Author's note Just a quick update for the holiday. Happy Fourth of July, everyone!
"Ok, I put the ice in the freezer, anything else I can do?" Tommy asked as he returned home from the store and found his wife in the backyard.
"You could finish setting up everything out here while I go finish up in the kitchen," she replied.
"You know I really wish you had taken Hayley and Billy up on the offer to host this party at their place," Tommy told her.
"Our yard is bigger and besides I like throwing these parties because it's a good excuse for everyone to get together," Kat responded.
"I know, I love seeing everyone too, it's just that you already do so much with the kids, your job and now this party, I just don't want you to over do it," Tommy replied.
"Tommy, I feel perfectly fine, please don't tell me this is what I have to look forward to for the next eight months, you're going to drive me crazy if you don't stop worrying so much," Kat informed him.
"I'm sorry, I can't help it," Tommy told her.
"It's ok, I love you, now get to work," Kat said as she planted a kiss on his lips and then went inside to the kitchen.
"Mommy, is it time for the party yet?" Patrick asked as he came into the kitchen where Kat was busy preparing the food.
"Almost, I think everyone should be arriving shortly, where's your sister," Kat answered.
"She's upstairs in her room playing," he replied.
"Do me a favor and keep an eye on her until I get everything ready," Kat told him.
"Ok, Mommy," he said as he ran upstairs.
An hour later, the doorbell rang and Tommy went to answer it.
"I hope the food's ready, I'm starving," Rocky said as Tommy opened the door.
"Rocky, is that all you think about," Tommy teased.
"Where's Kat?" Emily asked.
"She's in the kitchen," Tommy answered.
"I'm gonna go see if she needs any help, you behave," she said as she gave Rocky a kiss on the cheek.
"So are you getting nervous yet?" Tommy questioned Rocky once Emily was out of the room.
"No, I'm really excited, at least now all of you can stop teasing me about waiting so long to settle down," Rocky replied.
"Uncle Rocky, want to see the racecar dad helped me build?" Patrick said as he came downstairs.
"It's only a model," Tommy explained.
"Sure buddy, I'd love to see it," Rocky replied as the doorbell rang again.
"Happy Fourth of July, Uncle Tommy," Trini said as she stood on the front porch with her parents.
"Well don't you look festive, that's a pretty dress you have on," Tommy told her as he admired the red, white and blue dress that she was wearing.
"She's been talking non stop all day about seeing the fireworks," Hayley remarked.
"Patrick's pretty excited too but I'm not sure about Susie, I'm afraid she might still be too young to not be scared by them," Tommy told them.
"Yeah Trini was scared by them when she was Susie's age but now she loves watching them light up the sky," Billy replied.
"Hey you guys, everything's just about ready, Kat's putting the food outside," Emily said.
"I'll help," Hayley said.
"I wonder what could be keeping Kim and Jason," Billy said.
"And Tanya and Adam for that matter," Rocky spoke up.
"Tanya phoned a little while ago and said they weren't coming, Stevie isn't feeling well," Tommy told them.
"That's too bad, it won't be the same without them," Billy replied.
"Sorry we're late," Kim said as she and Jason entered the house followed by Jayne.
"We were on the phone with Zack and Aisha," Jason explained.
"They said to tell everyone Happy Fourth of July and that they missed us all terribly," Kim replied.
"I wish they could be here with us," Billy said.
"Me too, but at least their coming back for the wedding," Rocky told him.
"The food's ready," Kat announced and everyone headed to the backyard.
"Kat, everything smells great," Rocky told her.
"Well dig in, because I do not want a lot of leftovers," Kat replied.
"With Rocky, we'll be lucky if any of us gets to have seconds," Jason joked.
"Ha ha, enough with the food cracks, I can't help it, I love to eat," Rocky replied.
"Oh, I don't know, give it a few months and I'm sure I'll be eating way more than Rocky," Emily said mischievously.
"Don't tell us you're staring to pick up his bad habits," Jason teased her.
"Not exactly," Emily replied.
"We might as well tell them, I guess," Rocky said.
"Tell us what?" Kat questioned.
"Wait, you two didn't run off and elope did you?" Hayley questioned.
"No, we didn't elope, the wedding is only a few weeks away and my mom would kill us if we did something like that," Rocky answered.
"Ok, then what's this big news you have to tell us," Tommy replied.
"We're having a baby!" Emily announced.
"That's wonderful, congratulations," Billy told them.
"I'm so happy for you," Kim said as she gave Emily a hug.
"It really is great news," Kat said as she too hugged Emily.
"So I guess you really are finally settling down," Tommy told Rocky.
"Yeah and I couldn't be happier," Rocky replied.
"So what did your parents think when you told them the news?" Hayley asked.
"We haven't told them yet, we can't decide if we should wait until after the wedding to tell them or not," Emily replied.
"I'm sure that both your parents will be thrilled," Jason said.
"And what about our parents, do you think they'll be thrilled too?" Kim asked her husband and smiled at him.
"Wait, you're having a baby too?" Emily questioned.
"Yeah, we just found out last week, Jayne's going to be a big sister," Kim told her.
"Oh Kim, that's great, now I have someone to go through this whole pregnancy thing with me," Emily replied.
"Make that the three of us," Kat finally spoke up.
"No way, this is incredible," Kim said.
"What is there something in the water?" Rocky questioned.
"Well don't look at me, no big news here," Hayley told him.
"What are the odds huh, the three of us all having babies at the same time," Emily said.
"And you didn't want to throw this party," Kat told Tommy.
"Daddy, when are we going to see the fireworks?" Trini asked.
"I didn't realize how late it was getting," Hayley said.
"We better hurry and get down to the lake before the show starts," Rocky replied.
"This has been some evening hasn't it, with all the baby announcements," Tommy asked Kat as they sat on a blanket and waited for the fireworks show to begin.
"Yeah, I'm sure this is one fourth of July, we'll never forget," Kat replied.