Unbroken Season 1

Chapter 17 Planning For The Future

“…Still there’s hope for those who believe… Down the Road Of A Thousand Dreams… “

Sam looked out the windshield on the almost deserted interstate and smiled. The Thanksgiving holiday spent with Brooke’s family had been a pleasant one, albeit one filled with apprehension as to how she would be accepted. She had to admit that it had gone rather smoothly. The fact that Brooke had even thought to have Sam surrounded by her own family at the same time meant all that and more to the young woman.

Letting her eyes drift from the road to the driver who was carefully driving with both hands on the wheel, Sam felt compelled to speak. “Brooke, I can’t believe how nice you are to your sister, offering to watch Julie so that Randi can do her Christmas shopping early.

After a quick glance in her passenger’s direction, Brooke’s eyes went to the road, then another glance into the rearview mirror where she could barely make out the sleeping child in the back seat carrier. “What can I say?” She shrugged as her attention went back to the road. “I love the little kid.”

The blonde leaned toward Brooke as she checked on Julie. By the soft sounds of snoring and the lopsided position of the child’s head, it was safe for Sam to assume that Julie was asleep. Feeling the warm touch on her hand as it was squeezed lovingly, green eyes shifted to gaze at Brooke.

“Whatcha thinkin’ about, Sweetheart?” Brooke glanced in her direction, then back to the road.

“Hmm…about how much I love you, you big kid.” Seeing that she had caught Brooke’s eyes, Sam winked as she returned the squeeze. “I’m thinking how special this time is going to be for me, with you and Julie. It will kind of be like we’re a family.” Sam lips hinted at a shy smile.

“I thought time with me was always special,” Brooke grinned, catching the look in Sam’s eyes. “We are a family, you and me.”

“It is, Brooke, but this will be a taste of what it would be like to have a real family with you someday,” Sam blushed, “with the pitter-patter of little feet in our lives.”

Brooke’s eyes twinkled in the glow of the dashboard lights as she looked over to Sam. “Is all the baby talk getting to you, too?”

Sam took in a deep breath and turned to look out the window for a moment before looking back toward Brooke. “I just know how I was raised and…I think we could…” she sighed. “Well, that is if we ever did have children. I think we could handle it and raise some fine, upstanding ones.”

“You know what?” Brooke grinned as she watched the road ahead so as not to miss their exit.

“What, Hon?”

“I love you and you are going to be the most wonderful mom.”

Sam smirked, then turned to look at the driver, “Well, that’s only cause I’ll have you as my back up. What do you say…Momma?”

Slightly taken aback by the name she was just called, Brooke fought to keep her concentration on the turn and slowed down for the red light, coming to a complete stop. Taking in a deep breath, Brooke’s fingers played with the steering wheel. “I’d say by my calculations that we only have about three months.”

The blonde turned and looked at Brooke as she laughed, “Three months? Ah…three months for what, Brooke?”

The driver leaned over to whisper in Sam’s ear, “Three months to figure out how you can have a baby by next Thanksgiving for Julie to play with.” Brooke lightly kissed Sam on the cheek, and then pulled back, smiling at her.

“Ah…I think that might be a little on the impossible side, don’t you think?” Sam blushed as she caught sight of Brooke’s wiggling brows and confident smile. “You know, there’s nothing that says that it has to be me,” the blonde teased her.

“Nothing’s impossible.” She leaned back in to Sam’s ear and whispered, “Practice makes perfect,” then winked as she moved back into her seat.

Sam looked warily at Brooke, then to her own stomach, and then finally back to Brooke again. “Nothing’s impossible, huh?”

The older woman arched a lone eyebrow. “Nothing’s totally impossible. Why? What are you thinking?” Brooke saw the light change to green and slowly put the vehicle in motion.

Sinking back into her seat, Sam sighed, “That’s what I was afraid of. Aurgh!”

Brooke couldn’t help but chuckle. “What’s wrong, Darlin’?”

The blonde shook her head. “I don’t know, Brooke. If I’m thinking right, there’s a distinct possibility, with you, that the saying bare foot and pregnant could be for real.”

The driver held tightly onto the steering wheel as she turned into the driveway, guffawing mercilessly. “Why…why do you say that?”

Green eyes shot over to the driver at the sound of the boisterous laughter. “Well, you figure it. Do the math, Brooke. I’m twenty-one and it takes roughly nine months for a baby.”

“Okay,” Brooke shrugged not knowing where Sam was headed with her thought.

“If we kept up that pace, we could have one hell…” Sam tried to stop the word with her hand over her mouth but it was out before she knew it. “Oops!” She glanced at Brooke then to the rear seat to see if Julie was still sleeping. “Sorry.” Sam shook her head in reply to questioning blue eyes that looked her way. “We could have one heck of a big family if I let you have your way with me,” Sam ended her part of the discussion in a hushed tone.

“Honey, we don’t have to have any more than you agree to,” Brooke winked at her passenger. “How many kids do you want Sam?

“Hmm…” Sam eyed the driver suspiciously, “Does that mean we have to give up practicing after two or three?”

“Nope, we can practice all we want after two or three,” Brooke grinned.

Sam let a coy smile come to her face, “Then you have my answer.”

Hearing that answer from Sam made the smile on Brooke’s face stretch from ear to ear as the vehicle slowly crept up the driveway to the house. “Sam, do you realize that we’re discussing having a child…heck, children together? We’re planning for our future family.” Brooke turned to look at Sam as she put the vehicle’s gear selector in park. “I think this is pretty amazing.” Blue eyes looked intently in to Sam’s face. “You’d really do it…have a baby, I mean?”

“If they’re all as sweet as that slumbering baby in the back seat…” Sam turned to cast an eye in Julie’s direction then nodded, “I’d have a million of them.”

“No, I mean…” Brooke gulped, then asked what she really wanted to know, “You’d have a baby with me?”

Sam stared into the waiting face of her lover and slowly let the smile come to surface on her face. “Yes, Brooke, I think it would be a great way to celebrate our love for one another, don’t you?”

Brooke listened as the corners of her mouth tugged upward into a radiant smile. “I love you, Sam,” she whispered, before leaning over and kissing the woman next to her.

Swaddled in her favorite blanket, Brooke gathered up Julie in her arms and brought her out of the van. Looking back into the cargo area, the musician shook her head. “God, they sure need an awful lot of things, don’t they? We could have never fit all this stuff in the 300. Now I know why they created these family vans.”

“I guess that’s something to think about for the future, huh? Do you think you could give up that sports car image of yours, Hon?”

“Hmm…I do love that 300…” Brooke looked at her niece, “but I think that love could be replaced.” Brooke smiled, “I guess that’s why Brian jumped at the chance to drive my car when we offered to take her for the night. I think she’s still asleep. We’d better get her into bed.”

Sam carefully laced an arm around the tall woman’s waist as she looked in on the cocooned child and confirmed their suspicions. “You go ahead, Brooke. I’ll get her things.”

“Okay,” Brooke spoke softly as she leaned in to plant a small kiss on the blonde’s head. “I’ll meet you upstairs.”

Sam watched as Brooke punched in the code for the security system, then entered the house. Turning back to the van, the young woman stood there, trying to figure out exactly where to start. Shaking her head from side to side, only one thing came to her mind and she mumbled it under her breath. “God, we’d better get a pack mule too, when you trade in the 300 for a van.” Sam smiled, “Well, think of it as exercise,” she chided herself as she pulled out the first of several bags and started for the door. “Lots and lots of exercise.”

After making her way up the spiral staircase in a slow and tedious manner, the young woman readjusted the assorted bags, boxes and other necessities of a child. Keeping the bright red teddy bear tightly secured on her shoulder with her chin, she made her way down the hall until her arms could hold their cargo no longer, letting them slide to the floor with a thump. Giving up, Sam released the bear and let it glide off her shoulder and into her waiting hands. “Good God, I never knew kids needed this much just to stay over one night.”

Brooke stuck her head out of the door of the small bedroom that was situated next to the master bedroom. “Amazing, isn’t it?” The dark-haired woman smiled, seeing that the blonde had tried to carry everything in one trip. “They’re small but they sure don’t know how to travel light.”

“Oh, sorry,” Sam spoke softly. “Is she still asleep?”

“Yeah,” Brooke nodded. “And you’re right on time. Could you hand me a diaper and her nightgown out of that little sleepover bag?” She pointed to the little pink case with colorful stick figures on it.

Sam picked up the case and opened it. “Yeah, here it is.” She grabbed the gown and a diaper, then headed into the room to see Julie still sound asleep as she lay on top of the comforter on the single bed. “Gosh, she looks like a little angel.”

“She is a little angel,” Brooke agreed as she reached for the diaper.

Handing the diaper to Brooke, Sam watched as the older woman deftly changed her niece within a short time and then dressed her for bed. “You look like a pro there,” Sam nodded toward the child. “Where did you learn to do that so well?”

“Believe it or not with C.C., then when Randi had the boys…” Brooke looked over to Sam and smirked.

“Why did I know you were going to say that?” Sam looked down to the floor a little embarrassed.

“Sam, what’s wrong?”

“If I had been in the same nursery at the hospital as your sister…” she paused and gulped, “You might have been changing my diapers.” The young woman thought for a moment then rolled her eyes, “God, worse yet, what if our parents had known each other.” Sam’s face turned pale. “You could have been my babysitter.”

Brooke settled her niece in the middle of the bed and placed a pillow on either side of the child, then turned around, stepping closer to the blonde as she wrapped her strong arms around the woman. “Well,” Brooke sighed as she leaned closer, kissing Sam behind her ear. “I could change them now if you wore them,” she teased. “But I wasn’t your babysitter then.”

“I know…too bad though. I could have had a crush on you even sooner.”

“Really?” The tall woman looked her in the eyes. “Why do you say that? Wouldn’t it have been a little awkward then?”

Sam’s brow knitted as she thought, “Well, age is only how you look at it. The older we get, the less it means to us…the difference I mean.” Sam cleared her throat then continued, “And you have to admit, there is a difference here.

“I guess you’re right,” Brooke tilted her head and kissed the young woman again. “But wouldn’t it be awkward to have a crush on someone who changes your diaper?”

The blonde thought for moment then let a sly smile come to her face. “Gee, I don’t know…maybe you could tell me in a year or two…Auntie.” Sam watched as Brooke rolled her eyes. “So what do you say we put this little one down and go take advantage of the time we still have in between the diaper stages before I have to run out and get my first depends?” Sam winked at Brooke as she pulled the blanket down for Julie to be tucked in. “I guess we agree on that, eh Momma?” She looked up to her lover and winked, then ventured back out into the hall, retrieving more of the child’s belongings. Sam found the box containing the baby monitors and handed it to Brooke.

Brooke quickly found the transmitter and placed it next to the bed as she leaned down, delivering a kiss to the top of the child’s head. She straightened up and gazed at Sam for a long moment before speaking. “I guess so,” she whispered, then kissed Sam sweetly on the lips.

Sam captured the older woman’s arm as she began to straighten up, keeping Brooke close to her. “Hon, promise me one thing.” Green eyes looked deeply into crystal blue.

“Anything, Sam,” the woman was deadly serious. “You know that.”

“Just never call me ‘Mommy’ when we’re in bed.”

The soft flickering candlelight set the mood, while the scent of peaches wafted in the air, tickling their noses and dulling minds to the world around them. The heightened sense of touch as one body moved against the other, sent waves of energy coursing through them as their passions aroused deep within and warm mounds of flesh came to life. The exuberant melding of two beings in the single act of passion wasted no time as softly muttered endearments and stroking touches met with the agonizing need as the more dominant partner for this night soon was established.

Held in by the covers above her, the small body of the blonde soon blanketed Brooke with every inch of skin she could afford without jeopardizing her position. While keeping the taller woman’s neck and bosom well within reach of her ever-exploring tongue, Sam used her hands to tease soft folds of flesh, as her fingers became divining rods in the search of hidden springs.

The dark-haired woman rolled her head on the pillow, allowing more of her neck to be exposed, giving her lover the definite idea that she was enjoying the sudden turn of events in their nightly outpouring of love. The fire that was growing steadily in her body caused her to moan with each loving touch that Sam lavished on her.

“Mmm…oh, Darlin’…” Brooke could feel her heart beating wildly in her chest as once more her nipple was sucked into the younger woman’s mouth and held there while it was teased beyond belief by the delicate ministrations of a well practiced tongue.

