It was the week that mom had long awaited for. The week of the Spring Gala. All tensions were high. "Ohh! A brain freeze before 8:00 a.m. This is living." Anna-Kat said to us, the kid had a strange way of that. Dad chuckled at her.

"So, we're just having ice cream for breakfast? Really?" Mom asked and I had a spoonful of ice cream.

"Uh, uh, uh. You said in the week leading up to the Gala, you were gonna have your hands full. So your instructions were to--Oliver?" Dad asked and I looked over to Oliver.

"As Mom said- -and I quote- -'pretend I ran off to Mexico with a guy named Enrique. You're now a single father with four kids. Parent as you will.'" Oliver said to Mom, he was reading from his notebook. We all knew that it was going to be important at some point.

"That was taken out of context." Mom said to us and I think it was in context.

"I don't think it was." I said to her.

"You're right. The context was, 'parent as you will. And, Oliver, if you don't stop writing this down, I will stab that pen in your eye.'" Oliver said and that definitely sounded like Mom.

"See? Now we see the full picture. But can I just say- -" Mom started but Taylor cut her off.

"There also was no-comment clause." Taylor said to her and that completely stopped Mom in her tracks.

"Fine. I won't comment on things- -things like Anna-Kat not making her bed, Taylor coming in past curfew, Y/n having her bedroom door shut when Cooper was over, and Oliver heading to ballet practice in his good recital leotard." Mom said to us and to clear things up, Cooper and I weren't doing anything other than talking.

"Boys will be boys." Dad said before having a drink of his coffee.

"You know what? Be fun all you want. I'm not gonna let your happiness get me down." Mom said to us and I'm glad that that's what she was thinking about.

"You know, for the Gala being tomorrow, you seem relaxed." Dad said to her, it was unnerving how relaxed she was over this.

"That's because everything is in order. All I have to do is drop off the fliers at school to remind people to dress in Indian garb for the big Bollywood party. Im heading out. Do you want me to take the kids?" Mom asked but Dad already has plans of taking us this morning. So we couldn't.

"No, thanks. I'm bringing them in late just to add a little fun to Fun Dad Friday." Dad said before Mom started to walk away. I could get used to this life. To bad it would be short lived.

"Hmm." Mom got out and shook her head.

"Head shakes are also commenting!" Dad shouted at her as Mom walked out the door.

"Dad, let's blow off school and go visit Hans Gruber at the farm!" Anna-Kat shouted and now that sounded better than school.

"I vote that we do that." I said to Dad as I finished up my ice cream.

"That would be classic Fun Dad." Oliver said to him and hopefully he'd let us do it.

"Guys, that may be taking this too far." Dad said to us and that was that. I didn't even want to think back to the times where I thought Dad was cool now. Clearly he wasn't.

"Remember three seconds ago when Dad was awesome?" Anna-Kat asked us and I did, shame he left us for someone else.

"Hey, Boring Dad, where's your shawl-collared sweater?" Oliver asked and Dad pulled his phone out and started calling someone.

"Grant, cancel my office hours. We're going to a farm." Dad said and we all started cheering. He was the best dad. "This must be how Kenny G feels when he steps out onstage." Dad said and just like that we had our day all planned out. We then went to the farm. "Hans Gruber looks happy." Dad said to us as we saw him with the other pigs.

"I wonder if he can talk to the other animals, like in 'Babe.' What am I saying? Of course he can!" Anna-Kat said and thats when I looked into the distance.

"Professor Otto!" We heard Grant shout. Why was he here?

"Grant, what are you doing here? You're supposed to be at the university." Dad said to him, hopefully he wouldn't be joining us all day.

"I'm your assistant. I'm here to assist." Grant said to us and this was just unbelievable.

"How did you even find me?" Dad asked him, I didn't even want to know the answer to this.

"I placed a Tile device in your wallet. I need to know where you are." Grant said and I shuddered that wasn't normal behavior.

"That is very unsettling." Dad said to him, it was more than that.

"That doesn't sound like a 'stop it'! Oh! Hey, look, a camel! My dad had a pet camel when I was growing up in India. You remind me of sweet Pepito." Grant said to us before giving his attention to the camel.

"Dad, can we have a pet camel?" Anna-Kat asked, I'd rather us get a dog.

"No. I'm sure he came to the animal sanctuary because he's not supposed to be a pet. Just like Hans Gruber's not supposed to be a pet." Dad said to us, maybe he'd get us a real pet.

"I understand. It's not like a dog." Anna-Kat said and maybe she could help us get one.

"That's right. A dog is a whole different story." He said to us, it was an sit was perfect for us.

"Look, a dog!" Anna-Kat said and she pointed at one. It barked at us and we all went over to him. "Can we have him?" Anna-Kat asked him.

"A golden retriever is a pet!" Taylor shouted at him.

"And then it means we'll never have to get rid of him!" I shouted at Dad, we'd be able to keep him forever.

"Come on, Dad. We could use a smart blonde in the family." Oliver said and I was hoping that we'd keep him.

"No. We cannot bring home a dog. It's not even ours. Who says it's even a rescue?" Dad asked and that's when I saw a worker come into view.

"I do. You want the dog? His name is Luthor." He said to us and that's when we all looked at Dad.

