Chapter 1: Hello Again

i think that he loves me so much 3
July 12th, 2021

Eating Pete's Pizza at the promenade has bought back memories. The memories he had in Glen Oak, California. Some were good, some were bad, and some were just a little in-between.

He's been in Glen Oak for a week now. He's been offered a job there and certainly being trained on his construction skills. Never in a million years he thought he was ever gonna return back to his home sweet home.

He couldn't help but notice a familiar face from far distance after looking down from the Glen Oak's newspaper.

He knew that face. That face he had an on-and-off relationship with years ago. He knew her family as well.

Who were they again? The family that welcomed me in their home when I was homeless? It was that Reverend...Reverend Camden?

No, way! That couldn't be Lucy Camden! How could I be here for a good week without keeping in touch with the Camden's? I haven't kept in touch ever since I moved to Tampa Bay, Florida with my mom! I am such a bad friend. I can't let her see me! He quickly held the newspaper to cover his face as she passes by.

Her bag drops by him. Uh-oh, I'm caught. What should I do? Should I help her out? I'm trying so hard to avoid her! Oh, I owe them big time, anyway. He shooked his head as he helps Lucy pick up her belongings.

She was in too much of a rush to even notice who was helping. "Thank you! I'm sorry if I caused any trouble."

That was when she looked into his eyes. Her eyes grew wide when she realized the man in front of her was very familiar.

"Do I know you from somewhere?" Lucy asked in her usual way. Yup, she was still the same crazy-talkative Lucy he once knew.

He tried his best trying to avoid eye-contact.

"I could be wrong but you really do remind me of some guy I used to date. Robbie Palmer, there you go."

She hasn't changed one bit. "Lucy? It's me." The young man finally admits. He couldn't let her go crazy for that long.

"Robbie? Oh my gosh! I knew it was you!" The sound of her voice was a tone of happyness after quite a while.

Like she just got threw a depressed state.

She gave him a long time needed hug. "What are you doing in Glen Oak? Better yet, how long have you been in Glen Oak? Why didn't you give my mother, father, or me a call?" She pulled a chair to join an old friend.

"You think that would have been a good idea? I haven't kept in touch with any of you since I left a lovely family." He felt guilty.

They deserved to hear how he was doing or give them something at least. "We missed you."

"I missed you guys too." Robbie swallowed. "How are you, Lucy?"

It took her a while to open her mouth. She tried her best not to let her emotions out. "Widower for six months now. My husband was brutally shot at the Glen Oak Police Department. It's a horrible situation and I found myself in a depressed state for such a long time. I couldn't move on with my life...but all I could think about was my kids needed me. It's hard being a single parent." Robbie hands Lucy some tissues. "Sorry for being so emotional..."

"You have every right to be. You ended up marrying that Kevin guy right? That was the last I heard of before I moved in with my mother."

Lucy smiled. Her life with Kevin will forever

Chapter 2: From Good News to Bad

July 15th, 2020

Stepping into the Camden's church was the right thing to do after receiving the good news that he's got the job here in Glen Oak, California. He prayed to God before he flew back home in Tampa Bay.

He thanked him for answering his prayers but hoping God at the same time this wasn't going to be a rough time for his kids.

As he reached in front of his doorsteps he let out a big sigh before turning the knob. There's no doubt that the Palmer five were going to hate him.

Buying a home in Glen Oak behind their backs.

He wasn't surprised the commotion he saw the minute he entered. His youngest sons were skateboarding around the living room, Eddie playing videogames by himself with the volume on maximum, and he wondered where his two eldest children were.

"Nancy?" Robbie yelled leaving his luggage on the side of the corner.

"Uh-oh! We're in trouble." Joey elbowed his brother Ben.

The two young ones immediately stopped skateboarding. They stood side by side holding their skateboards trying to look as innocent as possible. "Eddie! Stop playing videogames! Dad's home!" Ben yelled.

