The Pregnancy Ship

This is an A/U story

Disclaimer: These are not my characters they are fully James Duffs. I just love them so much and love to play with them.

Chapter 31: Separation Anxiety

Three months later

7:00 am Friday morning, April 26

Sharon and Andy were getting their four-month-old twins ready to visit Nicole, Andy's daughter, her husband Dean and the boys for the day. They would stay with their big sister and her family while Sharon and Andy had some much needed time to themselves. Sharon and Andy had given the twins their baths with mommy and daddy in the big tub, and now they were getting them dressed in blue and white and pink and white Laura Ashley rompers. Sharon and Andy still had their matching green terry cloth robes on. Hers reached mid thigh and covered a nursing bra and panties. Her hair was still damp from their bath and hung down her back. His robe was a bit longer covering his boxers and a t-shirt.

When he had heard she was pregnant with twins, Sharon's lawyer friend, Gavin Baker had sent a huge box of Laura Ashley and Tesa babe' baby clothes. He had bought the clothes and accessories in every size from newborn preemie to size six from a baby boutique store that had had a moving sale. He had bought them completely out of their girl baby clothes stock and then sent it to the Flynn's right before the girls were born.

"Dad, Sharon, where are you?" Sharon and Andy heard Nicole call from the front door. Sharon's eyes were wide with panic! "They're here? This early? It's only seven o'clock in the morning and I'm practically naked under this robe!" Sharon whispered loudly.

"Relax! Sharon, Honey its just Nicole and the boys. They've seen us in our robes before we're back in the nursery." Andy answered.

They heard little feet running through the house. "Devlin, Ian don't run!" Said four adult voices.

Devlin and Ian stopped at the door to the nursery. "Sorry, Gramma Sharon. Sorry, Grampa Andy. Can we come in?"

"Yes, but don't tackle us we've got the babies on the diaper changing table and they are rolling over these days." Andy said.

"Okay," the boys walked sedately to their grandparents and hugged them.

Sharon hugged and kissed Devlin then Ian on the head, "I'm so glad to see you, I missed you!"

"Missed you too, Gramma Sharon. Wow, Nat and Maddie have really grown," said the boys amazed.

"Yes, they have. They weigh 9 1/2lbs now and are four months old. They are laughing and as your grandfather mentioned they turn over now too," Sharon said proudly.

The girls looked up at the boys, each chewing furiously on their thumbs, but with great big smiles on their faces, they loved the boys. Sharon had tried to dissuade them from using their thumbs but the girls were stubborn. Finally Eileen, Sharon's mother had pointed out that the girls could always find their thumbs on their own, and that Sharon had sucked her thumb for the first two years of her life and had given it up on her own. 'And you turned out just fine, Dear,' she had said encouragingly. Sharon had finally given up and stopped worrying about it.

Andy smiled, loving that the boys went to Sharon first, but he pretended to be hurt by their inattention. "Hey, what about me? What am I chopped liver? Didn't you miss me?"

"No, you're not chopped liver, Grampa. We missed you too!" They both said laughing, then let go of Sharon so they could hug Andy.

He kissed them on the head too and then high–fived them. "So how was your trip to Europe? Did you learn anything?" Andy asked.

Nicole and Dean had taken the boys to Europe with their ballet troupe. "It was great, Grampa. We saw all kinds of things and we saw a lot of ballets, but we're glad to be home now."

"I know we're a little early," Nicole said apologetically.

"That's okay Honey," Andy said. "We're glad to see you! He held Nicole in a side hug keeping one hand on Madison to keep her from trying to roll off the changing table. He kissed her cheek. "Anytime I can spend a little time with my daughter will make me happy. No matter what time it is."

Nicole smiled basking in the glow of her father's love. She beamed at Sharon because in her opinion, she had been a big part of her reconciliation between her and her dad. The Sharon effect, she still called it. Sharon smiled back at her and gave her a side hug as well. Her cheeks were slightly flushed because she still wasn't entirely comfortable being seen in her morning dishabille, but since nobody, not even Dean looked shocked or scandalized she relaxed. "Anyway the reason we came so early is that the boys have something to share with you and so we came early so they could do that while you're nursing the twins one last time before we take them over to our house," said Nicole looking at the boys and winking at them conspiratorially.

"We have a DVD." They were practically bouncing as they asked together, "can we set it up in the family room?"

