Story [MCU] On Down Thru The Years... [Barnes Extended Family] [UDC 8]

WarmNyota_SweetAyesha : Thank you.

Mira_Jade: Thank you, Mira.


A/N: A request was made for more Hannah Bailey-Nettleton, so...


Week Nine - UDC 8 - Hannah Bailey-Nettleton


41. Bright


Stepping out of the movie theater into the bright afternoon sun, Hannah blinked into the glare. The woman beside her was still shaking, upset from the heckler who had mouthed off during the newsreel. "Come on."

"Where did he go, do you think?"

"Mae..." Just then, a man hurried past them with an upset expression and a bloody lip, and they both stared after him for a moment before looking in the opposite direction. Hannah frowned at who she saw exiting the alley, several store fronts away. "Oh. Didn't you say you were meeting Emma for something this afternoon?" Mae nodded. "Then let's go."


42. Star


Emma was waiting at a cafe with both of her sisters, and frowned at both of them as she took in the expression on Mae's face. "Was the movie that bad?"

Mae sighed as she pulled out a chair and sat down. "When Paul get's back from the Pacific, he'll want to shake Rogers's hand for keeping me out of jail for assault."

Emma glanced at both of her sisters. "Steve... kept you out of a fight?"

Hannah smiled. "It wouldn't have gone that far, but yes. He did. And then, from the looks of things, your brother saved him."

"Ah," Emma said with a smile. "One of those days."


43. Mama


The question wasn't something she'd been expecting from Natalie, but then if parenting were predictable, it'd be easy. It wasn't easy, not by a long shot. "Come sit, Natalie. Please?"

Natalie sighed, and sat down on the hospital bed. "I..."

"I'm going to tell you something," Hannah said as she picked up the locket that had been laying on the bedside cabinet. "And show you. Here."

Natalie took the locket from her and carefully opened it, to find two pictures. One of her own mother, and another of a man she'd never met before but had seen maybe once... she wasn't sure where, but she had.


44. Please

It made no sense, that Hannah would have either in a locket she always wore. "I don't understand..."

Hannah watched as she stared at the small pictures. "Your mother was a friend, Natalie. My friend. The war... changed so much. Changed people. Some, like your uncle, never came home. You ask me how I can include you so naturally? How can I not? You are hers. You are Emma's. But also mine."

Natalie glanced up at her. "I... I'm sorry."

"For what? Being a teenager and needing to ask questions? I want you to ask. That is how you learn."


45. Shine


The locket still in her hand, Natalie smiled. "You never take this off."

"No."

"Why not?"

Hannah smiled and pulled her close. "Because reminders are important, sweet one. Always and often." Over Natalie's shoulder, she noticed Rebecca, clad in her uniform, watching them with a smile, and waved her off. Rebecca nodded and left them alone.

"Even if sometimes they hurt?"

"Even then, Natalie."

A minute or so later, Rebecca reappeared, this time with a hospital bassinette. "Since you're here, Natalie, do you want to meet your baby brother?"

Natalie quickly gave the locket back to Hannah, and stood up to look into it at Louis. "He's so... tiny."

 

Wonderful, and profound. Especially Shine.

 

WarmNyota_SweetAyesha: Thank you.


A/N: What started out as "when and how did Mark stop glaring at Hannah" turned into something interesting...


Week Ten - UDC 8 - Mark Nettleton and Hannah Bailey-Nettleton


46. Raise


She could feel the glare without looking up from the task she'd set for herself in the kitchen, cutting tomatoes for dinner. It hadn't been simple or easy, integrating into this family that she knew so well from the outside. Not at all. Finally, she put the knife down and raised her head to look at Mark. "Well? You going to stand there, or help me?"

Mark continued to frown at her. "I... what do I call you? You're..."

Hannah flashed a smile at him. "Mark, you can call me by my name. I will not ask you to call me anything else. Now... what do you say? Help me finish making dinner?"

He did.


47. Juvenile


Mark peeked into the baby's room to see Hannah standing at the crib, peering down at his new baby brother, and wondered why she didn't seem happy. This was a happy time... right? "Hannah?"

She jumped, startled, then turned to look at him, and that's when he saw the tears. Hurriedly, she wiped them away with the back of her hand. "Oh. Mark, don't startle me like that."

"Why are you crying?"

Hannah stared at him for another moment before turning back to look down at Charlie. "Come here."

"Huh?" She beckoned him to join her, and he did, also to look down at his sleeping baby brother.


48. Mature


They stood there together for long minutes before Hannah spoke again, her voice a raw whisper. "He reminds me so much of Franklin, Mark."

Mark frowned, and turned to look at her. "Who?"

She smiled at the thirteen-year-old, but it didn't reach her eyes the way her smiles normally did. "My son. He would have been about your age, if he'd lived. He died when he was five months old, Mark. Standing here, I was thinking of that. Of him."

"Oh." He glanced down at Charlie. "So... Does Dad know?"

Hannah nodded. "Your father and mother were at his funeral. So were you."


