Anytime they made the relatively short trip to Italy and especially on to visit her nonna in Florence, Rory felt a particular bounce in her step. Being in the country reminded her of the first time she'd come there when she was little, and all of the subsequent trips that meant she'd be running into the arms of her grandmother once she'd moved back. The years that Isabella had spent living with them in California had been some of the fondest memories for Rory, and not only because she'd learned a lot of swear words in Italian whenever her father was brought up. She liked to think that those years were a blessing for her grandmother as well, in the years after losing her husband. Rory didn't remember too much about her grandfather, a flash of memories that maybe were her own, or maybe the stories that she had heard. But Isabella was fiercely independent, a long line of strong Italian women who ran their households without much input from anyone else. It was any wonder she and Rory's mother hadn't killed each other in all that time. But the four of them really had each other to lean on, a kind of deep bonding for their family that they may not have had otherwise. They needed each other, in order to find themselves again.

Now returning with her pregnant wife felt like even more of a blessing. Though, they had decided to wait a bit on telling anyone. Isabella was planning a grand birthday party for herself - well, even the smallest of events that she planned were grand. Opulent and beautifully planned up until the point of the festivities beginning, and then mangia bene, ridi spesso, ama molto. Eat well, laugh often, love much. Let the evening take on whatever life of its own it wanted to. Her grandmother wanted her loved ones around her, and though Rory's mom and sister couldn't make the trip, she and Maris certainly could.

Throughout the years, Rory's mom had tried to get Isabella to downsize from her home in the country, but it was almost always full with friends or family, and it was indeed home for her grandmother. But of course, it also meant they had a standing invitation to stay when they came to visit.

The morning after they'd arrived, Rory had managed to slip out of bed without disturbing her wife, slipping on a sweater and her soft pajama pants before padding barefoot over hardwood and tile floors. Of course she found her nonna in the kitchen, looking glamorous in her silk robe, sipping an espresso with a piece of toast and fresh fruit that always seemed to be in season. "buon giorno, cara mia." Her smoky voice sing-songed as Rory groggily made her way to pour herself a cup of coffee from the French press - always full. "Did you put a new mattress on the bed? It's comfortable." Rory asked in perfect Italian, as she kissed her grandmother's cheek and stole a cherry from her bowl. Isabella explained that she'd had all the mattresses replaced, but her next project was to completely gut and redo the bathrooms. "The bathrooms look fine though?" Rory squinted a bit, stifling a yawn. "Fine, is not good enough." She said with a tsk of her tongue. "Is Maris up yet?" Isabella asked, earning a wide grin over the rim of her mug from Rory. She loved how much Isabella loved Maris. She'd told Rory on multiple occasions how much she adored her, and how it felt so good to be able to have intellectual conversations with her. She told Rory that she'd found such a beautiful match in more ways than one. Rory couldn't agree more.

After a little while, Rory left her nonna in the kitchen with a phone call about the evening's dinner festivities, pouring a second cup of coffee and heading back to the bedroom to wake her wife. She placed the mugs on the side table, sitting on the edge of the bed and taking a moment to brush hair away from her wife's face. She knew that Maris might be concerned of how she might change, or how she might look, but Rory truly thought she was even more beautiful every single day. "I have coffeeeee." She dragged out the word gently, as she leaned in and kissed her cheek.

Maris loved Rory's grandmother's villa almost as much as she loved Isabella's insistence on having a grand birthday. Birthdays had become something Maris didn't look forward to anymore. She enjoyed being spoiled and celebrated by her wife, but she disliked getting older. She couldn't imagine herself celebrating when she got to Rory's grandmother's age.

Her little family of introverts never did much for them apart from dinner at a restaurant of the birthday person's choosing.

The idea of a party was sort of new to her and she found she didn't mind the change.

She smelled the coffee before the sound of her wife's voice really registered. She rose slowly, finding her lower back didn't ache the way it sometimes did upon waking thanks to so much time spent behind her desk at work.

"Morning," she murmured, reaching for the cup as she planted a kiss on Rory's cheek. "God, that mattress is amazing," she said, rubbing her eyes to get the sleep out of them.

Considering their mattress was brand new because it just seemed easier to buy something and have it brought to the new place rather than lug their old one across continents, it was high praise.

Maris had slept well since they moved to England, though her pregnancy (and everything leading up to it) had left her slightly uncomfortable and restless for the first time since they arrived.

"Nonna's place is like something out of a magazine," she said, taking her first sip. "I couldn't imagine coming here as a kid." Trips to the Jersey shore with her dad and grandpa were as exotic as things got for Maris growing up and even those hadn't happened with any regularity.

She couldn't imagine having a place like this to escape to come summer, but her paternal grandparents had hailed from Europe, leaving their home country only because things had gotten difficult for Jews there. Maybe if circumstances were different, there would have been the occasional trip to Greece.

She had no idea where her mother's family came from. She'd never quite forgotten that John said her mom was in Arizona the last time they'd been in contact.

Was Christina still there? Was she from there? Having gone back to family once she'd abandoned theirs? Maris didn't know much about her mom but she'd heard she was impulsive and free spirited. Maybe there was no reason for Arizona at all.

It was a mystery that had no place in a day like today and after she had a bit more coffee in her she sat up fully. "Is Nonna up?"

Somewhere along the way Isabella had become nonna as opposed to "your nonna".

Because she was Maris' too, the first grandmother she'd ever really had.

"I feel so useless sleeping in."

The characters they would meet later on in the day had Rory pretty excited, particularly to experience them with her wife. The collection of friends that Isabella cultivated over the years were always a wide variety. They'd probably have plenty to talk about after the party as well.

But that was for later, now she was relishing in a little bit of alone time with her wife before the rest of the day. "I honestly think we should get one. I know we recently got ours but ... this is heaven." Rory said, pushing her hand against the mattress a couple times as though to test it out.

She was glad that Maris had been able to sleep, and sleep soundly too. it felt kind of like the magic of being here in this place had translated to a good night's sleep, too. God, she loved it here.

"Oh I can show you all the best hiding spaces. Maggie and I would play hide and seek and we took it very seriously." There had been a time or two when she'd only come out for dinner, because she was so intent on winning and Maggie had never found her in the secret panel in the closet in Nonna's room.

Rory was lucky to have such a strong presence on her mother's side of the family. Though she vaguely knew that she probably had family on her father's side, they'd sort of disappeared with him. Cards and presents had tapered off over the years, which made Rory think that her father was probably in part the product of his own upbringing, however that went. Somewhere between that and probably some sense of embarrassment of their son abandoning his family. Whatever it was, she didn't pay it much mind. She was lucky to have her Nonna and the incredible women who raised her.

"She is, up with the sunshine." She said with a little laugh, shaking her head. "You know she walks the entire property every morning? She says the morning air keeps her young." And at nearing 90, Rory hoped that was true.

She sipped at her own coffee and leaned over to kiss her wife's cheek at her comment. "You've earned that more than a few ways over. Plus... your body is doing something a little extra, you know." She beamed a smile at Maris, brushing her fingers through her hair. "Be forewarned, she has her espresso machine working and that ... is strong enough to raise the dead."

Maris smiled when her wife mentioned her body was working a little harder these days. "Don't tell Nonna," she teased.

It had become their thing since they made the decision to keep quiet about the pregnancy until they were a bit further along. Whenever an interloper like their headmistress or even the mailman passed by or was even mentioned while they were discussing the baby, one would quickly say "don't tell ______!" like the other needed a reminder of their promise before the conversation dissolved into smiles or even laughter.

It was probably stupid. But Maris was beginning to love their little inside joke.

"Don't tell me about the coffee machine either," Maris said with a bit of a sigh. "Otherwise I'll just stay camped out in front of it all day and I like to think I've been doing pretty good just poisoning Keats with chili cheese Fritos.