"Not yet boys, leave it on the entertainment center for now and help your dad take some of the baby stuff over to the house," Nicole told them. Then she said to Sharon, "That should give you a few moments to get setup for nursing before they come back in."

Sharon nodded gratefully and smiled self consciously as she finished snapping Natalie into her romper. She really preferred not having an audience while she nursed. She'd had hoped she and Andy would have quiet time with the girls while they nursed before their visit with their big sister. Oh well it was Nicole, Dean and the boys they were family not strangers she told herself. She picked Natalie up to carry her into the family room. As she lifted her she kissed both her cheeks and blew on her tummy. Natalie giggled, as she grabbed for Sharon's hair. Sharon released her hair from Nat's fingers and held her up against her shoulder breathing in her clean baby scent, mixed with baby powder and baby lotion. She carried Natalie vertically against her shoulder so she could look over it. Placing one hand on her back to keep her from falling backward and her other arm supporting her bottom, she made her way to the family room followed by Nicole.

Andy was starting to follow them with Madison, but then they heard a very loud wet sounding noise coming from the vicinity of Madison's bottom. Andy turned back to the changing area and could be heard chiding the baby in a teasing, laughing way. "Ahh Maddie, I just changed you! You couldn't have done this before your bath? I mean, really!" Sharon and Nicole looked at each other and laughed.

"Should I rescue him?" Nicole asked still laughing.

Sharon shook her head smiling, "No, he can handle it. Listen…"

Nicole cocked her head and heard Andy talking baby nonsense to Madison and blowing on her tummy. "He really loves being a dad again doesn't he?" Nicole said musingly, like she didn't know whether to believe it or not. She had watched him over the last several months with the girls, with Sharon. She still had a hard time reconciling the man that had been kicked out of the house because of his drinking when she was small, with the man she saw before her these days. The daddy she remembered from the age of six had been often belligerent but had mostly been a sad drunk. The man before her now was sweet and kind and loving, like the daddy from her earliest memories before he started drinking heavily. This man was a very happy man and totally in love with his wife and his two little girls. She wished she had looked past her mother's bitter rants about her father and had given him a chance sooner.

Sharon could read Nicole's thoughts by the regretful look on her face. She answered the question. "Oh yes! He most certainly does and he's wonderful with them. The girls adore him!"

"My mother said he was wonderful with Nathan and me until we were six. Then things went downhill and he started drinking, heavily," Nicole said sadly.

Sharon looked towards the nursery and then said quietly, "Yes well, I'm not sure you know this Nicole, but around that time the squad your father worked with stumbled upon a satanic sexual abuse ring. The people in charge of this group used children that went to daycare centers. Several children were sexually molested all over the city at different daycares and once it happened at the one day care, other parents whose children were at other daycares started reporting it was done to their kids. Sometimes it wasn't clear what's real and what was hysteria. It was like the Salem Witch Hunts all over again. Some of the perpetrators were found guilty, some got off because of loopholes in the justice system. It was frightening to any parents who had to leave their children in daycare and it was very upsetting to the police officers that had to investigate these situations. A lot of the officers had children, and finding out what the child victims had suffered made them sick with worry for their own children, especially knowing that the sexual abuse was tied to a satanic group. Your father would never tell you this. He owns his alcoholism, he owns his mistakes, and he doesn't make excuses. I'm telling you this so you understand him better, and can cut him some slack. Your father was deeply affected by the case. It affected a lot of officers negatively. The children your father and the other officers found had been given addictive drugs, to make them compliant during the sexual acts done to them. Your father struggled very much. He adores children, especially you and your brother, then and your baby sisters now not to mention your boys. At that time you and your brother were the age of some of the children abducted, two in particular that…didn't make it. It's not an excuse for his behavior, Nicole but it's one of many reasons behind it."

"Wow, that's awful, I had no idea." Nicole said stricken by the darkness her father had been facing back then and really every day of his career. She had never realized how terrible it must have been for him. Now that she knew she realized how proud she was of her dad to have beaten his addiction, continued to get the bad guys and had become the man she could hear making his baby daughter laugh hysterically in the other room. Nicole looked Sharon in the eyes, and took her hand. "Thank you so much for giving me back my dad, Sharon."

She squeezed Nicole's hand and reached over to give her a kiss on the cheek. Then she put her hand back on Natalie's back so she wouldn't pitch backward. "Honey, he did the work and he did it for himself and because he wanted to be part of your lives. I was just the buffer."

