A/N: This chapter begins exactly where last chapter ended, except you get to see the phone call Ben received and obviously what happens right after that.
Thank you again for the support and for sticking with me.
Chapter Ten: The Road To Living Once
Laughter filled the backyard as the night progressed on, Brandon and Callie had left for the Anchor Beach grad night, but the family was still laughing and having a good time.
Ben slipped inside to get another beer, unaware of the conversation going on about him out there. As he grabbed his second Sam Adams from the refrigerator, he felt his phone vibrate. He looked to see who it was and was surprised to see his brother calling him. Especially on a Friday night when he's usually out with his boyfriend and their friends.
"Hey Leo," Ben said. "What's up?"
"Mama had a heart attack." The teenage boy said frantically.
"What?" Ben asked in a hurry. "When?"
"Just now, I guess. I just got a call from Mom telling me to meet her, Leah, and Mama at the UCLA Medical Center because Mama had a heart attack. She also told me to call you."
"The UCLA Medical Center?" Ben asked to clarify.
"Yeah, I'm on my way now." Leo said.
"Okay, I'll be there in two and a half hours tops." He said.
"Sounds good." Leo said.
Ben walked out of the house looking extremely pale, "What's going on bro?" Stef asked watching him.
"My mama had a heart attack." He managed to get out. "I gotta get to LA."
"What?" Both Stef and Lena said in unison.
Ben was shaking and they both saw that, Lena immediately went to his side pulling him into a hug, "It's going to be okay." She whispered in his ear. "It's fine."
"Lena and I will drive you," Stef then said. "If you four could keep the fort down back here," Stef said to her in-laws, mother, and Mike.
"I'll come with you," Emily said, knowing that Ben would do the same for her if this was her own mother.
"Sounds good," Stef said. "You can navigate while Lena keeps him calm."
"Deal," she said.
Lena handed Dana the keys to her car as Stef got Ben into the Terrian. Mike took the younger twins and the grandparents had Jude.
"Call us to keep us updated," Sharon requested.
"Will do," Stef said. "When Brandon and Callie get home tomorrow morning let them know."
"Done," Sharon said. "Now get that boy to his mama."
"Equally done." She said. Stef got into the driver's seat and saw Ben curled into Lena, "Ben honey," she said, "where am I going in LA?"
"The UCLA Medical Center," he said as Stef headed towards the freeway.
Lena had her arms tightly wrapped around Ben, Emily was messing with her phone, and Stef was focused on her driving. It was quiet minus the sounds of the radio until Ben buried his face into Lena's chest and let out a choked sob.
"It's okay Ben," Lena said, "let it out. Let it go."
All that could be heard was him crying, Leo didn't have much information to give him, and Ben was just assuming the worst. When his phone rang ten minutes into the drive, he pulled his phone out of his pocket seeing that his mom was calling him.
"Mom," he got out. "How is she?"
"She's in surgery right now, are you on your way?" Kelly asked.
"Yeah," he said. "Stef is driving."
"Okay, alright," Kelly said. "It's okay, we've been through this before."
"And we almost lost her the last time too," he said.
"We aren't losing her Benji," she said, "we can't."
"We'll-we'll be there soon." He said as Lena ran and comforting hand down his arm.
"Okay," she said. "I love you Benji."
"I love you too, Mom." He said before hanging up.
"This has happened before?" Stef asked from the front seat.
"Yeah," he said. "The night of my high school graduation."
"Oh honey," Lena said kissing his forehead. "I'm so sorry."
Ben buried his face into Lena's chest and the car fell silent, Stef had to fill up the car with gas so she pulled off the freeway and as she did that Emily got out of the car to get some air.
"Hey little sister," Stef came around and put her arms around the lawyer. "What's going on?"
"What if something happens to either one of us before we have a chance to get together?" She asked quietly as she looked in the back of the car to see Lena still comforting and slightly distraught Ben.
"Oh honey," Stef said.
"I know I shouldn't be thinking about that right now because he has major things going on, but that's all that's on my mind currently."
"Em," Stef said brushing curls out of her face, "it's okay. It's fine."
"I just needed some air," Emily said as she leaned forward into Stef's chest, "Sometimes my thoughts get overwhelming."
"Well you let me know if they get overwhelming again, yes?" Stef said, "Just get me attention and I'll do the best I can to help you through." Emily nodded as the gas pump popped. Emily let go of Stef and got into the car.
