Dean and Adam sent the quadruplets off to get dressed and go down for breakfast. Dean tied Adam's sneakers for him.
"What are the chances they will have forgotten?" Adam asked as Dean finished with his shoes.
Dean moved to sit on the bed next to his husband. "About a million to one. We just have to make them feel as safe and comfortable as possible. I know Missus Henderson wouldn't have said anything. I am curious as to who talked about it." Dean hated gossip more than anything specially when it involved his family.
Adam nodded. "Me too. I'll ask Ida on the sly. Dean, I have to answer their questions, but how detailed? I don't want them coming to me in ten years from now, angry because I didn't tell them everything. Randal Orton left me in a bad spot. He should be the one telling them, not me."
"Well baby, he can't. He did talk to them a bit, when he was first arrested and staying here. They can go to him when they are older. Yes, ask Ida. All we can do is our best. I won't allow you to be stressed. We are the parents. Come on, I am hungry and Saturday is pancake day." Dean stood, then helped his pregnant husband to stand.
Adam stood with a grunt. "You'd better increase your workouts before I get bigger. By the time the quads were about to be born, Randy had to call Hunter to help pull me up. I peed myself, more than once, waiting for Hunter to run up the street." Adam laughed at the memory.
Dean laughed. "I'll get some Depends for you. Don't worry, I will get you up, even if I have to buy a crane." Adam laughed as the couple went downstairs to have breakfast.
The fun thing about pancake Saturday, was Ida let the children make their own pancakes. Dean took over supervising so Adam could have a private word with Ida.
"...so do you know where they heard it from?" Adam finished explaining what the quads had asked last night.
Ida sighed. "I'm not sure who. I do know it was from some of the Troost parents. They were gossiping about rumors and it came up. Some of the Troost children probably over heard it. I'm sorry, Adam. I tried to get them away sooner, but Billy and James were having such fun." She felt bad, but she had tried.
Adam hugged Ida. "Oh Ida, not your fault. I just wanted to be prepared. I'm going to speak to Headmaster Sandow. I want Billy back at the Academy, without embarrassing his mom. I'll figure it out. Billy had to leave because of Randy, now his money can put Billy back where he belongs. I would home school before I sent mine to Troost. How about something special for supper, it is going to be a tough day."
"Spaghetti and meatballs. That would be wonderful for Billy. You are a good man, Adam. Now, Go eat some breakfast." Ida gently turned Adam and pointed him toward the kitchen table.
Adam went with a laugh. When he sat down, Jade put a plate of misshapen pancakes in front of her daddy. "Blueberry, your favorite, daddy. I am getting better, at least these aren't square." Jade laughed but she was proud of her effort.
Adam gave Jade a hug and a kiss. "You are doing better, baby. But I would love them, no matter the shape."
Dean laughed. "You know, blueberries actually started this little family." He recalled when Jade had eaten two pints of blueberries on his and Adam's first date.
Jade let out a cheer. "I won us dad!"
"Because you were a pig and ate two pints of blueberries." Jordan spoke in a slightly nasty tone of voice.
Dean looked at Jordan. "Jordan Michael Ambrose. You apologize to your sister right this minute."
Jordan hung his head. "I'm sorry, Jade. I didn't mean to call you a pig." He looked at Jade.
"Okay, Jor. Thanks. But, I was a big pig. Come on, I will help you make your pancakes." Jade smiled at her brother.
Adam spoke. "Thank you for saying sorry." He was proud of his children. They never really fought, or stayed mad at each other.
"Yes, I am also proud of you. Okay, after breakfast we can talk, okay?" Dean spoke as he helped Jordan flip a nearly round pancake.
James nodded. "Okay, dad." He took a bite of food.
The family continued their happy breakfast. Ida took over and kept her family fed and happy.
Roman entered Seth's hospital room. Seth fed Tamati a bottle of formula. "Hello my dear boys. How are you, love?" Roman asked as he kissed Seth, then his son. He put the bag of fast food breakfast on the tray table.
Seth beamed. "Really good. He's eating like a little wild boar." He beamed brighter when Roman took the baby with confidence and continued to feed him.
"Ata sends her love. She's in the nursery, finishing it up. Eat your breakfast, babe. I've got this." Roman settled into the chair next to the bed.
Seth unpacked the bag. Roman had gotten all his favorites. "Thanks, babe. The Doctor will be here a bit later. We might be able to go home this afternoon. Roman, isn't he perfect?" As he ate he stared at his husband and son.
