English Legacy: Just a Touch (Chapter 34)

You set the pace of what was to come
I have to carry on now that you're gone
A day in the life, well nobody laughed
Look to the days how long can this last

"Note to self," Deanna thought to herself as she rubbed her tummy. "If Liz Kicks the Key Lime Pie Up a Notch, only have one piece." She was smiling though, and smiles had been bit rare ever since the recent passing of her parents within a day of each other. The new baby her husband assured her they were having, helped to remind her that Life goes on.
Of course, Deanna wasn't the only one who'd received a reminder. "Darn, that WAS good pie," her twin sister Elizabeth said, rubbing her own belly. The sudden, relative emptiness of the house had affected her too, and she was glad as well that new life would fill the emptiness.

Plus, Elizabeth had finally gotten promoted to Executive Chef at the Bistro after much Hard Work, and the maternity leave would actually give her a chance to rest up and maybe work on her Cooking in a less stressful environment. Maybe she could even learn how to bake birthday cakes herself, instead of having to buy them premade from the shadowy cartel at the grocery store.
The family had all been gathered for Cassandra's birthday party, with the appropriate blowing of horns for the birthday girl. Cassandra squealed, and blew out the candles as hard as she could!
Setting the table on fire, in the process. Thankfully, her cousin Kevin Bravely pulled out a fire extinguisher and got to work on the inferno. Surprisingly, so did their maid, who had happened to "Crash" the birthday party. Needless to say, the maid left with more than the usual $125 fee.
Once the mess from the fire was cleaned up, it was time to give Cassandra's transition another try. This time, there was no fire, and little Cassandra successfully grew up into a child.
As transition outfits go, the English family had seen a lot worse. Still, while the two pregnant women dived into the cake with all the restraint of a starving wolf, Cassandra hurried to the mirror and the bureau for her make over.

Creator's Note: Oh dear lord, Shante/Elizabeth's jaw is even more evident in Cassandra's face than it was in Elizabeth's at that age - and her cheeks are far puffier than her mom's were, also. I'm cringing to think how she'll look as a teenager.
Now that Cassandra was a child, Elizabeth was able to Announce to her daughter that she was going to be a big sister, which thrilled her. She was soon looking forward to showing her new brother of sister how to have fun Outdoors, and on the Computer. She was a Whiz at it, of course.
"I don't know about you, Liz," Deanna remarked to her sister several months later, "but I am ready to have this kid pop out. Seems like Zebulon has to give me a massage twice a day."

"Oh, I'm almost ready," Elizabeth replied with a sympathetic grin, "but it looks like you're just a little bit readier than I am," she said mischievously, looking at her sister's slightly larger belly. "I don't have to start getting nervous until you go into labor first." She looked up at her sister's face. "That *was* good pie, wasn't it?"

Deanna laughed, then asked her sister, "So, did you have my husband find out if you're having a boy of a girl this time?" Elizabeth smiled and firmly shook her head.

"Nope, Brendan and I want it to be a surprise this time," she replied. "What about you?"

Deanna smiled. "I couldn't bear not knowing, so I had Zebulon check."
"A little girl?" Elizabeth squealed. "Oh Dee, that's great! So, have you and Zeb picked out a name?

"We have," Deanna replied, then told it to her sister. "Is that a good name or what?"

"It's perfect," Elizabeth replied. "I think Mom and Dad would have loved it."

Creator's Note: I don't know what the deal was, for this time, for at no point in Elizabeth's pregnancy could I have Zebulon determine the Gender of Elizabeth's baby, which is odd, because he did with Cassandra. The "Give Great Medical Advice" option disappeared too, before I could use it. Too many possible "Friendly" interactions available, I think.
Zebulon forced himself to calm down, even as he looked and saw the speedometer on the Kompensator edging towards 60 miles per hour. He took his foot off the gas, and shook his head slightly as the car slowed. Even though she was nine months pregnant, Deanna had insisted on delivering the load of paintings that the Diner had commissioned from her, personally. Zeb had long ago learned that there was no arguing with the Heiress of the family.
At least the Heiress of the family learned that there was no arguing with Nature, when Nature said it was time for the baby to come. Deanna didn't even get to finish delivering the paintings; and instead jumped back into her mom's police cruiser, and drove to the nearby hospital. There, she met Zebulon, who cracked the whip at the hospital staff, who hustled her to Maternity.
Apparently, there was one little girl who was quite ready to meet her parents as well, and a few hours later, Deanna and Zebulon climbed into a taxicab home with Jessica Shante English.

Of course, true to the timeframe, the following scene took place shortly after baby Jessica reached her new home.
"Just relax, honey. We'll be at the hospital very soon. Everything's going to be fine, I promise."
"I know Liz, but geez, what are you doing? Eighty?" Brendan said through gritted teeth, holding on to the car's grab handles tightly. Elizabeth, smiling and unconcerned, shifted into fourth expertly as she then patted her husband's knee.

"Eighty two," she said. "Boy, I love this car," she murmured, as they rounded a curve like they were on rails.
Needless to say, Elizabeth was more than happy, a few hours later, to enjoy a much-slower cab ride home, as she held little Andrew Alexander English in her arms.
So, after a period of Death and mourning, with sad reflections and lots of crying on shoulders, Life returned to the English household, which was full once more.