Brooke’s breath quickened, her panting became louder and more labored. She fought back the urge to speak, knowing that she needed every ounce of her strength for the tidal wave of emotions that were building deep inside of her. She could feel the wave, off in the distance, as it grew larger and stronger. With the knowledge of the impending tide headed her way, small utterances began to sing out from within her.

“Mmm…” she turned her head to the other side, “Oh…mmm hmm…” then she tried to hold it off just a little longer. “Mmm…oh…”

Sam moved with renewed vigor, tending to her lover’s every need as her ear pressed against the woman’s chest picking up the deep rumbling sound of a word about to be spoken with devout passion. She braced herself, ready for the crashing thunder of the exploding tsunami, as it would soon drench her in the tidal wave of love.

“MOMMY!”

With the utterance of that cry, all action ceased as the two ship wrecked lovers clawed through the haze of clouded minds while the moving tide of the mattress carried them just a little farther. Blonde hair shot up from atop Brooke’s chest and wide green eyes were plainly in view as the musician grasped that the voice crying out was not hers.

“Brooke…that’s not even funny, I thought I asked you not to…”

Just then the crackling sound of the infant monitor started as the sound of a child’s voice hauntingly filled the air, “M-o-o-o-m-m-y,” then was followed closely by the sound of small sniffs and intakes of air.

Brooke bit back on her lip, knowing how close she had been to release. Within seconds, the sound of the musician’s voice chuckled rather huskily. “She’s the one calling, Sam,” Brooke teased pointing to the monitor.

“Right,” Sam said sarcastically, then shifted her weight to get off the woman underneath her.

“Whoa,” Brooke tightened her hold on the blonde. “Talk about bad timing. Where are you going?”

Sam looked over at the monitor in the dim light of the candle, then back to her lover. “She obviously needs something, Brooke or she wouldn’t be crying out.”

“I know, Sam. Just give me a few seconds here,” she said with half-lidded eyes. “She’s my niece and my responsibility. I’ll get up and see to her. I know we’re in this together, but if she’s had a bad dream…”

Another softly whimpered mumble came over the monitor as Sam rolled onto her back and watched her lover get up, quickly throwing on her boxers and T-shirt before exiting the bedroom.

Sinking into the bed as she pulled the covers up around her unclad body, Sam mumbled, “Now I see why kids are spaced out so far apart.” The young woman could feel the frustration coming over her body as the fires slowly began to smolder then came bursting back to life as she heard her lover’s deep timbre come over the monitor on the nightstand in an attempt to comfort the child.

“Mommy, my mommy,” the childlike voice sounded definitely upset.

“What’s the matter, Sweetie?”

Sam could hear the rustle of the comforter as it was removed and then the soothing sound of Brooke’s voice. “Shhh…It’s okay, Julie, I’m here.” She heard the subtle squeak of the mattress on the box spring and she imagined that it was from her lover sitting down and cuddling the child in her arms. “Did you have a bad dream?”

“Me scared…” there was the sound of a muffled whimper and then the melodic sound of the musician’s voice.

“Aunt Brooke is right here, Julie. You know I wouldn’t let anything hurt my little princess, right?”

There was the sound of a faint sniff, then a very hesitant voice confided her fears. “I…I no like dis bed, Aunt Brooke. Too small and da…and da…monphers will find me.”

“Monphers?” Sam listened as the puzzled voice realized the meaning of the muffled word, “Ah…monsters.”

“Da one udder my bed.”

Sam heard the whimper but wasn’t quite sure whom it came from. After a moment of thinking about it, she giggled to herself figuring that it had to be Brooke.

“Dey reach up with dair arms and gwab me.”

“No, Baby…” Brooke sighed, “I won’t let them get you. Do you want me to stay in here with you for awhile?”

“You won’t let dem gwab me, will you?”

“No, Baby, I won’t let them grab you. Now how about if we lay down and try to go back to sleep?”

“Me no sweep here.”

The sound of rustling material interspersed with a stray squeak from the mattress told Sam that Julie was letting her aunt know, in no uncertain terms, that it wasn’t going to happen, at least not in that room on this night. Sam considered the alternatives. There was much left to consider, but her mind knew what her tall lover would say next as the blonde pondered it in her own mind. Hmm…I wonder if there’ll be time for a shower…a nice, cold shower? Then she turned her attention back to the monitor.

“Okay, Julie. You don’t have to sleep in here.” Brooke paused, then mumbled just barely loud enough for the transmitter to pick up, “Sam is gonna kill me.” She took in a very audible breath, showing her own frustration. “Okay, Munchkin, let’s grab Teddy and your blanket.”

The tiny voice crackled over the receiver, “Where…” she sniffed, “…me gonna sweep?”

“Where do you wanna sleep, Sweetheart?” There was a long pause filled only by a whimper or two, then Brooke spoke once more. “You wanna sleep with me in the big bed?”

The sound of raspy intakes of air into tiny lungs could be heard, then there was the sound of Julie’s voice, “Wif Sam.”

“With Sam,” she could hear Brooke sigh loudly, “Me, too. Okay, let’s see if we can go sleep with Sam.”

Julie’s voice took on a new enthusiasm, “Wif Sam and my baby.”

Sam tugged the covers up around her as she heard the voices coming out of the monitor fade. The sound from the hallway was becoming clearer until in the dim candlelight, she could see Brooke’s head entering the doorway as she held Julie in her arms.

“Hi, Darlin’, we’ve got company.” Brooke squinted to make sure that her lover’s tempting form was covered before entering with the child.

“Hi, Julie.” Sam spoke softly so as not to scare the child. “Couldn’t you sleep?” The small blonde sat up slightly, clutching the covers to her chest.

Trying to think of something to do with the small child until her lover could put on some bedclothes, Brooke thought of the only thing that came to her mind, a long cold shower. “Come on, Julie, let’s go get a drink of nice cold water.”

“God, Brooke, don’t give her water.” Green eyes flashed with alarm.

Catching Sam’s drift, Brooke mouthed ‘No water,’ then looked around the room for some other source of distraction.

“Before you come to bed Julie, maybe you and Aunt Brooke could go wish on a star.” Sam motioned with her head toward the French doors leading onto the small deck.

“The star…?” Brooke’s furrowed her brow. “Oh, the star…come on, Julie. Let’s see if that baby star is out tonight and make a wish on it.” The tall woman walked over to the French doors and pulled back the sheer curtains covering them. “Okay Munchkin,” she spoke to the child in her arms, “Let’s see if we can find that baby star.”

Julie looked out of the panes of glass, studying the night sky. Small brown eyes flickered from one point of light to the next until without warning, her tiny hand shot up to point out her choice. “Dat one. Dere.” She smiled, clapping joyously, “Dat’s the lil’ girl star.”

“That one over there?” Brooke found herself amused by her niece’s concentration. “So that’s the little girl star. Where’s the little boy star, Julie?” Brooke looked over her shoulder to see Sam pulling on a long night shirt from out of Brooke’s drawer and found herself smiling as she watched the material slide over the woman’s body.

“Aunt Brooke, you listening?” The small hand placed on Brooke’s face got her attention. “We don’t want to wish on dat one. Me no telling you.”

The older woman laughed, “Okay, well then, how about the surprise star?” Brooke saw the confusion in the child’s face. “You know…when you don’t want to know what your baby is and want to be surprised? When you just want to have a healthy little baby?”

“But me wants girls.” Julie was insistent, “I wanna be just wike my mommy and aunts.” The child stuck out her lip in a pouting manner. “I just got brothers.”

“Okay, then, you’re going to wish on the little girl star for when you get big?” Brooke watched as little eyes lit up. “What about Aunt Terri’s baby?

The tot’s small finger pointed up to the same sparkling star, another little girl was her silent prediction as the smile crossed her face, the little hands clapping as they did before.

Brooke glanced over in the direction of the bed to see the soft glowing figure of the blonde walking toward her, letting the expression of love come to her face. In that moment of time, Julie’s finger had again taken the same direction and pointed out the lil’ girl star.

“What? Who’s that for, Julie?” Brooke spoke softly, asking her niece.

Small hands pulled the adult’s face closer and cupped around the woman’s ear as Julie whispered her secret to her aunt. “A girl for Sam’s baby, too.” Then she leaned back to see Brooke’s face.

“Oh,” the woman let the corners of her mouth turn upward as she looked at the tot who was slowly nodding her head in confirmation. She winked at her niece then called out to Sam, “Are you going to come wish on the baby star too, Sam?”

“Sure, what can it hurt?” Sam made her way over to the door, then wrapped her arm around Brooke’s waist, while she reached out and touched Julie’s nose with her finger. “Now, show me which one I need to wish on.”

Both relatives pointed up to the same star. Brooke watched Sam’s face, then leaned over to whisper in the blonde’s ear. “You’re having a girl,” she informed her lover, then pulled back to see the smile come to Sam’s face.

“Okay…I can deal with that.” Sam raised her arm and pointed in the same direction along with them as she stole a glance at the tall woman next to her. Like a well rehearsed scene from some yet to be written story, they both moved their hands closer together and turned their faces to look at the star as each made their own silent wish.

“I love you.” The softly whispered words from Brooke brought a smile to Sam’s face as they turned to wink at one another, then leaned in, placing a kiss on Julie’s cheeks.

The events of the last few minutes had finally tired the child out and sleep was coming around to her tiny body once more as she yawned, clapping her small hands together as her head started to lean against Brooke’s shoulder.

“Come on Sweetheart, let’s get you in bed.” Brooke slowly moved toward the bed, waiting for Sam to get in first.

“Me seepy, mommy.” Julie nuzzled into Brooke’s shoulder as the tall woman leaned down to hand off the child. Julie quickly moved into Sam’s hands as they wrapped around her small body.

“Shhh…you sleep now, Julie.” Sam cuddled the child next to her in the middle of the bed, then gently kissed her forehead.

Brooke stood there for a few seconds, drinking in the scene with a warm sensation washing over her, bringing a smile to her face as she looked to Sam for guidance.

“Wherever you’re comfortable, Love.” Sam motioned with her eyes for Brooke to come into the bed. “I’ve got her.”

The tall woman took one of her pillows and laid it next to Julie. Walking to the other side of the bed, Brooke crawled in behind the blonde, wrapping a strong arm around her, as she rested her head against Sam’s stomach.

Green eyes looked down to her lover as she whispered, “You listening to see if the wish took?”

The older woman reached up and brushed some hair away from Julie’s eyes. “Something like that.” Brooke grinned, “Julie said she wanted to sleep with you and her baby…you know, the one you were going to let her play with next year.”

“Hmmm…I thought so. Don’t worry Brooke, it’s there, just waiting.” Sam winked, then touched her lover’s hand with her own.

Brooke stretched along side of Sam’s body and nestled closer to her, “Wouldn’t it be great if you and I could have a baby together?”

“That one…and a few more even. What do you say?” Sam spoke softly.

Hope-filled blue eyes grew bigger realizing that they both wanted the same thing. “I say, when do we start.”

The blonde glanced over at the sleeping three year old in her arm, then smiled coyly as she whispered, “Not tonight, Dear…” Sam smiled at her lover adding, “…maybe tomorrow.”

The advent of daylight streaming in through the French doors caused the small brown eyes to flicker open as Julie roused from sleep. The night had seemed to pass quickly and the sleep had been undisturbed in the very large bed of her aunt’s. No monster had dared to come anywhere near the child with both Sam and Brooke guarding her as they slept.

The tot knelt in the bed and watched as the two slumbering forms continued in their dream world, each one touching the other physically in some small way as their bodies rested. Julie moved closer to Sam as she tried to lift the blonde’s eyelid to see if she was there. “Are you home, Sam?” The tiny voice whispered, then waited for a reply.

“Hmm…” Sam’s soft moan elicited a grin from Julie, while Brooke’s hand shifted on the blonde’s hip, much like Sam had felt waking up with her lover before. “Not now Brooke, I’m still sleeping,” Sam muttered out.

“No Aunt Brooke…Julie,” the child replied as she tried to open Sam’s eyelid once more. “See.”

“What the…” Sam blinked at the touch of small hands trying to open her eyelid. “Oh, Julie…hi Baby.” The blonde rubbed a tired eye with her hand, “Are you up?” Sam blinked several times as she tried to focus her eyes, looking over to the sleeping form of her lover, then back to Julie’s smiling face.

