Disclaimer: The song that Mary sings in this chapter is from the Backyardigans.

Kayla was having the worst summer break ever. Everyone had said that having a new baby at home would be 'wonderful' and 'amazing' and 'awesome' and 'cool'. She wished she could take everyone's 'wonderful' and 'amazing' and 'awesome' and 'cool' and shove it right back in their faces. So far, to Kayla, having a new baby in the house meant all bad things. Mommy and Daddy were always cranky. There were always people in the house, other than family-the usual people that came in and out. None of them wanted to talk to Kayla. Everyone went straight to Mary. Even grandma didn't talk to her much anymore. She would come in, go straight to Mary, pick her up, and play with her the whole time.

The only person who would really pay attention to Kayla was uncle Dean. In the six weeks since Mary had been born, Dean had come over three times and taken Kayla out for the day. It felt good to have someone ask her how she was doing, how she was feeling, and how things were going. Only once he brought Kayla back to the house would he talk to and play with Mary.

But the worst part was at night. Mary slept sometimes, but it seemed to Kayla she spent most of her time screaming. Mommy or Daddy would go and pick her up, she'd stop crying for a minute, then she'd go right back to it. Finally, Kayla couldn't take it anymore. Mary was screaming next door again. She hadn't heard Mommy or Daddy get up with her yet, so Kayla decided to take matters into her own hands. Kayla climbed out of bed and walked next door, right next to Mary's crib.

"Stop crying, Mary, we're trying to sleep!"

"Kayla!" Sam had appeared in the door to find Kayla at the crib. "Don't be mean to your sister!"

"She's being mean to me! I'm trying to sleep!" Kayla said grumpily.

"We all are." Sam said as he walked in to pick up Mary. "But you can't get mad at her. She needs our help right now."

"Help with what?"

"Why don't you help me find out?" Sam suggested.

Kayla watched as Sam picked up the still screaming Mary and cuddled her, changed her, rocked her, and fed her. Mary quieted down a lot, but she was still fussing in Sam's arms. Sam took her to the rocking chair that he had once used to rock Kayla to sleep. Just as he was about to fall asleep in the chair himself, Sam noticed Kayla standing at staring at them.

"There's room up here for you too, you know."

"No." Kayla said quietly.

"Please, Kay? Just come sit up here with me?" Sam said. "I miss you."

"You do?"

"Sure, I do." Sam said. "Come on."

"Okay."

Kayla carefully climbed up into Sam's lap. It felt awkward at first, but soon enough she was nestled in his arm opposite Mary. They sat in the dark near silence for a few minutes, before Kayla shocked Sam by breaking the silence.

"She's cute."

"What?" Sam asked.

"Mary. She's cute."

"She is cute." Sam said. "Would you like to hold her?"

"No." Kayla said.

Sam sighed. "Honey, why do you still blame Mary?"

"Because we almost lost Mommy." Kayla said.

"But we didn't, honey." Sam said. "Mommy's here, and she's safe now."

"I don't care. Mary almost took Mommy from us."

Sam shifted a little in the seat. "Honey, will you please hold Mary for me? My arm's getting tired."

"Why don't you put her back in the crib?"

"Because she'll start crying again." Sam said. "Will you please hold her? It'd help me out a lot."

"Okay, Daddy."

"Thank you." Sam said. "Here, sit up a little so I can give her to you."

"I won't hurt her?"

"No. You won't. I promise." Sam said. "Here you go."

When Mary landed in Kayla's arms, she instantly calmed. Her fussing stopped, and she stared at Kayla with big, brown eyes. Sam shook his head in disbelief. Mary had been crying for weeks straight. Figures, he thought. But Sam held his breath when he saw that a smile was beginning on Kayla's lips as she watched her baby sister.

"Hey, Mary. I'm Kayla."

Mary cooed and continued to focus on the sound of Kayla's voice.

"I'm sorry I was mean to you." Kayla said. "I was really scared when Mommy got sick. I know you didn't do it, but I was scared it might happen again."

