Lunch flew by.

Everyone soon found something to do. Even Lilibet got in on the action when she was invited to help in a cookie-baking project. The atmosphere was soon buzzing with people work hard.

Alexis and Alexandra were invited to work on the dinosaur cake. Today's crowning jewel. The item that had drawn Alexis' curiosity about baking day in the first place.

Laid out at the baking station in the middle of the room were all the materials they would need… along with one large sheet cake, and a slightly smaller bundt cake. Both happened to be frostingless.

"Allie told me that this cake is going to be dinosaur-themed," Alexis recalled. "But she neglected to mention which nephew it's for."

Horatio laughed. "The cake is for dear Thaddeus. He is almost five. Dinosaurs are his favorite thing on the planet right now."

Alexis made a mental note to find a dinosaur encyclopedia for Thaddeus. "Okay. I'll remember that. What is the bundt cake for? The actual volcano? I haven't built this kind of layered cake in awhile."

"You are very astute. The bundt cake is for the volcano." replied Horatio. "Just when did you last create a tiered cake?"

"Last October, for a girl in my building. I babysat her for years until her family moved to England. Melody asked me for an owl cake. So I made her one."

"How many tiers was it?"

"Three. It turned out really well."

Horatio shook his head in wonder.

Zadie pointed to a small plastic tub of chocolate frosting on the counter. "We will use that to secure the bundt cake to the sheet cake—but only for that part because the inside layers of both cakes are also chocolate."

"It sounds like Thaddeus is a chocolate hound…"

"You have no idea." Alexandra dead-panned. "The amount of chocolate that Joelle went through when she carried him was remarkable."

Horatio got things back on topic. "After things are secured, we going to dig an impression in the sheet cake so it can be filled with blue piping gel before we move on to the actual volcano. Do you think you two can help us out?"

"Absolutely." Alexis confirmed as she re-secured her apron from where it had come undone. "I love trying new things."

Alexandra held Alexis' apron steady for her as she told her parents, "I'm in, too."

Alexis tacked on a new question. "Do we have any dinosaurs to decorate the cake with?"

Zadie shook her head. "We don't. But Joelle will be coming by in awhile with an assortment for us. Now quit stalling—time to work!"

After an hour's worth of extra cutting, stacking, measuring, and filling, Alexis and Alexandra had finished with the main part of cake. Now it was time to let it set. Then they could move on to the next stage.

Alexis perched herself on a stool at the side of the room. She wanted to have a quick rest.

Alexandra pressed a fresh glass of water into her hands. "Drink. You're going to hear it a lot, but it's going to be really important for you to stay hydrated these days."

Alexis accepted the offering and had a drink. "I can really use all the mommy tips I can get right now. You and Zadie are really all I have in that department."

"Hm." Alexandra mused. "I can see how that is. You and Meredith are not talking, pregnancy is not something you'd readily discuss with your grandmother, Kate isn't at that stage of life yet, and you don't really know my sisters or Jenny like that. Yet."

Alexis nodded. "Yep. Zadie has been really sweet, though."

"Is that so?" Alexandra spoke softly so they wouldn't be heard. "I want to hear about what you were talking about in the office, but let me guess: you told her of Bean?"

"I did. And she's elated. On top of all that, Zadie has already expressed love for me like she's got for the rest of you."

"Wow. She only loves on the newcomers like that when she is positively sure about how things will go."

"That is powerful intuition." Alexis remarked. "And this is all so much… But I have loved every moment so far…"

Alexandra hugged Alexis. Warmly.

It would be a few more weeks before Alexis' mood swings would even out, but she was willing to wait. To be patient. Alexis was worth it.

"You're going to be okay." Alexandra murmured comfortingly to Alexis. "It all gets better. Trust me."

Alexis deepened the hug. Alexandra had always made her feel very safe. It was a feeling she cherished.

"Thank you." she whispered.

Alexandra dropped a kiss to Alexis' crown. "Any time. I mean it. Always for you."

Their quiet bubble was burst by the tinkling of the bell over the back door.

