouring three glasses of milk. Taking her place at the table Molly sat patiently waiting until the door swung open as Jemma and Aaron entered the kitchen, she wasn't sure what but she knew that something had the couple in a good mood as they stopped short to study the table in amusement as Aaron patted her shoulder;

"I see you took me at my word, didn't you, Molly?"

Nodding, she folded her hands primly to place in her lap as she agreed;

"Yes, sir."

Turning to Jemma, she offered;

"I washed and dried the dishes and put them away, Aunt Jemma."

Jemma couldn't help but smile fondly at the girl as she offered her gratitude;

"Molly, you realize that you're spoiling me, don't you? If you keep this up, I may just ask Candy and Jeremy to let you come live with us. But in the meantime..."

Placing a large piece of cake in front of Aaron she turned to cut another slice as she ventured;

"How about a big piece of cake to say 'thank you'?"

Placing the plate with a piece of cake as large as Aaron's in front of the youngster, Jemma and Aaron both could only shake their heads in amusement as Molly's eyes widened before she exclaimed;

"WOW!"

Looking up at Jemma, Molly suggested;

"I'll be happy to wash the dishes every night, Aunt Jemma, even when Candy and Jeremy come home if I can have dessert with you and Uncle Aaron every night."

Jemma found herself giggling in amusement as Aaron motioned towards the girl and ventured between bites;

"Smart girl."

Reaching across the table, Jemma pushed one of Molly's pigtails over her shoulder as she issued;

"Molly, you're family and you're welcome here anytime, even at supper and dessert time."

Her eyes widening in shock, Molly ventured;

"Christopher too?"

Nodding, Aaron confirmed;

"Yes, Molly, Christopher too."

Having already suspected, during their earlier conversation, that she had more questions, neither was surprised when Molly turned to Aaron;

"Uncle Aaron, can I ask you something please?"

Pushing his plate away and accepting a cup of coffee from his wife, Aaron nodded as he waited patiently;

"Of course you can, Molly. You can ask me and Aunt Jemma anything you want."

Molly quickly finished her last bite of cake and the last of her milk before speaking;

"Well, it's just that, I've heard some of the other grown-ups talking and they said that you used to be really grumpy, but that changed when you married Aunt Jemma. But I also heard em say that you and Aunt Jemma knew you wanted to get married a couple of years before you finally did."

Curious as to where the girl was going with her questions, Aaron offered;

"Yes, what you heard was right, Molly. But what about it?"

Noticing the way her mouth and brow were puckered in consideration, neither Jemma or Aaron was surprised when she asked;

"But, if you and Aunt Jemma knew that you loved each other and that you wanted to be married, how come you waited so long? And why were so you grumpy, weren't you happy when you knew that you both wanted the same thing?"

Jemma and Aaron quickly realized that they were being given a valuable lesson in just how unexpected a child's inquiry could prove to be, not to mention the realization that, just because a child might not ask about something that they had heard right then and there, didn't mean that there wouldn't be questions forthcoming at a later point, as was now the case. Deciding to set a trend that he intended to carry on with his own children, Aaron folded his arms across the tabletop and leaned forward;

"Molly, sweetie, I know that if you overheard all of that, then you also must have heard about how there's a difference between mine and Aunt Jemma's ages."

Nodding, the youngster eagerly provided;

"Yes, sir. I heard Candy say something once about how you were older than Aunt Jemma, but what's the big deal? I mean Uncle Jason is older than Aunt Julie and Jeremy is older than Candy, so why is it so different for you and Aunt Jemma?"

Trying to find the right way to explain things, Aaron asked hesitantly;

"Molly do you know how old Aunt Jemma is?"

Putting her finger against her lips in consideration as she focused on her thoughts, the girl's eyes lit in excitement as she nodded eagerly;

"Yes, Sir, I remember Uncle Duncan saying that he couldn't believe that it had almost been twenty-one years ago when he first saw her as a baby and that her birthday was in a couple of weeks. So she's almost twenty-one; right?"