49. Growth


"I've never asked this before," Mark began as he strode into the kitchen to find both his step-mother and his sister preparing dinner. "But... um... this is a bad time to ask."

Natalie rolled her eyes at her sixteen-year-old brother while Hannah laughed. "Really?"

"You can ask, Mark," Hannah told him with a smile. "What didn't you ask before?"

"Where is Franklin's father?" Then he winced. "That came out wrong."

"No, it didn't, and I've wondered that myself."

Natalie looked at both of them oddly. "Who or what are you talking about?"

Hannah, wisely, chose not to answer that right then and there.


50. Elder


Knocking on her step-son's bedroom door, Hannah looked in and found him at his desk, doing homework. "Can I come in?"

"Free country," Mark told her without looking up.

Hannah smiled and moved to sit down on his bed, a small photo album in her hands. "You asked a question, Mark. I want to answer it." He turned to look at her curiously, and she opened the album to show him the first picture, of herself with a baby. "I don't have any pictures of Greg, because he worked long hours at the docks, but this... this was Franklin. Emma took this one."

Mark took the offered album from her and stared at the picture, then looked at her. "So... when you say you don't know where his father is..."

"I really don't."

He wanted to ask more, but the pain clearly written in her eyes told him not to.

 

Wonderful disclosures & it all started with Hannah not giving him pressure to call her "Mom". Mark feels comfortable enough to ask difficult questions, and she respects him by giving him candid answers.

 

Week Ten

I don't know any of these people, but you have crafted quite the family situation there.

Definitely realistic, and I liked Hannah accommodating the young boy so that he is comfortable with her presence in his family unit.

 

WarmNyota_SweetAyesha : Thank you.

Sith-I-5 : Thank you.



Week Eleven - prompts provided by Briannakin - Surprise Baby Number Six


51. Go


The atmosphere in the car seemed unsettled as their mother drove home through the busy streets, and Allison couldn't help but sneak glances at her, wondering why she seemed so tense. "Mom?"

"Hmmm?"

"Is something wrong?"

Her mother waited until the car was stopped at a red light, then looked at her with a smile. "No. Why?"

"Noodles!" Kimberly called from the backseat, followed by giggles from her younger sisters and Allison blinked at how suddenly the tension evaporated. The light changed, and with a "go light!" from Josie, their mother put the car in gear and off they went again.


52. Wait


Pulling into their driveway, Allison frowned at the extra car parked out front. "What's Aunt Natalie doing here?"

Her mother parked the car, turned the ignition off, and then paused while she unbuckled her seatbelt. "She's here to visit with you while I talk to your Dad, Ally." At her perplexed expression, the woman sighed. "Help me, please?"

Something in her mother's posture convinced Allison to not ask any more questions as she helped her sisters out of their seatbelts. Whatever it was, it was clear that her mother didn't want to talk about it yet. Or wouldn't... and for some reason, as she looked at the youngest of her six year old twin sisters, this series of events was giving her deja vu.


53. Rise


Natalie was seated on the couch with her daughter Stephanie, reading a book aloud while David played with Legos on the floor with eight-year-old Christopher, when Caroline came in the door with four excited little girls and a puzzled Allison. Caroline smiled. "You're missing one, Natalie."

Natalie grinned. "Nope. He's spending quality time with Kevin at a troop meeting. Come join us on the couch, girls! Dave? Shoo! Ally can play with Chris."

Allison set her back pack down by the door and watched as her father levered himself off the floor. "Dad?"

"Yes?"

"Mom's been acting oddly."

David chuckled and gently pushed her toward the pile of Legos. "Play with your cousin, Ally. For me."

"Okay..."


54. For


David leaned against the doorjam in the kitchen, studying his wife as she moved to sit at the already-set table. This morning had been her doctor's appointment, and if his suspicions were correct... "Well?"

"It's not twins again," Caroline told him with a weary smile. "One heartbeat. Due in December."

Smiling, he pulled a chair over and joined her. "Baby number six?"

"Baby number six," she murmured, and he caught her hands in his. "Dave?"

"Hmmm?"

She motioned to the telephone mounted on the wall near the door. "Call Hannah."

"Now?"

"Definitely."


55. Against


It was early the next morning after a long night of waiting that the five of them got to see their mother and the new baby. Lori couldn't wait to meet her new baby sister, and frowned at the color of the blanket in her mother's arms. She looked at her father, seated on the edge of the bed next to her, then turned and regarded her Aunt Becca with a puzzled expression. "Did they run out of pink blankets?"

Rebecca smiled and led the ten-year-old over. "No, Lori. Your mother and father want to introduce you to someone. All of you."

"It's a boy," Allison said in wonder as she got her first look at his little face and pulled her sister closer. "Our own little brother!"

"That answers how we tell them," David murmured into Caroline's hair, and she laughed. In her arms, being doted on by his sisters, Mason yawned.

~*~*~*~*~*~​

A/N: For those unfamiliar with this storyline... this baby boy has been hanging out with Rebecca Barnes Proctor during both Importance of Family and Sometime This Century... this would be Mason Nettleton.