Roman nodded. "Perfectly, perfect. Thank you, Seth. Thank you for being my world. I can't imagine what hell my life would be without you. You will never understand, how much I truly love you."
Seth couldn't stop the tears that fell. "Oh Roman. I would be nothing without you. I love you, my Samoan warrior." He blew Roman a kiss. The new parents simply relished in each other, and their newborn son.
At the Helmsley house, breakfast had just ended. Nancy had made easy scrambled eggs with biscuits, juice and coffee.
Shawn, Hunter and Shane were dressed in black suits, stark white shirts and black ties. Megan dressed in a pretty black dress. They were going to the cemetery to inter Vince McMahon's ashes.
"I really appreciate you doing this for me. You don't have to go if you'd rather visit Seth." Shane was honest. He didn't want to be a burden.
"We're proud to be with you, son. Seth and Roman will always be there. This is important to you, so it is important to us. Besides, I promised Bret I would look after your sister." Hunter spoke to Shane with a slight smile.
Shane nodded. "I appreciate it. It won't take too long. May I take Megan to Tony's later?"
Shawn finished his coffee. "Of course. Megan, remember to take your travel pack. Don't worry, Shane. Hunter and I are glad to be there for you. We will follow you to the cemetery. It's time to go, we have to be there before… Stephanie arrives." He looked at his watch as he spoke.
"I'm ready. I've got my pack." Megan showed her parents the small, nondescript bag that held the things she would need if her pump malfunctioned. Nancy had given Shane a full course on Megan's pump.
Nancy spoke. "Ida and I are going to help Ata finish up Tam's nursery. They could send Seth and the baby home today. Shane, you will be in our thoughts." She gave Shane a gentle hug.
Shane smiled at Nancy. "Thank you. I can't wait to see baby Tam. Okay sweetheart, let's go." He picked up Meg's pack and held her hand.
Shane, Megan, Shawn and Hunter left for the cemetery. The good thing, for the time of year, it was warm and sunny. Not much snow was left.
Back at the Ambrose place, Ida left to help Ata, after Adam assured her it was alright. Dean took his family to the den. They all sat together, snuggled on the couch. Jade and Jordan sat between their dads, Jan and James sat on the other side of Adam. Dean's arm stretched along the back of the couch and pulled his family close.
Adam took a breath and started the difficult conversation. He and Dean decided to let nature take its course. "Why don't you tell me exactly what you heard." He needed to know where to start.
James spoke. "We were playing a game and one of the parents said she'd heard Billy's dad died because of our other dad. They they started whispering. Daddy, they wouldn't let their kids play with us. It made Billy sad. He said he wished he was back at our school. Daddy, we want to save our chore money and give it to Headmaster Sandow. Then Billy can come back to the Academy." As James spoke, his siblings nodded in agreement.
Tears welled up in Adam's eyes. His children were so thoughtful. "Oh my darlings, that is a wonderful thing for you to want to do. I will tell you something. Dad and I are going to get Billy back into the Academy. See, your other dad, Randy, sold his company and gave us all the money. Dad Dean and I are going to help Billy. But, my darlings, you can not say anything to anyone, ever, not even Billy. Promise me, our special pinkie promise." Adam spoke to his children with utter adoration. The Ambrose family then did their special pinkie promise.
They all touched the tips of their left pinkie fingers together, and chanted in chorus. "We promise to never break this promise." It was simple, and a bit childish, but Jade, Jan, James and Jordan had never once broken a pinkie promise.
Shane pulled into the Mount Washington Cemetery in Independence. It was a beautiful, quiet older cemetery. It had been chosen, because Vince was able to build a grand, marble crypt. It was where Linda rested. Shane loved it and usually visited every Sunday. He hoped his mom would understand, after today, he would never return.
The Helmsley's followed Shane down the main road of the cemetery. The McMahon crypt was at the end, where the road made a roundabout. As the two cars parked, a police car pulled up. Stephanie McMahon had arrived.
Hunter was surprised. Chief Bret Hart drove the car. His husband Jason and Agent Kenny Omega were with him.
Hunter went over to his boss. "This is a change. Anything I need to know about? Like an escape attempt?" He was now on alert, was his family in danger?
Bret Hart gave Hunter a clap on the back. "No, not at all. Kenny wanted to pay respects to Shane. We came along for the same reason. So you can relax, we are surrounded, just in case." He leaned in to whisper his last words.
Hunter let out a deep, quiet chuckle. "Got it. It is good to see you. Come to the house for coffee after?"
