Cordial

Elizabeth was nursing Katie, while Mira played with Emily.

"You're actually pretty good at this," Elizabeth admitted, watching Emily giggle.

"Thank you," Mira said. "I always wanted to be a mother. I knew it would never happen ... the way I dreamed it. But this is still amazing." She smiled, tucking her long dark hair behind her ear.

"Yeah. I guess I kind of fell into it," Elizabeth replied. "Wasn't much of a student, did the beauty queen stuff, guess I could have gotten into modeling more. But my dad started to decline, and I had to stay close. And then I met Douglas and pretty soon we were having Emily and Aaron."

There was an awkward silence for a few minutes as Mira rocked Emily to sleep, and they contemplated their existence -- mother and stepmother to the three.

"Well, Mrs. L, I think you are a great mother too," Mira said. She spoke very fluent English, but always got caught up on the 'cast' part of Lancaster. Elizabeth's maiden name, Castle, would suit her no better.

"Please," Elizabeth replied. "You're more Mrs. L than I am. Just call me Miss C."