There's never a day where there's no yelling at the Palmer's household.

Eddie finally turned off the game. He walked over to his brothers and his father.

"Hi, dad." Eddie smiles giving him a hug. "Do you have a job yet?"

Eddie knew his brothers weren't going to ask him considering they'd be getting into trouble pretty soon.

"I want to share you guys the wonderful news. Where are Nancy, Mike, and A.J.?" Robbie asked looking around for them.

Ben smiles. He couldn't wait to tell his father about Mike. "Nancy's making a welcome back dinner for you. We've already ate. She's also surprising you with a delicious desert. It's something new she made when you were 'gone. A.J.'s upstairs in her room doing who knows what and Mike's upstairs in his room with a new girlfriend. He's already into her and he just met her yesterday."

Once he met with Lucy he kept thinking about all the Camden's. Ben is certainly a Ruthie to him having to know everyone's business.

"Did you say they were up in his room?"

His son nodded. Joey helped him out.

"Oh and her dad's a cop!" Joey ratted on his brother with pride and joy. He had a mischievous smile on his face.

Robbie shook his head. He had too much stress on his mind. He needed to tell them.

Sooner or later. "Thank you, boys." He bended down their heights. "I want you to get Mike and A.J. while I go say hello to Nancy. Tell them that it's an important family meeting."

Joey and Ben nodded. They raced each other up the stairs to see who was the fastest.

"Can I go back to playing videogames?" Eddie asked.

"Yes." Robbie gently messed with his hair. "This time just don't make the volume on maximum!" He warned his son as he makes his way to the kitchen.

Whatever Nancy it would turn out to be delicious.

She has always been the one surprising him.

She smiles at the young man. "Welcome back. I didn't hear you come in."

He gave her a small kiss on the cheek.

"I'd figured with how loud Eddie blasts the television. You let him?"

"Joey and Ben were teasing him about not joining them. He got really upset...so he turned on his videogames and DECIDES to put it to maximum. I didn't want to make him more upset."

"I'll have a talk with my boys." Robbie paused letting out a sigh. "I'll have a talk with all of them, even A.J."

Nancy heard the sound of his voice. Glen Oak probably didn't go so well. There's a fifty-fifty chance. "How did Glen Oak go?"

It went well, but this won't. He told himself. "I got the job."

"THAT'S GREAT!" Nancy cheered for him walking over to give a great big hug. "You don't sound too happy about it though?"

"The kids and I have to move. Mom and Jeff are buying this house and-oh, Nancy! I can't just blow a bomb on these kids! Florida's a paradise; no one wants to leave this beautiful place."

If it was easy to tell Nancy it might be easy to break the news to the Palmer kids.

"Where would you stay in Glen Oak? Do you have a house already?"

"I bought it secretly while I was there. The kids are so going to hate me. I'm going to be a dead-beat father!"

When his mom wasn't around to comfort him, Nancy was. "No, you won't. The kids will understand. You're going to have to tell them before it's too late. I'm sure they'll be mad at you, but they won't hate you. You are a wonderful father. Robbie? Promise me you'll remember that."

"Thanks. I'm really excited about dinner. Ben told me you made a new special desert that's really delicious."

She walks back to the stove. "Boy, don't you know it!"

They shared a laugh. The laugh was needed very much before Robbie Palmer would let the truth out.

Finally everyone was down in the living room for a serious family meeting after Robbie had a delicious dinner.

Mike, A.J., Eddie, Ben, and Joey were beginning to get aggravated. They didn't want to be in the family meeting in the first place. Mike's new girlfriend had to go home.

Mike was shocked his father didn't want to meet her when he had the chance. He wondered if everything was okay with his father.

"I'm really bored just sitting here." Joey complains.

"Me too. Can we go if you aren't going to say anything?" Ben whined. "I want to go back to my skateboarding skills."

Joey and Ben high-five each other.

"Dad? Joey and Ben are right. I'm upset my girlfriend had to go home for no reason." Mike sighed missing her already.

