Morgan Matthews let out a sign as she looked around the nearly empty kitchen that she was standing in. She'd bought this house nearly two weeks ago and still wasn't any closer to being unpacked. She let out another huge sigh. After all this time she was back in this city, back home. Philadelphia. Of course, none of her family knew she was back yet. Yes, they knew she was moving back soon, they just didn't know she was already here. Her parents were thrilled that she was coming home finally. Morgan had left Philadelphia just two weeks after her high school graduation to move to Miami. She had wanted to get a feel for the town and being on her own before starting the University of Miami in the fall. And she had just never come back. She had majored in music production with a minor in entertainment management. Even with her overly complicated life, Morgan had quickly become the top music producer in Miami, which although it's not widely known, has a large music industry. After a few years, Morgan had decided to open her won record label which she called Black Heart, Silver Lining. But she did it discreetly, so very few people knew that she was not only the top produced but also the owner of Black Heart, Silver Lining, which had quickly become one of the top record labels in the country. So for almost seventeen years Morgan hadn't seen anyone in her family.
Her mother was ecstatic that her baby girl was finally coming home. And to make her even happier, everyone was moving home. Morgan's brothers Eric and Cory, Cory's wife Topanga, their daughter, Eric's wife Jessica, their three kids, Shawn, Jack and Rachel, their four kids. Everyone was moving back to Phili. But, luckily for Morgan, they weren't supposed to be home until tomorrow afternoon. That gave Morgan tonight to talk to her parents, before everyone else got there.
There was a reason that Morgan had never come home and her parents only knew part of it. Amy and Alan Matthews knew from talking to her that their daughter loved her job and it kept her to busy to come home. They talked to her every month so they tried to be okay with that. But what they didn't know was that the reason was so much bigger than that. Morgan did love her job, but that wasn't what kept her away.
Morgan had always been the young one in her class. Graduating at seventeen and not turning eighteen until October. October 31st to be exact. Three and a half months after turning eighteen, Morgan had given birth. To triplets. And no one in her family knew.
That was the reason she had never gone home. Morgan Mathews had three beautiful children, whom she loved more than life itself. And the feeling was definitely mutual. Throughout the past sixteen years, Morgan and her kids had developed that elusive relationship where your parent is like your best friend, but they also manage to actually be your parent and have you respect them.
The oldest of the triplets was Patrick Nicholas but everyone just called him 'Trick'. He was tall, about 6'1", and looked like a male version of Morgan. Same honey blonde hair, same facial features, but in a masculine way. The only physical differences were the eyes. While Morgan had clear aquamarine eyes, Trick's were a beautiful hazel, a chocolate brown with the perfect mix of green and gold flecks throughout. He also had a smile that, even at nearly sixteen, seemed to make girls go weak in the knees. And if he smirked? Well they were a puddle on the ground. Plus he had the confidence to go with all of this. Even if it did sometimes boarder on arrogance, he never really crossed the line into becoming a jerk.
A minute and a half younger was Jonathan Adam. Johnny was physically identical to Trick, but their personalities couldn't have been more different. While he had the same smile as Trick, Johnny's gave off more of an air of sweet gentleman that had just as many girls flocking to him as Trick. And his smirk had an even greater effect because it was just so out of place on him. He had the same confidence but never gave off the feel of arrogance. He acted like a perfect gentleman to any and all females, earning him the title of 'The Sweet One'. But looks can be deceiving. One of the personality traits that both boys shared was their love for trouble. They were mischievous, out-going, and willing to try anything at least once, never letting rules stand in their way.
After another minute and a half came the youngest and only girl. If Trick and Johnny were physical copies of Morgan, Isabella Ansley was the opposite. The only things that Anz had in common with her mother were her aquamarine eyes, her petite stature and her stubbornness. She hated the name Isabella and refused to answer to it, so instead went by a condensed form of her middle name. Only a select few, usually those closest to her, were allowed to call her Iz and no one but Trick and Johnny could get away with calling her Izza. Her aquamarine eyes contrasted gorgeously with her dark brown hair and slightly tan skin. She was the perfect blend of tom-boy and girly-girl. She had a bit of an attitude, but was a genuinely person, which endeared her to the masses. She was considered to be the queen of her school, with almost everyone liking her. She talked to everyone, not caring what their 'social status' was. One of her best friends was considered one of the biggest geeks in the school, but that was the way it was with all of the triplets. The combination of Anz' looks and personality drew quite a few boys to her, but both brothers were severely over protective, so nothing was ever too serious and she liked it that way.
At the moment though, while Morgan was standing in the kitchen trying to mentally prepare herself for the meeting with her parents, all three of her kids were upstairs in their new rooms frantically digging trough suitcases to find something to wear. While they had been at the mall yesterday, they had met a boy who was their age and went to their new school. When he had found out that they were going to be starting as sophomores at John Adams High he had insisted that they come to a party he was having the next night. Morgan had agreed because it was a good way for them to meet people and it would give her time to talk to her mom and dad alone. The party was just down the street from the Matthews' house, so she was going to drop them off on her way home. Then pick them up later so they could meet their grandparents. Speaking of which, it was quarter to eight, they should be leaving.
Just as she reached the stairs, Johnny came bouncing down and they shared 'the look'.
Morgan sighed. "Trick stop messing with your hair and get down here. Anz as long as it's not too revealing, I'm sure you look fine. Let's go, you guys are going to be late.
