It was a rainy day, and Sadie played in her room, as Joy and Victoria did not allow her to go outside and play because it was raining much too hard, and they didn't want her to catch a cold. Joy and Victoria stayed in the living room, watching the rain fall, streaming in watery streaks down their large windows.

Victoria comes up behind Joy, and slips her arms around her.

'Lovely morning, it's rainy out, and the three of us are stuck inside. I was going to take Sadie to the park this morning, but since it's raining, I told her she could build a fort in her room and play inside. Sade always finds something to do.'

Joy smiles leaning her head against Victoria's shoulder.

'That daughter of ours has quite a vivid imagination, don't you agree?'

Victoria smiles, pressing a few soft kisses against Joy's tresses, as she and Joy watch the rain come splattering against their large window. They look into each other's eyes, sharing a mutual glance as they press their noses against each other's.

'I agree with you there.' Her arms wrapped around Joy's waist, her hands resting on Joy's stomach as Joy lays her head against Victoria's shoulder. They watch the rain in silence for a few moments, as Victoria holds her close to her. She herself couldn't believe how far she had come.

'I can't believe how far we've come as a couple. Look at us; we're not the same as we were when we came to Cleveland a few years ago.' She looks at Joy, who smiles.

'I think we've both come a long way since we first moved here. We're learning more about each other, sure we knew friendship stuff, but once we fell in love, I felt we learned a bit more about ourselves. I always knew that there was a different side of you. Melanie never saw it because you never seemed to let her see that side all the time. The only time you've ever shown your vulnerability was with me. You've probably cried only when I was around. You've shown me the side of you proving that you could be a great mother and a wonderful, beautiful person all the way around. We together have more inside jokes than both of us do individually with Melanie. I think we've always had more in common with each other than with Mel.'

Victoria stops her for a second, and kisses her cheek. 'That's because Mel was the goody two shoes out of all three of us combined.'

Joy smiled, knowing that what Victoria said was true. They stood there in silence, Victoria's arms around Joy, continuing to watch the rain.

'I've learned quite a lot about you too, Joy. Underneath that cynical attitude is someone who just wants to be loved. I only say it often not because I have to, but because I want to. I want you to know you're loved Reyjoyla Scroggs. I love when you smile. I love when we have these moments together. I love that were together and happy. Being with you is a dream come true.'

Joy grins as she blushes a deep red. Victoria embraces her.

'You really are very sweet.'

Just as they were about to share a tender moment, a loud sound that sounded like crashing blocks came from Sadie's room.

Victoria looks at Joy, smiling.

'We'll do this later, alright my love?'

Joy laces her fingers through Victoria's and they walk together, holding hands to check on their daughter.

'Joy, Victoria, this is Sadie,' the social worker said, as she acknowledged the little girl next to her, who appeared to be about four years old. She had blue eyes, and light brown hair, neatly pulled into small little pigtails.

Victoria smiled at the social worker.

'She's adorable…oh, look Joy…she's even wearing red gingham print.'

Joy bends down to the little girl's level. She and Sadie make eye contact, and then Sadie runs into Joy's arms, which makes Victoria coo in awe.

'Aw, look…she already likes you.'

Sadie then looks at Victoria, and Victoria smiles.

She points to Joy, and says, 'This is your mommy.' Then, pointing to herself, she says, 'I'm Victoria.'

The little girl looks at her; a little confused, but then smiled.

'Vickie.'

Joy exchanges a look with Victoria, and smiled. 'Aw, she's already got a name for you.'

Sadie looks at Joy, and then snuggles against her. She looks up, and with her eyes twinkling with joy, she says, 'Mommy.'

Joy smiles and cuddles with Sadie, as Victoria sits next to her, and they take turns holding their new daughter in their arms. Victoria's turn came, and she holds the little girl, who happened to be very affectionate with both of them. Joy got a lot of hugs and cuddles, and Victoria gave Sadie Eskimo kisses and held her in her arms until the little girl wanted Joy again. They take her to her new bedroom, beautiful and frilly. She squealed with delight at the sight of having a large dollhouse and play set, thanks to Victoria and her Auntie Melanie. Sadie runs to the collection of stuffed animals, and lays in them, closing her eyes, a smile on her face. She falls asleep, and Joy pulls a blanket off of the bed, to cover her as she slept soundly.

Victoria stands at the door, and she smiles, and Joy walks over, and she wraps her arms around Joy's waist. Leaning in, she whispers,'Aw, look…Sadie fell asleep in her stuffed animals. She looks so adorable.'

Joy sighs, 'She really does. I'm amazed at how well she's adapting to us. Some children don't adapt that quickly to new surroundings.'

It was past Sadie's bedtime, they exit her room after a bedtime story and hugs and kisses from both Joy and Victoria. They exit her room, and once they enter their living room, Joy sits on the couch, patting a spot for Victoria to sit next to her.

'Come here, sweetheart. How was your day?'

Joy smiles and puts her arm around Victoria, and allows her to sit on her lap as she strokes Victoria's hair.