"Yeah, can you say whatever it is? I want to be alone in my room." Eddie cried.

They continued to watch their father pace back and forth. "Kids? I got the job!"

Everyone smiled. They were happy for their father. They didn't know what the big deal was to announce such great news.

"Awesome!" Joey, Ben, and Eddie said with all their excitement.

"Why did it take so long to tell us good news?" Ben asked concerned.

A.J. stares at her brothers. Were they that dumb to realize this wasn't going to be such good news after all? "You boys are so dumb! It only took Dad long enough to announce he got a job because it's not here in Florida. It's in Glen Oak. Don't you boys get anything? We're moving!"

This can't be happening. Not now, not ever! This August 26th I'm starting my senior year. I CANNOT move now. This year is the most exciting of all out of the four years in high school and I'm missing out because my dad got a job in Glen Oak. There's no way I'm going to feel like a freshmen having to get used to a new school there. Is it Glen Oak or California? Whatever, there's no different. I can't believe what I'm hearing! Mike had many thoughts in his head that he couldn't say out all. One if his biggest issue was letting out his feelings. This was going to be hard...

"Is A.J. right, dad?" Mike finally had the courage to ask. Please, don't let her be right. He told himself.

"She's right. We're moving July 20th, so that gives you a week to pack. The movers will be coming around and things will get hectic. Grandma and Jeff are buying this house from me. They're moving out of their apartment which they lived for so long." Finally! Robbie took a deep breath. The truth came out.

He observed his sons. They were divested. Joey looked crushed. "I can't skateboard on the boardwalk anymore."

"Theses weird insects on the beach really helped me with my pranks." Ben sighed.

Mike shook his head unbelievably. "I'm living here with Grandma and Jeff. If I want to finish high school, it'll be completed in Jefferson High. "They all watched him storm off angrily.

Three against two. He needed to the last two's opinion. "Eddie? A.J.? How do you feel about it?"

"I don't care." Eddie shrugged making his way out of the living room. "Alison?"

His only daughter rolled her eyes. "It's A.J." She corrected her father. "I don't really care since my style and personality doesn't fit well for the beach and boardwalk but as long as we don't meet anyone whose kids are well mannered, Barbies, snobs, and princesses."

Just like the others Robbie watches his daughter walk away after the not-so-good news. He jumped when Nancy walked in. "How'd they take it?"

"They took it well." He let out a sigh. Oh, how much he hates lying. "July 20th is our moving day."

Nancy looked at the young man. She wasn't stupid. They didn't take it well.

Yup, he's a dead beat father. No matter what he'll do whatever it takes to provide for the five Palmer children.

Chapter 3: And That Went Well

July 16th, 2020

Savannah Kink irk couldn't help notice the smile on her mother's during breakfast. All her mother did was smile. It was so weird for Savannah to see a smile on her face considering she hasn't smiled in a long time.

The smile hasn't faded even after breakfast when Lucy asked for Savannah's help to clean the dishes. "Mom? Can you quit smiling, it's really creeping me out." Savannah pleaded.

"I'm sorry." Lucy apologized, pausing, and not surprisingly letting out an even much bigger smile. "I haven't explained to you or any of the kids why I suddenly became so happy." She stopped what she was doing to just to smile yet again.

Someone must have made her mother happy. Either an old friend or maybe an ex-boyfriend. Whatever, it was, Savannah wasn't sure if she should be happy for her mother.

Her father just died six months ago. "I hope it's not an old friend or an ex-boyfriend. Daddy died only six months ago. It's too soon!"

Is Savannah psychic? Lucy wondered. She hasn't even given her the real explanation. Well, it was kind of obvious. Smiling so much after being in a depressed state for six months. What else could it be?

"I ran into a really good old friend of mine yesterday afternoon at Pete's Pizza. It felt really good, Savannah, and I need you to be happy for me." Lucy convinces her daughter.

