A side trip

As Erik slipped out of her arms, she knew that he was too upset for the time and he needed a few moments to compose himself. As Estrella followed him from the room, she stood and started to head to the kitchen to check on the meal. She ruffled her daughter's hair as she passed her, smiling down at her beloved daughter, before heading into the next room. As she smelled the food, her stomach growled loud enough for anyone around her to hear. Moving to the fridge, she took out a package of rolls and then crossed to get a pan for the oven. Setting it on top of the stove, she opened the rolls and took them out, placing them so they could bake. She opened the oven and placed the tray inside, before turning to the table. She was about 4 months pregnant at this point and her stomach was showing a small baby bump. However, she was exhausted from the pregnancy. Tristan offered to make her some potions to help, but she was not willing to take them since she didn't know how they would affect the baby or her for that matter. Being a muggle, she didn't want to take any chances while she was pregnant at least.

She sat down on the stool that Tristan had put in the kitchen for her. She looked around, smiling as she realized Tristan had everything set. Julie knew that Estrella was not happy with the development of the marriage, and would really not be happy that she was going to have another sibling, but they were ready for her. They had discussed that they could not change her feelings at all, but that they would simply hope that she would come around with time. Giving the seventeen year old her space was the only thing they could do. She looked up as the girl wandered into the room and checked out the pot on the stove. She rose, smiling at the girl. "So, I hope the stroganoff is good. Your Dad actually made it from the Bennett family recipe." She moved over near the girl. "How are you doing Twink? School go well?" She hoped that the girl would try to make an effort back, but no matter what, Julie would keep working to make an effort towards her cousin's only child and her stepdaughter.
 
Estrella jumped as Julie's voice reached her ears. She hadn't noticed the woman in the room at all. Her look softened a bit as she looked back to her aunt. The seventeen year old fumbled with a lock of her hair as she stepped away from the stove, resolving to make eye contact with Julie. Estrella knew that she should try to make things easier between them, but one side of her didn't even want to try. Her father had been given many chances, but this was going too far in her book.

Despite this she wanted to have a civil evening. Her smile faltered a bit as Julie mentioned that her father had made a family recipe, but the smile was still there. No matter who had cooked the food, her stomach was still holding a protest against her.

"School was alright. I've never waited so long for the year to be over."
 
Julie raised her eyebrows, but was not sure if she should press further. Things were so strained between them that she didn't want to push away the very tiny bit of progress she had made. "How's your roommate? And Jaken? Things still well there?" She moved to open the oven and peek at the rolls. They were close to being done. She moved to the door and called to Tristan. "Dinner is almost done! Can you get the kids ready?" She then turned back to Estrella, "If I don't give them plenty of warning we would never eat until the food is cold again. Somedays your father is just a big kid," she added with a giggle.
 
"Lily? She's doing well," Estrella replied with a smile, "I think she's in California again for the summer." The seventeen year old girl glanced down to her nails, frowning. She would really have to clean them later. Her features softened as the smell of the rolls cooking sifted into her nostrils. Did she really deserve such torture? She had to swallow just to keep from salivating all over herself.

"Jaken is- staying with friends for the summer," she started, her tone a bit uncertain. While she hadn't said anything about it, it bothered her that she and her boyfriend had not even made plans to at least spend some time together over the summer. Shrugging it off, she said, "But I'm doing the same. My friend Katerina and I- she's from Durmstrang- are going to spend some time in Europe and then New Zealand." Her eyes lit up at the prospect of how much fun she was going to have. The girl was itching to bask in her own independence.

Her lips twisted into something of a smile. At least she was making an attempt at being friendly. He's more of a big kid than he lets on, she thought to herself, but she kept that thought to herself. "Cold food is never good. Well, it depends of course. Cold pizza is good."

"Do you guys have anything fun planned for the summer?"
 
Julie raised her eyebrow at the mention of Lily spending the summer in California. She had learned the connection between Lily and Blake and Josh a few months ago and thought it was wonderful that she was spending time there, but still was a bit leary of the girl being allowed to do whatever she wished for the summer months. Josh was not the most fatherly figure in the world.

