About a month later, in October, my mom and Ella came over to have a big dinner with us. We made heaps and heaps of food, and they brought some too, and we just sat around the table and ate, one big happy family. It was great, and it made me so glad I'd moved us down here, despite my money worries and Devin's little outburst.

After dinner, though, my mom subtly motioned me and Fang into the living room. I ordered Nudge to make sure my kids didn't destroy the kitchen and Iggy to wash the dishes, and we followed her out there.

"Dinner was good, Max," Mom said, smiling softly at me.

I smiled back and plopped down on the couch. "I wish I could take credit, but it was all Ig."

She chuckled slightly, but her eyes had taken on a more serious look. "Here, honey. Sit down."

We sat down on the couch, and I motioned for Fang to sit on my other side. He did, looping an arm around my waist and pulling me closer to him. As my mom watched, I wriggled, embarrassed, but then she smiled in an isn't-that-just-so-adorable way.

"So," she said, folding her hands in her lap. "I have something for you two."

"What is it?" I asked, furrowing my brow. I watched as she reached into her pocket and pulled out a piece of paper. Even before she unfolded it and lay it on the coffee table, I knew what it was, and my gut clenched.

"No, Mom," I said, picking up the check and handing it right back to her, not even looking at the amount. "We've already taken a lot from you. I don't want anymore until it's absolutely necessary."

Mom shook her head, getting a look on her face that showed up all the time on mine, one that meant she was determined and would not give in. "You're two kids," she said slowly, pointing at me and Fang with two fingers on her left hand, "taking care of six other kids. You work at a grocery store. If Nudge wants to go to college, you'll have to pay for that in four years. You need this money, Max."

I sighed, looking at the check. The amount was $20,000, which just about made my eyes pop out of my head. What was I supposed to do with that? I mean, we had to spend a lot of money on food, with our 4,000 calorie intake and all. But food shouldn't cost us that much… right?

"Cash it," Mom said, reading my expression. "And use it as you need to. There's plenty where that came from. I make a lot of money, and I've been saving large amounts since Ella was born, just in case."

Still beside me, Fang rested his chin on my shoulder, both of us looking down at the large check I held in my hand. I didn't want to take it. For five years, I'd been providing for my family. Why wouldn't I be able to now?

"You need it," she said again, and that extra push made my decision for me. Not the decision she was hoping for, though.

"No," I said, giving it back to her. "Look. I'm going to take what we've already gotten from you-- the house, the car, all that. But what we spend, until we're absolutely, positively broke, is going to be our grocery money."

Mom opened her mouth to argue, but then thought better of it. In the end, this was a contest of stubbornness, and I was always the victor of those. Always. "Fine. Just promise me you'll ask for help when you need it, okay?"

"Okay." I nodded. "I will."

"Thank you." She reached out and smoothed some of my hair, and I thought about where I was: on a couch, in the arms of the boy I loved, with a mother who adored me stroking my hair. As a child in a dog crate, I never would have thought I'd be right here. "So. How have my grandchildren been lately?"

"Fine," I said. "Devin hasn't punched anyone else, anyway."

"Well, that is a plus. What about the flock? Are they enjoying school?"

"Oh, Nudge loves middle school. It's totally her thing: girls running around yapping their jaws, worrying about their clothes, obsessing over famous teenage guys. Gazzy and Angel really like their schools, too." At Fang's low chuckle right in my ear, I added, "Apparently one of Gazzy's farts set off the smoke detector at his school."

Mom's eyebrows shot up. "Oh… my."

"Yeah," I said, laughing. "He's a--"

There was a loud crash from the kitchen, cutting me off. I sat up and looked over there, but all I could see was the closed door before I heard Iggy's voice. "Nudge, you were supposed to be watching them."

"I was!" she protested. "Gracie wandered off over here and Devin went over there… they're, like, two places at once! I don't have eyes in the back of my head!"

"Just get them out of here," Iggy sighed, and then there was some shuffling around. "Guys, go find your parents."

Not three full seconds after he said it, the twins were running out of the kitchen and over to us. Gracie climbed into my lap and Devin hoisted himself into Fang's.

"What happened?" I asked them. "Devin, what did you break?"

"A plate," he said sheepishly. "It was slippery."

I nodded and looked down at Gracie, running my hand through her hair, not having enough energy to scold him.

"Ooh, Mommy," she said suddenly. Over her head, I could see my mom smiling at the four of us, a real family with a mom and a dad and a couple sweet kids. "I forgot to tell you."

"Tell me what, baby?" My fingers snagged in a tangled curl, and I gently worked them loose.

"In school, this other teacher came today," she said happily as I continued to fix her hair. "Mrs. Montgomery said she was supposed to help her become a teacher, so she'd be helping us."

"Really," I said, barely listening.

"Yeah. And, and she's really nice. She gave me a lollipop. Her name's Ms. Drison."

For some reason, the name sounded familiar, and then I realized why: Drison. Dwyer. They were, like, the same first syllable, just with different endings.

I gritted my teeth at the thought of Brigid Dwyer, the scientist who'd flirted with Fang even though she was seven years older than him. Of course, this had nothing to do with the innocent student teacher-- I mentally reminded myself that if I ever met this lady, I needed to not shoot her dirty looks.

"That's neat, honey," I said, mostly succeeding in pushing the bitterness out of my voice. Fang, being able to read me so well and all, heard it anyway and smirked. I punched him in the arm.

"Ow," he said exaggeratedly, falling back on the couch. "Guys, Mommy hurt me."

"Poor Daddy," Gracie said, moving onto his lap and patting his arm gently.

"Oh, you're fine," I told him, standing up.

"I need a kiss to make it feel better," Fang pouted.

I shook my head and smiled, leaning over the kids to press my lips to his. "Better?"

He grinned hugely. "One more."

Okay, so I think the end is just so so so so so cute!

Review?