A/N: This takes place two years later. And thanks so much for sticking with this, and not shooting me when I richly deserved it but giving me such nice reviews. I can't believe I haven't updated since '03! I promise if there's (ever) a sequel to this, each and every one of you will get personal notices saying how much you guys mean to me. Wind Beneath My Wings, ya'll! Plus, one last issue I wanted to address- (goblz) felt that I didn't think that the kids took their parents' separation/divorce seriously. Actually, in the first chapter, Peter mentions that the kids used to write back and forth, with probably a view to visit. But there were two points against that- the divorce was bitter (even though the parents tried to shield that from their children, they still wouldn't be too eager to let their children stay with their ex), and plus, life goes on. Greg was 18 and in college, and Cindy/Cynthia, conversely, was 13. Every last one of them would have facing the usual teenage angst plus some. All of them remembered a time before their parents got together. I'm not saying that it wouldn't have affected them- just not that their drifting apart wasn't unexpected. As for Marcia, you know what they say about a woman scorned... not that Greg scorned her. She probably expected Greg to treat her better than that. Top that with their parents' breakup (and remember, we don't know why) and she probably didn't want to see January/Jan in the same position. BTW, thanks for reviewing. I really appreciate it, for my red-headed stepchild of a story. I just wish I could express my thoughts better in the actual story instead of story notes!

Cynthia

"Are you ready?"

I turned around and saw my roommate, Stephie, tapping her foot impatiently. "Sorry. Yeah, I just need to grab my suitcase. Thanks again. I really appreciate your driving me to the airport."

"No prob, Cynthia. Thanks for letting my friends crash in here while you're gone." She walked out the door briskly and I followed as quickly as I could.

The ride to the airport didn't take long, and when I got out of the car, she shouted out the window, "Remember to tell me about any cute guys, okay?"

"Okay!" I made my way to the gate I was leaving from just in time, and boarded. While we were in flight, I mostly slept, but as we approached my destination, I woke up, excited about what was happening.

The plane touched down and I was one of the first off. I looked around, knowing that someone was supposed to meet me, but not sure who.

A youngish man came up to me, and he looked vaguely familiar. "Cynthia? Is that you?"

"Bobby?" I asked in amazement, and said the first thing on my mind. "Well, you haven't gotten much taller."

"It's nice to see how tactful you turned out to be," he replied drily before giving me a hug. "It's good to see you."

"Ditto. How are you and yours?" I asked, as we walked to the baggage claim.

"I'm fine. Dad's still mad that I'm racing, but college would have been wasted on me. Um, you know about Peter, and Greg's good, too. He and Norah are 'in the family way'."

"Wow. That's gonna be weird, he and Marcia having kids at the same time," I commented. "She just found out last week."

"So we're both gonna have nieces and/or nephews." Bobby looked mock-grim. "Frankly, I don't think I'm ready."

"Yeah, because it's really up to us." We walked to Bobby's car and I asked the question that I had been wondering about. "Do you know if my mom's here?"

Bobby shrugged. "If she is, she hasn't called me. Don't you know?"

"I didn't call before I left school. Plus, I figured that Jan would tell me, but I haven't talked to her lately, either."

"So how'd you get here, then?" Bobby asked curiously.

"Put it on my Mastercharge."

We pulled up at Bobby's house. "Come in for a sec," he invited. "I need to tell Dad something."

I stepped out of the car, noting how the house kinda looked similar to the one on Clinton Way. When I got inside, Mike (I wasn't sure what to call him) was sitting on the couch.

"Hi, Cindy."

"Hi."

He stuck out his hand to shake, but I opened my arms. "Aw, come here!" I said, making him laugh before he embraced me. I never blamed Mike for the breakup, but then again, I never blamed Mom either.

"Well, I guess you lost the pigtails," Mike said fondly.

"Somewhere back there," I agreed. "How goes the architect field nowadays?"

We sat down on the couch, and made small talk before Bobby came from the back. "You guys ready?"

We stood up and followed Bobby to the car. "Dad, do you want to drive?" Bobby asked.

"Please." I laughed at the expression on Mike's face.

Dinner was nice. We stayed with small talk. I talked about college (I was taking radio broadcasting) and Bobby talked about his growing racing career. Afterwards, they dropped me off at the hotel I was staying at. "I'll catch you later, I guess," Bobby said.

"Count on it. Thanks again."

I checked in and went to my room. Before I went to bed, I picked up the phone and dialed. It rang for a while, and a sleepy voice answered, "Hello?"

"January? Hi, it's me."

"Cynthia!" Jan said, sounding more awake. "Are you here?"

"Yeah, I'm at the Ramada downtown."

"I have to work tomorrow, but I'll be off at three. Do you want me to pick you then, or I can give you directions to take the bus here?" Jan offered.

"You can just give me the directions. I'll keep myself occupied."

"That's fine." She told me how to get to her house, and then told me where the spare key would be. "It'll be good to see you. Sleep well."

