FAMILY

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S3 Round Robin (2025)

Chapter 3

Janet Rivenbark

Diana didn’t answer Vincent; didn’t even hear him, really. She picked up the stick and looked. It showed two lines.

It was then that she realized that Vincent was standing right behind her.

“What is that?” he asked, then leaned over her shoulder and looked closer.

“You’re pregnant?” he whispered.

“Apparently?” she answered.

“Have you been to a doctor?” he asked, putting his hands on her shoulders. Now that he was touching her, she could feel his concern.

“That’s why I did this,” she told him, turning and holding the stick up. “I’ve been feeling tired lately and a little nauseated from time to time. I told Susan, and she brought this over and told me to use it.”

“Are you all right?” he asked.

“I’m fine,” she tried to reassure him. “I’m pregnant, not sick.”

“I didn’t mean physically, I meant mentally. It’s been four years and nothing, and now?”

“It’s not like we didn’t know it was possible,” she pointed out. After all, there is Jacob.” She reached up and, cupping his face between her hands, made him look at her. “What I want to know is if you are okay. What do you think of all this?”

He pulled her into a hug.

“I’m sorry,” he said quietly. “It just took me by surprise. I honestly never expected this to happen, not after this long.”

“But? I hear a ‘but’ in there,” Diana prompted.

“No ‘buts,’” he said with a chuckle. “If you are happy, then I am happy,” he pushed away from her and looked down at her. “And I mean that. How far along, do you know?”

“Well, I’m thinking something like two, maybe three months. I’ve been up here, and we haven’t been together long enough for more than a hug and a peck on the cheek for the last month. I looked at my calendar and haven’t had a period since the end of September.”

Vincent's hand went to Diana’s abdomen. “You do feel a little rounder,” he said with a smile. “When do you want to let everyone know?”

“I’ll make an appointment with my doctor,” she said. “He might be able to give me a better idea. Then we can tell everyone.”

Vincent pulled Diana into his arms and held her tightly. Diana could tell that his initial confusion and concern had been replaced with the warmth she’d never felt from him before.

 

XxX

Devin followed the children back home after they delivered their last candle. He’d agreed to meet Joe for dinner and drinks the next evening to catch up. He’d asked Alex for the burlap bag she’d carried the candles in, and the music box was safe in the bottom of it.

He wanted to speak to Father; ask him about the music box but as he listened to the pipes, he realized that Father had headed down to the Great Hall. He joined him there, and met Rolley.

“I need to get back to the Study,” Father told him as they slowly climbed the stairs back to the home chambers level. “Will you join me?”

Realizing that he’d probably be unable to talk to him privately for a while, Devin decided to leave the music box with his bags.

“I need to put something in my luggage, I’ll meet you there,” he said.  

Now he headed toward Father’s study; he felt like he’d actually like a cup from the ever-present teapot.

When he entered the study, he was surprised to find it crowded. Mary, Olivia, and Susan were sitting off to one side drinking tea, while Kanin, William, and Father were sitting around Father’s desk, drinking something a little stronger.

Devin joined the men.

“You got some more of that?” Devin asked, nodding at the brandy bottle that was sitting on the desk. It sounded a lot better than tea.

“Glasses are in the cabinet,” Father said, pointing. “Help yourself.”

Devin did just that and took a sip.

Then he picked up the bottle and looked at it.

“This is good!” he said. “Where did it come from.”

“It’s one of the last bottles Catherine sent down when she cleaned out her father’s liquor cabinet. She said she didn’t like brandy and gave half to me and half to Peter.”

Devin pulled up a chair and joined the men.

“Did the children get their candles delivered?” Father asked.

“Yes. Mr. Long wasn’t there, but his son assured them that he’d see that he got the candle. Everyone else said that they were looking forward to the party.” 

“So, what brings you home this time?” William asked after a moment.

“Do I need an excuse?” asked Devin, rather shortly.

William held his hands up. “Hey, I didn’t mean anything by it. It’s just that we haven’t seen you in a while; I was just wondering.”

Devin patted the big man on the shoulder. “Sorry. I’m just tired; it’s a long trip from Kenya.”

“Did you just get in today?” asked Kanin.

“Yeah, it feels like I’ve been traveling forever. I had to ride a bus from Wajir… I crossed the equator three times yesterday. Once I got to the airport, I had to wait several hours. Then, my flight left Nairobi late. The flight from there to Paris was almost ten hours; we landed late, and I missed the flight to New York, so I had to wait four hours for the next one. Then, it was another nine-hour flight from Paris to New York. But at least the airline upgraded me to first class because they said it was their fault that the flight landed late in Paris. But I can’t really sleep on planes; I just dozed a bit. By the time I landed here, I was delirious. I got a cab and told the driver where to take me. I fell asleep, and when I woke up, I was so disoriented that I swear I stood on the corner of 72^nd Street and Central Park West for five minutes before I realized where I was and managed to work up the energy to walk to the park threshold.”

