Frederick was now twelve, Charlie and Tony are five, Henry four, and the girls two and a half. Maggie is two and the Malone twins have just turned two. David and Ernie are now six and in first grade while Tommy, Charlie and Tony are now in kindergarten. Nora and Frasier decided to send Henry to preschool with their nephew, Alexander.

Nora and Frasier dropped the boys off at school and then Nora went to work.

"Hey, Nora! How'd it go dropping the boys off?" Sam asked.

"Well, there were a few tears but we got through it."

"That's normal for kids to be nervous," Sam said.

"The boys were fine."

"Well, Diane got emotional when each of our kids first started going to school."

"Wrong again," Nora just stared at Sam.

"Frasier?" Nora nodded.

"I have no idea what happened."

"Hello, everyone!" Diane greeted the bar. "Nora how did the first drop off go."

"Well, Frasier cried like a baby."

"Yeah, Sam lost it too."

Nora stared at Sam, "Sam said you got emotional."

"A little, but I was excited for our kids to start school. Sam was a blubbering idiot."

"I was not...for long."

Frasier took the boys to Cheers after school that day. "Mama!" All of the boys yelled.

Nora ran over to her boys and crouched to hug them, "Hi boys. How was your first day?"

"It was fun mama," Tony said.

"Yeah, we drew daddy pictures in art since he was so sad," Charlie said pulling out the pictures to show his mother.

"Wow, you boys did a good job. How was your day Henry?"

"Fun, look," Henry pulled out his picture, "for daddy too."

"That was so sweet of you three to make your daddy pictures because he was so sad."

"Hey boys, what can I get ya?" Sam asked.

"Hi, Uncle Sam," the boys said, "floats!"

"Floats all around. Why don't ya take a seat and I'll have my best waitress bring them over." Sam kept ice cream in a tiny freezer for all the kids for when they stopped by.

"Sam, I'll take the rugrats their floats. Let Nora have a break from waiting on her kids," Carla said.

Nora sat with her boys while they drank their floats. She still had a couple of hours left in her shift, but they were slow. The boys said their good-byes after finishing and left with their dad. When Nora got home from work her kids all ran to greet her. That was Nora's favorite part of the day. For her, there was nothing like her children's love.

David and Ernie were thrilled to be in the same class together. Tony, Charlie, and Tommy also had the same teacher. Henry and Alexander were in the same preschool class. They knew things wouldn't always be this easy, but the kids would still have someone in their grade to help them and hang out with at school. The girls would all be in the same class as well. Diane and Sam's twins just barely made the cut-off.

"I don't like the way that kid is lookin' at Angie," Sam said.

"Sam," Nora started, "he's like three. I doubt he's gonna make the moves on Angie."

"Still, I'm gonna keep my eye on him."

"Yeah because that won't get you in trouble."

"I'm keeping an eye on my daughter like any good parent. If that kid is in my line of sight then that's his fault."

"You really were a whore, weren't you?"

The Crane's always included the Malones during the holidays. Niles felt that Sam was as much his brother as Frasier's. Daphne felt the same about Diane. Now Nora and Daphne were closer because of how much time they have spent together over the past seven years.

"Sam," Diane said after tucking the children in that night, "does Nora ever talk about me?" She asked as she climbed into bed.

"No, why?"

"It's just that she and Daphne are so close. In fact, she appears to be close to everyone, but me. I don't think she likes me."

"Honey, she sees everyone else more. She's known the Crane family and Roz for seven years, and she sees everyone else at the bar when she works."

"She's hung out with Kelly."

"Woody told me that Kelly and Nora got close after Tony and Charlie were born. Kelly had twins and Nora would go to her for advice about it."

"Carla has twins."

"Carla and Nora have different parenting styles. Kelly sent flowers after we all left the hospital with a card telling Nora to reach out if she needed advice or help. Maybe you could come up with something for the two of you to do together."

"Like what?"

"I don't know. Why don't you stop by the bar tomorrow and talk to Nora?"

"Will you put in a good word for me?"

"Don't I always?"

"No," Diane said as she glared at her husband.

"Yeah, well that's when you annoy me," Sam kissed his wife good night and the two went to sleep.

The next day Diane walked into Cheer and was totally nervous. "Hey, hun," Sam greeted his wife.

"Where's Nora?"

"She'll be here in a moment. Stop worrying. You've known her for years."

"I actually don't really know her at all."

"Hey sis," Sam shouted as his sister walked into the bar.

"Hey, and answer a question for me," Nora said as she made her way around the bar. "Why do my children insist on destroying my clothes as I'm walking out of the house? How do they do it from across the room?"

Carla walked in from the pool hall, "yeah, my kids have done the same. It's like they have superpowers or there are food magnets in women's clothing. What did they ruin this time?"

"Remember that dress I got last Friday?"

"Oh, that sucks. That dress looked great on you. You can't salvage it at all?"

"I'm going to try."

"Kelly bought the same dress that day. Maybe you could steal hers?"

"Carla I can't do that."

"Fine, I'll do it."

"No," Nora laughed, "you sure do know how to make me feel better."

"It's a gift," Carla smiled as she went back to work.

"See what I mean," Diane whispered to Sam.

"Hey, Nora can you help me and Diane with something in my office really quick?" Sam asked.

"What are you doing?" Diane whispered.

"Helping," Sam whispered back.

"Sure," Nora went to the office with Sam and Diane. Sam closed the door, "what did you need help with?"

"Diane thinks you don't like her."

"Sam!" Diane shouted.

"Now that it's out in the open, I'm going to leave you two to figure this out."

"Nora, don't listen to Sam," Diane lied trying to chuckle. "He's being ridiculous," Diane looked at her watch, "gee I better go relieve the babysitter."

"Diane," Nora spoke up as Diane reached the door. "I'm sorry that I haven't really made an effort with you over the years. I have the same problem relating to you that I do with Lilith."

"What problem is that?"

"You both went to college and graduate school."

"So did you."

"For P.E."

"There's nothing wrong with that."

"I'm not smart like the two of you. When I'm around and one of you is talking, I feel like a moron. I told Frasier the night of our welcome to Boston party that I was basically intimidated by you and jealous."

"You're jealous of me?" Diane was shocked.

"You're beautiful and smart, and you can talk to Frasier about things that I don't understand."

"I appreciate the compliment, but you have those qualities too. You know, it didn't work out between Frasier and I or Frasier and Lilith for a reason. We could speak to his mind, but not his heart. You have more to offer than you think."

"Thank you, and I was wondering if you would like to have a little sister-in-law date. Monday we could go to lunch and maybe shop. I don't always buy things when I go shopping, but I like quality time."

"Will anyone else be mad if it's just the two of us?"

"No, we all hang out one on one all the time. It's not easy to hang out all at once."

"I'd like that Nora," Diane smiled.

"Great," Nora looked at her watch, "damn, I better get to work."

"Shoot I need to relieve the babysitter."

"Diane," Nora walked up to the woman and hugged her.