“Is she in there?” Julie asked Sam as she pointed to the woman’s midsection. “You said that mommy’s carry da babies in deir tummys.”

Sam looked down to where Julie pointed on her body. “Yeah, our baby is in there.”

“I can play wif her next year when she comes out?” The eager face waited for an answer.

“Well, I’m not quite sure exactly when she’ll come out but who knows, it could be next year.” She studied the child’s puzzled face. “Sometimes we just don’t know for sure, Julie.”

“Sam?”

“Yes, Sweetie Pie?”

“Can we go wish on the next year star now? Me no wanna wait.” Brown eyes looked over to the doors, then back at the blonde.

The young woman smiled, letting a giggle or two come out before she answered, “Sorry, Honey. You’ll just have to wait until this wish is done. You can’t go wishing on every star now.”

“I look like mommy, will she look like you or Aunt Brooke?”

“Hmm…I guess we’ll have to see when she comes out.” Sam watched as the child craned her neck to see her aunt. “You love your Aunt Brooke, don’t you?”

The small head nodded, “Yes, love Aunt Brooke.”

“So do I baby, with all my heart.” Sam looked over to the sleeping woman and smiled.

“She sings me to sweep and holds me and pways wif me.”

“Well, she rocks me and in more ways than just to sleep.” Sam smiled at the child, “When you’re older Baby, you’ll understand.

“Will you still be here when I get older, Sam?” The child sat on her haunches.

“The good Lord willing, I will. I’m not planning on being anywhere else.”

“What’s her name?”

The blonde looked at Julie for a moment puzzled by the question, then smiled when she realized whom the child was referring to. “We’ll have to see when she comes out. Why, what do you think her name is?”

“I’ve got a name for her,” the husky sleep-filled voice could be heard coming from the other side of the blonde.

“Oh, and what would that be, Hon?” She watched as Brooke stretched out, still half asleep. “I asked you first…er…Julie asked you first.”

The semi-sleeping woman paused when she heard the deep sigh and undecipherable muttering of Sam’s. “I think…her name is Chastity.”

“Why Chastity? I always did like the name Loran,” Sam teased the sleeping woman.

Brooke opened one eye and looked over at Sam, then shrugged her shoulders. “Chase for short. She is kind of responsible for this, what do ya think?”

Sam clamped her hand over her mouth and got hysterical with laughter. “Is that her name?” She finally got out. “Chastity?”

“No, actually, her name is Chase, well Cjersti Chase, anyway.” Brooke corrected.

“Ah…well then, Chastity it is.” Sam turned to look at the tot. “Do you like that one, Julie?”

“Put ‘em bof togeder,” the child clapped as she giggled.

“Loran Chastity…” Sam offered, “…or Chastity Loran?”

Brooke rose up on one elbow as she said the names out loud. “Chastity Loran Moleson…Loran Chastity Moleson. I don’t know, which one sounds better?”

“What’s a mowsum?” The inquisitive child asked.

“That, Julie, is Sam’s last name.” Brooke smiled as she looked over at the blonde.

“Well, I’m thinking that Chastity Loran Moleson-Gordon sounds pretty good to me.” Sam eyed her lover and smiled.

The dark-haired woman beamed with delight, then leaned in to kiss Sam. “I like it.”

“How come da baby gits to have two names?”

“Hmm…Good question. Brooke, can you help me out here?”

“Uh…uh…because…we…Sam and I aren’t married, Julie.” Brooke took in a breath, “You see, most people have the same last name after they get married.”

“Den do it. Mawy her Aunt Brooke, mawy her.” Julie grabbed each of their faces in her little hands and pushed them together in a kissing action, “Mawy her.”

The two women kissed, then chuckled at the tot’s insistence.

“We can’t get married, Julie.” Aching eyes looked over to Sam, then back to the child. “Because…we’re…”

Seeing Brooke’s remorse for their situation, Sam jumped in. “Because we’re not dressed for it, but we are dressed for some breakfast.” She turned her attention to Julie. “Why don’t you go get your little slippers from the other room?” The blonde helped the toddler down from the bed and slowly stood up, getting her own slippers on.

“Sam?”

“Yes, Brooke?” Sam glanced back to view her lover as she crawled out of the bed.

“I love you.”

Sam closed her eyes and let the warmth fill her, savoring it. “I know, Hon, I know.”

The tall woman moved closer to the blonde then knelt down before her, placing a kiss on Sam’s stomach.

“What’s that…?”

Blue eyes glanced up to Sam as she kissed the woman’s stomach once more, then spoke softly to where her lips still were. “And I love you, Chastity Loran.” Brooke stood up and gazed down into Sam’s eyes, “Wherever you are.”

“Ohs…want ohs,” the tiny voice kept saying over and over again as she jumped from one leg to the other, trying to look up to the cabinet above the counter where Sam was hurriedly attempting to get the coffee ready for her friend.

Brooke stood at the doorway to the kitchen and watched the scene unfold with a smile on her face. “Hey, Sweetie Pie, can I get the Cheerios for you?” She offered, then swiftly moved across the floor and scooped the tot up in her arms, placing her on a chair at the table. “You just sit there for a second and I’ll get the ohs,” Brooke laughed. “God, I could get used to this,” she said under her breath as she turned back toward the counter and Sam. “Thanks, Darlin’.” She kissed the blonde on the cheek, reaching for the box of cereal at the same time.

“Ohs…want my ohs,” the child demanded, not letting Brooke forget what she was doing. As the tall woman turned with the box in her hands, Julie stood up on her chair and clapped. She watched as her aunt opened another door, retrieving a bowl, then pulled open a drawer, securing a spoon, before she made her way to the table. “Me…me…me pour. Me big girl,” Julie insisted, “Mommy says so.”

Sam grabbed the carton of milk from the refrigerator, then delivered it to the table as she watched the excitement in the young child’s face over something so simple as breakfast.

After placing the box of cereal on the table, Brooke sat the bowl and spoon down in front of the tyke, then attempted to have the child seated. “Come on, Julie.”

The child sat down quickly, then moved the bowl out of her way as she reached for the box. “Ohs, ohs,” she lamented as she grasped the box with her tiny hands.

“Wow, will you look at that,” Brooke glanced over to Sam and the two woman locked eyes for only a second or two before the sound of a high pitched scream jolted their beings. Brooke’s eyes riveted back to the table to see Cheerios cascading down to the floor from the box that was laying on its side on the table. She looked at her niece and saw the wide-eyed little girl with her hands up to her mouth.

Julie reached out into the moving mob of circles and picked one up, offering it to her aunt. “Uh ohs,” the meek voice said as she batted her eyes and smiled.

The older woman just shook her head and started to smile, cursing herself for not having a camera at her disposal that very instant. She reached out and took the offered piece of cereal in her mouth, then kissed the tot on her head.

“I wuv you,” the child cooed.

“Aw…Julie, I love you, too.” Brooke said as she righted the box and scooped some of the cereal out of the overflowing mound in the small bowl. The crunching sound under her feet assured her that not all of the spilled ohs had stayed on the table.

“Me pour milk, Aunt Brooke?” The eager eyes waited for an answer.

“Ah…how about we let Sam pour the milk, okay?” Blue eyes shifted to the woman still holding onto the container of milk.

“Otay,” the child crossed her arms and stuck out her lower lip.

Seeing the trademark Gordon pout coming on, Sam decided to keep the child’s spirits up. “How about I give you a little glass of milk and you can pour that, okay Julie?”

The child thought for a moment then nodded her head, as a huge grin lit up her face. “Otay.”

Sam crossed the kitchen to the sink and took a small plastic cup from the drain board. Turning back to the table, she spotted the husky sticking his nose in through the doggie door. “Hey Mario, you want to help your mommy get the ohs off the floor?” Sam let the dog in and moved toward Brooke before she crossed back to the table. “Okay Julie, here you go.” She gave her the cup and filled it with milk. “You just needed something that you can wrap your hands around, that’s all.”

“Dank you, Sam.” The child smiled and then turned her attention back to her cereal.

Brooke stood up and kissed Sam’s cheek. “Thanks, Baby.”

“Don’t mention it.” Sam winked, looking up to the tall woman. “Even I get into trouble with my little hands.” Sam watched the mouthed words of ‘Oh yeah,’ come from her lover as the woman’s head nodded eagerly. The blonde then reached up, returning the kiss and whispered in Brooke’s ear, then moved off toward the counter.

“Really?” Brooke’s voiced cracked like that of a teenager starting puberty. She looked down to her hands, then turned and smiled naughtily.

“Doggie…Sam look at Mawio.”

There, slowly moving across the floor as he ate his way one Cheerio at a time, was the husky, lapping up the cereal and barking his ‘thank you.’

“Yes Julie, the doggie will eat your ohs that fell.” Sam turned toward the animal and praised him. “Good doggie.”

The closer the animal came to Julie, the more her giggles mounted into full out laughter.

“Julie, eat some more ohs and then you can play with the doggie,” Brooke promptly told her niece.

Sam turned to her lover with a smile of approval. “Coffee, Brooke?”

“Please, Darlin’, thank you.”

Sam turned to the counter. “Hey, Brooke, I can’t reach where you put the new can of coffee. Could you get it down for me? We’re almost out.”

Brooke stood up, walking over to the cabinet. She reached up, pulled down the new can and handed it to Sam. “Sorry, I’ll leave it on the counter next time.”

“You’d better or I won’t be able to surprise you with it in the morning.”

“Mmm…I love surprises.” Brooke grinned and wiggled her eyebrows.

“Doesn’t coffee go with dessert?” Sam teased, smiling at Brooke’s antics.

“I do believe it does.” The tall woman grinned and leaned in for a kiss. The sound of a dulled thud caught her attention. She turned to see the bowl rocking on the floor, milk and ohs spattering across the kitchen as Julie and Mario took off running through the house. The sound of a dog howling and a screeching baby chasing merrily after him resounded in her ears.

“Oh, shit…” Brooke saw the raised eyebrow that Sam was showing her and quickly changed her verbiage. “…er…shoot.” The tall woman buckled under the glaring eye of the blonde and cringed, “Sorry.”

Long legs and arms just didn’t seem to be enough to curtail the wild ramblings of the four-footed animal or the erratic maneuverings of a three year old. Even the addition of Sam’s mind and body didn’t seem to be enough until they pitted their wits together, trapping Julie and Mario in the living room. Now, all they had to do was wait for them to make a rush on one of the blocked doorways. Allowing the husky the good graces to flee the arm waving, screeching, laughter emitting child, Brooke guarded her doorway with her feet spread wide apart.

Seeing an opening for escape, Mario charged, jumping up and over the couch, and then scurrying towards the doorway. Four paws dug into the deep pile carpet as the dog pushed off quickly, running through his mistress’ legs, heading for the hallway and endless places to hide if given the chance.

Brooke watched as Julie tried to follow the dog’s path while cushions flew off the couch and throw pillows landed in places that they were never meant to be. Undaunted by the large obstacle, the child quickly spun around and jumped from the arm of the couch, hitting the carpet with feet that never stopped. Her momentum carried her in the direction of the doorway and toward her aunt before she could change her path. Within seconds, she was just in front of the tall woman, whose legs closed, gently trapping Julie in between them. Brooke then leaned over to pick up her niece.

“Gottcha.” Brooke hoisted her niece up into the air. “Where are you going?”

“Doggie…play.” Small hands were still clutching for a chance to latch onto the dog as the laughter continued.

“That’s why he’s running,” Brooke chuckled. “Julie, we can play with the doggie later.”

The child squinted and puffed up her cheeks, letting her mouth open and close like a fish.

“Oh, come on, Angel. Don’t make faces at your aunt.” Brooke watched as the tot took in a deep breath and the face seemed to grow more strained looking. “Hey Julie, how about we see what toys Mommy packed for you? How’s that?”

“No.” She shook her head and gritted her teeth as all of Julie’s muscles tightened.

“Do you want to play on the swing?” Brooke asked, wondering what the child wanted to do next as she pulled the child in against her body.

“Ah…Brooke.” Sam attempted to get the older woman’s attention. “I think that’s not the problem.” She looked at the raised eyebrow on the woman and knew that her mind was not on the obvious. “I…I think she has to go potty, Brooke.”

