A/N – Sorry it's been so long since I last updated. I always like to feel completely comfortable with what I've got up, and lately I just haven't had the time to work on any of my stories. Thanks for hanging on and enjoy the two chapters I've added!

"What on earth happened here?" Elizabeth asked as she walked in on Doug, Tess and Rachel laying on the ground laughing. The Twister mat beneath them was pretty well hidden by their limbs which were slung in different directions.

"I lost." Doug laughed, getting up and helping the other two to their feet. "I almost had them, but right foot blue did me in."

"I would have won if Daddy didn't fall down!" Tess insisted. She'd been using Doug to lean against as she'd attempted to reach the other colors, and when he fell it was all over for her. "Rachel won on a technicality."

"Yah, but I still won." She smiled, giving Tess a nudge. "Do I smell broccoli beef?"

"Yes, but go wash your hands first." Mark said, making his way over to the kitchen to set down the large bags of steaming hot food.

"Dad, I'm 17. I think I know to wash my hands before I eat." Rachel said, giving him a look. Then, preparing to make a run for it she added, "Doug's the one you should be talking to!"

"So, it sounds like you had an eventful day today." Doug smiled as he washed his hands at the kitchen sink. "How's Kate doing?"

"She's all right I think." Elizabeth said as she helped to unpack the food and get the plates and utensils out. "Did you have fun at the zoo?"

"Oh yeah," Doug said as he dried his hands. "You know Mark, Rachel's a great girl, smart, funny, kind… must be Elizabeth's influence."

"Hey!" Mark called after him as he'd already moved to the dining room, ready to get down to the food. Rachel and Tess joined him shortly thereafter and sure enough, Doug had started them chanting as Mark and Elizabeth got everything ready to serve.

"Rachel can you make me and Kate all pretty tonight with makeup?" Tess asked excitedly as she waited for the food to be served.

"Tess I don't think…" Doug said as he was cut off by his energetic daughter.

"Rachel said we could wear her makeup again later and that she'd do our hair too!" Tess insisted. "She promised!"

"I know that but…" he tried again.

"And then me and Kate are going to look like grown ups just like Rachel!" Tess smiled as the steamy food was placed on the table.

"Tess, Kate isn't going to be up for getting made up tonight, but maybe you and Rachel can have a makeup party." Elizabeth explained calmly. She knew it wasn't really her place but Doug wasn't having much luck getting a word in.

"Why?" she asked innocently.

"Well, your sister is still a little sick and she needs to get better before she has a makeup party with you." Elizabeth said.

"I don't want her to be sick anymore!" Tess screeched. "She's just faking! I want her to come have dinner with us right now! She has to have dinner with us! She's faking!"

Doug was shocked at first when Tess started throwing a tantrum, then he went into full dad mode and said sternly, "Tess, are you going to have a problem eating dinner tonight? Do you need to go on a time out?"

"No! Kate does! She's taking mommy away the whole day!" Tess screamed as Doug got up and took her by the hand into the living room. He sat her on the couch and crouched down to her level, turning her head with his hand so she faced him.

"Tess, your mommy is taking care of Kate and she'll be back tonight to tuck you in, maybe even before that so you can have some time with mommy, okay?" Doug had to turn her attention towards him again as the group at the table had turned their attention back to their dinner and away from the angry child. "Now, is this really about mommy and Kate being gone all day or is it something else?"

"It's no fair. Kate always gets to spend time with mommy and mommy didn't even get to go to the zoo and we didn't even get to give her a smoothie and I didn't even get to see Kate all day and she's my sister and I'm supposed to see her." Tess said with a pout on her face.

"I know you miss Kate and mommy, but they'll go to the zoo with us another time. The zoo isn't going anywhere." Doug reassured her as Tess sighed.

"Can we eat dinner now?" she asked after a moment of silence.