Maris had eaten a lot of them lately, packing them and only them in her lunch even though she usually liked to have a few different chip options on hand to mix it up throughout the week. They weren't what she usually went for. Something about chips that left powdery residue on your fingers had always been disgusting to her, but she was on a kick, unsure if she could count it as her first craving just yet.

In her mind, cravings were strange. She would place herself in cravings territory when she started reaching for things like pickles and peanut butter.

She finished her cup quickly, immediately wishing she hadn't because she knew she wasn't allowed anymore. She looked at her empty cup wistfully before sitting it on the bedside table, then reached for her wife as she laid back.

"The party's not till tonight, right? Does Nonna want to do something?"

Maris knew Isabella was very involved in the party process. She could see a lot of similarities between grandmother and granddaughter on the planning front. She knew Nonna might not want to leave the house so close to party time, but Maris was sort of tempted to take Rory out for lunch once they'd woken up and gotten dressed. Nonna seemed pretty content on doing things herself and if she didn't want help, it would probably be best to get out of her way.

But Maris sort of hoped she would be open to heading out with them. She wanted to spend a little one on one time with Rory's grandmother on her big day and spoil her as much as she would allow.

Rory made a point to drag her fingers across her lips and twist them as i she were zipping them shut and locking them that way. Part of their little mantra they'd adopted during these months.

She loved having a secret. As silly as it was, she loved that they had even more of a secret language between the two of them, beyond what was always there, from the knowing glances and wordless communication. This felt fun in a way she hadn't expected.

"I'll unplug it and hide the parts if I have to." Rory laughed but actually would if it came down to it. She hoped that Nonna wouldn't pick up on the little details like what Maris might be refraining from, and Rory had decided to match her just in case. Plus, staying sober at the dinner tonight would prove all the more entertaining as the drinks flowed amongst the others.

"I was actually thinking the same thing. I think it'll be good to get her away, otherwise she's going to drive the caterers insane when they get here." Rory laughed, knowing her grandmother too well. Usually one of the local restaurants catered her dinner parties, but because they knew each other so well over the years, her Nonna would get very chatty and then frustrated when there everyone got behind on the work.

Certainly didn't sound like anyone in this room ... or no one who would admit it anyway.

"We could go walk around the town, get lunch? She'll want to show you her favorite shops, even the ones she's already showed you." Rory said fondly, moving her hand gently over her wife's side. "We can get some goodies to bring home with us, too."

"Yeah?" Maris said. "You think she'll wanna go out?" She was relieved. Nonna would definitely recommend a better place to grab lunch than she and Rory would have found on their own.

Maris gave Rory a quick kiss before rose from the bed and gave herself a once over in the mirror before running a brush through her hair to make sure everything was laying flat. It was really all she needed to do with her hair these days.

Then she reached for their suitcase. These days it made more sense to only pack one, especially on short trips. She pulled out her underthings, then an olive green dress that was an old favorite. It was still pretty warm in Italy and she figured she'd be fine if she tossed her (okay, Rory's) leather jacket over top.

It wasn't tight yet, but the ribbed material didn't lay quite as flat as it once did, hugging curves that hadn't necessarily been there before.

Maris had always been tall and slim. A bit straight up and down, but she didn't seem to notice the change. Or that she was wearing her dress a bit differently. She was aware that her bra was feeling a little tight, digging into her sides in a way that it never had lately, but that was something easily remedied by fiddling with the straps, and starting to use a different clasp in the back. She'd sorted things out and moved on.

She got ready quickly, not bothering with make up because pregnancy was making her sweaty so there really was no point. Her freckles (and some persistent dark circles she'd inherited from her father) were on full display these days. Once she decided she looked alright, she turned to face her wife. "Think she'll let us buy her something if we take her shopping?"

They'd arrived with a gift for Isabella but it never hurt to get another. And it was always fun to pick out your presents yourself.

"I think if we are the ones asking her out, she wouldn't say no." Rory said with a grin. Honestly Nonna loved being included in such things, but with Rory, she always wanted to spend time with her. Even when she was little, Rory took a bit of pride in feeling like the favorite. She'd never say that to Maggie of course, but it was a secret acknowledgement between Isabella and Rory. "She likes to say it keeps her young."

Rory had already pulled her hair back into a ponytail when she'd gotten up, so she took a moment to just watch her wife getting ready before she dragged herself up to do the same. She dug around for pants and a sweater, a little more wintery than she needed, but Rory seemed to run a bit colder in the fall and winter months anyway. Blame the California blood.

"God you look good in that dress." Rory said a bit wistfully as she glanced over at her wife, her brow arching knowingly as Maris slipped the jacket on. She could never deny that their communal leather jacket looked damn good on her wife. Maybe better than she liked it on herself.

She couldn't help the way her gaze swept over Maris appreciatively, taking in the way her dress hugged her curves and just how good she looked, period. Rory hadn't been so sure about what people said about pregnant women glowing, but she saw it in her wife. Then again, Rory sort of always looked at Maris as though she hung the sun.

"Oh we'll make her let us. But honestly, she loves presents, so it won't take much to convince her." Truly Isabella was the picture of luxurious living in her old age, never one to shy away from a compliment or a gift. She truly knew the depths of her worth, and allowed herself to bask in that.

Once she'd finished putting her boots on, Rory crossed the space to her wife and slipped her hands around her body, pulling her back gently against her chest. She kissed the side of her neck, just softly, soaking in her warmth. "I love how much you love her. And how much she loves you."

Maris smiled, automatically smoothing it out a bit. "I like it too, but I always think it feels a little short."

It felt extra short today, with the fabric stretching places it had never needed to before, but Maris just figured she was worried about wearing something a little too revealing around Isabella.

Rory's gran didn't seem like the judgmental type and even if Maris' dress was a little too revealing (it wasn't, it actually allowed Maris to show off her long legs in a way her normally conservative wardrobe didn't), they were in Italy. Women dressed as boldly as they pleased even if Maris didn't quite like the way Italian men responded in kind.

Still, no one wanted to look like a harlot in front of their partner's grandmother. Even one as cool as Isabella.

Maris snuck a peek in the mirror to get a look at the dress from behind. Since nothing was hanging out and she probably could bend properly without flashing passerby, she decided everything was fine.

"She's great," Maris said and she meant it. Witty, charismatic and glamorous, Isabella was someone Maris would have liked and wanted to get to know even if she wasn't Rory's grandmother.

"Besides, I've never had a grandmom," she reminded her gently. "I like sharing yours."

Maris had heard a lot of talk about pregnant women not wearing heels, but she hadn't exactly started following that bit of advice yet and wasn't entirely sure she would unless her shoes no longer fit. Like Rory, she slipped on boots, the heel tall and skinny because the only flat booties she owned were fur lined and reserved for wet, icy weather.

Not wanting to be a messy houseguest in such a lovely villa, she grabbed their cups before following Rory into the kitchen to chat with Nonna.

"Good morning, Isabella!" she said. "Rory and I were gonna go grab some lunch and maybe do some shopping and we want you to come with us and spend some time with us before we go."

Okay, the last part was a bit of a guilt trip, but Maris learned from the best: her aunt Ramona and it was a power she only wielded when she really wanted something.

"Well, you won't hear me complaining." Rory said with a cheeky grin, kissing her wife's shoulder one more time before she stepped back to get her own coat that was close in color to the boots she'd put on.