“Do you have to go potty, Julie?” Brooke looked down at the child in her arms.

“No…’cause I already did.” Big brown eyes looked up at Brooke. “Sorry, Aunt Brooke. I member next time.”

The tall woman sniffed once and then made a face, feeling the wetness slowly oozing down her shirt. She lowered her eyes as she pulled the baby from her body, holding her out at almost arms length. Brooke rolled her eyes when the sight of her soiled white shirt came into view.

“I wuv you.”

“I love you too, Julie.” Brooke assured the tot. “Come on, it’s okay. We’ll get you all cleaned up.” She caught the sight of Sam coming over to her as she turned around in the room with the child held out like some toxic waste contamination.

“You say it, you get it,” Sam whispered as she caught up to Brooke tugging at the soiled shirt. “Did you ever consider brown to be your color?” She moved back when the woman turned to offer the child to her. “Oh shi…ah…ah…” Sam laughed, shaking a finger at Brooke. “You thought I’d say it. Nope. No way, it’s all yours.”

The dark-haired woman shot a smile back at Sam, “Oh yeah? Well, I hope when you have a child she acts just like you.”

Sam stopped short and put her hands on her hips. “And why would you say that?”

“I don’t know,” she shrugged, “aren’t parents supposed to say that kind of stuff to their kids? I was just practicing.”

“Okay…practice all you want, but I’m still not changing that diaper…” Sam looked her lover over, then commented, “…or your shirt.”

“Okay, I’ll do it.” Brooke turned and headed toward the stairs only to hear the words come tumbling out of the blonde’s mouth before she could stop them.

“Damn right.” Green eyes grew wide as she quickly realized what she’d said. Biting back on her lip, she responded with a soft sounding, “Oops.”

After a quick clean up and diaper change, Brooke cautioned her niece. “Okay, now remember to tell Aunt Brooke or Sam when you have to go potty.”

The small innocent voice answered back as Julie lay there on the carpeted floor, looking up at her aunt. “Otay.”

“You’re still my lil’ JuJubee, aren’t you?” Brooke leaned over the child and lightly tickled her stomach.

“You make me laf,” Julie giggled out as she nodded her head to her pet name.

“Make you laugh, huh?” Blue eyes glistened at the challenge and soon the child’s stomach was the site of Brooke’s next attack as she blew noisy, wet raspberries on Julie’s skin. “Thherhhht,” then did it again and again.

“You…” Julie pointed her finger to Brooke as the woman’s head rose off of Julie’s belly. “You make me laf. Me dirsty.”

“You’re thirsty, huh JuJubee?” Brooke winked, then called out over her shoulder to Sam in the kitchen. “Hey, Sam.” She plopped another raspberry down on the child’s stomach and smiled. “What do we have for a thirsty lil’ JuJubee?” Brooke waited for a reply as she turned her attentions back to Julie. “I make you laugh, don’t I?”

The tot nodded. “You tickle…” Julie screeched out another round of laughter as her Aunt Brooke blew against the little belly once more, “…You tickle my belly. You make me happy.”

Brooke nuzzled into the child’s little neck, “Well, you make me happy, little bit…” she rocked back onto her haunches, “…you and Sam.”

“And you make me happy, both of you.” Sam walked into the living room and held out the juice box, offering it to the child, “Here you go, Sweetie. Now, drink up like a big girl.”

“Dank you, Sam.” Julie sat up grabbing for the box.

“Can you watch her long enough for me to change my shirt?” Brooke held out the soiled garment from her body as she looked up into comforting green eyes.

“Sure,” Sam nodded, then held out her hand for Julie to take. “Come on, Julie, we’ll go color while your aunt gets herself cleaned up now.” The blonde watched as Brooke headed for the stairs.

“Can I color you?” Julie rose to her feet and started walking toward the dining room with her hand in Sam’s.

The blonde chuckled at the question, “I don’t color too well but the white paper will.”

Undaunted, the baby just kept talking. “I’m gonna color da baby.”

“No…no coloring the baby.” Sam unconsciously put her hand over her stomach and rubbed it soothingly, “Let’s draw your mommy instead.” Sam reached down and boosted Julie into the chair where she had already placed the crayons and paper at the table.

“Otay,” the tot looked up at her with one squinted eye and nodded.

Sam pulled out a chair and watched the young artist at work. The intense look on Julie’s face relayed the thoughtfulness of her artwork as she moved from one color of crayon to the next. Her scribbling seemed to be methodically balanced between fast round circles and slow, deliberate straight lines as she moved over the sheets of white paper. The blonde sat back in her chair, amused by the whole scene as she was occasionally enlisted to choose a color or two for the budding artist to use. There was definitely a cockeyed approach to the world as seen through a child’s eye.

“You’re very talented Julie, just like your Aunt Brooke,” she complimented the young artist.

“Wook Sam, dis picsures for you.” The child held it up proudly.

“Hmm…” Sam studied it for a few seconds, “That’s nice. Is that you, there?” The adult pointed to the small squiggle and line on the side of the much larger one.

“Yep,” the child nodded. “and dat’s Aunt Brooke…and dat’s you…and dat’s da baby.” Julie looked up to see Sam’s face as she pointed each item out. “See da star? It’s purple.”

“That is nice.” Sam smiled at the rendition of the scene from last night by the French doors. “Can I put that picture on the refrigerator? I want to look at it when you’re not here and remember how you saw us. Okay?”

“Otay,” Julie smiled. “You can have it to put on da frigigador. I can draw you a bigger one,” the child offered.

“Thank you, Julie. I’d like that.” The young woman leaned in and kissed the child on her forehead, then turned to look as Brooke entered the hall, while Julie shuffled through the blank pieces of paper looking for the next canvas to be graced with her child’s view of the world.

“Hey, Baby.” Brooke winked at her lover. “I’m all fresh and clean and ready for the next round. Speaking of which,” Brooke frowned, “I found poor Mario hiding under my bed and he won’t come out.

“It figures,” Sam got up to stand by her lover in the doorway, “…he’s not used to a three year old.”

“Hmm…I wonder how he’ll act around a baby, full time?” Brooke pondered out loud.

“I guess we’ll have to hope for the best and treat him special. You know, make a fuss over him, too.”

“I wonder how we’ll act around a baby?” Brooke let her mouth turn up into a smile and gave off a little naughty laugh.

“I think you’ll do just fine, Dear.” Sam wrapped her arms around Brooke’s waist and gave her a hug and quick kiss. “Just fine,” she reiterated.

“Mmm…I hope so.” Brooke savored the kiss.

“I know so. You do just fine for me,” Sam winked as she patted Brooke’s chest. “Ain’t I your baby now?”

“You,” Brooke kissed Sam on the lips, “…will always be my baby.” The two women stared into each other’s eyes until the small voice disturbed their moment.

“Sam? I made it bigger.” Julie tugged on the woman’s pants to get her attention.

“Bigger, Julie?” The blonde asked as she smiled at Brooke then turned to look down at Julie. The large, expanses of color behind the child caught Sam’s eye as she let her gaze drift from the child. It was a larger scaled rendition of the wishing star scene she had seen a few moments earlier. “Oh, my…” Sam slapped a hand over her mouth and turned to look at Julie’s aunt standing beside her. Sam watched as shocked blue eyes roamed the lower half of the dining room wall and the artwork that now graced it.

“You had to say bigger, didn’t you?” Brooke glanced at Sam to see the mouthed, ‘Sorry,’ and then the tall woman covered her eyes with her hands. Feeling the tug on the leg of her jeans, Brooke moved a finger or two to look down into a smiling, little face.

“I wuv you.”

The morning seemed to be moving by faster than either adult thought could be possible. The constant levels of activity not the norm for a weekend together. Sam looked over to the clock on the counter and considered that they still might be lounging in bed had it not been for the child that she could hear running toward her.

“Sam…Sam…” Julie stopped, doing a little dance as she entered the kitchen. “Need potty…need big girl potty.”

Pleased, Sam smiled at her young charge and moved over to take Julie’s hand as she headed for the stairs. “Hey Brooke,” Sam yelled as they started up the spiral staircase, “We’re going potty.”

“Oh yeah?” Brooke emerged from the living room with a big smile on her face. “Need some help?” She asked as she followed up the stairs behind them.

“Sure, we’re all women aren’t we?” Sam turned back to wink at her lover, “It’s more fun in a group,” she teased. “We’ve got to teach her right from the start that when girls go potty they take the group with them.” Sam laughed at her lover’s pet peeve as she entered the bathroom behind Julie. “Okay, Sweet Pea, let’s get your training pants out of the way.” Sam hoisted the child up onto the commode, then turned to look at Brooke who was sitting on the side of the tub.

“Uh-oh,” the tiny voice whimpered.

“What?” Sam’s eyes came back on the child. “What’s wrong, Julie?”

“I can’t go…it’s too big.” The child shifted her weight on the seat as she looked around at the porcelain pedestal that she teetered on.

Sam laughed as she held onto the child. “It will come. Let’s just sit here and give it a chance.” The blonde thought for a moment then asked, “What’s too big?”

An exasperated little face looked back at her, “The potty. The potty too big.”

The young woman remembered her own childhood experiences with things much taller than herself and lost it. The jiggling started in her midsection, then moved up her body until she couldn’t hold onto the child securely any more and turned to Brooke. “I think this needs an answer from a tall person,” she whispered, trying hard not to laugh but Brooke was already doubled over, laughing so hard that she slid off the side and into the tub. “Brooke, were we supposed to bring the potty chair, too?”

“I don’t know,” Brooke climbed out of the tub and grabbed onto her niece, “Randi and Brian didn’t have it with them.”

“Figures,” Sam muttered as she moved back to let Brooke take over the delicate balancing of the child. “Well, as I see it, we have two choices.” She looked first to Julie, then to Brooke. “One, we forget about potty training or two, you figure out how she’s going to use the tall toilet.”

“Okay,” Brooke nodded her agreement as she settled into a kneeling position in front of the commode. “Julie, what’s the problem, Angel?”

“I got da go, Aunt Bwooke.” Brown eyes drove the point home, “got da go.”

“Okay, Sweetie. Now, what do you need me to do?”

“You don’t know?” Julie put her little hands up to her face, shocked at what she was finding out. “And I dought Mommy said you knew evewything.”

Impressed that her sister Randi would say that, Brooke looked the youngster in the eye. “Well, Punkin, give me a hint.”

“Mommy sings me da song, den I go and we make happy.” Julie clapped her hands a time or two, then stopped and directed, “Now, sing.”

“Song…?” Brooke’s eyes darted back and forth as she thought, “What song?”

Sam hid a smile behind her hand, “Yeah, Brooke sing the potty song. You remember it don’t you?” She taunted her lover.

Blue eyes flashed up to Sam. “They didn’t have potty songs when C.C. was trained.” She watched as the blonde shrugged, then turned her attention back to Julie. “Can you sing the potty song for Aunt Brooke?”

The tot looked up to her aunt with the most serious of faces. “You don’t ‘member? Maybe you need to have Mommy potty drain you again.”

Brooke rolled her eyes at the very thought. “Sam, could you get my cell phone, please?”

“Sure Brooke,” Sam tried to keep from laughing but couldn’t. Within a few seconds she went to the master bedroom and back again with cell phone in hand. “Number two on the speed dial for Randi, right?” Sam asked, then seeing the nod, punched the correct number and handed the phone to Brooke. “I’ll go make some lunch while you take care of things up here.”

“Randi?” Brooke gripped the phone with one hand and the baby with the other. “What’s the potty song?” She asked not waiting for her sister to greet her.

“Hey Sis, how’s it going with the lil’ one? Sounds like you’re having some fun,” Randi chuckled.

“Could you do me a favor, Sis?”

“Sure, you need me to pick up a few Christmas presents for you?” Randi laughed.

“No,” was Brooke’s sharp reply. “I need to know the potty song. What is it?”

“Brooke,” her sister cleared her throat, “There is no potty song. I just make up words to Twinkle, Twinkle to fit the need.”

“You’re kidding, right? Da…” Brooke stopped before the word was fully out and changed it, “Dang it Randi, tell me you’re kidding.”

“Nope, she thinks it’s her song, especially for her.”

“You wouldn’t have an urge to sing it to her now, would you Sis?” Brooke asked hopefully.

