She looked up at the sound of Clover calling out and then nudged at Fred. "Yer son is here," she said with a sleepy smile. Apparently the curtains were open and she hadn't even realized it before nursing her children. Her face went red at this. Oh boy. "Here, I'll put the children back to bed and ye tend to yer son." She started to get up.

Frederic shook his head and nudged Karen back under the blankets, gently taking Niamh from her if she let him and already holding Harold Jr. "Rest," he said, a kind order, and stood. Clover peeked in the room then and waved to Karen and Frederic knelt beside his son and muttered something in his ear before leaving the bedroom, rocking the babies in his arms and humming to them. Niamh giggled as he laid her down in her bassinet and Harold gave a little yawn when Frederic did the same for him. He waited until the pair were asleep before heading back to the bedroom.

Clover poked his head in the room and waved cheerfully at Ms. Calloway. His father knelt and the boy smiled and cooed at the babies in his arms as he listened. "Close the curtains, please, Clover- and Karen isn't feeling well, so be gentle, alright?" He nodded and his father stood up and left the room. Seeing as he was a bit short, he pulled a small chair over to the windows and stood on it to close the curtains, then hopped back down and went to the side of Ms. Calloway's bed, still smiling. His Pa was busy in another room and Clover, being the matchmaker he was, asked Ms. Calloway quietly, "Does Pa love you? And do you love Pa?"

Karen was not surprised when the boy popped into the house and room. She snuggled down into the comfortor and sighed wearily, feeling a sneeze come on. "Achoo!" she proclaimed against the hanky she yanked to her nose. It was Clover's question that caused her to blink and red to creep into her cheeks. "Aye, Clover. We love each other," she said after a moment. "I am goin' ta marry yer pa after all."

Clover beamed and did a little dance around the side of Karen's bed. "I knew it!" His smile was as bright as the sun, and he paused after a few moments, his eyes widening. "Does that mean..." He looked back toward the door where his Pa had gone. "Niamh and Harold will be my... siblings?"

"Aye, your step-siblings," she said in agreement. "They could use a big brother like ye to protect them when they get a little older. Are ye up for the job, Clover?" she asked as she curled up on her side and watched him. He was such a dear boy, she thought.

Clover nodded enthusiastically and beamed. "Yes, Ms. Calloway, I am!" He lifted up his arms to show her how strong he was although there was no muscle to be seen. He was only seven, after all. His gaze turned thoughtful after a moment of exuberance and he tilted his head at Ms. Calloway. "Could I call you... Ma?" His eyes were wide and he was tearing up. He'd never gotten the chance to know a mother's love and the opportunity to call someone his Ma could make him cry with joy.

Frederic poked his head back in the bedroom just as Clover asked "Could I call you... Ma?" and froze in the doorway. He looked to Karen as a hundred thoughts flew through his head. He was alright with it, not that Clover had asked him, and he knew his son craved a mother's love despite how he didn't say it much. Would Karen mind, though? He waited, holding his breath.

"Aye, Clover. Ye may call me Ma if ye wish," her heart swelled at this and she wanted very much to hug the boy who just asked her such a question. Oh, but what a sweet boy he was. "I'll be yer new mother if that is what ye want," she repeated. "I don't want ye to catch me cold, otherwise I'd give ye a big hug." She wanted to very much. She looked up and her eyes were smiling as she peered at Fred, who had just popped his head into the door. She nodded to him.

Clover grinned and scrambled up into the bed, throwing his arms around Ms. Calloway- Ma -as he started to cry. These were tears of joy, though, not sadness or pain, for he was so grateful that she said yes and that his Pa had met her. He only noticed his father when he felt arms wrapping around him and Ma and he sniffled out, "Didja hear that, Pa? Did you?"