Impressed by the girl's quick wit, Aaron couldn't help but smile as he confirmed;

"That's right, sweetie. You see, my birthday was just before the babies were born so I'm thirty-seven."

Noting the wide-eyed look of shock, neither was surprised as she glanced between Aaron and Jemma before turning to Jemma to demand;

"Aunt Jemma, did you know HOW old Uncle Aaron was when you agreed to marry him?"

Unable to contain her amusement, Jemma placed her hand over her mouth to stifle her giggles before clearing her throat to offer;

"Yes, Molly, I promise, I knew how old Uncle Aaron was when I agreed to marry him."

Noticing the perplexed look that she wore, Aaron speculated;

"You're still wondering why we waited so long to get married?"

At her nod, he continued;

"I asked Aunt Jemma to marry me when she was eighteen, but we had to wait until after that silly bet I made with your Uncle Jason was over with, and I wanted to make sure that Aunt Jemma really wanted to marry me. Does that make sense?"

Offering him a slightly cross look, Molly chastised lightly;

"Sure, you wanted her to be a little older so she knew what she was getting into. But if you knew she loved you and you loved her, then why were you so grumpy?"

Noticing the slightly frustrated look that was beginning on her husband's face, Jemma tilted her head to the side;

"Honey, let me."

Jemma placed her hand over the girl's as she explained;

"Molly, you see, Uncle Aaron and I had been in love for quite some time, but I was young and, to his credit, Uncle Aaron wanted to make sure that I was certain of my feelings for him and that I had a chance to mature a little bit. Now, we didn't plan on falling in love, but no one ever plans that; as far as the difference in our ages, it doesn't bother us so it shouldn't bother anyone else either. Besides, Uncle Aaron is only about a year older than Uncle Jason, so you see, Molly, it's not a big deal."

Seeing the thoughtful expression on the girl's face, Jemma could tell that she was processing everything she had learned so far. Noting the question in her eyes, Jemma nodded;

"I know; why was he so grumpy; right?"

At Molly's silent nod, Jemma waved her hand towards her husband;

"Darling, I do believe that you are the one best qualified to answer THAT particular question."

His elbow on the table and his chin resting in his hand, Aaron couldn't help but look at his wife as he quipped;

"Thanks a lot, sweetheart."

Facing Molly, he couldn't help but notice how he had her rapt attention as she waited for him to offer an answer to her earlier question as he searched for the right words;

"You see, Molly, when two people fall in love, neither person really knows that the other one loves them until they confess it to each other."

Understanding dawning in her eyes, Molly nodded;

"So you were scared to tell Aunt Jemma?"

Nodding, Aaron offered;

"Yes, I knew how I felt about her but I had no idea if she felt the same way."

Glancing between the two, Molly wore a knowing smile as she stated knowingly before looking to Jemma;

"But you did, didn't you, Aunt Jemma?"

The edges of her mouth turning up in a tender smile, Jemma nodded;

"Yes, Molly, I did. Actually, Uncle Aaron was braver then I was, I was very happy when he told me that he loved me because I was afraid that I had fallen in love with someone who didn't feel the same way about me."

Steering the conversation back towards the little girl's question, Aaron explained;

"As far as being grumpy; well, sometimes, even when you love someone and you know they love you, that doesn't always mean that you get to be with that person when you'd like to. There was a time when we didn't think that we could be married and the idea of not being able to spend my life with Aunt Jemma was something that I just couldn't bear the thought of; that's why I was so grumpy and irritable because the idea of not having her in my life hurt too much."

Shaking her head in astonishment, Molly could only exclaim;

"Wow! So I guess Candy was right when you marry the person you love it's really like a fairy tale; isn't it?"

Nodding as she rose from her chair to gather the dessert dishes, Jemma couldn't help but offer the girl a hug as she praised;

"Do you know something, Molly? I think you must be the smartest little girl in all of Seattle, especially considering everything that you figured out tonight on your own."

Adding his consensus, Aaron ventured;

"Aunt Jemma's right, you are definitely the smartest little girl I know, but let me ask you something; do I still scare you?"

