The moment they touched down, Stevie was already heading for the door to meet the car. Luggage was gathered and soon enough, they were dropped off right in front of Stevie's parents' house. Lindsey unlocked the door and carefully stepped inside, expecting everyone to be asleep but there their children were, in the living room with their maternal grandmother. Everyone looked up at them, shocked expressions on their faces.

"Mom, Dad...you're back." Callie said, her mouth practically hanging open.

The radio was on the oldies station and a warm delicious smell was wafting in from the kitchen.

"Is someone cooking?" Stevie asked.

"I'm baking an apple crumble. I didn't know you'd be back so soon" Barbara said.

"We missed everyone" Stevie told her, still preoccupied with the idea of a meal cooked by her mother. "How long until it's finished?"

"Not much longer now, sweetheart. Well, come settle in. Tell us all about your beautiful honeymoon, and the beach house! Dad said you sent him some pictures."

"I did, did he get them?"

"We're not so good at this tech stuff. They're kind of trapped in the phone."

Lindsey chuckled. "I will show you how to open the messages and look at them. We can save the pictures so you can look at them again some other time. I can show you today even." Stevie elbowed him. "After breakfast" He gave her an amused look. "Hungry, are we?" he mouthed and she nodded.

"That would be delightful!" Barbara said, squeezing Dylan's knee as she got up to check the oven.

"Hey, Dylan" Lindsey said.

"Hey dad. Why are you guys back so soon?" Dylan asked, being pulled into a hug by his father.

"Do you want us to leave? We didn't get a very warm welcome home. Didn't either of you miss us?"

"Of course we did!" Callie said, chiming back in. "We just didn't expect you and it kind of took us by surprise. Mom said you were having a lot of fun and since neither of you have to work for a couple weeks I just thought...and I have my sleepover at Kalea's house tomorrow night." The tall brunette hugged her  father.

"We don't want you to miss that."

"And I have band practice." Dylan said.

"Band? Like at school?"

"No, I'm in a band."

"You're 15!" Stevie cried.

"I was in a band at his age. Good work, son. Do you sing, play?"

"A little of both. I'm lead guitar, dabble in bass...I sing a little. Not as much as I'd like."

Stevie couldn't believe her ears. Dylan was really opening up. "When do I get to see you guys perform?"

"We're still rough, mom. It's not polished like Dad's bands have been."

"We weren't always polished." Lindsey said with a chuckle. "You'll get there. I'm proud of you."

"Thanks" The boy smiled and Lindsey ruffled his son's hair.

The oldest kids went into the kitchen with their grandmother, and Stevie sat down on the fluffy rug with Iris who was deeply entrenched in the building of her lego tower. "How about you, little miss?" Stevie asked. "Are you going to be running out on us too?"

The little girl looked up and realized who was next to her. "Mommy! Home!" The toddler stood up, hugging her mother around the neck.

"Yes, we're home sweetheart. I missed you so much!" Stevie rubbed her daughter's back, pulling her into a proper hug. Her curly blonde hair was soft against her cheek.

"Miss you too! Up mommy?" Iris asked, pulling back to look at her mother.

"Of course!" Stevie picked her daughter up and stood carefully.

"She's too heavy, Steph" Lindsey said, watching her with a nervous expression on his face.

"Relax! Iris is tiny! I wasn't allowed in the loft, I wasn't allowed in the ocean for too long, I wasn't allowed to sit and drink tea on the porch--"

"Only because you were sitting on the railing and could have fallen"

"What am I allowed to do then?" she asked, slightly irritated.

"You know how I am, Stevie. I worry about you. You're pr--"

"Shh!" The kids came back into the room, waving their parents into the kitchen.

"It has to cool but doesn't it look good?" Callie asked her mother as she joined them by the oven.

"It definitely does!"

"I can't wait to dig in!" Lindsey said, coming up behind everyone.

"Where's daddy?" Stevie asked.

"Right here" Jess said, surprising Stevie. She turned around and hugged him with Iris also extending an arm around her Pop-pop. "You're back early! Welcome home, honey"

"Thank you, daddy"

"Hey son. How was the trip?" Jess asked, hugging Lindsey as well.

"It was pretty good. I told Barb I'd give you both a little tutorial on how to use those fancy phones of yours. Steph tried to send you pictures of our trip."

"I wanted to look at them but I didn't want to break the damn thing."

"Jess!" Stevie's mother exclaimed, laughing. "Enough of that mouth"

"It's zipped, don't worry. You won't hear from me until I've finished the crossword."

"Paper's on the end table" Barb shouted.

"Thank you, dear."

"What about breakfast?"

"Oh sure, sure, then the crossword."

Stevie smiled and shook her head.

"This house is getting pretty crowded now that's everyone's home" Barb said.

"Yeah, ours too. More crowded by the day" Lindsey joked and Stevie elbowed him again. "Sorry"

"We need a muzzle for you!" Stevie said.

"Why, because I bite?" he asked, kissing her.

"No, because you bark." Stevie replied. Iris began to mimic a small dog's yapping bark and Lindsey laughed.

"I was going to say...you like when I bite" Stevie blushed and he kissed her again.

"Food, kids?" Barb asked.

"Yes, please." Stevie answered, moving toward her mother with Iris still in her arms.

Lindsey shook his head and smiled to himself, pleased that he could still get her to blush like that after all these years.