1900s: Two Babies and an Intervention

 

As summer turns to fall, it's time for baby John to turn into a toddler. Emily has of course invited all the family to mark the day and spoil her precious little boy. As a proud father, even Frank stays at home that night, toasting his little boy and hosting the party as only someone with high charisma can. For John the best part of the night is to be read to sleep by Abigail. For Emily it is to have Frank at home for a full evening. It's a good night, and when the guests have left, Emily and Frank woohoo for the first time in a long time. Emily hopes this might be the first step in turning things around. Perhaps now, Frank might want to be at home more?

The next morning, as Frank heads off to work, Virginia gets up early to make breakfast and get John ready for his mother. Once awake, Emily spends her day with John. To get out of the house, she heads over to her parents house, spending some time with her mother before heading back home in time for Frank to return from work. Will tonight be different? Will he stay at home? It starts well as they sit down for a dinner together, Virginia taking care of John for the evening. But as dinner finish, Frank has important people to meet, hands to shake and votes to secure. "At the bar?" "Don't you want me to be successful?" Frank is out the door before the conversation can turn into an argument. It seems nothing has changed at all after all.

In the other Whittaker household, Abigail is still fighting more than talking to Anna. She cannot understand how someone can be so frustrating. Taking the chance as all the girls are away at school, she visits the highly pregnant Ashley Dougherty (quite surprising given the state of her relationship with her husband which is well beyond repair, but then who said that life was easy for a woman in the early 20th century). In her friend's conservatory she takes the chance to complain about the insolence of teenagers today. "Ida was so much easier," she complains. "Think about something else," Ashley suggests. "Maybe you should host the next charity group meeting?"

Said and done, Abigail calls together the group the very next day. After all, Thanksgiving is next week, and it's about time for Anna to be introduced to society and be eligible for suitors. Perhaps some romance will calm her spirits and make her more content with life? Abigail hopes, as she and her friends plans for the upcoming charity ball. The meeting is also a chance to check up on Ida and Emily, especially Emily. Abigail is worried about the rumors she hears.

The day has more install for Abigail than she had expected, however. After the charity group meeting has ended, she gets a missive, offering her, of all things, a job! And not any job, a fairly good job at that. But Abigail has been employed, and she knows what it means to work outside the home, and its not something she wants to try again. The girls might be getting bigger and days can get boring with no children in the house, but Abigail would never skirt her duties as a wife for a job. She turns the offer down.

A few hours later she gets confirmation that it was the absolutely right decision to make, as she realises why she has been extra tired and emotional lately. In spite of her age, and in spite of more or less being a grandmother, she is pregnant again.

Joseph is delighted at the news! How couldn't he be, another child! (his sixth, Abigail's fourth).

As the news of Abigail's pregnancy reaches Emily and Frank in their little household the morning after, Emily is just about to make a discovery of her own. That one night of woohooing left her expecting too. Perhaps this could be what finally persuades Frank to stay at home more?

But as the day progresses, there are other news shadowing hers. Frank gets an offer he neither can or want to decline. Without discussion at home, he jumps straight into the political fray, gaining fame as he decides to run for office.

When he returns home he has already started to celebrate his new found position.

What is more, James and Matias shows up unannounced at the house to help him celebrate his new fame. Emily swallows her annoyance, and puts on a brave face as she hosts the three men during dinner (and more drinks). Not at any time during dinner is there any chance for her to share her news. She keeps her pregnancy for herself as Frank, James and Matias get more and more drunk, as Frank toasts his own success. Before dinner is even over, Emily excuses herself as she heads up to read her son to sleep.

Frank and his friends head out to keep on celebrating while Emily is still upstairs, and so Frank still doesn't know his wife is pregnant when he enters the Blue Velvet Bar. Today, his night is even better than normal. People flock to him, ask for his autograph and want to shake his hand. Securing votes has never been easier. The nectar is flowing, the music just sounds much better than normal and life is good, when suddenly Joseph shows up at the bar! Frank is stupefied. Everyone knows that Joseph does not drink, and does not frequent bars, and yet here is is, and he does not look happy. In front of the entire bar, Joseph tells his son off, arguing with him loudly about his lack of parenting and absentee as a husband. Frank is mortified! There are even journalists there! What will they think? What is his own father doing to his career. As Joseph storms off from this establishment of sin, Frank tries to return to the fun, but being yelled at is never pleasant and now his good mood is gone. He heads home.

The very next day, Joseph and Abigail has decided that an intervention is necessary. They arrive early in the morning, intending to stay until Frank has shaped up, helping Emily and keeping her in good spirits during the day until Frank returns from work.

But even with his family there, Frank cannot stay away from the juice, pouring himself a drink as soon as he's out of sight from his father.

As Emily comes into the room looking for her, she finally snaps, furious at her husband's behaviour. "How dare he embarrass her like this? Can he not leave the drinks for one single night!? What's wrong with him?" Frank does not take his wife's admonitions any easier than he takes his father's. Soon they are arguing loudly and their previously close relationship takes a turn for the worse:

Frank decides to avoid further arguments by simply going to bed. Better than to be awake in a house where everyone wants him to be something he's not.

As worried as they still are, Joseph and Abigail cannot stay any more. It's Alice's birthday, and there is a birthday party planned. "You and Frank will be there," Abigail tells Emily as they head off in the morning. It's some relief to know Frank is expected to be close by after all, and in their house there is no alcohol. As her mother plans and prepares for the party, Anna escapes the house together with pickles. Anything is better than being asked to help with house work.

The party is, as usual when Abigail plans them, a success. Good food, good mood, and a delicious cake. And just like that Alice is no longer a child, but on her way to become a young woman.

As the new baby is due any hour now, she even gets to move room, taking Anna's old one as Anna is moved into the guestroom for herself. The baby and Josephine can share. But in the quiet of the night, when everyone is sleeping in their new beds, Abigail is restless - and hungry. In her nightgown she sneaks down into the kitchen to have some left overs.

A smart move it turns out, as the next time Abigail wakes up she is far into labour. This is her fastest birth yet, and soon she is holding her new baby in her arms. To her great surprise (and delight, she has to admit) it's not another girl. This time, it's a boy! They name him William and dress him in pink. A good lively colour for boys, less calm than the blue Abigail has used for her daughters.