'Dad, why did you order like five pizzas? It's Thursday'

Ryan hung up his cellphone, turned to his son who was finishing his math homework at the kitchen table. Most twelve-year-old boys would have been glued to their video games by this time but Dell wanted his whole evening free and he'd only had a little math homework to do, he said, so he wanted it out of the way. If only he did that about his laundry, Ryan thought, stuffing his phone in his pocket.

'Alexis and Shane are coming over for dinner tonight,' he told Dell, saw him perk up like a sunflower.

'With the baby? She is so cute, I can't wait to hold her and play with her.'

'Good, because we'll have some grown-up things to talk about with Alexis and Shane.'

'Dad, I'll be in high school next year,' Dell reminded him pointedly, a fact which both thrilled and terrified him. 'You can tell me.'

'Alright, Mister Big Shot,' Ryan replied, calling his son's bluff. 'We are talking about something called postpartum depression.'

'Oh, no!' Dell's marble-blue eyes went wide and round. 'Dude, that is hard stuff, is Alexis putting Petra in danger?'

'How do you know about PPD?'

'Dad, it's called health class,' he said in a 'well duh' tone. 'We learned how once women give birth they get freaked out and are sometimes scared of being moms because they think they're gonna hurt their baby.'

'Well that's part of it. Alexis is feeling scared that she might disappoint us as she learns about being a mom.'

'Oh, well that's just crazy. She's awesome, everyone knows that.'

'But Alexis needs to know it for herself,' Ryan pointed out, 'and sometimes that means talking to a counselor.'

'Oh, okay.' Dell gave an affable shrug. 'That's why they're there, right? Alexis even does that herself, she talks to criminal kids so they grow up to be cool not-criminals.'

'Put your books away, and tell your sister to tidy up, because our guests are here.' Ryan ruffled his son's hair, earning an indignant squawk for his troubles as he pressed the intercom button and let the Weaver family into the building. 'Jenny, they're here!'

'Okay!'

Ryan got a quick treat when he saw Honey-Milk sprint from the bathroom across the hall to their bedroom in her robe, hair dripping wet from her post-shift shower, before turning to open the door for their guests. He offered them a bright smile, holding out a hand to help Alexis with the pram. 'Hey guys, how's it going?'

'Better,' Shane replied honestly. 'Talking to Lanie last weekend helped, and we have a doctor's appointment tomorrow so we'll be getting some names for Alexis and for new parents' counseling.'

'Good, I'm glad to hear you guys being so pro-active about it.' Ryan pulled Alexis in for a tight hug, then in a very paternal move, held her face gently in his palms. 'We love you, and you are an amazing mom already Alexis. None of us think you suck.'

'Oh, don't do that, I might cry again and I did enough last weekend,' Alexis laughed, returning his warm embrace, then felt her smile widen when she saw Honey-Milk coming out with a similar expression on her face.

'Hey girl.' Honey-Milk held Alexis close, patting her back. 'It's nothing to be ashamed of sweetie, we've all had our moments of going through the ringer as parents. Ryan and I went through to a support group after we found out that Dell was diabetic , after he'd been in the hospital when he was just a baby.'

'Hell, some of our friends have been through serious therapy for major issues outside of kids,' Ryan added. 'Like Meredeth, or your mom, Lili and Cam and Gil-'

'Gil?' That one had Alexis blinking in surprise. 'For what?'

'If you think a man can handle finding out he's infertile when his wife is pregnant, and that leads to the revelation she was cheating on him with no consequences, guess again.'

'Mama!'

The moment was broken up when the ever-effervescent Mallory came bounding into the room, all smiles. She immediately honed in on Alexis, wrapping her arms tight around the woman's thighs.

'Dell says you have post-it-parts depression, and I'm here to tell you that you are a great mama and if you feel sad we're here to remind you how cool you are,' she said in her patent bubbly style. 'And besides tonight is pizza night and no one can be sad with pizza.'

'It is very difficult,' Shane agreed, and Malory's eyes went brigth when she saw the baby in his arms.

'Ooo, Shane is she sleeping, can I say hi?'

'Sure.'

Shane moved his arms to cradle Petra so Mallory could see her face, and was touched when the little girl kissed her forehead gently.

'I bet if you could talk,' she whispered, 'you'd tell your mama how much you love her too.'

'Okay, Mally, that's enough for now,' Ryan told his daughter, and she thankfully backed off instead of digging in her heels. 'Go tell your brother our guests are here.'

There was no need - Dell appeared that very moment, papers of some kind in hand. 'Hi guys! Here, I found this for you online.'

He thrust the papers at Alexis while Shane continued to hold Petra while reading over his wife's shoulder. 'Five Signs You Are a Great New Parent?'

'Uh-huh.' He tapped the papers importantly. 'From baby-center-dot-com, they know a lot about babies.'

'Thanks pal. Wanna come hold the baby so I can take my jacket off?'

Dell's face lit up like a birthday candle and he held out his arms for Petra. 'Come on, sweetie,' he crooned. 'Cousin Dell is right here.'

'So...' Honey-Milk looked at Alexis with a loving grin. 'Still feeling judged and screwed up?'

'Not as much, no. When does the pizza get here?'