Chapter 46: Epilogue: Part 1: Saturday Morning

Kara smiled as Allison put the plate of pancakes down on the table. “Why so early today Ally?”

“Manny mentioned it to me when he went upstairs to wake the kids up. Vanessa’s not meeting us at the barbecue.”

“Oh? Is she coming here first?”

“Yup. And I’m sure you can figure out why.”

Kara grabbed the bottle of maple syrup from the fridge. Wait ... hasn’t she been seeing someone lately? What was his name again?

She felt Emanuel smirk. You know!

Yes, but it’s not my place to say. She’ll explain over breakfast. Do we have enough pancakes for her too?

Allison smiled. Of course! I had planned on having left overs, but the extra should be enough for her as well. As long as she hasn’t brought someone with her.

Kara laughed loudly and began to cut up a pair of pancakes. So, clothing optional?

Yeah. I don’t think she invited anyone new, so we should be fine...

If she did and forgot to tell them, then that’s her problem. Kara handed the knife to Allison. Anyway, I’m going to go welcome her in. Are the kids ready yet?

Almost. Petra woke up a little grumpy. I suspect they stayed up later than they should have. I didn’t bother having them get dressed yet though.

There’s no point. Not with this breakfast. Kara stood up and slowly walked to the door. Here goes. Tell them Aunt Vanessa is here, and if they come down quickly they can catch her as she comes in.

She heard a laugh, followed quickly by two pairs of little feet running down the stairs. “Are you sure Mama Kara?”

“Yes Petra. Are you both ready to see her?”

“Yeah!” they shouted in unison.

“Good!” Kara unlocked the door, turned the knob, and smiled at the slightly surprised Vanessa. “You expected us to not realize you were here?”

She chuckled nervously. “I thought I might succeed this time. I forgot that your abilities have only gotten stronger with age.” She turned to Petra and Isabella, and smiled. “You came to meet me at the door?”

“Uh huh” Petra answered.

“Thank you! Can I have hugs?”

Kara watched the two run forward as Vanessa knelt down, pulling them both into a huge hug. “Don’t forget kiddos, this morning is pancake day.” The two turned their heads, grinned, and disengaged from Vanessa; once they turned around, they ran straight for the dining room.

“How do you handle such little bundles of energy so well?” Vanessa asked as she stood up. “Oh my ... how are you going to handle another one?”

Kara grinned and gestured for her to come in. “We have the advantage of having three of us. And for all we call them monsters, they’re usually really good kids. Join us for breakfast?”

“Of course! Although, do you mind if I take a little of Emanuel’s time before the barbecue?”

Kara laughed. “Not at all.” She has something on her mind. I can see it in her eyes. And it looks important.

She’ll tell us when she’s ready, darling.

She sat down in her chair as Allison helped Isabella and Petra into their booster seats. She basked in the first few silent minutes as both kids blitzed through their pancakes. And now...

Allison nodded and smiled as both kids started to bombard Vanessa with very short stories. At least they’re waiting to start the interrogation until she’s done eating.

That’s all Petra from the look of it. Isabella looks like she’s ready to burst if she doesn’t get to start soon.

He does tend to take after you Manny. Allison looked over at Vanessa. “Do you need another one?”

“I’m good.”

Kara grinned at Isabella and nodded. Her grimace quickly transformed to a huge smile as she fired off several questions at once. “Hold on Isa; let Aunt Vanessa respond to one, then ask the next one. Okay?”

“Okay. Why were you away for so long?”

“My job sometimes needs me to go on long trips and stay somewhere else for a while. They don’t usually last as long as this one did, but it could have been worse.”

“How?”

Vanessa smiled softly. “The initial projections for the trip expected it to take another two or three weeks.”

“Pro ... jek ... chuns?”

“You don’t know that word yet?” Isa nodded her head. “Do you know what an estimate is?”

“No.”

“How about a guess?”

Her face lit up. “Yeah! Is it like that?”

“Yes, only they were figured out based on a lot of different things.”

“Why?”

“Because all of those little things were a part of the it. The projection wouldn’t be very helpful if we hadn’t.”

“Do you need to go on another one soon?”

“Thankfully no. This was my turn, so now it’s someone-else’s turn.”

“Oh, okay! Did your boyfriend go with you?”

“No. I don’t have a boyfriend right now.”

“What happened to him? Did he die?”

“No! Why did you think that Isa?”

“Janie’s dad makes books where boyfriends go away like that.”

“And how does Janie know this?”

“He works at home.”

And she listens while he’s thinking out loud.

“Ah, I see. No, Hugo’s still alive.”

“Then what happened?”

