A/N – This is my sequel to It's Always Darkest Before The Dawn.
Rated M.
Quinntana with Pezberry friendship. Quinn has been sober for 10 years now. They have two more children in addition to Shannon. Quinn is a school teacher and Santana is a freelance writer for music magazines.
Rachel is married to the police officer that helped Santana, and they have a newborn daughter. She is a big star now.
Puck is married to a wonderful woman named Stephanie. He owns a successful sporting goods store and plays in a band on the weekends.
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Chapter 1 The Anniversary Party
Quinn Fabray-Lopez was standing in the kitchen making sandwiches for everyone's lunches. Her back was to her whining 16 year old daughter, "But Mama, it's so unfair it's Leah's sweet sixteen party and I'm her best friend. How's it going to look when I'm not there? I just don't think it's fair to punish Leah for this!"
The older blonde rolled her eyes at Shannon's continued arguments about her grounding, "Leah is not my daughter, so I am not punishing her. Perhaps young lady, you should have considered your best friend's party before you skipped class and decided to hang out under the bleachers making out with your boyfriend."
Flipping her long wavy blonde hair over her shoulder she fixed her eyes on the hallway. She had to make sure her Mamí was not in hearing distance. Shannon decided to take a different tack, "Mama?" She said softly.
Quinn sighed, set down the butter knife and turned to look at her daughter. She leaned back against the kitchen counter and crossed her arms. Even after 10 years of good parenting, she still felt she had much to make up. She could still be manipulated by guilt. Something her oldest child was well aware of.
"Please? I know I was wrong, I really want to be there for Leah, she's always been there for me. You know especially during the hard times." Her almond eyes looked down and away from her Mama, realizing it was a low blow. Shannon was desperate to go to this party, "Her sweet sixteen is a once in a lifetime thing. You can add another week to my grounding. I swear I'll never skip another class again. Just please let me go next Friday night to her party, please? Haven't you ever made a mistake you're sorry for? I'll be a perfect angel this whole week! Please…." She whined sadly.
That was the last desperate thrust and Quinn felt a jab of pain. Of course, she had made quite a few mistakes that still haunted her at times. She opened her mouth to speak but luckily Santana came in the room carrying the baby.
She took one look at the guilty looks on both of their faces and glared at her oldest, "Shannon Grace are you still nagging your mother about Leah's party? I thought we had talked enough about this and made it clear. You are grounded through your own actions! You may not attend Leah's party!" The Latina said sternly.
The teen flounced off the chair, "Fine, just fine, that's just great; clearly neither one of you has a heart!" She slammed out of the kitchen.
"Shannon Grace Fabray-Lopez!" The Latina made a move to go after her.
Quinn's soft hand on her arm stopped her, "Let her go Tana, she's just disappointed and upset."
"She's rude and disrespectful and I won't have it!" She carefully placed her son in his high chair and strapped him in, "Not to mention all her sneaky little guilt tactics that tear you up inside. Don't deny it; I can see guilt written all over your face! You have nothing to feel guilty about Quinn." The Latina said sincerely.
"We'll talk to her tonight after dinner when she's had a chance to calm down alright?" Quinn said as she wiped her hands on the dish towel and threw it on the counter. She walked over and placing a kiss on the Latina's soft lips. She leaned over and placed one on her toddlers' soft blonde downy head, "Good morning my loves." She cooed at her look-alike son and beautiful wife.
"Good morning baby." Santana smiled at her wife, thinking as she did every morning for the last ten years, how lucky she was and how much in love with Quinn she truly was. The Latina grabbed some homemade baby food out of the refrigerator and went over to feed Jordan, "Hello my big boy, promise me you won't turn into one of those horrible nasty teenagers. Mamí is too old for this, yes she is, that's right, yes she is!" She said in the baby talk Quinn hated, as the blonde just rolled her eyes in amusement.
She was greeted with a big, slobbery smile as Jordan Fabray-Lopez banged his hands on the tray and babbled loudly. His big hazel eyes staring at his Mamí like he totally understood every word she said.
"See Quinn, he agrees with me, no more teenagers!" She said as she shoveled food into his mouth before he started getting cranky, "Jeez this kid is a bottomless pit, I can't get the food on the spoon fast enough. You're just like your Mama, aren't you baby?" She flinched when Quinn smacked the back of her head, "Ow! Hey I just calls em likes I sees em Mrs. Lopez!" She smirked at the baby.