Bret nodded. "We'd love to. Well, here he comes. Let's get this over with." He looked over when a hearse from McMahon's chosen funeral home arrived.
Stephanie McMahon was helped out of the police car. She wore a slightly baggy orange jumpsuit, with blue sneakers. Her hands were loosely cuffed, but she wasn't fully shackled around the waist and legs.
Shane went to greet his sister. "Hey sis. I am glad you could be here. Steph, this is my girlfriend, Megan Helmsley." He introduced the two. He temporarily forgot, Stephanie knew Megan from trips to the hospital.
"We know each other from Saint Luke's. Miss Helmsley, it is nice to see you looking so healthy. I am glad the insulin pump worked out…" Stephanie turned from Megan to look at Shane.
"I'm glad your happy, Shane. You two make a lovely couple. Shane, I want to speak to you after… alone. Chief hart said I could have fifteen minutes. It won't take that long. Okay?" Stephanie looked at her little brother with a sister's hope.
Shane nodded. "Of course, sis. I will be more than happy to speak to you." Shane smiled at his sister. Before more could be said, the funeral director indicated they were ready to start.
Vince's ashes were in a box made of solid black marble, with solid gold appointments. A large gold plate was engraved "VINCENT KENNEDY MCMAHON" Along with the date of his birth and death.
A gold plate on the top of the box was an engraved quote by Longfellow, "We see but dimly through the mists and vapors; Amid these earthly damps what seem to us but sad, funeral tapers may be Heaven's distant lamps." It was followed by another engraving that read, "Linda, I am coming, look for me."
"If you want, take a few minutes before I inter the urn." The funeral director spoke in a soft voice that had said those same words, many times. He stepped outside the crypt.
"Want me to stay?" Megan asked Shane. She would do whatever her boyfriend wanted her to do.
Shane held fast to Megan's hand. "Please. Shawn, Hunter, all of you, come on in." He wanted his friends around him.
At the Ambrose house, Dean spoke. "...so while yes, dad Randy did bad things, it doesn't mean you will. It is a choice. You can chose to do bad things, Those things might make you a lot of money, but just know, one day, you will have to pay. Look at dad Randy. You can chose to do good things. You might not make a lot of money at first, but good will always be rewarded over evil. So you can do things the easy way or work hard and do them the right way. Do you understand? It is hard for even an adult to know sometimes." Dean hoped his words, at least got through a little bit.
Jade spoke. "It's harder to be good, but that means it's worth it? Is that what it means?" She kind of understood. What she really wanted was to just go play.
"Yes, baby. That's what it means. It's also why dad and I are hard on you sometimes. We want you to be the best you can be. We will always be here for you talk to, no matter what. Now, do you have anything else you want to talk about?" Adam asked with a smile.
James looked at his siblings. They had one their silent quadruplet conversations. "No, daddy. Thanks for 'splainin' things to us. Can we go make a card for baby Tam in the play room?"
Adam nodded. "Yes, you may. Please do try not to get glitter everywhere. James, turn on the monitor when you get downstairs." He waved his children off to go play.
"I will, daddy. We love you." James hurried to catch up with the others. It made Adam and Dean laugh.
At the cemetery, Stephanie and Shane were alone in the crypt. Vince's ashes had been interred next to Linda's. He was now in his eternal resting place.
"Shane, I am done. I am going to plead guilty. I will let the courts decide what to do. I said this before, but now, after today, forget me. I mean it, Shane. I only have one regret. I waited too long for a chance at a family of my own. Shane, forget the name McMahon. If I were you, I'd change it. I love you baby brother. Go live." Stephanie meant every word she said.
"I love you, Steph. You're doing the right thing. You can tell me a million times, but I will never turn my back on you. I would have loved to have been Uncle Shane. No, Steph. I hope to one day, have the name McMahon stand for truth and justice…" He paused and pus his hand on Linda's vault. "Love you, mom. Take care of father." He left Stephanie alone, so she could say her final goodbye.
Bret started to enter the vault. "Chief, no. Please, give her a few minutes. She needs this. Please?" Shane looked at Bret with anxious eyes.
Bret nodded. "Alright. I can respect that. It is a nice place here, Shane. Very peaceful at this end."
"Yeah, it is. Shawn, Hunter, Megan and I are going to head out. We will go to Tony's after we see Champion. Thanks for being here. Come on, Meg. You can drive." Shane wanted away from the cemetery. He handed the keys to Megan.
