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When Tina reached across the bed only to feel cold sheets, she was utterly confused. The last she’d checked, Newt had been laying beside her and anymore, woke up after her, especially on a Sunday. But apparently not that Sunday. In fact she didn’t even hear their shower running. So he was nowhere near their bedroom.
Groaning, she grabbed her new glasses from the nightstand and slipped them on before heading to the bathroom, deciding to at least freshen up a bit before looking for her husband. Once she’d finished readying for the day and stepping into the upstairs hallway, she was greeted by a very surprising sight. Her eight year old grandson Leo, her newly seven year old granddaughter Tia, and her six year old granddaughter Athena were standing in the hall grinning at her.
“Well, well, well. When I went to bed, I don’t believe a niffler, a nundu, or a mooncalf were in my house.” Tia and Athena giggled madly at her as they ran at her, barely giving Tina time to drop to her knees and catch them in a hug. “Ahhhh, yes, just what I always need in the morning, my Thena and Tia hugs.” Leo shuffled over, staring at the ground as he fidgeted with his hands. Even though he was adopted, Leo reminded her so much of Newt, Jack, and Joe. It made it clear he was neurodivergent like three of her boys and she didn’t want him any other way. Because Leo was perfect as he was. Leaning between the girls, Tina held out a hand to him, smiling when her grandson took it. “And of course I need my Leo cuddles.” Elliot Dalton Scamander met her eyes with a happy grin before pushing his cousins out of the way and falling into Tina’s arms.
Squeezing back tight before letting go so her youngest three grandchildren could stand in a line in front of her, Tina had to think for a minute. Had they promised Ellie, the twins, and their spouses to watch these three this morning? She didn’t remember doing that. It didn’t mean they hadn’t, just her mind was drawing a blank.
Finally, Tia took her hand and tugged it toward the stairs. “Calm on, Nan! Grandad said breakfast can’t start without you!” Cocking her brow, Tina rose, letting Tia and Thena race ahead while Leo slipped his hand into hers as they descended the staircase.
They’d barely made it to the first floor before the girls took off running to the kitchen, Tina fighting a sigh only to hear Joe call, “Porpentina Anne! We do not run inside!” As well as Lyall chime in, “Athena Esther, what have your mum and I said about running down the hall?”
Both girls muttered apologies, but Tina was more focused on their fathers’ voices. So clearly some of her children and in-laws were here. But why?
As Leo tugged her into the kitchen, Tina was met by a very happy surprise. All five of her children were in one place. Grinning at her from around the old dining room table while Newt came over to lift Leo into his arms. Stella was the one to break the silence as she cheered, “Happy Mother’s Day, Mom!” Rapidly blinking, Tina realized it was Mother’s Day. Somewhere in her brain she’d known that, but it was just shoved away. This week would be Ellie’s birthday. Which was always around Mother’s Day. So well, damn. She had forgotten.
Looking at Newt, she hit her husband’s arm. “What’s all this?”
“I had nothing to do with all this, love.” He whispered as he leaned over to press a kiss to her lips. As Newt pulled away, Tina just stared at him incredulously. It forced him to sigh. “Your children wanted to celebrate the holiday with you, Tina. I was merely asked to help make breakfast.”
Smelling the rich scent of pancakes and eggs from the room, Tina knew he’d been cooking for a while too. Which she knew she should be thankful for. But he knew she hated surprises. And how she could be forgetful these days. Especially about something like this.
“I told you she’d forget.” Ollie said with a wink at his siblings as her second youngest crossed the room, wrapping his arms around her. “Happy Mother’s Day, Mom.”
Tina squeezed him right before pulling back, letting her hands move to his face to make sure he was real. “I thought you were-“
“When Ellie calls and says we are surprising you, I can’t not come in. Believe me, I can take a few days off from my traveling to see my mother. For many reasons. The number one being I love you. Number two,” he turned and nodded at where his older sister sat, holding her six year old as Athena avoided Lyall’s glare. Ellie smiled brightly at them as she rubbed her daughter’s back while Ollie shuttered. “She terrifies me.”
“Good.” Ellie’s smile remained as she stood, carrying Athena with her as she came to press a kiss to Tina’s cheek. “It’s working then, Ol. Here, have a six year old.” Then Athena was thrusted into her Uncle Ollie’s arms.
