"So, being married feels pretty good so far, huh?," Lauren asks Kate.
"Oh, yes. It's wonderful," Kate says with gleaming eyes. "I love it."
"You really do seem happy."
"I am. And it's hard to put into words, you know?"
"Yeah, I do."
"Things seemed to happen so fast between us, but yet, at the same time, they didn't. We began falling for each other from the moment we met and then when we decided to face up and admit how we felt, it was like…" Kate gestures with her hands. "Well…"
Lauren chuckles. "I know what you're saying."
Kate chuckles. "Thanks." She pauses briefly. "I still remember how the day after we started going together, we just talked and talked during our date and then, that night after he got home, he called me to say goodnight and we ended up spending about 3 more hours talking on the phone."
"It's good how yall got to know each other as friends."
"Exactly. We decided in the beginning that that is what we wanted to do is develop our friendship above all everything else and it just really felt good that there wasn't a lot of pressure like there seems to be in relationships these days."
"Yup. I totally agree." She pauses briefly. "Oh, that reminds me." Lauren gets up from her kitchen chair, walks over to the kitchen counter, and picks up a greeting card. "When we were at my parents' house last weekend, they asked us to give this to you and Jethro." She hands Kate the card.
"Oh," Kate says in a delighted tone. She opens the envelope and finds a "Congratulations on Your Wedding" card as well as a $50 gift card to Bed, Bath, and Beyond. "Oh, wow! Please tell them thank you so much!"
"I will."
At that moment, they hear more commotion coming from the living room.
"They do enjoy those video games, don't they," Kate says.
"Yes, they do," Lauren agrees.
At that moment, Kate feels a pair of hands touch her shoulders and she looks up. "Oh, hey, Honey," she says to Gibbs.
"Hey." He leans down, kisses her on the lips, and then, starts to massage her shoulders.
"Would you like anything else to drink, Jethro?," Lauren asks.
"Oh, no thanks. I've had plenty."
"Okay," Lauren says.
"Honey, look." Kate hands Gibbs the card and gift card. "That's from Lauren's parents."
"Oh," Gibbs says, obviously pleased.
"Yeah, they told us to tell yall they're sorry it's a little late."
"Oh, that's no big deal. It's the thought that counts," Kate says.
"That's very nice. Please tell them thank you," Gibbs says, very pleased.
"I will," Lauren says.
"What time is it?," Kate asks.
"Good grief!," Lauren says, looking at her watch. "It's 11:00!"
"It's that late?," Kate asks, surprised. "Wow." She looks at up at Gibbs. "We need to go and bring our stuff in."
"Yeah, we do," Gibbs agrees.
"And I have two kids that need to get to bed," Lauren says, getting up from her kitchen chair.
"Yeah, I'm kind of tired myself," Kate says, getting up from her kitchen chair, following behind Lauren.
Gibbs follows behind Kate.
"Okay," Lauren says, entering the living room. "Becca, Braden, it's way past your bedtime."
"Oh, no, Mama! Just a little longer?," Braden whines.
"You heard your mother, Son," Jeff says.
"Yes, Sir," Braden says, walking off, toward the stairs, following behind Becca.
"I'll be up in a minute," Lauren calls after them.
"K, Mama," Braden calls back.
"Goodnight, everyone!," Becca calls.
"Goodnight!," the adults call in unison.
Lauren turns her attention back to the adults. "Okay, Tony, you're gonna take the guest room. It's the room at the end of the hall to your left, at the top of the stairs." She looks at Gibbs and Kate. "And you two are gonna take Jeff's and my room."
"No, no. We can take the hide-a-bed," Kate says.
"Absolutely not, Sis," Jeff says.
"Well, I don't have to take the guest room. I can…," Tony says.
"Ah…," Lauren says, cutting him off. "You're taking it."
"Okay," Tony relents. "Thank you. I appreciate it."