Thursday night was a busy one in the White House off Crescent and Park. Marissa had shared her suggestion for a launch party for AJ's boat; a family fun day they could invite family and friends too. The kids had spent the rest of the night working out the invitations and what food they needed to buy for the feast afterwards.

"Don't forget the champagne." AJ said leaning over Marissa's shoulder as she wrote the shopping list.

"Champagne?"

"For Bianca to smash on the side of the boat when we launch her." said AJ. "You have to have champagne!"

Marissa dutifully wrote down champagne.

"Can we have a posh dinner?" Miranda asked.

"What do you mean posh?" said Bianca.

"Well not pizza…"

"I like pizza." protested Gabby.

"But we always have pizza!" Miranda exclaimed. "I think we should have something different."

"What would you like instead?"

"A ham or turkey with mash potatoes, roast potatoes, yams… everything!"

"So what you really want is another Christmas dinner." said Marissa with a laugh.

"Yeah, a real feast." exclaimed AJ.

"And if we are inviting Erica… I don't think she really likes pizza." Miranda added.

"I think that sounds like a great idea…" began Bianca. "Although we might need to rope in Krystal and Opal to help again…"

"Hey, hey, hey!" protested Marissa. "I can cook!"

She had been busy writing ham, potatoes, carrots and peas on her shopping list.

"So is there anything else we need?" Marissa asked checking through the list.

Gabby peered in too.

"Have you written ice cream?" she asked.

"I have." said Marissa pointing to it on the list.

"Then you have everything." the little girl said happily

"I'm not sure when we are going to be able to buy all this though." said Bianca. "Aren't you going dress shopping with my sister this Friday?"

"Oh yes." said Marissa giving Bianca a little smile. "But I can go shopping afterwards."

"Or," suggested Bianca, "We can ask our house guests to take the kids…"

"Reese and Maggie?" Marissa said and then grinned. "That might just work."

"What?" asked Miranda looking between her mommy and her mama. "What might work?"

Bianca squeezed her daughter's hand.

"Never you mind." she warned.

"Mom and Binks are trying to set them up." AJ explained.

"Theres no getting anything past these guys." said Marissa with a laugh. She made sure she had the kid's full attention. "Look, Bianca and I think that Aunty Maggie and Mamma Reese need to be friends again. This will be a good way to help them spend time together and make up."

"Sure." said AJ although he clearly knew when he was being talked down to.

"Just don't let them know we're setting them up." said Bianca. "We really are just looking for a way for them to just talk."

"It's okay." said Miranda. "We want them to be friends again too. We'll help."

"Subtly." warned Marissa.

"We can be subtle." said AJ.

"All of you?"

Together they turned to look at Gabby.

Gabby however had stopped listening to the conversation after ice cream had been confirmed and with one of the scraps of paper Marissa hadn't used for her shopping list and a pen she was instead doing a doodle of AJ's boat.

"I think they'll be fine." said Bianca with a laugh.

"We still have to get them to say yes." Marissa pointed out.

AJ grabbed the shopping list from his mom.

"We'll go and ask them now." he said.

"We'll be real quick." agreed Miranda and the B-twins rushed off together eager to complete their mission.

…

"Momma Reese?"

Reese looked up from the draft sketch of her new design for her kitchen to see Miranda looking at her all doe-eyed. She clearly wanted something.

"Yes Miranda." she said putting down her pencil.

"Momma Reese…" Miranda said again, sidling up to the desk and leaning against it. Yep, a sure sign she wanted something. "…We decided on Saturday we're going to have a launch party for AJ's boat and a huge feast afterwards and everyone's invited. Can you come?"

"I'd love to."

Miranda licked her lips.

"The only trouble is that there isn't much time and we have to buy the food for the feast! Mamma's looking for her wedding dress tomorrow with Aunt Kendal and mommy can't come because she needs to be all rested for Saturday… So could you take me and AJ shopping for the food… Gabby too, if she doesn't want to stay home with Mommy? We already have the list… well AJ has it… and we really want to do it properly."

Reese grinned at her eagerness.

"I think I can manage that." she said.

Just then AJ appeared dragging Maggie behind him by the hand.

"She said yes." he exclaimed.

"Mamma Reese said yes too." said Miranda turning to her B-twin.

"Wait! What?" exclaimed Reese and the two women shared a look knowing they'd been played.

"Well surely you don't need both of us." said Maggie, trying to make a retreat.

"Yeah we do." insisted AJ. "We're gonna buy loads of food! Carts and Carts of it!"

"Please come." Miranda begged. "Please, please please… It'll be fun!"

Reese looked to Maggie to see what she would say.

Maggie pulled an unhappy face for a moment but both AJ and Miranda were looking up at her with adoring eyes.

"Okay." she said eventually. "I'll come."

AJ cheered.

Miranda turned to Reese.

"Yeah, I'll come too." said Reese pulling her daughter into a hug. She was still watching Maggie though. She was almost relieved Maggie said yes. Maybe this would give them the chance to talk.

…