Ace feels something fall on her lap. "What is it?"
"Your first Mother's Day," Graham says as Manisha crawls on Ace's lap and Graham gives her a light kiss.
"It is?"
"Well official, you were pregnant last year." They look down as Manisha gurgles and reaches for Ace.
"Do you want your Momma?" She reaches for Manisha and lifts up her shirt and blows a raspberry on her stomach making her giggle.
"What does Momma want for breakfast?"
"Momma and Manisha want pancakes and eggs."
"Does Momma want Manisha to go with Dadda?"
"No, Momma wants Manisha to stay." She hugs Manisha close to her. She is the reason I am a Mommy. Remember we have to go to Mom's today."
"That is why I am making sure you and Manisha are fed, so we can leave."
"What about Mel?"
"I will knock on her door and ask if she wants to leave with us."
"Do that before you make breakfast please," she smiles at him.
"Got it," he leaves the room as Ace looks down in her lap that Manisha is now playing with her hands.
"How would Manisha feel if one day she looked at both Mommy and Daddy's hands to see matching rings?" Manisha looks up blinking.
"You would be old enough by then probably to be Mommy's flower girl," Manisha blinks at Ace again.
….
20 minutes later Graham comes back into the room, "Mel must've left already, she wasn't in her room, I even checked before I came back in.
"I guess we should eat and head out soon."
"Mother and child need to eat first. Give me Mani, I made sure to not have syrup on her pancakes."
"You're such a good Daddy."
"You're an Ace of a Mommy."
"That's horrible," she shakes her head as Manisha reaches for one of Ace's pancakes, Ace sees this and moves her plate; which makes Manisha start to cry. Graham distracts her by feeding her some eggs. "You are a great Dad yourself."
"Because I have a great partner," he smiles as he continues feeding Manisha. Ace holds out the fork. "I ate one I burnt. I know we need to try and hurry and get on the road."
After they finish eating, "do you want to shower first," she asks him.
"I did before I woke you up. When I came out Manisha was opening her eyes and babbling something when I picked her up."
"Did Manisha want Mommy," Ace asks as Manisha reaches to pull on Ace's hair. "No, don't do that, it hurts Mommy."
"Want me to take her while you shower."
"I'm good, I'm going to take her in with me. Can you pack her bag?"
"Of course I can."
"Come on Manisha, you are going to take a shower with Mommy." Ace takes her into the bathroom and after setting her in the little chair they keep in there gets undressed before turning on the water. "Is Manisha ready to get clean with Mommy for Grandma and Grandpa?" Manisha gurgles in response. "I'll take that as a yes."
While the shower is running Graham hums a tune as he hears the front door open. Grabbing the bat Ace has hid in the closet, he slowly makes his way into the livingroom and drops the bat as he watches a 16 month Steven is placed in a small play area. "I thought we were coming to you guys?"
"Mel called us and asked if we could come here. She didn't know if you two would make it out," Zoe says, going up to hug him.
"Happy Mother's Day, Zoe."
"Thank you Graham, where's Ace?"
"In the shower, after she and Manisha had breakfast in bed, Ace wanted a shower."
"Tell her to hurry up."
"I try not to tell her to hurry, where's Sarah Jane?"
"She's on her way up. Mani is the first baby in her life since you."
"So she's spoiling her."
"Yep." The door opens to reveal a middle aged woman with auburn hair carrying a big stack of gifts.
"Aunt Sarah Jane, why."
"Shush you, some of it is for Manisha and some of it is for Ace."
"Graham," a voice is heard from the bedroom. "Can you please help me, Manisha is being difficult." Graham heads to the bathroom.
"I'm here, now where is my Princess Warrior." After Graham helps with Manisha the small family joins their family. Manisha and Steven play, Manisha showing off some of her favorite toys.
"Mom," Ace gives Zoe a hug, "Happy Mother's Day."
"Happy first Mother's Day. I heard you and Manisha had breakfast in bed."
"I did, I was woken up when Manisha was out onto my lap."
"How does it feel so far?"
"Minus the breakfast in bed and seeing all of you guys, a normal Sunday. Maybe as she grows up Mother's Day will be different."
"It all depends on your partner."
"Well, I have a good one. Probably the best."
"You really love Graham."
"Graham and Manisha, there is no one I love more than them."
"Don't tell your father or Liam that."
"Don't worry, I won't, though Dad should know."
"He does, he has always feared the day you admit it though."
"I know. Come on, we should rejoin everyone."
…..
"Tegan, Nyssa, Mel sit," says Ace the following Saturday, Sarah Jane wanted to spend some time with Manisha. Ace and Graham stand in front of the couch as their three friends sit on the couch.
"Why," asks Nyssa.
"Graham and I need to talk to you guys about our future here." Three pairs of eyes look back at them.
"Ace and I have been looking at houses. That way we can move into a place of our own, so Manisha can grow, and eventually Ace and I can grow our family."
"What about your dreams," asks Mel while looking directly at Ace.
" I'm not giving up on my dream!" Ace says almost screaming, while putting her hands on her hips. "We are not going to try until A Charitable Earth is up and running."
