Chapter 32: "There are no such thing as dogs"
While Neo and Malik are working on their move to Tartosa, it's Rory who is aging up to an elder. With the loss of Malcolm so fresh for Valentine, Sandy and Rory decide to keep the celebrations low key, settling for a day in the park with their son and his family.
Sandy gives her grandson a big hug when they arrive.
Across the road, she sees someone who is either rehearsing a play, performing an act in the least favourable spot he could find, or is clearly erratic. As there is no such thing as acting, Sandy takes Valentine and enters to park to put safe distance between them.
It's time for Rory to blow out the candles on his cake. To honor the day he's cut his hair short. "I can't wear braids like that forever," as he puts it.
Sandy thinks her husband makes a pretty good looking elder too. Valentine just thinks he looks old as he sits there, watching him swim in the pool.
As the family entertains themselves in the park, Sandy tries to reach out to Carolyn, but she's not really ready to talk about her pain yet.
Valentine isn't much easier, as he mostly just talks about how he's never going to die because he'll find a way to stop Grim. "If you make sure not to die now, I can make you live forever too."
"I'm not sure I'd want to live forever," Rory answers.
"You only say that because I haven't found the way yet."
When he talks about his plans with his grandmother, she just gives him hugs. He protests a bit that he's too old for cuddles, but he doesn't pull away.
Back in San Sequoia, Christmas has just been promoted again.
Sandy gives her grandson a big hug when they arrive.
Across the road, she sees someone who is either rehearsing a play, performing an act in the least favourable spot he could find, or is clearly erratic. As there is no such thing as acting, Sandy takes Valentine and enters to park to put safe distance between them.
It's time for Rory to blow out the candles on his cake. To honor the day he's cut his hair short. "I can't wear braids like that forever," as he puts it.
Sandy thinks her husband makes a pretty good looking elder too. Valentine just thinks he looks old as he sits there, watching him swim in the pool.
As the family entertains themselves in the park, Sandy tries to reach out to Carolyn, but she's not really ready to talk about her pain yet.
Valentine isn't much easier, as he mostly just talks about how he's never going to die because he'll find a way to stop Grim. "If you make sure not to die now, I can make you live forever too."
"I'm not sure I'd want to live forever," Rory answers.
"You only say that because I haven't found the way yet."
When he talks about his plans with his grandmother, she just gives him hugs. He protests a bit that he's too old for cuddles, but he doesn't pull away.
Back in San Sequoia, Christmas has just been promoted again.
But as happy as that should make her, the lack of a new pregnancy is weighing heavily on her mind. Link is now a happy toddler, and Christmas pours all her energy as a parent into her son.
But fact is that she doesn't want to wait any longer, and so she address the issue of a science baby again with Jamie, and this time, he agrees.
And finally, baby Harmony joins the family. Christmas is over the moon!
Link isn't. He doesn't understand why they need a new baby, isn't he enough? His father tries to explain that they have room in their hearts for both him and his sister, but he is not convinced.
He does let daddy hug him and comfort him, though.
But when mommy tries he kicks her instead.
And no, he does not want hugs! Only he really does, but he's angry too.
He does let mommy give him a bath before bedtime, however.
And with time he comes to realise that even if his sister is the most annoying little thing on the planet, mommy and daddy still loves him. Of course they do, because he's better than her. She just screams and poops and sleeps.
But time moves quickly and soon it's time to get the second nursery ready, and for that, Christmas and Jamie has made an extension on their house. For this child, Christmas wants a mobile to be added to the crib.
And before long it's time to put little Harmony to sleep in her very own bedroom.
Sometimes, late nights is the very best time to be a mom, when the rest of the house is quiet and still.
Returning to work is harder this time, as there is nothing Christmas wants more than to be with her children. She makes sure Harmony is well fed.
And plays with her on the baby mat while Jamie gets Link dressed and ready.
Both Christmas and Jamie are grateful that the Winterfest break is coming. Three days with no work, and all the time in the world for their children. Of course visiting Willow Creek and grandmother for the traditional holiday celebration is a must.
This year everyone is helping out in the kitchen.
Father Winter shows up earlier than normal.
And so he's around as they gather for dinner, and tries to talk a bit with his grandson, who of course does not know that he is his grandson.
Stranger, trying to give me presents? No, thanks! says Link, and kicks him.
That earns him a scolding from Father Winter, but Link is unfaced. He knows only mommy and daddy gets to scold him.
Finally aunty Carolyn tells him to leave Father Winter alone and suggests he goes to play. That he can listen to. He knows aunty Carolyn.
It's a big moment for Willow when she's introduced to her new grandchild.
But almost just as big for Derek. With no children of his own, Christmas's children are like his own grandchildren, and when Harmony coos at him, his heart melts. He knows then and there that there is nothing he will not do for this little girl.
But as everyone returns to their homes, and the kids fall asleep in the car due to the late hour, Willow gets a horrible phone call.
Left behind is a teenage girl with a huge house and no parents. Obviously, that cannot work. The very next morning, Derek and Willow head over to see Corinne and offer her comfort - and a place to stay - in her time of need.
Willow tries to hold it together, but Olivia was her best friend since childhood. She just can't. Derek focuses on Corinne first.
And Willow and Corinne hug and cry together later.
The three head off to the cemetery, where Willow make a flower arrangement for Olivias grave, before they bury her.
With no family alive, Corinne cannot stay alone in that house, and so they arrange for Corinne to move in with them, hastily turning the office into a bedroom once more.