 

Sweet bit of secrecy and then the reveal followd by happy siblings doting.

 

WarmNyota_SweetAyesha : Thank you.

Mira_Jade : Allison was 12 or 13 right there, and going on my own experience of my sister announcing she was pregnant... the 12/13 year old would totally notice something was off, even if she wasn't sure what. (Hannah was and is an interesting surprise out of all this. Love her, too!) Thank you, Mira.



Week Twelve - UDC 8 - Mackenzie/Blake Wedding, November 1987


56. Break [David and Caroline Nettleton, Relatives of the Bride]


She was, for once, without children within five feet of her person as she took in the reception hall and the various family members milling about and having a grand time interacting. Three of her little girls were running around the dance floor with their cousins... something that brought a smile to her lips as a familiar hand graced her shoulder. She leaned into him and glanced up. "Hi."

"I see three of our six..." David began, a question in his tone that caused her smile to widen, and she pointed to another table, where Hannah was entertaining the other two, plus their ten month old son, and the little sister of the Groom. "Oh."


57. Quiet [Mary and Paul Mackenzie, Parents of the Groom]


The noise of the room after the quiet of the ceremony wasn't helping her ever-present headache as she watched her son share his first dance with his new wife. It was better, now that the little ones weren't running around and screaming, but... "Were we ever that young?"

Beside her, her husband chuckled. "Doesn't feel like it, today."

Mary leaned into him, content to enjoy the moment in spite of her headache. "Paul?"

"Hmmm?"

"Good choice for their first dance."

"Certainly better than that song that Rob wanted, originally. Something new, catchy, but too fast. By Rick Somebody..."

Despite herself, Mary snorted in laughter, knowing exactly which song that was.


58. Lives [Lillian and Eugene Blake, Parents of the Bride]


Escorting their oldest daughter down the aisle together, Lillian smiled at the expression on Rob's face at the sight of his bride. She remembered seeing her husband look at her like that on their wedding day, and for a moment it felt like only yesterday. Reaching the altar, Kristy turned to Eugene and he lifted her veil reluctantly, smiling back at her.

The question came, and as one they answered as Kristy joined Rob at the altar... "We do."

Glancing to the side where the bridesmaids were standing, Lillian couldn't help but smile at how the youngest bridesmaid, Rob's little sister, was bouncing on her heels from excitement.


59. Dies [Jillian Mackenzie, Sister of the Groom]


Standing near the altar while her brother an Kristy said their vows, Jill couldn't help but glance around at how many people were on Kristy's side of the aisle. Rob had told her that his fiance came from a big family, but actually seeing it was another thing entirely. Their family wasn't this big at family parties... and she was wishing Aunt Aislinn had been able to come with them from Brewer, to be here and share the moment. Pictures weren't the same as actually being present.

A hand on her shoulder caused her to jump at being startled and she glanced back at Kristy's cousin Anna, another of the Bridesmaids. "What?"

"Ceremony's over," Anna told her, smiling. "We follow."

Had she been spacing out for that long?


60. Story [Robert Mackenzie and Kristy Blake-Mackenzie, Bride and Groom]


When Kristy finally found her new sister-in-law in the crowd of family, she smiled at how Hannah was keeping several of the kids, half the teens, and ten month old Mason occupied with a story. She wondered for a moment what kind of story, as all of the kids in the group were paying close attention to every word. "Interesting..."

"Oh?" Rob asked from beside her at the head table.

"Seems the kids are being entertained."

He frowned, searching the crowd, then smiled. "Ah."

And then their attention was collectively taken by another family member wishing them both congratulations.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~​

A/N: The father of the Groom over-ruled his son on Rick Astley's "Never Gonna Give You Up" for the first dance and instead consulted with the bride and went with a mix that included Frank Sinatra's Fly Me To The Moon. Hannah was telling Brooklyn stories.

 

Excellent choice for a couple's first song. And Rick Astley's Never Gonna Give you Up is a great song as well, but Frank rocks and rules. LOL Wonderful tone here of celebration and affection. Love especially the parents of the groom and bride recalling their wedding and asking: Were we ever that young?

 

WarmNyota_SweetAyesha : Fly Me To The Moon is the song my father requests of the DJ at every wedding he attends if it's possible. So... yes, Frank is the man. Totally. Thank you.

Mira_Jade : Thank you, Mira.


A/N: I can't dance around something any more without it ending up in dialogue when it's not supposed to. Emotional Angst warning.


Week Thirteen - All Was Not Well in the State of Maine... (Spring 1988)


61. Uprising


Seated at the kitchen table and studying for her 8th grade finals, Jill wasn't really listening to her father as he chatted on the phone with Rob until he said something about a doctor's appointment in relation to her mother. Then she frowned and looked up, knowing full well that it'd been more than a doctor's visit. Her frown deepened when she realized that her mother was standing there, signing furiously at him in ASL, frustration written on her face.

