Ace is on the phone with Zoe when she turns to find Manisha having a concentrated face on her, hands on the ground, legs in front of her. "Mom, I think Manisha is about to move for the first time."
"Take a video," Zoe tells her, Ace hangs up, getting her camera open just in time for Manisha to start scooting across the floor. Ace is in tears as Manisha scoots across the floor.
"That's it, Manisha, you're doing great." She stops and looks up at her mom and starts laughing, raising her arms, gooing to be picked up by Ace. "You want to be picked up?" Nyssa walks to see a very happy Ace.
"What's going on," she asks.
Ace swoops up her daughter, "we need to put up baby gates now. Manisha is on the move.
"She's growing so fast," adds Nyssa, going over to tickle Manisha who laughs reaching for Nyssa, who gladly takes her and spins around in the room. "Aunty Nys is so proud of you for getting so big." She blows a raspberry on Manisha's stomach. Making her giggle even more.
"How was school, Nys?"
"It was good, how were your online classes?"
"Somehow I finished them all. Just will be studying for the finals in a month."
"It's only April," Nyssa is starting to get worried that Ace is overworking herself.
"I don't know how, maybe a big part of it is I want a good life for my daughter, and to run a charity you know."
"What about for Graham," Nyssa jokes.
"Yes, I want a good life for my family. If that means trying to graduate earlier, then so be it."
"Ace," Manisha makes a noise as the door opens. She starts wiggling as she sees Graham who is grumbling about something. "You should not take anything too fast."
"Ace," Graham forgets about what happened at work and moves over to her. "Is everything ok?"
"I am," Graham turns at that to take his daughter from Nyssa. "I just finished my course work today."
"Ace, you told me you were opening up things before they needed to be, but not everything," he says worriedly; thinking she might burn herself out.
"Babe, I'll be ok. I take my time with each lesson. You know I do some when Manisha isn't sleeping, so I read her what I am learning."
"Ace," he groans.
"Graham, I am using it to bond with my daughter."
"You can always wake me up to help out; when she is having some trouble sleeping. We are partners when Manisha was sick; we both stayed up with her."
"I know that, but you need your sleep to deal with those kids."
"But they aren't my family, one that is sleep deprived." Manisha starts wiggling in Graham's arm. He looks and smiles at her before setting her down.
"Graham, we can continue this later, you should watch Manisha." He can tell from the sound of her voice something has happened, he sits down and picks up a toy. "Can you hand me the toy," she asks.
After he hands her the toy, he watches as Manisha uses her hands to turn her body. "Come here Manisha," Ace says. Manisha giggles and scoots herself closer to Ace. as she grabs the toy, the three adults in the room cheering, she looks up at the sound, then drops her toys squealing.
"She's moving now, our daughter is on the move," Graham says; happy and nervous trying to think of where they have all the baby gates.
"I saw earlier this morning, I took a video," Manisha turns again and scoots until she's in front of Graham who puts her in his lap. Manisha sticks her thumb into her mouth cuddling into her father's lap, eyes drooping as she starts to fall asleep.
"Mani, please stay awake, so Mommy can get some sleep tonight."
"Both of you will sleep tonight, both of my classes were canceled for tomorrow, I will help with Mani," Nyssa says, picking her up and gently rocks her.
"Nyssa, we'll be fine," says Ace. "But can you please cook dinner?"
"Tegan is picking up something for all of us."
"That's good, can I please have Mani, she has some mashed peas and bananas that I made up." Ace takes Manisha and puts her in her highchair; Graham gets out what Ace made, knowing where she would put it. He smiles as Manisha starts to avoid her food.
"Graham." He walks forward taking the spoon from Ace to help feed Manisha. The door opens with Tegan and Mel coming in carrying three pizzas.
"Manisha hungry," asks Graham, not paying attention to the food.
"The only person to distract your man from food is your daughter," Tegan teases Ace.
"I can hold any hunger I have until my daughter is fed. She's growing, I'm not."
"I'm only joking, Graham. Manisha is still a baby and can't feed herself."
"Good," he makes weird faces as he continues to feed Manisha. Once she is fed and burped, Graham sets her in her playpen and eats too.
That night after Manisha is sleeping Ace turns to Graham. "We need to talk," he puts his phone away and turns to face Ace.
"Probably about a few things."
"I know what I want to talk about, what do you want to talk about?"
"I don't want you to overdue yourself with school."
"I'll try. When I go back in person in the fall, I'll be better. It's the lack of structure. I play and take care of Mani."
"I know that; you are a great mother, Manisha adores you."
"And you," she smiles. "I forgot to ask you, how was work today?"