Savannah shrugged. "What's his name? Is he nice? Does he have kids who smell or are disgustingly gross?"

Lucy had the almost-had to laugh but shouldn't be look on her face. "Savannah! That was so not necessary! His name is Robbie Palmer, has a housekeeper named Nancy, and five kids are you're ages."

"He isn't married?" Savannah asked trying not to be distracted from her glass plate.

"His wife was an alcoholic when their kids were just two-thirteen. He threw her out of the house, got custody of the kids, and she kept coming back to fight. Robbie had to put her in a restraining order. It's funny because I dated Robbie around high school for a week. Well, he first had an on and off relationship with your Aunt Mary." Lucy took a deep breath after explaining his situation.

"Ewww! That's so gross! You and Aunt Mary dated the same guy?" Savannah shivered just by the thought.

"Several guys." Lucy responded. It's always good to remember the memories of the past. She sighed. "I'm waiting for a phone call. I gave him my business card. He was waiting for the news about the job here. He's a construction worker. He got laid off in Tamp Bay, Florida."

That must be an awesome place to live. Anywhere besides Glen Oak seems to sound amazing. "No , but who'd want to come here in Glen Oak after living in paradise all your life?" Savannah asked concernedly.

"Whatever life offers you, wherever life takes you, it's just one of these things where you have to accept the offers." She gives her daughter a kiss. "If I do receive a call from him, I want you, and your siblings to be on your best behaviour. I would be gladly to introduce you guys to one another."

"Ugh, no thanks." Savannah threw the paper towel on the kitchen counter. She walked away feeling disgusted.

There was something about the way her mother has explained this guy. Something was missing. Some important fact about this man she left out.

Whoever he was, he wasn't going to replace her father.

As Savannah stood upstairs in the hallway she wondered who she could talk too. She can't tell her mother how upset she is about this whole Robbie guy. She will never admit and make herself look like a baby. It's always good to have a sister a year younger than you to talk too.

"Nicole!" Savannah barged in Nicole's room. She's always understanding, helpful, and easy to talk too, even if she can be such an emotional preteen. She sits on edge of her bed. "I have big news!"

Nicole puts down the bible on the desk besides her. "Okay…."

"When was the last time Mom had a smile on her face?" Savannah asked. Oh, she felt stupid for asking. Any minute now Nicole would break down in tears right in front of her.

"I—I don't-I can't!" Nicole broke down sobbing immediately. "Okay, you don't have to tell me! I'm sorry for making you cry but, this is big! Big news!"

Some big sister you are, Savannah. You can't even comfort your little sister who's breaking down in front of you? You can't even give her a box of tissues or anything. You don't even apologize! Nicole wanted to say her thoughts out loud. She wanted to tell her to go away. She wanted to yell at her. She's too good for yelling.

"Mom bumped into an old friend. She's waiting for a call to hear the news if he got the job offer here, in Glen Oak, and they'll be moving! I think mom's falling in love again with him. He has kids of his own—but I honestly she's leaving something out. Something important about his life."

"What are you trying to do?" Nicole asks calmly. "Do you like seeing me cry? Cause, I honestly believe you do!"

"Nicole—I—I just need someone to talk too." Savannah backs away.

"All you're doing is just making me so upset. Please, go." She pointed at her door. Savannah sighs and walks away.

Would anyone care about her mother finding a new love again?

There was finally a phone call that was listed as Unknown on CallerID. Lucy smiled as she sat down in her office. This has to be Robbie. For sure, since it's unknown. "Kink irks Resident. Reverend Kink irks, how may I help you?"

Robbie smiles at the sound of her voice. "I got the job. The kids and I will be moving four days from now. We're packing, we got a moving truck, and we'll be there in no time."

"That is wonderful, Robbie Palmer." Lucy smiled feeling happy for him. "How did your kids take it?"

"Mike said he's living with Mom and my stepfather, A.J. made it clear she wasn't going to meet any princesses or snobs, and the younger boys were just so divested."