Trick came sauntering down the stairs oozing confidence. In light wash jeans and a black button-up with the sleeves rolled to his elbow, he looked good and he knew it. "Relax Mommy. It's a party. You can't be late to a party; you're not supposed to show up on time. Only losers do." Morgan just rolled her eyes. As "cool" as her son thought he was he still called her mommy, but only around the four of them, otherwise it was mom. It was one of the wire things about her kids. They had never gotten over their kid names for her. Trick called her 'Mommy', Johnny's was 'Momma' and Anz was 'Moms' and she was the only one who would use it in public. But Morgan wouldn't have it any other way. It showed that her kids loved her and still needed her.
She took a minute to take in her boys. While Trick was dressed up to make an impression, Johnny was dressed down in his usual style. He had on dark jeans and a light blue t-shirt. The shirt had a picture of a box of Lucky Charms on it and below it in black letters said 'Getting Lucky Tonight?'. Morgan had to his a snicker. Johnny may have been the sweet one, but he could be just as cheeky as Trick when he wanted to. The only thing that the boys' styles had in common was their shoes. Both wore Chuck Taylors, but while Trick's were a more fashionable black Johnny's were bright green. All of her kids owned a closet full of the shoes in all different colors and couldn't be persuaded that something else might be better.
"Izza let's go. I'm sick of waiting for you!"
"Shut up Trick. Maybe if you hadn't locked yourself in the bathroom for the last half hour I would have been ready on time!" she shot back. Trick just shrugged, not even bothering to try and deny it.
Morgan thought for a minute. "Iz, you have your own bathroom. Why were you waiting on Trick?" Separate bathrooms for the boys and Anz had been one of the requirements when looking for the house. They wouldn't have gotten anywhere on time if the boys had been sharing with their sister. All of them took too long.
"I know Moms, but I haven't unpacked yet, and don't know where all my hair stuff is." There was a pause and Morgan waited for the other shoe to drop. "So I had to use Johnny's!"
"What?!" Johnny squawked. It was well know that he was very protective of his hair products. "Isabella if you . . ."
Anz cut him off, walking down the stairs. "Relax kid, your precious hair products are all fine. I swear you're such a girl sometimes. Even more so than Trick." she joked.
"Hey!" Trick started to protest, before he broke off noticing what she was wearing. A quick look at Johnny showed that he was seeing what Trick was seeing. Too much of his baby sisters skin. "Don't you think that's a little inappropriate Izza? Besides you might catch a cold."
"It's August, Trick, and there is nothing wrong with my outfit." Anz sighed, used to this argument.
"There's nothing right with it either." he shot back.
"Let's just go. You were tired of waiting for me remember."
Johnny broke in. "We're not going anywhere until you discover pants. Preferably of the sweat variety." Trick just nodded in agreement. Sweat pants would cover her nicely.
Morgan was leaning against the wall watching in amusement. She found the call for pants funny. They had never tried that before. She waited for one of them to appeal to her. She didn't have to wait long.
"Mommy, tell her to put pants on."
"Momma, tell her to go change."
"Moms, tell them there's nothing wrong with my outfit."
All three pleas came simultaneously. Morgan just smiled and took in Anz' outfit. She was wearing a black t-shirt. On it was a big silver shooting star and underneath it, again in silver, the words 'Just Keep Dreaming'. Anz and her best friend Marley had had the shirts made when they had been obsessed with Finding Nemo and Dori singing 'Just keep swimming'. They had just adjusted the saying to fit their needs. She had on matching Chuck Taylors which were black with silver stars. The boys couldn't find fault with the shoes and while the shirt was tighter on her fifteen year old body then it has been when it was make at twelve, it was no where near to being inappropriate. It was the skirt that the boys had a problem with. The light jean mini hit Anz mid-thigh and looked good on her, making her legs look incredibly long. Which was why the boys hated it. "Sorry boys, but I'm going to have to go with Iz on this one." Anz smiled getting ready to rub it in their faces. "But-" Morgan cut her off, "if you get any taller it's either a new skirt or leggings underneath. Understood young lady?"
Anz nodded, knowing her mom was right.
The boys, however were not as satisfied. "Pants might be another option." Johnny mumbled unhappily. But both he and Trick knew that they had lost and kept quiet.
"Your eyes look really good, by the way." Morgan said while walking out.
Anz beamed. She had been trying so hard to find a make-up look for her eyes that she liked. She didn't want the normal black, white, grey or blues because she thought they were boring. And she had finally found her look. It started with a lime colored eye-shadow with a hint of gold swept lightly across the entire lid and then just under the lower lash line. She didn't use any eye-liner. Instead it was turquoise eye-shadow applied right on the lash lines, both upper and lower, with a wet angular brush. Then black mascara. The effect was stunning causing her eyes to POP. The boys didn't like this either but knew better than to try and argue there.
By this time it was quarter after eight and since it would take a half hour to get there, they would be a little before nine. Which worked out well of all of them. The kids wouldn't be on time for their party and Morgan wouldn't have that much time alone with her parents.
As they drove down her parents' street, Morgan pointed out the house. "Just in case anything happens, that's your grandparents' house. Just come there." She looked at Johnny because she knew he was the only one who would remember. Anz had the worst memory ever for these types of things and Trick just didn't pay attention. Johnny nodded. Morgan dropped them off and yelled out the window. "Don't forget to check your phone Johnny. I'll call you before I leave to pick you up!" He nodded again and all three of them waved before disappearing into the house.
Morgan gave one final sigh of longing for being home in Miami. But they had kept their house there so they could always go back and visit, she told herself. Shaking herself out of her daze he turned around and headed back towards her parents' house, knowing that nothing would ever be the same again. For any of them.