"Donna," Rosie called out to her friend as she walked towards her, "did Daphne tell Tanya yet?"
"No, and the boys arrive tomorrow."
"I thought they arrived today?"
"No, they arrive on Thursday."
"Donna, today is Thursday."
"What?!" Donna shrieked, "damn, it is. What do I do?"
"About what?"
"What do you mean 'about what'?"
"Donna, Tanya barely leaves her home. I doubt she will find out without her daughter telling her."
"True, but I better get down to the port to get the boys."
Donna took the jeep to go pick up her sons. When they arrived, they hugged their mother, "mom, you look great," Sophie's twin brother, Fred said.
"Are those overall's new?" the younger Carmichael, Shaggy joked.
Donna lightly smacked Shaggy's arm, "you, I am so happy to see both of you. Let's get you settled."
"Come on Scoob!" Shaggy yelled and his Great Dane jumped into the back of the jeep.
On the drive to the hotel, Donna decided to bring up a certain subject. "So Freddy, are you aware that Tanya still doesn't know that you and Daphne are dating?"
"Yeah, she told me that she wanted to tell Tanya together."
"You do realize that she is the only one who doesn't know?"
"Rosie and Bill don't know."
"Actually, I told Rosie and she told Bill."
"Mom!"
"What? Rosie wanted to know why I was hesitant to have you boys visit right now. I had to tell her."
"You could have lied."
"Dynamos don't lie to one another," Fred rolled his eyes, "Rosie insisted on telling Bill."
Donna parked at the hotel and Rosie was waiting for them, "boys!"
"Hey, Rosie!" the two boys greeted the woman.
"Donna, my kids called and said they are on the next ferry. Can I borrow your jeep?"
"Sure, you'll just have to put one kid in the back."
"I might put all of them in the back and the luggage up with me," Rosie joked.
Rosie's children ran to greet her, and Rosie drove them back to the hotel. Rosie and Bill had two daughters, Violet who was twenty, and Velma who was eighteen. They also had a son, Leo who was nineteen. Once the kids settled in, they decided to go hang out on the beach with Sophie, Sky, Daphne, Aurora, Flynn, and Eloise.
"Do we go tell Tanya that our kids are here?" Donna asked.
"Let's text Harry and see if she's even up," Rosie said as she shot Harry a text message.
"Why am I so nervous about Tanya finding out?"
"Because Tanya is very sensitive about the three years her children didn't speak to her." Rosie looked at her phone, "Harry said she's up."
"Damn, now what?"
"Well, the kids are at the beach so we don't have to get her right now. Maybe we could meet them on the beach and have a cookout."
"That's a good idea. The kids will have to tell Tanya before because I doubt that my son can act like he's 'just a friend' when he sees that girl in a swimsuit."
"Men really are pigs."
"Tell me about it."
Daphne and Fred were walking towards the Bright residence, "are you sure this is a good idea?" Fred asked.
"We have to tell my mother before tonight," Daphne said.
"Why?"
"Can you pretend we're not dating while I'm in a swimsuit?"
"Sure I can," Daphne stared at her boyfriend, "okay I can't."
The two walked into the Bright bungalow, "Hello? Mum? Dad?"
"Hey sweetheart," Harry came out from the kitchen to greet the kids, "hey Fred how's it going?"
"Good sir, and how have you been?"
"Busy, and don't be so nervous."
"He's nervous about mum."
"Why don't I go get her?"
"No that's okay. I can write this down for her and she can just stay where she is," Fred said jokingly but being serious. Harry laughed and went to the bedroom to get Tanya. "That wasn't meant as a joke," Fred said to Daphne.
"I know," Daphne told him, "let's go to the living room." The two went and sat on a love seat in the living room. Harry and Tanya walked into the living room. Tanya was dressed, with makeup and her wig on, and using her walker.
"Fred, come here and give me a hug," Tanya said. The young man did and Tanya could tell he was nervous. Harry helped Tanya sit on the couch and took a seat next to her.
"So, how have you been Mrs. Bright?" Fred asked.
"Since when did you start calling me 'Mrs. Bright'?"
"Umm..." Fred looked to his girlfriend for help.
"Fred and I are dating," Daphne just blurted out, "I'm sorry we didn't tell you, but dad and Donna knew. Donna told everyone else."
"I know," Tanya said calmly.
"You know?" Daphne was confused.
"The day I went to have lunch with Donna and Rosie, I ended up needing them to take me to a room so I could take a nap. They thought I was asleep and I heard the conversation they had about our children."
"You aren't mad?" Daphne asked her mother.
"I was a little upset at first, but, no I'm not mad," Tanya smiled.
"Phew," Fred sat back relieved causing Tanya to laugh.
"Mum, are you coming to the beach tonight?"
"I'm hoping to," Tanya said. She was never really able to make plans ahead of time. She had to wait and see if she was up to it right before.
"I hope you can Tanya and I'm glad that you are doing better. I've had Daph keep me posted," Fred said.
"Thank you, and I'm glad you kids haven't gotten yourselves killed yet."
"Mum," Daphne sighed and rolled her eyes.
"You all should try to get a show like ghost hunters," Harry suggested.
"Four teenagers solving mysteries with their dog, who would watch that?" Daphne said.
Harry and Tanya pulled up to the beach that night for the cookout. Harry helped his wife out of the jeep and over to a lounge chair to sit on. Tanya had insisted that Harry not stand watch over her all night. She wanted her husband to have fun. Tanya kept telling everyone to go and have fun. She didn't want anyone to worry and while she really did want to come tonight, she felt more like a burden. Tanya waved her husband over.
"Hey, you alright?" Harry asked.
"Yeah, I'm just more tired than I thought."
Harry looked a bit disappointed, "we can go if you want."
"I was just wondering if you could take me back home and help me get into bed? I want you to come back here."
"Well, darling you can't really be alone right now."
"Harry, I'll be asleep."
"What if you wake up and need to use the bathroom?"
"Harry, please," Tanya pleaded with her husband.
"Alright, but you have to promise that if you need anything you can't get that you will call."
"I promise," Harry pulled Tanya to her feet and helped her return to the jeep. At their bungalow, Harry helped his wife get ready for bed and placed a glass of water on her side table before helping her get into bed. Harry then kissed his wife and went back to the beach.
"Dad, where's mum?" Sky asked as he and his siblings went up to Harry upon his return.
"She was tired, so she wanted to go home. I wanted to stay with her, but she wanted me to have fun."
"One of us can go check on her every now and then," Aurora offered.
"No, I don't think she's tired. I think she just wanted all of us to enjoy the night without having to worry about her. I think she also has a difficult time when she can't have the same fun everyone else is having."
"We should try to plan something that mum can do with us," Daphne suggested.
"I'll try to think of a few things and let you kids know," Harry said. Harry tried to enjoy himself, but he wasn't having as much fun as before. When he returned home that night, Tanya was asleep. Harry felt guilty most of the night for leaving her, and he felt even more guilty when he looked at her sleeping alone in their bed.