Isabella certainly was a fashionista in her own right, and had often gifted Rory and Maggie with the clothes that she was done with throughout their lives. Rory still had a few pieces, and she had her eye on a few others that she would snatch up once Isabella deemed them obsolete to her wardrobe. Her Nonna was someone who liked to be seen and liked to be appreciated. She would tell stories about being young and garnering the attention of any boy she wanted. That usually dovetailed into talking about Rory's grandfather. As long ago as his passing was, Rory could tell that it was still hard for Isabella to talk about. Of course she boasted many a lover since her marriage, but Rory felt it was kind of telling that Nonna had never remarried. She'd only loved so deeply once. Rory could certainly relate to that part of it.

"I like sharing her with you too." Rory said softly, a fond smile on her face as she kissed her wife one more time.

Oh, her wife was a brilliant one. Rory grinned to herself as she took the cups from Maris and walked them to the sink to rinse before putting in the dishwasher. "You were talking about a lunch spot yesterday you like?" Rory nudged.

"Mm, there is this great little spot you haven't tried, Aurora. Maris you'll love it too." Isabella spoke perfect English, but with an accent that always seemed thicker than Rory remembered. Also hearing her full name always made her smile a little, because of how rare it was. But Isabella spoke as though she were still mulling over the options. "I suppose I could spare some time to spend with my ragazze. Eduardo has a key, he can let himself in."

"Oh does Eduardo?" Rory chimed in, a suggestive lilt in her voice as her brows arched upwards. Isabella waved her hand and cursed at Rory in Italian, but she laughed. "Let me get dressed."

Who the fuck is Eduardo? Maris mouthed once Isabella was gone biting back a laugh a moment later. She wasn't surprised Nonna had admirers. Maris hoped she would look half as good when she was Isabella's age. The idea Rory probably would caused her lip to twitch into a sort of secret, half smile that had faded by the time Nonna returned.

Since she'd had a bit of coffee before she left the house, Maris wasn't ready to eat just yet. Her morning sickness had lessened in severity lately, but she was still a bit scared of not eating light during the time it usually hit her. It was probably best not to tempt fate.

She suggested they shop first, the pair of them exploring a little shopping center by the restaurant Isabella suggested.

Maris heard a whistle as she walked by and blinked, more startled than offended. Confident and maybe even slightly vain, it still didn't occur to Maris that it had been directed at her. Rory and her nonna were bombshells. She would have even written it off as a group whistle of appreciation before she considered it had been directed at her pregnant, often sweaty self, but she got a wink once she turned in the direction it came from.

"Ciao, bella," a handsome, slightly older man purred.

"Ciao," she muttered, not quite able to muster up the usual venom she usually had for catcallers, especially in front of Nonna. In this very specific instance she kind of liked it.

She ducked her head a little, cheeks slightly pink as she slid an arm around Rory's waist to signal to anyone else watching that she was spoken for.

Neighbor and caterer. Rory replied with mouthed words, suggestively wagging her eyebrows as she attempted to stifle a laugh. Of course neighbor was a bit of a relative term with the amount of land between houses. That was something else Rory loved about this place, how much space there was, yet how close the community seemed to be. She knew that as her Nonna got older, she'd be nervous about her living alone, but that she had a whole network of friends who would quite literally run to her side if needed.

It felt good to get out and stretch their legs, all the little shops that were mostly local, with only a couple of bigger-name stores having moved in. Of course, Isabella complained about them the most, nevermind that she actually shopped there too. Begrudgingly, of course.

Rory walked naturally with her hand tucked into Maris', only breaking away here and there when something caught her eye or she needed both hands to fully appreciate something. She'd like to say that she didn't notice the looks or whistles, but she always had, they always had her haunches up a bit. She was even more protective over Maris, but the older man seemed harmless, and at least keeping his distance. Still, she slid her arm around her wife's shoulders, grinning a little as she leaned over and kissed the side of her head.

"Now I am not above grabbing a baguette from that bread vendor and beating a catcaller senseless." She said while straightening her shoulders a bit. Her comment earned a laugh from Nonna, who had stopped a few feet ahead to look at a store window filled with home goods, and specifically handmade glass and pottery. Even one of those things could be lobbed at someone, in a pinch. She'd pay for it, worth it.

But Rory paused next to the window with Nonna and her wife, her gaze naturally returning to Maris as Nonna busied herself with looking before she decided to go inside. Rory hung back a moment more, tucking her free hand under Maris' chin so she could kiss her properly. "You do look really beautiful today. I guess I can't blame him?"

Maris smiled softly, leaning into her wife's touch even after the kiss ended. "Sei sempre bella," she murmured.

Maris' Italian still wasn't great. She was used to the harsh consonants of German and Hebrew, not the smooth flow of romance languages, but it was ever so slightly better with each new visit to Nonna's or the few day trips they'd taken to Italy on their own now that they could.

She seemed to know she was improving. A faint smile was still on her lips as she untangled herself from her wife.

"C'mon," she said. "Before Nonna thinks he kidnapped us."

Nonna had slipped into a store with a little bit of everything. There was produce, candy and even a little revolving rack of paperback novels Maris didn't bother to poke through because she knew they'd be in Italian. She did wander on over to an entire wall of different varieties of tea, something she'd been having more of when she realized she could vs. one cup of coffee. She was on the hunt for mint varieties in particular. She'd found an okay option in the UK which, strangely enough boasted it was very much like the strong mint tea enjoyed on porches in the American south in a little paragraph on the back of the box. It seemed strange that she'd fallen in love with it here, but drinking it daily to ward off stomachaches meant she was running low and wouldn't mind trying a new brand for variety's sake.

She wrinkled her nose once she realized she'd picked up a mint green tea and quickly shoved it back into place.

"Nonna, do you want more wine for dinner?" she called, once she noticed a delivery guy wheeling in a whole box full, the bottles clinking together musically.

Rory's face seemed to split with the grin that stretched across her features, joy in her eyes as her wife spoke Italian to her. She knew that it wasn't a language Maris knew well but the fact that she was trying it out and saying that made her chest feel all warm.

"I'm impressed." She said softly, kissing her wife's temple proudly.

Rory trailed behind a little as they walked into the shop, pausing at the barrels of tiny italian hard candies she was obsessed with as a kid. She grabbed a bag of the pre-mixed varieties before wandering deeper into the store. She loved shops like this, and always had. When she was small, Nonna would take her to a store like this one and tell her to pick something out. A toy or a candy, small that she'd bring back to the villa with her. Now Rory smiled, thinking about doing the same thing with their kids.

As she glanced up when Maris called out, she couldn't help but smile at the way Maris and Isabella spoke to each other. It was just that her favorite people loved each other too. It felt special.

"Oh, that's probably a good idea." Isabella said with a flourish of movement that made Rory think, and not for the first time, that Isabella walked on air a bit. She moved over to Maris' side to peer over at the selection. "What sort of wine do you like, cara mia? I'll get those."

Maris stomach tightened. Normally she would have been delighted Nonna asked for her opinion and given it freely, but it seemed wasteful to have the other woman to buy her favorite: red, cabernet to be specific, when she wasn't going to have any.

She knew that technically she could so long as she limited herself to one glass (she was sensing a pattern here), but she'd never drank wine daily like she did coffee. She could go without. Especially since she felt like she was pushing it on the caffeine front.

Keats deserved a break where he could get it.

"Oh, that's alright. I'm..."

She trailed off, stopping herself from saying she wasn't drinking much because that would lead to questions as to why. And if someone said that to Maris she'd probably assume they were trying to cut back because of some sort of drinking problem.

Not the impression she wanted to make on Rory's grandmother, even though Maris could sense that she'd long since won Isabella over.

"Not in the mood for wine," she amended, hating herself for lying.

Rory was looking over a section of handmade mugs, which she abandoned once she heard Isabella's question. She blanched a little, having not actually come across having to keep their secret to someone they usually could tell anything to.