'Well, I had work as usual, and then I came home, picked up Sadie from school, and we went to the park.' She then leans in, kissing Joy gently.

'Thanks for asking, how was yours, babe?'

Joy smiled sweetly. 'Well, I went to the salon, did some hair, and then met with Melanie for lunch. She says hello by the way.'

Victoria smiled. Ever since they had moved out, they had been leading a separate life it seemed. With Joy and Victoria taking care of Sadie, and both Victoria and Joy working, they hadn't seen much of Mel or Elka. Usually it was a visit here and there, but things between Mel and the women had been a bit different, since Mel was now busy with her writing, and a new boyfriend, and Elka had recently married Max and they were snowbirds most of the year in Florida.

'I miss Mel. Things haven't been the same since we moved out and adopted Sadie and Grammy.'

Grammy was the Pomeranian that Joy adopted for Victoria for their one year anniversary. She named it Grammy because, as she put it, 'All my other kids were named for awards except Sadie, and Grammy never fit any of the kids, but the dog fits it the best.'

They were in the process of adopting a kitten for Sadie, but they told her that it would be a little while until the kitten was big enough and healthy.

'I agree. She's been really busy, she's writing a second book, you know. Oh, and while I'm with you, I stopped by the breeder on the way home from work. Sade's kitten is looking so adorable. The lady says we can pick her up anytime now. Has Sade picked a name for her yet?'

Victoria thought for a moment. 'I think she's trying to decide based on what she looks like. I've shown her pictures, and she's still been undecided.'

Just as they were talking, Grammy jumps on the couch. Victoria spots him, and reprimands him.

'Grammy, get off the couch!'

The dog lets off a yip, and gets off.

Victoria jumps off Joy, and gets up and scoops Grammy in her arms.

'You silly boy, you know better not to get on the couch. Joy just had it cleaned last Saturday!'

Joy stifles a laugh as she watches Victoria converse with the dog. Victoria takes him over to the dog carrier, putting him inside as she grabs the water bowl and food bowl.

'Somebody's hungry…' Victoria says, as she's filling up the food bowl, in singsong tone.

Joy tries to keep from laughing. She couldn't wait until the kitten came home. Victoria was literally becoming Mrs. Doolittle.

Opening the cage, Victoria puts the food and water in the cage, and as she does just that, she hears squawking from the cockatoo. The bird was Sadie's, Joy and Victoria bought her a bird when she was first living with them.

Joy heard the noise, and calls to Victoria, 'Is that Chatterbox?'

Chatterbox was a mutual name the women came up with because when the bird first came, it wouldn't shut up. It continued to talk and talk even into the night. But Sadie loved the bird, calling it Chatty, and even giggling as the bird would repeat her words. Victoria opens the cage, and pours more food into the cage.

'Yeah, dear. Chatterbox wanted food. Her water was full though.'

Joy smiles at Victoria, 'The kitten will most definitely be the last animal we have here. We're turning into an animal farm.'

Victoria laughs, adding to Joy's thought, and 'It will be. Sadie's already got two pets that we consider hers plus Grammy, which is yours and mine. I think that's enough animals for one little six year old to play with.'

'Well, she does play with Chance when she goes to Mel's.' Chance was Elka's dog, but Elka gave it to Mel when she moved to live with Max in his place, she thought Mel could use companionship in addition to having her boyfriend.

'Mel's always letting Sadie put the sheep costume from the pageant on Chance. That dog hates that costume, but Sadie loves it. She thinks he makes a cute sheep.'

Victoria laughed. 'He did…but he really hated that costume. That and the raincoat Elka had custom made for him.'

'Don't forget the rubber booties?' Joy smiles as she is in thought, remembering that outfit.

Victoria smiles, remembering all the trouble they went to get it. 'Yeah, that one. It was so adorable.'

Joy and Victoria exchange looks, and they stand in silence for a moment. Then, finally, Victoria speaks.

'So has Mel heard from Elka?'

Joy nodded, 'She's spoken to Elka a few times. Apparently Max is renting a brand new condo down there, and he's finally let Elka furnish it the way she wants it. He's come to terms with the loss of his first wife. He's also teaching her shuffleboard. According to Mel, Elka says she's a natural.

Victoria smiled. 'You know, babe, I'm so happy for her. Max was the best thing that ever happened to her.'

Joy wraps her arms around Victoria, holding her close. 'I know. And while we're on the subject of best things…you've been the best thing in my life.' She smiles, kissing Victoria against her cheek. Victoria feels a hand slip up her blouse. She had a look of worry, turning to Joy, 'What if Sadie walks in here wanting a glass of water or something?'

Joy continues to feel Victoria up, but then stops and grabs Victoria's hand in her own.

'Come on, I think it's time we went to bed anyway. The pets are fed, and everything's in order. Let's go and maybe…well, you get the idea.'

Victoria smirks, knowing exactly what Joy was thinking. She knew that look. She knew when Joy was in one of her moods. Grabbing her hand, she laces her fingers through Joy's.

'You're so persistent, babe…'