Making their way down the hall, Nat and Rei immediately noticed the Harris children. Kari's eyes going wide as the 3 year old now sprinted towards her babysitters. "Nat! Rei!"
Nat gasped, chuckling as the preschooler now hugged her leg tightly. "Hi Kari," she smiled. "Did you miss us?" Kari nodded, the 3 year old smiling up at the damphir. Unfortunately it seemed the young girl was a bit too excited as Nat now noticed a black fox tail emerge behind her. The small fluffy tail swishing excitedly. "Um Kari?"
"Oops sorry," the child lisped, the girls tail quickly vanishing. Claudia and Mika now approaching the pair of teens. "Hey you two," Mika said. "How was your summer?"
"Fun," Rei said excitedly. "We made some new friends and did a bunch of things. Do you guys know Spark and Connor?" Mika and Claudia now glanced past the two teens, noticing a green haired teenage girl and a boy with sandy brown hair. "Not officially," Claudia's stated. The petite woman now approaching the pair as she looked them over critically.
"So you're Caleb's fairy right," Claudia asked, to which she nodded. "Katie mentioned something about you dating his little brother. I guess thats you."
"Yes mame," Connor stammered. Claudia nodded, a small smirk spreading across her face. "Nice to meet you two." She said. "You think you're ready to have my sister as an aunt?"
"Claudia quit interrogating them."
Connor, Spark, Nat, and Rei now looked past Claudia, noticing Dr. Julia Harris now approach. The leggy blonde woman sporting a wide smile, sporting a nervous smile. "So glad you could all make it," she said. Julia now paused as she looked at Nat and Rei. "I'm Julia," she said happily. "Nice to meet you. Cole says you two are excellent babysitters."
"Thank you," Rei smiled.
Julia continued to smile, motioning to a young man and his red haired female companion. "Not sure if you've met my brother Derrick and his wife Morgan. They're teachers at your school."
"Wait they're teachers," Nat said in shock, causing the Harris siblings to laugh softly. "Yeah we do," Derrick smirked. "Morgan here teaches English and I teach history. Looking forward to seeing all of you in class this year." Derrick now paused, turning to Julia with a slightly grumpy expression. "Really Julia you couldn't let me at least go on my honeymoon before you tied the knot?"
"Ugh you are such a middle child," Morgan groaned, playfully pushing her husband out of the way. "Ignore him Julia were both so happy for you." Julia thanked Morgan giving her sister in law a hug.
Nat now stepped back, gazing at the siblings happily. Julia almost appeared to be glowing, her brothers offering her congratulations. As Nat now looked at Claudia though, she noticed her sister giving the woman a critical look. Confused, Nat now continued to watch the younger Harris woman, noticing her eyes begin to go wide before she reached over to her older sister. "Jules I need to talk with you. Now!"
Nat now watched Julia and Claudia excuse themselves, the pair making their way around the corner. Before Nat could even consider why, she felt a gentle tug on her hand. Glancing down she now noticed Kari gazing up at her. "Nat I gotta go potty."
"Oh okay," Nat stammered. Quickly she now looked to Mika. "Um Mrs. Harris Kari has to use the bathroom."
"Okay," Mika stated, the Asian woman now looking to Kari. "Kari can Nat take you? Mommy needs to watch Aaron and Haley." Kari nodded happily, grasping Nats hand as the pair hurried towards the bathroom.
Entering the bathroom, Nat now glanced around the courthouse bathroom before making her way towards the stall. Opening an unoccupied stall, she now laid out a toilet seat cover before glancing at the young girl. "Do you need any more help Kari?"
"No thank you," she smiled.
"Okay," Nat said. "I'll be right outside the door." With that Nat now closed the stall, waiting for the young girl to finish. Thankfully the bathroom appeared to be unoccupied, a fact that would not last long as Nat heard someone enter. Nat and Kari were at a stall that was not visible to the front entrance, however Nat could now here familiar voices talking in hushed tones as they entered.
"So whats going on Jules? I can tell its something."
"Nothing Claudia! Will you relax."
Nat paused, remaining quiet as she listened to Claudia and Julia Harris. The sisters appeared tense, Claudia peppering her older sister with questions that Julia now tried to dodge. "Whats your deal Claudia," Julia hissed. "Its my wedding day can't you be happy?"
"Dont give me that bullshit," Claudia replied. "We both know you've always talked about having this grand, fancy wedding. So whats going on?"
"What I wanted a cheaper wedding," Julia said quickly. "And what do you have against Rick? What, you think he's not good enough?"
"Of course he's good enough," Claudia exclaimed. "Rick is a great guy. He's smart, funny, handsome but you take forever committing to a guy. What changed?"
"I'm not getting any younger Claudia," Julia yelled back.
"Oh don't give me that I'm not getting any younger crap!"
A pause now hung in the air, Nat not wanting to eavesdrop yet somehow unable to help herself as she strained to listen. The next line though causing Nat to throw her hand over her mouth to contain her gasp.
"Oh my God you're pregnant aren't you!"
"Will you keep it down," Julia shushed, a pause now hung in the air as Julia now whispered an answer. "How could you tell?"
"You have a glow to you," Claudia stated. "And I'm not talking about and, I'm getting married glow."
"Yeah I'm pregnant you happy," Julia hissed. "I was late this month and I took a test so yeah, I'm pregnant. When I told Rick he proposed to me on the spot."
"Well he's a great guy," Claudia stated. "Still two things. One, mom is going to kick your ass. And two, Do you have any idea how far along you are?"
"Maybe a couple of weeks,"Julia said quietly. "I figure if I tell mom I'm pregnant in a few weeks it will seem like I got pregnant on the honeymoon."
"You're an idiot," Claudia laughed. "Do you think mom will buy that?"
"Maybe?"
Nat was now completely engrossed in the Harris sisters conversation, she failed to remember that she was watching Kari. The sound of the toilet flushing now caused the damphir teen to jump as Kari exclaimed she was done.
Opening the door, Nat watched as the 3 year old emerged with a happy smile on her face. Nat now nervously glanced around the bathroom, gulping as she watched the Harris sisters turn the corner. Claudia's fire magic now boiling over as small flames covered her body, the petite sorceress sporting a befuddled look.
"What did you hear?"
"Um everything," Nat replied meekly.
The two sisters now exchanged a worried look before nervously gazing at the damphir teen. "Okay Nat," Claudia said quietly. "I'll double your babysitting fee if you keep my sisters shotgun wedding a secret."
"Shotgun wedding," Julia exclaimed indignantly.
"I'm calling it like I see it Jules," Claudia stated, causing Julia to grumble. "So what do you say? Can you keep a secret?"
Nat nodded, she had no desire to reveal Julia's secret. Even if Claudia hadn't offered her money she wouldn't have told a soul. Still, an increase in pay wasn't something she would turn down. Both sisters breathing a sigh of relief as Claudia now turned to her daughter.
"Cmon Kari," Claudia smiled. "Lets go watch Aunt Julia get married."
"Is Aunt Julia gonna have a baby," Kari asked.
"Nope," Julia and Claudia said quickly. The Harris women, quickly telling Kari to forget about what she heard as they now went to join their family.