Lena had managed to get Ben to take a small nap, knowing that he might not sleep tonight, "You okay sissy?" Lena asked.
"I will be," she said.
"What's wrong honey?" Lena asked leaning forward and placed her hand on the woman's shoulder.
"It's not important right now Lena," she said as Stef got into the car. "We'll talk about it later."
"Okay," Lena said not pushing the subject.
"Alrighty folks," Stef said, "let's get this show on the road. How's the big guy doing back there?"
"I got him to go to sleep for a little while, since we know it's going to be a long night." Lena said gesturing to the deadweight on her shoulder.
"Aww," Stef said grabbing her phone and taking a picture, "if I didn't know any better I'd say mother and son."
Lena softly smiled to her wife, but then a pang went into her heart, she's always wanted to carry a baby, but then she met Stef who already had Brandon and Callie and then Jesus and Mariana came along and then Jude not all that long ago. They couldn't afford a baby. They have five kids, sure two of them were moving out and going on these separate journeies, but she knew that she and Stef couldn't afford a little helpless child who needed them.
"I was 16 when he was born," Lena said, "please don't tell me that you're endorsing teenage pregnancies."
Stef let out a chuckle, "It was a joke my love. Just a joke." She said.
Lena looked down at the sleeping man on her shoulder and ran fingers through his hair. She was thankful that he was letting her in even just a little. To trust her enough to hold him in his most vulnerable position made her proud.
When they got to the UCLA Medical Center, Ben still hadn't heard anything from his mom or siblings. He practically ran up to the ICU to meet them.
"Mom," he said running into the room and crashing into her in a hug.
"Hi Benji." She said softly.
He pulled back and brushed some hair out of her face, "How are things?" He asked as Stef, Lena, and Emily came out of the elevator.
"She's still in surgery." She said, "We're waiting to hear from the doctor." She said running her hands up and down his dress shirt. None of them had changed from the graduation. "You look nice," she said referring to his dress shirt and dress slacks, "You weren't working tonight were you?"
"Uh no," he said looking over his shoulder at his sister, sister-in-law, and Emily. "Brandon and Callie graduated from Anchor Beach tonight."
"Oh," Kelly said running her hand through her hair. "Your siblings want to see you."
Ben looked up and saw the two staring at him, he opened his arms wide and Leah all, but flew into his embrace, "Hi," he said to his little sister who was crying into him.
"Big brother," she sobbed and in that moment, Ben was glad that he got all his emotions out when he was in Lena's arms in the car, he had to pull himself together for his family.
"It's going to be okay," he assured. "It's going to be okay."
"I can't lose another one," Leah mumbled.
"And you won't," Ben assured as she left his embrace so he could hug Leo, "Hey bud." He said.
"Ben," he breathed. "She can't die."
"She's not going to die, buddy." He said hugging him.
"The last conversation I had with her was an arguement. Like you and your dad. I can't let that happen to me and Mama."
"It won't I promise." He said. "What were you arguing about?"
"My future. I-I applied for West Point," he said. "Mama didn't like the sound of the idea."
As Ben tried to calm both of his siblings down Kelly turned to Stef, Lena, and Emily, "Thanks for getting him here safely."
"Any time, seriously." Stef said taking a seat. "He's a good kid."
"I apologize for taking you away from your family," Kelly said. "I'm sure you'd rather be spending it with your graduates tonight than here in a hospital in LA."
"Our graduates got on a bus at 9:00pm to come this way to Disneyland anyway." Stef said. "And our other kids are probably being spoiled by their grandparents right now."
"We just want to make sure Ben is okay," Lena said sitting next to her wife.
"Yeah, we've taken a liking to him." Stef said.
Kelly smiled and then turned to Emily, "And you must be Emily," she said.
Emily nodded and stuck out her hand, "Lena and Stef's baby sister, a friend and company lawyer to Ben." She said.
"From the way he talks about you, I'd say you were more than just a friend and company lawyer." Kelly said.
"We'll eventually get there," Emily said. "Neither one of us wants to screw it up."
"Well, it's nice to finally meet you." Kelly said shaking her hand.
"I wish the circumstances were better," Emily said with a sympathetic smile.
"Are you three ladies going to stay?" Kelly asked.