"Uh huh!" Quinn looked at her watch and then down the hallway, "Did you notice if Gabriella was up and getting ready yet? I swear that girl…"
The precocious four year old in question huffed into the kitchen wearing only a pair of Dora underpants and brandishing her favorite Dora coloring book, "Just look at this, it's wuined." Her dark nearly black eyes flashed angrily and her long, curly, jet black hair was in disarray around her head, "Why does he have to chew on evewything, why did we have to have anothew baby, I hate him!" She stomped her foot in rage as Santana dramatically let her head drop onto the baby's tray.
Jordan seeing his chance grabbed two handfuls of black hair in his grubby hands and tugged hard, causing his Mamí to squeal in pain, "Ah let go you little monster!" She laughed trying to gently disentangle herself from his painful yet playful grip.
Her blonde Mama knelt down in front of the aggrieved girl and said gently, "Gabriella he's just a baby and he doesn't do it on purpose. I already warned you if you leave your things lying around on the floor he's going to get them. Jordan's teeth are coming in and it hurts him so he chews on everything. We don't want our baby to hurt do we?" She rubbed her hands gently up and down the girl's arms, smiling as the little diva shook her head no, "You don't really hate him do you? You're always such a good big sister!" Quinn said softly as she leaned over and kissed the upset little girl's nose.
The adorable little Santana clone sighed heavily and looked terribly guilty, "No, I don't hate him. He just keeps wuining my stuff. It just makes me so mad at him! He knows how much I wove Dowa and Boots!" She grabbed her ruined coloring book, stomped her foot twice and stormed out of the kitchen.
The older Latina sighed heavily and turned to her wife, "Admit it Q, you cheated on me with Berry and that little drama queen is the product of your illicit union!" Santana teased.
Quinn got up slowly and brushed off her knees snorting, "Yeah that's it, I'm busted, I admit it. Rach and I covered up our evil plan by making her look just like you. Then we tricked you into carrying our illegitimate spawn!" She walked over and put her arms around Santana's neck. She leaned her chin on Santana's shoulder. The two of them loved to watch their one year olds antics.
"Ugh I cannot be late today!" The blonde stood up and moved over by the hallway, "Gabriella, get dressed, I still need to fix your hair! Shannon, help your little sister get dressed please!" Quinn yelled down the hallway, "Shannon Grace!" She tried louder.
"You know she has those stupid headphones in her ears so she can ignore us!" Santana said starting to clean up Jordan's messy hands and face with the baby wipes, "You go help Gabriella and I'll get Jordan ready. I'll take everyone to school so you aren't late. I think I'm going to work from home today."
Santana had quit the advertising job that kept her from her family. She became the stay at home mom. Writing had always interested her. She got her degree and was now a freelance writer. She was able to combine her love of music with her love of writing. It had also given her the freedom to be a full–time wife and mother and she loved it.
The blonde walked over and embraced her wife, "Thanks baby, I cannot be late today. I have to finish getting everything ready for the parent-teacher conferences tonight. My classroom is only half setup."
Santana hugged her back and then lifted a relatively clean Jordan out of his high chair and set him on her hip, "C'mon dude, let's go show these wimpy girls how to get things done around here." She looked back at Quinn, "Are you still going to be able to make your meeting tonight?"
"Yeah, my last conference is at 7:00 so I can get to the 8:00 pm meeting with no problems. Is that still alright Tana?" She said putting away the bread and peanut butter.
"Of course, meeting makers make it!" She smiled with pride at her blonde wife.
"You're such a good little AA wife!" Quinn laughed.
"Bet your ass I am blondie!" She leaned over and kissed Quinn and let a fussy Jordan give his Mama a sloppy kiss as well, "Hurry up or you're going to be late!" She gave her blonde wife a pat on her shapely backside.
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Santana had gotten Jordan dressed and ready to go. She set him in the playpen so she could go get Shannon moving. She passed Gabriella's room and saw Quinn struggling with their little chatterbox's tangled hair.