Joining the women over by the wine, she put her hand on Maris' back for support. "Bella, you're in Italia. Everyone is in the mood for wine!" Isabella said with a laugh, but she moved on, leaving Rory and Maris alone to go look over the selection.

"Good job." Rory murmured sweetly against her ear before kissing her temple. "Once she has a couple glasses in her, she won't notice we're not drinking."

It was hard to keep anything from Nonna, who was as nosy as she was easy to talk to. They could talk to the wee hours of the morning if time and energy allowed it, with Isabella wanting to know every little detail about their day to day lives, their problem students, their favorites. It was nice to have someone so engaging be so interested in them, when Rory felt like their day to day was really only interesting to the pair of them.

"Will you two pick out some candles for the table? I don't like the ones I have." Isabella called back over her shoulder, and Rory nodded, glancing around to find the candle display.

"Only here would you find a place that sells candy alcohol and candles. One stop shop for romance."

Maris was relieved by Rory's praise and Nonna mercifully changing the subject.

Candles she could do.

She was intrigued by a set of that were fat, white spheres. It wasn't a shape she saw often and she was of the opinion most unjarred candles ended up a shapeless blob to begin with, but they seemed a bit plain.

She pointed to a relatively simple set of white candle sticks swirled with bits of metallic gold, wanting her opinion before she suggested it to Nonna.

The store wasn't crowded, but there were a few other people poking around, including someone buying spices behind her.

She wasn't sure what the shop keeper was pouring into a little glass jar or why the scent hit her so strongly. Maris just knew her stomach turned in a way she had learned to dread.

"I have to go," she said quickly, hurrying outside without so much as a backward glance at Nonna & Rory.

She knew there was a trashcan in front of the shop. Puking in it like a drunk college kid on a night out was not ideal, but it was a hell of a lot better than doing it all over her shoes in front of Rory and Nonna.

Since she hadn't eaten much that day, she finished quickly, letting out a little whine before reaching for the tissues and water bottle she'd taken to keeping in her purse for just such an emergency.

She'd always travelled light, carrying a pretty small purse when she wasn't working, but she was carrying her biggest bag lately. The baby was already forcing her to lug around a lot of extra baggage on it's behalf.

"You're killing me, kid," she muttered, wiping her mouth and popping the top on her bottle to swish a bit of water around before taking a look around to see if passerby (or Rory and Nonna) had saw.

Considering how much work Rory and Maris had put into the design of each room of their house as they went along, candles were definitely something that they could handle.

Actually, just thinking about home made Rory realize that she hoped that Nonna would make the trip up to London after the baby was born. Not right away of course, but she wanted her to meet their child.

But as soon as she'd thought about it, she was looking up to see Maris bolt out of the place. Immediately, she knew what had happened, as the pungent smell of spice hit the air. It didn't bother Rory, but she wasn't the one with the hyper sensitive sense of smell at present.

Nonna noticed as well, at least enough to see Maris exit the shop swiftly. Concerned, she asked Rory if Maris was alright. "Yes, yeah." She answered twice in a voice a bit too high pitched as she covered. "I think all the smells in here just triggered her allergies." She managed to say it as casually as she could, but Rory wasn't a very good liar, especially to Nonna. She was the first one she came out to after all, all those years ago when she was trying to pretend like she had any idea that what her sexuality even was. Nonna had just taken Rory's face in her hands as she was wont to do, and told her that girls were a better choice anyway.

"I'll be right back." Rory told her, and slipped out without any protest to see her wife.

"This babe of ours has really got some timing, huh?" Rory said gently as she slid her hand along Maris' back to soothe her.

Maris' cheeks burned as she took another quick look around. There was a couple walking on the other side of the street but she didn't think they noticed anything. Her blush deepened when she saw Rory had come to check on her. Her embarrassment over her morning sickness up had never really faded, even if they knew it was ultimately a good thing and she was sort of used to it by now.

She thought she was doing pretty well all things considered. There had been a very close call at school when she nearly hadn't made it to a bathroom stall in time, but she'd never told Rory.

She didn't want to worry her and the same was true now.

"More like no sense of time. I don't think they get the concept of morning sickness," she joked weakly, rummaging around her purse to find the spearmint gum she'd started keeping on hand too. She shoved a stick in her mouth then half heartedly tossed the foil in the trash can, still a little disoriented.

"I'm fine," she said gently. "Did Nonna see?" she asked, starting to chew.

"I really think they need to retire that name for it. It seems like it's just setting you up for frustration." Rory sighed, making a face once Maris got herself sorted.

"She..." Rory paused, glancing inside the store before she nodded. "She did. But I think I managed to cover alright. I blamed allergies and all the smells in there." She made a face, not sure if it actually worked or not, but it was on the fly so about the best she could do.

"I think she's about done in there, I'll pay for the few things and we can find her a present at a less smelly shop, yeah?" Rory had kicked into problem solving mode whenever she could, and she didn't want Maris to be uncomfortable as much as she didn't want to give away their secret just yet. But thankfully Nonna still seemed very preoccupied with birthday goings-on to really give the sudden disappearance much thought.

"But-" Maris had wanted to protest staying outside. She figured heading right back in would prove to Isabella that she was just fine, but she realized Rory was probably right a moment later. The spice had a strong smell, one that wouldn't dissipate quickly and there was no way of knowing if someone else wouldn't just order more while she was in there.

"Okay," she said (although she didn't sound very happy about it) plopping down on a nearby bench before sliding her bag over her head so she could sit it beside her.

She wasted time tossing old gum wrappers and receipts from the bottom of it into the trash, finishing up just as Rory and Nonna came out.

"Sorry nonna, my allergies are terrible. I have the world's worst sinuses."

It wasn't a lie. Maris' allergies weren't seasonal so much as a year round assault with triggers that were constantly changing, but it still didn't feel great to not be entirely truthful to Nonna.

Especially since she seemed like such a straight shooter.

"Should we look at clothes?" she offered.

Maris had noticed and admired Isabella's impeccable wardrobe. She had no doubts Rory's grandmother had a great birthday outfit picked out for tonight. Maris had also brought something for the party, but it never hurt to have options. Or even just take a look around.

If nothing else, Rory could attempt to help run interference for offending scents that would trigger her wife - or more accurately the little one who made her so sensitive to them.

Rory managed a smile before she popped back inside momentarily to pay for their things and get a few of the round candles that Maris had pointed out. Nonna had the wine to be delivered later that afternoon, Rory slung the one bag over her shoulder as they headed back out to meet Maris.

"Oh please, you're just lucky you left before that woman came in with the perfume." Nonna said as shot a look to the pair of them, "Nobody needs to use the entire bottle." She made a face, and carried on just a couple feet ahead of them. Rory laughed, shaking her head as they all walked off towards the clothing store. Rory just hoped the woman with the perfume didn't follow.

"I want a new scarf." Nonna said in Italian, as though to herself as they walked in. Rory turned to Maris to translate. "I think we can safely get her a scarf for her birthday. She said she wants a new one. You've seen her collection in her closet." Nonna's closet was a thing of beauty, one of the few top to bottom remodels she'd done since living on her own was blowing out a wall and expanding to a full spectacular closet.

Maris laughed. "I read in a book somewhere that perfume should be discovered, not announced. I've followed that ever since."

She knew Nonna probably didn't need a new scarf, but Maris wasn't about to deny Rory's grandmother anything, especially on her big day.

Throwing up was always an unpleasant, disorienting experience. Maris was still feeling a bit woozy and out of sorts, but it was nothing holding onto Rory's arm didn't soothe.

The fresh air from their walk helped too and by the time they reached the shop Nonna wanted to go to, she was feeling herself again.

The store was lovely. Maris could tell the scarves on display were pure silk just by looking at them.

