Lindsay slams the door as she enters her home and she hears her phone ringing.
"I'm coming, I'm coming," she mumbles as she rushes to answer it. "Hello?"
"Hey, it's Alex."
"Oh, hi, honey," Lindsay says. "You know, Matthew actually isn't here right now. I noticed his bike is gone. Can't imagine where he went off to."
"Oh." Alex sounds disappointed. "I haven't talked to him since I've been here."
"Really?" Lindsay asks, surprised. "You haven't called?"
"No," Alex responds. "It's just been pretty busy, visiting everyone and everything."
"Yeah, I understand," Lindsay says. "How is it there? You having fun?"
"Yeah," Alex says quickly. "I mean, not too much, of course."
"Well, how could you with your mother there," Lindsay jokes, and hears the call waiting signal. "Alright, well, I'll tell Matthew you called, okay?"
"Okay, thanks," Alex says. "Bye."
Lindsay clicks over to the other call. "Hello?"
"Lindsay." It's her father's voice on the other line. "We haven't spoken to you in weeks. What the hell have you been doing?"
"I've been busy, Dad," Lindsay mutters. "Things aren't so easy now, you know?"
"All the more reason to talk to your family," Harold points out. "Your mother's worried sick about you and the boys, you know that? You should at least keep us updated on how you're doing."
"Sorry, Dad," Lindsay says, her voice somewhat flat.
"You should come over for dinner tonight," Harold says. "You and the boys. Your mother would be so happy."
Lindsay thinks about it. "I don't see why not," she agrees. "Sam gonna be there?"
"No, he came over last week," Harold says. "He's exhausted now between work and taking care of an toddler."
"Imagine how I feel with two kids," Lindsay says in annoyance. "And at least he has Natalie."
"Now, this isn't a game of who's got it harder, Lindsay," Harold scolds. "You wouldn't have gotten to where you are today if your mother and I didn't help you with Matthew, might I remind you." He pauses. "Plus, you had good kids. That Kate, she's cute but she's a nightmare. Trust me, your mother babysits her all the time."
Lindsay sadly smiles. She misses her niece. "Okay, Dad, we'll come by in an hour, or whenever I can find Matthew."
"Okay," Harold says. "Bye."
"Bye," Lindsay echoes and hangs up the phone. "Oliver!"
No response. He must have walked down to the Desarios.
She calls the house and tells Justin to send her son home. When Oliver arrives, so does Matthew.
"Where were you?" Lindsay asks her eldest son.
"Just went for a bike ride," Matthew says. "It's boring without Alex here."
"Okay, well, we're going to Grandma and Grandpa's for dinner," Lindsay tells them. "So pack up."
…
"You're never going to guess who I ran into the other day," Harold comments as the family eats around the table.
Lindsay looks at her father. "Okay, who?"
"Your old friend Nick," Harold says. "He's turned out to be a pretty stand-up guy. You should see him." He takes another bite of his potatoes. "I invited him over for dinner this weekend. You should come, too."
"I heard he's just like his dad now," Lindsay comments.
"What, like old 'No Personality Anthony Andopolis?" Harold asks, and shakes his head. "No, I mean he's a military man but it's only matured him. He still seems like the same guy. He was genuinely happy to see me."
"Huh." Lindsay frowns. "Well, if he's coming Friday, I can't. I'm teaching my night class."
"Lindsay, it's summer," Jean says. "Why are you teaching classes now?"
"It's community college, Mom," Lindsay says. "That means I'm getting a paycheck the entire year. It's a good thing."
"Well, he's coming Saturday," Harold says. "Bring the kids. I'm sure he'd get a kick out of you being a mom now."
Lindsay snorts and she takes a bite of her food.
"Who is he?" Matthew asks, curious.
"Oh, he's one of those guys she used to hang out with high school," Jean says to her grandson. "There was Nick, and Daniel, and… the one with the sideburns, what was his name?"
"Ken," Lindsay says. "Daniel still talks to him sometimes."
"I always forget that you're still friends with Daniel," Harold says. "Boy, was he a troublemaker back in the day."
Matthew stifles his laughter. "That's my girlfriend's dad you're talking about."
"That's right," Jean says. "He's Alex's father."
"Well, I hope she doesn't take after him too much," Harold comments. "Can't let a smart young man like yourself get corrupted by a bad influence."
Lindsay hides a small smile and glances at Matthew. Her father hasn't changed a bit.
"She's nowhere near a bad influence, Grandpa," Matthew says, grinning. "Mom can vouch for me."
"I'm just making sure," Harold remarks.
The family resumes eating in silence for a moment.
"You've been quiet," Jean comments, looking at her younger grandson. "What's new with you, Oliver? Anything?"
Oliver shrugs. "Nothing really since school got out."
"You've gotta make sure you stay productive," Harold points out. "If you do nothing all summer your brains'll turn to mush."
"Okay, Harold," Jean says. "He's only twelve. You don't need to lecture both of them; I'm sure Lindsay's got that covered."
"He stays busy anyway," Lindsay adds. "He's never really just sitting around watching TV. He's always gotta be out on his bike with Justin."
"That's good," Harold says. "At least he's not sitting inside all day playing those video games."
"And I can't seem to get Matthew to stop studying," Lindsay adds.
"That's what I like to hear," Harold says proudly. "Just like you were, huh, Linds?"
"Yeah," Lindsay says with a nod.
"Now what are you doing homework for in the summer?" Jean inquires, looking at Matthew.
Matthew shrugs. "It's for AP classes. I get to take them now that I'm gonna be an upperclassmen, and they all give summer homework."
"Oh, AP classes," Jean comments. "Keep it up and you could get a scholarship when it comes time for college."
"That's the plan," Lindsay says, grinning at her son.
"How is Alex?" Jean asks.
"She's good," Matthew says. "She's in Wisconsin right now with her mom."
"Yeah, I think he's going crazy without her," Lindsay says. "They've spent every day together this summer."
"Wow," Jean comments looking at Matthew, then turns to her daughter. "You really got lucky with these two, you know that?"
"I know," Lindsay says, a small smile appearing on her face.
"There's still time," Matthew jokes. "I can always rebel."
"Yeah, you know, your mother went through a phase when she turned sixteen," Jean says. "Scared me to death that summer when I found out you weren't at math camp."
Oliver and Matthew look at their mother in surprise.
"Well, where'd you go?" Oliver asks.
Lindsay laughs and shakes her head.
"No, tell them," Harold insists. "Tell them how silly you were as a teenager."
Lindsay rolls her eyes. "Okay. I followed the Grateful Dead for a while with my friend."
"Grateful Dead?" Oliver asks. "What is that?"
"Sounds scary, right?" Jean comments.
"It's a band, Ollie," Lindsay says as Matthew laughs.
"Mom, I didn't know you were a deadhead," he utters.
"It was just a phase," Lindsay said, a small smile on her face.