“Sorry, can’t right now, it’s a mad house here at the toy store.” Randi paused as she called out, “Hey, that’s my cart.” Coming back to the phone, the lawyer hurriedly spoke, “Oh, and Brooke…you’ll need a few verses. She tends to forget what we’re there for.”

“Oh, God.” Brooke hung her head, took in a deep breath, and then let it out.

“You’re the songwriter, Brooke. It shouldn’t be that hard for you. Talk to you later, Sis. Tell Julie that Mommy loves her. Bye.”

“Yeah, will do, bye.” Brooke hit the end button and terminated the call. She thought for a moment, then slowly started to sing, “Twinkle, Twinkle little one. Now we’re going to have some fun. Up above the water so high, like a cloud up in the sky. Twinkle, Twinkle little one. Now the rain is going to come.”

Brooke held her finger up to her mouth, “Shhh…” she whispered as she stood in the hallway.

The small tyke nodded as she mimicked Brooke to her teddy then held her hand over her mouth.

The tall woman picked up her niece and slowly stole into the kitchen where Sam was at the counter preparing lunch for the small group. She waited until she was almost directly behind the blonde when her deep voice asked, “Whatcha doin, Darlin’?”

Startled by the voice, Sam jumped, then leaned against the counter and shook her head. “God, I never heard you two sneak in. Keep that up and I’ll be having a heart attack for sure.” Sam turned to see the giggling child in Brooke’s arms. “And you, little Miss Julie. I see that you’re done on the potty.”

“Yep, she went to the potty and even learned how to use the toilet paper,” Brooke boasted proudly.

Sam smiled, “That’s wonderful, but I bet you’ll still have to practice that some more, won’t you?”

Julie hid her face in Brooke’s hair, peeking out to see if Sam was still looking at her.

“What’s with her? Something go wrong?” Sam asked, wondering why Julie was shy all of a sudden.

“She…ah…she stopped up the toilet in the process.” Brooke looked down to her wet shoes.

The blonde’s eyes bugged out when she viewed Brooke’s shoes and immediately looked to Julie’s. “What? Why weren’t you watching her? What were you doing?” Sam took the baby in her arms and checked to make sure the child was completely dry. “Randi will kill us if she does that at home.”

“I was washing my hands. I showed her how to use a few squares of the paper and I didn’t think it would hurt if she amused herself. I figured that it was reinforcing what I’d just shown her. I didn’t realize she had put half the roll into the commode before she hit the handle.” Brooke stuck her bottom lip out and mumbled, “How was I supposed to know she could reach it from the floor?”

The blonde shook her head at the antics of the grown woman in front of her. “Is there anything else I need to know?” Sam eyed aunt and niece alike as both tried hard not to look at her. “Out with it. I’m going to find out sooner or later.”

“Well…” Brooke cleared her throat. “She took the rest of the roll and took off with it down the hall. There’s…there’s paper all along the hallway and the stairs.”

“You had to buy the double rolls, didn’t you?” Sam looked her directly in the eye.

“Hey, you were the one that pointed them out. You’re the shopper here. You said that it was a better buy.”

Sam quirked a little disgusted smile and sighed. “Well, remind me that cost versus bulk is not always a good thing when we have kids, okay?” Sam handed off the tot to her aunt, then turned back to the counter.

Brooke nodded in agreement, “Yeah, and no potty songs, too.”

The young woman turned around to look at her lover, questioning the reason. “And why would that be, Hon?”

“Sam, I can write songs with the best of them but after seventeen verses of pertinent lyrics to the melody of Twinkle, Twinkle there’s only so much a person can do.”

Sam wiped her mouth with the napkin, then offered Brooke a proposition, “How about if you clean up the dishes, I’ll put Julie down for her nap?”

“Okay,” Brooke grabbed at the offer before Sam could have a chance to rethink it. “Then I’ll have a little time to look some things up on the internet…” the woman cleared her throat, “…for that…ah…new project I’ll be undertaking.”

“Sounds like a deal to me.” Sam looked over at Julie.

“But I no wanta nap,” the tyke protested.

“Come on, Sweetie,” Sam got up from her chair and held her hand out to Julie. “Let’s go and just close our eyes for a few minutes.” She heard the sound of the doggie door as Mario stuck his head into the house. “Look, even Mario will join us.” Sam turned to the dog, “Come on, Boy.”

The dog looked to his mistress as Sam patted her hand against her leg, then scooted reluctantly across the room and under Sam’s chair at the table. Learning his lesson once already, the dog laid down facing the baby and waited.

Julie crawled down from her chair and held onto Sam’s hand as they made their way toward the hall. “Doggie…?”

Sam looked back at the cowering husky watching them as they walked away. “Come on, Mario. I’ll protect you, you big chicken. We’re all in this together.”

The dog hesitated for a second then slowly rose and walked slightly behind and opposite the tot on Sam’s other side, letting Sam’s pace set his own.

Reaching the bottom of the stairs, Sam saw the strewn toilet paper streaming down the railing and stretching down the stairs. “We’re going to have to get you to decorate for the next party, Julie. You seem to have a lot of experience with streamers.” Sam laughed as she wound around the staircase viewing the carnage of the double roll.

Halfway up to the second floor, Julie stopped and cried out, “Teddy. I need Teddy.”

Seeing that there was no way around it, Sam leaned over the railing and called out to Brooke, “Hey Hon, can you send Teddy up when you’re done with the dishes?”

“No problem, Sam. One Teddy coming right up, as soon as I wipe off the counter.”

Within minutes, Sam had Julie in bed with her shoes off. After a little urging, even Mario curled up on the bed. “Look we can lay down and all take a nap on this big bed.” Sam petted the dog, as she watched the little girl latch onto her favorite blanket and settle into the fluffy, white comforter on Brooke’s bed.

“Hey, Darlin’,” Brooke stuck her head in the doorway, “I got the bear and poured Julie’s leftover juice in this cup.” Brooke lifted the cup as if she were giving a toast. “I thought she might like to drink it when she wakes up.” Brooke entered the room and moved to Sam’s side as she admired the bodies on the huge bed.

“Thanks, Dear.” Sam took the cup and set it down on the nightstand. “I’ve got it covered. You can have a few minutes to yourself, if you’d like.”

“You sure?” Brooke asked tentatively. “I can stay here with you.” The tall woman leaned down to kiss Sam as Julie cuddled up to the blonde woman’s body.

“Nope,” Sam whispered. “It’s a piece of cake. Even the dog will sleep.”

“Okay, but call me if you need me. I love you.”

Sam smiled and returned the kiss. “I think I’ll just sit in that rocker and grab five minutes myself, once she falls asleep. Love you, too.”

After Brooke left, the blonde remained on the bed just long enough to assure that Julie was asleep, then silently she crept off and settled into the rocker in the corner of the room. The steady rocking soon had the young woman on the verge of sleep when the tiny little voice asked its question.

“Sam? Is da baby gonna nap, too?”

“Huh…Oh, the baby…” Sam pulled herself back from the threshold of sleep. “Yeah, the baby will sleep too. Now, put your head down and we’ll all sleep together.”

There was another moment or two of silence then the next question was asked. “How does da baby know when to sleep?”

Sam opened one eye and checked on the tot, then seeing her still lying on the bed, the blonde answered. “When I’m real quiet, the baby knows to sleep. So let’s be real quiet now.” Sam brought her finger to her lips and whispered, “Shhhh…” She watched as Julie mimicked her, then grabbed on to her Teddy and laid her head down on Mario. Satisfied that all would be well, Sam closed her own eyes and quickly dozed off.

Lulled into the world of dreams, Sam easily relaxed and let images of Brooke and their someday family come floating through her mind. It was funny seeing the stages of their life that was yet to come with the nameless faces and loving hearts waiting to happen. As one dream ended, another began.

“ARF!”

Mario’s surprised bark and the sound of a squeaking mattress startled Sam. Opening her eyes, the young woman saw Julie chewing on the husky’s ear while she still hung onto her teddy bear. “JULIE, no.”

Sam struggled to get out of the rocker as the slow motioned scene before her unfolded. She watched as the tot chopped down one more time on the scared dog’s ear. Springing up to get away, Mario quickly circled the baby and came up on her other side. Lunging at the animal Julie giggled wildly, spurred on by the fast moving feet and whipping tail as the dog spun around, knocking the cup off the nightstand. The splattering liquid came to rest on the comforter of the bed and on to Teddy in Julie’s hand. Julie quickly tossed Teddy aside and reached for the dog, causing the animal to change directions abruptly and scamper right through the stained area, spreading it even more across the white fabric.

Sam made it to the bed just in time to catch the tyke as she dove from the mattress after the frightened dog. Bringing the child up in her arms, Sam cuddled her to her chest as Julie let out a loud cry, her hands outstretched, reaching for the dog.

“Ah…Julie,” Sam held the child tightly and tried to comfort her. “Doggie’s ears aren’t for chewing on.”

The child turned her attention from the doorway where the dog had scooted out, to the bear in the middle of the bed. “Teddy.”

Sam took the teddy and handed it to Julie, “There you go.” She looked over at the clock on the nightstand and sighed. “Well, ten minutes was better than nothing.” Gazing down at the growing stain on the comforter, Sam mumbled under her breath, “You had to give her grape juice didn’t you, Brooke. Maybe if I throw this in right away, the stain won’t set.” She turned her face toward the tot, “Hey Munchkin, how about we go do some laundry?”

The child giggled and laughed, nodding her head as Sam stripped the soiled linen off the bed, then headed down the hall toward the stairs.

“What’s the matter, Babe?” Brooke called out from her office on the second floor as Sam tried to sneak past it.

Startled at being caught, Sam moved into the doorway so that they could be seen. “We…ah…we thought that your spread needed to be cleaned.” The blonde wrinkled her nose up and let out a nervous laugh, “You know, baby slobber and all.” Sam winked at Brooke then asked, “What are you doing…playing games on the computer?”

Brooke turned the screen a little more in her direction. “Okay, thanks, Sam. I’m…ah…I’m just playing on the Internet. You know, looking at stuff.”

“Oh, ah…if you see Mario, you might want to check out his ears for holes.”

“Holes?”

“Yeah, he…ah…well, Julie…ah…” Sam shrugged, “…yeah, holes.”

Brooke blinked as she looked first to Sam and then to her niece. “Do I even want to know?”

“No. Later Babe,” Sam waved and started back down the hallway.

“Thanks, Darlin’.” Brooke called out a little puzzled. “I’ll keep an eye out for him.”

Pushing open the door to the laundry, Sam carried her precious cargo inside the small room where she promptly reached over to the dial on the washer, setting it to the correct settings and water temperatures for the white comforter.

“Okay Sweetie,” Sam set the child down on the dryer as she waited for the washer to fill, while she selected her cleaning elements from the shelf above. “We’ve got some laundry to do. Do you help your Mommy with the washing, Julie?” Sam watched as the tot shook her head. “No. Well, I guess I get to give you your first lesson then.” Sam smiled, then touched the child on her nose with a finger. “You just watch me and you’ll know all about getting your things nice and clean.”

Big brown eyes watched Sam’s every move as she selected the liquid soap and poured some directly on the stained comforter, rubbing it into the fabric with her two hands after she put the open bottle on the dryer next to Julie.

“See how we work the soap into a lather, Julie?” Sam smiled sweetly as she maneuvered the king-sized comforter into the top loading washer. You had to give her grape juice, didn’t you Brooke? She picked up the bottle and poured on some more soap. “Hmm…I’ll have to remind Brooke that she needs more. This one only has a few more washings left.”

“Good juice, Sam.” The child nodded then giggled as she watched the woman intently. “Me like jape.”

“Wait until you’re older, I can almost assure you that after your first child rearing experience that you won’t like grape juice any more.” Sam reached for the stain spray now and went to work on the comforter once more. “Your Auntie Brooke is going to have a bird if she sees this,” Sam muttered under her breath. The blonde looked over to the youngster and smiled at the cute image Julie was presenting with her teddy clutched so tightly in her hand. “You love that teddy, don’t you?”

“Yeah…me wuv Teddy.” The tot scrunched the bear into her neck and then kissed it on the head.

“Well, just remember, juice is good for you when it goes in your stomach, not on the things you love.” Sam pushed the comforter all the way into the washer then turned to clean her hands in the laundry tub. “I’m not so sure that it’s going to be any good for that comforter, though.”