"No, Sharon you were so much more. You made me see him for who he is now and I thank you for that from the bottom of my heart."

"You are welcome from the bottom of mine," Sharon said sincerely.

Nicole eyes teared up as she said, "When I think how badly we treated him over the years, I could cry. I wish I had not listened to my mother's bitter rants and given him a chance sooner."

Sharon balanced Natalie then used her free hand to place it on her stepdaughter's shoulder. "Life is too short for regrets, Nicole. All you can do really is move forward. Love him and cherish the man he is now and include him in your life with your family. That's all he's ever wanted."

Nicole nodded. "Sharon can I ask a question about what you just told me?"

"Of course, Dear. What do you want to know? I'll tell you what I can which isn't very much."

"Did the other officers that were involved have trouble with alcohol too?" Nicole asked, curiously.

"Some of them. They all carried a lot of anger and emotional trauma for a very long time after that case. Some started drinking if they weren't drinking already and some quit the force altogether. There were one or two that even committed suicide, but I believe they were involved in the satanic rituals. Seeing that kind of thing is terribly frightening if you don't have children, but if you have children and you know what it's like to be a parent. The fear freezes your blood, and makes you afraid to allow your kids out your sight for a second." Sharon answered hoping Nicole would drop the subject, the case had given her the creeps and she'd only been peripherally involved.

"Were you actively involved in the investigation?" Nicole was like a terrier with a bone.

"Me? Not directly, but I was aware, peripherally of the case. Especially since there were several instances that involved FID that happened with your father and some others. I had just transferred over to FID, back then. I helped investigate drunk and disorderly officers who behaved in unbecoming ways in public especially if their weapon was involved. Some of those instances led back to that case. Listen Nicole, it happened a very long time ago. I only mentioned it so that you'd understand your father a little better. Sometimes knowing what the trigger was makes forgiving the person a little easier. Your father wants you to forgive him, by the way. He's afraid to ask for it partly because he doesn't feel he deserves it and partly because he isn't sure he'd get it. He's very different now than he was back then." Sharon smiled at Nicole as she thought of Andy and how hard he had worked at bettering his life. "Now, let's change the subject, hmmm? I really can't give you any more detail anyway. We tried to keep the story under wraps as much as we could in case there were any undiscovered factions in other parts of California, so just law enforcement know the details of the case."

Nicole nodded her understanding and started looking for extra expressed milk bottles in the freezer. She found several and put them in the bottle cooler. "Nicole, I packed plenty for the day," Sharon said uneasily.

"I'm sure you did, but I'd rather have more than enough than not enough." Nicole looked at Sharon concerned. "Don't worry they will be put in the freezer until I need them and if I don't they'll come back here, back to your freezer.

Sharon's uneasiness increased when she looked around the room. There were no swings, no play-pad on the floor for the girls to roll around on and no round activity chairs. "Are you packing up the entire houseful of baby stuff? I know this was my idea but... but seeing this room devoid of baby paraphernalia. I…" Sharon's hormones were still working overtime, and unbidden tears pricked at the back of her eyes.

Nicole could see that it was going to be hard for Sharon to separate from the girls. She gave Sharon a side hug, "No just the essentials. Everything, including the girls will be back Sunday afternoon."

Sharon looked her in shock, "Sunday afternoon? But this is Friday morning! I thought you'd bring them home tonight!"

"You asked for the day, but Dad asked for the weekend, Sharon. I'm not sure but I think he has plans. Don't make me say anymore. It was obviously supposed to be a surprise; I don't want to completely ruin it and don't worry. We'll take good care of them, I promise."

Sharon swallowed, "I'm sorry. I really do appreciate you taking the girls for us so your father and I can have some time to ourselves. I just…" she swallowed back tears, "find it hard to think about being separated from them that long." Sharon tried to hide her dismay that Nicole would have the girls for the weekend. She did not mean to seem ungrateful that Nicole and her family were willing to do this for them. They really did need some uninterrupted sleep and time to get to know one another's bodies again. It had been an incredibly long time for them, since the end of her second trimester. If she hadn't had have a partial hysterectomy at six weeks postpartum they would have been together intimately long before this. She had though and had just been cleared for intimacy again. "Really Nicole thank you, I really am grateful, I'm just being…silly, that's all." Sharon started to prepare herself to nurse. She placed the nursing pillow on the couch and sat within its half circle. She picked up the drape that her mother made her for privacy during nursing, but didn't put it on she wanted to wait until she had both girls in the tandem nursing position.

