Hello again everyone! Thank you all for being so patient as I worked on this next chapter! I also like to send out a thank you for all the great feedback I've been given for this story as well. I've changed the rating on this story from K+ to T just because this chapter contains some very slight suggestiveness. Nothing explicit at all though! Just a small heads-up. And as usual, please enjoy!
The four adults conversed until Wendy came home from school. Wendy invited Charlie to come with her to visit Abigail, to which she agreed. Maxwell and Jack decided to take this opportunity to chat with each other one-on-one.
"So, I take it the magic show business has been treating you well?" Jack asked Maxwell, his hands casually resting in his pockets as the two men strolled along a path around the house together.
"It has. Our last act was quite the success, if I don't mind saying." He knew his brother had been skeptical when he'd first told him he was coming to America to be a magician.
"So I've heard." He replied. "Must be an exciting job."
"It certainly is."
They walked together in silence before Jack spoke up again. "I take it Charlie took the news of twins well?"
Maxwell nodded. "To say she was excited would be an understatement. How did you and Evelyn react when you found out you were going to have twins?"
"Us? Well, I was pretty happy myself. Eve was nervous at first, but she came around." He sighed. "It really is something when you see them for the first time. Probably one of the happiest moments of my life." He glanced at Maxwell, grinning. "If you don't get what I mean, you will." He looked back at the path they were on. "So, you sure you won't have a performance or anything when Charlie's at the hospital? I've heard the show business can run on a pretty strict schedule."
"I fully intend to be there when my children are born." He replied. "Unlike some performers, we've got more say in when and where we do our acts. That and I intimidate them." He added.
"Really? You? Intimidating?" Jack laughed, then paused when he was met with a steely look from his brother. "Oh. I see. I think the tallness has something to do with it."
"Charming." He replied dryly.
"Oh come on, I was kidding." Jack laughed again. "But all joking aside now, I really am happy for you two. It's great to hear you've finally gotten around to starting a family."
He paused. "Gotten around? What are you trying to imply?"
"Nothing, really." Jack put his hands up. "It's just been so many years since you told me you were coming to America. I was starting to wonder if you'd ever settle down."
He crossed his arms. "Jack, where are you going with this?"
"All I'm saying is that it's been a long time, Will." Jack retorted. "And we're not exactly getting any younger. I was beginning to worry that you were gonna be…you know…" He gesticulated a bit. "…past your prime."
"Past my prime? Really, Jack?" Maxwell stopped. "I appreciate your concern, but I'll have you know that my 'prime' is perfectly fine." He continued walking. "Not that it's much of your business anyway."
Jack put his hands up again. "I know, I know, it's not… Sorry about that, it sounded much better in my head."
"Evidently." He replied. "And if you think my age is going to be an issue during the upbringing of our children, you've got another thing coming as well."
"That one hadn't even occurred to me." He chuckled.
Maxwell sighed. It was time for a change of subject. "How has Wendy been keeping? You mentioned that she was excited."
"Yes, I did." Jack responded. "I mean, I assumed she was excited. She certainly didn't react negatively. I'll admit though, she's always been a bit difficult to read. She's been like ever since Abigail passed away…"
He paused again, not intending to bring up bad memories. "I'm sorry about what happened to Abigail."
"It's alright." Jack smiled solemnly. "Sometimes things happen that are out of your control, and there's just nothing you can do about it." He paused a moment. "The child psychiatrist we saw told us Wendy was just going through a phase of mourning, and that it was just her way of coping. Still, it pained us to see her like that."
"But she's gotten better since then, hasn't she?"
"Oh yes, much better. She's not quite the same girl as before, but she's definitely better than she used to be. She finally started to come around after the time she went missing a few years ago."
"Ah, yes. I remember you told me about that."
"It was the strangest thing too." He continued. "Almost as if she disappeared right off the face of the earth."
"Funny," Maxwell put his hands in his pockets, "I wouldn't know what that'd be like." The two men walked together in silence back towards the house, simply taking in the scenery and enjoying each other's company.
Charlie sat on a picnic blanket, with Wendy at her side. They rested in the shade of the tree on the hill, next to Abigail's grave. Wendy invited her out here to visit her sister, and also have a chat. Charlie inhaled deeply, taking in the sweet scent of the grass around them. "It's beautiful out here."
"Mh-hm." Wendy replied. "The view out here is lovely."
She glanced at Wendy next to her. "You said you… wanted to talk to me about something?"
"Yes, I did…" Wendy continued to look out at the forest in front of them. "But before I start, I'd like to tell you a short story." She looked to Charlie. "Do you know what happened to Abigail?"
