Conversation ceased while everyone ate. Jackie finally joined them.

“Is everything alright? It’s so quiet in here.” Jackie inquired as she poured herself a coffee and joined Heidi at the serving counter. “Mind if I join you?” Jackie pulled up a stool.

“Not at all.” Heidi gave her a big smile. “How are you feeling?”

“Tired. I had no idea I would feel this way.”

“I’m here now and I can help you.” Heidi told her. “You tell me what needs to be done and I will take care of it.”

“That’s not necessary.”

“Oh, yes, it is. You need to be very careful.” Heidi insisted.

“But you have your hands full with the children.” Jackie knew she shouldn’t object.

“Aunt Jackie, I can help, too.” Elyse added. “I will make sure the twins don’t bother you.”

“Thank you, Elyse. Well, I guess I’m outnumbered.”

Charles sat next to her and gave her a hug. “Accept gracefully, sweetheart. I won’t worry so much when I’m at work, now that Heidi is here.”

“You’re right. I’m just not used to asking for help. Thank you, Heidi and Elyse. I will welcome all the help I can get with open arms.” Jackie felt a tug on her shirt. When she looked down, Colin’s beaming face smiled up at her.

“Would you like a waffle, Aunt Jackie? I can get you one.”

“Thank you, Colin, but your uncle Robert just put one in front of me.”

“Okay.” Colin walked around the counter to Robert and tapped him on the leg. “Uncle Robert, I’m going to get the next one for Aunt Jackie, okay.” Everyone chuckled.

“You got it, Colin.” Robert answered. “Now, go finish your breakfast.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Just think, Jackie, before too long, you’ll have your very own little Colin or Elyse. We can’t tell if it’s a boy or a girl. Can you?” Robert asked. Normally they could tell by the change in scent, but Jackie was a bobcat and her scent was masked.

“I’m afraid not. We’ll just have to wait and see.”

“Have you picked out a name?” Heidi asked.

“Katherine, if it’s a girl. We’ll call her Kate. We haven’t decided yet on a boy’s name. We’ve been thinking of Benjamin, that was Charles’ father’s name.”

“Are you going to have a baby, too, Aunt Heidi?” Elyse asked.

“No, but maybe someday.” Heidi blushed. It was a little too soon to be thinking about having children. She and Robert had only just met. Suddenly her eyes got big and looked at Robert, she realized she could be pregnant already.

“I want a panda cousin.” Colin chimed in.

“You do! She could have a grizzly bear just like you.” Robert told him.

“Nope, she’s going to have a baby girl and it will be a panda, I can tell.” Robert’s mouth hung open. “Can I have another waffle, Uncle Robert?”

Robert recovered quickly. “You must have a hollow leg, young man. Where are you putting all that food?”

Colin giggled and knocked on his leg a couple of times with his little fist. “You’re silly, Uncle Robert, my leg ain’t hollow.”

“Isn’t! Don’t say ain’t. It must be, where is all that food going?”

“Right here, Uncle Robert.” Colin patted his swollen belly.

“Are you sure there is room for more?” Colin gave him a nod.

“Okay, you better eat it all.”

“Well, maybe I better split it with my brother.” Simon agreed and Robert gave half to him.

“Heidi and I have an announcement.” Robert went to stand by Heidi and put his arms around her. “I asked Heidi to marry me and she said yes.”

Jackie gave them a big smile and hugged Heidi. “Oh Heidi, congratulations, I’m so happy for you. Have you set a date?”

“Not yet. He just asked me. We have to think about it.” Heidi answered. 

Robert detected a slight tone of sadness in Jackie’s voice. It suddenly dawned on him, Charlie hadn’t proposed to Jackie. He’d talk to Charlie later and find out what was up with that. They had been together for three months already and she was about to have his baby.

“When you boys finish your breakfast, I want you to wash your sticky hands in the kitchen sink.” Robert set a step stool by the sink, so they could reach. “Aunt Jackie will get after you if you leave sticky fingerprints all over.”

Heidi helped the twins clean up. Elyse picked up all the dishes and placed them by the sink. She had to wait until the boys were done before she could start the dishes.

Heidi and Robert helped Elyse with the dishes and clean the kitchen while Jackie sat and visited with them.

“Sweetheart, I have to talk to Charlie, I’ll be back in a few minutes.” He kissed her cheek and went to find his brother.