"That was the plan," Stef said putting her arm around Lena as the principal put her head on the cop's shoulder. "If that's okay?"
"Oh yeah, definitely." Kelly said. "Uh, if you get hungry, the cafeteria is down a floor and the good bathrooms are over there." She pointed in the direction where they all came. "I work here," she said to Emily when the lawyer gave her a confused look.
Emily nodded, "Oh okay." She said.
Just as she was done talking a doctor came out, "Doctor Wright-Carlson?"
"Yes, yes?" Kelly jumped up with her three kids close behind. "How is she?"
"She barely made it through surgery," he said. "She's barely stable. We have her in recovery, but she may not make it out of recovery."
"Can we see her?" Kelly asked wrapping her arm around Leah's shoulder.
"Of course, uh, immediate family only in the room though." He said primarily looking at Ben.
"I'm her son, her stepson, but still nonetheless her son." Ben said calmly.
"He is immediate family." Kelly said placing her free hand on his shoulder.
"Okay, this way." The doctor said leading the family back leaving Stef, Lena, and Emily alone.
"It's sad that we live in a world where stepchildren aren't really considered family unless their biological parent says that they are." Stef said rubbing her hand up and down Lena's arm as Emily sat on the other side of the blonde.
"Yeah," Lena said, "I would want Brandon and Callie in the room to see me."
"Callie would make sure she could be in the room, she's definitely a Mama's girl." Stef said kissing the woman's head.
"She really is," Emily said. "She does pretty much anything you asked her too."
"I do love that girl so much," Lena said.
"Why does she do practically whatever you say?" Emily asked.
"I'm not sure exactly, but it may have to do with a conversation we had one night when Mike was doing a guys night with Brandon and Stef worked the night shift."
Flashback.
It was a Thursday night, Mike had Brandon, Stef was at work, leaving Callie with Lena. The girl had been oddly quiet all night and Lena had originally thought it was because it was her first night alone with the woman, but little did she know, it was for other reasons.
But after dinner, Lena was sitting on the couch, and Callie poked her head out, "L-lena?" She said.
"Yes, sweetheart?" Lena said looking up from her book that she was reading.
"I was wondering if," she stopped and brought her lip between her teeth.
"What honey?" Lena said softly.
"Every time Brandon has a guys night, my mommy always cuddles with me, but since she's working tonight, I-I was wondering if you and I could." Lena stared at the girl, maybe a little too long because Callie then said, "If not that's okay, I just thought I'd ask."
"No, no, honey." Lena said, spreading her arms, "c'mere." Callie didn't need to be told twice as she crawled into her mother's girlfriend's arms. The two sat in silence for awhile before Callie's body shook as she held in a sob, "What's wrong honey?" She said so softly that Callie let her tears out. Lena rocked the two back and forth for awhile successfully calming the girl down.
"You aren't here to replace Daddy are you?" She finally asked.
"What? No, honey. Not at all," Lena said holding the girl tighter.
"They're getting divorced aren't they?" Callie said.
Lena's eyes widened, Stef had yet to tell the twins about her divorcing Mike, "How did you know that?"
"I heard Mommy say something when I couldn't sleep, I was lying in bed when I heard her say that divorcing Daddy was the hardest thing she's ever had to do."
"Oh honey," Lena said wrapping her arms tighter around the girl. "I got you. I got you."
Callie cried for twenty minutes before she her crying settled into sniffles, it was another five minutes before she asked, "Are you going to leave us too?"
Lena's heart broke as she kissed the top of the girl's head before answering, "Never planning on it, sorry baby. You're stuck with me forever."
"I kind of like that," Callie admitted.
"What's that baby?" Lena asked holding her close to her chest.
"You being here forever," Callie answered. "You helped me when my arm was broken. Sometimes I do want you over my mommy," Callie said looking down, not making eye contact.
"And that's okay," Lena said kissing her forehead. "That's perfectly okay."
End Flashback.
"We kind of made a silent vow after that to always be understanding to one another," Lena said after telling the story. "The older twins really were broken after you and Mike split up."
"I never thought of that," Stef said. "Why have you never told me about this?"
"It was my moment to share with Callie," Lena said. "You share a lot of moments with all of our kids that I don't know about. Just like I do."
"I guess that's true." Stef said playing with Lena's curls.