Charlie shook her head slowly. "No."
"Well, it went something like this." She looked back out at the view. "We were still young and innocent then, without a care in the world. Then, one day, Abigail got sick. So sick that she needed to go to the hospital and stay there."
She leaned forward and picked a flower from the grass, as if she were talking about something as casual as the weather.
"I didn't understand the seriousness of the situation then. I couldn't understand why Mom and Dad were so distraught. They told me she had a disease called cancer, though they didn't know what kind it was yet."
Charlie felt her stomach drop, knowing where this story was headed.
Wendy twirled the flower in her fingers. "Turns out it was the bad kind of cancer, the kind where they don't expect the patient to survive." She set the flower down. "I was still so naïve back then. I thought that if I remained positive, she'd somehow get miraculously better." She sighed. "You can probably guess what happened next. Abigail's condition continued to worsen, until one day the doctors said she just fell asleep… and didn't wake back up."
Charlie lowered her head, her hand subconsciously tracing small circles on her rounded belly. Even though she knew the ending of the story, it was still sad to hear.
"I guess the reason I wanted to tell you this was to… Well, I mean…" She struggled to find the correct words, something she wasn't used to. "What I want to say is that I'm really happy for you and Maxwell." She looked at Charlie. "And I can promise you that I'll be the best cousin I possibly can for your children. I can't promise I won't let anything happen to them, but I will be there for them."
Charlie's hand rested on her chest as she listened to Wendy, then she smiled and scooted closer to her. "Oh, Wendy… I don't know what to say…" She wrapped her arms around her and hugged her softly. "Thank you so much for telling me about this. I already know you're going to be a great cousin."
Wendy smiled, and hugged her back. "Really?"
She chuckled. "Really."
Just then, a bird call echoed throughout the forest, making the two look in its direction. There was a moment of silence, then the noise sounded again.
Wendy smiled and stood up. "Hang on." She cupped her hands to her mouth and made the same bird call. A few moments passed, then a figure emerged from the edge of the woods and bounded towards the hill.
Charlie watched the scene curiously, then smiled when she saw who it was coming towards them.
Wendy walked back over to Charlie and sat down next to her again. "Hello Webber."
The spider-boy grinned as he trotted up to them. "Hi Wendy! Hi Miss Charlie! Oh and hi Abigail!" He came to a stop in front of them. "Mind if I join you guys?"
"Not at all." Charlie grinned at him. She remembered meeting Webber when they were still in Maxwell's alternate world. She didn't know him too well, but if Wendy trusted him, she would too.
"I saw you guys on the hill, so I thought I'd send you the signal to make sure it was safe to come out." Webber explained as he sat down next to them.
"So that was you making the bird call then?" Charlie asked him.
"Uh-huh!" He grinned.
"It's our way of communicating to make sure the coast is clear." Wendy continued.
"Oh…" Charlie nodded in understanding. "I take it that your parents aren't aware then?"
Wendy nodded. "They have no idea that someone's living out in the woods near our house."
Webber nodded as well. "I'm not sure how well they'd react to Wendy having a friend who's part spider, but we don't really mind. We still get to hang out all the time after school!" He grinned again.
"Is that so?" Charlie grinned and looked over to Wendy, who decided to take a sudden interest in the picnic blanket they were sitting on.
"So are you really gonna have twins Miss Charlie?" Webber looked at her excitedly.
She glanced down at her belly, then smiled at him. "Without a doubt. I had it confirmed during a visit to the doctor a few months ago."
He gasped joyfully. "Oh my gosh, that's like, two times the fun of having one baby! I remember when one of the goats my dad raised had twins, it was so exciting!"
She laughed. "Yes, I can imagine. You should have seen Maxwell's face when I first told him, though. I thought he was going to faint on the spot."
Wendy couldn't help but chuckle at the mental image. "It would've been amusing if he had."
"Yeah." Webber leaned back up against the tree behind them. "I'm glad we're all on good terms with him now, too."
Wendy nodded. "Well, when you go through such an experience as we all did, it's difficult to not form some kind of bond to each other."
"I agree." Charlie added. She, Maxwell, and many other survivors still sent letters to each other, even though they had all gone their separate ways many years ago.
Charlie looked up towards the sun. It was definitely past noon. She looked back to Wendy and Webber next to her. "Were we supposed to get back to the house at some time? I wouldn't want to keep your parents waiting."