Dismissively waving her hand, Molly giggled;

"Nah, Uncle Aaron. I'm sorry I was so silly for being afraid of you."

Rushing to help Jemma, Molly offered;

"Aunt Jemma, I can wash these if you and Uncle Aaron wanna go check on Amie and Jacob."

Shyly, she asked quietly;

"I know I'm probably too big for it, but could you tuck me in after I get ready for bed?"

Nodding, Jemma offered;

"Of course, Molly."

Glancing at the clock and noticing the time, Jemma ventured;

"You have another half hour before bedtime if you'd like to read, sweetie."

Molly eagerly seized on the invitation as she finished rinsing and drying the last dish before hurrying past them into the living room. Noticing, as they passed by the living room on their way up the stairs, that she had made herself comfortable on the sofa with her legs tucked underneath her and had already lost herself in the story that she was reading, Aaron couldn't help but shake his head in amusement as he chuckled;

"I think she loves to read almost as much as you do, sweetheart."

Nodding, Jemma admitted;

"You should see just how wide-eyed she was when we began unpacking the books for the Children's section of the library. I swear I thought her heart was going to break when

she realized that she has to wait until everything is, as Biddie put it, 'properly set up' before she could borrow a book to read."

Nodding towards the subject of their discussion, Jemma confessed sheepishly;

"And speaking of that, you, uh, might notice a charge out of the ordinary when you get the bill from Ben's at the end of the month."

Trying to assure him, Jemma rushed;

"I'll pay for it, I just didn't want you to be surprised when you saw it."

Shaking his head, Aaron chastised lightly;

"Oh no you won't 'pay for it' It's my place to provide for you and take care of you, so you just let me worry about dealing with the bill at Ben's, alright, Jemma love?"

At her silent nod of agreement, Aaron couldn't help but drape his arm across her shoulders as he raised one eyebrow in amusement;

"I don't suppose that 'strange charge' could be attributed to that copy of Oliver Twist that I noticed Molly reading, would it, love?"

Her cheeks reddening slightly, Jemma offered;

"Well, I mean, Molly has just been so helpful since she's been staying with us, and she just looked so heartbroken over the idea of having to wait for a new book to read. I just thought that..."

Turning her to face him, Aaron rested his forearms on her shoulders before placing a kiss on her forehead as he laughed softly to avoid waking their children;

"Sweetheart, I don't mind in the least. In fact, I probably would have done the exact same thing, but I think you just proved my theory that you're just as likely to spoil our children as I am."

Turning her in the direction of the nursery, he gave her a playful swat on her backside;

"Speaking of our children, let's see to getting them comfortable for the night, the sooner they and Molly are settled, the sooner I can enjoy that 'dessert' that you promised me earlier."

Although he had been eager to spend time with Jason and the other men at the logging camp, Christopher eagerly seized on the opportunity to join Julie in helping with the library when Jason explained that he and Aaron were going to Tacoma the following day to negotiate a contract. Despite how much he had been enjoying his time with Jason and Julie, especially his time at the logging camp, Christopher couldn't help missing the time that he normally spent with his sister, Molly. When Jason had given him the choice of going with him and Aaron to Tacoma or staying in Seattle, Christopher considered for a moment;

"Nah, I'll stay here, I can go with Aunt Julie and help out at the library; I'm too young to learn all that business stuff yet."

Worried that he might have hurt his feelings, the boy rushed to assure Jason;

"Not that I don't have a lot of fun with you and Uncle Josh at the logging camp, but, well it's just that..."

Noticing the serious look the boy wore, Jason finished his statement;

"You miss spending time with Molly, don't you?"

Nodding, Christopher felt that the doorway was open for something that he had been curious about since, almost, the moment of Candy and Jeremy's departure as he had watched their interchange on the dock. Noticing the look of curiosity that the boy wore, Jason set his paper aside;

"Is there something that you'd like to ask, Christopher?"