"The wall paper is a bit dated, perhaps," Willow says. "But it will work for now. At least you have your furniture."
"I'll be fine," Corinne answers, a bit too heartbroken to care.
But raising a teenager who is used to things being a certain way is not always easy. Especially when said teenager has an evil streak. In just a few days she has no trouble at all mocking Derek. He hopes it's a phase and that it will go away (sorry Derek, there are no phases in your world yet, this is just who she is). The new year is onto a rocky start.
Back at Christmas and Jamie's New Years Eve is a quiet celebration, with Jamie's family over for a simple dinner and a countdown to midnight on TV after the kids have gone to bed. But with one toddler and one infant, it's all Christmas and Jamie feel they can handle.
Harmony is developing quickly. Soon she's ready to try her first baby food.
Even if she also takes the bottle before bedtime. It's easier to get her to sleep through the night that way.
Link thinks his baby sister is a bit more fun now than before. At least she can respond when he's playing with her.
But daddy is still the best person to play with, whether it's watching TV or learning shapes.
Only too soon it's his birthday. The entire family comes over to celebrate, and the party drags on far later than Link's normal bedtime. But he does get to blow out the candles on his cake.
And ages up to a cheerful child whose biggest wish is to get a dog.
"Can't I, mom?"
"There is no such thing as dogs," his mother answers. "Maybe there will be one day," she adds.
But fact is that she doesn't want to wait any longer, and so she address the issue of a science baby again with Jamie, and this time, he agrees.
And finally, baby Harmony joins the family. Christmas is over the moon!
Link isn't. He doesn't understand why they need a new baby, isn't he enough? His father tries to explain that they have room in their hearts for both him and his sister, but he is not convinced.
He does let daddy hug him and comfort him, though.
But when mommy tries he kicks her instead.
And no, he does not want hugs! Only he really does, but he's angry too.
He does let mommy give him a bath before bedtime, however.
And with time he comes to realise that even if his sister is the most annoying little thing on the planet, mommy and daddy still loves him. Of course they do, because he's better than her. She just screams and poops and sleeps.
But time moves quickly and soon it's time to get the second nursery ready, and for that, Christmas and Jamie has made an extension on their house. For this child, Christmas wants a mobile to be added to the crib.
And before long it's time to put little Harmony to sleep in her very own bedroom.
Sometimes, late nights is the very best time to be a mom, when the rest of the house is quiet and still.
Returning to work is harder this time, as there is nothing Christmas wants more than to be with her children. She makes sure Harmony is well fed.
And plays with her on the baby mat while Jamie gets Link dressed and ready.
Both Christmas and Jamie are grateful that the Winterfest break is coming. Three days with no work, and all the time in the world for their children. Of course visiting Willow Creek and grandmother for the traditional holiday celebration is a must.
This year everyone is helping out in the kitchen.
Father Winter shows up earlier than normal.
And so he's around as they gather for dinner, and tries to talk a bit with his grandson, who of course does not know that he is his grandson.
Stranger, trying to give me presents? No, thanks! says Link, and kicks him.
That earns him a scolding from Father Winter, but Link is unfaced. He knows only mommy and daddy gets to scold him.
Finally aunty Carolyn tells him to leave Father Winter alone and suggests he goes to play. That he can listen to. He knows aunty Carolyn.
It's a big moment for Willow when she's introduced to her new grandchild.
But almost just as big for Derek. With no children of his own, Christmas's children are like his own grandchildren, and when Harmony coos at him, his heart melts. He knows then and there that there is nothing he will not do for this little girl.
But as everyone returns to their homes, and the kids fall asleep in the car due to the late hour, Willow gets a horrible phone call.
Left behind is a teenage girl with a huge house and no parents. Obviously, that cannot work. The very next morning, Derek and Willow head over to see Corinne and offer her comfort - and a place to stay - in her time of need.
Willow tries to hold it together, but Olivia was her best friend since childhood. She just can't. Derek focuses on Corinne first.
And Willow and Corinne hug and cry together later.
The three head off to the cemetery, where Willow make a flower arrangement for Olivias grave, before they bury her.
With no family alive, Corinne cannot stay alone in that house, and so they arrange for Corinne to move in with them, hastily turning the office into a bedroom once more.
"The wall paper is a bit dated, perhaps," Willow says. "But it will work for now. At least you have your furniture."
"I'll be fine," Corinne answers, a bit too heartbroken to care.
But raising a teenager who is used to things being a certain way is not always easy. Especially when said teenager has an evil streak. In just a few days she has no trouble at all mocking Derek. He hopes it's a phase and that it will go away (sorry Derek, there are no phases in your world yet, this is just who she is). The new year is onto a rocky start.
Back at Christmas and Jamie's New Years Eve is a quiet celebration, with Jamie's family over for a simple dinner and a countdown to midnight on TV after the kids have gone to bed. But with one toddler and one infant, it's all Christmas and Jamie feel they can handle.
Harmony is developing quickly. Soon she's ready to try her first baby food.
Even if she also takes the bottle before bedtime. It's easier to get her to sleep through the night that way.
Link thinks his baby sister is a bit more fun now than before. At least she can respond when he's playing with her.
But daddy is still the best person to play with, whether it's watching TV or learning shapes.
Only too soon it's his birthday. The entire family comes over to celebrate, and the party drags on far later than Link's normal bedtime. But he does get to blow out the candles on his cake.
And ages up to a cheerful child whose biggest wish is to get a dog.
"Can't I, mom?"
"There is no such thing as dogs," his mother answers. "Maybe there will be one day," she adds.
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