Jill's mouth dropped open in shock at the sheer amount of non-verbal swearing going on. If her mother had been able to speak, she was sure that her father wouldn't have been able to outright ignore her the way he was.


62. Negotiate


Staring out at the school building with her classmates milling about in front of it, Jill hesitated and glanced back at her aunt. "Aunt Aislinn?"

"Hmmm?"

"Rob doesn't know yet. About Mom. Dad refused to tell him." She paused, moved to open the car door, then hesitated again and frowned. "Something about the first year being the hardest? Whatever that means."

Aislinn nodded slowly, but her expression stayed neutral. "We'll call him together, then, all right? Tomorrow."

"Okay."


63. Convince


"And Jill?" She waited for the teenager to glance at her again. "I'll be back after school to pick you up."

Jill shook her head. "I can walk to Eastern Maine, and you have clients."

Aislinn smiled. "My clients would understand if I brought you along, and you like house showings."

Jill sighed. "But Dad..."

"And we will take him dinner and make him go home tonight, too." She nodded to the school building. "Now go embrace the normality of finals, all right?"

"Normality of finals? There is no such thing!"

"There is today!"


64. Overthrow


They'd been home for twenty minutes from having dinner with her Aunt when she heard the crash of a glass breaking and then something heavier falling in the kitchen and rushed to see what happened. Standing in the doorway, she stared at the sight of her father pulling himself to a sitting position, his skin a pasty yellow-white. "Dad?"

"Phone," he gasped out and she quickly brought the cordless to him.

"What number?"

"Ambulance," he whispered, pain written in his tone.

She stared at him again, then nodded and did exactly that, calling her friend Mandy's father's work number from memory.


65. Unite


The teenager she found when she got to her sister's house was utterly silent and seated on the front steps with a Paramedic seated next to her while officers went in and out. She squinted at the Paramedic for a moment in non-recognition, and then realized that she knew him. "Trevor?"

The man glanced up at her, frowned, then nodded and returned his attention to Jill, whispered something to her that caused her to look up. And then she was running to her and hugging her. Aislinn blinked, startled, and looked to Trevor for answers. He nodded to the house and shook his head.

Standing there on the front walk, all she could do was hold on to her niece.

 

Week Fourteen - Once a Brewer Witch, Always a Brewer Witch... (Late May, 1988)


66. Talk


Walking to the front stoop, feeling the cool late May breeze, Kristy could almost let herself forget that this was about as far from a social call as they would ever get. At the door, they were met by Rob's aunt, who hugged him as soon as she saw him, and then turned to her and frowned. "And you are?"

"Kristy," she said, holding out her hand. "You must be Aislinn. Am I pronouncing that right?"

Aislinn smiled and shook her hand. "You are. Come in."

"How is she?" Rob asked as they set foot inside and Aislinn closed the door behind them. "And I would have been here sooner if either of them had called me."

Aislinn sighed. "Rob, it was very sudden, and... I'm still waiting on the coroners report for your father. What we know so far, is that he wasn't well for a while, but hiding it because your mother was ill. And... Jill was there for your Dad." She motioned to the kitchen, where Jill herself sat, ignoring them and doing homework. "She hasn't spoken since."

Kristy peered at the teenager for a minute, waiting for something, anything from her, but she didn't even look up and acknowledge them. "That's not good."


67. Silence


Rob pulled up a chair and sat close to his thirteen-year-old sister, watching her as she read the text book without acknowledging him. He wanted to touch her, to talk to her, but didn't dare touch her. If she'd been there, there was no telling how much of this was emotional shock, and how much of it was her being a teenager.

A couple minutes went by before she looked up from the text book, saw him, went back to reading the book... and then looked at him again with a blank expression. And then she blinked, and practically tripped over herself, scrambling to get into his waiting arms with a voiceless cry. "Oh, hey. I'm here, Jill. I'm here."


68. Smile


Rob glanced at Jill, silent beside him on their family lawyer's couch, and wondered what she thought about the reading of the will. Darrell got to the end and looked at them. "And that's it. Jillian, your aunt has volunteered to become your guardian, until you're of age."

"No," she said as she squeezed Rob's hand and startled him by speaking. "I want to go with Rob."

"You'd be living in Brooklyn, munchkin," Rob said. "Where you don't know anyone but me."

Jill stared at him, took a deep breath, and let it out. "You. Dad... I knew Dad was sick. He was yellow and in pain, even if he lied and said he wasn't. He wouldn't let me call you, saying you needed to focus on your studies and Kristy, that the first year is the hardest. And Mom couldn't talk. She was right next to him when you called, Rob, signing at him." She made a face. "I'd never seen her do that much emphatic swearing at him with her hands."

Rob frowned at her. "She was?"

"Yes."

"And Dad... was yellow?"

"Yes."

Rob's frown deepened. "Darrell, I'm going to need that coroner's report, and for you to draw up guardianship papers."

"Already did the second one," Darrell told him with a smile as he handed a very thick envelop over, along with the will. "Wasn't sure which way it would swing, so I made up two sets. One for you, one for Aislinn. Welcome to parenthood?" Jill glared at him, and Darrell chuckled. "What? It isn't not true. And look! We got you to talk!"