Shawn understood. "Have fun. Honey, drive carefully. Love you, both of you." He kissed both his daughter and Shane.
"Love you, honey. Drive safely. Bring me a slice." Hunter gave Meg a hug and shook Shane's hand.
They watched as their daughter slowly drove away in Shane's car. They knew it had been hard on Shane. The also knew, Megan would get him through it. What they didn't know was what Stephanie was going to say.
When Ida returned home to start lunch for her family, she found Dean making grilled cheese and tomato soup. Adam sat at the table and chopped onions.
"Well, glad to know you won't starve. Adam dear, are those for the meatballs?" Ida put on her apron as she spoke
"Yes, I knew you would need them. I can't cook, but I can chop. How is the nursery?" Adam asked as he continued to chop.
Ida gently nudged Dean away from the stove. He moved with a laugh. "It's all finished. Ata had most of it done. It is so cheerful, yellow and white. Tamati will be happy. Roman called and said if Seth's next check is alright, they will be home at six. If not, then maybe in the morning." She gave the news as she finished the lunch and started the sauce for supper.
Dean began to chop the tomatoes Ida gave him with a wink. "I would expect them to be home today. Seth's conditions should end now the baby is here. Adam, that reminds me, I want to monitor your blood pressure more often. I'm not worried, but preeclampsia can be sudden. You have no history, but I guess seeing Seth… scared me." Dean was in full physician mode.
"But dad, you're a doctor. Doctor's don't get scared, do they?" Jordan asked. The children had come into the kitchen, so they really hadn't "dropped eaves."
Dean pulled Jordan in close. "Sure we do, son. Sometimes we get scared at normal things, like a scary movie or book. Sometimes as doctors we get scared that we can't do things to make our patients get better again. That makes us sad too. It is okay to be scared. The thing is, you can't let your fears stop you from trying something. You have to swallow your fears, even though it is very hard to do."
"So you swallowed your fear to help Uncle Sethie and baby Tam?" Jade asked as she sat at her place at the table.
Adam replied. "We both did, honey. I was scared too. But I knew Uncle Seth needed dad and I. You remember your Grandma Judy from the pictures I've shown you? She was frightened to walk home at night, but she did it, because of her job. She wanted me to eat, so she walked home in the dark for nearly a year. You learn to do what you have to do, even if it frightens you."
James was in very deep thought. "Was our other dad afraid? Is that why he did bad things? Because he didn't swallow his fears?"
The depth of James' question even made Ida stop her work. Adam knew he had to try to answer.
"Maybe, James. Maybe he did bad things out of fear, because he didn't know how else to end his fears. Your dad Randy also has a medical condition called IED. Those letters mean long, medical words. It means he can get extremely angry, very quickly. In that moment, something in his brain snaps and he can't stop the anger. He worked very hard to control it, and he takes some medicine that helps. But perhaps, between that and his fears, he did bad things because it was just easier. Can you understand any of that? It is a lot for a seven year old. It's a lot for a twenty-nine year old, like me too. Just remember what dad Dean said, don't let fear control you, you control the fear." Adam answered as best he could. He gave James a kiss on the cheek.
As Ida served their soup and sandwiches, Jade spoke in her unique Jade way. "So did the IED thing break that man's nerve?" She still refused to say Randy's name in any form.
Dean chewed, swallowed, then spoke. "Maybe, Jade. Doctor's aren't sure exactly what causes IED. They just know some people can have it."
"Will we get it? I don't want to be like that. Can you give us a shot to stop it?" Jan asked, with worry on her little face.
Dean smiled at Jan. "No, honey. There isn't any medicine to stop it, only control it. It's like anything, just because he has it, it doesn't mean you will."
"Okay, dad. Thanks. We like it when you and daddy talk to us and answer our questions. You don't say things that other parents say." James responded.
Jade nodded. "Yeah. Like, ask me when your older. If we waited till we were older, we might forget to ask." She took a bite of her soup.
Jade's words made the adults laugh. They also couldn't deny the logic of them. Adam was often awed by his children, now was one of those times.
Across town, Champion and Rusty, a horse from the stable, grazed by the river, that Megan and Shane had ridden to. The couple sat on a large blanket. The February sun was warm, and Megan was even warmer wrapped in Shane's arms. They had also changed into jeans and heavy sweatshirts. Megan always kept extra clothes in her locker at the stables.
"Stephanie is going to plead guilty and in effect, throw herself on the mercy of the court. I think, if she could, she would follow father out." Shane finally spoke. He'd been silent since they had left the cemetery.
