Chapter 1- Her first day at home

"So what's my next assignment?" Tessa asked her supervisor. She had just

completed her hardest assignment of all, and her most successful.

"This is going to be an easy one baby. A very easy one."

"What is it?!"

"Baby sitting."

"Baby sitting?!" She exclaimed. "Who?"

"Zoë.."

"Well that's different, if it's just Zoë, then that's fine. Not only is she my best friend, she's my baby sister and incase no one has noticed yet she's old enough to stay home alone by herself now."

"No! It's Zoë and the twins and Sophie!"

"All of them!"

"Yes, all of them."

"Tess, couldn't it just be my sisters and not the twins?"

"Sweetheart, I know that the twins are a little wild, but they're…"

"Wild! Aunt Tess, they're hellions!"

"You can handle it."

"Two three year olds, you think that I can actually handle two, three year olds! And a two year old. I'm only seventeen! What is this!"

"Well, Zoë is eleven now."

"That's true, she could be of some help."

"Now where are your shoes baby?"

"I'm not sure, but I have a question."

"What's that?"

"When I'm with all the kids, where will all the adults be?"

"They're having a vacation."

"Together? Why?"

"No, not together. Because they need one, and you'll see why." Tess said as the car was suddenly stopped in front of that same old house in New York City that they had all grown accustomed to calling home.

"Home again." Tessa said as she got out of the car, grabbing her duffle bag from the backseat, "So, are you going to help me?"

"Of course not! They're all yours, this is my vacation too!" She said as she sped off, leaving Tessa barefoot on the curb.

Tessa made her way inside the house. There was no one there, but by looking around, it was evident that the house was very well lived in, which she knew to be true first hand. The house was not as well kept as it used to be, but with very small kids that was to be expected. To be truthful, Tessa thought that the house looked rather like a hurricane had hit it. Suddenly Tessa heard the front door open. She turned around.

"Hi Tessa."

"Hi, Mommy." She said as she suddenly found her baby sister in her arms. "Hi Sophie." She kissed her. Baby Sophie giggled. And they followed their mother to the kitchen.

"How are you doing darling?" Monica asked her oldest daughter as she quickly began to unpack the groceries.

"I'm good. My last assignment was simply wonderful."

"I can't wait to hear about it."

"How are things here?"

"Well as you can see, its very active around here!" Monica laughed.

"Yes, I can definitely see that." Her daughter laughed in reply.

"Thank you so much for doing this for us." She said.

"Your welcome, besides, Zoë can help me."

"Yes, she can." Suddenly the backdoor opened. Zoë sneezed.

"Darling come here." Monica said as she hugged Zoë, "What's wrong? Don't you feel well?"

"No." She said as she sneezed again.

"Sweetheart, you go up to bed, I'll be there in a minute." She watched as Zoë went up the backstairs. "Meanwhile young lady, where are your shoes?"

"What do you mean?"

"It's cold out, you should have shoes on."

"Sorry Mom, but if you remember correctly, when I was little neither of us ever wore shoes."

"I know." She said as she kissed her and then headed upstairs to see Zoë.

"You've gotten so big!" She said to Sophie. "What's it like being two, I've forgotten."

Suddenly the back door opened again.

"Hi Tessa." Gloria sounded exhausted as she came in the door, the twins spilled into the room ahead of her, and Gloria grabbed both their hands before they could run any further. She laughed. "Thank you so much for coming and watching them."

"It's my pleasure."

"You know they aren't as bad as you think they are. They are just spirited. That's all." She said, still clinging to the twin's hands. "Say hi guys."

"Hi!" They said.

"Hi, you've gotten so big!" The twins smiled at her, their bright brown eyes sparkled.

"She's sick!" Monica said as she came back down the stairs. "Now we have to stay."

"No, Monica you go, I'll stay." Gloria offered.

"No, you and Adam need the vacation much more than we do."

"No, you all go, I can take care of her."

"Thank you so much." Monica said as she took Sophie back in her arms.

"Bless you." Gloria began to cry.

………………..

"How are you?"

"I've been better, I've been worse." Zoë said.

"Well, I'm here to baby sit."

"That's good."

"How are things, living with all these little babies?"

"Kind of fun actually. I don't get as much attention as I did when I was still the youngest around here, but that's only natural."

"Yeah, it is, that's what happened when I was little and you were born."

"So, when is everybody leaving?"

"Tomorrow."

"Let's just hope they're all asleep when their Mom's leave."

"Well let's make sure of that." Tessa said, lying down on her bed.

"Does it feel good to be back in your own bedroom?"

"It sure does."

"Where's Sophie's crib?"

"She sleeps in your bed now!"

"What?"

"No, just kidding! She has her very own bedroom now."

"So, your here, by yourself."

"No, this is still your room too. And it always will be. After all, isn't this the bedroom that we've shared together forever?"

"Yeah, it is." Tessa smiled.

"This is also the bedroom that I lied you down in when we brought you home from the hospital." Monica said, smiling, she looked slightly teary eyed. "And you too, Zoë."

"Goodnight Mom."

"Night Mom."

"Goodnight girls. I love you." Monica turned out the light and shut the door.

………………..

"Now, there are a couple of things you should know." Gloria said as she handed Tessa a very long list. "This is a list of everything you need to know. What they need at bedtime, every thing. Oh and one thing I didn't put on that list, Olivia is very, very shy around strangers, so if you take them out keep her really close to you."

"I will."

"Thank you so much Tessa." Gloria hugged her and then she left.

Tessa and Zoë were now alone with all the little kids.