Ben walked into the recovery room with his family. They had been warned that there was an oxegyn tank keep Payton alive. The lawyer was have concious when they all got there.
"Hi family," Payton said weakly.
"Hi Mama," Leah said clutching onto Leo's hand.
"Hi baby," Kelly said immediately at her side.
"Hi Mama," Ben said. "How're you feeling?"
"As okay as I can possibly be right now," she said. "Hi baby boy," she said to Leo. "C'mere."
"Mama," he breathed slowly coming forward. "I love you."
"I love you too." She said hugging him as best as she could. "Whether or not you get into West Point, we'll be there."
Ben smiled at how small the 17 year old looked in their mama's arms and Leah was on the other side.
Kelly was still at her wife's side and for once the family of five was a real family again and in that moment, Ben couldn't help, but think about Emily and how maybe waiting until he got his life together wasn't the way to go about doing this whole relationship thing.
By the time Ben came out of the ICU recovery room, the sun was starting to rise over Santa Monica. He came out to see Lena asleep on Stef's shoulder and Stef nursing a cup of hospital coffee and Emily nowhere to be found.
"How is she?" Stef asked when he sat down next to her.
"Stable, a lot better than when we went in. She's going to have to take it easy for awhile. She had extremely low blood pressure. Probably from overworking."
"But, she's going to live?" Stef asked.
"Yeah," he said. "Her body is responding the way it should to everything."
"That's good," she said.
"You guys didn't have to stay." Ben said. "I know tomorrow is Brandon and Callie's graduation party."
"Lena's parents and my mom have that handled. Not to mention Mike." Stef said. "If you were to of lost your second parent in six months, I'm not sure if I would want you to handle it alone, I know for sure that Lena wouldn't have that."
"I do have a family here too," he said. "I wouldn't have handled it alone."
"You would've been the rock," Stef said put her coffee down and wrapped her free arm loosely around the man. "And we want you to know that we're here no matter what."
"I know that," he said. "I really do." Stef kissed her brother's temple. "Where's Emily?"
"She went to get something to eat not all that long ago," Stef said. "Why?"
Ben sighed, "Maybe waiting until I have everything together isn't the greatest tactic." He said. "Maybe if she's right that we can face these demons together."
"What made you think of this?" Stef asked.
"I watched my little brother fear that the last conversation that he had with our mama was an argument. Fearing that it would end for him like it ended for me with our dad." Ben said placing his head on his sister's shoulders.
"You too, huh?" Stef said kissing the top of his head.
"What do you mean?" Ben asked.
"The car Lena drives was given to us by Dad, but at first I wouldn't have it." She said playing with one of Lena's curls as the woman slept on her shoulder. "My last words to him were to basically take the car and shove it."
"Better than my last words," Ben said.
"What happened?" Stef asked.
"We were arguing about how he was keeping me a secret from you and how he was ashamed of me." He said trying to keep himself together remembering that night.
Flashback.
"I don't even understand why I know about your daughter, but she has knows nothing about me. How is that fair?" Ben said.
"Why so she could throw my faith back in my face and tell me how much of a hypocrite that I am?" Frank argued back.
"You are a hypocrite Dad." Ben said. "We live in the goddamn 21st century and you can't accept your own daughter's relationship - or marriage. You didn't even go to her wedding. Do you have any idea how bad she probably feels?"
"She had everything. A husband, a son, but then she gave it all away to be with Lena." Frank yelled. "Just like I would've taken your mother in and taken care of you both."
"Would you have, Dad?" Ben said. "Would you have taken us both in if it wasn't for Payton? Or would you be too scared to admit to your first-born child that you had another kid outside of wedlock?"
"That's not even the point." Frank said.
"Then what is, Dad? What is your goddamn point?" Ben yelled with tears in his eyes, "Since I was four and a half, all I've heard from you was how awful it was that my mom is gay and then ten years ago when Stef left her husband for her now wife, all I heard about is how she's practically a disgrace to the Elkin name. Do you want to know why I didn't add Elkin to my name when I turned 18?" He said now face-to-face with his father, "Because no matter how hard I tried, I'd always be a mistake to you."
Frank looked wide-eyed at his son, "You are not a disgrace to me, son." He said calmly.
"Then why haven't I met my sister? Why haven't I met her family? Huh? What's so bad about admitting that you made a mistake, but you owned up to it? Huh?"
