"Oh but it's so cute!"

"What do you need it for?" he rolled his eyes.

"Joe look at it! You can't say it's not adorable!" she pushed the small plush lion in his face. He looked at it for a second afraid to admit that it was in fact rather sweet. "it's a little baby lion!"

"A lion cub."

"I could put him on my windowsill and wake up to that adorable face everyday!"

"Why are you even justifying it to me? You're going to do what you want anyway!" he threw up his hands.

"I know but I don't want you mocking me in a week when you see little Leo in my room. I'd like you to understand…" She beamed.

"Wow Burke are you valuing my opinion?" she smiled.

"Maybe I am Longo. Maybe I am…" she winked and walked on. "… oh theres a baby tiger too!"

"Oh Mel…" he shook his head.

/ / / /

"THEY'RE WHAT!" Lennox said down the phone.

"my ear!"

"No tell me again Ryder."

"They're looking at baby teddies. That's all." He couldn't see why she was getting so excited.

"As in teddies for babies or baby animals?"

"Baby lions and stuff I don't know she's picked up about five now. Why is it so important? You told me to text you if I saw them together and I did."

"Ryder why would they be looking at stuffed animals! It's hardly for you or me!"

"Maybe she just likes them…"

"Ryder. Children's toys! Cute fluffy playthings for babies!"

"I don't…. no! No you don't think."

"Oh god! This is way more serious than I thought!

"I…"

"They're having a baby!"

"Woah! You cant just jump to that!"

"I'm not jumping. We have been watching them for days now! We're just putting all the evidence together."

"I'm not putting anything any where!" Ryder tried again but his sister just hung up leaving talking to himself.

/ / /

Two weeks later and Lennox had barely thought about what was going on with her unconventional parenting unit. It had been a crazy few days and she didn't know what to think anymore. Only a few days before she'd been all set to go travel the country with her doting boyfriend. Then she'd had her world upside down with her Aunt's betrayal. She couldn't believe she would go behind her back like that and confirm her attendance. For someone who normally tried so hard and sometimes went too far, she'd never thought her aunt would do something like this. Just when she was starting to understand why Mel had done that, and was feeling good about having options next year, Xander had come and whipped the carpet out from under her feet. He was giving in and doing what his parents wanted just like that. Bought by a few paintbrushes. She sat on her bed and started at the floor. Four days ago everything had been planned out and organised. Now she didn't know where she was going, who she was talking to or if she had a boyfriend. She knew deep down inside that Xander was doing the right thing, and that she would more than likely head to college. But she didn't want to just give in and forgive them all. Her feelings about her aunt had been on the rocks anyway with all the secrecy. She could see that what her aunt had done was all for her neice. For her security and future. Xander had done what was best for him. Deciding to go talk to her aunt about everything she made her way down the stairs into the kitchen. Sitting on the counter were cold buffalo wings from dinner a few nights before. Her stomach jumped at the faint smell, reminding her how long it had been since shed eaten. Taking a glance at the microwave she grabbed the bowl and heated the up.

She was halfway through her second one when the kitchen door opened slightly and Joe's hand came around. He'd obviously been on the way in when something stopped him. Through the open door she could hear the conversation clearly.

"I know Burke, you're my number one priority! You must be fed and looked after! I'm just saying it would kill you to give me some space!" she bit her lip and looked back down at the chicken wings as he came striding through the door.

"Oh hey Lennox. How… how you feeling?" he said trying to gauge the teenagers mood.

"I'm fine." She was debating putting him out of his misery. "Going to ask Aunt Mel to take me shopping for clothes for college." He turned around and grabbed her up hugging her close. Her face was squished and her arms were pinned to her sides.

"Oh my precious girl is going to college! I'm so happy." She said to the top of her head.

"God Joe let go now! Can't breath down here."

/ / /

Mel sat on the sofa biting the tiny bit of skin by her thumb nail. Yes it hurt, but she maintained it was helping. She really hadn't a clue what to do with Lennox. How to repair the trust or help her make up her mind, and now because of all the mocking she'd laid on Joe about the tutoring incident, he wouldn't even listen to her ranting.

The kitchen door opened and Lennox was standing there, hair slightly messy and a tiny daub of buffalo sauce on her chin.

"so…" she started as she stood up.

"I was wondering Aunt Mel…" Lennox said "…college is a whole new forum with an entirely new vibe and environment that I have no idea about. I think the best way for me to transition into this is…" she paused. "…with a whole new wardrobe. What you think."

"I think, that sounds like a great idea." She grinned at her niece and put out her arms. "Come here

/ / /

"I dunno Aunt Mel, it's a little tight." Lennox said slowly and carefully, but of course her aunt jumped at it, her mouth wide open in shock.

"What are you saying!"

"Nothing I just mean maybe you should get something with a bit more room. For a change." This was just going from bad to worse. "you know what I'm being ridiculous. I think I'm hungry. That pink one was lovely!" she smiled.

Mel did a turn and looked at her self in the mirror again. What had Lennox meant? She wondered for a moment until she caught how the pink brightened her hair.

She wasn't shallow, she just quite liked pink.

/ / / /

"Aww Aunt Mel how cute is this!" Lennox said holding up the tiniest baby grow she had ever seen. It was lilac with tiny purple flowers. While before she was just trying to break her Aunt Mel down, she now found the baby grow adorable.

"Oh it's lovely." She nodded. "Now shoes?"

"Maybe we could look around her for a bit!" she said gesturing towards the baby section. Her Aunt raised an eyebrow

"Lennox if I have to go home and tell Joe you're pregnant…" she said her eyes looking more scared by the second.

"No no no!" she put her hands up. "Definitely not."

"oh thank god!"

"I just thought it might be nice. Maybe you'd like to have a look."

"Right. I should probably pick up something for Marnie, she's having her second soon."

Lennox watched as her aunt moved through the rails picking up the odd little outfit. Images of her aunt with a little baby then filled her head, and while sometimes she was so wrong with the parenting thing, she knew she'd be a great mother. She grinned when she thought to herself how nice it'd be to have another little brother or sister.

/ /