Since she didn't need a scarf, Maris wandered off her own, poking through a rack of the kind of button ups she normally wore to school.

She spotted one she liked in her favorite shade of dark green with little gold buttons. It was a welcome change from her sea of black, navy and gray, but she didn't bother to pick it up. In a few months, buttons would be a bad choice, pulling and gapping as they struggled to cover her growing stomach.

She still wasn't entirely sure if she was excited to start showing or absolutely dreading it. She wandered off to find Rory and help her shop instead, resting her chin on her wife's shoulder once she snuck up behind her.

"Anything good?"

"Oh, I like that." Isabella announced after a moment to ponder it. She was always thoughtful with the words she spoke and especially with the people she cared about. She wasn't someone easily distracted by her phone or the television or anything else. She liked to take in the things people said to her, actually consider them before she'd respond to a new idea.

Rory just smiled, despite her wife's bout with afternoon-sickness, it really was a good day, and walking around in the idyllic Italian countryside was her idea of perfect. She hoped that they could do this more often, even though she imagined that they wouldn't travel for a while after Maris gave birth. She wanted their kids to love this place as much as she did.

She loved these little clothing stores. There were gems amidst all of the vintage pieces, and locally made garments and handbags she imagined were from some fancy designer or old nonnas who loved to sew.

As they all went their separate ways in the shop, Rory went looking for the scarves. She paused along the way to look at these woven satchels in various colors. She ran her hand along the weave of them, deciding to come back, once she'd found what she was actually looking for.

The silk scarves had a variety of patterns and colors to them. Some geometric and others with flora or fauna on them. She tried to remember ones she'd seen Nonna wearing before, which colors she had several of.

She startled a little as Maris' arms came up behind her, but her body immediately melted back against her. "Careful miss, I have a wife I'm crazy about." She teased, bumping her rear against her and turning her head to press a kiss to Maris' cheek.

"What do you think about this one?" She asked, holding up the wooden ring that had a cream and pink scarf tied to it. There were flowers embroidered onto it that Rory ran her fingertips over. "She loves pink. I didn't actually know you could embroider on silk?"

"It's very pretty," Maris said before headbutting Rory's shoulder a bit. "But it also seems very you too," she teased. "You can keep it if she doesn't like it. Did I ever tell you about the time my grandmom regifted Ramona a nightgown she bought her?"

For all her ribbing, Maris liked that Rory was getting Nonna something that looked like it belonged in her closet too. She thought the pair of them were more alike than not and she didn't see the point of getting someone a gift you wouldn't be thrilled to get yourself.

Unless you were ignoring their wishes like that idiot who refused to get their secret santa romance novels, but that was an entirely different story.

"Want me to distract her while you buy it?" she asked, begrudgingly loosening her grip on her wife. Maris had gotten slightly more affectionate in public since they'd married, but things had intensified lately. Pregnancy may have had a bit to do with it but after the shots had really done a number on her to the point where she disliked being touched or crowded, she was kind of reveling in the closeness she'd missed out on. She felt like there was a bit of time to make up for.

Rory couldn't help but laugh a little at Maris' assessment, tilting her head a bit as she regarded the scarf. "I mean ... yes." She laughed, and knew it would actually go beautifully with the tan peacoat that she loved to wear. "You didn't tell me that, no??" Rory laughed a little harder, picturing the look on Ramona's face and what it must have been like.

"See that's where a gift list would come in handy." She teased, bumping back against her wife a little.

Rory always hoped that she had good enough taste to get her grandmother something, but never fully knew what Isabella's whims would be from day to day. She felt good about this one, and if she was wrong, well Nonna would tell them.

"Oh good idea." Rory murmured as though they were conspirators, but feeling a bit bereft as Maris untangled themselves. Rory certainly noticed and loved the way Maris had grown somehow more affectionate in public, though Rory would never complain, especially considering what they were like in private. But Rory turned and draped an arm around Maris' shoulders, pressing her hand into the back of her neck as she leaned in and stole a kiss. "See if she'll give us any hints on who all is coming to this dinner."

Maris grinned, eager to launch into the story. "I used to stay with Ramona on the weekends when I was little? I guess she wanted to give my dad a break. She used to have this really nice apartment in Manhattan when she worked for this lawyer there but it was only one bedroom so I'd sleep in there with her. Anyway, we were getting ready for bed one night and she had this really pretty silk nightgown. It kind of had like... it was a v-neck but it looked like butterfly wings on the sides of the split. It's hard to describe, I've never seen anything like it since. Either way I said it was pretty and she said, yeah your grandma didn't think so. She bought it for her for her birthday and then she gave it to her for Hanukah all oh someone gave me this but I didn't like it." Maris laughed. "I'll give her points for admitting it was a regift but everyone knows the number one rule of regifting is not giving it to the person who gave it to you." Maris shrugged. "Ramona said she didn't care because she liked it anyway. But it stung because this was when she was just settling into work and starting to make good money so she was kind of proud for buying my grandma something nicer for once?"

Since Maris' grandma was long gone by the time the story was told to her, she'd tried to glean as much as she could from it. Rachel, who she had gotten a middle name from, seemed forthright, at least. Her regifting skills may have been shoddy, but Maris could at least respect that she didn't mince words.

She could relate.

"On it," she said, before going off to find Nonna.

Rory loved hearing stories that she hadn't been privy to, taking them as little morsels that painted all the more vividly the experience of life her wife had been through. She grinned thinking about Ramona parading around in a silk nightgown that she'd picked out herself. It would be a little mortifying to be gifted back the thing that you'd chosen for someone else, but if she knew Ramona, she made the best of it. And probably looked fabulous while in it. "I can't believe your grandma actually said that!" Rory laughed, shaking her head and covering her face with one hand out of some second hand embarrassment. "That was so sweet of Ramona though. At least she got a fancy robe out of it?"

She was grinning as Maris scurried away, glancing over her shoulder to watch her go. She had to hurry, but indulging in an extra moment of looking at her wife wasn't going to put her off too much. She grabbed the scarf, and then picked up a soft dark grey sweater she'd been eying as well, if only to hide the scarf from Nonna ... and she knew as much as she'd loved the soft warm sweater, her wife would likely be stealing it, too.

Rory paid and made sure the scarf was wrapped in tissue and tucked at the bottom of the bag beneath her sweater before she ventured anywhere near Maris and Nonna. "Find anything good?" She asked the pair of them, swinging her bag in her hand before dropping her arm to the side. "We can do lunch next, if you two are ready for it?"

Maris tracked down Nonna easily enough and flicked through a rack of skirts with her until Rory arrived.

Since her stomach had a chance to settle, she was eager to eat and let Nonna lead the way to a cafe. Since the weather was nice, Maris agreed that they should eat outdoors, something she and Rory hadn't done a lot of since moving to London, even in the "warmer" summer months.

A lot of other people apparently had the same idea because they were seated behind a mother who was enjoying a salad while her toddler picked at Cheerios scattered on a napkin.

Maris found herself watching parents and kids once she realized she wanted them. Now that she was months away from joining the club herself, she couldn't tear her eyes away, smiling a little when the little girl reached out to offer a Cheerio to her mom. She was so transfixed, she missed the waiter's cue to give him her drink order.

"Just water for me, thanks," she said sheepishly.

As they walked along the street that would take them to the restaurant Nonna said was the best one, Rory opened up the bag a little to let Maris peer inside at her other purchase as well. Much of the clothes that Rory bought, she knew were more of a "we" garment. It was a perk of having a wife who wore about the same size, where their individual wardrobes in fact doubled when they moved in together. Of course, Maris might not reach for any of Rory's pinks right away, but she was welcome to anything of hers. Case in point: that leather jacket that looked damn good on her wife.

