It was after five o'clock before everyone decided they had done enough reminiscing. Everyone was hungry and Edna wanted to prepare a big celebration dinner. Although everyone encouraged her not to go to any trouble, Edna had her mind made up. She and Beverly Ann headed into the kitchen to prepare dinner.

The kids decided to go outside and play in the snow. They grabbed their coats and gloves and bundled up from head to toe, hoping to have some time to play before dinner was ready.

"I don't think Katie should go out with the rest of you," Jo said. "She is too little." She started to take off the little girl's coat, but the two-year-old started to cry.

"Oh, come on Jo," Tootie pleaded. "How can you say 'no' to that darling face?"

Jo looked at her oldest daughter. "Will you keep a close eye on her?" she asked.

"Don't I always!" Ricki rolled her eyes in aggravation. "Come on small fry," she said to her baby sister as the five children walked out the door.

With the children gone and Edna and Beverly Ann in the kitchen, the four women were left alone. They were silent for a moment, just looking around the old house.

"I see Beverly Ann still has her piano," Tootie said. Everyone nodded.

"Too bad Andy couldn't be here," Natalie said.

"It would have been nice to see him," Blair agreed. They continued with small talk. Everyone knew the others were avoiding what was really on their minds. They had yet to discuss the tragic events that had torn them apart. Sure, they'd spent the past several hours focusing on the good times they'd had together, but the accident, the article, Debbie Jo's death, Rick's arrest, and Danny's suicide hadn't even been mentioned. All they had said was that they forgave each other and were sorry. They had not had a real discussion about the situation and even though they knew they needed to if they were really going to move on, no one wanted to bring it up and ruin the day.

Just then Noah came through the door crying. All four girls followed after him.
"What happened?" Natalie asked noticing a small spot of blood on her son's forehead. "Are you okay?"

The little boy was crying and it was hard to understand what he was saying.

"He fell and hit his head on the sidewalk." Charli offered an explanation. "Ricki wasn't watching Katie and she went out by the street. Then Noah went after her and fell while he was running."

"It is barely a scratch. You'll be fine." Natalie said to her son. She did not want to coddle him. She thought he was too emotional about these things.

"Thank you for running out to get Katie," Jo said to the boy. "Why weren't you watching her?" she asked her daughter. Ricki just looked at her mother with little expression and didn't answer her. "Erica Blair Bonner, I asked you a question." Jo was really angry now. She did not want to yell at her daughter in front of everyone, but Ricki was always so irresponsible. "She could have been hurt. You promised to watch her."

"I always have to watch her!" Ricki yelled. "I'm not her mother. You are! All I ever hear is 'Ricki watch your sister.' 'Ricki do the dishes.' 'Ricki clean up that mess.' When is somebody going to do stuff for me?" Ricki stormed out the door and sat on the porch crying.

Hearing the commotion from the kitchen, Edna ran in to see what was going on. She could tell from the expressions on everyone's faces that something had happened, but she was not sure what. Then she saw Noah's forehead.

"Honey, come with me," she comforted the child. "We'll get you a bandaid." Then she looked at Jordyn, Charli, and Katie. "Will you girls go into the kitchen and help Beverly Ann with dinner?" Edna and the children left the room.

"I wish she hadn't done that," Natalie said. "Noah is such a baby about these things. He needs to toughen up, not get his booboos kissed every time he has a little scratch."

"Oh come on Nat," Jo answered. "He's a little boy. He needs to be babied sometimes."

"So now I am a bad mother again?" Natalie replied. "Your own daughter hates you!"

"Ricki doesn't hate me!" Jo yelled. "She just needs to learn some responsibility."

"Talk about a child who needs to be babied," Natalie's voice was quivering from anger. "Jo, she's twelve years old and you expect her to act like an adult. Just because you have too many kids to take care of on your own does not mean it is Ricki's responsibility to do it for you. She is a little girl. Let her act like one!"

"How dare you tell me how to raise my kids," Jo was screaming and crying at the same time. "At least I love my girls enough to raise them myself. I didn't send them off to live with their father because I couldn't be bothered!"

Natalie was so angry about what Jo had said that she lost all control. She reached out and slapped her in the face. Jo was taken aback and her shock kept her from reacting right away.

"STOP IT!" Tootie shouted. "Both of you! What do you think your doing?"

"Tootie's right," Blair agreed. "The two of you need to cool off."

"You're right. We do need to cool off." Jo said. "I'm leaving. This was a bad idea. I should never have come back here." Rubbing the stinging spot her her cheek, and trying to hide the tears in her eyes, she walked into the kitchen to get the girls.