The whole family sat around the camp fire. Meghan knelt beside Faroke helping him make his first ever smore while Nikki cuddled with Tyler in her camp chair. Owen was trying to hold Amber back from getting too close to the flames.

"I think it's time for Ty to go to bed," Nikki said, "he's almost asleep."

"Teddy was putting Danny down," Owen replied.

"I'll be back," Nikki said stepping into the cabin.

The others decided that it was time for all of the kids to go to bed and let the adults have some time to talk and relax together. Owen and Teddy got their girls ready for bed while Meghan tucked Faroke in.

When Nikki came back out Meghan asked, "are you staying up with us?"

"If mom doesn't mind listening for Ty," Nikki said.

"I will darling," Evelyn agreed, "you enjoy the meteor shower."

"I'm staying with our kids," Teddy said, "I'm tired."

"I'm with Faroke," Nathan replied.

"That's settled then," Evelyn smiled.

"Here or the soccer field," Nikki asked.

"Field," Owen said.

"Nikki Tyler is fine to sleep in the cabin with me right there," Evelyn said, "you go back to school Tuesday. I know he went to all your planning days and work days with you but you have to let him go when you're teaching."

"I'm not ready," Nikki admitted.

"I know," Evelyn said, "good thing I only live 5 minutes from your school. I'll bring him to you at lunch so you can both eat."

"I have my planning in third period I'll eat first," Nikki said.

"Then you come home right away," Evelyn said.

"My contract time is 7:45-3:30 so I'll be at your house by 3:45," Nikki said.

"We'll try to get his nap time so he's nice and alert and happy when you're done school," Evelyn said.

"That would be good," Nikki smiled, "some time with him when he's happy."

"I'll help a bit two," Meghan offered, "I can't work for a bit yet I need to do some recertfication courses and study. Faroke is going to school."

"I feel bad everyone taking him when I work," Nikki admitted.

"I'll do one day," Meghan said.

"I'm off Mondays right now," Owen said, "I have our kids at home so Tyler can hang out with us."

"Ill do the other three," Evelyn said, "Nikki you are the first to babysit and look after your nieces and nephews let your siblings return the favour."

"I can find day care," Nikki said.

"He's still so little the one on one of being home is best for him," Evelyn said, "I'm going to come to your house in the morning and let him be home."

"I can bring him to you," Nikki said.

"We'll get in our rhythm," Evelyn said.

"The days I have him you just get yourself ready for school and let auntie Meghan deal with the little angle," Meghan said.

"He gets up early," Nikki said, "I'll get him up, fed, dressed and happy for you."

"How can I help with your morning to make it easy," Meghan asked.

"I get up with Ty we have a snuggle and breakfast," Nikki said, "I dress him and then he sits in the bouncy seat in the bathroom while I shower. Breakfast in the car on the way to school."

"Lunch," Meghan asked.

"I pack everything the night before," Nikki replied, "grab lunch kit from the fridge throw in school bag and go."

"I'll take Tyler when you shower and let him play," Meghan said.

"That would require you being up," Nikki said, "We're up at 5:30."

"Tyler is an early bird," Teddy said.

"We take some time for his breakfast and a cuddle in bed," Nikki said, "I'm probably out of bed between 6 and 6:15."

"I'm up about then," Teddy said, "but Daniel is my sleepy one."

"He's also 6 weeks older," Nikki said, "that's making a difference still."

"It is," Teddy agreed.

"I'm not ready for school," Nikki said.

"Come on teacher next door," Meghan teased.

"He's nice," Nikki said, "we get along and work well together."

"Just work well," Meghan asked.

"He's been a really good friend since GTEP we worked really closely in Kenya," Nikki said.

"Brett," Nathan asked.

"A friend," Nikki agreed, "we're going to try going for coffee."

"Coffee with a man," Owen asked.

"Brett from school," Nikki said, "he's a good friend."

"Date," Teddy asked.

"No," Nikki said, "I'm not there. I can't be. I'm just not dating yet. I can't let myself get hurt. It's been a year to get to this point. I'm just starting to feel on balance."

"It's coffee with a friend," Meghan said.

"Do you like him," Teddy asked.

"Maybe," Nikki replied, "I don't know. That's over. I have Tyler."

"You can date," Meghan encouraged, "I think you were flirting."

"I wasn't flirting," Nikki said, "I don't flirt."

"It was flirting," Meghan said, "I know what I saw."

"I wasn't flirting," Nikki argued, "plus he's not going to be interested. I'm a mom. Guys don't date moms."

"I proposed to one," Owen said.

"You were already living together and had Allison," Nikki said.

"I did," Nathan smiled.

"Again you had history," Nikki said.

"We had been apart for ten years," Meghan reminded.

"But you're one of those forever love stories," Nikki said.

"Maybe," Nathan said pulling Meghan closer on the bench, she let herself relax into him."

"We just want you to live," Owen said, "you can go out with friends, see people, go on a date. It's not work, Tyler and your course."

"That's all I have the brain space for to do well," Nikki said, "I have 5 more self paced courses. I got two and a half done this summer."

"When does it have to be done," Evelyn asked.