It was hard for Rory to go anywhere and not notice when small children were around, too. It had taken her a little while to notice the toddler at first while they got settled, but once a peal of laughter got her attention, it was hard not to let her attention wander over. God, it was so silly to feel a pang in her chest wondering what it would feel like when their own little chubby-fingered baby would reach out and want to share a cheerio with them. It was enough to get her emotional, but she blinked and asked for a diet coke.

"You girls are putting this Italian lunch to shame." Nonna said with a smirk, ordering a white wine.

"To be fair, it's your birthday, you can drink all day if you wanted to." Rory scoffed, reaching forward for a piece of bread that their waiter had dropped off.

"Cara, you can do that any day, not just for birthdays. There are no rules in adult life." Isabella leaned back as though she should have said her statement with a stream of too-cool cigarette smoke from her lips. But she'd given up smoking decades ago, thank god. It might have had something to do with a hysterical young Rory sobbing in her lap once she learned about the dangers of smoking in fifth grade health class.

"So tell me ladies," Nonna said, leveling her gaze at the two of them. "What's on the agenda when you return home? Back to teaching, I suspect."

Maris planned to work for as long as she could. She'd missed teaching, but she didn't realize how much until she was back in the swing of things again. In fact, Maris was beginning to feel like everything was back to the way it was before her grandfather's passing, right down to being back by Rory's side. The baby was going to shake things up again, leaving her scrambling to adjust to a different set of obstacles, but she had a feeling they'd do alright. All they could do was take it one day at a time.

Maris wasn't writing anything these days, but she knew that was an option if something forced her to stay home and take it easy during her pregnancy. She knew how easy it was to get bored when you were out of work with nothing but endless blocks of free time. She'd want to contribute, especially with the baby (and all the costs that came with them) coming soon.

Hell, writing was even an option if she found she liked staying home and didn't want to leave the baby's side once they were born, but both scenarios seemed like we'll sees.

Especially since Maris didn't have anything she was currently researching.

But it was nice to know the option was there. Just in case.

"I think Rory and I might do some joint lesson plans soon?" Maris offered, not wanting Nonna to think their lives were totally routine and boring. "We just have to see if we can coordinate with our separate units."

It wasn't always easy to find literature that lined up with what Maris was currently teaching and vice versa.

Since the cafe was packed, there was a couple behind them too. Maris watched the waiter bring their lunch. One of them had ordered a plate of blackened tuna that made her stomach rumble in a good way.

Maris could be picky with fish, only eating it when she was in the mood and only when it wasn't a variety that was particularly smelly, but she liked tuna and realized she hadn't had any in a while.

"That looks good. I think I'll-" She stopped herself. Tuna was yet another entry on the list of things she was supposed to avoid. "Nevermind, I can't have that."

Maris couldn't remember why. Something about mercury? She was so busy trying to remember what the problem with tuna was (because as hard headed as she was, she wasn't about to deny herself something without good reason, especially when she was towing the line so much already) that she didn't realize she implied she wasn't allowed something.

Not that she didn't want it.

Working together again really had been a dream come true. Rory hadn’t realized how much she truly missed having Maris with her all day until they had it back. She was honestly unsure how she’d gone all that time leaving for work or anything else before London. Rory loved to work, she loved her students and actually somehow loved the school they were teaching at, but the thing she loved most was sharing it with Maris.

It dawned on her that whenever Maris had to take pregnancy leave, she would miss her throughout the days… but she’d have another person to miss. Thankfully Rory could, and planned to take time off in the beginning as well, but she already wondered how hard it would be to leave both of them throughout the day.

There were a lot of things to consider, a lot of details to work out. They had a lot of time, but she imagined it would sneak up on them too.

“Mmhm, we want to. We did that back in New York a bunch.” Rory smirked at her wife, and turned her smile to her grandmother. “That’s actually where I fell for her.” She nudged her wife under the table, as Nonna’s face broke into a wide grin and she told Rory she’d never said that before.

But Nonna’s curiosity had her head tilting at Maris, as if she were trying to decipher something. “You don’t like fish? It’s fresh here. Freshest in the city.”

Rory reached for her glass of soda and took a sip, refraining from jumping in and answering for her wife, which she didn’t ever like to do. “Pasta for dinner, yes? I don’t want to get anything too heavy if so.” She tried to angle the subject a little bit, and Nonna confirmed that Eduardo was doing a variety. “I’ll probably just have the soup and salad.” Rory answered a bit too chipper in tone, but she was trying.

After another moment of Nonna staring, she leaned back a moment and regarded the pair of them. “There is one thing I wanted to bring up to the both of you, while you’re here.”

Maris was grateful Rory changed the subject, unsure if she could come up with a lie as to why she didn't want the fish she had been so excited about moments before.

She didn't want to.

Not wanting to tempt fate after her stomach had given her trouble earlier, Maris agreed that she'd probably go for soup & a salad too.

"What is it, Nonna?" Maris asked, curious as to what needed to be asked before they left. "We'll be back plenty, you know. I was sort of thinking we could come up for dinner one weekend a month or something." She looked over at Rory, wondering if she liked the idea.

If Isabella's former parties were anything to go off of, the decadent food they were in for would be a lot. She hoped that nothing would be particularly pungent, but figured at least most of it would be food that Maris could have. Could always count on a carb overload, anyway.

Rory smiled at Maris' idea, giving the smallest nod as she bit down on her lower lip. She loved that idea. The idea that Maris wanted to spend time with Nonna as much as she did made her feel so warm in her chest, like this place could feel even more like home with so much time spent there.

"Oh I would love it. Love it!" Isabella expressed, her very Italian way of expressing with her hands seeming to be even more so. "Now I know you don't like when I talk about these things, Aurora." Using Rory's full name was coupled with a stern look, as if she was telling Rory to hear her out.

"I'm eighty-seven today." She started, staring that whole 'never reveal your age' in the face. Isabella in fact reveled in her age. "And while I don't plan on going anywhere for quite some time, I do have to start considering some things." Rory gulped at the bread she'd had in her mouth, feeling a little queasy as to where this was going. She never liked to think of the mortality on anyone she loved. "But Rory I'm hoping I can appoint you to be the executor of my estate. It's all paperwork nonsense, but I'd like it to be you."

Rory exhaled slowly, as that wasn't quite as bad as what Nonna could have said. "Of course, I'm not going to say I'd be happy to, but of course, you know I will."

Nonna reached forward and squeezed Rory's hand, knowing that was a tougher ask than most. "grazie amore mia." She said softly, but there was a glint of some kind of mischief in her eyes. "I've already changed a few things. And the house, of course."

Rory glanced to Maris, shrugging a little as she looked back to Nonna. "What about it?" Nonna leveled her gaze at the two of them. "Well that's going to the two of you. My only stipulation is that it must stay in our family."

Maris didn't like where the conversation was going either. Especially when she and Nonna had just started getting close, but she also knew it was important to have. She sort of wished she'd had more like it with her grandfather. Adam had been perfectly fine until a million ailments seemed to hit him all at once, far too quickly for Maris to wrap her head around the fact that she was going to lose him. She slid her hand into Rory's lap and squeezed it under the table. It wasn't her place to say anything, but she was family now. She felt that more than ever now that she had been included in this sort of conversation.

And apparently on a deed.

Nonna had the most gorgeous house she'd ever seen. The idea that it would be theirs someday was...overwhelming.

New Yorker that she was, her and Rory having a house of their own seemed like something beyond her wildest dreams. But two? A villa in Italy? It was too much to contemplate.

This baby was going to have so much more than she ever had.

But she still didn't like thinking of how Nonna's place would become theirs. Grateful as she was, she also wanted to change the subject. But to what? Nonna mentioning family made her stomach do a strange sort of flip, guilt settling in to gnaw at her over the secret they were keeping. Even if it was a good one.