"Please!" We all said to him. He had to.

"Please!" Grant said, at least someone was on our side.

"You're wasting your breath. No dog." Dad said to us but like before. We got our own way and got the dog.

"I already love him so much!" Anna-Kat said while crying and hugging our new four-legged friend. We then heard a car horn.

"That's mom's car. We got to keep Luthor out of sight unto, we make sure she's in a dog-receptive state of mind. Fun Dad is no match for Mad Mom. Come on." Dad said and we all went into the office with the dog.

"Tomorrow night calls for clear skies and multiple 'suck its.'" I heard Mom shout as she walked in. They then walked out of earshot for us. I wasn't looking forward to this. Dad then walked over and opened the door.

"Come on. She's in a perfect dog mood. She said 'holla.'" Dad said to us and we started to walk out.

"What?! Who says I can't use an elephant for domestic purposes? Well, who the hell told PETA about it? The Gala is tomorrow, and you're telling me I have no elephant?!" Mom shouted. This was bad, very bad.

"Mood has shifted! Mood has shifted!" Dad shouted and we all went back to the office. All apart from the dog. "Come on." Dad shouted and Luthor joined us. This was our life now, us in an office. We did managed to sneak out and then keep Luthor hidden. Even the day after, Mom still had no idea that we'd gotten ourselves a dog. And when the morning came and we thought we could say. We had to retreat again.

"Everything was supposed to be dropped off this morning. But I didn't cancel anything. Those dirty, little..." Mom said and that's when we knew that we couldn't show the dog to her.

"Moos has shifted. Mood has shifted. Go!" Dad said to us in a whisper and we went back upstairs with the dog. Hiding again. After a while we went downstairs, No Luthor with us.

"This isn't the woman I married. The woman I married wouldn't give up. You know what she would do?" Dad asked her and I looked at her, I hope she had her answer ready.

"What would she do?" Mom asked him.

"She would get off that couch and figure out a way to throw the Gala her way not their way." Dad said to her and I sat down on one of the steps.

"But how am I going to put together an entire Gala in eight hours?" Mom asked and that was easy. I could help out.

"With me." Dad said to her with a smile. I stood up again.

"With us." Taylor said to her.

"We've got your back." Oliver said to her with a smile.

"Always and forever." I said to her with a smile.

"Ottos never quit!" Anna-Kat said to her and mom sat up to look at us before looking at Dad.

"I threw Karen Nelson's hysterectomy party together in minutes- -150 guests. I made that papier-mâché 'adios to your uterus' piñata moments before the gusts arrived." Mom said to her and that was it, she was coming back to herself.

"That's right, you did." Dad said to her with a smile on his face.

"I can do this!" Mom said and I was happy for her.

"Damn straight you can! So, you're in a good place?" Dad said to her and now we could introduce her to the dog.

"Yeah, I'm in a great place." Mom said that was before Luthor jumped besides her on the sofa.

"Good, because we got a dog." Dad said to her, we then went to park. The whole site for the Gala.

"Okay, people we've got five hours to transform this place into a Bollywood extravaganza. Doris, I need you to go to the outlet store and get as many candles, rugs, and throw pillows as you can. Take Y/n with you." Mom said and I saw Doris face. She wasn't happy about the words 'outlet' and 'store'.

"Outlet store?! Fine. I'll do it because we're friends. But I am paying full price!" Doris said and I looked at her. Why would you pay more than what the price is?

"We need decorations that are on-theme. Angela, can we borrow some of the Buddhist stuff that you have at your house? Greg, you and the recycling committee, go pick up the Buddha string lights, and then get started cleaning out the trash cans for the trash-can punch. Okay, we need dancers." Mom said and she looked at Oliver and me. I could call around.

"I'll call around for people in my class." I said to her with a smile and a nod.

"I'll ask my ballet class to help." Oliver said and that's the best thing about dancing twins. They always go to two different places.

"Great! Okay, let me see what else." Mom said and I could only think of one thing.

"Uh, I don't know, Mom. Food?" Taylor said to Mom, that was the most important thing.

"Right. Forgot about that. Does anyone know where we could get Indian food for 200 people by 4:00 today?" Mom asked us and I was hoping that someone would know.

"I have an idea!" Grant called out.

"Grant! I took the Tile out of my wallet. How did you find me?" Dad asked him, I didn't even want to know about this.

"I followed you home from the farm, broke into your car, and hid in your trunk- -like any good assistant would." Grant said and that was the creepiest thing ever.

"Let's blow past how creepy that was and focus on how you can help me." Mom said to Grant and I was hoping his idea was good.

"My uncle owns an Indian food-truck business. I can ask if he knows someone." Grant said but wouldn't that be his uncle.

"How about your uncle?" Dad asked him.

"Oh, yeah! I can make that happen!" Grant said to us and that was the best idea.

"Grant, I love you!" Mom shouted at him.

"And I love your husband!" Grant shouted now that got weird again.

"What do you say, people?! Let's do this thing!" Mom shouted at us and it was time to get our plan in action.

"Alright!" Doris shouted and it was time to do everything. When it came to the Gala, the whole dance team was doing a great combined effort. This whole thing was a big success that not even I could help but join in. We all had a great time, what a way to end the Spring Gala.