Something's Different

Vanessa called her babysitter, Maria, to watch Sascha while she went to work that morning. She wore a pair of black dress pants and a soft dark blue sweater that flared out around her hips. She knew that this sickness she was feeling was familiar but she didn't want to see a doctor in fear she was right. She wanted to kick herself when she started getting sick but of course fate always had ways of throwing you curve balls. She simply sighed as she unlocked the doors to Babbity Rabbity, she went straight for the office in the back. She did everything she needed to do that morning and sighed when it was finally time to open the doors to the crowd of people.

She took a deep breath and went out to mingle with customers as well as to see if the staff needed any help. She walked around the place three times taking in everything until she felt like she was going to be sick. She quickly walked to the bathroom and made it just in time, after her bout of sickness she washed her mouth out in the sink. She knew that it was going to come down to the time where she was going to have to do something about it soon.

She sighed as she walked back out to the dining area as she put a piece of peppermint in her mouth to calm the nausea. She put a smile on her face as she walked the floor again before she was pulled into the kitchen by one of her staff. She fixed some details before going back out on the floor then stayed at the edge of the play area smiling softly watching all the kids play.

Maria showed up with Sascha who immediately went to her and hugged her before going off to play. She thanked Maria who went to grab a table for her and Sascha while Nessa watched her daughter playing with another little girl.

She walked over to Maria and told her what to order for Sascha and made sure to get some fresh fruit with it as well. After that was taken care of she walked back to where Sascha was playing and saw her get up to come up to her.

"Mommy," She said looking up at her with innocence.

"Yes princess what is it?" She asked with a smile.

Sascha pointed at her belly and said, "Baby." Then walked back over to where she had been playing.

Nessa's eyes went wide when her daughter said that then looked down at her stomach.

Khaat didn't often get a chance to go out of the family compound. She had gotten used to living under tight security. Actually, she had gotten tired of the attempts on her life, and she had started to like being reclusive, except for those foul members of the press that always seemed to think she had something to hide. Bullcrap. It was solely about keeping her family and herself alive.

However, Marcus, her ever present bodyguard, had thought she was getting too morose. He'd decided she needed to get out of the shelter of the compound. He'd talked her into taking Abbey and Dakota and Julia to lunch at Babbity's. Abbey and Julia, for their ages, were remarkably well behaved at table--usually. Dakota was another story--usually. Angus had promised to let them help him make cookies when they got home if they were good. And Dakota did like that, so she was trying to behave.

Babbity's was relatively calm today, well, as calm as a restaurant that was particularly aimed at families with children could be. Marcus had chosen a table close to the play area for them that he felt was easier for him to let the kids play and also keep an eye on the room without painting them all entirely into a corner.

A father himself, Marcus was good with kids. He helped her with the kids' coats and getting them settled. Then Khaat placed the lunch order.

"Why don't you take the kids to the play area?," he told her. "We're safe enough for the moment."

"Okay," she said, getting up and going with the girls to the play area.

Vanessa walked away from where he daughter was playing and walked the around the room again. She would pick up something here and there was that lying on the floor. She assisted people with things that they needed and she kept her head up. She was making her second round making her closer to the kitchen she felt a wave of nausea again. She grabbed a peppermint from her pocket and put it in her mouth. It made it go away for the time being but she knew that she was going to have to get to a doctor sooner rather than later.

She looked around the room seeing people with their children having fun and chatting. She walked back over to where her daughter was playing and smiled warmly seeing her with another little girl. She then walked around the playroom to check to make sure everything was fine. She saw a little girl with her foot stuck somehow through one of the bars. She helped the girl get unstuck and made sure she didn't have a sprain before letting the girl go off to play again. The child's mother thanked her and went back the table had been seated.

Nessa went to the edge of the playroom to watch all the children play with a smile on her face. She saw her daughter playing with the same girl still with the biggest grin on her face and it made her happy to see her daughter that way.

She was paying attention to her daughter when she brushed up against someone. "Oh I'm sorry," She said and immediately moved over feeling embarrassed.