She gave Rory's hand a little squeeze. She still wasn't entirely sure it was her place to speak, but she also wasn't about to let Nonna think her gift would go unappreciated.

At least Rory would know she was inheriting property. Maris' grandfather's home in Maine had been sort of dumped into her lap, but she was grateful for it in more ways than one. Mostly because it lead her back to Rory.

"Isabella, that's... so amazing. I can't even... I was just telling Rory how beautiful the villa was this morning. We'll definitely take care of it." Her teeth sank into her lower lip. "We...we kind of have an announcement too."

Her stomach clenched again. Part of her thought this wasn't a very good idea. She and Rory hadn't discussed telling Nonna about the baby and Maris was still a little wary of announcing anything until she passed the sort of danger zone for miscarriages.

But this was a bittersweet, slightly uncomfortable conversation and she had a feeling everyone could use a bit of a mood lift. Nonna deserved to know that there really would be a family in her house once she was gone.

"I'm pregnant," she said, the words coming out soft and quick before she could talk herself out of saying them.

It was a hard idea to grapple with, and Isabella bringing up making plans gave Rory a double pang of feeling a certain kind of way about it, but also the reminder that she hadn't been with Maris when she had dealt with her grandfather's passing. Something that had gutted her when she found out about it. But she was grateful for Maris' presence now, reaching beneath the table to squeeze her hand back.

Isabella was in great health, and always seemed a good ten years younger than she actually was. It made sense though, for her to think about such things the older she got. Hell, Rory and Maris would probably have to do some similar paperwork now that they were going to be parents.

"You're serious?" Rory sort of sputtered after Isabella said so matter-of-fact that they were to inherit the villa. It was one of Rory's favorite places, that had always been the case, but it meant more to her now that she had Maris to share it with, that it was becoming a place for her to. Especially now that they were planning to come spend so much time with Nonna here too. It would only become more special every time.

Especially when they had someone else to share it with, too.

Rory's throat was already tight as Maris began to reveal their announcement. She squeezed her hand again, feeling like it was real as soon as Maris told Nonna. Of course it had already felt real, but now they were giving someone else their secret. It felt right, that Isabella should be the first.

"OH!" Nonna exclaimed and as though there was a rocket beneath her seat, launched up, expressive with her hands as ever as she flailed her way over to them. She gripped Maris in a hug, kissing her cheeks and saying "belissima, meraviglioso" and other exclamations. Tears were in Isabella's eyes, but they were in Rory's as well as she laughed. "Let her breathe, Nonna!" She was laughing though, and suddenly accepting a tight hug from her grandmother herself. "Oh oh, this is the most wonderful news. The best birthday present!"

Even if Maris still some pesky reservations about spilling the beans because they technically weren't "in the clear" it felt good to tell someone she was pregnant. She didn't know how tense she'd been trying to keep things from Nonna until everything was out in the open and now that someone other than Rory knew, things did feel a bit more real.

She laughed, surprised by how excited and affectionate Isabella was, but completely charmed by it. Her grandfather had adored her, but her little family of stoic scholarly introverts meant she'd never been quite so smothered with affection from a grandparent before.

"We're in the early stages," she told Nonna, before turning her gaze to Rory with a grin. "But very excited. And they tell us everything's going right thus far so..."

Now that Nonna knew, she was even more eager to visit her like she'd proposed. She'd heard plenty of stories from people whose family's never left them alone when they were pregnant, constantly visiting and fussing or calling with unsolicited advice even before the baby was born.

Maris didn't want a fuss, or even the positive attention some women soaked up like a sponge when she was pregnant. She didn't want anyone in her business. She really didn't want anyone telling her or Rory what to do, but she knew Nonna wouldn't. She wanted her in on the process, to see the subtle changes that happened between visits every month.

Or even more often if they felt like it. Maris & Rory's parents probably wouldn't see much of that. It suddenly seemed important that someone did.

"But I don't want this to overshadow your birthday, Nonna," she warned, but there was a smile on her face. "We weren't even planning on telling you today."

It truly was a relief to be all out in the open. Not having to hide it from Nonna was one thing, but actually sharing their news with someone else felt amazing. Rory had been of the mindset that keeping their child a secret for a while was a good thing, even aside from the whole waiting until the second trimester. It was a secret she and her wife shared, alone. Something they could wink at each other that they were the only ones in on it. Yet telling Nonna didn't seem to take anything away, just enhanced that feeling.

"Oh, oh of course. Of course." Nonna was saying with another wave of her hands before she took a seat again and gulped down a few sips of her water -- and then reached for her white wine.

As the burst of excitement settled, Rory looked over at Maris, her hand finding hers again to clasp together. She had a delightfully odd feeling of pride that Maris had chosen to share. Nonna knowing would give them someone else to share milestones with, too. Until they were ready to share with others.

"You couldn't overshadow with this news!" Nonna laughed as she regarded the two of them. "I'm so glad you've told me. I wondered..." She looked from Rory to Maris, a little narrowing of her eyes. "But I didn't want to assume. Allergies, Aurora?" Rory laughed sheepishly and shrugged her shoulders, reaching for her own drink as though to cover. "Maris said we weren't planning on telling you! It just sort of... felt right."

But Nonna was all smiles, practically buzzing. Rory could already see that her mind was spinning with just how to spoil this future great-grandchild of hers. "I wasn't able to get over to the states for your sister's children very much, you know." Nonna said with some regret, but her mood was just as light and happy as it was. "I'll hope to have all my great grand children here in the coming years."

When Nonna mentioned not seeing much of her other grandchildren, Maris felt a bit of a pull in her chest, wondering if her father would feel the same.

She reminded herself that there was no way she could be everywhere at once, that no matter where she and Rory lived some relative or another wouldn't be nearby, but it was something she hadn't really considered just yet.

Would her father be happy when she told him the news? She wasn't sure. His warnings about her mother's issues before and after her birth were how she'd learned the story behind Christina's absence in the first place. Would he think it was a bad idea?

You're so much like her.

One of the few things she knew about her mother, something she'd heard on more than one occasion growing up echoed through her head for the thousandth time.

But she was determined not to spiral so she focused on the present and the positive.

Nonna was here. Nonna was excited and Nonna would see Keats plenty. She was excited for all parties involved, really. Not many kids could say they spent any time with a great grandparent.

Would Keats have any on her side?

It was another thought she shoved down. Probably not. No one had ever come looking for her.

She squeezed Rory's hand a little tighter, suddenly needing some comfort of her own.

"I'm sure you will. We want to try our best to get everyone together as much as possible. I want the baby to know their cousins. I never had any myself."

But how could she be sure on her mother's side?

She sipped her water, wishing and not for the first time since pregnancy, that she could have an old fashioned instead.

Their immediate families really were so far away, and it was always something that Rory had to deal with when she used to get homesick. She never really was when she was with Maris though, so that had been a big part of growing away from the co-dependency she'd once felt she had with her mom and sister. Moving to New York had been a big change all the way back then. Away from California winters, the beaches and redwoods and towards snow and loud city living. It had ended up being the best decision of her life, clearly. But that didn't mean that she missed her family any less - her family had just evolved into being Maris first and foremost. It was a natural progression, really.

But she hoped that their families would come and visit more often, now that they were settled, and now that they would have even more of an incentive to come out for. If she thought too much about telling her mom about their child, Rory was likely to burst into tears.

She hoped they would all come out, her family, Maris' dad and Faye. They still had to show off their house, and soon enough they'd have a full nursery and a little occupant to show them as well.

This was a good start, having Nonna's reaction just emboldened Rory into feeling like all of this was supposed to happen. It was going to be amazing, every step of the way.

