A/N Thank for the reviews. As you can probably see, I love family fluff... I long for everyone to be happy... :) Although there will be some drama ahead. Not this chapter, but soon.

Brandon spent all the next morning telling Callie about the wonderful time he spent with his mommy and mama. He showed off all of his school supplies multiple times and talked about what he thought he would do with each item. He had been warned not to open the crayons or any other package and hew was being careful to obey. Callie wasn't jealous exactly, but it did she did want supplies of her own. Brandon had also laid out his new clothing a few times to show Callie.

"Mommy?"

"Yes, Baby?"

"Are you and Mama going to take me to get school things tonight? I want to go eat somewhere special and get stuff just like Brandon got."

"Yes, you will have your chance to do just that tonight. You may not want supplies just like his, though. You can pick out some of your own."

"Okay, is it time to go yet? I can be ready right now."

"Bug, we are not going until Mama comes home. She will get off work sometime after three. That will be after lunch and after your nap. Right now it is not even lunch time yet."

Callie gave a big sigh. "Okay. I really want to go now, though…"

"Why don't you go play with your Jude or with Brandon or go find Grandma or something? I am trying to work on something right now that it is very important. I might need your help with it later, but right now I need to work alone."

"Jude is sleeping right now. He is no fun when he sleeps. Brandon is playing with his school stuff and I want some. Grandma is watching a boring show that she said was about children, but there aren't any."

Stef smiled. Her mother always did like Soap Operas. "All my Children?"

"Yes. Can't I just help you for a little while, Mommy? I will be a good helper and be very quiet…"

Stef knew that she really wouldn't be very quiet, but also that Callie was asking to spend time with her. It was a big deal in this newly blended family. "Sure, Bug. You probably know your Mama best anyway. Can you keep a secret?" Callie nodded and leaned in very close. "I want to ask Mama to marry me soon, but it needs to be really special. Now, I know that she likes roses a lot. What else does Mama really like?"

"Mama likes us. She said that we are the most special people. Mama likes vegetables and she likes chocolate. I am not sure what else."

"Hey Bug! Come here quick! I just found something new to show you!" Brandon yelled as he ran into the kitchen." Callie looked to Stef who silently gave her permission before she followed Brandon back into their room.

Sharon's show was over she went and sat down at the table with Stef. "What are you working on so hard, Darling?

"I want to propose to Lena on Friday before we go have our weekend together. I already know she will say yes, but I want it to be something romantic that she will just love. The problem is, I am not sure what that looks like."

"I have to say that if you had told me this before I came I would have thought you were rushing things, but I think Lena is your forever. I had some reservation about the kids, but I think it is going to work. Your kids are really blending well. If I didn't know better, I would think you had given birth to Callie yourself. I have also seen the way Brandon looks a Lena. It's like she hung the moon and the stars. You still have some hard adjustments to make, but Lena is quality. My advice when you told me you wanted to date her still stands, go for it."

"Thanks, Mom. I will let you know when the wedding is happening of course. After the wedding, I am will be adopting Callie and I am going to work with Mike to see what he will allow with Brandon. Mike will always be his father and it is okay, because he is a good dad. Lena also wants to feel like she is his mama. Before the adoption and the wedding, though, we still have to find a house. That's what Lena and I are going to do on Saturday afternoon. Before any of that, I have to propose."

XXXX

Brandon and Callie were back looking at his school supplies again. Brandon had discovered the side pockets in his backpack and was demonstrating which supplies would fit in the small pockets. Callie decided that she would make sure that her backpack had pockets like that too. Brandon let her put her hand inside one of the pockets. "And you said that you got to pick this out by yourself?"

"Yep. They had lots of different ones. Mommy and Mama helped a little, but this is the one that I wanted." Brandon picked up his backpack and put it back on.

"I know a secret. Do you want know it, too?" Callie asked Brandon. He set down his backpack and nodded. "Mommy is going to ask Mama to marry her soon."

"Marry like in those princess movies? We are going to have a wedding?" Brandon asked looking kind of disgusted.

"Yep. But Mommy doesn't know how to ask. I have never been to a real wedding before, but we won't get one if no one asks."

Brandon shrugged. "If you are so into it, maybe you should ask. It would make you a helper and then there could be a wedding."

