"Oh my Lord, Stacey! Please tell me you and Jason can come down early Friday and be the first ones at the bar with me so I don't have to sit there by myself and wait for everyone to arrive with their…" Claudia paused before spitting out, "significant others."

Stacey grinned as she listened to Claudia's rantings on the other end of the phone.

"I mean it's bad enough that Jessi, excuse me JESSICA ripped me a new one the other day but to find out that I will be the only one there who is single makes me cranky! Besides that, what was I thinking agreeing to host a brunch for everyone and their little brats on Sunday? Was I drunk when I agreed to this? Speaking of drunk, would it be bad if I got really drunk and started flirting with Scott? He is yummy!"

"Ok Claud. You have just crossed the line into completely psycho." Insisted Stacey. "Yes, Jason and I will be there early, in fact we will come to your house and pick you up. On Saturday, if you want, we'll come over and I can help you get stuff ready for Sunday. Jason can just watch the game on tv while we work. He and I are having dinner with my mom and Warren late Saturday night. Now will you please bring back my best friend Claudia and get rid of this lunatic who is talking?" Said Stacey as she repositioned herself into a more comfortable position.

"I'm sorry, it's just this whole being single thing has really gotten me down lately. I let Mark mess up my mind for way too long. I feel like I am ready to move on, but I still have that wall up against men. Plus I really need sex. I haven't had it in 3 years!" Claudia exclaimed. "Stacey? Stace? You there?"

"Sorry, I dropped the phone. Seriously? Three years?" gasped Stacey. She then realized the other end of the phone had gone silent. "Ok, new subject. Who else did you hear from?"

"Look Stace, you can get the scoop from everyone Friday ok? I have to go figure out menus and confirm reservations with the bar. I'll catch you guys Friday ok? Love you!" Chirped Claudia as she hung up the phone.

Claudia sighed then looked around her home. Who would have thought that slobby Kishi would actually have a clean house? She thought with a grin. She sat down on the couch and turned on the tv as Picasso and Crocker curled up next to her. She grinned as she realized an old movie was on featuring Cam Geary. After watching for a few minutes she entered her basement, searched her shelves and carefully carried a box back upstairs.

The first item she pulled out of the box was a picture of a smiling dark-blonde haired guy with his arm around a pretty, petite blonde who was visibly pregnant. Two small children were hugging their knees wearing Santa hats. Scrawled across the front of the card was Merry Christmas from the Bruno Family. Claudia hadn't seen Logan since his wedding to Julie almost 7 years ago. She and Mark had attended with most of the rest of their high school friends. They were enthralled with Julie and loved how well she fit into their group of friends. Logan had attended Western Michigan University on a baseball scholarship while pursuing a degree in high school education. He had met Julie at a fraternity party one night and they were inseparable ever since. The two of them had settled in Vermont and had started a family soon after marrying.

Still smiling, she reached into the box and pulled out a water globe with the Eiffel Tower in it. An envelope was attached to it and as she read the letter she grinned although somewhat wistfully.

Hey Claudia,

I had to send you something gaudy from Paris! That's right I'm in Paris! Just for a week. Andy surprised me and flew us out here just for the hell of it. (Dating a pilot has its advantages.) I just wanted to let you know that everything is going perfectly with him and I never would have met him if it hadn't been for you being late as usual. Ha ha ha. Miss you lots and let's grab lunch or something when I get back into town?

Love, Shanny

Claudia remembered a couple years ago, she had an invitation to attend a conference in Chicago. She had called Shannon who lived in a suburb close to Chicago and asked if she could stay with her. Shannon had offered to pick her up at the airport; however since she missed her flight she landed almost 3 hours after she had originally planned. Shannon meanwhile had sat at an airport bar waiting and had ended up meeting a gorgeous, single pilot who happened to be from the area. They had been together ever since. Claudia laughed as she remembered how drunk Shannon was by the time she arrived and how she ended up driving back to Shannon's house trying to interpret Shannon's slurred directions.

She then pulled out an obituary and felt tears well up as she read through it.

Mrs. Dee Pike (nee Rogers) died peacefully at home surrounded by family at the age of 48. She is survived by her loving husband, Steve, her children Mallory, Byron (Candice), Jordan (Jennifer), Adam, Nicholas, Vanessa (David), Margo, Claire as well as 6 grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, donations are accepted to Hospice and the American Cancer Society.

She felt horrible for the Pike family. Mrs. Pike had been their rock, their glue that kept them together. She remembered running into Mallory at the grocery store about 3 years ago and Mallory had brought up how her mother had been feeling under the weather. By the time she went to the doctor the cancer had spread everywhere. Hospice came in and shortly after, she had succumbed to the disease. Soon after Mallory had left college and moved back to Stoneybrook to try and help her father take care of everyone. Mallory had sent her a quick email stating that she was manager at a bookstore nearby and had met a nice man there who she would be bringing with her on Friday.

Wiping away her tears she stumbled across a birth announcement that made her laugh. It showed a red faced little baby boy with a mop of dark curly hair.

Please join Anna & Elliot Gordon in welcoming the birth of their son: Stephen Gale Gordon. 7lbs 9 oz.

Stephen would not have been possible without the selfless act of love by Abigail Stevenson-Cartwright.

Claudia admitted she herself had been surprised to hear that Abby had agreed to be a surrogate for her sister and brother in law. Apparently, Abby hadn't even considered saying no. She knew her twin's dream of having a family and when that was found to not be possible, Abby stepped right up.

Abby took it all in stride though. She bounced back after and made sure to be an active part of Stephen's life. Of course, Daniel probably had nothing to do with that. Mused Claudia thinking of Abby's husband. Abby had been rollerblading and listening to her headphones and didn't notice that the person in front of her had stopped. She crashed into him full force knocking him to the ground next to her. She had panicked at first thinking she was bleeding everywhere until she realized she had fallen on a box of his jelly doughnuts. She let him help her up and realized he was a police officer. As she put two and two together she laughed hysterically causing herself to fall again. She finally used her quick wit regarding the age old "cop with doughnuts" routine and to her surprise he not only laughed with her but asked her out for coffee.

Claudia grinned as she thought of her friends. It was true she had kept in touch with some better than others but maybe this weekend would be her opportunity to mend some fences. Maybe it would help her attitude towards men as well…