An hour and a half later, Lena headed back upstairs to get ready for the cookout. When she walked into the room, Callie was just beginning to stir. Lena began taking out their clothes for the evening.

Callie awoke giggling. It was a sound that always filled Lena's heart with her love for her baby. Callie had been such a happy baby. She had given her mommies tons of joy and entertainment. Would the baby growing inside her be the same?

Lena crawled into the bed next to Callie and wrapped her in her arms. Callie snuggled closer as Lena kissed her on her forehead.

"Good afternoon, babygirl. I see you had some good dreams." Lena said as they cuddled.

"It was about you Mama. It was when me and Mommy were making you a mermaid. You wouldn't stay still though Mama. But, it was still fun."

Lena remembered that day. It was a good one. Gretchen, Callie, and she had all walked over to the beach with a picnic lunch. Gretchen and Callie had ganged up on her and somehow she had ended up having to be the one buried in the sand. They had several photographs of them from that day with smiles that never ended. Lena pushed the pang of pain away and focused on the task at hand not wanting to get bogged down in memories.

"Well, today we're going to have a lot of fun too. Your Aunt Lisa, Uncle Rich and Uncle Timothy, Jenna, Kelly, Garret and your cousins Ethan and Jaleyn are coming. So come on baby. We've gotta go shower and get ready."

"With you Mama?" Callie asked.

"Yes me too. Let's go baby." Callie normally took baths at night and Lena had already showered but with the things they had planned Lena knew that this was the best way to get it out of the way for today.

Lena quickly washed Callie's hair and then her body. She then put conditioner in and let Callie play around while she took care of washing herself.

Callie studied Lena's body and her still slim figure. Lena had already explained to her about the baby inside and had even read her several children's books she had found about when Mommy's expecting a baby but Callie was still confused over a lot of the details. Lena also showed her pictures of when she was pregnant with Callie and explained that that's where Callie had grown before she'd been born. She had seen pregnant women with swollen bellies and Lena had tried explaining that that's how the baby grew but Callie was still having a hard time accepting the new concepts.

"Mama. Are you sure our baby's in there?" She asked with a frown on her face while pressing her hands on her Mama's tummy.

"Yes baby I'm sure." Lena paused from washing her hair and smiled down at her.

"Why is it just hiding in there? Can't it come out and visit and come to the welcome home party too? It's been a long time and I still haven't seen it yet!"

Lena didn't bother explaining that she was only 6 weeks along and that it took 9 months to have the baby. She instead just leaned over and planted a kiss on her daughter.

"When it's time baby, you'll be the first to know. I promise."

Callie continued looking at her still confused but decided to let it go.

They finished the shower, dressed and went downstairs. The door opened as they reached the bottom step and Lena's big sister Lisa and her family entered.

As a child, Lena had idolized her older sister. Or Doctah as Lena liked to tease as her sister was a pediatrician. She followed her around as much as she was allowed to and always wanted to do everything that she did. The two of them were even pregnant at the same time with their first children. Jaleyn was a few months older than Callie but they had made sure that they talked and Skyped often to keep the bonds between all of them strong.

Lena and her sister hugged and Lena grabbed baby Ethan away from her sister. Then led the way out back to where her parents were.

Callie grabbed her cousin's hand and said let's go play and they took off toward the swing and playground set that was just a few feet away.

The adults were chatting and her father Stuart, was heating up the grill when from across the lawn walked Timothy and his parents.

Timothy and Lena had a long and interesting relationship. Lena's father worked in the finance industry and her Mother, Dana was a professor with 2 doctorates and a couple of books she had written that had done well. Timothy's father, Azhi or Oz as he liked to be called also worked with Stuart in finance and his mother, Radha, was a Medical Researcher. The two estates butted against one another and so naturally the two families had merged and basically become just one big extended family. There were pictures of the kids bathing together, each home was home to all the children, the children went to the same private school, and they often vacationed together.

It was thought that Lena and Timothy would one day get together. Lena had even believed it for a while herself. They did date briefly from the age of 12 to 13. But, Lena knew pretty quickly that she just didn't feel the same about men. She came out as a teenager and was embraced by both sides of the family. Timothy became her best friend and supporter. But, he still always carried a little torch for her. They had a friendly, flirty relationship and though it might seem weird to outsiders, it worked well for them.

They all greeted one another and chatted for a while until the doorbell rang. Lena went to answer it and came back with Jenna, one of her lifelong friends who had went to high school with them all, her partner Kelly and their 4 year old son Garret. Garret ran off to join the other kids while the adults chatted and Stuart and Oz manned the steaks and veggies on the grill.

The kids were called in when dinner was ready and ran back off again when they had finished while the adults enjoyed their coffee and continued talking.

"So, Ms Vice Principal, how's it feel to be the big boss?" Timothy asked Lena. He had been the one who had given Lena the head's up about the job as he had been teaching at the school for the past 2 years and her sister's son had been attending the school for the past year.

"Well, I haven't even started yet but I'm definitely looking forward to it." Lena smiled. "And thanks again for helping me with that."

"I just told you about the job. You got it on your own merits. When do you start?"

"In just 2 weeks." Lena said while making a face. "Tomorrow I start serious house and car hunting. I'm praying I find something fast so that I can get Callie settled."

"I've already told you Lena Elizabeth that you don't need a new car. Just take mine. I was going to get a new one anyway. And you don't need a new house. You can stay here with your family. You are in a delicate condition and you need your family around you." Dana said.

Lena knew that her Mother meant well, but they still spent so much time butting heads and Lena knew that it would only be a matter of time before the honeymoon period of them being back wore off.

"Thanks Mom but Callie still doesn't really understand that her Mommies aren't together anymore. Before we came down she asked if Mommy was coming to the party too. I want to give her as much permanence and structure as I can to try and make this transition as easy as possible. Her whole world is about to change and I need her to see that there are some things that don't."

"Exactly! That's why staying here with your family is precisely what she needs." Dana explained as if to a child.

"No, Mom. Our home will be her forever home. Her school will be her school." Lena was beginning to get a little frustrated already.

"Also, about this school business. You all went to private school. Why are you trying to send my grandbaby to some rinky dink school that doesn't even have a proper dress code..." Dana started.

"The school is an extremely good school with a great reputation. You know I feel as strongly as you do about a good education. And I will also be working there. I see nothing but wins with this." Lena still tried to explain.

"Well, how about dessert?" Stuart asked trying to break through the tension and rising tempers.

The kids were called over and everyone began catching up on everyone's latest gossip. The evening ended soon after and everyone went their separate ways. Before Lena went to bed she saw a text from Gretchen that read Good night my hearts. Lena thought about deleting it but something held her back. She instead crawled in next to Callie and went to sleep.