Chapter 238
Ten days later the tour bus pulled into LA.
"I've never been happier to see LA" said Tegan looking tired.
"Same here. A whole 10 days off!" said Sara.
"When do you have to be back at work Kate?" asked Tegan.
"Little over a week" said Kate.
"You guys going to the lake to unwind?"
"I think we're just going to enjoy our home for a few days. Maybe we'll go up there for a few days later"
"I hear ya, I just want to be home for a while" laughed Tegan.
"Guys… I just wanted to say thank you for letting me tag along for four and a half months. I really had the time of my life. I loved it. I'm going to miss you like crazy" said Kate becoming teary.
"It was an absolute pleasure Kate. Oh and don't worry bud, I'm sure they're going to be riding your ass so hard after your time off you won't have time to miss us. We'll miss you though" said Tegan with her arm around Kate's shoulder.
Kate was clearly becoming emotional but she tried her best to hide it. Sara stood behind Kate and put her arms around her neck and kissed her temple. Kate rubbed Sara's arm up and down.
-0-
Kate was throwing a few last things in her bag up in their sleeping area when Sara walked in.
"I'm going to miss our little love nest" Kate lauged.
"Yeah right! Not very conducive to loving though but it was cozy" said Sara snorting.
"Keep it warm when I'm not here. Hopefully I can return to the nest soon" said Kate.
"I'd like that but Kate... We both know the demands of your job. It will be hard for you to get away" said Sara.
"Hard but not impossible" said Kate hefting a bag onto the bed.
"I love you" said Sara.
"Love you too" said Kate staring down at the bag.
"We need to talk about the future when we get home... I already hate being away from you" said Sara.
"Me too babe, me too. I kind of... dread going back to work. After what happened to Amelia... I don't know, it's going to be hard" said Kate.
"She'll be fine baby, we'll make sure we have two epi pens around her at all times and..."
"It's not that, I know you'll take good care of her I just... Being around sick kids..." Said Kate shaking her head and looked down.
"You're going to be fine, I promise" said Sara and pulled Kate's chin up. She kissed her softly.
"Everyone's downstairs and traffic sucks, we have at least half an hour till we're home. Want to make sure we leave the nest with happy memories?" Kate smiled.
"Hell yeah!" Said Sara and pushed Kate down onto the bed playfully.
-0-
"Homeeee" said Tegan walking into her living room. She plonked down the bags in her hands, closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
"Damn I love this place" she said to Lindsey, the kids ran past her into the kitchen.
"Me too, best place in the world. Right here, with you guys" said Lindsey and kissed Tegan tenderly.
"Where do you want the bags ladies?" said a crew member carrying luggage into the house.
"Just down the hall to the right please" said Tegan blushing.
"You're blushing" said Lindsey and playfully pinched Tegan's bum while kissing her flushed cheek.
"I… am really looking forward to not sharing a room with two toddlers and to not having neighbors two feet away on the bus. I think the twins will enjoy a few hours at play group tomorrow" winked Tegan.
"Tegan we're supposed to go with them to play group" Lindsey laughed.
"Okay… let's ask Grandma to come spend a bit of time in her new pad then so they can have a sleepover"
"I love your mom… but I want you all to myself for a few days. We're going to Canada two weeks from now, first show's in Vancouver. I'll share with the kids. They're sleeping so well these days. I think they'll give us some privacy" said Lindsey into Tegan's ear.
"I love you… I love how you stir my insides… how you make me throb with just a few words" Tegan whispered running her hands up and down Lindsey's back.
"If you found those words sexy you really need to get laid" Lindsey laughed and slapped Tegan on the bum. "Let's go, I hear the kids breaking down the kitchen"
"I'll be right there, let me just check if that's all our luggage" said Lindsey and left through the front door.
When Tegan came into the kitchen the entire Tupperware cupboard was thrown out. Plastic containers and juice bottles were thrown everywhere. The twins gave them a guilty look.
"Guys no! This makes mommy mad. You know you're not allowed to do this" she scolded them.
Ryan kicked a container and it went flying across the floor. Casey laughed and almost did the same but stopped when Tegan spoke.
"Don't do that or you're going to the naughty corner" said Tegan.
Ryan picked up a container and threw it in a challenge at Tegan.
"That's it… go to the naughty mat" said Tegan pointing her finger, her face strict.
Ryan's lip started trembling and he started crying. Casey put her hand in the cupboard and pulled out some more containers.
"Oh no you didn't little miss" said Tegan looking strict.
"Both of you come, naughty mat" said Tegan. She took their hands and led them to a mat in the corner of the living room with two plastic toddler chairs on it. Both were now sobbing sadly.
"Mommy no mat" Ryan said.
"Mama Lin" Casey cried.
"Don't make me out to be the bad guy here. Mom's not going to come save you. You made your choices. Very naughty" said Tegan strictly and turned around so she didn't have to face her dramatically sobbing toddlers.
"It looks like World War 3 in the kitchen guys. No wonder you're on the naughty mat" said Lindsey.
"Mama" both cried and walked to Lindsey for some sympathy.
"No, go back to the mat" said Lindsey.
"Stay on the mat you two" said Tegan and turned to the kitchen. She started picking up containers.
"They should be helping" said Lindsey in the doorway.
"I know. I hate disciplining them" said Tegan almost in tears.
"I know but you know that kids need boundaries, they're going to keep pushing until they find that boundary"
"Yeah… I guess" said Tegan. "It wasn't the throwing out of the stuff, it was the way they both challenged me. Ryan just about chucked a container at me and Casey just kept throwing stuff out"
"You're doing a great job with them Tegan. We both are, I'm proud of us. This will all be forgotten in a few hours and I think they'll think twice before pulling a stunt like this again" said Lindsey.
"The terrible two's is no myth" Tegan laughed. "They've been remarkably good throughout the tour though. They've been uprooted daily with no real routine to speak of. I'm actually so proud of them"
"So am I, they're special kids" smiled Lindsey.
Twenty minutes later Lindsey had warmed the lunch that Erin had kindly left in the fridge for them, Tegan and Lindsey went to check on the two in the naughty corner.
They couldn't believe their eyes when they saw that they were actually still on the naughty mat. The two sat on the little chairs, quietly holding hands, looking down. It broke Tegan's heart.
"Come here you two" said Tegan on her knees.
The twins eyed Tegan looking guilty.
"Come here. Mommy's not mad anymore" Tegan waved them over again. She hugged them tight when they came over.
"Hey… mommy loves you so much. You need to listen to mommy okay. Mommy knows best" said Tegan.
"Sowwy mommy" said Casey and started bawling again. Tegan hugged her tight.
"It's okay honey. I forgive you"
Ryan eyed her in defiance. Tegan smiled at him. He crumbled and softly uttered a "sowwy mommy" looking down.
Tegan marvelled in the differences in her kids' personalities.
"Who's wants some mac and cheese" said Tegan and kissed their cheeks quickly.
"Mac thees" laughed Casey.
"And after that you're going to help me clean up the mess in the kitchen okay" said Tegan holding a palm up to Ryan for a high five. Ryan laughed reluctantly and gave her a high five.
A/N: just a short, happy chapter to end off all that drama. 3 in one day! That deserves a review or two!