"There is nothing silly about loving your babies, and having a hard time separating from them, Sharon," Nicole said. "In fact I'd be surprised if you weren't having a hard time. Knowing you, I mean. You're such a wonderful nurturing mother. I knew you'd have a hard time. Listen," Nicole said casually, "why not come over before you are ready to leave for your weekend getaway and nurse them? That way you'll see they're fine, you'll have your baby fix and you can then enjoy your weekend. Besides, you mentioned needing to start thinking about weaning the girls this is the perfect time to do that," Nicole said, wanting to reassure Sharon, but only managing to upset her more.

Trying hard to keep the irritation she felt out of her voice, but failing Sharon said. "Yes, I did mention I need to start thinking about it, but I'm not ready to wean them yet, Nicole. Even if I was I wasn't planning on weaning them cold turkey!" Sharon's voice had lifted on the high side. "It's a process. I'm going to gradually wean them until I'm just nursing them in the morning and at night before they go to bed. Then I'll leave off mornings and eventually the night one will go too. It's not just about feeding them, Nicole. It's the emotional bonding that I find difficult to end right away. I guess maybe it's because these will be…" She stopped and cleared her throat and put her hand to her heart, "my... my last babies, and once they grow out of the nursing…well I don't know...it's just…h...hard," her voice was tremulous.

Gazing at the innocent face of her baby girl Natalie, Sharon started to tear up again.

Nicole knelt beside her. "I understand, Sharon. Really I do," she said cajolingly. "It's just that dad planned this weekend for your birthday and he'll be so disappointed if you don't go."

Sharon swallowed hard, "I know and I don't want to disappoint him, but Nicole, I don't honestly know if I can do this, not for a whole weekend!"

Nicole was not the least surprised at Sharon's resistance and had told her father this would be a sticking point for Sharon. Luckily they had no intention of making her wait until Sunday to see her babies. It was their plan to give her a worst-case scenario so that she would more willingly accept the idea of a compromise, to distract Sharon so that she would focus on her babies and not being able to see them. Not where Andy was taking her or that they were planning a surprise party for her on the night before her birthday. It was an elaborate scheme but necessary. Sharon Raydor was not easy to surprise.

"Okay," said Nicole getting up from the floor next to Sharon perching on the arm of the couch. "This is Plan B, just like I suggested before, you come over, nurse them and then go for your weekend getaway. If tomorrow you start missing them to the point where you can't stand it, text us the address and we'll bring them to you for a couple of hours. Then we'll bring them back here and you can have a second night of uninterrupted sleep among… other things," she said shrugging her shoulder and looking positively suggestive.

Sharon looked at Nicole with eyebrows raised. She was a slightly amused and was tempted to ask her what "other things" she was referring to, just to see what she'd say, but decided to let it go. She nodded and said, "Thank you." Then began to relax and smile although her face was flushed and her eyes were red rimmed from the effort it took to rein in her overworking emotions.

As Andy was about to join them again he had heard Nicole and Sharon's discussion and realized right away that Sharon had found out the twins were going to be away for the weekend and was resisting the idea. Nicole had warned him that it would be too long for her to be away from the twins and she wouldn't be easily fooled into thinking he would expect her to allow him to take her away from them for that long. So he had come up with Operation Plan B. He could see by Sharon's flushed face and her red-rimmed eyes that she had been struggling, trying hard to not cry. He decided to lighten the mood. He turned his gaze to Nicole for a sign that their Plan B was working. Sharon's head was bowed as she made faces at Natalie while they waited for Andy and Madison to join them. Nicole nodded slightly. He walked into the family room wearing jeans and a t–shirt. Andy had to change since Maddie's "accident" had spread to his robe. "You think her separation anxiety is bad, Nicole? You should have seen her reaction to the twins getting their shots. Now that I think about it, it wasn't just her it was me too." He said sheepishly as he approached them carrying Madison over his arm and bouncing her up and down with sound effects causing her to giggle with glee.

"Andy, please don't tell that story!" Sharon tried to use her Darth Raydor glare and tone of voice, but hearing her baby's delighted laughter made her smile, "and please don't get her too excited, she'll never settle down to nurse."

"Okay Dad, I want to hear this," Nicole said smiling.

