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Carlisle had insisted on using this day to wander outside, but Lixxie had class. She had rung up someone she knew, who called someone else, who knew someone who called somebody else, and instead of an unknown babysitter he found himself walking next to the lady he had found in the gardens. Though it was a much more quiet and sedate walk than he was used to- Bella was pregnant, after all- he went many more interesting places. There was no limit to the places where she took him, dark alleys to a broad street in Durem. But it was this small cottage that she had walked directly to upon sight, smiling at him and saying that she was curious.

He brushed his long bangs- out of his eyes and looked up at the top of the door. "Where?" She shrugged. That was weird, because his mother never took him anywhere without knowing where they were.

"I'll keep you safe," she said, and knocked on the door. He clutched her hand, felt a little ill at ease, but doubtless Bella would keep her promise. "Hello?" There wasn't a sign on the door like there had been at all the other places. Was that why she didn't just walk in? He shifted uneasily from one foot to the other.

Bella would have curtsied, as she'd been taught, but the weight of her unborn child was a bit much. "I hope that also," she said, unconsciously mirroring Astraea's cadence as she led Carlisle inside the cheerful home. As soon as they were over the threshold, he rushed over to the table and tried to climb up. Obviously, his former apprehension was forgotten.

"Hi," he said, all seriousness. "I's Carlisle." Even unsuccessful, he could almost see Tamaura. Seeing he was occupied, Bella looked about.

"My name is Bella," she said. "There's nothing to forgive, madam."

Carlisle watched as Tammy bore the indignity of her face being cleaned, then smiled as she was set down near him. He ceased his attempt to get to the top of the table, a feat which had been handily avoiding him, and instead joined Tamaura. "Tammy!" Of course he'd been listening to Astraea. "Know patty-cake?" His first resort on meeting new kids was the hand game, and he held out both his hands as if to begin playing.

She allowed herself to be moved to the chairs. "Thank you," she said, then shook her head. "Carlisle isn't mine. This one will be my first... Your Tammy is a beautiful girl. How old is she?" Bella wasn't very comfortable with discussing her pregnancy; she didn't know as much as many as far along as she did. She was simply grateful that she could still move about in her eighth month, as some of those she knew could not. That was what she told herself, anyway.

He nodded and positioned Tammy's hands correctly. "Patty-cake, patty-cake," he recited with great solemnity, each time showing her where to put her hands. "Bake us cake fast you can. Mol' it, and pat it, and mark it with," he paused and screwed up his face. "T," he decided, "put it in oven for Tammy 'n me!" With an expectant look, he said, "Play 'gain?"

Bella took a sip of her tea and glanced at Tamaura and Carlisle. "She looks very mature for three weeks," she murmured, but not in a suspicious way; just a quiet sort of longing. But wasn't Carlisle only a few months? He looked much older. Perhaps it was something to do with this planet. "I wasn't aware you had them, madam. I came here because I heard this place mentioned by a friend of mine... Idle curiousity, really. But could you tell me about them, regardless?"

"Ah," Bella said, but it was barely more than a breath; her lips didn't even move. "Thank you, very much." She tucked the old book carefully away in her shoulder-bag and settled back into the comfortable chair. "He or she is due in the next month... I've looked like this almost since my fifth month. I'm told it's because I was so slender." With a frown, she continued, "I hate the implication that I will no longer be slender after this, but of course, it may be true."

Carlisle got up also and brushed off his pants. The floor wasn't dirty, but it was his habit to do so in case it was. "Yeah," he agreed enthusiastically. "Le's see egg!"

He didn't really want to touch but he wanted Tammy to be his friend, so he did. "Vewy car-fool," he said obediently, gently stroking the top of the egg. "S'warm. Is be bird? Wha' color?" Carlisle smiled at the egg, then at Tammy. "Is pretty. Thanku for showin' me, Tammy."

Bella smiled. "I hope so. But..." She sighed. "It's pleasant to talk to someone like you. You see... this babe's father is not my husband. Everyone except Astar... they have changed the way they act towards me." She didn't tear up, just stared at her tea. "So many other have children who are not children of their bodies. This child, I... didn't have anything to do with it." Her hand drifted over her abdomen and she looked up at Astraea, calm as a lake on a windless day. "But I've dominated the conversation, haven't I? Please, how did you come to have Tammy?"

Bella smiled. "Well, even if they don't know, they have one of the best grandmothers in the world. And Tamaura may be one of the luckiest children ever." Children of cabbages. That was strange, but not as strange as, say, exploding teacups. She'd seen those once. "I am sure Elixabete wouldn't mind; I certainly do not. Thank you for offering."

"Birds come from egg," he said to Tammy. "Buh kitties do too! I think." Carlisle looked over at the cake also, and smiled. "Les have some? Cake..."

"Yeah-huh, I sawed iddle kid wif an egg and hatched and black kitty comed out!" He looked at Tammy with something like consternation. "Mebbe we is both right?"

Bella looked down at her folded hands. "Your words are wise," she said, and turned to watch the two children.

He looked up at Astraea, wide-eyed. "Please, please, please," Carlisle chanted, not taking a breath between each iteration of the word until he had gone somewhat red in the face. "Can I please has cake?"