To Love Her

Chapter 7: Surprise Guests

It was not even past 7:00 in the morning yet the Manor's dining table was already groaning from the abundant breakfast items it was holding. Stacks and stacks of pancakes and waffles, greasy but very crispy bacon, about 2 dozen eggs cooked different ways, bagels with cream cheese, steaming hot coffee and fresh orange juice crammed in the dining table that there was no place for the centerpiece.

"Piper, really? Don't you think you're overdoing it a little?" Phoebe asked when she saw the table.

"According to Prue she feels something is about to happen that she's sure we need all this." she gestured at the table.

"It's true I put her up to it. Thanks to you Phoebe, I can tell that we will have hungry guests. Not to mention your husband, and Henry too!" Prue said cheerfully but was met by a confused look from Phoebe. Phoebe looked at Piper hoping to get an answer. Prue sat down and poured herself a cup of coffee while she waited for everyone. To be honest, she really wasn't sure what was going to happen.

"Don't look at me. I tried to ask but she said that she would tell us when we're all together after breakfast. Just sit your butt down and have some coffee." Piper said while she laid plateful of sliced fruits and vegetables in front of Wyatt. Chris was sucking on his thumb content inside his crib.

A knock was heard at the door and before Phoebe could offer to get it, Paige was coming down from the stairs and said to no one in particular, "I'll get it!"

Paige opened the door to see Henry all ready for work.

"Oh honey, why didn't you just call me, I could've orbed you and you wouldn't have to drive." Paige said before giving Henry a big good morning kiss.

"I tried but when you didn't answer I thought you were still asleep. Is that bacon I smell?" Henry went straight for the dining table.

"Wow, if it's always like this here, we should definitely visit more often." Coop said after teleporting. He kissed Phoebe good morning and sat on one of the empty chairs followed by Henry. Leo was just coming out of the kitchen and announced, "The chicken soup is done. I'm not sure what it's for but let me grab some of that bagel!" Leo also sat down and was about to start on his plate when a loud sneezing enough to almost make the Manor shake.

Everyone froze.

They were all looking at the ceiling trying to figure out who or what the noise was.

"Please don't tell me you have a giant with a cold for a guest this morning. I don't think I can handle that yet." Henry said breaking the silence.

Another sneezing and this time it was just a normal one coming from a young lady who orbed in the Manor. She had alabaster skin, curly black hair, dark brown eyes, waist length hair and was clearly suffering from a very bad cold indicated by her very pink nose and tissues in her hand.

"Gesundheit!" Piper said after her third sneeze.

"Thanks mom!" Melinda responded automatically after hearing her mother. She turned her attention from her tissue to her mother and was surprised at what she saw.

"Oh no!" was all that she could say after she realized that with two baby boys and her aunts and uncles looking so young, she was definitely in the past and most definitely not even born yet.

"Did you just call Piper mom?" Paige asked after picking up her jaw that definitely fell to the floor after hearing the young woman call her older sister 'mom'.

"Yes, aunt Paige." Melinda said after realizing that she couldn't really lie to them after that. She hated time traveling, hence she never time-travelled, at least not voluntarily. There were so many rules and she couldn't keep up with what she could and couldn't say about the future and most importantly not to change it.