"Hold on, Sweetheart," he said as he handed Madison over to Sharon and she kissed both Maddie's cheeks. "Hi baby girl! How's momma's little girl?" Also feeling the need for levity, she blew raspberries in her tummy. Madison pulled her little legs up and giggled. Then Sharon did the same thing with Natalie and there were more giggles from both babies and Sharon. Nicole watched her playing with her babies and smiled. She enjoyed watching animated Sharon, as did Andy. She hoped it would cheer Sharon up.

"Now who's stimulating them too much?" Andy teased. "I thought we were supposed to keep them calm so they can nurse."

Sharon shrugged and said, "Well, I needed to hear them laugh again because apparently I won't hear it again until Sunday morning." She said cocking her head to the side and looking up at him with a look that could freeze blood.

Andy was not intimidated by that look; he crouched down beside his wife and looked her in the eyes. "Sharon, I have some surprise plans. It's your birthday weekend and I wanted to do something nice for you. I didn't ask you because I didn't want to spoil my surprise. I guess I should have realized that you would find out way before I wanted you too and have a hard time with it, maybe it's just too soon." He looked down and then back up at her with a sad expression on his face. "If you're really against the girls staying with Nicole I can cancel…"

Sharon pressed her lips together as she stared into Andy's dear face, "No Andy, it's okay. Don't cancel our plans. I love that you arranged a surprise for me. I had no idea that it would be so hard that's all. I'll deal and Nicole suggested we go over before we're about to get ready to go so I can feed them then and I'll have my "baby fix," before we leave. She also said that they would bring the girls to see us tomorrow if I really need to see them."

"That sounds like a plan. Thank you Honey," Andy said to Nicole as he stood up and went to the kitchen for a bottle of water.

He came back just as Nicole was saying, "You're welcome. It should work as long as you're not going too far."

"Not too far at all," Andy said smiling at his daughter and winking at her over Sharon's head. They both looked down at Sharon and Madison as baby waved her arms and grabbed her mother's hair, trying to suck on her chin as she was being put in the position to nurse. Sharon murmured to her as she got her settled against her for feeding.

"Dad, tell me about the doctor's visit, please?" Nicole prompted.

Sharon rolled her eyes; she had really hoped Nicole would have forgotten about that appointment fiasco. She really was tenacious just like her father. "Andy, really...did you have to bring up the scene we made at the doctor's office? Nicole really does not need to hear about how I made a complete fool of myself!"

"Sure I do," said Nicole at the same time that Andy said, "sure she does and it's not like you were alone in your humiliation. I was right there with you, Honey," Andy said as he wedged himself behind Sharon, the nursing pillow and the armrest of the couch. He did this, sat behind her to give her back support and be a part of the nursing experience. He wanted her to know that they were always in this together. Once he was settled, he handed her the bottle of water he had gotten out of the refrigerator.

She took a sip and smiled back at him. He always seemed to know what she needed. She mouthed the words, "Thank you!"

Andy never got tired of watching Sharon breastfeeding their babies. He was so grateful she had not only given him a second chance at fatherhood, she seemed to appreciate his desire to be part of all aspects of being a parent. Unlike his first wife who had considered the nursing experience to be a private experience just for her and the babies, Valerie had always shunned his efforts to be part of the process saying he was weird. Sharon seemed to understand and enjoy his desire to be intricately involved in the nursing process.

She hadn't had any help from Jack at all. In fact he had hated the process saying she was weird for wanting to do it when bottles were so much easier. She had countered with 'Oh really, well are you going to foot the bill for the cost of the formula, because it isn't free, Jack.' Stung by the truth of her statement he had told her she was perverted for enjoying it so much and that it made her boobs saggy. In contrast, Andy was appreciative of her body and the fact that she had risked her life to give birth to the twins at her age. Although nothing horrible had happened, there had been a few minor issues, but it could have gone very wrong. He was very mindful of that and was unfailingly kind and loving. He loved that she was willing to nurse the babies long after most professional women would have stopped and switched to bottles. She knew that he found her desirable because of the way he looked at her and because he told her everyday in many different ways. Watching as the memories of the hurts from the past flit across her face and were replaced with the joy of having him in her life. Andy tilted her lips up and he kissed her tenderly as she leaned into him.

Nicole watched and marveled at how far they'd come from not even being able to admit they were dating a couple of Christmas's ago, to being a complete, loving couple and parental unit. She didn't want to ruin the moment but she was really curious about their trip to the doctor's office. "Come on, Dad spill," she prompted.

