The new Maple dynamic

It took another week, but Deborah was eventually let out of the hospital. But not without Carol getting the last of her operations to truly be just like Caroline for good.

"Mom?" May called out, pulling the door to her home open. While her latest run of the contest circuit hadn't gone quite her way, she had quite a lot of fun. Especially speculating what exactly her mother had done to her possible boyfriend. Surely, he had fo-

"Oh! May." Carol greeted, May doing a double take. For the moment, Carol was decked in a pink maternity dress. A pair of white heels covered her feet, which did nothing to really hide the massive bulge in the stomach region. Standing up from the couch, her makeup looked to emulate that of Caroline, while her brunette hair seemed to have been done up in a bouffant of all styles. "It's Carol now. Carol Maple."

May looked away, unsure of how to really feel about this. On one hand, she was happy that the former trainer had found something new to do with his life. By that same token, she hadn't expected him to become her mom's sister. Let alone married to her father, Norman.

So she stood there, watching this woman walk over and plop a kiss on her cheek. While these lips should've felt like Ash's, they felt like that of her mother's instead.

"So, how have things been for you?" Carol continued, the front door opening before May could really have a chance to answer her new mother's question. In came Max of all people. "Welcome home, dear!"

Max made his way over, his reaction much the same as his sister at the moment. Up until he saw Carol's appearance, red cheeks and gazes away following. Even more so as his sister glared at him.

"Hi... mom?" Max greeted, finding himself getting treated to a kiss of his own as a chuckle echoed out from the nearby room.

Our trio looked over, finding Deborah, Norman and Caroline talking.

"Oh? Are these your grandchildren?" Deborah inquired and got a nod from both her daughter and her husband. Standing up, she did make sure to shoot Carol a look. In turn, that got a smile from her daughter.

"Grandma?" May called out and got a smooch on her other cheek. Max was next up for such a treatment, taking it far more willingly. Especially as the siblings make out what looks to be a camera. Looks like someone has pictures on the mind for the moment. Even more so as everyone made their way back to the living room. Norman had the camera for the moment, pulling it over for good measure.

"This will be quick, dear." Caroline explained, watching her sister take a seat on the couch. Deborah went for a spot behind, getting joined by Norman for the moment. Which just left her to sit down with her beautiful children. Sure, this hadn't been how she expected things to go in this last year or so. But she wouldn't change it for the world.

Though, she did see potential in her son for an entirely different role...