Seeing the child's hesitancy, Jason patted his knee as he offered;

"Come here, Christopher."

Lifting the boy to sit on his knee, Jason invited;

"Alright, now what's on your mind?"

Furrowing his brow in consideration, Christopher chose his words carefully as he clarified;

"I can ask ya anything, Uncle Jason?"

Jason nodded as he promised;

"Yes, Christopher, you can ask me anything."

Launching in full steam, Christopher rushed in;

"What's the matter with Aunt Jemma and Uncle Josh? I mean, they used to get along better than me and Molly cause I never saw em fighting or nothing. But ever since Candy and Jeremy left I haven't seen em even talk to each other and I can tell Uncle Josh is real sad about it. Heck, even if she tries not to act like it, Aunt Jemma isn't happy about it either, so why don't they just start talking again so they'll both be happy?"

Although he was, somewhat, shocked by the open acknowledgment of the boy's observation, Jason quickly overcame his surprise to glance up and meet his wife's look of shock as he observed;

"Out of the mouths of babes."

Turning his attention back to Christopher, Jason took a deep breath as he shook his head;
"You know something, Christopher? I could tell you a lot of things that most adults might say to a youngster who asked a question like that, but you asked a fair question and I'm going to give you a fair answer. The truth is that Uncle Josh has had a lot on his mind lately and he said something thoughtless and cruel that hurt Aunt Jemma's feelings."

Furrowing his brow in deep thought, Christopher couldn't help but venture;

"But how bad could what Uncle Josh said be? I mean, me and Molly say stuff to each other all the time, but we just apologize and it's all okay again. So why don't he just tell Aunt Jemma he's sorry and they can start talking again?"

Jason and Julie, both, found themselves marveling at just how simplistic the boy made such a difficult goal sound. Seeing that her husband was at a momentary loss for words, something almost completely foreign for Jason Bolt, Julie explained;

"I know that should make it better, Christopher, but you see, the problem is that, what Uncle Josh said, it wasn't something that insulted just her, it was something that she felt was mean towards Uncle Aaron, Amie, and Jacob."

His mouth dropping in surprise, Christopher demanded in a hushed voice;

"You mean, Uncle Josh picked on Uncle Aaron, and Amie, and Jacob?"

Nodding, Jason offered;

"He didn't mean to do it intentionally, Christopher, but that was how Aunt Jemma saw it. She wouldn't have gotten so upset if he had said something about just her, but, well, Aunt Jemma loves Uncle Aaron and their babies very much and when someone says something mean about someone you love, that tends to hurt a lot more than if they had just said something about you; do you understand?"

Nodding, the boy ventured;

"I think so, it's kinda like the time Charlie Bates was picking on Molly and I punched him in the nose, I guess."

Giving it some consideration, Christopher suggested;

"But now, me and Charlie are friends and he doesn't pick on Molly anymore. Couldn't Aunt Jemma just punch Uncle Josh in the nose and then they could be friends again?"

Her eyes widening in amused shock at the suggestion, Julie couldn't help but laugh lightly before shaking her head and offering, as her husband tried to contain his own amusement;

"Although it might well be a good idea, Christopher, I'm afraid that it wouldn't work out quite as well in their case as it did for you and Charlie."

Shrugging slightly, the boy ventured;

"Yeah, I guess you're right Aunt Julie, I mean, Aunt Jemma is a lot smaller than Uncle Josh, she'd probably hurt her hand or something."

Shaking his head, he expounded on his theory;

"And it just wouldn't be fair for Uncle Aaron to do it, would it?"

Placing his hand on the boy's shoulder, Jason agreed;

"No, Christopher, you're right, it wouldn't be fair for Uncle Aaron to do it. This is something that Uncle Josh and Aunt Jemma have to work out between themselves."

Noticing the time on the mantel clock, Julie motioned towards the stairs as she observed;

"Christopher, it's almost your bedtime, so why don't you go on upstairs, wash up, and get your nightshirt on and we'll be up to tuck you in bed in just a little while; alright?"