"I'm really sorry." She apologized. "I told Savannah about you. She thought it was disgusting after I told her Mary and I both dated you and you have kids your age. She hopes they aren't disgustingly gross, which I'm sure they're not. I warned her that she and her siblings need to be on their best behaviour." She paused. She hasn't had a family meeting yet. "..This reminds me, I haven't had a family meeting about you Palmers."

"You better get to it." Robbie smiled. He felt stupid knowing Lucy couldn't see that smile on his face.

"Don't eat anything that day you come. I'm going to have a wonderful delicious dinner for you and your family. Oh, and remember my mother's famous Chocolate Chip Cookies?"

"How could I forget?"

"I'll be making that. Unless, if you have any request?" Lucy offered. She wanted this to turn out well. She wasn't how crazy they are about Chocolate Chip Cookies. "You know what? I could just make that Double Chocolate Cake. It's no harm."

"And I'll have Nancy bake something…" He then thought of Nancy. She's never missed a day cooking or baking for the family. She will not deny taking a break.

Lucy shook her head. Was he ridiculous? The point of her cooking a meal for the Palmers was to give Nancy a break. She's probably a great cook, but surely, she'd want to try someone else's homemade cooking. It's the least she can do. "You got to be kidding me? Nancy doesn't have to take anything for dinner that day. It's her day off."

"Luce? You're the best. I can't wait for this new chapter of my life, for your wonderful meal, and our kids to meet. It should be interesting."

"I'm excited for myself as well. I'll see you soon, Robbie Palmer." They both hang up the phone, both with big smiles on their faces. Lucy prayed to God hoping none of this will go wrong.

"Savannah, Nicole, Bryan, Andrew, and Chelsea Brooke? Family meeting, now!" Lucy yelled from the stairs as loud as she could to get her children's attention.

One by one they came down as they lined in size order just like the Von Trap family. "Please take a seat in the living room." She points for directions. She jokingly hits her forehead feeling stupid knowing they already know where the living room is.

They sat from oldest to youngest but little Chelsea Brooke wanted to sit on Savannah's lap.

"I know this might be too soon." Lucy paused. She wasn't sure how to start the news. She's not calling it good or bad.

She's not sure how well her kids will take it. "I have a friend moving here Friday, July 20th. It will take them long to settle in, but once they are, we are going to welcome them by having them over for dinner. This will be Saturday, Sunday, or Monday night. My friend has five kids around your ages. I want you to make feel like they're welcomed. The eldest is Mike and he's seventeen, A.J. she's fourteen, Eddie he's nine, Ben he's eight, and Joey he's six."

"Cool!" Andrew cried with excitement. "Joey's my age!"

"That's cool! Joey's the same age as Andrew and Ben is the same age as me! I'm tired of girls." Ben announced. He didn't care rather or not his sisters were glaring at him.

The Kink irk brothers high fived.

Savannah rolls her eyes at the stupidity coming from her brothers. "Mom? Are you sure A.J. is a girl?"

Bryan and Andrew laughed out loud. Nicole tried too but wasn't in the mood. "Savannah? Please, be nice. That goes for all of you."

Little Chelsea Brooke walks up to her mother for cuddling. "I get super baby rides?"

That one simple question has bought Lucy and Nicole into tears. That's the only memory Chelsea Brooke would have to remember her father. The Super baby ride.

"Yes, baby." She cried kissing her little girl.

Nicole shook her head. "No one asked for my opinion! I actually cried when Savannah was trying to bring this up to me. Whoever your friend is, he's not replace dad! No one can!" With that she storms out with tears in her eyes.

"Oh, Nicole…." Lucy cried out for her daughter. She was excited, very excited, but deep down she felt so bad for her kids, Robbie's kids, and she just realized one night she'll have ten kids under one roof.

A/N this is a real life story this is kinda like my family so it felt a little bit better to write a story about it more soon ;)