Grocery Stores and Wooden Barns

"Mom? Dad?" Sylvie called through her childhood home as she balanced Jack on her hip and a bag over her shoulder. It was labour day weekend and Sylvie and Matt decided that it would be good to head back to Indiana for it. It had been a while since Sylvie had seen her parents and since they had seen their grandsons who had just hit a year old.

"Oh my babies are here!" Sylvie heard her mother squeal from the kitchen as she turned to look at Matt with wide eyes as he smiled back at her over her mother's excitement.

"There they are!" Martha Brett said as she pursed her lips together and placed a hand over her heart. "My babies!" She walked forward and held her arms out for what Brett thought was a hug for her – but apparently not. She took Jack straight out of her arms as Sylvie awkwardly dropped her arms and her bag to the floor. "Oh my goodness Jack Casey you have gotten so big! And look at you Elliot!" she said as she kissed Elliot as Matt held him. "You know, it always astounds me that your boys can look so alike but so different at the same time. I mean they're twins after all!"

"Fraternal mom, they're supposed to look like brothers, not identical twins." Sylvie said with a little laugh. "And hi, by the way" she greeted, since her mother seemed to have forgotten that part.

"Hi sweetie" Martha said as she cupped Sylvie's cheek affectionately. Sylvie wouldn't call her mother overbearing, but she was borderline heading in that direction. She was a boisterous and incredibly loving woman, but she often just said what she was thinking without considering the consequences and often tried to butt in where she wasn't needed. "Hi Matt, how are you honey?"

"I'm good Martha, how are you?" he asked as he kissed his mother-in-law's cheek. Matt understood why Sylvie found her mother difficult at times, but he loved nothing more than coming back to Sylvie's childhood home and spending time with her parents. It was like he was getting a taste of the upbringing he never had. Besides, Sylvie's parents loved him – why wouldn't he want to soak all that up?

"Oh I'm much better now that you're all here." She said as she held Jack close to her. "Sylvie, I've been doing a little research on Chicago schools –"

"Mom, they just turned one, I don't think we need to worry about schools right now—"

"I'm just saying Sylvie, those places have waiting lists—"

"Mom. Let's just focus on the right now" Sylvie insisted as her dad came into the hallway. "The right now being this weekend and all the fun we're going to have" she said with a tight-lipped smile, not entirely convinced by her own words. "Hi dad"

"Hi honey" Peter Brett greeted as he hugged his daughter. "Hi Matt"

"Peter" Matt replied as he shook his hand with his free one.

"That was good timing, I was just about to head out to the store, pick up some things for the weekend. Can I get you two anything?"

"Peter, Sylvie and Matt can run to the store for us and we could look after the boys for a while" Martha suggested. She was desperate for some time with her grandsons.

Sylvie gulped, "Oh I don't know, they uh – they get a little bit of separation anxiety…" Sylvie lied as Matt eyed her curiously. What did she have against grocery stores?

"Oh nonsense Sylvie, they'll be fine." Martha said as she handed Jack to Peter and took Elliot from Matt. "Peter, give them the list and your credit card. Get whatever you want kids" she insisted as she ushered Elliot into the back of the house.

"They'll be fine, we have done this childcare thing before you know" Peter teased with a wink.

Sylvie smiled lightly, "I know, it's not that I just – never mind. We'll be back soon" she conceded as she took the list and Peter's card from him and followed Matt out the door.

Ten or so minutes later, Sylvie stood outside Fowlerton's main grocery store and gulped.

"This place gives me shivers…" Sylvie mumbled as she remained firmly footed at the entrance.

"… it's a grocery store babe." Matt said as he stood beside her with the trolley. How could a grocery store freak her out so much?

"It's not that it's a grocery store it's that it's this grocery store." Sylvie clarified. "It's that it's Fowlerton's grocery store."

