Enchanted

Chapter 17

Everyone congregated up at the hospital Laura had chosen and the sheer noise level almost had the staff kicking them out.

It took two days but Laura pushed out her third daughter, Melody (Mercedes picked it out) Nala (Marcy) Taylor-Jones or Mellie (Maddie) for short. She looked exactly like her siblings but especially Lu, whose blue eyes she had.

Everyone loved her and went into baby wanting mode.

Marcy smiled because she was having her son in a few short months. Mal was convinced she was having another girl but she knew. Momma always knew.

W

Laura went home three days later. She didn't have any kind of rest and technically her siblings didn't either. They were all up at the hospital with her.

But they didn't care. Mellie was just one more to love.

When Laura went home, she went about resting more. Toni had had her baby (boy) and Cassi was pregnant again so they all needed to rest up before going back into the booth.

They had a meeting at the Taylor-Jones estate, in Laura's office. Marc was wrestling with the kids while she had a second to herself (to think about business but still).

"What are we thinking about for our third album?" Laura rubbed her deflating stomach.

Toni dangled a toy in MJ's (Mitch Jr.) face. "I think it should be about how much we've grown."

Cassi smiled. "Me too."

"So you're not trying to retire yet?"

Cassi scowled. "I can't stand Franco!"

"You're only saying that because you're pregnant again." Laura smiled to take the heat out of the rejoinder.

"I don't know how I got back into this situation!"

"Franco's fine." Toni spilled.

Laura blushed. "He's very attractive."

Cassi's pink mouth fell open. "Guys?!"

The two giggled.

Cassi pursed those lips. "I've got to get new friends."

W

Tina hated this. She felt so ungrateful. But she felt how she felt. She asked Mike about it.

His brows lifted. "Really?"

"I love them. I do but Marcy and the girls are my age."

"You'd still be the youngest member."

"By a few days, not years."

"You've thought about this."

"Yeah. I don't know if Expensive Ink even wants me."

"Of course they will." He took her hand.

She leaned her head against him as they laid in bed. "And you're sure they won't hate me?"

"I promise."

W

Brittany burst into tears while Mercedes blinked them back. "Oh."

Santana and Quinn grimaced.

Tina felt terrible. "You hate me!"

"Why do you want to leave us?!" Brittany blubbered.

"It's not that I want to leave you. It's just- You're older than I am. No matter what, we'll be on two different levels in life. It's hard enough in my marriage without doing it for work, too."