Tina fought the laugh bubbling in her chest at the sight of Ollie’s surprise while The a just rested her head on his shoulder and said, “Uncle Ollie, will you let me run in the house?”
Before Oliver could answer, his sister booped her daughter’s nose and said, “Nope! But I bet if you, Leo, Tia ask him and Uncle Tommy nicely, they’ll take you to the basement for a few minutes as long as Grandad says it’s okay.” Immediately all three of the youngest grandchildren perked up, looking between Newt, Ollie, and Estelle’s husband Tommy. Beside her, Tina noticed her husband nod and let the other two men lead the children toward the stairs. Normally, Lyall and Jack would follow as the two active magizoologists in the family, but her oldest son and son-in-law remained seated at the table. Ellie wrapping her arms around Tina made her look at her daughter. “Happy Mother’s Day, Mama.”
“Happy Mother’s Day to you, Elle Belle.” She pressed a kiss to her daughter’s head, returning the squeeze before stepping over to where Maddie sat next to Joe, leaning down to kiss her daughter-in-law’s cheek as well. “Happy Mother’s Day, Maddie.”
“Thank you, Tina. Happy Mother’s Day.” The young woman squeezed her hand, smiling brightly. “Alex also wanted to make sure we told you he also says happy Mother’s Day.”
“As did Mis and Remus,” Lyall said happily from where he sat on the far end of the table.
Parker was the next to chime in, “And David did too.”
Tina nodded in thanks to the three spouses of her oldests, honored their children had thought of her. Then she was caught off guard though. There were twin kisses on either of her cheeks and she honestly didn’t know how she missed Jack and Joe getting up. But turning her head both ways, Tina was greeted by the grinning Scamander twins. “Happy Mommy’s Day, Mom!” Jack said happily, resting his head on her shoulder.
Joe merely rolled his eyes at his brother as he handed her a medium sized box. “This is from all of us. Happy Mother’s Day.”
Carefully, she tore open the paper and box to see a book labeled ‘The Scamanders.’ It was similar to photo albums Pops had kept from back in the day that were now dispersed between the brownstone and Jacob and Queenie’s apartment above the bakery. Tina gently opened the book and was greeted by a little About Us page detailing their family and her children’s love for her. Reading through it, she felt tears welling in her eyes before looking up at her four children sitting in the room. They each gave her a wide grin before nodding to continue.
As she began flipping through, Tina saw photos from her and Newt’s childhoods through their teenage and early career years before settling on photos of them at the beginning of their relationship. Then it was their wedding, both the MACUSA semi-elopement and the ceremony from the Manor before there were baby pictures of Ellie and their early family portraits of just the three of them. Slowly but surely, the album showed their growing family. It included each of their children as well as their parents, siblings, and friends. Tina glanced at Newt at one point only to see him hugging Stella and grinning. Continuing on, Tina saw her sons- and daughter-in-law being added with room for when Ollie decided to settle down before it switched to the grandchildren.
Each one has a page dedicated to themselves, but that wasn’t what caught her eye. It was the notes they’d written. Each of her grandchildren had written what they loved about her most. Remus had mentioned her calming presence while Alex commented on how she always made him smile. Artemis mentioned their shared love of books, David talked about how she always believed in him, making the twelve year old believe in himself more. Leo, Tia, and Athena’s were each shorter than their older siblings, but they’d also given a heartfelt message. Her personal favorite was Tia’s who said “Even if Thena has your middle name, I think it’s cooler that we share Porpentina, Nan. Only cool kids are named Porpentina.” It was so cute and wholesome. The entire present was really. As it came to an end, she saw extra pages. Looking up, she saw a smirking Stella.
“While we aren’t quite ready yet, I figured we could add Tommy and I’s baby eventually.”
“Mine too! You know. When I settle down.” Ollie singsonged as he stepped back in the room, throwing an arm around his little sister who rolled her eyes. But her youngest son merely grinned at her. “Soooo, what did you think, Mom?”
Knowing each of them contributed to it, Tina looked at each of her children before hugging the album to her chest. “I love it. It’s perfect and something I will cherish for all time. Thank you.”
Before she knew it, her children were surrounding her, hugging her tightly murmuring “Happy Mother’s Day.”
The moment was only broken by the timid voice of Leo as his feet pattered into the kitchen, “Grandad, is it time to eat yet?”