69. Laugh


Kristy followed Jill and Rob into a brick building that housed St. Joseph Family Medicine of Brewer, concerned that maybe both needed to stop and take a minute to breathe and adjust. She knew if she said anything, however, that both would simply stare at her.

Rob greeted the receptionist and asked for records request forms, three of them, and showed them the death certificates. "I need both my parents records, and Jill's to take to Brooklyn."

The receptionist studied the certificates, then handed them back to him, and disappeared momentarily. She was gone for a minute or so, and then returned with a brown-haired woman in tow, who nodded to Rob, then looked away, did some calculating with her eyes... "Can you give us about two hours, Rob? Go have lunch, walk around a bit, and come back, and we'll have them copied, hospital records included."

"Sure." He signed the release forms, then handed them back. "Thank you, Lorraine."

"Go on."

Outside, Kristy stared at him. "You know her?"

"One of Mom's friends," Jill muttered. "Quilting group."

Kristy paused and turned to her, eyebrows raised. "Quilting?"

"I want my quilt, Rob. Aunt Aislinn wouldn't let me go get it."

Rob chuckled. "Well, you didn't actually tell her you wanted it. And we'll pack what you want."

Jill nodded. "Okay." She glanced at Kristy, shrugged. "Sorry about not talking before."

Kristy pulled her into a hug. "Oh, sweetie! You can be as quiet as you want!"


70. Cry


Seated again at the table in Aislinn's kitchen, Jill frowned at the cake presented to her with Congratulations!!!! on it, and the presents. "Um..."

"You missed your 8th grade graduation in all of this," her Aunt explained. "We might not be having it the way you were meant to, but such milestones should be celebrated. Right Rob?"

"Right. Come on, Jill. Open them."

Jill opened the first one, only to stare at the baseball cap, t-shirt, sweatshirt, and windbreaker, all with Brewer High School logos. "But I'm not going to Brewer High-"

"Doesn't matter," Rob told her with a grin as Kristy picked up the baseball cap and looked at it in amusement. "And yes, you are so a Brewer Witch."

"Their mascot is a witch?" Kristy wondered and Rob nodded. "Love it."

Jill set the clothing aside, opened the next present to find a school backpack, and then opened the third present to find a quilt. She frowned, studied the quilting, and then looked at Aislinn with wide eyes.

"Mary picked out the fabric and the design," Aislinn explained as she unfolded the quilt to show Rob and Kristy. "...and Lorraine finished it for her."

Rob caught his sister's hand and simply held it as she stared at the colorful pattern that her mother had called "flock of seagulls", and for a moment she could hear both her parents laughing about it over a cup of coffee...

~*~*~*~*~

A/N: That Flock of Seagulls Quilt Pattern: https://i.pinimg.com/236x/8e/d8/74/8ed874594a73b693103b9bda2f950c98--x-nine-patch-quilt.jpg
...and now you know why Rob and Kristy were basically adopting Jill's pet rabbit in an earlier drabble set.

 

How incredibly touching. I just want to hug Jill Bless her heart. I love that Rob, Kristy, and her aunt her all there giving mutual support.

 

WarmNyota_SweetAyesha : Thank you.



A/N: And then there was the silver lining, because there definitely was one... that being Hazel's newest grandbaby, Jane's oldest child Fran, born two days after Rob and Kristy were called to Maine by Aislinn.


Week Fifteen - A little one, a song or two, and hard things... [early June 1988]


71. First


Jane smiled tiredly as she listened to her fiancé sing to their baby girl by the window of her hospital room. Was it only two days ago that she'd been with Kristy planning her wedding, only for both Kristy and Rob to have to leave for Maine in a hurry? It felt like a week! "Jeff?"

"Hmm?"

"I still want to call her Francesca."

Jeffrey smiled down at the baby in his arms, then looked out the window. "Why?"

"It was your grandmother's name."

He paused, then nodded. "Fran it is, then." He brought her back over to the bed, smiled at them both. "Francesca Hazel."


72. Impressions


The impression she got as she studied the young girl silently shadowing Kristy into the living room was one of sadness. Her face was neutral, her body language hesitant... but her eyes told a story that Jane had no trouble interpreting. Something bad had happened, definitely, and she patted the cushion next to herself on the couch. Jill looked to Kristy in question, and Kristy pushed her with a nod. "Come on over here. Meet Fran."

"Fran?" Kristy asked, an undertone of 'you didn't call us!' in her voice that Jane knew she'd be explaining later.

"Yes," Jane answered as Jill sat down next to her and peered at the baby. "You want to hold her?" At the answering smile and nod, Jane carefully transferred her daughter into the teen's waiting arms. "Support her head. There you go."


73. Safer


With Jill's attention focused on the newborn, Jane allowed herself to first look at Kristy, who had seated herself next to Jill, and then notice Rob, leaning into the frame of the entryway. She stared at him for a long moment, taking in how tight his shoulders were and how ill-at-ease he seemed, almost as if he was nauseous. "Rob, come here."