“How are you still standing?” asked Father. “Much less just walked with the children on their deliveries.

“My first stop Below after I met Susan and Alex was the kitchen, where I chugged a big cup of William’s coffee before I did anything else,” Devin answered. “Besides, I’ve found that when I travel like that, the best way to acclimate myself to the local time is to wait and go to bed at the normal time and just force myself to get used to the new time. And I left my bag in the guest chamber. Is that okay?” He looked over at Mary when he said it.

“Which guest chamber?” Mary asked.

“The one just down the corridor from Vincent’s?”

“That’s fine. I’ve put Susan and Alex in the one at the other end of that corridor, closer to the bathing chamber.”

Devin nodded, glanced over at Susan, and smiled. He’d met her on his last visit. His gaze dropped to her left hand. She still wore the wedding band from her late husband.

“So, how long do you think you’ll be staying?” Devin’s head swiveled back to look at Kanin, who had just asked the question.

“Well, all this roaming around is getting old. I’ve been at it for over 30 years now. I think I’ll stay for a while; see about finding a job.” He looked at his father. “One that I’m actually qualified to do and find a place Above. I might try my hand at the Helper gig for a while.” 

Devin almost laughed outright at the looks on everyone’s faces. To say they were surprised was an understatement.

 

XxX

“After what I heard about your trip, I’m surprised you aren’t asleep on your feet,” Vincent told Devin later, when they were seated in his chamber after dinner.

“I’m getting there,” Devin told him. “I’m still unwinding, but once I finish this…” He lifted the glass of brandy he’d stopped in the study to get. “…I don’t think I’m going to have any trouble sleeping.” He looked around the chamber and could see where Diana had made some impressions. “By the way, where is Lady Di?” he asked, using the nickname he’d used since meeting her.

“She’s just finished a case, and her Captain wanted her in his office to discuss it. She’ll be here later.”

Vincent had hoped that Diana would be Below earlier so they could talk about… everything… but the phone rang just as they were getting ready to leave. When she answered, it was her Captain, and he wanted to see her right away. He expected that she wouldn’t arrive until late and since she said she had been tired, he wanted to let her rest. They could talk   

 

“Is everything all right?” Vincent had asked.

“It’s just him. He likes to rehash every case; likes to know all the little inconsequential details that I don’t put in my reports. But don’t worry. I’ll be Below right afterward. Maybe in time for dinner.”

“But didn’t you say that you were occasionally nauseated? Will you be all right?” he’d asked in concern.

“It is more like ‘whenever sickness,’” she told him with a grin. “But I think I’ll be all right. More often than not, it’s triggered by something I smell—weird things like bananas. Mrs. Cortez, on the first floor, takes it upon herself to clean the front hall where the mailboxes are. And she loves her pine-scented cleaner. That is one of the triggers. I’ve been holding my breath from the time I get off the elevator until I get out the front door. I usually hope there is no mail in my box so I don’t have to stop and get it.”

“Do you want me to meet you back here tonight?” he asked.

“No, you might get stuck here if we wake up too late and I know you want to get back to talk to Devin. I’ll come Below when I’m don’t. I’m tired, and all I want to do is sleep.”

“You will eat?” he asked, needing reassurance. “I know how you get.”

“I promise. I’ll probably be Below in time for dinner, and I’ll let you wait on me for a change. I’ll eat whatever you put on my plate.”

Vincent hugged her. “I’m afraid I might be just a little overprotective for the next few months,” he told her.

“That’s okay,” she told him, then stretched up on her toes to kiss him. “For the first time in my life, I don’t think I will mind it. In fact, once I’ve been to the doctor, I just might tell the Captain that I’m pregnant and need the next year or so off.”  

Devin was speaking, and something he said drew Vincent’s attention back to him.

“You’re staying?” he asked incredulously.

“Yeah, I think I’ve had enough of the globe-trotting. I’m ready to stay in one place for a while. I’ll get a job and see what it’s like to be Devin Wells for a change.”

“What are you going to do?” Vincent asked.

“I’m not sure. There are a few things that I am actually qualified to do, so I just might have to make a list and write a resume.”

“You could be an actor,” Vincent suggested with a smirk, and they both broke into laughter.