“Yep, she told us.” Cherie nodded.

“Do you guys want another child?” Alice wanted to know.

Cherie laughed. “I don’t. I already have Clea and Xyris. I don’t think I need another one.”

“Maybe I want another child?” Shane asked, quite irritated. Bette, Tina, Alice and Tasha looked at each other, raising their eyebrows. When Cherie didn’t react, Shane shook her head and stood up. Without a word, the skinny woman left the garden. Cherie cursed and followed her wife.

“That seems to be a sore point…” Alice commented.

“I never thought Shane would have kids and look now, she wants another one.” Bette told them all.

“I always thought she would be an amazing mother and she is… I hope she comes back to get Xyris though.” Tina said.

“She will. She always does. Cherie on the other hand…” Tasha told them.

“Cherie is not a bad person, she just does things differently.” Tina defended Cherie. She liked the blonde even though she saw the woman’s shortcomings crystal clear.

“Where are my moms?” the voice of 12-year old Xyris sounded.

Bette looked at her Goddaughter. “They are talking in private.”

“Why?”

“Because they wanted to.” Bette answered with a smile.

Xyris rolled her eyes. “Why does nobody ever tell me what’s really going on?”

No one reacted and Xyris sighed. She crossed her arms and sat back. Just then, Shane and Cherie came back into sight. They didn’t look very happy.

“Xyris, we are going home baby.” Cherie said.

“Why? What happened?” Xyris asked her mother.

Shane gave her daughter a look and the girl knew that it meant she had to stop asking questions and do what they asked. Soon, the McCutcheon-Peroni’s were out of the garden.

“Wow, what was wrong with them?” Esther asked, she had never seen her Aunts like that.

“They had an argument.” Tina told her daughter.

Esther, sensing that she wouldn’t get a clear answer, just turned back to her siblings, nieces and nephew.

The evening continued but it was strained. They talked and laughed a bit but they missed Shane and Cherie. They were worried about the couple. They had been together for about 12 years and never had serious problems but this one, could be very serious. Cheri and Shane are in different stages in their life. Shane was 38 while Cherie was 49. Shane still had to go through so many things, Cherie already passed. Cherie had had her life inclusive two children. For her, another one really wasn’t necessary or wanted but Shane was almost desperate to have another one. She had been talking about it, subtle or less subtle, for about 5 years but Cherie didn’t react to it.