"Andy, if you must tell her, do it quickly." Sharon said bowing her head and concentrating on getting first Natalie then Madison latched on under the cover of the nursing drape. She bit her lip at the initial contact from Madison, who had mostly learned not to bite with her early teeth, but sometimes she got overly excited and forgot about the, "no bite mommy rule."

"Well Dad?" Nicole prompted yet again.

Andy watched his wife blushing and not meeting his or Nicole's eyes. "Nicole, Honey maybe I shouldn't tell you."

"Come on, Dad she gave you permission just tell it quick."

Smiling as he remembered Andy launched into an animated telling of the day they took the girls for their shots. "Well the babies were about to get their vaccinations. The doctor was playing with them as she examined them making them giggle, then all of a sudden the nurses swooped in to use their little bottoms and thighs like dart boards, at least it seemed so to us. Then they took blood samples and did some other stuff that had them screaming, Sharon and I are trying to keep from sobbing. She picked one up and started nursing her to comfort her and I picked up the other and managed to get peed on for my trouble. I think I may have said a few choice words. Both of us had tears running down our faces. The doctor just shook her head and told us that the babies, would be fussy for the rest of the day but they would be right as rain by the next day. She mumbled something about dealing with screaming babies being a whole lot easier to deal with then sleep deprived parents. She then suggested we leave the babies with someone and go take a nap, or have uninterrupted sex. We seemed to be a really strung out," Andy said chuckling as he remembered.

Sharon shook her head in consternation. She had always been able to control her emotions, but getting pregnant with twins had put an end to that. She wondered if she'd ever get that control back. "I was so embarrassed!" Sharon said. "First of all, I don't remember reacting that way with my first two, and then having the girls doctor tell us to have uninterrupted sex, was….well, mortifying! But I guess we were kind of sleep deprived that day. The babies were starting to teethe so they were up most of the night with sore gums and somehow the last five years of being called out for murders in the middle of the night did not help us. The one good thing was that this time I had support and commiseration from your father." She smiled over her shoulder at him, her eyes shone with complete adoration. He smiled back at her, a smile that had his own adoration for her, written all over it.

Nicole smiled at Sharon and her father. "When was this?"

"Two days ago why?" Sharon asked.

"Well, that explains it," Nicole said chuckling.

"Explains what?"

"The phone calls from both of you, individually asking that we take the babies so you could have some time to yourself." She pretended to mimic quote marks, 'So I can spend quality time with your dad.' From you Sharon and from you Dad, 'so I can spend some uninterrupted time with my wife on her birthday, but don't tell her/him. Just offer like it's your idea," Nicole said mimicking them both.

Ducking her head, Sharon said, "If it's a problem forget we asked." Sharon was feeling disappointed now that she was somewhat on board with the whole going away thing.

"Oh no Sharon, I'm not backing out. I just thought it was funny that you both called me and swore me to secrecy it was cute and sweet. I love that you two get along so well and are always doing things for each other. Even my earliest memories of my parents were of them arguing. My mother can be a perfectly reasonable person, but if someone mentions my dad or if God forbid he comes into the room, she seems to go bat shit crazy… "

Andy looked uncomfortable and embarrassed by his daughter's words. Suddenly Dean could be heard clearing his throat. The boys stood in front of him looking like the cats that ate a canary. "Mom! You said a wordy derd!" Ian said.

"I know and I'm sorry we'll discuss my punishment later. Listen, it's getting late, Devlin you can put the DVD in now."

"Punishment? You get punished for saying a bad word? How?" Andy teased while the boys set up the DVD player.

Nicole shrugged, "if the boys catch me saying a wordy derd, which by the way is like a spoonerism, they get to punish me. Usually it's stuff like I have to wash the dishes by hand instead of using the dishwasher. That is something they know I hate, or writing I will not use bad language, however many times they say, not to exceed 50 times. It's just to help them to remember the rule about no bad language and it keeps us cognizant of the unfairness of the do what I say not what I do idea. It also gives them a tiny bit of power. It was Dean's rule actually. I'm still a little behind on the learning of it."

The boys cheered out, "we're ready" and they pushed the button to start the DVD.

Please feel free to let me know what you think of this chapter or any of the other previous chapters as well.

Reviews really do help keep the motivation flowing.

Thank you to all that have taken the time to leave a review. They are really truly appreciated.