Julie pulled her teddy away from her body and looked at it. There on the legs were dark purple splatters of juice. Looking over to Sam and then to the detergent next to her, the tot imitated what she had just seen being done. Tipping over the bottle of detergent, she held her teddy over the opening of the washer and let the soap pour out onto his leg. Tiny little hands gently massaged the bear until white foam appeared and the teddy slipped out of the child’s slippery hands. Julie picked up the bottle of soap and righted it, then reached down into the opening to retrieve her beloved bear just as Sam turned around.

“Hey, we can’t play in that water, Julie.” Sam held onto the tot and closed the lid to the washer. “You might fall in and then what would we tell your mommy?” Sam wiped Julie’s suds-filled hands with the same towel she had just used. “There, all dry now.” Sam winked at the child then continued, “You were such a good girl, sitting there watching me.”

“I good girl,” the child repeated and clapped her hands.

“You deserve a treat for that. Let’s go see what we can find.” Sam hoisted the child off the top of the dryer and placed her down on the floor.

“Julie big girl. Julie did laundry.” The tot took off out the door and headed for the stairs.

Sam shook her head and laughed, “God, where do they get the energy?”

“Hey Hon,” Sam poked her head into Brooke’s office. “Julie was such a good girl with helping me do the laundry…” Sam saw the hurried movements of her lover as she quickly grabbed the mouse and minimized the site she was looking at. “Oh, sorry. I didn’t mean to disturb you.”

“That’s okay, Baby. You’re not disturbing me.” Brooke smiled and waved to her niece who was clinging onto Sam’s leg.

“Can you watch your niece while I use the…ah…” Sam motioned to the bathroom.

Seeing Sam’s need written in her eyes, Brooke nodded, “Sure, Darlin’.”

“Thanks,” Sam opened the door a little wider as she moved into the room, bringing Julie with her. “Here’s a piece of candy for being such a big help and a big girl.” The blonde looked down at Julie and winked before leaving.

“Hey Munchkin,” Brooke reached out for the child and settled her up in her lap.

“Where’s Sam going wid the baby?”

“Uhm…Sam…” Brooke smiled, “and the baby, are going to go to the potty.”

Julie giggled and clapped her hands, first on her aunt and then turned to the computer keyboard on the desk. “Big girl potty…let’s sing Aunt Bwooke.”

“NO!” Brooke eyes widened in terror. “Sam doesn’t want us to sing because…she uhm…” the woman thought for a moment, then grasped at the first thing that came to her mind. “We might wake the baby.”

“Oh…” Julie put her finger to her lips and let out a long, “Shhhhhhhhh.”

“Shh…” Brooke now mimicked her niece.

Eyeing the piece of candy on the desk, the small tyke wanted her treat. “Good girl tweat…candy, me need candy, Aunt Brooke…candy.”

Brooke took the piece of candy from the desk and after unwrapping it, held it out to her niece. “Okay Julie, here’s your big girl treat.”

The child nodded her head and clapped wildly, turning to the screen, touching the keyboard as she took the piece of candy into her mouth. “What’s dat?” She looked back to her aunt.

Brooke leaned out to look into the hallway, seeing the bathroom door still closed. She turned back to the computer and opened the site bringing the screen to life with color. “That’s a computer, Munchkin, and this is Vermont.”

“What’s Vewmond?” Julie took the candy out of her mouth and offered it to her aunt.

“Ah…no thank you.” Brooke pulled back from the offering. “Vermont is a place up North.”

“Why?” She put the candy back into her mouth, then grabbed Brooke’s sleeve with her sticky fingers. “What’s Nowth?”

“North is…it’s a far away place.” Brooke stared at the screen.

“Oh.” Julie turned to stare at the screen imitating her aunt. “Like Grammies’ house?” She asked as she leaned into Brooke’s chest, with drool running from her mouth and over her chin, dripping on the adult’s clothing without her realizing it.

“Like your Daddy’s Mommy?” Brooke felt the head nod against her. “Yeah.”

“Why…” Julie tugged at Brooke’s long hair. “Why you looking up nord…in vewmond?” She asked spitting out the piece of candy with her words and watched it land in Brooke’s hair. She reached out to retrieve it only to have it squish out of her small hand and settled deeper into the cascading locks of her aunt.

“It’s a surprise for someone.” Brooke winked at her niece, and unthinkingly moved in to give her a touch on the nose with her own.

“Why?” Julie placed her sticky hands on Brooke’s face and held it up against her.

Feeling the degree of stickiness, Brooke pulled her face away from the child’s as Julie turned her attention back to the screen. Running her hand through her long hair, Brooke easily found the matted, sticky mess that the lost piece of candy was creating and pulled the morsel of sugar out of her hair. She sighed. After seeing strands of hair stuck to the candy, she tossed Julie’s ‘good girl’ award into the wastebasket when Julie wasn’t looking. “Hey Julie, why don’t we go take a bath…hmmm?” Brooke grabbed the mouse and exited the Internet. “We can play in the water.”

Julie put her finger on Brooke’s nose and grabbed it. “Horsey ride, horsey ride,” she nodded wildly.

“Okay, horsey ride it is.” Brooke shifted the tyke up on to her shoulders and got up from the chair. She turned to exit the office just as Sam was on her way in. “Hey, Sam.” The smile lit up Brooke’s face, “This little girl is going to take a bath.”

Sam looked up to see Julie grasping handfuls of hair in sticky little hands. “That might not be a bad idea for both of you.”

“Yeah?” Brooke asked with a slightly seductive tone.

“Oh, don’t go getting any ideas.” Sam cautioned Brooke, “I’m not the one covered in stickiness.”

The tall woman leaned in toward her lover’s ear and whispered, “You could be, given a little time and some attention.” Brooke kissed Sam’s cheek for emphasis and then ran her tongue up the outside of Sam’s ear.

Sam could feel the heat of a blush start in her chest and slowly spread toward her face. “Any more of that and I will be, Brooke Gordon.” The blonde moved back and then in a surprise attack, kissed the taller woman’s nose. “Mmm…peppermint?”

“You should know, you gave it to her.” Brooke scowled.

“Hmm…” Sam sighed as she looked up to the gleeful child riding on Brooke’s shoulders, then shook her head. “Better add candy to that growing list of what not to have around when we have kids.”

Brooke nodded her head, bringing the sticky little hands right along with her, and sighed.

The brunette stood patiently outside her sister’s house. There were signs of life in the house with a light on upstairs and the van still parked in the driveway. C.C. looked at her watch as she tried to remember her niece’s schedule. “Yeah, three-thirty, this should be nap time. I’d better not ring that doorbell.” Without any second thoughts, the young woman turned to her sister’s security panel and punched in the code. Within seconds she heard the familiar sound of locks clicking, then C.C. carefully opened the door.

Venturing inside, the willowy woman stopped as she turned to close the door. Her view of the living room was enough to peak her curiosity as she saw one of the end table lamps on the floor surrounded by pillows and cushions all over the floor.

“God, you’d think someone was trying to be killed in here.” The young woman left the door open as she investigated deeper into the room. “Well, at least it looks like they put up a good fight.” C.C. picked up a pillow or two, throwing them back onto the couch.

After taking another couple of steps to reach the next pillow, C.C. noticed the newly decorated wall in the dining room. “What the…” she moved into the room to get a better look. “Oh my God.” C.C.’s hand went to her mouth. “Brooke’s not going to like that one bit. No wonder the house is so quiet. She’s already killed her.” The brunette walked over to the wall and touched it, confirming her suspicions. “Crayon.” C.C. rolled her eyes and held her breath realizing that there had to be a massacre somewhere in the house.

Worried now, the brunette left the dining room and entered the hallway. She stood absolutely still for a moment as she tried to detect any signs of life coming from anywhere in the house. Her prayers were answered when she heard the sound of running water. She followed the noise into the kitchen.

C.C. stopped at the doorway to the kitchen and flicked on the light switch. The fluorescence that seemed to blind her for a split second now, showed the kitchen exactly as the woman had remembered it, neat and organized. There, sticking out of the garbage pail was the large, empty box of Cheerios. She started to walk into the room and she could hear the distinct sound of crunching every so often under her feet. C.C. let a smile come to her face, “Yeah, I bet Julie had a field day with that box of cereal.” She could see it in her mind’s eye, knowing how the small child had done it to C.C. on a few occasions while babysitting her niece. It was then that the warped mind of C.C.’s came up with the perfect name for this thriller she was living in. “The attack of the Oh’s…” the brunette chuckled, “starring Brooke Loran as the evil godmother.”

The sound of running water was louder as C.C. crossed the cereal dotted floor toward the laundry room. Looking over to the door, the brunette caught sight of the white mass of suds that were creeping out from under the door.

C.C.’s eyes widened and only one thought crossed her mind, “Ohmygod, they’re washing her mouth out with soap.” Rushing the door, C.C.’s mind raced with scenarios. “Brooke you can’t do that…she didn’t mean it. Hang on, Julie, I’ll…” she latched onto the doorknob and threw open the door to see massive amounts of foam pouring out of the washer.

“What the…” C.C. looked first to one side, then to the other, sure that someone was in there, “…hell is going on here?” The brunette eyed the washer suspiciously as she moved closer to turn it off. “Julie?” she mumbled, then hurriedly opened the lid, swiping out huge handfuls of glistening bubbles from inside the washer until she could see better. Reaching down into the lukewarm water, C.C. prayed for the best. “Randi’s going to kill us both. All I wanted to do was come over to mooch some dinner. Now I’m going to be blamed too.”

Fishing her hand down through the murky red water, she latched onto something that felt vaguely like an arm and held her breath as she pulled it out. “Come on, girl, pull,” she egged herself on as the heavy bulk she clung on to was not coming out easily. With her adrenaline pumping wildly, C.C. reached in with her other hand and pulled back with all her might again and again until there was a swooshing sound and the bulk in her hands came sloshing out of the cavern. The weight of the mass being much more then the woman could hold, C.C. lowered it onto the top of the dryer.

Surprised at her own strength but relieved that her struggle with the washer was over, C.C. frantically picked and poked at the pink mound dripping before her. Getting nowhere fast, the young woman did the only thing she could think of doing. She picked up the mound and flipped it to another side, placing it on the floor this time.

Wiping her hair out of her face, C.C. concentrated her gaze on the pile of material. There, plain as day, was the familiar red teddy bear lying amidst the wrapped layers of material. The brunette rolled her eyes at the sight. “Teddy,” she mumbled as she breathed a sigh of relief, then extracted the bear from the swaddle of cloth and placed him into the dryer. She reached up to the control dial and turned it on to start the machine in motion.

“Now, what the heck is that thing?” C.C. pondered the pink mass on the floor. She was about to reach down and figure it out when the sound of youthful laughter came wafting into the room and was quickly followed by the sound of fast moving feet.

Delighted to hear sounds of life now emanating from her sister’s house, C.C. stuck her head out of the laundry room door. The sight of the fast moving fur ball as Mario was rounding the kitchen doorway and slid across the now wet, slippery floor meant one thing in the young woman’s mind. “Julie’s here,” she grinned and carefully headed for the stairway, as Mario escaped through his doggie door.

Standing at the bottom of the spiral staircase, C.C. admired the decorative but rather blandly colored streamers that dangled from the railing and stairs alike. The brunette scratched her head and slowly started up the stairs, wondering what shambles she would find there. Nearing the top of the stairs, C.C. called out her sister’s and roomie’s names, “Brooke…Sam…” She stopped to peer down the hallway when her eyes had reached that level. “What the hell…? Where are you two and what did Julie do to you?” Shaking her head at the mess of toilet paper everywhere, C.C. climbed the last few steps up until she was standing in the hallway.

The sound of gleeful laughter once again began and soon the naked little girl came squealing down the hall from the bathroom at the other end. Within seconds, Brooke emerged from the same door, her clothing wet and clinging to her, with soap bubbles in her hair.

C.C. eyed her sister and gave a little wave, “Hey Sis, did I come at a bad time?”

“No, just help me get her.” Brooke darted off after Julie as she ran into another bedroom. “Julie come here. Look who came to say hello.”

C.C. stood there as the toddler ran out the door and across the hall into the next room. She waited only a few seconds until her sister appeared again and taunted her. “What’s the matter, can’t handle a three year old?”

