"No no no Sam. I can't just let him go." Grace pressed her tear filled face into his chest.

"Grace, it comes a time in every mothers life that they must let go..." Sam said with his calm reassuring voice.

"I know, I know. But I just don't want that time to come so soon, and to my only son!"

It was time for Noah to head off to his first year of College, with his girlfriend Paloma. And this was the first time someone left the Benett household for a indefinate period of time. It was like taking a finished puzzle and taking it apart again for Grace, like taking the strings off of a guitar, like pulling a bank heist without the guns, like eating the last piece of the wedding cake after you knew you wanted to save it for later in life to look at for some stupid reason but we all know it'll just rot or something and it won't even be flavorful it makes sense just to eat it now while it's still good.

Noah was her first child, her pride and joy... but Kay and Jessica were still good too (Insert picture of young Kay and Jessica beating Sh*t out of each other). But Noah, she spent the most time with him and he just turned out to be the first to leave. He had met that nice Paloma girl, and they would go off to college together, but due to an overfilled plane she has to leave later.

"Oh Sam, but who knows what's waiting for him out there? Drugs, sex, violence..." Grace began to worry and sweat.

"Oh, you pussy. Have faith in Noah..."

"Who knows what kind of groups he can get involved with... SAM!!!" Grace latched onto Sam, giving her a strange vision....

Grace was on the phone, talking to Noah, "So, how's college so far???" She laughed covering her feelings.

"Oh mom, we're having a great time me and Paloma! We've taken lots of drugs like pot..." Noah said.

"GASP!"

"Oh, and we've screwed a few times!"

"GASP!"

"Oh, we've also changed to being JEWISH!!!!!"

"....NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!" Grace dropped the phone and fell to her knees.

Grace dug her nails into Sam, "No, we can't let him go. It'll be our biggest mistake with horny pot smoking Jews..."

"Wha..what? Pot smoking..." Sam shook his head and looked at Grace, "Everything will be fine, I'm SURE!"

"Oh, I hope you're right..." Grace turned around and looked at the stairs. Noah stood there with his bags.

Grace ran over to him, and hugged him harder then she ever thought she could. She felt his breath from his nose go through her hair since he was taller then her. This was the last moment she would hold him this hard again, so she had to make this count. She looked up at his face, and could smell his heavy cologne.

"You still wear that horrible smelling..." Then it clicked into her head, she shouldn't say these things right now. It was time to enjoy this moment. You took a large whiff, and held her breath.

Sam walked over to Noah and Grace, joining their hug. The three of them stood there for minutes not saying a word. Soon, time went on and Sam had to get to work and drop the girls off at school. They said their goodbyes, and left Grace and Noah alone. He had to be at the airport in an hour.

"So Mom, lets go have some of that good old tomato soup cake before I go, huh?" Noah swiped out a knife and fork out of his pockets.

Grace lead him to the kitchen, and set him a place at the table. In her eyes, he looked so content at the table, licking his lips while waiting for the cake. She remember how tomorrow after supper, he wouldn't be there for desert... and all she could picture was Noah chumming with a Jewish person while smoking pot, and then the hookers came pouring in one by one. Grace's eyes widened and she glared at Noah, "NO!"

"What is it mom?" Noah got out of his chair ran to his mother.

"You can't leave me Noah! you just CAN'T!!!!!!" Grace grabbed his wrist and began walking over to th counter, "I just can't risk loosing my ONLY son. I'm not letting you get involved with THOSE people... THOSE... sex...drugs..."

"What are you talking about? You're hurting my wrist..." Noah looked into his mother's eyes, and saw a sick a demented look.

"Tomato...soup...cake..." Grace grabbed a knife off of the counter, "Noah, you are never leaving my side. EVER!"

Later that day, before school was almost over and Sam came home from work.

Paloma rushed into the house, "Noah? Where are you?" She had long black hair, as she was also long. She wore a nice skirt, and black high heels. She was a vision of BEAUTY... I'd bang her.

She looked all over the house, for Noah. He was no where to be found, but she saw his bags at the foot of the stairs, and his faint smell eminated off of them up her nose. The only thought in her mind was What is with him and that horrible smelling cologne? Where was the sense of taste in this family... But right now she had to find Noah, since he never called her before leaving that morning... which he said he would do! Paloma entered the Kitchen, and saw Grace sitting at the table alone, with a full new looking Tomato Soup Cake.

