So you tie up your hair and you smile like it's no big deal

 It was good to have people over. Although, Yuki thought the timing probably wasn't right. Maybe it would have been better to have had Jen and her daughter and let that be enough. Of course, Brandon and Declan were ready to grill and Melissa and Riley were up to see Yuki and Emily's place too. And there was Axton, like an odd number. 

No, not a lot had changed. Brandon and Melissa asked about Zelli. Yuki quietly told them that it wasn't going to work out. There was bigger news. 

"We're having a baby," Yuki said after dining on burgers and cold salads and chilled watermelon. Of course, it was very quiet after she said it. Finally, Emily spoke up that she was the one pregnant. Then Axton mentioned he was helping with a mural for one of the Reservations on the weekends. He mentioned he got on at the base at the child care center too.

"It could lead to a government job," Axton shrugged with a smile. He had helped with tie-dying tee shirts that day. Really, Yuki was happy that he'd been there to help Amy and Jen with the project. Actually, everyone enjoyed it. Yes, maybe he could make a living at art yet. 

She was glad he was still here and Yuki was confident that he knew he wasn't getting back together with Emily. 

"Are you sure this is going to work?" Brandon was concerned, evidently, Riley and Melissa (they left for her little sister's house) were too. Although they didn't corner Yuki about it, they had talked to Brandon and Declan.

"What do you mean?" Yuki was cleaning up in the kitchen and Brandon helped while Declan entertained Jen and Amy in the livingroom where they waited for the backyard fireworks to commence. Axton went to see some friends and Emily was quietly resting on her favorite seat knitting on a blanket watching Declan being the one-man show that he was.

"You know, should Axton be here?" Brandon winced.

"It's fine." She was even-lipped. It had been fine so far and he was manning up, so to speak. "He's working, he's got the basement. We'll be fine." Honestly, they were all three too tired to talk about it. Sure, they had meals together. She guessed it was fine. "We're just trying to make the best of it."

He nodded. "I think it's great that you want to have a family." Brandon smiled then. "You've always wanted one."

Of course, it set Yuki into an avalanche of tears. He opened his arms. She sniffed back tears. She needed that hug.