The tea party room in the House of Arch has been re-arranged. The chests of dress-up clothes are still there, but the large table is gone. In its place are comfy, overstuffed chairs, a long sofa, and several cushions and bean bags scattered about. There is a small table loaded with snacks like crisps, dips, cupcakes, candy, and soda. There's also
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"Good evening, Alanna."
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"Hullo, Amy. How do you fare?"
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"Very well, Alanna. How are you?"
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"I'm well," she says. "Busy, but thankfully I thrive on activity. Adam requires more sleep than I do."
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"Do you know, I don't think we've spoken since my brother's wedding. There seem to have been a great many arrivals since then."
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She looks surprised at the realization, but only briefly; the months have started to blend together in her memory.
"All three arrived safe and sound, though it was touch and go with Jamie for a while. He was smaller than Thom and Grace. They are a handful, but we love them dearly. Adam has only threatened to trade them for dogs once."
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Amy looks over at Susan with a smile.
"And the second one's on the way now, too."
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She waves her hand in a distracted gesture.
"It's probably good I had them all at once. The more shocked I am, the more likely I am to come out swinging. Or changing diapers, as the case may be."
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"And I hadn't thought of it like that, but it makes a good deal of sense.
"How old are they now?"
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She beams at Alanna.
"Isn't she?" says Amy. "I think Perry's still sorry she didn't get the freckles and the turned up nose, just a bit.
"Susan was a year in March, and it's early May at home now. So, a year and two months, give or take. She chatters all the time now."
There's a sudden grin. "That, at least, she inherited from her mother."
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"Adam was pleased that Grace is a redhead, but I think he's starting to feel concerned over the stubbornness and recklessness that tends to go with it, in my family." She pauses. "I cannot wait for them to start talking. I hope mine chatter as well."
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"There is absolutely nothing like the first time they say your name."
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Alanna is self-aware enough to know that she does much better with older children. She's torn between wanting to keep them small forever and the desire to have a conversation with them.
"How are things in your kingdom?"
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