Nodding, as he jumped from Jason's knee, he offered;

"Yes, ma'am, Aunt Julie"

Jason watched after the boy as he hurried up the stairs to comply with his wife's suggestion before shaking his head as he sighed heavily. Hearing the heavy rush of the air escaping his lungs, Julie turned to venture."

"He sees the problem and solution so clearly, doesn't he, darling?"

Rising from his chair to lean against the fireplace mantle, Jason could only nod in agreement of Julie's statement as his eyes fell on a family photo of the four siblings that their father has insisted on just before Jemma's second birthday, unaware that he wouldn't be with them much longer. Taking the photo in hand he studied the image and, even in black and white, there was no mistaking the look of glee in Jemma's eyes as she stared lovingly at Josh, who was holding her in his lap as Jason was holding Jeremy. Turning the photo towards his wife for inspection, Jason couldn't help but ask;

"Why can't things be as easy now as they were then?"

Seeing the puzzled look in her bright eyes, Jason ventured;

"When she was little all I, Josh, or Jeremy would have to do would be to simply say; 'yes, Pixie', or 'no, Pixie', and that would settle it. How in the world am I supposed to do that now, especially when she's not a little girl anymore?"

Taking the photo from his hands to study the image more closely, Julie couldn't help but feel pride in the fact that the only thing time had done where her husband's appearance was concerned was to make him even more handsome then what he had been at seventeen years of age. And given just how attractive he was as a teenager that was indeed a testament to the fact that he had aged quite well. Aside from her admiration for her husband's image as a young man, she couldn't help but notice the look of adoration sparkling in the innocent eyes of Jemma as an infant as she looked up at Josh in adoration. Offering the frame to her husband, Julie observed;

"I know that she loves you and Jeremy just as much, but even as a baby it seems as if she idolized Josh."

Placing the photo back in it's place on the mantle, Jason nodded;

"She did, you see, I spent most of my time with Father at the camp and Jeremy was almost five when Pixie was born, and Josh was eight, almost nine years old. Mother was spending a lot of time teaching Jeremy to get him ready to begin school so as a result, Josh seemed to take to tending to Jemma and spending time with her so that Mother could conduct Jeremy's lessons without interruption."

Moving to the small cabinet next to the fireplace, Jason poured himself a brandy before returning to his chair to stretch his legs out before him as he allowed his memories to venture forth;

"It's funny, I never thought about it before, but, even though she was always happy to see us when she was little and we'd walked in, Josh was always the first one that Pixie reached out for. After Mother died, Father became overprotective, especially of Pixie; I can still remember him saying how, even though we knew her the best, it would be Jemma who would end up missing her more in the long run. I can still remember, just after Mother died, how father worried and wondered how in the world we four males were going to take care of a little girl, especially since I had finished school and was needed at the camp."

Curious, Julie prompted;

"How did you manage?"

Motioning towards the picture, Jason's eyes seemed to take on a distant look as if focusing on something in the distant past as he began;

"Josh had just turned ten and he had overheard Father comment that maybe we should take one of the families who had offered to take in Jeremy and Jemma up on their offer, at least as far as Jemma was concerned. You know how serious Josh can be when the situation calls for it, well he's always been that way; he went to his teacher and made a deal. You see, Josh was and is very intelligent, just like Pixie, he grasps things very quickly; anyway, Josh explained what was happening and she agreed to allow him to study on his own. He took care of Pixie while we were working and do his schoolwork while she napped and in the evening when we were all home, then in the afternoon he would go get Jeremy and she would check his work and tutor him in anything he had problems with while Jeremy kept Pixie busy."

Rising from her chair, Julie crossed the space to sit on the arm of her husband's chair as she draped her arm over his shoulders;

"That's a lot of responsibility for a ten-year-old boy to take on; voluntarily."

Nodding as he lifted his hand to grasp the one she had lying over his shoulder, Jason sighed;

"Yes, it was, but if it weren't for Josh, I don't know that we could have kept from letting a family take Pixie in."

