Reid decides to make use of his evening off by getting some brewskies with his estranged sister, Dorothy Pelletier.
The siblings meet up in the Old Quarter Inn.
"Dorothy! You're here at last." She smiles awkwardly, "Oh you know, I was back in the neighbourhood..."
Reid snaps into older brother mode, "Oh cut the B.S. sis, ya don't return my calls, ya ignore invitations to family stuff, ya haven't even met your niece!"
"Oh lord, it's a child." Her body stiffens as Lamb pops out of nowhere.
"Hey Auntie D, what are you drinking?" Lamb nonchalantly climbs onto the barstool. "Ha, you're not bad kid."
She catches sight of Harley, "Oh what? Are you having another one?" - "Oh no, we're not." Harley reassures her.
The impromptu catch up is surprisingly pleasant. Harley even learns some of Dorothy's traits before she disappears into the back room with the bartender.
Speaking of brothers, Harley gets a sneaky idea. "Oh my god, Reid! We have to send Mackay a selfie of us in the bar while I'm pregnant. It'll totally mess with him." - "Right on. Then we both haveta turn our phones off so he really freaks."
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A slew of unanswered messages later...
"Oh you know, we were just in the neighbourhood and thought, why not check in on the baby." Says Bjorn lightly. "Yeah I believe you." Answers Reid. Harley whinges, "Argh... My back hurts like a motherfucker."
Mackay gives Harley a hug, "Thank you for not giving my baby fetal alcohol syndrome... Right?" - "Relax! It was only sparkling water."
"See? Right where you left it." She lets him feel the baby. "Oh wow." Mackay touches her tummy gently.
"H-hey there baby... It's me your dad.... I promise I won't ever drop you, or leave you in a car... Or give you peanut butter."
Lamb ignores this display of sibling affection. "Hey ghost granny! What's it like being dead?" Britney answers in a gentle whisper, "Not that different from being alive, except no-one calls you anymore for some reason."
Mackay has calmed down enough to let Maxwell fawn over Harley. "I've already interviewed a bunch of preschools in the area. Do you think it's too early to start thinking about Scouts?" - "I dunno Maxwell, are you sure you've actually prepared enough for this?"
"Oh yes!" He enthuses, "We are SO ready for this baby!"
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Exactly 24 hours later:
Harley starts getting contractions. "OH FOUL ACCURSED THING! WHAT DEMON FROM THE DEPTHS OF HELL CREATED THEE?"
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In the middle of the night the family is called over.
Maxwell hyperventilates, "Oh my god, oh my god. It's here it's here it's here! What's the sex? No! Don't tell me yet!" - "As long as its healthy?" Harley finishes his sentence.
Reid sizes up Mackay, "Well bro, ya'll ready for this?"
"Oh Reid, please. How hard can it be?" He smirks. "Okay great! Now get this baby out of my house!" Says Harley, well and truly done with infants.
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A warm glow fills the apartment as the couple return home. Bjorn has been awake, excited but unsure of what to expect.
Mackay turns to Bjorn and smiles tenderly. "We did it, can you believe it? We actually did it."
"I know." He whispers back, "Congratulations." Mackay looks up shyly, "No, I mean like, the three of us. We did it."
Maxwell gazes at his daughter adoringly. They have decided to name her Hope.
💗
