Tuesday

It had been almost a whole week since Parent's Day. Billy, Zack and Trini allowed the adoption to go through; however it won't be finalized for 6 months. Lacey and Joseph are used to the waiting period as they went through it with Kimberly and are currently going through it with Melanie and Cassidy. The only ones where they didn't have to wait the 6 months for the finalization of the adoption were for their nephews and that was only because they were blood relatives.

Tommy and Jason were at the Youth Center discussing everything that had happened. For Jason, he had known the 3 of them for 10 years and doesn't know how to help them.

"Rita really crossed the line this time." Jason whispered to his friend who nodded.

"Trini stays locked up in her room and even Billy has been real quiet." Tommy replied.

"Kim was a lot like that after her mother died. We knew it was coming, she had cancer and all Kim could do was watch her mother deteriorate right in front of her and when Caroline finally did die, it still hit Kim like a ton of bricks. So if anyone can get them through this it would be her." Jason explained.

"Trini is my sister now, or at least she will be. It breaks my heart to see her so miserable. She hasn't even translated Billy since she moved in with us, not that she needs to since Billy hasn't really said anything to anyone."

"Time is what they need, it is an old cliché and I have never really understood it but they say that time will heal all wounds."

"Lets just hope that whoever 'they' is, is right." Tommy snickered.

Jason nodded.

"So when do you get to go back to Martial Arts?" Tommy asked wanting to change the subject.

"Next week, thank goodness; because I really do miss it. It is driving Kim crazy not being able to do gymnastics, but she still has awhile until the cast will come off. I would be really going crazy if I had to wait for her cast to come off before I could go back to Martial Arts."

"Maybe the 6 of us can go up to my Uncle's cabin this weekend for some good old fashion R and R." Tommy offered.

"That would be nice, but do you think your parents and mine will allow it considering all that has happened?" Jason asked.

"I don't know, but it couldn't hurt to ask."

"So who do we ask first?"

"I will ask my Dad; he may not always seem like it, but he really is an old softy compared to my mother." Tommy told him.

"Yeah same here except when it comes to Kimberly and Lesley's personal life. He always tells them that they can't date until they are 30. Mom is more tolerant about them dating. At 15 and they have to really know the boy's family. So I guess you got lucky with Kimberly. I doubt Lesley will be so lucky, but then again she still has 5 years before Mom will even let her date. So who knows what will happen by then."

"I guess in that case it is a bonus that our dads work at the same hospital." Tommy laughed.

"We should get it over with and ask them already. The sooner we ask, the sooner we can get them to say yes and the sooner we can plan our weekend of nothing but Rest and Relaxation."

Jason and Tommy went to the hospital and asked about using Nick's brother John's cabin this weekend. Joseph and Nick considered it and thought that it would probably be a good idea. But they also have to get their mother's permission to go. Joseph and Nick weren't going to make it any easier on the boys. They had to be the ones to ask their mothers and if the women say yes, than it is yes.

"But what if mom says 'No'?" Tommy asked.

"Well, I guess you are just going to have to ask her and find out, now don't you." Nick replied. If his son really wants this than he is going to have to fight for it.

Tommy muttered something under his breath and he and Jason left the hospital to go and talk to their mothers.

"I will talk to mine tonight and you do the same. Tomorrow we will compare notes." Tommy told Jason.

Nick and Joseph were going to let the boys squirm for the rest of the week trying to figure it out on their own. If they hadn't got Dana and Lacey to agree to letting all the teens than do it by Friday they would step in and talk to their wives.

By Friday their mothers were still saying no. They had every excuse in the world that they could use to say no. But the truth is they didn't need an excuse to say no, they are the adults here and they make the rules. So if it is no, that should be a good enough of a reason for the teens to accept. Nick and Joseph did step in at 8:00 Friday night and convinced their wives to finally say yes to the camping trip.

Nick knocked on Tommy's door after he got off the phone with Joseph.

"Thomas, your mother has agreed to let you three go camping tomorrow. We think it would be good for Billy and Trini to get out and get away. However, you and Jason will be held personally responsible should anything happen to anyone on this camping trip of yours. John says don't trash his cabin, or you will spend the next month doing extra chores for him." Nick told his son.

Tommy smiled and nodded. Now it was time to pack as they wanted to leave early in the morning. Actually Billy and Trini were already packed and set to go. Nick had told them Tuesday that they will go camping this weekend; just don't tell Tommy and Jason. Billy and Trini sat back and watched their new brother squirm all week trying to get his mother to agree to the camping trip.