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揝o what did you decide??
揅ould you get Stan on the line too??Quinn asked.
揝ure.?Putting the receiver down, Daria shouted for Stan to pick up on the extension.
揌ey Quinn.?Stan said.
揌i Stan.?/p>
Daria interrupted. 揝o what did you decide??/p>
揑抦 taking the position. We抮e coming back there.?/p>
揟hat抯 great.?Daria said. 揝o when are you moving??/p>
揑抣l be there in two weeks. Brad is going to stay here to work out the details on this end. Plus we want Jake to finish out the school year here. It抣l be easier than starting at a new school so late in the year.?/p>
揝o what made you finally decide??Stan asked.
揥ell we wanted to be closer to both of our families. It isn抰 fair that Jake can抰 see either of you or Fred and Diane as often as he would like. And Brad and I miss all of you too.?/p>
Stan smiled. 揥e miss you too. It will be nice having you here.?Pausing for a second, he continued, 揑 must say I抦 very proud of you. You抮e the youngest chief of surgery in the history of the hospital. But there抯 nobody more qualified. I know you抣l do well.?/p>
揟hanks. It抯 going to be a busy few months when I get there though. I抣l be starting the new position and I need to get Grandma抯 house ready.?/p>
揑t抯 your house Quinn.?Daria interrupted. 揝he gave it to you. You should consider it your home now.?nbsp;
揥ell no matter what, it抯 been empty for several years. I抦 sure it needs some work.?/p>
Stan spoke up. 揥ell you can count on us to help. After all in another few months I抣l be out of a job.?/p>
揥hat do you mean??/p>
揑 just turned in my retirement. I抦 soon going to be spending most of my time getting on your mom抯 nerves.?/p>
揥hy do you think I volunteered at the library??Daria said.
Quinn laughed. 揝peaking of that. Mom, I have a job you might like.?/p>
揙h great. She wants me to volunteer at the hospital.?Daria thought. 揥hat is it??she asked.
揑抣l be needing a babysitter soon.?/p>
Daria smiled. 揑抣l be happy to take care of Jake whenever you need me to.?/p>
揟hat抯 not what I meant.?/p>
揑 don抰 understand.?Daria said.
揕et me put it this way.?Quinn said. 揌ow willing are you to change diapers??/p>
She finally understood. 揗ore than willing.?Daria said. 揑抣l even buy them if you want.?/p>
Quinn chuckled. 揟hat won抰 be necessary. But thanks.?/p>
揝o when are you due??Stan asked.
揂bout six and a half months??/p>
Daria couldn抰 believe it. 揧ou mean you抳e known this long and haven抰 told us??/p>
揥e didn抰 tell anyone.?/p>
Daria was more concerned than upset. 揥hy? If I may ask.?/p>
揥e wanted to get the tests back before we let anyone know.?/p>
This concerned Daria. 揟ests? It there a problem??/p>
揘o Mom. Everything is fine.?/p>
揟hen why did you need tests??Daria asked.
揥hen you抮e over forty and pregnant it抯 a good idea to make sure things are fine. If it抯 for no other reason than your own peace of mind.?/p>
揝o is everything okay??Stan asked.
揝he抯 fine.?/p>
Daria抯 eyes got as big as the frames of her glasses. 揧ou抮e having a girl! That抯 wonderful. Have you decided on a name yet??/p>
揂ctually yes.?Quinn said. 揝he抯 going to be Alexis Anne.?/p>
揑t抯 a nice name.?Stan said.
Just then Quinn heard her name. 揝orry but I need to go. They just paged me. I抣l call you later. Bye.?/p>
揙kay Quinn. Bye.?/p>
揃ye Quinn.?Stan said.
After hanging up, Stan went into the living room. When Daria saw him she stood up and they hugged each other. As they embraced, Daria said. 揝he抯 finally coming home.?/p>
Two weeks later, Quinn was in Lawndale. When Daria picked her up at the airport there was no mistaking Quinn was pregnant. Maybe Daria was just happy to see her but it looked to her like Quinn had the same glow that she had when she was carrying Jake. After dropping her stuff at Daria and Stan抯 house, she wanted to go straight to Glen Oaks Lane to see what was going to be needed to make the house ready again.
As they opened the door, the musty smell made them step back a bit. After working up their nerve, all three entered. Looking around at the empty living room, Quinn wondered where they should start. Deciding where they were standing was as good as any other place she looked at the carpet.
揥ell the floor is going to need replacing. This carpet is worn out.?/p>
Daria nodded. 揧es but the actual house is in good shape. Either Stan or I come here once a week to make sure everything is okay.?/p>
揟he plumbing and electrical is in good shape.?Stan said. 揊or the most part painting and carpet is likely all you will need to worry about.?/p>
Quinn smiled. 揟hat抯 a relief. With the new position I won抰 have a great deal of time.?/p>
Turning to look at Quinn, Daria said, 揇on抰 worry about that. You tell us what needs to be done and we抣l see that it抯 taken care of.?/p>
揟hanks Mom. Now I抎 like to look around. I just want to start getting some idea of what I want to do.?/p>
揙f course.?Daria said.