Megan nestled more into Shane's arms. "Wow, that's huge. I think daddy will be shocked. Shane… she wouldn't, would she? That would be awful, babe." She crooked her neck to look at her boyfriend.
"No, she's too chicken. Funny though, I heard conversations on both ends. She would have killed father f he didn't give her control of the faction. Father would have killed her if it got her out his way. They both knew that. Yet, they still had the parent/child relationship I always wanted. Well, I have that and more now." Shane spoke with a soft smile. He playfully kissed Megan's nose.
At the Helmsley house, a clothes changed Shawn and Hunter ate the sandwiches Nancy had made for them in Shawn's office. A fire burned warmly in the small fireplace, and made it cozy.
"Think he will be alright? Shane is very hard to read facially." Hunter frowned. As a Detective, he could usually read people by their facial expressions.
Shawn nodded as he chewed. "I know. I think it's a McMahon thing. Vince and Stephanie are also hard to read. Well honey, with he's with our baby, she will see him through it."
Hunter let out the sound he made when he was in deep thought. He smiled when Shawn arched his brow at him.
"I was thinking. I think if she could, Stephanie would do a Dutch act." Hunter gave a shrug. It was just a feeling he had.
Shawn nodded again. "You are not the only one. Bret has her on watch, right?"
"Yes, he does. It's routine after… well yeah, she is under watch. She just isn't aware of how closely… oh, it's Bret." Hunter was interrupted when his police issue cell phone rang.
Hunter answered. "Detective Helmsley… hey boss… really… yeah, I will tell him… it's okay, Bret, come over later or tomorrow… okay… love to Jason… bye." He ended the call.
"He said sorry, but Jason's headache is worse. If he is better they will come over later. Okay, brace yourself. Bret said Stephanie is going to plead guilty and let the Judge decide." Hunter explained what Bret had just told him.
Shawn's eyes grew wide. "Whoa… That was not what I expected you to say. That is going to change everything, including Randy's situation. He really wanted to turn State's evidence. He wanted the quads to maybe, one day say, dad did the right thing in court. Well, not going to worry about it now. It will keep till Monday." He gave his own shrug. He wondered what Brie Bella would say.
Hunter finished his last bite, thought a bit, then spoke. "Randal can still do the right thing for the monkeys. I'm still amazed he sold OP. Well, how about a little drive to Chaumiere Lake? You can do a bit of fishing and I can watch my sexy boy play with his rod." Hunter wiggled his eyebrows at his husband.
Shawn jumped up so fast, he nearly knocked the coffee table over. "I'll go put on my long johns. It's a nice day, but… wait.. it's February, the fish aren't biting!"
Hunter stood. "The fish might not be biting, but I am." He grabbed Shawn and threw him over his shoulder and carried his husband to their bedroom. Hunter had plans for Shawn's "rod". Shawn laughed. Hunter was better than fishing any time.
Stephanie sat in a cell at Chief Hart's station. It was so she could be kept under close watch. She wasn't stupid, she knew why she was there. At the moment, she worked on preparing a written statement to the court.
There were two reasons why she had made the decision to plead guilty. The first, it was logical. No matter how hard she or her lawyers fought, she was guilty. Admitting it, might very well save her neck. Life in prison was at least life.
The second reason, it would be a blow to Randal Orton. Stephanie knew he would testify against her, hoping for mercy at his own trial. It would be the final blow of McMahon vs Orton. It was one last thing she could do for her father. Guards watched closely as Stephanie Marie McMahon's pen flew across the paper as she wrote.
Ata, Ida and Nancy supervised as Jan, Jordan, Jade and James decorated the Reigns' foyer to welcome Seth and Tamati home. Roman had called and said they were being discharged that afternoon. They would be home around six.
"Why can't it all be pink?" Jordan asked as Jade tied a "rope" of yellow crepe paper around the newel post of the staircase.
"Jor, I love you, but pink isn't the only color in the world. It's a very nice color, but, Uncle Sethie likes yellow for Tam-Tam." Jade explained as she finished tying the yellow rope.
Jordan's face crinkled as he took a good look at the yellow crepe paper. "You know… yellow does go with pink. They are both happy."
Ata listened to the children talk. "Jordan dear, what do you mean?" She was curious. The quads intrigued her, as the mother of twins. Were quads more connected than twins?
Jordan looked at her with a smile. "You can't look at pink and be sad. Yellow is like that too. So pink and yellow are happy." He ended with a shrug. He didn't know how else to say it.