"My at risk mathmeticians course is due by September 30," Nikki said, "I just have to finish my term project. But I need to do a couple of the activities in class before I finish the write up."

"Isn't Brett doing it," Meghan asked.

"Yes," Nikki said, "so?"

"Stop using Owen's so," Meghan teased.

"It works," Nikki replied.

"It used to get you to stop," Owen said.

"From you not from her," Meghan replied.

"Brett is doing his masters with you," Teddy asked.

"Were in the same cohort," Nikki said, "we talk about course work."

"It was flirty studying," Meghan teased.

"I can't go there," Nikki said, "I can't get hurt."

"So you're going to sabotage something that could be good," Owen asked.

"Do you like him," Teddy asked.

"He's a good friend," Nikki admitted, "he's attractive. There were days last spring we were working and he was being sweet that I wanted to kiss him. He knew I was tired, had had enough and was having a hard week and he had his planning right before lunch and came in at the start of lunch with blizzards and we had ice cream for lunch at my desk."

"That's love," Teddy said.

"No it was pity the pregnant girl," Nikki said.

"If Julie had showed up with ice cream for you yes," Owen said, "that would have been being your best friend. Brett bringing you ice cream was more than a gesture of friendship."

"He was into you in Kenya," Nathan said.

"I agreed to coffee," Nikki said, "coffee and getting a babysitter. It's just coffee."

"Go," Owen said, "I'll babysit."

"Meg already offered," Nikki replied.

"It's almost time for the meteor shower," Teddy said, "I'll listen for all the kids."

"I have Tyler," Evelyn said.

"I'm with Faroke," Nathan said.

"I thought you were coming," Meghan said, "I asked Teddy to keep her ear on him when she said she was staying back with Daniel."

"No," Nathan said, "you need to be the three of you."

"We don't have many memories of the three of us," Nikki said.

"We don't," Meghan agreed, "get your stuff squirt."

"Picnic blanket on the porch of the cabin," Nikki said.

"Get it," Owen said.

Nikki grabbed the picnic blanket and the three siblings walked out of the campsite towards the field.

"Evelyn are you okay," Teddy asked.

"I never thought I would see the three of them walk off together like that," Evelyn said.

"It's good," Teddy agreed, "they complement each other."

"Nikki's calmed down," Evelyn agreed, "Owen is happier."

"They ground each other," Nathan said, "they're a team now."

"They are," Evelyn agreed, "I never thought I would see them together again. I never thought I would see this. I prayed for this for years."

"I know ma," Nathan said, hugging her.

"We all did," Teddy replied.

"My five kids home safe," Evelyn beamed.

"Five grandkids," Teddy replied.

"Eleven of us," Evelyn said.

"We're busy," Teddy agreed.

"One kid each when we're at the beach," Evelyn said.

"That will be helpful," Teddy replied.

"How's Danny," Evelyn asked, "I've spent so much time this summer getting Meghan healthy and helping Nikki that I know him least of all my grand kids."

"I understand," Teddy replied, "you've had your hands full."

"How's he doing," Evelyn asked.

"He's a good baby," Teddy said, "my quietest and easiest. He just wants to eat and be held."

"How are you holding up honey," Evelyn asked.

"I'm great," Teddy said, "we tried for so long for Daniel we had given up. Then once we thought we couldn't have anymore that I was just too old it happened."

"God works in his own time," Evelyn said.

"He's our last," Teddy said, "I love my three. It was always three that I pictured."

"It's a good number," Evelyn said.

"It's perfect," Teddy agreed.

Laying in the soccer field Owen said, "I always pictured this. Us with our kids on the camping trip."

"So did I," Meghan said.

"I never thought they'd be the same age," Nikki admitted, "I thought your kids would be 15 years older than mine and be the cool older cousins who babysat and swooped in from college with treats and special adventures."

"I guess we did that with you," Meghan said.

"You did," Nikki replied, "I like that our kids will grow up together. It's only an 8 year range that's normal for cousins isn't it."

"I think so," Owen said, "better than 17 between siblings."

"You don't seem so ancient now," Nikki teased.

"And you're not a baby," Owen replied.

"I still can't believe how well you two get along," Meghan remarked.

"We didn't have our buffer, we had to learn," Nikki replied.

"Worst part of being the middle child," Meghan said, "refereeing you two."

"I was a kid," Nikki said.

"Teddy had to referee for us a few times," Owen admitted, "Riggs has."

"Only when I was in the hospital and got really mad because I was trapped in bed and threw everything I could at you," Nikki said.

"The remote hurt," Owen said.

"It was the first thing I could reach," Nikki said.

"It's starting," Meghan said, laying back on the blanket between her siblings.

Nikki laid back and grabbed Meghan's hand.

"I never thought we would do this again," Meghan said, "your first one do you remember?"

"No," Nikki said.

"You were 4," Owen said, "we brought you out here. Mom didn't want us to but I promised I would hold onto you."

"I told mom I wouldn't let go of your hand," Meghan said.

"Then don't let go," Nikki replied.

"Never," Meghan said, "I got my baby sister and my big brother back. They won't separate us now."

"Never again," Owen agreed, grabbing Meghan's other hand.

"The three of us," Nikki said.

"Three of us," Meghan agreed.