"No? I had more than I could count. But I didn't bother staying in touch with most of them." Nonna said as a complete sentence, though there were surely more stories laced beneath her blasé attitude. Rory just smirked, shaking her head. Her hand clutched her wife's, but her other hand reached across her body to squeeze Maris' arm, too. She just wanted more contact.

"Family is good to have around." Nonna spoke a moment later, contemplating her glass with a thousand-yard stare before turning her attention back to Maris and Rory. "This little one is going to be so very loved."

Maris didn't doubt the baby would be smothered in affection from her and Rory alone. She knew Nonna was excited and that their parents and Maggie and even their friends would be over the moon for them, but what if she was denying the baby something she'd never had?

Her mom's side of the family, something that was more than just people, really. A slice of their racial identity.

Maris never really talked about the fact that she was mixed race, not even sure she identified as such when she was so far removed from anything related to her mother. She remembered how surprised Rory had been when she told her that her mom was biracial. She didn't really know how too. Through no fault of his own, she'd been raised by a white, Greek, Jewish dad who hadn't quite known how to incorporate a culture that was understandably foreign to him. She knew that even if her mom had been around, she looked white and thus would have had a very different experience than Christina but she'd always been curious. She'd always felt like a little piece was missing, one that was much larger than an absent mother. What was her other family like? Would she even fit in? What if they were all like Christina and thus, like her?

What if it went horribly? Maris often reflected on the fact that her mother couldn't have been alone in the world. Her father told her that Christina hadn't been close to her family, but that didn't mean she didn't have one. She assumed her mother had told people she had a husband and a baby on the way.

Was no one curious as to what had happened to her?

Lunch was pleasant enough and she'd kept up in conversation but a seed had been planted in Maris mind, one that had her scrolling through genealogy kit options on the bed while her wife got dressed for the party later that night.

Maris wasn't often glued to her phone. She always thought searching on her laptop was much easier, but she hadn't brought any other devices on such a short trip. She idly chewed her lower lip as she read about the accuracy level of the test she was interested in, unsure of exactly what she wanted to know.

She knew the test would tell her where her ancestors were from but what good was that?

She knew the test would put her in some database for relatives to find her but the idea no one would reach out was causing her to pause even more than the idea that someone would.

What if everyone really had forgotten about her?

Transfixed on her phone, Maris hadn't even bothered getting dressed yet, reaching out for a pad of paper to scribble down the name of a company, underlining it before adding a note: cheap, but inaccurate. smaller database?

Somewhere in the back of her mind, Rory was aware that all of this had to weigh on some part of her wife. While she knew that Maris was particularly excellent at keeping harder things on her own shoulders, that night in their bonus room where she'd broken down and told Rory everything she knew about her mother was huge. Rory thought about it from time to time, but it was a subject that she always thought was Maris' to bring up or not. Even as her wife, she wasn't going to push her or pry into spaces that felt like they needed a gentle approach.

In their excitement over the day, Rory hadn't thought too much about where Maris' mind must be going to, and so when they returned home to relax and get ready for the party, she noticed her wife being quiet more than usual.

Rory stepped out of the bathroom in her dress for the party, and glanced over at her wife who seemed glued to her phone. Still barefoot and her hair not done, she didn't worry about those things just yet as she moved over to the bed and nudged her wife's knee with her own once she stopped, standing in front of her. "Penny for your thoughts?"

Glancing over as Maris scribbled notes, she brushed her fingers through her wife's hair before she took a seat next to her.

Rory's voice pulled Maris out of her thoughts. She offered her wife a soft smile, leaning into her touch once she sat on the bed with her. "You look nice," she whispered.

And she meant it, but her thoughts were still elsewhere.

"Have you ever thought about doing one of these?" she asked, handing Rory her phone so she could see what was on the screen. "I think I might...like to. Just to see."

Rory smiled softly in her thanks to her wife, but her focus was also elsewhere. She looked at Maris, waiting for her with gentle patience to tell her what was going on.

Taking her phone in her hand, Rory glanced over the screen and put the pieces together very quickly. "I have, mostly just out of total curiosity." It struck her from time to time just how similar a lot of the blanks in Maris and her stories were thanks to absentee family members. Of course, hers didn't come close to comparison when Maris had a whole generational, racial identity that was part of who she was.

Rory handed her phone back, but slipped her hand into Maris', their fingers lacing together as she gave her a squeeze. "I think it could be a really good idea. We could both do it, if you wanted? A little family genealogy experiment." She wrinkled her nose at how that sounded, but there was no real word for it, was there? "A family genealogy quest."

Maris scoffed. "That sounds like the most boring video game ever." But Rory had to know she was serious. They didn't often talk about her mother. She wasn't even sure her wife knew how she'd always felt out of sorts as far as her racial identity was concerned. She wasn't sure what it meant or even if she could know until she met someone from that part of her family. It wasn't that her dad had hidden anything from her. He'd always told her that her mom was biracial, that her grandmother was black and that her grandfather was white but... Maris had a feeling that was all her father did know. And how could she blame him, really?

"I don't think my dad even met more than... I can't remember if he said my grandfather or grandmother. So he can't help me."

John had also said he got the impression Christina's family didn't like him, but she didn't say that to Rory. She couldn't see why. Her father was kind, handsome, well educated and had always held down a steady job. Then again, John could be awkward around new people. Even so...

She looked up at Rory, voicing something she'd often thought but never said aloud. "That's so weird, right? Never meeting more than one person in your wife's... the mother of your daughter's family? I know he said they lived far, but..."

But what if Christina hadn't wanted him to? What if there was a reason?

Oh god, what if they were awful? Did she want their baby to know they were descended from awful people?

What if her mother was the problem? After everything she'd done Maris didn't exactly have a high opinion of her. Ramona didn't. It was kind of easy to believe that other people didn't like her.

But family?

It was a lot to unpack and she really didn't want to open this can of worms on what was supposed to be a nice day.

Nonna's day.

She sighed, gripping a handful of her own hair, the familiar gesture having changed ever so slightly since Maris had taken to cutting more off. "I'll do it if you do it," she said. "But let's just worry about all that when we get back. I don't want to bring down the party."

"Oh I don't know, not if you find out your ancestors were Indiana Jones or something." Rory smiled softly, but she knew the severity of what this would mean for Maris. She knew that it was bigger for Maris than even most people. She knew that the whole part of her family that she didn't know about brought with it probably even more questions. As it was, Rory was just glad that she could be here with Maris, and hold her hand through whatever parts she needed to be held through.

Rory was thoughtful as Maris went on, as her brain already jumped a few steps ahead to what it might look like to search in earnest, and how the results might come through. She hoped a lot of answers would pour out, but she knew that it wasn't always so easy.

"It is a bit different." Rory nodded, kind so as not to completely rail against these people who made her wife feel even the slightest bit of discomfort or feeling left out. But to the point, Rory couldn't imagine not wanting Maris to meet every single person who was important to her, especially her family. She wondered if maybe Christina hadn't had a good relationship with her family, or if there had been some protective quality as a wife and even mother that had started out in the beginning there. "But distance is no real excuse." Rory finished the thought with her own, squeezing Maris' hand. She hoped that they were wonderful people, and maybe had some legitimate explanation - but no excuses.

A lot of questions, ultimately none that she had the answers to.

Rory did know the gesture well, and her hand moved over her wife's back, rubbing gently and sliding her hand up to the back of her neck to soothe her there. "You're not bringing anything down." She assured her, tugging her closer so she could press a couple of quick kisses to her temple. "We'll do it when we get home." Rory's tone was gentle, but firm in their decision. She knew her wife well, and had the suspicion she might drive herself crazy wondering for too long. "Tonight is for eating our weight in carbs and kissing you more times than I care count."