"Huh?"

"Come here."

His eyes flicked to Kristy, who nodded, and he slowly approached, then sat down in front of Jill and simply looked up at her as she held Fran.


74. Check


Several minutes passed in silence before Jill started humming, and then she looked at Rob with an almost-smile. "In by inch, row by row..."

He nodded. "...gonna make this garden grow." And then they were off, singing it in a round while Kristy and Jane listened with growing appreciation. For a moment, both could imagine the two of them having sung together like this before when they were younger.

The song wound down and Jill looked again at Fran, who was now looking back up at her sleepily. "Mom liked that one."

"She did," Rob agreed. "Both of them did."


75. Last


Sounds of harmony roused William from his nap in an arm chair to find his grandson-in-law and his sister caught up in a two part harmony of Row, Row, Row Your Boat, very obviously singing to Fran. He smiled at that for a minute or two, then wondered where the infant's mother was.

Then William frowned at the sight of Kristy very emotionally hugging Jane in the kitchen. Slowly, in order not to attract attention of the singing twosome, William got up and went into the kitchen to find out what was up. The answer he got immediately was to be pulled into the hug by Jane.

​

~*~*~*~*~*~*​

A/N: Jill and Rob were singing "The Garden Song" by David Mallett, which was written in 1975. There's a fun clip of John Denver singing it during an episode of The Muppet Show on YouTube. (And Jane was at William and Rebecca's house, visiting.)

 

Sweet and touching. LOL The Muppet Show And John Denver Takes me back, DaenaBenjen42 -- to gentler times.

 

WarmNyota_SweetAyesha : The other part of "The Garden Song" was that it was written by a Maine native. And yes... gentler times, totally. Thank you!!!!

Mira_Jade : Thank you, Mira.


A/N: The prompts permitted it, so here goes...


Week Sixteen - Getting through things as a family... [Concerning Hazel]


76. Mountain


When Hazel looked up again from the rabbit in her arms, she was surprised to find Jill inspecting her arms. The girl had an unreadable expression, almost as if... "Jill-"

"Truth," the girl interrupted, and Hazel frowned. "Are you fine, Hazel?" Hazel slowly shook her head. "And do your doctors know?"

"I... yes."

Jill nodded slowly, reached out to pet Melly's head, then looked at Rebecca. "I'll be in the living room."

Rebecca watched her go, moved to say something, but William stopped her with a shake of his head. Just this once, they were going to let her get lost in a textbook...


77. River


Alone in their living room, secure in his arms, Hazel let him lead as they danced slowly to a Sinatra record he'd put on. Dancing wasn't something that was coming easy to her any longer, but as she leaned into him, it didn't matter. Only the movements did, and suddenly they didn't need words to communicate, just their hands and the closeness.

At the end of the song, she raised her head and looked into Richard's smiling eyes. "Another?"

"You don't want to sit down?" She glared at him playfully and he chuckled. "All right. Another it is!"


78. Tree


Arriving at her grandparents house with three of her little ones, Miriam found two of her elder brothers sitting with their grandmother in the living room. Overhearing the words "buns in the oven," she forgot herself momentarily and let out a startled gasp that drew the attention of all. Will chuckled and held his arms open for Maureen, while Albert ran to Carl. "Um..."

"Your brothers were just telling me their news," Hazel told her patiently, smiling. "Now give me my grandbaby."

Miriam did exactly that and placed one year old Joseph carefully onto her grandmother's lap.


79. Earth


When Kristy pulled an unfamiliar woman into her hospital room during one of her inpatient stays, Hazel frowned. It was odd that one of her nieces would bring someone she didn't know to see her... "Kristy?"

"This is Aislinn," Kristy explained as Aislinn sat down in one of the not-very-comfortable chairs and opened the bag she'd been carrying. "One of Rob and Jill's aunts."

Hazel nodded slowly and frowned again when Aislinn handed her patterns for wedding dresses. "I don't understand..."

Aislinn smiled. "My niece talked a blue streak after Rob's wedding, and these were Mary's favorite patterns. I know it's years off, Mrs. Foster, but I wanted an opinion. Yours."

They spent the whole afternoon discussing dress details.


80. Horizon


She set her son on the bed next to Hazel and simply watched as the woman smiled fondly back at her, raising her hand to catch the six month old's hand in hers. "Gonna be a strong one."

"He is," Hazel affirmed, her voice faint. "Just like you."

Martha paused, wanting to say something, anything. Words failed her, and she sank down into a chair. "I'm not."

"Yes. You are. Even if it doesn't feel like it."

Martha tried to smile, but the look in Hazel's eyes reminded her of a cold day in front of a casket, trying to hold everything together and learning that strong had different meanings at times. Sometimes it meant just being there in that moment when everything fell apart and not falling apart yourself.

 

Amazingly poignant use of the prompts. The last line, the definition of strength, profound and true.