Brooke stopped in the middle of the hallway and turned toward her sister. “Why you…” she went to take a step forward when, like a flash of lightning, Julie came out of the room and ran right between Brooke’s long legs, propelling herself into C.C.’s arms.

“Hi Aunt C.C.” Julie smiled up at her aunt.

“Hey Sweetums, how you doing?” The brunette laughed with her niece.

“Me good. I playing with the baby.”

“Baby?” C.C. mumbled, then looked over to her sister. “Who else are you watching?”

“No one else, just Julie,” Brooke raised a lone, dark eyebrow in her sister’s direction.

“Then, what baby is she talking about?”

As if right on cue, Sam emerged from the bathroom and stepped into the hall. “My baby, that’s who.”

C.C.’s mouth gapped open as she looked from her sister and then to Sam.

“Sam’s gonna have a baby for me to pway wif…” Julie eagerly announced, “…by next Danksgiving just like Aunt Tehwi.”

Sam moved up along side of Brooke as she tried to explain. “Ah…C.C. she thinks that…” she followed C.C.’s eyes as they moved to Brooke.

Not knowing what else to do, Brooke merely offered a weak smile and shrugged her shoulders.

“I got to help wif da name.” Julie tugged on C.C.’s shirt. “It’s a girl.”

The brunette’s eyes lit up as she slowly walked down the hall toward her sister. The woman looked into her sister’s eyes as she mumbled, letting it sink into her head, “So that’s what all those talks were about in the den yesterday.” The woman’s face turned to pure elation as she let out a yell and raised her hand into the air. “Wahoo! You stud muffin you.” C.C. slapped Brooke on the back producing a wet, sopping sound. She beamed a smile at Sam and then grabbed onto the tot and danced up and down the hallway with her singing out, “I’m in the money, I’m in the money.”

Brooke rolled her eyes at her youngest sister’s antics. “Hey Sam, remember that name we discussed?” She looked over to the blonde as she nodded. “Maybe that was a bad idea.”

“Chastity Loran?”

Brooke shook her head, “No, Darlin’, the nickname.”

“Oh, Chase,” Sam said the name loud enough for C.C. to hear and giggled at the look on the woman’s face when she turned toward them, almost dumfounded.

“Hey, what’s wrong with Chase?” Then the brunette realized what they were talking about. “You gonna name the kid after me? I’m honored, after all I did match you two up, you know.”

“Sam, look how swollen her head is now,” Brooke motioned to C.C. “How do you think she’ll be when we actually do name our daughter after her?”

The blonde studied her roomie for second before answering, ” Oh, I don’t know, it might bring her down to earth being a…godmother and all.”

“Hmm…after the day we’ve had, maybe it’s not such a good idea after all,” Brooke scratched her cheek while she watched C.C.’s reaction.

“Just think of it Brooke, she could watch lil’ Chase when we want to do some shopping.” Sam looked at her lover, “Think of all the fun she’ll have.” The teasing was done and Sam knew it. Suddenly reality struck her in the face. “I can’t believe we thought that we could handle a three year old for more than an hour.”

It had Brooke’s full attention as she thought about the idea. “I don’t know, Sam.” Brooke watched as the blonde sank to the floor with her back up against the wall.

“I’m worn out,” Sam raised her head to look up at Brooke. “…how about you?”

Brooke dropped to her knees and then sat on the floor next to Sam. “I’ll admit it, I’m wiped.” The woman shook her head. “And to think, we were actually considering having one of our own?” The tall woman’s shoulders slumped, “Maybe not, Sam.”

“I was just thinking the same thing.” Sam leaned her head into Brooke’s shoulder, “Maybe we need to really think about it some more.”

The dark-haired woman left out a long sigh. “Better yet…how about we don’t think about it?”

Sam glanced up at her lover. “You serious about that?”

“I don’t know.” Brooke made a face, “What do you think about it? I keep thinking that this was one day. We’re talking about the rest of our lives.”

The blonde took in a deep breath and gave it a thought. “I…I think you’re right.” Sam left out a long sigh. “Maybe we’re just not cut out to be parents.”

“Maybe.” Brooke offered a weak smile and sighed.

“I’m okay with it if you are.” Sam patted Brooke’s hand, then rubbed it trying to soothe any hurt the woman was feeling. “We can always be great aunts.”

“That sounds like a good enough plan.”

“Okay,” green eyes looked up into blue. “Then we agree to not think about it for a long time…right?”

“Yeah,” Brooke nodded her head.

C.C. watched the two women in her life that she wanted nothing but happiness for, sink into the valley of a depression. The brunette whispered softly into Julie’s ear, then squatted down to the floor, letting Julie easily wiggle out of her arms.

Silently, the three year old moved across the hallway and climbed into Sam’s lap. “Sam?” Big brown eyes looked up to the blonde.

“Yeah, Munchkin?”

“I sweepy,” the tiny voice said, “Can I take a nap with you and da baby?”

Sam looked over to Brooke as she bit on her lip.

“Sam, da baby can be my new Teddy,” Julie continued to explain.

“What happened to your old teddy bear?” Sam asked softly, trying to understand.

“E dook a baf.”

“A bath…” she looked puzzled at the tyke. “Where? He wasn’t in the tub with you.”

“I pud him in da big square tub downstairs.”

From across the hallway, C.C. offered her expertise. “Ah…I think I can answer that one.”

“I do good londwy.” Julie proclaimed. “Teddy dake a baf.”

Sam sat upright now, looking intently at the child in her lap, “Jeez, don’t tell me you put that bear in with Aunt Brooke’s spread.”

Julie smiled radiantly and laughed out, “I wuv you, Sam.”

Sam closed her eyes and imagined the red teddy bear in the washer with the white comforter, then sank back against the wall, feeling a little nauseous.

Brooke glanced first at Sam and her niece, then over at C.C. Seeing her sister lean forward in a manner that suggested that the woman had something she wanted to ask, Brooke simply challenged her with, “Yes?”

Trying hard not to laugh, C.C. fought the smile that was tugging at her lips. “Ah…Brooke?” The brunette watched as two blue eyes raised to her brown. “Since when do you have pink spreads on your bed?” C.C. watched as her sister just slowly bounced her own head off the wall.

Brooke came back in from the driveway, closing the door behind her.

She stood looking in at the little family grouping on the couch. Warm feelings enveloped her and she couldn’t help but smile, although deep in her heart she felt a real sadness that it might never be hers to have. Crossing the room, she agilely stepped over the sleeping dog, ran her hand through Julie’s brown hair as she sat mesmerized by the T.V., then sat down on the couch next to Sam.

“So, C.C.’s not going to stick around for the pizza?” Sam asked softly.

“No, she said that she had had enough excitement for one day. Remind me to thank her for watching Julie so that we could get out of those wet clothes and take a shower before Randi comes.”

“Hmm…” Sam looked at the tot as she still clutched onto the teddy bear that was now slightly faded but at least clean. “Julie, can I get you something to drink?”

“Hey,” Brooke grabbed the blonde’s arm. “You’re not leaving me to suffer this purple beast by myself,” referring to the popular children’s programming that was on. “I’m almost praying for the commercials to start.”

“At least she’s quiet.” Sam looked down to Julie, “although…mesmerized is more like it.

“Hmm…” Brooke eyed the T.V. suspiciously. “Do you think they’re running subliminal programming? I swear… Barney must be the spawn of Satan. It’s like a mass cult.”

“I wonder why they picked purple for him?” Sam’s face took on a devilish appearance. “I wonder if he likes Kool-Aid,” the blonde winked at Brooke.

“Well, I could handle watching the Smurfs, even though Smurfette was a hussy.”

“Hussy?” Sam looked at Brooke strangely. “She was cute… the only woman, but cute.” Sam giggled, “Guess we knew her orientation.”

Brooke chuckled, “Who else was there?”

“Shh…” Sam laughed at Brooke’s observation, noticing the gentle rocking motion of Julie in time to the irritating music on the screen. Sam looked to see the older woman cringing.

Just then, Julie turned from the T.V. and asked, “Aunt Bwooke can you sing me that song next time I go potty?” She looked up and batted her big, brown eyes.

Stifling a snarl, Brooke mustered out a very definite, “Uh…we’ll see, maybe.”

Sam laughed as she watched the tyke go from asking the question to staring back at the screen, within seconds, with a nod of her head. “Well, at least we know she’s still in there.”

“God, think about it Sam, if we were to have kids, this is what we’d have to deal with.”

The young woman laughed, “Julie do you want some more juice?” Sam watched as the tiny head bobbed up and down. “Okay, I’ll get you a nice big glass of it.”

“Sam…” Brooke looked over to her lover, “That was mean.” Brooke hid her head in her hands, “Oh God, that means she’ll have to…”

“I know,” the blonde smiled cutely, then stuck out her tongue at the older woman.

“Hey you…”

“Yes?”

The dark-haired woman pulled Sam closer to her and whispered, “Didn’t anyone ever tell you not to stick out your tongue, unless you plan to use it?”

The feisty blonde wet her lips seductively and smiled, “Oh, but I do,” she winked, “…only later. I’m just getting it limbered up now.”

Brooke gazed in a trance-like state as Sam walked out of the room. Slowly, she was able to shake the images from her head and called out to the woman in the kitchen. “Don’t give her any grape. I’ve got white carpeting in this room and I want to keep it that way.”

The most dreaded time of any child’s programming was happening now, the commercials. Dreaded for the adults, that is. Turning her attention back to the small child viewing the show, Brooke either nodded unknowingly or shook her head out of sheer shock at what Julie was asking for.

“I need dat…Aunt Bwooke,” the tyke blurted out with every commercial that came on. “Me want…” she nodded her head expressing her desire with each new toy that was shown, whether she knew what it was or not.

In Brooke’s ancient mind, the child’s voice sounded almost like an antique stuck record, playing over and over again, the same piece of recorded verbiage and never moving on. I need dat…I need dat…I need dat…I need dat.

The dark-haired woman looked down at her watch. “Hmm…only five minutes and I think we’ve seen just about twenty commercials. That man who thought up these quick clips must have been a marketing genius,” she muttered under her breath as Sam walked back into the room.

The blonde took note of what was transpiring after only two or three different commercials. “Here you go Julie, a nice cup of water for you.” She looked over to Brooke and received a smile as she sat down next to the woman. “My mind would be mush by the time the kid hits three or four if I was listening to all that,” she pointed to the commercial and the behavior that it elicited. “How do parents do it?”

“I don’t know.” Brooke shook her head, “God, I have so much more respect for Mom and Dad now.”

Sam sank into the couch and leaned her head on Brooke’s shoulder. “You wonder why they need vitamins now.”

“That’s because the kids need them,” she smirked, “Then parents need them to keep up.” Brooke kissed the top of Sam’s head as she wrapped her arm around the woman’s shoulders.

“No, silly, I mean your mom and dad. What is that stuff they take?”

Sam paused as she gave Brooke’s thigh a playful slap.

“I don’t know? Why did you smack me?” Brooke poked out her lower lip.

“Sorry Hon, I guess I’m just a little overwhelmed at the prospects of parenthood.” Sam sighed, “Maybe even a little bummed at not having a family with you. It was kind of nice thinking about having kids with you.”

Brooke looked over at the woman next to her, “Sam…do you really want a baby?” She gazed lovingly into sad, green eyes and the answer was there for her to see. Each woman wanted to voice their thoughts but content to let the silent communication say what was in their hearts. The pull of their love was more than either could resist and before either knew it they were headed for a kiss.

“Aunt Bwooke…I need…” the little voice grew louder as the small hands started to pat on the older woman’s leg. “Aunt Bwooooooke…I need da go potty…NOW.”

Blue eyes shot open as she quickly dissolved the brief moment of bliss. Brooke turned to see her niece dancing and making faces as she patted at the jean covered leg.

“Me got da go.”

After a hurried look to Sam, Brooke sprang into action. “Oh God, Munchkin.” She swept the tot up into her arms and started to head to the closest bathroom. Making her way across the room she stopped at the door and looked back at Sam. As if practiced for hours in unison, they both spoke the word as they shook their heads, “NO!”

Sam chuckled as she heard her long-legged friend taking the stairs two at a time to get to her destination faster. She sighed when the hurried verses of the potty song came floating down from the second floor. “Well, I guess that says it all.” The blonde snuggled into the couch and looked down at her stomach as she gave it a gentle rub with her hand. “Maybe someday, Chastity Loran…but not just yet.”