“Charlie, where are you?”

“In the den. What’s up.”

Robert went into the den and closed the door.

“Charlie, I know it’s none of my business, but why haven’t you proposed to Jackie?”

“Don’t need to. We’ve bonded and mated. That’s a hell of a lot stronger than names on a piece of paper.”

“Have you talked to Jackie about it?”

“No. Why?”

“When she congratulated us just now, there was something off in her voice. I think she’s hurt that you haven’t asked her.”

“She’s fine, probably just the stress of the baby.”

“I don’t think so. There’s something about a white dress, and saying vows that women dream about. Think about it, Charles.” Robert turned around and walked out. Charles didn’t know what to say.

 

                                                         *****

 

Simon, Colin and Elyse came into the den, followed by Jackie.

“Can we call Mr. Mack, Uncle Charlie?” Elyse asked.

“You sure can, but before we do, why don’t you all sit on the sofa and we’ll have a talk. I’d like to hear what you have decided and why.” Charles had them all sit down and sat in a chair across from them. He asked them one at a time to tell him how they felt.” Jackie sat on the sofa, next to the children and listened. When they were done, and Charles was convinced they all came to the same decision, he called Mack.

Robert and Heidi stood in the hall and listened to the children. They stayed out of sight, so their presence wouldn’t influence the children to change their minds. When all was said, and done, they joined everyone in the den.

Charlie put the phone on speaker and told the kids to listen to Mack and Peg. They were to sit quietly and answer questions and then ask questions of their own. Mack and Peg were convinced that the children weren’t coerced into agreeing to come and live with them.

“Alright Charles, take me off speaker so I can talk to you privately.” Mack urged.

“Before I do, Robert has an announcement.”

“Hey, Mack. I asked Heidi to marry me and she said yes,” he called out, so they could hear him.

“Congratulations, you two. Have you set a date?”

“Not yet.” Robert answered.

“Let us know when you do. Let me talk to Charles.”

Charles watched Jackie, as Mack and Robert talked. She kept her eyes down and stared at the floor. She did everything she could to avoid looking his way. “Maybe Robert was right.” Charles thought to himself. He’d have to give this new turn of events some thought. Robert was finished talking to his brother and handed Charles the phone.

“Come on, kids, let Uncle Charlie talk privately.” Robert ushered the kids out of the den and into the living room where they could watch cartoons on television. Jackie announced that she was going to go and rest for a while.

“Is everything alright?” Heidi asked.

“Yes, I’m just a little tired. I think I’ll go lie down.” Jackie slowly walked up the stairs.

“Robert, I’m worried about her.” They watched her go up the stairs and go into her room. “Do you know what’s wrong?”

“I think I do and I’ve already talked to Charlie. It’s up to him, now.” Robert put his arms around her. “I love you, Heidi. If I ever do anything to make you unhappy, will you promise to tell me. I don’t ever want to see you sad like that.”

“Don’t worry. If you ever make me sad, it will piss me off and you will definitely hear about it.” That made Robert laugh.

“Good. I’ll hold you to that.” He gave her a kiss just as Charles came out of the den.

“Hey, you two, get a room.” Charles grumbled teasingly. They started laughing and had to stop kissing. “Robert, Mack wants to talk to you.” Robert went back in the den. “Where did Jackie go?”

“She said she was tired and wanted to lie down. I’m worried about her. I know I just got here and don’t know all of you very well, but I know when someone is upset.” She gave him a look and cocked her head.

“Tell me something, Heidi. Would just knowing Robert is your true mate, be enough to make you happy?”

“I don’t understand.”

“Would you be just as happy if Robert hadn’t asked you to marry him?”

“Yes, but asking me to marry him lets everyone know we’re meant to be together, not just shifters. We have human friends, too. Our friends would want to celebrate with us, that’s why there are weddings. If I was still in the good graces of my family, they would not approve of Robert and I living together, even though we are true mates, without at least going through a bonding ceremony. Have you and Jackie had a bonding ceremony?”

“Actually…. no.”

“Wow.” Heidi shook her head. “Just between you and me, if I was in Jackie’s shoes, I would plan on leaving you as soon as the baby was born. Bond or no bond, I would go and take the baby with me, but that’s me.”

“You would do that?” Charles was shocked. Heidi nodded her head.

“Yes, I would. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I think I’ll join Robert in the den.” Heidi walked away and left him standing there.