"It's not that simple, son." Frank said looking at his son with tears in his eyes.
"What's not simple?" Ben argued, "Going to your daughter with your hat in your hand saying that I made a mistake 23 years ago and had unprotected sex, got a woman pregnant, and four and a half years later, started making up for it?" Frank stared at his son with the tears in his eyes rolling down his face and had the silence last for maybe a little too long because then Ben said, "That's what I thought, you're unbelievable."
The man picked his jacket off the chair and left the house, effectively slamming the door behind him. He was beyond mad and just needed to cool off, but when he got the call from Mariana a few days later, he realized that he might have waited too long because now he could never make up with his father.
End Flashback.
"And when Mariana called me a few days later, I knew I was too late," he said remembering that painful conversation he had with Mariana.
Flashback.
Ben was working on something for the website early one morning. He was attempting to concentrate knowing that he was going to go make up with his father that afternoon, but it seemed like everybody needed him.
"Hey," one of his business partners, Raider said, "did you happen to get a copy of the monthly budget report?"
"Do I look like our accountant?" He asked sarcastically not looking up from what he was doing.
"I was just curious man," Raider said. "Lighten up. You've been tense for the last few days is everything alright? Are you and Mom arguing again? You haven't been like this since the law suit against the Times."
Ben chuckled, Raider who was kicked out of his house at 17 for getting his now wife pregnant called Kelly mom and Payton mama, he would consider calling Frank dad if he wasn't so uptight.
"No," he answered. "My dad and I are actually arguing."
"Really?" Raider asked. "About what if I may ask."
"About how much he's a hypocrite." Ben answered drinking his coffee. "He basically all, but disowned his daughter for being gay and what it seems like happily married to her wife, but how because of that he's ashamed of me and won't introduce us."
"Wow," Raider said running his hand through his mid-length hair. "That sucks."
"Yeah," Ben said as his cellphone rang. "Imagine how I feel." He added looking at the number, "who is this?" He asked himself as he looked at the number he didn't recognize, he answered with his grown up professional voice, "This is Benjamin Carlson, how can I help you?"
"Hi, uh, my name is Mariana and I was calling to let you know that Frank Elkin died."
Ben's eyes widened, "I'm sorry?"
"We have his address book here and you were in it, we figured you were in his life, so we thought we'd let you know that he passed away yesterday afternoon."
"Uhh okay, wow. Um, is there going to be like a memorial service or whatever he wanted?" Ben asked trying to act like he didn't know his own father that well.
"Yes, uh, it's going to be Saturday at 11:00am at Mount Hope Christian Fellowship." Mariana said.
Ben could tell that the girl on the other line was trying to keep herself together, "Well thank you, uh what did you say your name was again?"
"Mariana." She answered. "I was his granddaughter."
"Well thank you for the call, Mariana." Ben said running a shaky hand through his hair.
"You're welcome," Mariana said. "Have a good day."
"You too," Ben said hanging up after saying goodbye and he threw his phone on the desk and looked out his office window.
"What's going on man?" Raider asked cautiously.
Raider has known Ben since preschool, they went through elementary school and middle school together, but when Ben was on the fast-track to graduate at 15, they weren't as close, but when Raider finished his BA in three years, they got closer, but not close enough for him to watch his friend of close to 20 years breakdown right in front of him. Ben slid to the sitting position crying into his dress pants.
Raider went to sit next to the man and reasked his question, "Bro, what's going on?"
"My dad, he died." Was all that Ben could get out.
"Oh man, I'm so sorry." Raider said after just hearing about their last conversation.
"You think I could get a minute? Y'know to pull myself together before our all staff meeting?" Ben asked in a small voice that Raider had never heard before.
"Of course," Raider said standing up from the chair he sat in when Ben was on the phone.
Raider left Ben in his office alone were the man just silently cried for a few minutes before getting up, slipping unnoticed into the bathroom, and slashing water on his face before going into the conference room to do the all staff meeting."
End Flashback.
"That's why I don't think waiting until I get my act together before getting together with Emily is a good thing." He said standing up. "I guess if she can't take me as I am, then it isn't meant to be."
"I'm proud of you bro." Stef said, "Go get your girl."
Ben nodded and started walking in the direction of the cafeteria and then he turned back, "And for the record, everything Dad said about you, isn't true. Your love to Lena and your kids gives me hope."