Ata gave Jordan a hug. "That makes sense. So how about we twist some pink and yellow together?" She held the two rolls in her hands. That made Jordan happy. Ata, Ida and Nancy kept it fun, but under control as they continued to decorate.
Megan and Shane held hands as they rode back to the stables. Shane was worried Meg would get too cold in the late afternoon.
Megan watched Shane ride. "You know, you and Rusty would do well in Western Pleasure. We could compete together, but not against each other. At least not until you're brave enough to switch to English tack." Megan teased her boyfriend.
Shane chuckled. "You just want to see me in chaps and a vest. Nope, I like my western tack, just fine, thank you. You know, it might be fun at that. I'll be at all your shows anyway. Might was well try to compete. You know, Rusty is for sale."
"I know. He is an excellent horse, show trained and he gets along with Champion. They would travel well together in the trailer. Shane, my dads would help you buy him." Megan spoke with excitement. The idea sounded wonderful.
Megan had another thought. "It would also be a great way for you to relax from the law stuff. Daddy goes fishing, dad golfs. You can ride… if you wanted to." She wanted Shane to have something to turn to when he needed a break. Horseback riding was perfect for that.
Shane squeezed Megan's hand. "You know, you're right. I love riding. I know they would help, but I do have money. Might as well use it the way I want to, and not the way he wanted me to. Like the best car, best clothes. Those things don't matter to me, never did. Okay, I will make an offer for Rusty. Would you like that boy?" Shane asked as he leaned forward in the saddle.
The couple laughed when both Rusty and Champion neighed loudly. Both rider urged their horses into an easy lope as they headed back. Rusty would soon be owned by Shane.
Seth Reigns kept turning in his seat to make sure Tamati was secure and safe in his car seat. It made Roman chuckle.
"Honey, you're going to get whiplash. Next time just ride in the backseat with him." Roman spoke with a laugh as Seth turned again in the passenger seat.
Seth laughed in return. "I didn't even realize I was doing that. No, he's alright. I want him to start early to be independent. Well, not too independent. I still can't believe he is here." Seth resisted the urge to turn again.
"Okay, I am taking bets. Will Adam be there?" Roman asked as he turned onto Gladstone Boulevard.
Seth chuckled. "Nope, Dean will make him wait. I will bet on decorations though."
"Ah, I will take that bet. Jordan pink?" Roman countered as he waited at a stop light.
Seth laughed so loud, baby Tamati gurgled a happy sound. "He laughed, Ro! Such a smart little man. We will be home soon, baby boy." He cooed over the passenger seat.
"I know Adam, but give them time to settle in. We can go over tomorrow, okay? I would expect the same with this one." Dean spoke to his husband as they relaxed in the den.
Adam sighed. "Yes, you are right, babe. I let my excitement get ahead of me. Gosh… I didn't realize… I miss them, Dean." He looked at the monitor on the coffee table. The quads happily played in their playroom.
Dean kissed his husband. "we can play Candy Land in here, after dinner. Oh, Ida is calling. I'm hungry, I love her spaghetti and meatballs." Dean jumped up when Ida called out for dinner.
"Kids, come wash up. Dinner is ready." Adam called his children over the monitor intercom.
"Coming, daddy." James pressed the button to talk.
It wasn't long before the Ambrose family enjoyed their dinner, lovingly made by Ida.
At the Helmsley house, Nancy smiled softly. Shawn and Hunter had been locked in their bedroom all afternoon. She was happy for them. It had been a while since they had made time for each other… like that.
Nancy made a plate of Shawn and Hunter's favorite sandwiches. It was their favorite thing to have after… well, just after. She covered the plate, put it in the fridge and went to her adjoining apartment.
Ata happily opened the door for her little family. Roman carried the baby in one arm and Seth's bag with his free hand. Seth was hugged by Ata.
Seth grinned when he entered the house. A welcome home Seth and Tamati poster hung across a crepe paper rope of pink and yellow. It was lovely.
Megan and Shane were at Tony's. They shared a very large pepperoni pizza. They also split a huge salad. Tony insisted that they needed their healthy food. It made the young couple laugh.
"I can't believe you bought Rusty. You're going to love owning a horse." Megan was excited for her boyfriend. She was also still shocked that he did so fast.
Shane smiled. "I am a man of many surprises. Not sure about riding in shows yet, but I love riding with you."
It had been a tough day but a good day. There were a lot of tough talks, but good ones too. Who knew what would happen next.