"And I will be with Mommy and Mama tonight and I can do it then! Thank you, B!" Callie was now just about bursting with excitement. Then she heard Jude start crying. "Oh, my baby is crying." She went over to her bed and picked up the doll. "He will need his diaper changed and a bottle now."

Callie took the doll and his bag out to the living room as Stef went into her bedroom to get Jude. They sat down on the couch together with their babies. Callie almost had the routine down well enough now that she didn't even have to watch every second. Sharon watched the two and took a picture to send to Lena.

XXXX

"Is Mama coming home yet?" Callie asked as they sat down to lunch.

"Not yet, we have to have lunch, you will take a nap, and then it will be almost time for Mama to come home. Do you not want to spend time with me, Bug?" Stef asked teasingly.

"I want to spend time with you, too. I just want Mama to come home so that we can go have our special time together." Callie fairly whined.

"Well, after lunch you can lay down for a nap. While you are sleeping the time will pass faster." Stef was still glad that Callie was excited, but getting tired of the constant asking. "So, tonight is Mommy, Mama, and Callie night while the boys get to stay home with Grandma. Then tomorrow night we are all going over to Matthew's house for dinner! Monday both of you start school! We have lots of exciting things coming up, don't we babies?"

"And your wedding." Callie said simply.

"Remember, that is a secret, Bug, but yes. I will ask your mama to marry me and then we will have a wedding. I am not sure when, though." Stef now realized she made a mistake telling Callie as she obviously could not keep a secret, therefore the proposal might have to happen today.

XXXX

Callie and Jude were both asleep. Brandon was on the moms' bed watching a movie and hopefully going to sleep. Stef and Sharon were plotting. "I sort of want the kids involved. She does love them more than anything. I also want to have roses and of course a ring… I have not bought the ring yet…"

"Stefanie Marie! How can you be planning this and not even have bought a ring yet? I will watch the kids, you go get your woman a ring and roses!"

"It isn't that simple. Lena and I are saving every penny we have to buy a house, make car payments, and take care of our kids. We just spent a few days in Chicago. None of that was cheap. Now a ring and a wedding as well…. It is just all overwhelming right now."

"I understand that, Darling, but is Lena worth it? If she is then you will find a way. From what you were saying earlier, you have basically already promised to propose soon. Promising a girl you are going to ask and then not doing it is the quickest way to lose one. She knows you don't have much money right now, the price of the ring won't really matter."

"You are right, I guess. Well, if the kids get up before I am back you know what to do, right?"

"Of course I do. You should just go."

Stef walked out to her car allowing herself to think as she went. The wedding could come later. Their van payments were not the high with the money that her mom gave them as well as the trade-in from Lena's old car. Taking a couple of hundred dollars out for a ring would not break them at this point. In fact, the ring would cost less than one month's rent of her one bedroom apartment. She quickened her pace towards the van.

Stef knew that she could not afford something from a fancy jewelry store so she started by looking at a department store with a jewelry section. She found a ring, but when she asked the price, it was too high. Finally, she decided to explain what she was looking for. The girl behind the counter directed Stef to a group of rings within her price range. None of them seemed quite right for Lena. She had just about decided to find another store when a ring caught her attention. It was a small white gold band with intricate details and a smallish solitary diamond. It's simple elegance reminded Stef of Lena, so she knew it was perfect. The price was actually below budget and Stef bought it immediately.

The next stop was the florist. Stef had made several trips there recently and the florist now knew her well. "So, I am needing something a little different today. I think I am going to ask her to marry me. Do you have any suggestions?"

"That adorable little boy of yours couldn't give you any help this time?"

"Not so much. The sweet little girl of mine, who you have not met, was also no help."

"I don't mean this to be weird or anything, but why are you doing the proposing? Why not your girlfriend?"

"That's not a weird question at all. Lena has the desire to be married, and I have the desire to do anything I can to make her happy. Therefore, I am doing the proposing."

"I get it, that does makes sense. Well, I would not do this for just anyone, but in the back I have some dead roses that you could have…"

"Dead roses? I am pretty sure that would not make her happy…"

"Let me finish, I have some dead roses that you could use for rose petals. Those are always romantic. You could take them with you for free and have those two kids of yours help you take the petals off. When are you planning to do this?"