Although this person was dressed in a basic work outfit, the pale skin, well-built frame, bright blue eyes, and cropped hair the color of chocolate all indicated to Alexis that this was the oldest Ryan sibling. Joelle.

Unsurprisingly, Lilibet was off like a rocket when she spotted her.

"Auntie Sassy's here!"

Joelle responded by scooping her up in a hug. The two quietly caught up.

Alexis looked at Alexandra in surprise. "Did Bette just call her 'Auntie Sassy'?"

"One of my big sister's more domineering traits is her no-filter mouth." Alexandra explained. "Horatio and Zadie find it endearing. The rest of us call her 'Sassy' as a nickname. Bette uses it because for the longest time, she couldn't say Joelle."

"Did someone say my name?"

The woman in question was before them. Lilibet was on her hip.

"Hey, Sassy." Alexandra greeted her. "Could your other half not make it?"

"Mhm."

She then sidled up to Alexis.

"I'm Joelle. You must be Allie's Alexis." the other woman smiled broadly. "My sister hasn't stopped talking about you for two years now."

Hearing this information took Alexis by surprise.

Turning to Alexandra again, she said, "This is true?"

Alexandra nodded, blushing. "Yep. Leave it to my sister to blab things out of the blue."

"Well, it can't be out of the blue if it's been two whole years. And your face changed color awfully fast…"

Lilibet tittered to Joelle, "Mama is all red! She's way silly!"

"I agree." Joelle gave her a plastic bag full of miniature dinosaurs from her purse. "Why don't you run along to show the others what we've got for Thad's cake now?"

Lilibet departed from the adults' company immediately. She was pleased to have a task.

Joelle turned back to her sister. "Alexandra Joy, how have you never mentioned what a cutie Alexis is?"

"I guess I just wanted to keep her to myself for as long as I could…"

Alexis almost dropped her water glass. First, because she was unused to being called cute by women, and second because of Alexandra's admission. What butterflies the last part created.

But Zadie chose this moment to join them. "Why is Alexandra all red?"

"Because," Joelle said swiftly. "I in not so many words mentioned that she turns into a lovesick puppy where Alexis is concerned."

"Now there is a true truth." Zadie said in amusement.

"Gee, thanks, ma." Alexandra muttered.

"I just speak it like it is, dear." Zadie turned her youngest around and gave her a gentle push towards their baking station. "Please go get the frosting pipes ready."

Alexandra bowed herself out of the situation.

Zadie spoke sheepishly to their guest when she had gone. "I am sorry about that."

Joelle smirked. "Not me. Getting to know our family is like diving blindfolded into the deep end of a swimming pool."

"That is colorful, but accurate." Alexis laughed. "Good thing I know how to swim."

"Oh, I like the way that you think." Joelle hugged her. "Please excuse me now. I need to go catch up with my sister."

Alexis bobbed her head in understanding.

She said to Zadie, "You obviously know how I feel about Alexandra and Lilibet. I also like Joelle a lot already now. I've also known Kevin since I was fifteen. I'm even getting to know about Jenny more. But what about the remainders? Will Emilie and Bellamy like me?"

"Even as adults, all of my children—and Jenny—live in a world where Joelle's word is law. The dynamic there is fascinating." Zadie reflected."If Joelle likes you this much already, Emilie and Bellamy will, too. But you'll have to wait for another time to see them."

"I wish I had siblings…"

Zadie eyed her friend close. "You're what—nineteen, twenty?"

"I will be twenty next month." confirmed Alexis.

"Hm. I will remember that." Zadie winked. "Almost two whole decades, and no siblings? Well… It's plain that Allie is very fond of you, but if you want the sibling experience, you are more than welcome to borrow Kevin, Jenny, Joelle, Emilie, or Bellamy whenever you like."

This brought a smile to Alexis' face. "Wow. Thank you, Zadie. You're so sweet."

"I try." Zadie pulled Alexis to her feet. "Ready to go finish up on the cake now?"

Alexis perked up. "Yes!"

And as Alexis rejoined the others, she just felt lighter than air.

Why? Because she knew that it could only get better from here.