Finishing the last bit of her pizza, Sam leaned on her arm as she rested it on the tabletop. “God, I feel like an encyclopedia, don’t you?”

“Yes,” Brooke had learned quickly to keep her answers simple. She looked down when she felt her sleeve being tugged on.

“Aunt Bwooke, why does the T.V. come on?”

“Because we hit the power button.” She smiled at her niece, then looked up to Sam, “Care for another?” She held out the last two pieces of pizza from the cardboard box.

“Why?” Julie tugged at Brooke’s sleeve again.

“To turn on the T.V.” Brooke glanced back at Sam to see her shaking her head.

“But why?”

“Because you wanted to watch it,” Brooke tried to reason with the child.

Julie listened carefully, then looked up, first at Sam, then back to Brooke, “Why?”

Taking in a deep breath, then slowly letting it out, Brooke answered her niece. “Because you wanted to watch Barney.”

“Oh,” Julie looked pensive for a moment, then reached up and tugged at the woman’s sleeve another time. “Why?”

“Because you like Barney.” Brooke rolled her eyes, “God knows why you like that purple beast, but you do.”

Sam could see the next round of the same question coming and tried to head it off, “Because we thought you wanted to, that’s why.” The blonde reached across the table and held onto her lover’s hand. “Brooke, we’re not getting anywhere with this. Can’t you see it?”

“Yes,” she sighed.

“So why are you feeding into it?” Sam saw a lone, dark eyebrow rise slowly on Brooke’s forehead. She turned to Julie and got down on to her level. “Julie, when you ask your mommy why… what does she tell you?”

The child made a face and held her hands up in the air, “I dunno…it pends”

“Depends on what, Baby?” Sam’s own frustration was beginning to show.

“I dunno…” Julie looked up with innocent, brown eyes and asked, “Why?”

The blonde sat back up in the chair and rolled her eyes as she slowly shook her head. “Definitely not going to happen Brooke, not in a million years. Tonight we take back that wish.”

“Deal,” Brooke hurriedly agreed. There was a moment of silence before blue eyes looked over to Sam. “Wait a minute…you mean you actually wished for it too?”

Sam looked wearily at Brooke, “What do you think?”

They locked gazes for a moment, then Brooke softly sighed, “Oh.”

The faint sound of the doorbell ringing brought Brooke’s mind to the present. She thought she had only dozed off for a few minutes as the three spent the last part of their day together on the couch, waiting for Julie’s parent’s to arrive. Casting a roving eye to the bodies on her left, Brooke smiled at the sight of Julie curled up sweetly with her teddy bear in one hand and Sam’s shirt in the other.

The tall woman stretched as she wiped the sleep from her eyes, “Sam…I think they’re here.” Brooke watched as Sam opened a struggling eyelid and nodded.

“DING- DING- DING!” The ringing was much more insistent this time.

Brooke sat bolt upright. “Ugh…she’ll wake up.” The tall woman moved as fast as she could to stop the bell from sounding again. Reaching the door, she quickly punched in the security code and pulled open the door. “Oh, thank God it’s you. Come on in.” She motioned for her sister to follow her.

“Hey Sis. What’s up?” Randi laughed seeing that it definitely wasn’t the same confident woman she had known all of her life. The lawyer took a wide sweep of the area with her eyes as she followed her sister into the living room. “You finally wore her out, huh?” Randi motioned to the two figures on the couch. “Did she give you any trouble?”

“Not much.” Brooke stretched her sore muscles and winced, “The munchkin just fell asleep about…” she looked down at her watch, “…half an hour ago.”

Brian entered the room right behind Randi, but kept walking through until he came to the dining room door and looked around in the dim light that filtered into the room. “Damn, Brooke, what happened to your house?”

“Your daughter, Brian.” Brooke motioned to the two chairs in the living room, “Have a seat, guys. I’ll get her bag.”

Brian smiled and chuckled. “You mean…bags, don’t you?” He watched as Brooke made a face and headed for the stairs.

“So, Sam…” Randi looked over to the woman that her daughter was enthralled with, “How’d everything go?”

“We…we had fun, Randi.” Sam politely smiled, not really wanting to go into details. Julie started to wake from her short nap. “Hey Sweetie, look who’s here.” The blonde caught the child’s attention and pointed over to her parents.

“Daddy…” the smile on her face glowed brightly as she slid down from the couch and scurried toward her father. “Hi, Daddy.”

“Hey Princess, how’s my girl?” Brian picked up his daughter and hugged her tight.

“Good, Sam’s been letting me pway wif da baby.”

“Baby?” Brian knitted his brows and looked over to Sam.

“She’s still on that baby kick..eh?” Randi asked curiously.

The blonde sighed, “Yes…just play along. She seems to think I’ll have a playmate for her for next Thanksgiving dinner.”

Brooke rounded the doorway into the living room, placing the assorted bags, boxes, and favorite blanket down by the outside door. “There you go,” she turned to see Julie wide-awake and moving toward her, out of her father’s arms. “God, she’s awake?” Brooke quickly stepped over and hid behind Sam.

“You big coward,” Sam teased the tall woman behind her, “don’t go hiding now.”

Brooke leaned in and whispered into Sam’s ear, “No babies.”

“Me wanna play wif baby.”

“Honey, the baby’s been awake for a long time now. She’s gonna have to sleep for a looooooooooooong time,” Sam drew out the word. “She may not even wake up for next thanksgiving.”

“Dat’s not what the wittle girl star said.” Julie put her hands on her hips. “She gonna come say hi soon.”

Sam cringed as she mumbled to the woman behind her, “Remind me to shoot that star.”

“I gonna wish on it ehwee night…” Julie turned to look at her parents, “Mommy and Daddy will help.”

Brooke leaned in to Sam’s ear and repeated her words, “No babies.”

The blonde turned her head and totally agreed with her lover, “Damn right,” she said under her breath, then turned to smile at Randi and Brian. “Sorry.”

“Well, come on, Princess.” Brain held his hand out to his daughter. “Let’s get home so Aunt Brooke and Sam can…uh…

“Find da baby?” The tyke asked.

Randi watched as the smile came to her husband’s face, “Don’t even go there. I’m sure that they’re not up to it, just like you never seem to be after a day with Julie.”

“Oh God,” Brooke buried her head into Sam’s shoulder at the thought.

Sam patted the woman’s head. “Remember that for future planning, Love.”

“But I wanna stay wif Sam.” Julie poked her lower lip out and started to pout. She looked up to Sam as the tears began to flow.

The blonde rolled her eyes as she knelt down to reason with the child. “What’s the matter, Sweetie?”

“I wanna stay wif you and Aunt Bwooke. I no wanna go.” She sobbed, “I pwomise no watch Barney.”

“But your Mommy and Daddy need you,” Sam looked to Randi for help.

Brooke knelt down next to her lover. “It’s okay, Julie. Sam and I will come see you soon.”

“You will…weally?” Brown eyes were filled with hope as she looked up to her aunt.

“Sure we will.” Brooke nodded.

Julie looked over to Sam, “Pwomise?”

Sam looked over to Brooke and took her hand. “Yeah, Julie, together we will. We promise.”

Randi moved closer to her daughter, “Julie, please come home with Daddy and me. You don’t want Daddy to cry now, do you?”

On cue, Brian buried his face in his hands and pretended to cry.

“But I like it here. I love Aunt Bwooke.” Julie’s attention was captured by the sound of sniffing and whimpers that came from her father. “Don’t cry Daddy, I come visit you.”

“See Julie? We don’t want Daddy to cry. I know you love your Aunt Brooke.” Randi got down on one knee next to her child. “She loves you, too.”

“And Sam and da baby.” Julie wasn’t sure where to look now as she moved her head back and forth from one adult to the other.

More determined than ever, Randi kept working on her daughter. “But Daddy wants you to come live with him and Mommy. Besides…” the lawyer waited until she had the child’s attention, “…all of your toys are there.”

“Toys…my toys?” she said rather surprised.

“Yep, all your toys.”

Sam leaned in and whispered, “Hey, how about if you go take care of your toys and next time, we’ll come visit you?” Sam didn’t budge when she heard Brooke mutter under her breath. “Please, please, say yes.” The tall woman looked to the heavens and crossed her fingers as she covered all her bases.

After giving it a moment of thought, Julie nodded her head, “Otay.” She ran over to her father and took hold of his hand, “Come on, Daddy…let’s go pway.”

Relieved by the tot’s decision, two pairs of eyes met as a silent prayer of thanksgiving was sent on its way.

Randi stood up and winked at her sister, “We’d better get going before she changes her mind.” She chuckled to herself, “I think you two have better things to be doing right now then taking care of child for the next couple of days.”

“Thanks, Randi.” Brooke nodded at the thought as she stood up. Walking her sister to the door, she held tightly onto Sam’s hand.

“Well, thanks for the day of shopping. Remind me to do the same for you when you have kids.” With the ease of a veteran, the lawyer grabbed the assortment of bags and boxes from the floor and headed out the door that her husband held open. “I’ll call you next week, Brooke, maybe we can have lunch.”

“Hey, Brian.” Brooke waited for the man to turn around. “I think you might need these.” She dropped the keys to the van into his waiting hand.

“Oh yeah,” Brian laughed, “I guess you want your keys back, too.” He reached into his pocket and pulled them out. “Thanks for letting me remember what it felt like before the kids.” He winked at his sister-n-law and tossed her set back.

Brooke stood out on the porch with Sam neatly tucked under her arm as they watched the trio head toward their van. When they were almost to the passenger door, Julie turned around and raced back toward the house. Brooke could feel both of their bodies stiffen.

“Sam…Sam…” little arms reached up for the woman to lift her up.

The blonde exchanged glances with her lover, then reached down to lift the child into her arms. “What’s up, Sweetie?”

“Bye, Sam, I wuv you.”

The young woman bit her lip as the start of a tear formed in her eye, “I love you, too Julie.

“I pwomise to leave Teddy at home next time.”

Sam smiled at the child’s sincerity, “Okay, Sweetums, next time.” Sam winked, then gave Julie a hug. After a few seconds, Sam looked into the youngster’s face, “Whatcha looking at Babe?” Sam turned to see Julie’s outstretched hand toward Brooke, “Oh, your big playmate, huh?” She stepped closer to her lover as Brooke wrapped her arms around them both.

“I wuv you Aunt Bwooke. I sorry I turn dat banket pink. It was Teddy’s fault, he needed a bath.”

“It’s okay, Angel. I love you, too.” Brooke smiled down at her niece as she felt the little arms wrap around her neck in a hug.

“Sam, can you tell da baby bye when she wakes up?” Julie looked back at the blonde.

The woman smiled as she looked up to Brooke then back to Julie and nodded, “Yes, I’ll tell the baby when she wakes up.”

“Julie…” Randi called out. “Time to go.”

“Okay, Mommy.” The tot turned back to her babysitters, “I godda go now. I wuv you.” Julie gave each woman a very wet kiss and hugged each one again before leaving.

“Love you, Pumpkin.” Sam kissed the tyke and placed her feet back on the ground. “You be careful.”

Julie nodded, then took off down the driveway, “Coming, Mommy.”

Sam watched as the child ran toward the van. Both women stood mesmerized as they watched Brian put the child into her car seat and the van slowly pulled away.

Brooke leaned her arm against the doorframe and then put her head against it. Together they each waved as the van drove off.

The young woman tightened her hold on her lover’s waist as they both sighed in unison.

“Well, it’s over.” Brooke wrapped her arm around Sam’s shoulder and leaned into her as the taillights of the van disappeared from sight.

“Yep.” Sam looked up into Brooke’s eyes.

“She’s gone.”

“Yeah, the house is quiet again.” Sam watched as Brooke moved away from her, shoving both hands into her front jeans pockets. Then she leaned back against the door.

“Yeah,” Brooke left out a disgusted sigh. “So…”

Sam studied her lover for a moment, then looked deep inside of herself, at her own feelings of loss. It seemed pretty evident as to why. The blonde walked over to Brooke and gave her a little nudge. “So…when do you want to start?”

Blue eyes lifted as Brooke looked into Sam’s face. Seeing the hopeful expression on the woman’s face was all that the musician needed to smile.