Bringing her free hand up to push the wild waves and curls of his hair from his brow, Julie asked softly;

"Darling, does Jemma know that? I mean that if it weren't for Josh she might well have been raised away from you three?"

Shaking his head vehemently, Jason downed the remainder of the brandy in his glass before responding;

"No, I never wanted her to know that Jeremy doesn't remember it and Josh and I never wanted her to think badly of Father for considering the idea; he was a desperate man in a difficult situation who was trying to consider what would be the best for his children. Not to mention, there was a great deal that Pixie was cheated out of when our parents died, one thing that I never wanted her to doubt was that she was very much loved and wanted; if she were to know about this I'm afraid of just how deeply she would be wounded."

Stroking his chin, Jason couldn't help but lament;

"I know that there are disagreements in any family, that comes with the territory, but I never thought I would see anything like what's happening between Josh and Jemma."

Looking up into his wife's face, Jason couldn't help but place his arm behind her back and sweep her into his lap before wrapping his arms about her as he begged;

"Oh, Julie sweet, what am I going to do to get those two back to where they need to be? I know that it's killing Josh, I can see it in his face, and I know Pixie, she may act as though everything is fine, but this can't, by any means, be easy on her either. When they were younger things were so much easier, especially with Jemma; all I had to do was say yes or no, or do or don't. But I can hardly do that now considering that she's a grown woman with a husband and children of her own."

Cupping his face in her hands, Julie tilted Jason's head so that she could look into his eyes;

"Jason my love, YOU can't do anything to fix this. As you said, Jemma is a grown woman, and Josh is a grown man, they have to settle this on their own and in their own way. I know that Jemma can be stubborn, but in all fairness, that was a prerequisite for admission to this family, not to mention, being married to Aaron."

Shaking her head, Julie offered her theory;

"Jason, do you remember how you felt about what Uncle Duncan said about Jemma when he arrived?"

Seeing the look of frustration that clouded his eyes at the reminder, Jason nodded as she pointed out;

"Jemma is your sister, mind you, you look on her in a fatherly way as well, but if that was how you felt at what Duncan said about her, just imagine how she must have felt when Josh said what he did. Darling, that wasn't just a slight at her, he insulted her husband and children too by what he said. Despite it all the one thing that she never thought she would have to worry about would be her brothers saying something so hateful, especially not after everything with Maude and Helen and DEFINITELY not Josh."

Shaking her head, Julie theorized;

"She's hurt, love, and I'm afraid the longer she tries not to show it the worse it's going to fester. No, this is something that Josh and Jemma will have to fix between them."

Hearing Christopher calling them from the top of the stairs, Jason helped his wife up from his lap before rising from his chair to take her hand before offering a slight smile;

"Come on, sweet, let's go get our little houseguest settled and practice for when we have our own children."

Holding her hand, Jason pulled her to a halt before pulling her to him as he held her close before bringing his lips near her ear;

"As a matter of fact, once we're sure that Christopher is settled, I think we should have a more 'in-depth' discussion about starting our own family."

Wrapping her arms around his neck, Julie pressed herself slightly closer as she raised up to brush her lips against his before gushing;

"Oh, I love our 'discussions'."

Both turned crimson as they found themselves reminded of their young charge as Christopher demanded;

"Hey, you two are cutting into my storytime with all that mush."

Giggling, Julie left her husband's embrace as she hurried up the stairs to usher the boy into the room he was occupying. Jason couldn't help but laugh in amusement as he thought about just how much the boy would find himself enjoying such 'mush' when he found the love of his life. Pushing the issue of his brother and sister to the back of his mind for the moment, Jason hurried up the stairs to join his wife in settling Christopher for the night.

Christopher sat with Molly at the table, unpacking a crate of books for Biddie's inspection so they could be listed and marked for their location on the shelves. Stacking the books neatly as his sister handed them to him, Christopher glanced from time to time to Molly, even though he would never admit it to her, and although he was enjoying his time at the logging camp and with Jason and Julie, he missed the day to day interaction with his sister. Deciding to break the quiet, he ventured;

"So is it fun with Aunt Jemma and Uncle Aaron?"