"What's the worst that could happen?" Matt asked with a shrug as he started to push the trolley into the store and Sylvie reluctantly dragged herself in behind him. She sighed and linked her arm under his, holding on to the bar with her grocery list in the other. "We could run into certain people that I have no desire running into. This isn't a big town Matt I would place money on us running into—"

"Sylvie? Sylvie Brett?" she heard a voice say behind her as she froze, causing Matt to jolt the trolley slightly.

Sylvie clenched her jaw before spinning on her heel and forcing a smile onto her face, "… Hope. Hi"

"Oh my god it really is you!" Hope said as she strutted forward and hugged Sylvie tightly. Matt too slowly turned around. It had been a long time since he'd seen Hope and quite honestly, he was praying they wouldn't accidentally run into her here. She really caused problems the last time she was in Chicago for Sylvie, so Matt really didn't have much patience for her. Sylvie was right though. It's a small town, he should have known better than to think they could avoid this little run in.

"You look great! I'd heard that you'd put on a little weight recently but apparently those rumours were entirely untrue!" Hope joked as Sylvie's eyes narrowed. Yes, she'd naturally put on a little bit of baby weight, but it wasn't noticeable to the naked eye let alone noticeable enough for rumours to start in Fowlerton. Besides, she'd lost it all since the twins were born! At the same time, however, she wasn't even remotely surprised that such rumours were flying around.

Matt reached an arm around her back as she moved her hand and squeezed his hand in frustration. Matt let out a light groan at the strength of her hold but managed to keep it together as Hope eyed him curiously.

"Captain Matthew Casey…" Hope said as she took a step forward. She looked down at his hand and saw the wedding ring that adorned it. "I'm am shocked – and proud of course – that Sylvie managed to lock you down! And for so long too! How long have you two been married for now?"

"3 years" Sylvie told her with a tight lipped smile.

"Together for 5" Matt added for that extra ounce of authenticity.

"Well done Sylvie Brett!" Hope said with a wink. "You must have surpassed how long you were with Harrison by now, right? You've come leaps and bounds." She patronised. "I also heard that you had two little boys, congratulations! Your mom has been showing everybody in town pictures. And to think she was afraid she'd never get to be a grandmother."

"Man, you are really throwing the punches today Hope…" Sylvie grumbled as Matt let out a snort. It appeared Sylvie was most certainly over letting Hope walk all over her.

"Oh Sylvie, I'm not trying to be mean—" Hope protested innocently, but Sylvie immediately cut her off.

"Save it, Hope. It's a small town but we're only here for the weekend so I'm sure we can learn to peacefully co-exist for that short amount of time." Sylvie insisted before turning back to the trolley and pushing it away. Matt took one last look at Hope before turning around and following her.

Hope clenched her jaw, "Ok fine. I'll be sure to tell Kyle you said hello!"

Sylvie froze again, causing the trolley to jolt again and Matt to almost lost his footing behind her.

"Excuse me?" Sylvie asked as she turned back around. Matt gulped at the look of thunder over his wife's face.

"Oh yeah. We're married." Hope said as she held up her hand and flashed her ring. "Didn't you get your invite?"

Sylvie clenched the handle tighter, "Must have gotten lost in the mail."

"Oh, what a pity… anyway, enjoy your weekend, I'll maybe see you around." She said with a tight smirk before strutting away.

Matt looked at Sylvie in a moment of stunned silence. He really wasn't sure how to react to what just happened. He really didn't expect Hope to go so hard on the passive aggressive comments.

"Uh – you ok?" he asked as Sylvie just turned around and started to push the trolley again.

"I'm fine." She said through her teeth. "Kyle is free to make whatever choices he wants to, it's just the fact that she said it to try and provoke a reaction out of me. Anything she says is just so malicious." She said quietly as Matt rested his hand on her shoulder and kissed her head.

"I know it's hard seeing her, but she isn't a part of your life. What she does is entirely her prerogative and doesn't deserve a second thought from you. You have a wonderful life Sylvie Brett – don't let anyone make you feel like you don't."