She listened to Estrella explain the summer plans. "What is Dum-stain? Am I saying that right?" she asked with a giggle. "Never heard of that before." Sometimes Julie wondered where the magical world came up with these names. Hogwarts sounded like a swine affliction. Dum-stain just sounded odd all around. "Oooo. Cold pizza is really yummy. Might have to do that later. Make a pizza to have cold tomorrow." She was more thinking out loud than actually talking to her stepdaughter, but tried to make it seem like she was conversing. "Think I need to get some more ranch though. Gotta have the ranch dressing to dip the pizza into. Oh, and I think we are out of hot fudge. Damn. Need to make a list I think," she added a bit randomly. As of late, Julie had been craving plain Pringles dipped into hot fudge sauce. Tristan would gag when he saw her eating it, but she kept right on, smiling at his less than iron stomach. Pregnancy cravings were always odd.
 
"That'd be Durm-strang, honey," Tristan laughed as he entered the kitchen with Elizabeth in tow. "Supposed to be cold there. And they wear funny winter uniforms." At least, the Durmstrang kids that he remembered had. Tristan had not been old enough to compete in the Triwizard Tournament at Hogwarts, but he did remember Viktor Krum quite clearly. And all the Beauxbatons girls- well, who wouldn't be able to remember them? He and his friends, teenage boys at the time, were more than happy to observe the female populus of that particular school. Josh would remember.

He cringed as Julie mentioned hot fudge. The idea of potato chips dipped in chocolate was just wrong on so many levels. The large man brought the pan of pasta to the table, and grabbed the milk. "Well, shall we start?" He smiled at both his wife and daughter. Estrella may not return it, but what the hell, he thought. She was not going to change her mindset whether they liked it or not, especially since she had just turned seventeen. Tristan craved the youth and sheer thrill of being seventeen, but now he had a family to think about. He couldn't be the big kid that he had been for nearly forty two years.
 
Julie opened the oven and took out the now perfectly warmed and crisped rolls and placed them in a basket, following her husband to the table. "Sounds good to me. Erik! Time for dinner!" she called over her shoulder. The little boy she knew was still pouting, but knew that he was hungry and would come running in quickly to eat. He liked to pout, but he loved to eat more.

Soon, they were all gathered around the kitchen table and starting to dig in. She was not quite sure how they were going to break the news to Estrella about the baby, but that was up to Tristan. She only hoped that the teenager would come around to the idea of having another sibling, well, another sibling that she would know about. They had decided that now was not the time to tell her about Christian. She was going to have enough of an adjustment to the baby, and their relationship was precarious enough as it was.

Julie began to dish out the food to the younger pair, as Eliza argued with her over doing it herself. She was becoming very independent at her young age. She was waiting for Tristan to take the lead on the conversation.
 
Erik had long since hidden under the kitchen table. Exclaiming loudly, "I'm right here, Mommy!" he pulled himself up onto one of the chairs. He kicked his legs against the bottom of the seat, waiting impatiently to eat. The little boy wrinkled his nose at the pasta that had been made.

"That looks icky," he stated. The four year old normally ate everything, but he could be picky when he wanted to be.
 
Estrella fought the temptation to roll her eyes and simply smirked at her father. "Well, one of my best friends goes there and my boyfriend used to." The girl had always been curious about the other school, but neither Katerina nor Jaken had talked about it much. With not much to say she took a seat at the table next to Erik.

Her stomach growled audibly, and she couldn't wait to dig into dinner. The seventeen year old couldn't help snickering in amusement as Erik proclaimed his scorn for the stroganoff. She had been a finicky eater herself and still was, well, when it came to certain things at least. Eliza was just as amusing when she demanded to dish the food up herself. Oh, if Estrella could only be a kid again. Although, she had fought more with Luke than anything. She wondered if Erik and Eliza ever did.

When Julie had finished dishing out to the younger two, Estrella took some for herself. She waited patiently, not entirely sure whether the family said grace. The girl was amazed to realize that she hadn't for a good seven years now. Well, this wasn't really her family, either. She hated to feel like that but it was how things were.