"My mom said she'd call us when dinner was ready." Wendy replied. "Which reminds me. Webber, do you think you'll have time to leave before anyone comes out here?"
"Heh, that'll be no problem." He put his hands behind his head causally. "The nice thing about having multiple eyes is that we can spot someone coming from a mile away!"
Suddenly a voice called out to them. "Wendy? Are you there?" It sounded close.
The trio froze. From the bottom of the hill, they could see Maxwell and Jack making their way towards them. They weren't close enough to see them, but they would be soon.
"Oh…" Webber jumped up his sitting spot and desperately looked around for a place to hide. There wasn't enough time for him to run back to the forest. Thinking quickly, he said, "Uh! I'll talk to you guys later today!" He leapt onto the trunk of the tree and scampered up it as quickly as he could. He had just disappeared amongst the leaves and branches when Maxwell and Jack appeared over the hill.
"Ah, there you are." Jack strolled up to them. "Enjoying the lovely weather, I see?"
"Absolutely." Charlie smiled at him, trying to look relaxed and casual. Wendy nodded in agreement.
"We were just about to head back to the house to help make dinner." Maxwell walked up to Charlie and reached out a hand out towards her. "Care to join us?"
Charlie smiled and took his hand as he helped her to her feet. "I'd love to."
Jack looked at his daughter next. "Wendy? How about you?"
Wendy glanced at the tree behind her. "Um, I think I'll stay out here for a few more minutes. I promise I won't be long."
"Alright then, let's get going." Jack turned to walk back towards the house.
Charlie gave Wendy one more smile. "It was great talking with you, Wendy. I'll see you back at the house." She took Maxwell's arm and they walked down the hill together.
Wendy gave them a small wave as they disappeared once again.
Charlie glanced back behind her once they were a good distance away from the tree. She managed to catch a glimpse of Wendy looking up at the tree as Webber climbed his way back down, then she looked back at Maxwell, giving him a small smile.
"Did you two have a good conversation?"
"Oh yes," she replied happily, "we definitely did."
After dinner was eaten, the people of the household conversed in the living room for a while. Soon, it was time for bed. Charlie and Maxwell made themselves comfortable in the guest bedroom, while Wendy retired to her room, and her parents to theirs. Charlie rested in the bed, a hand gently stroking her stomach as she waited for her husband to join her.
He came over to the bed, and flopped down onto it next to her, sighing.
She laughed softly. "So, how did your day go with Jack?"
"It was…interesting, to say the least. I can safely conclude that he hasn't changed one bit."
"Oh really?"
"Yes," he sighed again, "you should have been there for the conversation we had."
"Hmm. Sounds interesting." She giggled, rolling over slightly to face him. "Care to enlighten me?"
"…You're going to laugh at me when I tell you."
"What makes you so sure of that?"
"Because..." He turned on his side to face her. "He mentioned he was glad that I'd finally decided to settle down. When I asked him to elaborate, he expressed worry that I may have been…" He grimaced, breaking eye contact. "…past my prime." He looked back at her.
Charlie stared at him for a second, then put her hands over her mouth. "Oh my gosh…" It was her turn to break eye contact, letting out a small squeak.
Maxwell sighed. "You see? I told you that you'd laugh at me."
"No. I'm not…" She replied between a fit of giggles. "He really said that to you?"
"Word for word."
She put her hand over her mouth again, stifling another giggle, her other hand on her belly. "Wow, I don't know what to say."
He couldn't help but smile at how adorable she was. "Yes, but after growing up with him you tend to get used to it."
She chuckled softly. "Well, I guess we can safely say that we managed to prove him wrong."
"Yes." He laughed, then turned towards her, grinning. "And I'd bet we could prove him wrong again…" He moved closer to her on the bed and put a hand on her waist.
"Oh, Maxy…" She giggled again as he began planting soft kisses on her neck, slowly working his way down to her shoulder. She made another small noise. "Maxy…" She put her hand on his chest. "We shouldn't. Not right now. I'd hate to disturb Wendy or her parents. We're their guests…"
He sighed once again, accepting defeat. "Alright then…"
She smiled at him, then leaned forward and kissed him on the nose. "I'll make it up to you. Promise."
He smiled back at her, then leaned downward and placed a hand on her belly. "How have the little ones been doing?"
"Great." She replied, putting a hand on top of his. "They were active today. Didn't settle down until an hour ago."
"Well then, I think we'd better be getting rest as well if we wish to keep up with them."
She chuckled once more. "Agreed."
She turned over to her other side, letting Maxwell put his arms around her, and they drifted off into a peaceful slumber together.