They were still at it when Luka came into the kitchen with Lauren for an early morning feeding. Susan, Abby and Susie were huddled around the kitchen table with the Scrabble game. Abby looked up with bleary eyes.
"'I was wondering when she would be awake," she said with a smile. Luka handed the baby to her.
"Have you been at this all night?" he asked in surprise.
"It's her fault, " Susan and Abby said at the same time as they pointed at Susie. She grinned and shook her head.
"They are such sorry losers." Susan swatted Susie on the back of the head with a soft cover dictionary. "Ow!"
"Well, I know that she is," Luka tipped his head toward Abby who was jostling and smiling at her daughter. "You must have had quite a time of it with two of them." Abby looked up at him and scowled.
"Okay...that's enough," Susan said. "Let's put the game away and have some breakfast."
"Hey..." Susie cried. "You're only saying that because you've got more points right now. I've got a word to use."
"Aw, save it, Einstein," Susan said as she picked the board up and slid the letter tiles into the game box. "Get the griddle for me from the pantry shelf. The coffee is fresh, by the way." Susie shook her head and grinned as she stood up and headed for the pantry. Luka poured himself a cup of coffee from the coffee maker on the counter.
"We will be right back," Abby said as she stood up and headed for the livingroom with Lauren. Susan finished putting the game away and smiled.
"She is so happy, Luka," she said as he sat at the table with her. "That's good to see." He smiled and took a drink from the coffee cup.
"How about you? Still liking the chief's job?"
"I could do without all the paperwork and bureaucratic crap," he said with a shrug. Susan laughed. Susie came back in with the electric griddle in her hands.
"Can I make the pancakes?" she asked. Susan exchanged glances with Luka.
"Sure," Luka said. Susie grinned and busied herself with the box of pancake mix and bowls.
"How are you getting along with Kerry?" Susan asked as she stood up and took some sausage from the refrigerator. "And what have you heard from Carter?"
Abby sat in a comfortable chair in the livingroom nursing Lauren and listening to the conversation from the kitchen. She glanced out the window and smiled at the sight of the rising sun. Her head was ringing from the lack of sleep but it had been fun. She looked up as Cosmo came slipping down the stairs on his bottom. He bounced over to her chair and grinned.
"What 'cha doing?" he asked as he pressed himself against her knees to see the baby.
"Giving Lauren some breakfast," Abby said. She tried to contain her smile as he carefully studied the nursing baby. He shook his sandy blonde hair and spun around in his Thomas the Tank Engine pajamas.
"I like Frooty Loops for breakfast," he announced firmly. Abby chuckled.
"I'm sure she will too when she is as big as you." Cosmo stopped spinning and looked at her. He came closer and watched Lauren for a minute longer and then headed into the kitchen. Abby sighed and rubbed a finger on her daughter's soft cheek. Lauren pulled away from her breast and smiled up at her. Abby grinned. She buttoned her sweater again and kissed Lauren's cheek. She looked up as Chuck came down the steps. He was toweling his hair dry and grinned at her.
"I heard you last night," he said. "Did the three of you get any sleep at all?" Abby shook her head. He sighed.
"Then I guess I get to do daddy duty all day while they do it today, eh?" He draped the towel on the stair bannister.
"Can I have her for a while?" he asked. Abby lifted Lauren up to him and Chuck held her out to check her over.
"Oh man...you have got your work cut out for you," he said with a smile. "I am going to have to lend Luka the shot gun I'm gonna get when Susie starts dating, eh?" Chuck buried his nose in Lauren's neck and kissed her.
"Something smells good. Let's go have some breakfast." Abby nodded as he headed into the kitchen with Lauren. She sat still for a moment and listened to them all. This is the life she had wanted when she was growing up. It was nice having it now.
"Rules of the Road," she said softly to herself. "Rule number 8...never give up on the good things." Luka stuck his head out of the kitchen.
"Hey, don't start napping yet," he warned. "Breakfast is on the table!" Abby smiled and stood up. He held out his hand and waited for her to come close. Luka smiled and kissed her before drawing her to the table.