"I was planning it for Friday, but then I told a four year old about it who told the other four year old about it. If I know my little girl, she will beat me to the proposal if I don't do it tonight. And actually, I don't have much time now before Lena gets home."

The florist went to the back and came back with the dead roses. "Do you need anything else today?"

"Just for good measure, I would like to get three single roses in three different colors and then a dozen red ones."

Stef made her purchases and drove home quickly planning the whole way. When she got home, she opened the door sort of quietly thinking the kids could still be sleeping. Instead, she saw her mother feeding Jude, Callie obviously protesting something, and Brandon wearing his second day of school clothes zooming around the apartment. As soon as the kids noticed her they froze and ran to her.

She hugged both and gave them kisses. "You didn't tell me you were leaving, Mommy. I thought I was missing Mama, Mommy, and Callie time."

"Callie Bug, we couldn't have that special time without you, Baby. You were sleeping when I left. I just needed to get a few things for a project we are going to do before Mama gets home in less than an hour." She gave Callie another kiss before turning to Brandon, "I am going to need your help, too, Bud, but I want you to put your clothes from earlier back on so that we can keep those clothes clean for Tuesday." She kissed Brandon again, too before sending him back to the room.

Stef put Callie up on the kitchen counter to wait for Brandon. He came pretty quickly and she also lifted him to the counter. "Okay, guys, the first thing I need you to do is get all of the petals off of these not so good roses." She demonstrated using one flower. "As you do this, we are going to put all the petals into this bowl. Do you think you can do this?" Both kids gave positive answers. "Okay, here are the flowers, let me know when you are done."

Stef went over to the computer and printed off the words, "Will you marry, us?" She cut the words apart and attached the first three words to the three single roses and the last word with the question mark to the dozen. Callie and Brandon were done, so she got them off the counter. "Okay, here is how this is going to go. We are going to be playing a game of hide and seek with your Mama and when she finds you, she gets the rose you are carrying. Then you can follow her if you want, but no talking or giving hints. So, Brandon, you are going to hide in the kitchen and this is your rose for Mama. Callie, you are going to hide in the living room and this is your rose. Grandma is going to help Jude hide in your bedroom with this one. I am going to be in our room."

The kids ran to find hiding places and Sharon took Jude into the kids' closet with his rose. Stef used the rose petals to make a path so that Lena would know where to go next. Then she made a quick sign to tape to the door to tell Lena she was the seeker. Finally, Stef went and sat down nervously on her bed to wait. It wasn't long before everyone heard the front door opening. Stef knew the kids would be getting wiggly waiting and hoped that they would not pop the question before Lena was finished.

Lena read the note on the door and was a bit confused. She opened the door, saw the petals, and instantly knew. She followed the path to the kitchen and found Brandon hiding between the oven and the refrigerator. He handed over his rose and she gave him a kiss on the cheek. "This says 'Will.' What does that mean, B?"

Brandon showed her that his lips were sealed. Lena laughed and held his hand as she continued following the path to find Callie hiding behind the curtains. Callie giggled and handed over the rose also receiving a kiss. "Now I have 'Will you.' Do you know what this is about Cals?" Callie nodded, but received a look from Brandon and didn't say anything. "Hmm… I bet this is a surprise from Mommy." She got two smiles and nods.

Lena then got Callie's hand in her other one and they followed the roses to the kids' room. She opened the closet doors to find Sharon, Jude, and a third rose. "Will you marry…" The kids looked excited and practically dragged her from the room with Sharon and Jude following. When she got to her room, she saw Stef sitting on the bed with a dozen roses. Lena approached her and Stef handed her the roses with the word "us?" attached.

With tears streaming down her eyes Lena said, "Yes! I would love nothing more than to marry you and make our family official." She started to kiss Stef, but before she did Stef pulled out the ring. Lena slipped it on and everyone cheered. The Stef kissed Lena passionately.

Sharon then gathered up the kids and the van keys. "I will give you ladies a little alone time… Call when it is safe for us all to come back. Remember, though, tonight you still have Callie time…"

"Thanks, Mom!" Stef leaned in to kiss Lena again as Sharon took the kids out of the apartment.

"See, Callie, it is okay to wait just a little longer for your time. Right now, your mommies need to spend a little time together first." Sharon said going back to the conversation with Callie that Stef had interrupted when she came home. "Now, I want you guys to show me that park that you have been telling me about."