"Don't you realize how long that could take," Mel is worried that Ace is going to give up her long held dream to have a family with Graham.
Ace takes a calming breath before responding as Graham starts to rub her back. "Yes, which is why next summer I am going to start. I want it to be more than just a start up when I graduate in two years."
"How are you going to be able to run it while being in your senior year? My Dad knew that I wouldn't be able to run his old business while in school, so he made sure that I could hire someone to be the head of it," says Nyssa.
"He also knew you wouldn't want to be him. He loved you so much Nys. and guys," Ace looks mostly at Mel, I can handle it. I've handled much worse and now I have the best support system," she grabs Graham's hand; stalling his movements along her back.
"Graham," Tegan, the only one who believes Ace can do it all, "what do you think?"
"I will be supportive in any way, and will help Ace study every night," he smiles, bringing her hand up to his lips.
"We might even make a game out of it some nights after Mani goes to bed."
"Come on you two," says Mel.
"Melaine," everyone shuts up and looks at Graham, he has never called her by her full name before. "Ace is more than capable of it. Hell, she can conquer the world if she wanted to. She has you, her sister, two best friends in Tegan and Nyssa, two loving parents and me. Manisha will still be little, but she will be giving her mom cuddles and loves anytime I bet." Mel just sits there. "We weren't going to stay here forever. There is going to be a time where Ace and I don't want to share a room with our daughter."
"But," Nyssa starts to say, Ace and Graham share a look.
"Nys, we love living with you three, but pretty soon my daughter is going to get too big to share a room with her parents, and it would be a smart idea to move before she is too used to living here," says Ace.
"Graham," Nyssa says his name questionaly.
"I agree and when she gets more toys as we all know she will, the three of you will have less space. Ace and I don't want that. It's not like the three of you won't be involved in her life. Mel, Nyssa you are her godmothers. Tegan, she has her middle name as hers. All three of you are her aunts."
"It's just that I don't want to miss anything," Mel says.
"Mel, we are just starting to look. You are still going to see her biggest milestones as she is already following everyone at the normal age. Now she has her first words and first steps left."
"We know."
"Graham and I probably won't find a place until after those milestones."
"But."
"If she is just walking we will get any gate needed."
"But," Mel says.
"Ace and I have decided this will be what is best for us and our daughter. Please support us. The love and support from all three of us is important to us."
"We do support you, it's just surprising is all," says Nyssa.
"Graham and I need to learn to live together without everyone we know and love around, but not on a constant basis. Us eventually moving out is not up for discussion. We just wanted you guys to know."
…..
20 minutes later, "is someone ready to see her Mommy and Daddy," Sarah Jane asks Manisha in a slightly high-pitched voice, walking with the girl in one arm and her carrier in the other, the diaper bag over her shoulder. Back in the house Tegan is making some food while Mel and Nyssa try to convince Ace and Graham to stop looking for a house. The door opens and Sarah Jane can feel the tension. "What is going on?"
"They want to move out?"
"Soon?"
"No, we are starting to look for houses. Manisha is eventually going to get too big for her crib, and Graham and I deserve a room to ourselves and so does our daughter." Ace gets up and walks to Sarah Jane, Manisha faces Ace and reaches out for her.
"Momma," she says.
"Did you just say Momma?"
Manisha wiggles in Sarah Jane's arms, "momma, momma, momma." Ace takes her daughter into her arms.
"Momma is right here Sweetie," she hugs her close to her and hears Manisha sigh as she cuddles close. "Graham."
"I heard, our daughter said her first word. It fits that it's you."
"Are you jealous?"
"Of course not. She spends most of her time with you; her mommy." Everyone watches as the parents look down at their daughter who has fallen asleep with her thumb in her mouth. Tegan stands there smiling hoping this will diffuse the tension in the room.
"It looks like daughter is like father," says Tegan.
"What do you mean," Ace asks as the two are drawn away from their world.
"Graham tries to diffuse tension whenever you and Mel argue, and now Manisha just did when both of her parents have been in a long discussion that has been tense with her godmothers," Tegan explains.
"I guess she is, though I hope she also is just like her Mom," he lightly runs his finger along Manisha's cheek; making her smile in her sleep. "She has her mom's smile."
"Graham," Ace sighs his name.
"What, it's true, and I am happy every day to see it. Your small smile you sent me on your first day warmed my heart, and every one since then."
"The two of you are just as sickening as when you first started dating," says Mel.
"They're in love, and lucky too. Very few find that kind of love," Sarah Jane smiles happily for her nephew.
….
Hours later, Manisha is wide awake, "can you say Dadda," Graham says in a small chipper voice.
"Momma."
"Dadda."
"Momma," she says again. Laughter is heard from the bathroom.
"She'll say Dadda when she's ready," Ace says, coming out dressed in pajamas, picking up her daughter. "Isn't that right, the day you are ready, you will say Dadda for the first time."
"Momma."
"That's me, want Momma or Dadda to put you to bed?"
Manisha looks at Graham."
"Dadda?" Graham gets back up and grabs one of the books they have and reads it until Manisha falls asleep.
