Friday night it was just Owen and Nikki home after the kids went to bed, Brett was meeting some college buddies who were in town and Teddy was on call.
"It's my last night here," Nikki said.
"I know," Owen said, "I don't like it."
"I did a lot of growing up here," Nikki said.
"You did," Owen agreed.
"Ty came home here," Nikki said, "he took his first steps here. I earned all three degrees. I learned to use my voice."
"You grew up," Owen said, "we learned to be siblings."
"We improved before that but with you right here we had to be close," Nikki agreed, "you've really hovered at times."
"I don't hover," Owen argued.
"You did," Nikki said, "less since Brett's been around and Meghan came home but you could get pretty protective."
"That year I had to be," Owen said.
"You made me come through the house when I got home at night," Nikki said, "to what?"
"Protect you," Owen said, "I didn't want you slipping on the steps when it was wet and dark. You were pregnant, we didn't want you to fall."
"I know that's why you got really protective then," Nikki said, "I'm going to miss laundry chats."
"How many of your life decisions did we talk through doing that," Owen asked.
"Picking my major, applying to teaching, giving Ty my last name, if I should ask Brett to move in," Nikki listed.
"I'm going to miss you," Owen said.
"I'm going to miss you two," Nikki said, "we agreed it was only temporary when I moved in."
"I know," Owen said, "you've been here longer then I thought. I thought once you were teaching you would have moved out."
"I thought about it," Nikki said, "Jeff and I looked for places but didn't find anything we liked."
"Maybe you werent supposed to leave then," Owen said, "where would you have gone?"
"Here or back to moms," Nikki said, "what choice would I have had."
"We would have been moving you back," Owen said.
"I know you would have," Nikki agreed, "I wasn't ready then. I don't know if I'm ready now."
"You are," Owen said, "and you grew up there."
"I grew up as much here," Nikki said.
"It seems weird that mom isn't in that house now," Owen said, "she bought that with my dad."
"I know," Nikki said, "but she moved out a couple ago. We've done some of our renovations."
"What have you done," Owen asked.
"Kitchen is done, bathrooms, paint, water heater is now instant on and floors," Nikki said, " and the roof gets done this summer."
"Do I get to see it," Owen asked.
"Tomorrow you said you'd help us move," Nikki said, "just moving things it's spring break we have a week off to unpack and settle. I'm worried moving Ty."
"We moved Allison at about the same age," Owen said, "just be close by and let him figure it out and explore."
"He knows the house and the lay out," Nikki said, "he gets your room."
"It's his room now," Owen said.
"It is," Nikki agreed, "we left the growth chart in the pantry. It has the three of us and all of our kids."
"That has to stay," Owen said.
"There's one from my kindergarten year that shows the three of us for a school year the first time," Nikki said.
"5, 19 and 22," Owen said, "kinder, sophomore year and med school."
"Its the only school one for all of us," Nikki said, "we're going to add a swing set this summer and Brett wants to put a slide down from the tree house."
"It needs a new ladder," Owen said.
"We will," Nikki said, "are you sure it's okay we bought the house?"
"It stays in the family," Owen said, "you'll make it your home."
"Owl," Nikki said, "I'm going to miss our talks."
"I will two," Owen said, "you can always call."
"Can I still come home and talk," Nikki asked.
"Always squirt," Owen said, "you're ready. Nikki it's time. You don't need me and Teddy to hold your hands any more. You went from having mom there, to having Teddy and I around to guide you and we slowly stepped back as you were ready. Nikki you're 26 almost 27 it's time. You're ready squirt."
"I'm scared," Nikki admitted.
"Thats okay," Owen said, "you were scared when you had Ty."
"I was terrified then," Nikki said, "I'm just scared now."
"Nikki it's change," Owen said, "you and I hate change. It's not a new place. You know the house and the creaky stair and the sound of the furnace."
"I know," Nikki said, "in mom's room."
"Your room now," Owen said, "stop thinking about it as mom's room or my room. It's your room and Tys."
"The alarm still has our names on our bedrooms," Nikki said.
"You can change the sticker," Owen said.
"I will," Nikki said, "Megan's room is going to be a guest room for now and then my room is our office space."
"It was an office until you were born," Owen said.
"It has the best window seat in the house," Nikki said.
"You spent a lot of time there," Owen said, "I remember one trip home you were about 13. Meghan, Teddy, Riggs and I. You were sitting in the window seat watching for mom's car to come home. You yelled for Meghan and Teddy out of your window and Meg ran upstairs to hug you. I remember the two of you on the top of the stairs you lept at her and she spun you around at the top of the stairs both of you laughing her still in her uniform."
"That was the last time we did that," Nikki smiled, "then when you came home you waited on the bottom step for me for hours until I was brave enough to come down to you."