Molly couldn't help but smile as she nodded eagerly;

"Yeah, turns out I was scared for nothin, Uncle Aaron isn't as grumpy as we thought he was."

His eyes wide in disbelief Christopher exclaimed;

"You're fibbin!"

Molly made a crossing motion over her heart as she shook her head before stating adamantly;

"Honest! I broke a plate the other night and spilled milk all over him trying to pick up the plate and he just changed his clothes and when I asked him was he mad he told me that Amie and Jacob had done worse so how could he be mad."

Seeing the puzzled look Molly explained;

"See, he and Aunt Jemma explained that, sometimes, so people don't try to cheat you in business, it's best if they think you're grouchy. But Uncle Aaron's not grouchy, not really."

Pursing his mouth in consideration, Christopher sighed;

"Well, at least we know he likes you, I guess."

Seeing the slight sadness at the idea that Aaron's gruffness might have something to do with him, personally, Molly put her hand on her brother's arm to offer;

"Oh, he likes you too, he said he likes us both, just as much as Aunt Jemma does."

Noticing his sigh of relief, Molly was glad to see that she had eased his mind, although she soon found he had other concerns when he asked in a hushed voice;

"Is Aunt Jemma still mad at Uncle Josh?"

Glancing about to make sure no one was paying attention or could hear their conversation, Molly gave a slight nod as her eyes widened;

"I'm pretty sure she is. I heard Uncle Aaron trying to talk to her about it last night and she told him that she didn't wanna talk about it, even when he tried telling her that things couldn't stay the way they were cause it wasn't good for her or anyone else, she told him that if he tried to push her about it and if he just really wanted something to worry about then he could worry about how he was going to get a good night's sleep on the sofa. Then she went upstairs to take care of the babies and go to bed."

Christopher couldn't help but stare at his sister in shock; he couldn't imagine anyone except maybe Uncle Jason backing Uncle Aaron down, let alone Aunt Jemma, especially when she was so small. His tone of voice conveying his disbelief, he demanded;

"What did Uncle Aaron say?"

Shaking her head to show her own disbelief, Molly offered;

"Not much, I didn't want em to think I was eavesdropping on purpose so I just sort of stayed where I was. But, he poured something from one of the glass bottles and drank if down real fast before saying a swear word and going upstairs to help Aunt Jemma with the babies."

His eyes wide in awe, Christopher demanded;

"Was it a bad swear?"

Shrugging slightly, Molly ventured;

"Well, it wasn't a real bad one, but it was still a swear."

Lowering his voice, he prodded;

"What was it?"

Her eyes darting about to make sure no one was paying attention to them, Molly lowered her voice before confiding;

"Okay, but you can't tell nobody I said it. After he finished his drink he shook his head and said; 'damn Bolt stubbornness, why does she have to be the most stubborn out of the four of them?' Then he just went upstairs."

His face reflecting his amazement and perplexity, Christopher ventured his disbelief;

"I don't get it, Aunt Jemma's so small how come Uncle Aaron doesn't just make her talk to Uncle Josh and make-up with em? He's a lot bigger than she is."

Molly sighed in aggravation at how naive her brother was sometimes;

"Don't be silly, he can't do that. He loves Aunt Jemma and if he made her do something just because he's bigger and can then that would be wrong. He doesn't want her to do it just cause he wants her to do what he says, he wants her to do it cause he knows she ain't happy being mad at Uncle Josh."

Comprehending his sister's statement, Christopher scratched his head as he sighed before facing his sister;

"Molly, ya know something?"

Tilting her head to the side, Molly remained silent, as he finished his statement;

"Grown-ups sure can be silly sometimes."

Nodding her agreement, Molly's brow furrowed in contemplation as she pondered aloud;
"I wonder what Candy and Jeremy are doing and if they're having fun on their honeymoon?"

Giving a slight shrug of his shoulders, Christopher ventured;

"I wonder WHERE they are on their honeymoon."