"Go on Q, I'll finish here. Tell Shannon to get Jordan in the car seat for me. Tell her to wait in the car with him until I get there. I'll be down in 5 minutes. Have a great day Mrs. Fabray-Lopez, be good in school." She kissed her wife goodbye, "Learn something new!" She teased using the catch-phrase Quinn always used on their kids.
Quinn knocked on Shannon's closed door and was not surprised when she didn't get an answer. She opened the door and saw her daughter on the bed with her headphones on and her arm across her eyes. Shannon's feet were keeping time to the beat of her music.
The older blonde flicked the light switch on and off a few times. The blonde teenager looked up at her Mama as she pulled the earphones out of her ears, "Are we ready?"
"Mamí's going to take you guys this morning, she's just finishing up with Gabriella. Can you please go get Jordan in the car seat and wait out there with him? Your mother will be down in about 5 minutes or so." Quinn quickly walked over to the bed and kissed the girl on the top of her head, "I love you monkey! Be good in school. Learn something new today."
"Love you too Mama!" She said forgetting she was still angry with her mothers. She scooted off the bed to go get her little brother ready to leave.
She hadn't seen or talked to her boyfriend Dylan since she got caught skipping class with him. Shannon sighed dramatically, 'Two whole weeks without him, stupid parents.' She thought to herself. Now on Friday, Dylan would be right next door at Leah's party. Might as well be on the moon for all she'd get to see him. 'Mama was ready to let me, stupid strict Mamí!' The blonde teenager huffed angrily to herself.
She headed into the living room to grab an eager Jordan. He loved his big sister, Shannon. Jordan stood up quickly in the dreaded playpen as soon as he saw her coming. He stuck his little lip out as his chin quivered and tiny tears hung precariously from his eyelashes. He stood on his eager little tip toes and reached his arms up as far as they could go, making little grunting noises.
Shannon laughed at the baby, "Yeah, yeah, yeah you little faker. I'll bust you out of jail this time, but I didn't hear you sticking up for me with mean Mamí in the kitchen. You better start talking soon buddy. I know, none of us can get a word in with Gabby-Ella around!" She pretended to bite his chubby little fingers as he stuck them close to her mouth. Jordan laughed hysterically. It was a game they played daily.
The teen strapped him into the car seat and played with him. She was patiently waiting for her younger sister and their Mamí.
Santana meanwhile was patiently trying to untangle her youngest daughter's wild hair with a spray bottle of untangler and a wide tooth comb and brush, "Gabriella, please baby, I know it hurts but sit still." The Latina begged. Poor Gabriella's hair was just as thick and wild as her own hair. Maybe they could use professional intervention here, but Quinn would never let her cut Gabriella's hair.
"Mamí, do you think Dowa dweams in Spanish? Do you think Dowa is weal? How can a monkey talk? Do you think they talk when no one is around so they don't get caught? I love Boots? Do you love Boots? Awe we having pizza at Mama's supwise pawty tonight? Aren't you so pwoud of me, I didn't tell Mama about the pawty at all? Shannon said I would tell but I didn't! Is Auntie Wachel coming? I love Auntie Wachel, she always listens to me and nevew says I ask too many questions. Do you think I ask too many questions? Shannon says I do but she's just a cwabby teenagew…."
The older brunette just shook her head as she tuned out all the continuing questions and concentrated on finishing her hair. The Latina wondered if her youngest daughter ever took a breath. She laughed when she realized she used to think the same thing about Rachel in high school. She finally finished with Gabriella's hair, braided it and added the purple ribbons that matched her outfit.
"Done! And don't you look precioso, mi angel." She pulled the girl into her arms and gave her a warm hug, "Thank you princesa for letting me finish your hair."
Gabriella leaned into the hug and placed her head on Santana's shoulder,"Is Auntie Wach coming, I miss hew, she nevew comes over anymore?" Gabriella pouted slightly.
"Baby, Aunt Rachel just had a baby. She's tired and it's hard for her to get here all the time. You know that. She still loves you guys and we will see her and baby Brianna and Uncle Mark at the party tonight."
Gabriella changed directions, "She's tiwed cuz she's old huh?" She said seriously.
Santana bit back a grin as she imagined the still beautiful diva's face if she heard that, "Gabriella, it's not nice to call someone old. It would hurt Aunt Rachel's feelings and we don't want to do that, do we?"