"I love you" she told him quietly as Matt leaned down and kissed her quickly but tenderly.

"I love you too"

Sylvie sighed and let Matt take over pushing the trolley again. "The only thing that could make this worse would be if we ran into—"

"Sylvie?"

"Dear God…" Sylvie grumbled. Somebody definitely had it in for her. She looked towards the end of the aisle and glared deeply. "Harrison. Hi." She responded.

Harrison looked her up and down like some sort of vulture which really did not sit well with Casey. Sylvie could see him tense beside her and she rested her hand on top of his to try and calm him.

"I heard you were in town. I'm surprised you're not hiding out at your parent's house to avoid running in to all the people you tossed aside." Harrison shot.

"Wow, you couldn't even do the pleasantries you had to go straight in with the heavy blows." Sylvie said with a laugh.

"I'm just saying it how it is—"

"Ok, well then it's my turn to say it how it is too. Fowlerton is where I grew up. I have so many wonderful memories here. I also have some not so good memories but I am in no mood to hide from them. My past is my past and I am so unbelievably happy with my life right now. So, if I want to come back to my hometown, I will come back to my hometown and I will go wherever the hell I want to go and not be intimidated by insecure weasels like you!" she snapped as Harrison took a step back and Matt looked at her with wide, but insanely proud eyes.

Harrison scoffed, "You've changed Sylvie. And not for the better." He merely responded before turning on his heel and storming away.

"This is why I hate this grocery store…" Sylvie grumbled as she once again took the trolley and stormed away.

Matt stood there for a moment, unsure what to say; "… that was kinda hot." He called after her as Sylvie turned her head and smirked at him before teasingly snaking her hips.

God, did he love her.


That evening, while Martha and Peter put Jack and Elliot to bed, Matt and Sylvie decided to take a stroll around her parent's farm. It was a beautiful piece of land and Sylvie loved to play out here when she was little. Being here now with Matt made it that little bit more special.

"Have you had a nice weekend so far?" Sylvie asked as Matt held onto her hand.

"It's been – interesting." He said with a little laugh. "I know you find it hard being here, but there's a lot to be thankful for in this place. Even just seeing your smile right now as we walk around these grounds."

Sylvie nodded her head as her smile rose again, "I know I talk about this place like it was a prison for me – and in a way it was – but I have a lot of good memories here too. I grew up here, my childhood was spent running around in these fields. My family are here, and I love that our boys can come here and love it in the same way I did."

Matt kissed her hand and nodded his head, "Me too. You know – I would have loved to have seen you as a child"

Sylvie laughed, "I was very giggly, a little shy… but I was also determined."

"Sounds like you haven't changed much."

"There's a little more fire in my soul now." She said with a wink. "You know… I've never brought a boy out onto these fields…" Sylvie said as she turned around to stand in front of her husband.

"Is that so?"

Sylvie nodded, "Yep… I mustn't have thought Harrison was worthy. Or Kyle."

Matt placed a hand over his heart, "Well then I feel truly honoured that you brought me out here Sylvie Brett."

"You should…" she said as she leaned up and kissed him. She then eyed him deviously before pulling him along, round behind the barn at the end of the field.

Sylvie leaned up and kissed him passionately, her hands roaming through his hair as his slid around her thighs and under her dress. Matt scooped her up and her legs expertly latched around his waist as he turned them around and let her back hit the wooden wall of the barn.

Matt removed his lips from her briefly as Sylvie's hand moved to his belt buckle, the other around his shoulder, holding herself steady. "Huh – if we get caught –" he began, all of a sudden feeling like a teenager again, sneaking around where he shouldn't be. This time, he was sneaking around with his wife – and there was something a little more thrilling about that.

"I'm already the talk of Fowlerton babe – what's one more moment of delinquency to add to the list?" she challenged as Matt smirked and kissed her again.

Maybe Fowlerton wasn't such a bad place to be after all.