As they began to dig in the question she had been wanting to ask earlier resurfaced. She tried her hardest not to sound rude.

"What did you guys have to tell me anyway?"
 
Tristan smiled back at his daughter, though he wasn't exactly sure whether she was being friendly or not. It wasn't long before they had settled at the table. He took his seat next to his wife. With a stern look at his son, who was starting to get finicky, he said, "Erik, you will eat your dinner. It tastes good. You don't want to get your broom taken away again, do you?" Neither Erik or Eliza liked it when Erik had his broom hidden from him. Although, the kids were both getting too big for the toy broom. The thing would barely lift anymore.

"Well, first off, we wanted to see how you were doing," the man started and took a bite of the pasta. After he finished chewing he continued, "And we have news." He looked to Julie, wondering if she was going to add anything.
 
Julie jumped a bit when Erik popped out from under the table, then gave him a stern glare when he started to get fussy over his dinner. She listened to the conversation, then noticed the pause from her husband. "Yes. We do have a bit of news," she said smiling at Tristan, her eyes glittering. She was not quit sure how to break the news. She was not sure if she should be the one to break the news or if it was best to be coming from Tristan. Either way, the girl was sure not to take things well, especially since she still had not forgiven them for getting married -- although it was Estrella's urging of them to work things out that paved the way for them to be together in the first place.

"Well, to start with, we purchased the duplex here and are looking at expanding into the other side. We were wondering if you would like to have your own room in the addition." She picked her fork up and continued to eat as she waited for the girl's response. Her room would be just one in the addition if she chose to have one.
 
Estrella's eyes shifted between the two as they spoke. Her expression showed curiosity, although she didn't exhibit much energy. She knew that she would have to forgive them for getting married, but she wasn't ready to yet. Her lip pursed as she looked back to Julie, quite unsure how to respond.

"Uhm- sure, I guess. If you want to- I mean, New Zealand's far away, and I think after school is all said and done I will be living there." Estrella fully intended to get a job at the school after she graduated. Visits to places like the United States would have to be few and far between. Traveling was expensive and with her little experience with apparating she would most definitely need help getting there magically. "Why did you guys decide to expand?" For two people with small children, it seemed big enough, but then again once Erik and Eliza got older they would need more space.
 
Tristan's fork scraped against the plate every time he brought the food to his mouth. He wasn't a horrible cook, although there was definitely some room for improvement. He and his wife had both agreed that they would pitch in on this conversation. The dark haired man spoke up when he decided it was time for him to interject.

"Well, these two have been growing like weeds lately," he started, as this was indeed true, "And we could really use the space. On top of that, it's really not practical to have two kitchens when you've got only one family living here." He talked between bites, being sure not to speak with food in his mouth. If his parents had instated anything in him, it was table manners. After a moment, he added, "And then we just want to make things bigger so there will be room for more bodies."
 
Confusion slipped into Estrella's features as her gaze turned to her father. "More bodies?" she was silent as she thought about what he was suggesting. "What, are you going to have someone move in?" The girl wondered who in her family would move in with Tristan and his wife. She definitely didn't come up with any ideas.

The seventeen year old felt almost awkward sitting there. But much of it, she reasoned, was probably self inflicted. Estrella wondered where this game of cat and mouse was leading; both Julie and Tristan seemed, excited. Had they really gotten her to come all this way just to talk about changes in accomodation? She couldn't imagine that they would, but now her curiosity was piqued.
 
"Well," Julie responded, "we might have a nanny move in but I have not been overly receptive to the idea. I still think it is an expense we really don't need yet. Your father seems to think that with three little ones around, we need to have one." She rolled her eyes, then gave her husband a silly grin. "He is just too worried about me I think," she added, playfully punching her husband's arm. She tried not to let it show, but she was keeping an eye on her stepdaughter to see her reaction to the news that they were subtly slipping out. Julie was impressed that Estrella did not notice her enlarging belly, or the little rubs and pats that the kids had been giving her during the afternoon.
 