The little diva pouted and looked sad, "No I love Aunt Wachel. Mamí?"
"Yes my love?" She said tiredly as she realized it was still not even 8 am.
"Don't you think Bwianna Bewwy O'Malley is a weiwd name? I mean how is baby Bri 'posed to leawn how to spell that?"
Santana walked with the little chatterbox in her arms to the car. She picked up lunches and backpacks and the diaper bag as she went along, "Well I think it's a pretty name but she won't have to learn to spell until she's a great big girl like you. Don't you think Gabriella Francesca Fabray-Lopez is hard to learn how to spell?"
"Yes, it is vewy hawd to spell," Huffed the little girl, "But at least it's not weiwd like Bwianna Bewwy O'Malley."
Santana laughed loudly as she buckled the girl into her car seat, "You're just still upset Aunt Rachel and Uncle Mark didn't name the baby Boots."
"Boots is a pewfectly good name." She muttered under her breath.
Shannon had heard this conversation all throughout Aunt Rachel's pregnancy, "Yeah, if you're a damned talking cat that wears shoes." She teased her sister.
"Language!" Santana hissed sharply, "You are in enough trouble as it is lately. Do you really want to keep pushing me young lady?" She said sternly as she got in the driver's seat. She angrily snapped her seat belt on, "Or would you like to lose your opportunity to get your learner's permit and postpone driving until next year?"
Shannon hung her head and said contritely, "sorry Mamí."
The Latina relented at the sad panda look on Shannon's face, "It's ok ladybug, we just don't need certain four year olds repeating swear words and P-I-S-S-I-N-G off your Mama, now do we?" She spelled out the word as Gabriella looked aggravated between her older sister and her Mamí. She hated when big people left her out of things.
The teen laughed, "Or have one of them be Jordan's first word?" Some of the toddler's babbling had started to sound like words. The family was making bets on what his first words would be.
Santana snorted at the humor in that statement, and then moaned, "Oh God, your Mama would kill me and then you." She looked over her shoulder and shared a special smile with her oldest. She winked at her as she carefully backed the SUV out of the garage. For all the aggravation the teen gave her, Santana and Shannon still shared a very special bond.
Gabriella looked between her sister and Mamí and grumbled under her breath, "Besides Boots is a monkey, not a damned cat."
"Language!" Santana yelled glaring at her; as Gabriella pouted, Shannon stifled a giggle and Jordan clapped his little hands and babbled nonsense.
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Quinn quickly checked her watch. She had 15 minutes before the next set of parents were due. Just enough time for a quick bathroom break, a protein bar, cup of coffee and reapply her lipstick. She wanted to look over Trevor McGinty's file before his mom and dad arrived.
She got up and ran her hands down her thighs to straighten out the black pencil skirt. Quinn was fixing her shirt when she heard her name being called. Looking up she saw an apologetic fellow teacher standing there with a cup of coffee in her hands.
"I'm sorry Quinn, the McGinty's are here already and the father is in rare form. He reeks of alcohol. The mom is embarrassed as hell again. I thought you could use a cup of coffee." She handed over the steaming mug.
Quinn looked at the door aggravated with her timing being thrown off, "Let's just get this over with. If it gets bad, just call the police again alright Dotty?" The blonde sat down and frowned. She was so grateful she was sober and her children had avoided the shame of a drunken mother. On the other, she felt like she hadn't done enough to help Mr. McGinty get sober. She didn't know how to help Trevor deal with living with a practicing alcoholic. She had grown up with two of them and wouldn't wish that on anyone, especially a child.
She sighed, deciding she had to do something. She couldn't live with herself anymore. Quinn was watching this family fall apart. It could cost her the job she loved but a child's life and welfare came first. Making up her mind, she tried to figure out how to approach Mrs. McGinty privately without her drunk husband around.
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Two hours later, the blonde walked into her AA homegroup and felt all her troubles fall from her shoulders. Even after ten years, she loved this meeting and the people in it. This group and her sponsor had saved her life over and over again. She always looked forward to being here. Today was special. Today, she celebrated ten years sober and got her coin.
She was excited about her anniversary. Quinn pushed back her hurt that Santana had clearly forgotten it. Quinn was also very nervous about the McGinty's.
