A/N: Oh wow, I've had this on my computer for weeks...I thought I'd already posted it! I've been pretty busy with school starting for the year, and the homework is piling on already (last year of high school), so I'll probably be updating slower than in the holidays, butI hope I'll get this finished soon! Just enough chapters to tie up all the loose ends now...Anyway, hope you all like this new chapter, and please review!

Four o'clock, Friday. It was the day. And I, Kristy Mathews, was nervous. I hadn't expected to be, but now that it was time for everybody to arrive I was pacing the kitchen anxiously. It didn't help that I was also irritated that James had rung half an hour ago to say he wasn't going to make it in time. He promised he'd be home as soon as possible, but since he had also promised he would be home in the first place I wasn't going to hold my breath. Suddenly, the doorbell rang. I looked at the clock. 4:01. Close enough I supposed.

I opened the door. Standing on the step was Shannon. She was wearing black pants, and a cream colour tailored jacket over a pale blue shirt. Her hair was tied back in a loose ponytail. She also had a light dusting of makeup on. I immediately felt frumpy in comparison. Maybe I should have gone for something a little more dressy than a blouse and a pair of jeans.

"Hi Kristy," She said with a small smile. "Who else is here?"

"No one," I replied. "You're the first."

Shannon's smile shrank a bit. My anxiety kicked up a level. This had not been a good idea. We were all going to sit in total silence all weekend. We wouldn't have anything in common anymore. It was going to be a complete –

"Kristy! Shannon! Hi!" Coming up the path was Mary Anne, holding a small boy by the hand. Following her was a man carrying a wee girl (her husband, I assumed) and Dawn, holding the hands of two more children. Mary Anne was wearing a dark red skirt with a white shirt. She had a small amount of makeup on too. I guess we were all feeling the need to make a good impression. Dawn, on the other hand was wearing a t shirt and jeans. And no makeup.

"Oh my gosh!" Mary Anne exclaimed! "I haven't seen you guys for so long!"

At that moment, a car pulled up the drive. Seeing Abby climb out, followed by 2 more kids (and her husband), I realised I'd better take charge.

"I've got four babysitters lined up for tonight." I announced. "Emily Michelle and Eleanor Marshall are upstairs, ready to take the babies. Lucy Newton and Marnie Barrett are out back to take anyone over three."

Dawn stared at me. "You just couldn't have one unorganized minute could you?" She said, shaking her head.

Mary Anne started leading her son round the back. She looked towards Dawn's children and said "Come on, River, Stormiee Skye. Follow me." My jaw dropped. So did Shannon's.

"River?" I said incredulously. "You named your children River and Stormiee Skye?"

Dawn lifted her chin, looking like she was about to retort angrily. But we were interrupted by Abby and her family.

"Hi guys," Abby said, sounding tired. She looked tired too. She was very pale, with huge bags under her eyes. Not at all the Abby I remembered from High School. "This is my husband Josef, and son Jonathan. The baby is Adva," She added.

"Abby!" Dawn exclaimed. "You look awful! I bet it's all the additives and processed food - "

Abby interrupted her. "I did not come here to be hassled about my diet," she snapped. "If I'm going to spend this weekend being insulted and lectured, I'm going home right now."

Before Dawn could reply to that, Shannon jumped in to defuse the situation.

"And I didn't come here to stand around on Kristy's doorstep." She said with a smile. "How about we head inside?"