"A nanny?" Estrella had never had a nanny growing up. Besides staying with family members, the only sort of rearing she had had outside of Carl and Maggie was daycare. "Well they would probably make things easier around the house I guess." The girl was about to continue decreasing the amount of stroganoff on her plate, but then she stopped as something didn't click together just right. She looked back to Julie with a raised brow.

"Three kids?" she stated incredulously, wondering if she had simply misheard. Certainly, Julie wasn't expecting- right? Estrella hoped that the suggestion in her mind was incorrect.
 
"Well, yes. There are three kids in this family. You, Erik and Eliza," Julie said coyly. "But yes, there are going to be three children at home, while our fourth is finishing school." She was sure that Estrella was not going to take this well, but she figured that she needed to get the fact out in the open. There was a little bundle of joy on the way in five short months.
 
Estrella wanted to comment that she was hardly a little kid. She set her fork down on her plate as she registered what Julie was implying. The piece of silverware met the glass with a clink, making entirely more of a response than the girl herself. She knew that she probably should have shown them was at least some enthusiasm, but she just wasn't up to it. The girl wasn't exactly sure what to think. Deciding to at least be rational, she looked back to her stepmother calmly. "Oh," was all she could manage to utter, however pathetic it was.
 
Tristan's smile was wide as Julie relayed the big news to his daughter. While he wasn't going to expect her to be pleasantly surprised, he had at least hoped for some sort of reaction. He was utterly disappointed and more than a little annoyed when her response was the very opposite of enthusiastic. Trying his best to hide his displeasure, he commented, turning to his wife and smiling, "It's hard to believe that it'll only be five months." At first he had not been too excited at the prospect of being a father again, but now he embraced the idea. For once, he could do it right.
 
Julie was not surprised that Estrella was less than thrilled to be having another sibling, and she didn't even know about the one that she and Tristan had just found out about. She did not expect her to be excited, but at least some semblance of a reaction would have been nice. She decided to go along with Tristan in his reaction to her non reaction. "I know! I am excited to find out next month at my appointment what we will be having. Then we can finish the argument over the name. I still think Emmeleigh for a girl but your dad wants Evan. And for a boy we are arguing over Elijah and Emmett." She punched her husband lightly in the arm. "SOMEONE seems to think we need to have like five names for each." Julie smiled at her husband, her eyes glittering with excitement over the baby.
 
Erik beamed as his parents talked about the new brother or sister he and Eliza were going to have. "Whensa baby comin'?" he asked out loud. "I want a brother, cause girls are icky!" The little boy had taken to asking this question nearly every day, considering he was so excited about it.
 
Estrella knew that she was not being receptive at all, but her attitude was back. She was seventeen, so she shouldn't really care. "Evan?" she asked incredulously, "Isn't that a boy's name?" The girl went back to finishing her dinner, knowing that refusing to eat anymore would be childish. Estrella wanted to get out of here as soon as she could. She needed time to process what she had just been told. Everyone else seemed to be ecstatic about the idea, but Estrella was worried that the same thing would happen to the kid as had happened to her. Well, she was worried about the rest of the family too. She just hoped that it wouldn't turn into a vicious cycle.
 
"Well, there's no harm in keeping options open!" Tristan retorted with a grin. If Estrella was going to act like a sulking child, then he was just going to ignore the fact. "And remember hun, you're the one who wanted another 'E' name." If they did go with it, they'd have four children with the same initials. He smirked back at Erik, knowing that the little boy was going to get it from Eliza. "Girls aren't icky, Erik," he reminded him.
 
"Erik, girls are NOT ICKY!" Eliza yelled as she moved to get her fork full of food. She was so sick of him telling her that girls were icky and that he wanted a brother. "Its gonna be a sister." She lifted her fork, thoughtfully deciding if she was going to throw the food at her brother or not.
 
Erik turned to his stepsister and blew a loud raspberry at her. "Is not, 'Liza! It will be a brother!" His smirk was wicked as he looked back to her, yelling, "And girls are ick-ick-ick-ick-icky! You have cooties!" The little boy was full, and thus was fully prepared to follow other pursuits. Taunting his sister seemed good enough.
 
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