“We realized that we were too different, and that the relationship wasn’t going to work.”

“Why?”

Vanessa flashed a questioning look at them. “How much do they know?”

“Poly is their normal. What do you think?” Allison replied.

“That makes sense.” She turned back to Isabella. “When we started dating, he promised that he could take me also being with your daddy. But it turns out he couldn’t.”

Isabella huffed audibly. “He lied?!”

“No ... I’m sure he really thought he could. But we found out later that he was wrong, that’s all.”

Is that true Manny?

Yes precious. Hugo genuinely thought he could handle Vanessa being with another guy. But when they released he couldn’t, they went their separate ways.

“Did you feel lonely after?”

“For a little while ... wait, how do you know that adults feel that too?”

“Daddy and Mama Kara went on a trip, maybe like yours. But Mommy couldn’t go, and said she was lonely.” She looked at them. “Mama Kara said the same when Mommy and Daddy went away for a week.” She turned back to Vanessa. “Wait ... why only a little bit? Do you have friends where you went?”

Vanessa blushed and glanced at them again. “If the answer is what we think it is, then don’t worry about it.”

“I met a woman while I was away.”

“Are you ... still with her?”

“No. I liked her well enough, but the spark wasn’t there.”

“Spark? What’s a spark?”

“The...” she paused, thinking carefully “the thing that makes Mommy and Mama Kara want to be with each other like they are with Daddy. I didn’t feel that with her.”

“Do you feel that with Mommy or Mama Kara?”

Vanessa’s blush deepened. “Wait ... how do you...” she turned to Allison and Kara. “Did either of you...”

“Not at all.” Kara glanced knowingly at Vanessa.

“But I just did.” She turned back to Isabella. “If that’s true, is that okay? With you two, I mean.”

They glanced at each other for a moment, then turned back to her. “Uh huh! We love Aunt Vanessa!” She turned to Allison. “Mommy, can we play hide and seek with Aunt Vanessa for a little bit?”

“Can you wait a little longer Vanessa?”

Vanessa sighed, then nodded. “Yes. A few more minutes won’t kill me.”

Isabella and Petra looked at her confused. “Waiting for what?”

“It’s up to you if you want to answer that Vanessa” Emanuel replied.

“Something I need to do with your daddy. But I don’t need to do it right away.”

“So we can play?”

“Yes. Do you need to do anything before we do?”

They nodded, waited to be helped out of their booster seats, and grabbed their plates and forks. “We can’t reach the sink. Can you put these in there for us Aunt Vanessa?”

Vanessa smiled and took the plates from them. “Ready? Who wants to be ‘it’ first?” Petra raised his hand. “Okay. You know what to do.”

Kara watched Vanessa and Isabella quickly leave the room as Petra counted down from ten. This is nice. If only she could be around more often. Right, Manny?

Agreed. They’re always so much happier when she’s here.

They’ve taken to her more like one of us then Cosette or Pia. I think it might finally be time.

“One! Ready or not, here I come!”

Kara watched him run off. You have the clairvoyance, Ally; not me.

Do you really think now is the time? Your visions concerning that have been pretty fuzzy so far.

“Mine are, that’s true Manny. Mom’s have been getting clearer over the last few months though.”

Kara stood up and started to gather dishes. “I’ll wash the dishes this time. Let’s get everything clean while the monsters are occupied.” Allison and Emanuel nodded and followed suit. She started busily attacking the dishes while Emanuel put the left overs away.

Motion out of the corner of her eye caught Kara’s attention some time later. She turned around and breathed a sigh of relief to see Vanessa standing there. “Done playing with the monsters?”

“Monsters is right. They somehow always knew where I was.”

“Well, you are much bigger than they are. Where are they, anyway?”

“Allison said she’s picking out clothing for today with them. And no, it wasn’t because of that. My hiding places were good this time, while theirs were ... pretty obvious. Several times one of them saw the other, but went after me first. I’d swear they were cheating if I wasn’t sure I was choosing my hiding places randomly.”

“Did the other one know where you were when you were getting into your hiding place each time?”

“Yeah. And when it was my turn to be ‘it’, I could never find them before time was up. Even though I was pretty sure I had them cornered at one point; it was as if one of them always had a sight on me, and was telling the other somehow. Wait ... are they...”

Should I tell Vanessa about our discovery last night? Apparently the monsters were using their telepathy to cheat at hide and seek.

Yes. There’s no reason not to. Right Manny?

I’m inclined not to spread this around, but ... yeah. I think Vanessa needs to know.

Okay. “Bear in mind that we only figured this out last night ourselves; but yes, they are telepathic. Specifically with each other, like we are.”