 

WarmNyota_SweetAyesha ...Thank you!!!!!

A/N: I wanted to go for something fun, but this set wanted something else. Turns out... yep. I left something in a previous set and it needed to be addressed. All of the mentioned news articles are real, from the New York Times, August 1988.


Week Seventeen - An expected crisis...


81. History


The couch cushions shifted as someone joined her, and she didn't have to look up to know who it was. Not after she'd made a scene like that. "I'm fine."

"If you say so," William said with a rustle of his newspaper, and Jill glanced at him first, then up to see both Hazel and Rebecca watching from the kitchen doorway. She flinched and looked down at the text book, the sting of unshed tears betraying her.

Slowly, she closed the book and stared at it. "William?"

"Hmmm?" He watched her over the top of his reading glasses as she slowly set the book down.


82. Write


Hazel frowned at William, wondering why he was shaking his head at her while Jill, clearly disturbed and silently crying, stared at the text book she'd set down. She leaned a little closer to her sister, whispered... "Why isn't he doing anything other than watching her?"

"Wait," Rebecca whispered back, which didn't answer the question, and took Melly from her. "I'll go put him away, now."

Hazel turned to watch her go, then turned her attention back to the two on the couch. The teenager hadn't moved, and William was still watching her while pretending to read the newspaper. Catching her eye, he nodded to one of the arm chairs.


83. Archive


"What are you reading?" Hazel wondered after long minutes had passed in silence, and she wasn't surprised when the sound of her voice caused Jill to flinch, and then blink in her direction.

William glanced over, nodded, and looked at his newspaper. "Among other things having to do with the Middle East... Bobby Allison is home in Talladega after that speedway crash in Pennsylvania, and an Andrea Bass was wed to a James Glickson at the Pierre. Oh, and the school system lost a 90 year old educator..."

Jill slowly turned, frowning. "What were the Middle East things?"

"So you don't want to hear about Animators breaking old rules and new ground with Roger Rabbit?"


84. Artifact


Jill stared at him, stunned. "How do you do that?"

William glanced at her. "Do what?"

"Act like nothing is wrong."

"Is something wrong?" He watched her eyes flicker to Hazel and back. "Go and sit with her. Talk, Jill. Use your words."

"But-"

"Go." He glared at her mildly, then returned his attention to the paper. "Huh... Barbara Jordan is doing better. Good."

"Who?"

At his answering silence, she slowly stood, knowing he'd continue to explain nothing for as long as he wanted to, to make a point. She'd wonder who Barbara Jordan was for a long while...


85. Memory


Hazel watched as Jill pulled one of the chairs from the kitchen table into the living room and brought it over to sit next to her armchair. She started to speak, but Jill held up a hand, shook her head, and then gripped her hand tightly and simply stared at it for a minute. "Jill?"

"It's hard," she whispered. "I know you're not her. Not them, but... I was in the kitchen when Mom lost her voice. One minute she was singing at the sink, the next... silence. And it was never that quiet in our house. Ever."

Hazel paused, stunned at that admission. "When was that?"

"Late April." Jill barely had time to blink when Hazel pulled her into the arm chair and into a solid hug.

 

LOL at William urging Jil to confide her true feelings by talking about mystifying news items--at least to Jill Loved the hug Hazel gave at the end. As a hugger, I can say giving and receiving those are the bestest!

 

@WarmNyota_SweetAyesha : At that point, Jill had been in their lives full time since early June. As William was freshly retired, and Rob and Kristy were both in residency... she spent a lot of time with him, and Rebecca, and, as evidenced by Hazel teaching her to knit before the diagnosis happened, the other two sets of Grandparents as well. Thank you!!!!!!!

@Mira_Jade : That's why I had to follow the bunny, you know? Something felt off about her vacating the kitchen like that, and healing is important. Thank you, Mira!


Week 18 - Meet... the Boy, One Parent, and his Little Sister...


86. Air


The chart handed to her was one for a medical student, Kristy observed as she pushed through the door and into the clinic's waiting area. She frowned as she looked at the waiting patients... parents with children mostly, two elderly, and a sleeping guy in the far corner of the room. Glancing down at the chart again, she wondered... "Mister Mackenzie?" When none of the others acknowledged the name, she marched over to the sleeping man and shook him awake. He blinked sleepily at her. "Your turn, Mister Mackenzie."

"You're cute," he said, staring at her in a sleepy daze.


87. Life


She paused, hand on his shoulder. Then she smiled. "Thank you. Now come on."

"You don't look like a Dentist," he mumbled as he stood.

Kristy felt like laughing, but instead led the way to the door. Once safely away from the prying ears of patients, she turned and looked up at him again, smiling. "I'm not, yet. And, pardon me for saying so, but you're living up to the medical student stereotype. Were you up late studying?"

He nodded. "And this ache... too much pain."

She led the way to her assigned exam room.


88. Hair


"There you are! I'd know that hair anywhere."

