'Good evening Turners.'
'Mrs Ellaby.'
'Can this really be young Angela? She's grown so much!'
'This is she.'
'May I.' The elder woman held out her arms and received the babe. 'Hello little one. Aren't you a happy little baby.' She smiled down as she tickled Angela prompting a delighted squeal. 'If you'll follow me.' She led them down a familiar set of corridors, each Turner remembering the same journey they had taken less than 5 months before. With every step they grew more and more confident in their decision as the reality of what they were about to do set in.
'Can I come in with you this time?' Tim asked nervously. He had been annoyed when he had been sent to the office whilst his parents first met Angela but in the months since he had come to accept that Mum had needed Dad alone to meet her first daughter. All in all he had only had to wait 15 minutes to meet his youngest sister so he could forgive them.
'Of course you can Tim.'
'Well here we are, Carole is in the crib closest to the door. Here's your sister young man.' She smiled passing Angela to an eager Timothy. 'Go on in.'
'Oh she's even more beautiful than I imagined.' Shelagh gasped as they approached Carole's cot. The child looked up at them from her position leaning against the cot bars, her dark brown eyes widening at the intrusion to her observation of the room.
'She's a Turner girl-she couldn't be anything less than outstandingly beautiful.'
'Ew don't be gross Dad.' Tim moaned as Shelagh blushed. 'Hello Carole. Long time no see. This is Angela, you won't have met her before but she's our little sister even though she's been a Turner longer. We met you first though. It's complicated but you'll get used to it. Mum look! She still has Cuthbert!'
'Her first present from her brother.' Patrick grinned as he picked Carole up. 'Hello again little one. I don't suppose you remember us but we looked after you on your very first night in this world. Well now we're your Mummy and Daddy.'
'Dada?'
'Daddy's here. Other Daddy is gone sweetheart.' He explained softly running his free hand through her jet black curls.
'Dada!' Carole squealed happily curling up against his chest.
'So far so good.' Shelagh smiled. 'I know this will be difficult for her but I think we're going to be okay. Would you like to come home with us sweetie? Would you like to be a Turner?'
'Dada.'
'I'll take that as a yes.' She laughed. 'Can I have a cuddle with her?'
'Here you go love.' He passed the girl to her mother whose eyes instantly filled with tears.
'Thank you darling. Oh Carole- you're back in my arms again. How I've missed you my wee bairn. I'm sorry for ever giving you up-I should have realised that God had sent you to us for a reason. We are your parents not the Peterson's, though I must admit to being very thankful to them for looking after you this past year and for giving you back to us. Although we may never have had your sister if we'd kept you. Now we have both.'
'This is the way God wanted our family to be.' Timothy grinned looking between his sisters. He dropped a kiss onto both of their heads. 'You two had better get along because I won't always be around to look out for you. I'll do my best but the two of you are going to have to band together. Preferably not against me though. Mum and Dad both have a bit of a wicked streak so who knows what you two will end up like.'
'Thanks son.' Patrick said dryly.
'Shall we go sign the papers then? Mrs Ellaby said something about some equipment the Peterson's left with Carole for us to take with us.'
'Lead on MacDuff.'
'Wrong clan dearest.'

'Well now little one. You're officially a Turner. Tell me how does it feel. That good eh?' Patrick grinned as his eldest daughter babbled nonsense at him. He had stayed at the entrance to the building with his children and the equipment whilst Shelagh brought the car around. Patrick was reluctant to let any of his children out of sight just yet and so had, with a willingness that surprised all over the age of one, given Shelagh the keys to their car, an event usually preceded by an argument, a bribe and a compromise. Once the terrifying threat of Trixie turning their youngest into a loving doll had been reason enough to let her drive the car.
'How much can she understand Dad? When will she start talking properly?'
'Quite a bit. So long as we keep talking to her she'll pick up talking. She won't speak 'properly' as you would term it for at least a year, more like 2 before she talks in proper basic sentences.'
'Neat.'
'Indeed. Ah there's your mother. Let's give the girls to your mother and you can help me fill up the car. I'm not quite sure how well fit this all in. Shelagh can you cope with both the babies at once?'
'I'll have to. I need to get used to it anyway. Hello darlings.'
'Everyone in? Headcount 1,2,3,4 and I assume the headless body behind the giant teddy arm is 5.'
'I'm here Dad.'
'Patrick I thought I told you to accidentally leave him at the adoption centre!'
'I considered it but I didn't think anyone would ever actually want to adopt him and he'll end up in the system until he's kicked into the streets at seemed to harsh for even Tim. I'm not completely heartless Shelagh.'
'You're both real funny.'
'Thanks. Patrick I was thinking, once we get home, that we could call sister Julienne and tell her about this. I mean she may want to know how Carole is and she can tell nurse Lee. And she had the letter...'
'Darling there's no need to make excuses. If you want to phone your mother and tell her she's a grandmother once more then go ahead. You don't have to ask my permission.'

'I will. Can you imagine her face? This will be an even bigger surprise than Angela.'

'Why don't you invite her over? Tell her fact to face. Then you can see her reaction.'

'Sounds good.'

The developmental milestones if young children is something I'm not an expert in and was researched in the early hours of the morning so forgive any mistakes

Only one chapter left now which should be up tonight

Reviews appreciated xx