Looking across the room, she saw her sponsor and waved, "Maggie!" She called as she walked over and hugged the woman.
"Happy Anniversary Quinnie!" She kissed the blonde on her cheek. Maggie was old enough to be Quinn's mother and had been sober twice as long. She was also the only person on the planet allowed to call her Quinnie, "Congratulations, I'm proud of you."
"Thanks Mags. You got a minute before the meeting starts; I might have done something stupid." Quinn said solemnly.
"Did you drink today?" Maggie said wisely.
"No." Quinn smiled, knowing the routine.
"Then everything else is manageable." The two women said together and laughed.
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"So basically you broke your anonymity with a kid's parent?" Maggie asked trying to clarify what Quinn had told her.
"Yeah, I wrote her a note since I can never talk to her without him around. I told her I was a recovering alcoholic. I mentioned Alanon and how Santana attends those meetings. I gave her my cellphone number and asked her to call me when we could talk privately." Quinn said solemnly.
"You're worried that it may get out about you being in recovery." She stated rather than asked.
"I doubt the school board and other parents would be thrilled. A lesbian, recovering alcoholic is teaching their kids all day." The blonde said worriedly.
"You've been sober a decade sweetie. You didn't quit yesterday. Forgive me if I'm wrong, but you are legally married. Not a damn thing those bigots can do about it. Those kids are lucky to have you. I bet their parents adore you as much as their kids do. Don't buy trouble Quinnie, the world is full enough of free trouble."
"So do nothing and wait to hear from her?" The blonde frowned.
"Have you reported him to social services?" Maggie said gently as she placed a well-manicured hand on Quinn's thigh, "We talked about it weeks ago."
Maggie was a local judge and she knew Quinn was reluctant to bring social services into the situation without talking to the mother first.
The blonde nodded sadly, "I had to, the poor kid is a nervous wreck. He came in last week in dirty clothes and smelling terrible. I don't know if she drinks too, but it's clearly neglect."
Maggie bit her lip and nodded, "What did you do for Trevor?"
"What makes you think I did anything?" Quinn said defensively.
"Quinn Fabray-Lopez, I'm surprised the child doesn't live in your basement already. What did you do?"
The blonde sighed and squirmed in her chair, "Not enough. I helped him get cleaned up, introduced him to soap, gave him some money for food." She finished quickly and quietly, "and maybe bought him some jeans and tee shirts to keep in his gym locker."
Her sponsor just shook her head. She already knew the blonde had a great big loving heart. Quinn was never going to change anyway, "Try to keep the giving money away to a minimum. You can't save the world Quinnie, no matter how hard you try. I know, I know; he's just a kid. I get it believe me. Unfortunately I'll probably see him in front of me in court in ten years. It's a shame but if his parent's don't want to change you can't make them."
Quinn sighed, "I know, I really do, it just breaks my heart sometimes."
Maggie stood up, "The meeting's about to start and I need to put some more of that mud in my coffee cup. Why is it that drunks make the worst coffee in the world?" She grumped, "Oh sweetheart, I have to cut out of the meeting a few minutes early tonight as soon as the prayer is over. Can you stay and help clean up for me?" She put her warm hand on Quinn's arm. Maggie was invited to the party and was supposed to make sure Quinn was delayed.
"No problem Maggie. Santana didn't even remember what today was." She smiled softly and shrugged.
"Well I wouldn't have sex with her then." Maggie laughed at Quinn's shocked expression. She took her seat as the meeting began.
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Rachel was standing in the kitchen holding her tiny newborn daughter on her shoulder. She watched Santana cutting up vegetables and arranging them on a tray, "I can't believe it's been a decade Santana. Would you ever have believed ten years ago today that you and Quinn would be married with three kids? Quinn would still be sober and a schoolteacher? You would not be a workaholic anymore? I would be married with a baby?"
Santana chuckled, "Want to know what I can't believe Dwarf?" Rachel rolled her eyes at the seldom used nickname, "I can't believe that we've been besties for ten years and I haven't killed you yet?"
Rachel's retort was cut off by Gabriella racing in the room and throwing herself at her Auntie Rachel. Santana saw the little human missile coming and caught her before she hit her Aunt at full speed.