"You too.' Night."

I hung up and rolled over, prepared to fall right asleep. Right as I was drifting off, my phone rang. I sighed and answered.

"Hello?"

"Cindy? I know you were probably asleep."

"Mom? How'd you know I was here?" I sat up in bed.

"This is almost the only hotel in this town. I knew you wouldn't stay in a small motel."

"True. Where are you at?"

"Here. At this hotel, I mean. Downstairs."

"Are Jon and Sandy with you?"

"No, they're still at home."

I swung my legs over. "Where are my manners? My room number is 112. Come on up."

A minute later, I answered my door, seeing my mother there with a small suitcase. "So you decided to come after all?" I said, taking her luggage.

"Yeah, I figured, well, I couldn't miss this." She smiled, and then sat down on my bed. "Cindy-"

As I went to interrupt, she stopped and said "Cynthia. I know that you're okay with this, but why?"

I sighed internally. This was a subject I had grown tired of discussing a long time ago, but I owed it to Jan and Peter to be honest. "She's happy, Mom. I mean, really happy. She's so much more confident, although how much of that is due to being on her own, I'm not sure. Every time she talks about him, I can hear in her voice how glad she is that he's in her life. And don't even get me started on Peter. They make me wanna go out and buy Led Zeppelin albums to get the treacle out of my ears after I call them." I shook my head teasingly, and then continued, "And I'm not saying that I would make the same decision- I mean, Bobby and I, together like that? ew- but I think their decision was right for them."

She nodded, apparently accepting my explanation at face value. "Well, it's late. Sleep?"

"Sleep," I agreed, slipping back under the covers. I didn't even ask if she was staying with me, so I just scooted over. "Don't hog the covers."

The next day, I prepared to go over Jan's house, and was surprised when my mom joined me. "Unlike you, I rented a car from Hertz. I can drive!"

"Good, here are the directions, but they're for the bus. Hope you can decipher them."

She could, and we ended up at a nondescript house. Mom parked while I ran up and got Jan's spare key. I let myself in, taking a look around while I was waiting for Mom. Jan had some pictures up on the walls and I was fascinated at the different things that were in them. For some reason, there weren't that many pictures of her, but there were several of us, of Peter, and some people we didn't know.

A knock sounded on the door. Exchanging a look with my mother, I went to answer it. Marcia was standing there, one hand supporting her belly.

"Come off it, You're not even showing yet." I stepped aside for her to come in. "Where's Wally?"

"At the hotel. I was trying to catch Jan..." her voice trailed off.

"She's not off work yet," Mom said, stepping into Marcia's line of sight.

I watched them hug as I stood up to one side, considering how little Marcia had changed since she was little. To me, I looked totally different.

"Hey, Cin... Cynthia!" Jan shouted, as she came in. She stopped dead when she saw Mom and Marcia, still standing in their hug.

"Surprise!" Marcia said weakly. She moved away from Mom and hugged Jan. Jan squeezed her back, and then Mom took a turn.

"You came," Jan said, sounding really shocked. "You're here."

"We're here," Mom agreed. "We support each other."

I half expected music to start playing as Mom went into this speech about family and togetherness and something about bunches. I tuned it out and only paid attention when Mom said something about needing to pick up Jon and Sandy from the airport.

That left us three girls, women, staring at each other. Jan broke the silence.

"So, you're pregnant. Is it weird?" she asked Marcia. "I don't know if I want kids. It's a big decision."

"Yeah, it's weird. And it's not like I decided on this, but hey, it'll be something to commemorate the '80's with."

I snorted at the thought of a baby being a reminder of a decade. "I don't think I want kids, either. I wanna be free and easy!"

"You too won't be far behind me," Marcia said, laughing. "I'll remind you of this conversation in a couple of years."

As we talked and laughed, I finally saw that everything would be all right within our family, and I was glad.

Unlike the circus of Marcia's wedding, Jan's was simple and small. The backyard had chairs set up facing a flowered canopy, where the minister and Peter were waiting.

Both Jan and Peter had opted for no attendants, and she walked out by herself. (She had told me that she had asked Mike, but he thought it would look odd to be giving his 'daughter' to his son.) The minister went right to the vows, and in ten minutes, it was over.

I guess I could tell you about everything that happened after, but I'll just tell what stuck out in my mind. Mom and Mike being cordial (although they were never really hostile), Greg's wife Norah and Marcia comparing pregnancy symptoms, watching Peter and Jan's first dance... seeing the love on their faces.

So in the end, everything worked out. After the wedding, I reclaimed my 'brothers', and it felt just like it did when I was growing up, but it was different, of course. If I could say one thing to sum everything up, I would say that I learned that family has a flexible meaning. That came home to me when everyone gathered for graduations, weddings (and Bobby and Sandy are still the weirdest couple ever, I say) and just because we could, sometimes.

This was our new normal, which was fine with me.

Ya'll, thanks so much! Props!