"That Christmas you were 18," Owen said, "I carried you down for first flakes."
"My toe nail," Nikki said.
"I cleaned that out in the sink," Owen chuckled.
"You wore a head lamp," Nikki teased, "my brother the dork."
"I'm the dork," Owen said shoving her gently, "you're the math major and doing a PHd in math education."
"Hey," Nikki said, "math is cool."
"It is," Owen replied, "you make it cool."
"Its exciting," Nikki said.
"It is," Owen said, "this is just like that. Its the next step Nikki. You're okay you're with Brett. It will be good. Its time. You're ready to make this step. Raise your family in your house."
"I'm changing the lock," Nikki teased.
"Never," Owen said, "you'll have to give Meghan and I new keys."
"I need to give you our keys tomorrow," Nikki said.
"Keep them," Owen said, "come and go as you want still. You'll still end up babysitting."
"I'm bringing them to my house," Nikki said.
"We should go to bed squirt," Owen said, 'big day tomorrow."
"Thanks Owen for everything," Nikki said hugging Owen.
"Always," Owen said, "I'm not going anywhere."
"Promise," Nikki asked.
"I promise," Owen agreed.
Saturday morning.
"They move out today," Owen said as he got out of bed.
"It's time," Teddy said, "she's an adult. She's 26 Owen she's been here almost 8 years."
"I'll miss having squirt around," Owen said.
"I'm not ready for this," Nikki said to Brett.
"You are," Brett argued, "it's time. Our family in our house."
"I know," Nikki said, "Ty came home here and took his first steps, his first words. All his firsts are here."
"We'll have lots of new firsts," Brett said.
"We fell in love here," Nikki said.
"We did," Brett said, "and a year from now I'll be calling you my wife."
"I like that," Nikki smiled, "a year seems so far away."
"It does," Brett said, "let's load what we can before Ty wakes up."
"Your truck and Owen's," Nikki said.
They quickly got dressed and moved the boxes they could to her car and the trucks ready to drive over.
"I thought I was helping," Owen said.
"Theres a pile for your truck," Nikki said.
"I'll load it," Owen said, "Teddy has breakfast ready."
"I'll wake up Ty and bring him up," Nikki said.
In the kitchen Nikki hugged Teddy, "I'm going to miss you."
"You're going ten minutes away not back to Kenya," Teddy said, "I'll miss you two squirt."
"What happens when I need a big sister now," Nikki asked.
"You phone like you phone Meg," Teddy said.
"I can't just run up the stairs and ask," Nikki said.
"Come over if you need us," Teddy said, "always. You can always come home Nikki. You are always welcome here."
"What if Jeff shows up," Nikki asked.
"Then you call the police because he's violating the restraining order," Teddy said, "Nathan and I will continue to take Ty for the scheduled visits just like we've been doing. Not that Jeff shows."
"He gets auntie and uncle time," Nikki said.
"He does," Teddy replied, "Nikki you're ready. It's time. You can take this leap. You've done harder things. You and your fiance, your first house, you're ready sweetheart."
"I know," Nikki said, "it just feels really really grown up."
"You've been a grown up for a while," Teddy said, "but I know how you feel. When we bought this house I felt really grown up."
"Can I do this," Nikki asked.
"You can," Teddy promised, "you have this squirt. You don't need us to tell you that. Trust your self."
"Still working on that," Nikki laughed.
"I know," Teddy said, "you've gotten a lot better."
"I have," Nikki agreed.
The kids began clamoring for food and attention. Nikki and Teddy fed the four children with ease at the kitchen table.
That night all the boxes were in their rooms and the two bedroom set up Nikki sat on the edge of their bed.
"You okay," Brett asked.
"I'm happy," Nikki said.
"Mommy Daddy," Tyler called.
Nikki walked down the hall to get him.
"Are you scared little dude," Nikki asked lifting him out of his crib.
"Scared," Tyler said, "sleep mommy."
"Tonight," Nikki said, "you can fall asleep in our bed tonight."
Nikki carried Tyler into her bedroom, "he's scared. He's going to fall asleep here."
"Tonight," Brett said.
"This once," Nikki agreed, "once he's asleep we can christen the new house."
"Baby to sleep then christen the house," Brett agreed.
"Just our room," Nikki asked.
"We will christen every room," Brett agreed, "start here tonight?"
"Sleepy," Tyler yawned.
"Lets lay down and close our eyes," Nikki said to the little boy. She laid down on her bed with her son in her arms rubbing his head and back the way she had when he was an infant and needed a nap.
"I'll tuck him in babe," Brett said, seeing their son asleep.
"Thank you," Nikki smiled.
Brett took Tyler to tuck him in and turned on the night light in the nursery. He softly closed the door behind him and checked that all the lights were off.
What do you think? I have a couple last ideas but it's almost time to wrap up this story.