A/N: Thanks for the reviews, keep it up! Here's Mallory's Chapter, Claudia, Dawn, and Logan should be coming soon, in that order. Then (hopefully) everything will be nicely set up for a dramatic reunion!

Dear Mallory

Hi, how are you? It's been so long since I've heard from you – at least six months, I think! I've been doing a lot of thinking lately, about what I really want out of life, now that I can't dance. I think that's why I'm looking forward to this BSC reunion so much. I want to remember a time when dance wasn't everything to me, and I guess be reminded that I do have other talents –

"Mommy! Mommy! MOMMY!" I sighed. Jessi's letter had arrived 3 days ago, and I still hadn't read it. My eldest daughter, Stephanie, rushed into the room.

"Kate's cheating!" She cried. I sighed again. But before I could say anything, an ear splitting shriek came down the stairs. Lisa was awake. Again. I'd only put her down for the night half an hour ago.

"William," I called into the kitchen, "Can you get Lisa?"

He came into the living room, holding a tea towel in one hand and a plate in the other. "I'm kind of busy," he said, adding pointedly "No one has washed the dishes for three days now."

I gritted my teeth and started to climb the stairs. "While you're up there, you should put Mark to bed," William called after me. Muttering under my breath I went into our bedroom and picked up the screaming Lisa. She's the youngest in our family, at four months. Then there's the twins, Jennifer and Devon who are one and a half, Mark who is three, Kate who's four and Stephanie, who is the eldest at 5. Six kids all under 5 was just too much sometimes. My mom comes in and helps a couple of days a week, but refuses to do more, on the basis that she plans on enjoying herself now she's finally got all 8 of us out from under her feet. I guess she has a point, but that doesn't stop me from wishing we had more help.

It was past midnight when I finally got to bed that night. As I pulled back the covers, I realised I still hadn't read Jessi's letter. Oh well. It would just have to wait even longer.

The next morning I tried to read Jessi's letter during breakfast, but it was complete pandemonium. We had run out of cheerios and Kate was refusing to eat anything else. Stephanie was worrying over being late for Kindergarten like last week, Mark was running round and round the table making airplane noises, stopping occasionally to grab a bite of toast, Jen and Devon were making their usual mess in their high chairs, and Lisa was screaming for no apparent reason.

I was trying to calm Lisa, and wipe Jen's snotty nose at the same time when the phone rang. I could still hear the shower running upstairs so I knew Will wasn't going to answer it. As I stood up, I looked at my children and snapped,

"Kate, fine. Don't eat any breakfast. But you're not getting anything more until morning snack time. You won't be late for Kindergarten Steph, Grandma's coming remember? She'll drive you over as soon as she arrives. Sit down and eat your breakfast RIGHT NOW Mark, or you will NOT be getting a snack this morning."

With all of them staring wide eyed at me I stepped over a pile of toys lying on the floor and picked up the phone.

"Hello?"

"Is that you Mallory? It's Kristy. I'm just calling about the reunion - "

"Listen, this isn't the best time for - "

"Oh, it'll only take a minute." Kristy barreled on. "I just need to know how many people you can have to stay over the weekend."

"None." I snapped. "We don't have a guest room, remember?"

"But, you said you could squeeze someone in when I asked you before."

"Well I can't," I said coldly. "I've thought it over some more and it's just impossible."

"Thank you very much," Kristy said sarcastically. "You have completely screwed up my accommodation arrangements for everyone."

"Maybe," I interrupted, "you should have checked with me BEFORE you made your arrangements? And has it occurred to you that people can make their own plans? We're adults now Kristy. Not little middle schoolers you can boss round any more."

"Fine." Kristy said tightly. "I'll call you back sometime when you're not in such a bad mood."

"Fine." I snapped. Then I slammed the phone down. "Good luck finding me in a good mood though," I said to the wall in front of me.