Stef smiled with tears in her eyes to her brother as she whispered, "Thank you."
Emily was nursing a cup of coffee in the cafeteria looking at the sunrise over Santa Monica outside the windows of the UCLA Medical Center.
"That was my only favorite part about studying in here." Ben said making Emily's eyes go from the sunrise to him.
"Yeah, it's beautiful." Emily said. "The coffee could be a little better though."
"Yeah, that was one of the downsides about always studying here." He said. "This room was my home away from home during undergrad."
Emily nodded and looked at him, "How's your mama?" She asked.
Ben nodded, "Stable, she's going to have to slow down a little," he answered.
"That's always good news." Emily said.
"I know things with my mama may have caused this, but you've been a little distant since last night," he said. "Is everything okay between us?"
"Yeah, of course." Emily said. "I just know you needed space, I was going to be here when you were ready to talk and whatnot."
Ben smiled as one of the kitchen staff saw him and put coffee in front of him, "Benji," the woman said, "it's been awhile. I hear your mama is here."
"Yeah," he said. "She'll be good as new as soon as she recovers."
"That's good to hear." The woman said. "The coffee is on us."
"Thank you, Ms. Goodman." He said smiling softly up at her, "I appreciate it."
"Who is this young woman?" The woman asked.
"Uh this is Emily Adams, a really good friend of mine. Emily, this is Ms. Goodman, she's been on kitchen staff here as long as my mom's been working here."
"It's really nice to meet you, Ms. Goodman." Emily said.
"Likewise," she said. "I'll let you two get back to your conversation, I just wanted to give you some coffee and say hi. It was nice meeting you young lady. You take care of this one," she added.
"I will, thank you." Emily said. "It was nice meeting you too."
The woman walked away and Ben said, "Look, I don't want to wait anymore."
"What do you mean?" Emily asked.
"I mean, if I'm going to walk through this dark valley, I want you there with me, holding my hand, getting through it with me." Ben said. "I realized some time between Leo calling me and seeing my moms together again tonight that we have this one life. And I don't want to spend it regretting that I didn't get to you sooner."
"What are you saying?" Emily asked.
"I'm saying, can you and I give it a try?" He asked, "Will you Emily Mae Adams, be my girlfriend?"
Emily smiled and leaned forward and softly kissed him, "I thought you'd never ask." She said resting her forehead against his.
He kissed her one more time before saying, "Stef and Lena are going to make fun of us big time."
Emily smiled, "Yeah, they are, but I think I can handle that."
When Ben and Emily returned to the ICU waiting room holding hands, they saw Lena awake and drinking the rest of Stef's crappy hospital coffee. Stef was the first one to see them and said, "About damn time."
Lena looked up from the coffee at the younger couple and smiled, "Couldn't you two hold out just for another month or two?" She joked.
"Huh?" Both Ben and Emily said as they saw Lena fishing out her wallet and handing Stef twenty bucks.
"You two were betting against when we would get together?" Ben asked incredulously.
"That sounds like something you two would do," Emily said.
"Yeah, it was twenty bucks and a month of nightly back rubs for Stef if you two got together before the summer started or ended or vice versa if it was after the summer, but before the end of the year was over." Lena answered.
"So which one of you do I have to thank?" Stef said putting her arm around her wife.
"What do you mean?" Ben asked. "It was a mutual decision and you knew I was going to go do it." He added looking at Stef.
"You did?" Lena asked accusingly.
Stef nodded, "I did," she said cockily. "That's two months of nightly back rubs, my dear."
"There was more to this bet?" Emily asked as she and Ben sat across from the couple.
"Yeah, if Ben asked it was two months, if you asked it was just one. It was more of him growing a pair to ask." Stef said.
"You two are unbelievable." Ben said. "Betting against your siblings' love life." He shook his head.
"What can we say?" Stef asked. "You two are just so freaking adorable together," she said with Lena nodding in agreement.
The four shared a small laugh as they all sat in the waiting room for a little while longer before Kelly came out and told them all that they should head back to San Diego to get real sleep and spend more time with Lena and Emily's parents and Stef's mom.
A/N 2: So Ben and Emily are together now, but it's just a start to a long roller coaster ride of ups and downs. I just wanted to speed up that process to play with other arcs. All the other kids and the grandparents will be in the next chapter for Brandon and Callie's graduation party.