"Oh Grace!" Paloma rushed over to Grace, "Where is Noah? He never called and i'm so worried!"

With blank and empty eyes, Grace looked up at Paloma, shedding a single tear.

"G-Grace? What's going on?" Paloma was even more worried now.

"Tomato Soup Cake?" Grace passed her a fork.

"Now? At a time like..."

"EAT IT!" Grace pushed Paloma into another chair. She took the fork and put it into the cake, taking a bite.

"Mmm... this is good." Paloma smiled, "What did you do? Improve the recipie?"

"I did, Paloma... do you like it?" Grace leaned over, smelling the air.

Paloma slid her chair back.

"I can smell the cologne...can't you?" Grace elegantly smiled.

She swallowed the piece of cake in her mouth, and agreed.

"So, do you REALLY like Noah?" Grace whispered.

Paloma was weirded out now, she had no idea what was going on. She slowly nodded.

Grace felt Paloma's knee with her hand, "But there's no need to like Noah anymore..."

"GRACE! Are you coming onto me?" She fell over in her chair, "Cause if you are, I assure you that I don't swing that way."

"Who said we had to swing?"

Paloma, screaming with all her might, bolted out of her chair and ran to the phone. She looked all over the auto dialer to see for someone she should phone at a time like this. But who? Eve? Rebecca? Theresa? Gwen? Miguel? Gloria Estafan? A non-existant Charity since she isn't there yet at this point since she comes was later after these events? Sam? Father Lonigan? No, maybe she should wait... no one ever got anywhere in Harmony by doing something...smart.

She felt a hand on her shoulder, it was Grace, "You don't like being away from Noah don't you Paloma?"

"No... I love him"

"Well, you two should be together from now on." Grace quickly moved her arm in closer towards her, and she could feel a sharp stabbing pain like a knife go into her.

Paloma shook, and looked down seeing the blood cover her side, "Why did you DO that? Yoo messed with the WRONG girl Gracey... I took self defense classes!"

"Zuh?"

"Let go of MY PURSE!!!!!" Paloma karate chopped Grace in the gut, and let out a Xena like war cry.

"You're only making things har...OHHH!" Paloma crashed her fist onto Grace's face.

They began slapping and pulling hair, rolling around on the floor, ripping each other's clothes, pulling the other's finger, but then it dawned on Grace... and she headbutted Paloma and knocked her out. Grace grabbed Paloma's shoulders and dragged her into the kitchen, humming a Betty Crocker tune.

Again, Later that day, But now at supper.

Pilar, Kay, Jessica, Sam and Grace sat at a table eating a meal. Kay and Jessica were throwing insults towards each other, but the three adults had a nice chat about their children. They talked for minutes about how proud they were, and how happy they were of the children, that they looked toward a bright future. Then, Grace brought out her all new tomato soup cake.

Pilar took a small piece, and savored the great tasting food, "Wow Grace, what did you do? This tastes GREAT."

"Oh, just a few changes here and there" Grace modestly giggled.

"Before it was just so DRY and crappy, but now it's so delightful!" Pilar filled her mouth.

"Yes, let's use this cake as a memory of our children and a momento of the future!" Grace passed the others some cake.

"But what did you add to the cake?" Pilar poked it, watching it shake.

"I can't give my secrets..." Grace said.

"SECRETS? You have more then one... hmm?"

"I'd say more like 2." Grace blushed.

Kay filled her mouth with the cake, being a child and wanting anything junky. Her mouth was crammed with an orgy of taste, and all the 'sugar' made her eyes water, then she noticed a pile of clothes in the corner, "Mom, aren't *gulp* those clothes *Chomp chomp* Palo..."

Grace quickly placed her hands over Kay's mouth and started to shake it, "How many times do I have to tell you! Don't talk with your mouth full!" Kay began to turn blue.

"Isn't it convinent though, my daughter came up with a plane ticket for today. I never got to say goodbye..." Pilar sighed, "Am I glad I don't stop and ask questions about these things!"

"Oh Pilar, you're never that far from Paloma, don't worry." Grace smiled, taking a bite of the cake.

"That's a bit of a change from this morning Grace... why are you so... happy?" Sam asked, looking at his now content wife.

"Let's just say, we're NEVER far from our children. They're always inside of us, no matter where we go."

Everyone agreed, and continued eating the food, and Grace sits back in her chair... and does one of those crappy television "stare at the screen and wink" things.

FIN