So, with as much careful urgency as possible, Gwen rounded up everything and everyone, making sure to leave a nice donation check for the medical center in exchange for 'borrowing' the portable ultrasound machine as well as a few other unlisted medical supplies which just happened to make their way into the transport van, as well.
But in less than two hours, the van was pulling into a cul-de-sac out in Claremont Valley and easing to a halt in front of a two-story house with a well-manicured lawn, a few surprisingly broad-leaved shade trees, and a white Impala parked in the drive. Gwen hopped out of the van first, hoping to intercept Marie before she appeared--she usually met guests at the door right away.
True to form, Gwen spied the front door open and her mother appear in it, all set to wave appropriate greetings, but Gwen hopped up the steps and cut her off before she could even get a word out. "Hey, Mom, we made it." She offered a quick squeeze and a smile, but rambled on before Marie could interject. "Blue's still not quite awake, but I'm expecting her to come around later on today, probably. She and Omega will stay up in Ben's room, it's quiet in there and at the back of the house so Fussie can't bother them and if you're in any way or fashion not okay with this, I can always check you into a hotel or a spa for a few days, but I just really need somewhere for all of us to stay that I can trust while Blue recovers..."
Gwen ran out of breath and sagged slightly; Marie caught her with a sympathetic little laugh and shook her head. "Oh, honey, of course it's all right for you to stay here with your dinosaur friends! I wouldn't have it any other way, you know that. Now, you look positively exhausted, why don't we get everyone settled and then you can get a hot shower and some sleep, hmm? And don't worry about Fussie, she'll be fine. I put her out in the back yard, just until everything calms down." Marie chuckled knowingly. "Don't want anyone to eat the poor old dear, do we?"
"Mother, please," Gwen grimaced.
"I'm just joking, dear." Marie patted her arm and smiled. "Now, what can I do to help you, mm? Oh, and you must introduce everyone," her voice fell to a conspiratorial whisper that was heard halfway down the block, "just so I know who I'm not supposed to pester."
Hiding under a bush wouldn't do much good here, Gwen reluctantly realized, and besides, she had to make sure that Omega didn't get the wrong idea about her mother's well-meaning presence and eat her. "Mom...just--please. Omega is the tall, black-haired--man, and Blue is our patient. They are the eldest of our hybrids, and are...married, for lack of a better term. He's insanely over-protective, it's sort of an issue with him. So while she's still recovering, it's best if we disturb them as little as possible, and you not at all. Just leave them to Owen and me--that's Owen, getting out of the van now. He's the girls', well, father, their legal guardian and all that. So what he says, goes. Understand me?"
Marie was listening with the same expression she wore whenever Gwen told her about a particular difficult case or surgery; that blank, incomprehensible look that signaled louder than words that her mother was listening out of politeness and not genuine interest; Gwen just mentally groaned. "Just...promise me you'll leave them to us. With everything, Mom, I'm not even close to kidding."
Her mother patted her arm again. "Of course, dear. I promise. Cross my heart and everything."
Omega was approaching the porch with Blue in his arms, the Beta still limp in the depths of her post-op coma. But her color was good and she was breathing on her own now, a good sign. Gwen resolutely and abruptly pulled her mother out of the way, instructing her to stay put, and gestured to the male hybrid to follow her, she'd show him where to go. With another warning glance at her mother, Gwen made the briefest of introductions, and led off into the house, gesturing for Owen to follow her once Omega had stepped over the threshold.
"Hello, there--Owen," Marie said, her smile warm and welcoming. If a little vapid. "I'm Marie, Gwen's mother, and it's lovely to meet you. Although perhaps not under these circumstances, a-ha." She made a little shooing motion with her hands. "But come in, come in, I've no doubt my daughter will be needing you upstairs--getting your kids all settled in, right?" She chuckled, still smiling. "You go on in, the stairs are right around the corner, and I'll fix some coffee, is that all right?"
no subject
But in less than two hours, the van was pulling into a cul-de-sac out in Claremont Valley and easing to a halt in front of a two-story house with a well-manicured lawn, a few surprisingly broad-leaved shade trees, and a white Impala parked in the drive. Gwen hopped out of the van first, hoping to intercept Marie before she appeared--she usually met guests at the door right away.
True to form, Gwen spied the front door open and her mother appear in it, all set to wave appropriate greetings, but Gwen hopped up the steps and cut her off before she could even get a word out. "Hey, Mom, we made it." She offered a quick squeeze and a smile, but rambled on before Marie could interject. "Blue's still not quite awake, but I'm expecting her to come around later on today, probably. She and Omega will stay up in Ben's room, it's quiet in there and at the back of the house so Fussie can't bother them and if you're in any way or fashion not okay with this, I can always check you into a hotel or a spa for a few days, but I just really need somewhere for all of us to stay that I can trust while Blue recovers..."
Gwen ran out of breath and sagged slightly; Marie caught her with a sympathetic little laugh and shook her head. "Oh, honey, of course it's all right for you to stay here with your dinosaur friends! I wouldn't have it any other way, you know that. Now, you look positively exhausted, why don't we get everyone settled and then you can get a hot shower and some sleep, hmm? And don't worry about Fussie, she'll be fine. I put her out in the back yard, just until everything calms down." Marie chuckled knowingly. "Don't want anyone to eat the poor old dear, do we?"
"Mother, please," Gwen grimaced.
"I'm just joking, dear." Marie patted her arm and smiled. "Now, what can I do to help you, mm? Oh, and you must introduce everyone," her voice fell to a conspiratorial whisper that was heard halfway down the block, "just so I know who I'm not supposed to pester."
Hiding under a bush wouldn't do much good here, Gwen reluctantly realized, and besides, she had to make sure that Omega didn't get the wrong idea about her mother's well-meaning presence and eat her. "Mom...just--please. Omega is the tall, black-haired--man, and Blue is our patient. They are the eldest of our hybrids, and are...married, for lack of a better term. He's insanely over-protective, it's sort of an issue with him. So while she's still recovering, it's best if we disturb them as little as possible, and you not at all. Just leave them to Owen and me--that's Owen, getting out of the van now. He's the girls', well, father, their legal guardian and all that. So what he says, goes. Understand me?"
Marie was listening with the same expression she wore whenever Gwen told her about a particular difficult case or surgery; that blank, incomprehensible look that signaled louder than words that her mother was listening out of politeness and not genuine interest; Gwen just mentally groaned. "Just...promise me you'll leave them to us. With everything, Mom, I'm not even close to kidding."
Her mother patted her arm again. "Of course, dear. I promise. Cross my heart and everything."
Omega was approaching the porch with Blue in his arms, the Beta still limp in the depths of her post-op coma. But her color was good and she was breathing on her own now, a good sign. Gwen resolutely and abruptly pulled her mother out of the way, instructing her to stay put, and gestured to the male hybrid to follow her, she'd show him where to go. With another warning glance at her mother, Gwen made the briefest of introductions, and led off into the house, gesturing for Owen to follow her once Omega had stepped over the threshold.
"Hello, there--Owen," Marie said, her smile warm and welcoming. If a little vapid. "I'm Marie, Gwen's mother, and it's lovely to meet you. Although perhaps not under these circumstances, a-ha." She made a little shooing motion with her hands. "But come in, come in, I've no doubt my daughter will be needing you upstairs--getting your kids all settled in, right?" She chuckled, still smiling. "You go on in, the stairs are right around the corner, and I'll fix some coffee, is that all right?"