Mary made another noise, one Kayla couldn't quite decipher.

"Daddy, did I make her mad?"

"No, honey. Keep talking." Sam said. "She likes you."

"She likes me?" Kayla said with a smile. She looked back down to Mary, eyes sparkling. "You like me?"

Mary made another sound that sounded suspiciously like a laugh. Sam knew it wasn't a laugh, because Mary was too young for it. But Kayla's eyes lit up with an excitement that Sam had never before seen in her.

"Look, Daddy, I made her laugh!"

"You did, baby. Good job." Sam said.

"Can I sing to her? To put her back to sleep?"

"Go for it."

Kayla turned back to Mary and mimicked her mommy and daddy. All the nights they'd sung to her when she was sick, or sad, or hurting, or just needing attention came back through Kayla. "Rest my little darling, you've had a busy day. The sun is a falling, and it's time for me to say. Hush, hush, little mermaid goodnight. Hush hush little mermaid sleep tight."

Sam had grateful tears in his eyes as he listened to Kayla. A noise took his attention away, but it was only Jess standing in the doorway. She had heard Kayla singing on the baby monitor and couldn't resist not getting up. Sam looked up and locked eyes with Jess, the meaning clear to both of them. We're a family now.

"Daddy."

Kayla was tapping Sam on the knee, breaking his look on Jess and making him jump slightly. "What, baby?"

"She's asleep." Kayla whispered.

"Wow, I guess she is." Sam said.

"Kay." Jess whispered from the door.

"Mommy!"

"Shhh." Jess said, quickly placing her finger in front of her mouth. "Don't wake her up again."

"Oops. Sorry."

"It's okay. Here, let me get Mary back to bed." Jess carefully picked up Mary and placed her back in the crib.

Kayla, her arms now free, hugged Sam. "I'm a big sister now."

"You are a very good big sister." Sam said. "I'm very proud of you."

"So am I." Jess said. "And I have an idea."

"What?" Kayla asked.

"How about you go back to your room and pick out a book for me and daddy to read to you?"

"Really?"

"Really." Jess said. "But just one. It's the middle of the night and you need to go back to sleep."

"Can I sleep with you guys?"

"Sure. Go on." Jess said, and Kayla ran off to her room. Jess smiled, relieved that the animosity Kayla had for her sister was over. "Well, that was unexpected."

"Yeah…"

"Mommy." Kayla said again from the doorway. "Mommy, come here. Quick."

Jess and Sam followed Kayla to their bedroom. Kayla was standing underneath a framed photo on the wall.

"What is it, honey?"

"Mommy, how do you know Dr. Lucky?" Kayla asked.

"Who?" Jess asked.

"Right here." Kayla was pointing up at a picture of Jess in her childhood with her father. "Dr. Lucky."

"Honey, who's Dr. Lucky?" Sam asked.

"He helped me find mommy that day I went to see her in the hospital." Kayla said. "He rode the elevator with me and helped me find you."

"What? Are you sure it was him?" Jess asked.

"Positive."

"Jess? What is it?" Sam asked.

"My mom called my dad Lucky when I was growing up." Jess said.

A silence fell over the room as Sam and Jess soaked in what Kayla's revelation meant.

"Mommy?"

"He wasn't a doctor, Kayla." Jess said. "That was your grandpa."

"Grandpa John?" Kayla asked.

"No, honey. That was my daddy. Your grandpa Lloyd. He was watching out for you until you found me."

"I don't remember him." Kayla said.

"Well, he died before you were born. But you were on your way, and he was so excited to meet you. He loved you." Jess said. "I think this proves he watches out for you."

Kayla carefully eyed the book she'd picked out from her room. "Mommy? Instead of reading, will you tell me about grandpa?"

"Sure. Come on." Jess said. "Get in bed." Kayla climbed in and soon enough was fast asleep. Jess peeked at Sam and smiled. For the first time in weeks, they were alone. "Night, Dad."

"Night, mom." Sam said. "Goodnight, Kay. We love you."