The intrusion caused Kristy to look up from the textbook she was reading while eating lunch in an off-campus cafe. She frowned at the now-familiar Mr. Mackenzie, carrying a textbook of his own... and also a flower. "Oh, it's you. What's with the flower?"

"This is a lunch date, is it not?" He wondered as he handed it to her.

Kristy laughed and accepted it. "Close enough!"

He glanced behind her, smiled. "Hope you don't mind if my Dad joins us. He drove in from Bangor this morning for a weekend visit and brought my sister."

"What?" She spun in her seat and came face to face with a very young girl who was grinning, and an older man who Rob resembled. "Oh."


89. Conviction


Rob introduced his father and ten-year-old sister to Kristy, and smirked when Jill launched into question after question while Kristy tried her best to answer them all. His father leaned in closer to him. "Have you met her family yet, Son?"

"No he hasn't," Kristy answered, smiling knowingly. "But I can arrange that. Rob, why didn't you tell me they were coming?"

"Dad surprised me this morning before class," Rob admitted.

Kristy glanced at his father, eyebrows raised. "Is that so? You'll love my Grandmother, then, sir. She'd probably do that, too."


90. Sunshine


Lillian studied the young man seated on her couch as he entertained his little sister with stories for long minutes, then turned to look at her eldest daughter with a smile. "And you met this one, how? For that matter, why am I only just meeting him now?"

Kristy sighed. "I've known him a month and he was sleeping in the clinic waiting room. We're not even dating yet!"

"Ah. You said 'yet.' As in 'it's going to happen...'"

"I approve," Eugene said from her other side while Kristy sighed dramatically at both of them. "And clearly, he loves kids."

Lillian glanced at the young man's father, and noticed he was thoroughly enjoying the moment.

 

Oh I love that. Rob and Kristy meet so much in an every day fashion but then woot, things take off like a rocket But he's not pushy about it, just obvious and she happily doesn't mind, in fact is quite comfy with the idea Meeting the family on each side -- great sign, especially when they approve.

 

@WarmNyota_SweetAyesha ... Thank you!!!!!



Week Nineteen - Oh to be ten years old and aware...


91. Banter


Winifred peeked into the dining room and simply watched as her son-in-law and a girl she'd watched grow up in the same neighborhood talked and caught up. It warmed her heart to see them connecting as people who had shared the same love and loss... to see that Emma wasn't forgotten. A hand on her shoulder and she turned to meet the eyes of her daughters. "They seem to be getting on."

"Let's leave them to it, hmmm?" Hazel suggested. "You can occupy Mark with stories, we'll see to the younger ones."

Winifred glanced at Mark, who was standing by the stove with his arms crossed. Where had he learned that form of pouting? "Come on, Mark. Let's go sit on the couch."


92. Accuse


Mark glared up at his grandmother, then glared at the door she'd closed the rest of the way to give even more privacy. "What about them?"

Hazel sighed. "Mark, we are giving them time to talk. Your father needs that."

"But-" A glare silenced him as Rebecca tapped him on the shoulder and pointed toward the living room. He blinked at her, startled, then nodded and went.

Rebecca stood up and looked at her mother. "I think you'll be having an interesting talk."

Winifred nodded. "I think so, too." She followed him into the living room.


93. Offend


Natalie tugged on Rebecca's hand and she looked down at her. "What's wrong with Mark? Dinner was good!"

Rebecca knelt down to her eye level and hugged the seven year old with her free arm. "Nothing's wrong with Mark, Natalie. And you're right. Dinner was very good."

"Then why-"

"He's having a moment," Rebecca interrupted as she pulled back and looked at her. "And something upset him."

Natalie stared at her aunt for a very long moment before nodding. "Oh."

"Do you want to help me with David? He needs a bath."

Natalie blinked, then looked at her little brother, also being held by her aunt in her other arm. "Okay!"

Hazel watched as Natalie practically pulled Rebecca from the room, then looked down at three-year-old Gilbert seated on her lap, playing with her free hand.


94. Compliment


Winifred entered the living room to find Mark seated on the couch, holding two books and staring at them. Slowly, she sat down beside him and waited. When he didn't look up, she leaned over and realized that one of the books was new, while the other was dog-eared and kind of beat up, as if it had been read many times. "Mark?"

"Mom liked 'em," he explained. "She had been reading Anne of Green Gables with me and Natalie, and..." He blinked, frowned at her. "Who is Steve?"

Winifred paused, looking at him. "Did Emma talk about Steve with you?"

Mark nodded. "Mom said I should like books as much as Steve did, but she never explained."

Now it made sense, and Winifred allowed herself to relax into the couch cushions.


95. Confide


She gestured for the books, and Mark handed both to her. She smiled at the newer one. "Steve was a family friend, Mark. He lived with us for a while after his mother died. And he was sick, often, so he read a lot."

"Oh." Mark ran a finger along the spine of Charlotte's Webb. "Where is he now?"

She'd been ready for that question, but it still hurt to have to answer it. "That... he's gone, Mark. He was a soldier, and..." The expression on Mark's young face gave her pause. "Do you want to read with me?"

"Yes."