"Not so great kids were throwing things today, I have to come up with an idea to make them have assigned seating." She runs her hand along his face. "What did you want to talk about?"
"Our future. With Mani starting to move, pretty soon we should start looking for a place. I want to have our own place. She will need her own room and space to run and play."
"I know, should we start looking soon?"
"I don't know. I just know by the time I graduate Manisha is going to be three and will need more space."
"She will, and I don't think we will want to be sharing a room with her for much longer either."
"Graham."
"What, I know in the far future we might want more kids."
"After we have been married for a few years, how many more?"
"I see how you and Mel are with Liam, 2."
"What about Steven?"
"Considering we got pregnant not long before he was born, I couldn't really see you and Mel with him."
"What about Liam?"
"He went through a lot of changes at first. Getting a new brother at the same time as his sister that has been around him, his whole life moved out and got pregnant long after."
"I want Liam to have more than one or two normal years."
"He will, I'm sure of it. I think his next change will also include us."
"But that won't be for a few more years, right?"
"Ace, we agreed that we won't get married until you graduate."
"But what about a proposal?" He looks at her, knowing he wants to do it by the end of the year. "Graham?"
"Would you want a long engagement?"
"To you, I wouldn't mind. We have a daughter together, and want to eventually buy a house together."
"We should talk about the kind of house we want."
"I want a big yard, plenty of space for her to run, maybe one or two neighbors."
"How many rooms," he asks.
"Graham, this will be your house too."
"Four, and a basement for when our kids are older if they want to play."
"Or just escape from their parents that are still madly in love," she smiles as a small cry is heard.
"You stay here and sleep. I will take care of her." Graham gets up and walks over and picks up Manisha, Ace lays down on her arms watching as Graham takes care of their daughter. "Is Manisha going to sleep after a change?" Her big eyes look up at her father as a smile and a smell greets his nose. "Oh Manisha, that is horrible." He changes her then puts her back to bed.
When he turns back Ace is fast asleep. He crawls in next to Ace and pulls her into his arms as he slips into an easy sleep, listening to the snoring of Ace and the quiet breathing of Manisha.
…..
While Ace is asleep she is transported to the future. A smile comes on her face as she sees two kids, one must be Manisha, slightly older holding a small bundle. "How's your brother," 31-year-old Ace asks.
"He's sleeping, and my sister is with Steven."
"Where is he?" Ace, while she loves her brother, still can't trust him around babies.
"Went to go change her diaper." She smiles and kisses the top of Manisha's head before trying to calm her panic while heading upstairs to the nursery.
"Steven." She sees him as he clips the last button.
"Hey Sis, Melody needed a change. Manisha was holding Ben and didn't want to put him down."
"You two are still kids yourself, why don't you tell her to put him down in his rocker and go outside."
"Can I ask you something?"
"Of course."
"Does this family always have kids close in age?"
"No, Melody is 3 years younger than Adric and Neeka."
"They are."
"Still part of the family. I know you aren't too close to Nyssa and Tegan, but they are aunts to your nieces and nephew."
"I know."
"Good, yes you and Manisha were very close in age."
"So are Melody and Ben."
"Yes I know that."
"How were they so close?"
"Graham and I had enough room in our hearts for one more close in age. It works that you and Manisha are so close, remember what happened last year, and because you were in the same class. Yes, different grades, but in one of those split years, Graham was able to pick both of you up and bring you to my work while he waited to be on call for the other schools involved while Mom and Dad couldn't get through."
"I know."
"But it's still weird, they might get teased for it."
"Were you and Mani teased?"
"I make sure she doesn't hear any of it."
"Who?"
"I don't know if I should say. Ruby helps me out by dragging Manisha away with her to visit the music teacher."
"Good, I know you don't always like looking after your niece, but it makes me happy someone is there to keep an eye on her."
"It probably won't always be this way. I am a grade above her."
"I know Steven." He turns and leaves the room.
…..
Ace turns in her sleep, the next morning she wakes up to a smiling Graham who is holding Manisha. "How is she this morning?"
"She's doing great, I woke up early and saw that our friends have put up a barrier so our little angel can crawl around without getting hurt." He sets Manisha on the bed who uses the opportunity to scoot onto her mother.
"How is Manisha," she asks, making her daughter giggle as she reaches for her hand. "Want to hold Mommy's hand?" Manisha holds tightly onto Ace's thumb.
"She has a right old grip," Ace smiles while telling Graham.
"I know, she has held onto my finger a lot."
"I can't wait until she holds our hand walking down the street or something like that."
"I don't want her to grow up too fast."
"I know Graham, but considering how fast Liam is, I don't think we can fight this." She smiles at him, with her free hand picks up Manisha and they walk out of the bedroom.