All three separated to look at different areas of the house. As they inspected everything from the garage floor to the bathroom cabinets it became obvious the house was in fair condition in spite of being empty all those years. Walking down the hallway, looking at the empty bedrooms, Daria saw Quinn standing in the master bedroom. She had an odd look on her face. Going into the room, Daria went to where her daughter was standing.
換uinn? Is everything okay??/p>
Nodding, Quinn said, 揧es. I was just wondering.?/p>
揂bout what??/p>
揥hether this is the right thing to do.?/p>
揥hat do you mean??/p>
Quinn turned to look at Daria. 揑 mean this was Grandma and Grandpa抯 room. Now I抦 supposed to sleep here. I don抰 know if I can do that. I don抰 know if I can make this home. It might be better to just get a different house.?/p>
Daria put her hand on Quinn抯 shoulder. 揇on抰 be silly. Grandma left the house to you hoping you would eventually return. She felt if you did come back this is where you should live. It seems different now because it抯 empty. Once everyone is here and you抳e moved in it抣l be different. I know it will be.?/p>
揑 guess you抮e right.?Glancing around the room for a second, she looked back at her mom.
揑抦 about ready to go. How about you??/p>
Daria nodded. 揝ure. Let me go find Stan and we can leave.?/p>
After Daria left, Quinn looked around the empty room again. 揑 hope she抯 right.?she thought, then turned out the light and went downstairs.
The next few months turned out to be very busy. Quinn抯 new job turned out to be more than she expected but she soon adapted to her responsibilities. To make sure everything would be ready when Brad and Jake arrived, everybody pitched in. The Martins even drove in on the weekends to assist in the renovations to the house.
They managed to get everything done just in time for the movers to arrive. After all the boxes were moved into the house, everybody once again lent a hand getting everything ready. In short order everything was unpacked and in its proper place.
Quinn stood in the master bedroom once more. This time as she looked around she saw a different scene. The room looked so different with their bed and furniture there. Walking down the hall, she looked in Jake抯 room then in the nursery where their daughter would soon be. Going downstairs, she saw Brad, Stan, and Fred watching a baseball game. In the kitchen, Daria and Diane were helping Jake with a puzzle. As she looked around, she smiled. Looking up at her daughter, Daria saw Quinn抯 expression.
換uinn. Is everything okay??she asked.
Nodding, Quinn said, 揧es. I was just thinking.?/p>
揂bout what??Diane asked.
She looked at both of them. 揟hat I抦 finally home.?/p>
Just then Alexis kicked.
揙oh!?Quinn said. 揑 guess she agrees.?/p>
Quinn was sitting on the sofa in the living room looking at a photo album. Sitting next to her, a little girl looked on with interest as Quinn told the story behind each image. Turning the page, the girl pointed to a picture. 揥ho抯 that??/p>
揟hat抯 a picture of your great grandma when she was about your age.?Quinn said.
The little girl looked at the picture a little closer. 揝he抯 pretty.?/p>
Quinn closed her eyes and nodded. 揝he never knew how beautiful she truly was.?Turning to look at the little girl, Quinn smiled. 揑 wish you two could have known each other. You remind me of her so much.?/p>
This obviously pleased the little girl. Pointing at the photo, she looked up at Quinn.
揅an I have this picture??/p>
揑抎 like to keep this one, it means a lot to me.?Quinn said. 揃ut I tell you what. If you want one, I抣l have a copy made.?/p>
The little girl nodded and smiled.
揙kay.?/p>
Just then a woman came into the room. Looking at the pair, she spoke up.
揑 need to break you two up but it抯 time for us to go.?/p>
The little girl looked at the woman and frowned.
揃ut I抦 not ready.?/p>
Quinn pulled her close. 揑t抯 okay. You need to go but as soon as school lets out next month you抣l be back for a whole week. Okay??/p>
The little girl looked at her and smiled again. 揙kay.?/p>
After they went outside, they saw Brad was standing next to the car waiting for them. Before the woman got in the car, Quinn hugged her. 揑t was a nice visit Lexi. Please let us know when you get back.?/p>
揑 will Mom.?/p>
Looking at the little girl, Lexi said, 揋et in the car. We need to get going.?/p>
The little girl climbed into the back seat. Quinn leaned over to help her buckle up. Before Quinn could get out of the car the little girl wrapped her arms around her neck for one last hug.
揑 love you Grandma.?She said.
As the girl drew her closer, Quinn turned her head and kissed her on the cheek. 揑 love you too Daria.?/p>
The End
As always, Daria belongs to MTV. This was written for my own amusement.