"What did I say about being careful about Brianna and Aunt Rachel?" the Latina knelt down in front of her young daughter, "Ok princesa, I know you just forget, no crying." She pulled her baby girl to her and patted her back gently. She looked at a concerned Rachel and mouthed, "Drama Queen Junior." She shook her head, thinking of Gabriella as a teenager.
The diva bit her lip and tried to look insulted, but couldn't stop her lips from twitching into a smile.
"Now, what do you say to Aunt Rachel?" Santana stood up as her chastened daughter clung to her leg in embarrassment. She was hiding her face in her Mamí's legs.
Rachel leaned over and carefully handed her baby to her Auntie Tana. She knelt down in front of her niece, "Hey Gabi, I know you love me and the baby. I know you wouldn't hurt us. It was an accident honey. It's ok sweetheart. Can you give me my hug now? I've been waiting all day long for one from my other favorite little girl."
Big brown eyes, so reminiscent of her Mamí, peeked out from Santana's legs, "I'm sowwy Auntie Wach. I won't huwt the baby evew. I know how to be a good big sistew."
"Of course you do baby girl, now hug me before I get sad." The tiny version of Santana gently leaned over and hugged her favorite Aunt. Rachel squeezed her back and kissed her tenderly. She loved all of the Fabray-Lopez children, but Gabriella had a huge chunk of her heart.
Rachel sat at the kitchen table and pulled her little niece onto her lap, "So I hear you kept the party a great big secret. I am so proud of you Gabriella. It can be so hard to keep secrets. I wanted to tell but I didn't either."
Santana watched adoringly as her best friend and youngest daughter carried on their very grown-up discussion.
Rachel's husband walked into the kitchen and grabbed a diet Coke out of the fridge, "Maggie just got here, and she said Quinn is about 15 minutes behind her." He leaned over and kissed his tiny sleeping daughter's forehead.
Santana grinned at Rachel's husband, "So Sergeant O'Malley, how's the NYPD treating you?"
He chuckled and rubbed his hand over his buzz cut, "It is now Mr. Berry. I'm going to be a kept man now. I have officially retired. I'm going to be a stay at home daddy now that my sugar mama won another Grammy."
The Latina looked at surprise at the kind man who had been her savior when Quinn had been arrested ten years ago. He met Rachel at one of Quinn's court hearings and fell madly in love with the diva. They'd been married for five years now. He was a calm, laid back, charming man and thought everything Rachel did was adorable. He had his strict military background. His self-discipline kept Rachel in line. Mark O'Malley was now over the moon since becoming a father. He was forty years old, and had thought being a father was something he would never have. He was thrilled with little Brianna, and more in love with Rachel than ever.
Santana hugged him gently, "Couldn't happen to a nicer guy Mark." The two shared a special look. They both had alcoholic family members. They knew how lucky and blessed they were.
The spell was broken by an excited Shannon entering the kitchen with Jordan on her hip, "Mama just pulled in!"
The Latina walked into the living room and hushed everyone saying, "Places everyone!"
She waved to Puck and his wife Stephanie to hide. The Latina took her spot, waiting for Quinn to come through the door.
The door opened and Quinn was met with an entire houseful of family and friends yelling, "SURPRISE!"
Santana walked up to her and kissed her gently, "Bet you thought I forget huh?"
Quinn leaned over and kissed her soft lips passionately, "You're a brat Tana but I love you!" The blonde wiped away an errant tear as all her kids came up and hugged her tightly yelling all at once at her.
"Were you surprised Mama?" Shannon said sweetly.
"I kept the suwpwise a secwet Mama, awe you pwoud?" Gabriella announced.
Jordan just babbled, unwilling to be left out.
She was overcome with love and emotion as she looked around the room. Bending over and picking up Gabriella, she leaned over and kissed Shannon and Jordan, "I was very surprised. I am very proud of all of you."
Shannon leaned into her Mama, "We are very proud of you too Mama, ten years sober is a big deal!" She said softly. She was old enough to remember when her Mama wasn't sober.
Quinn saw that Rachel, Puck and Santana had heard Shannon. They all exchanged poignant glances. Everyone burst out laughing, so they wouldn't cry.
To be continued… Let me know what you think