Frederic smiled and placed a gentle kiss on Karen's cheek. He wanted to hold one of the children in his arms, but he wasn't sure if she would let him, so he just wrapped one arm around her shoulder and let the other rest around hers that cradled her squirming babies. "They are so perfect," he murmured, and wondered if one day he and Karen would create such miracles of life together. For now, though, he was content with the three lovely children and woman he was lucky enough to call his family.

She offered Niamh over to him since she was closer. She didn't know that Fred wanted to hold one but thought he would. Harold began rooting around for her breast, so she opened her nightgown and let him nurse, hoping that he wouldn't get sick from nursing. She was very careful about her babies, but she needed to let them feed because it was uncomfortable not to. "Ye're a hungry boy, aren't ye?" she asked Harold. She glanced over to Fred and smiled happily, looking like she was feeling a little better than earlier, probably because she got to sleep some.

Frederic could tell Karen was feeling at least a little better than she had earlier and smiled back at her. He looked down to Niamh in his arms and started rocking her slowly, humming a nameless tune, his heart growing ever warmer as he gazed down at the child. What a miracle life was, and love too, for that matter. Looking to Karen as she nursed Harold, he leaned over to her and kissed her cheek. "I love you," he murmured, then looked down at Harold and then to Niamh, repeating the sentiment to both of her babies.

"I love ye too," she smiled. Harold ate noisily and greedily, and was starting to look like her was going to be chubbier than his sister. Karen yawned softly, dozing off due to the warmth her child was providing. She had propped herself up on the pillows before nursing just in case, for almost every time brought a case of the sleepies.

Frederic slipped an arm around Karen as he noticed her drifting off to sleep and smiled fondly at her. He drew her body closer to him and wrapped the blankets around the four of them in a little cocoon of warmth and love. Niamh burbled up at him and he cooed at her quietly as Harold finished nursing and made a few noises at his sister as if trying to converse with her. Frederic's heart warmed at the pair and he resolved, not for the first nor the last time, that he would protect and care for the pair as long as he lived.

Niamh was starting to root around just as Karen felt Fred put his arm around her. She traded babies with him and repeated the process. Karen sighed sleepily and snuggled into Fred. "I love ye," she murmured sleepily. The clock began to chime in the other room, time for school to be out most likely. "Mmm, Clover should be here soon. Ye two are welcome ta stay tonight so ye don't have to walk home."

Frederic gave a small smile at her offer. "And so you wouldn't have to care for your children all alone while sick," he added and kissed her cheek as he now held Harold Jr. The babe was a bit bigger than his sister and Frederic couldn't help but give a soft laugh, his smile growing, as the child tugged at his beard and hair with little fingers, too gently to hurt.

"Mmm, that too," she agreed as she watched him handle little Harold. She laughed softly as she watched the boy tug at her lover's beard and she shook her head in amusement. It didn't take long for Niamh to be content and for Karen to rest her head on Fred's shoulder sleepily. When Niamh had her fill of milk, Karen closed her nightgown up.

Frederic smiled softly as Karen rested her head on his shoulder. She was still sleepy, he could tell, and he assumed she wanted more rest. There was still soup in the kitchen, that would do for supper for them and Clover and as the babes had just nursed, they wouldn't be hungry for a few hours, as Frederic knew from his son's youngest months. "Karen," he murmured, just wanting to say her name, and kissed the top of her head. "Oh, Karen. I love you."

Clover bounced along the lane this morning, his spirits quite high because he'd done well on a surprise spelling quiz at school. As he walked up the lane toward the yellow house, he saw through the window his father and Ms. Calloway as well as Ms. Calloway's babies, all curled up on her bed. Whether or not they knew the curtains were open enough for them to be seen, the little boy didn't know, and he hurried up to the front door and, finding it unlocked, slipped inside and called, "Pa? Ma- Miss Calloway?" He almost called Ms. Calloway his Ma and his cheeks flushed a little at his mistake.