“Is that why it seemed like Isa was talking for Petra earlier?”

I’m about to get these two nice and clean for the barbecue. This might be a good chance for Vanessa to have her Emanuel time.

Kara nodded her head. Agreed. “Allison is going to deal with the twins’ bath. Do you want to take your time with Manny now, or wait until after the barbecue?”

“Now. Are you really sure you don’t mind me using your bed for this?”

“Yeah. It’s random people we take issue with. You’re definitely not someone random.” Vanessa grinned, grabbed Kara for a big hug, and then looked away for a few moments. “What’s wrong?”

“I ... I missed you two as well. I couldn’t connect with her the same way I can with you and Allison, and ... I feel like kissing you. Is ... is that okay?”

Kara grinned and pulled her closer, her lips meeting Vanessa’s in a passionate kiss. “What do you think?”

Vanessa smiled. “I’m going to give Allison one before I drag Emanuel into that bedroom. We’ll try not to take too long.”

Kara put the last dish into the drainboard and went to the computer in the family room. She sighed contentedly as Vanessa kissed Allison, then opened a browser and began her search.

She glanced back at the time. Half an hour, and the best I could find is so vague it doesn’t explain anything. There’s no way either of them will accept this.

Kara navigated to the national site, clicked on the first relevant looking link, and breathed a sigh of relief. That was a good idea my muse. This site has a video that looks promising. By the time you’re done with the kiddos, I’ll be done watching it. She pulled on her headphones and started the video.

Kara heard the stairs creak as the twins came running down the stairs again. “Where’s the movie Mama Kara?”

“On the computer Petra. Let mommy grab chairs for you and then I’ll start it.”

“Can’t we sit on your laps?”

Only one chair needed, my love. They want cuddle time while watching the video.

I thought they might. You take Isa, I’ll take Petra.

Okay. “You can sit on my lap Isa, and Petra can sit on mommy’s.” Isabella smiled and gently climbed onto Kara’s lap. They’re going to be such good siblings.

Yeah. I love how gentle they already are. When do you want to tell them that it’s two babies now, not just one?

I figure one of them will ask about the baby at some point. Then I’ll tell them.

“Is the baby okay, Mama Kara?”

Some point being now, of course.

Of course.

“We haven’t had a chance to tell you yet, have we? According to the doctor, it’s not just one baby anymore. I’m having two, like you and Petra.” Almost ready?

“A boy and girl, like us?”

“We don’t know that yet Isa” Allison started as she walked into the room. “Like you two, we don’t want to know until we meet the babies.”

“Why?”

“Because your great-aunts won’t stop asking us what the gender is. They think that matters; that a boy needs blue things, trucks and dinosaurs, and that a girl doesn’t want those things.”

“That’s stupid! I like trucks more than Petra, and he has more dolls than I do! Why do they think that?”

“Because that’s how they were raised. But we knew that we wanted to let you like what you want to like, and be who you are; not expect certain things because you take after mommy and Petra takes after daddy.” She watched Allison sit down and pick up Petra. “Are you both ready?” They nodded their heads enthusiastically. “Okay, let the video finish, and then we’ll try to answer any questions you might still have.” Kara started the video again and hugged Isabella close.

“Mama Kara?”

“Yes Isa?”

“What was that?”

Did she feel that kick too?

You mean kicks. That was from two babies.

“Those were the babies. Sometimes they move their legs and it feels like a kick to the mommy.” Wait, you felt that through the filter?

Manny put up a wall instead. He didn’t think it right to distract either of us when we couldn’t do anything about the sensations. Especially since they’re still going.

“Oh, okay.”

So much for ‘We’ll try not to take too long’, huh?

Allison ‘laughed’. Indeed. I don’t know how long she was expecting, but after being apart for at least two months, I’d be surprised if they’re done in the next twenty minutes.

THAT question? Allison nodded her head slightly. The moment those two come downstairs, she’s going to spring the question on her.

How much longer is the video?

Only five minutes I think. Worried about their attention span?

A little. But I seem to be worrying about nothing.

Kara glanced at the screen. Correction; it’s just about over. “Did you both understand that okay?”

Petra nodded his head, then snuggled in more to Allison. “Mama Kara, could we try that if we wanted to?”

“No little Isa. Not until you’re sixteen.”

“Why?”

“Because the people in charge have decided this sort of thing is for adults only. And sixteen is when they say you’re an adult; that’s also when you can vote or volunteer for the military if you wanted to.”

“That’s not fair!”

“It’s better than it was when we were your age. Then, you had to wait until you were twenty-one.”