"Why is your child crazy?" Taylor asked, grabbing the wooden shish kebab skewers that Colton was trying to shove down the heat register.

"Have you met his father?"

"At least Adam does things with a purpose," she said, yanking the last skewer away from him. He glared at her and went back into the kitchen, opening another drawer and finding a meat thermometer. He looked it over for a moment, then dropped it into the cat's water dish before rooting through the drawer again.

"Colton, would you go play with your toys?"

"No mama."

"What if I tell you yes?"

He shook his head and ignored her in favor of a spatula, slapping it against the counter with a mischievous grin.

"Okay, you've gotta find something else to do," Lindsay sighed, wiping her hands on a dishtowel and taking him into the other room. "It's because of your playdoh in the dishwasher that we're having to do all these dishes by hand."

He gave her a look and found his toys, chucking them out of the basket one by one in protest. Lindsay shrugged, knowing that in this moment good behavior was a lost battle. She returned to the kitchen and finished washing the dishes while Taylor dried them, neither of them saying much while Colton created a lot of ruckus in the background.

"He has cabin fever," she sighed. "He hasn't done anything but sit around here in days."

"It's too cold to do anything."

"He doesn't seem to care about that."

"No he doesn't," Taylor agreed as a stuffed animal came flying into the room.

"I should probably take him over to Austin's at some point so he can play with Isa. That should help."

"Au'sin? Isa?" he asked happily as he came into the room.

"That you hear, but when I ask you to not scream in my face you ignore it."

"Isa?" he asked again, looking at her hopefully.

"Maybe tomorrow."

He threw his head back and wailed, crumpling to the floor in a pitiful heap of toddler, pounding on the linoleum as if his world had just ended.

"Get off the floor," Lindsay said, her patience wearing thin.

"No!"

"Colton Matthew Ross."

He continued to scream and she picked him up, carrying him into the bedroom and depositing him onto his bed, then leaving the room and shutting the door.

"Some days…"

"Hey Linds, he tipped over that plant out here."

"Dirt everywhere?"

"Cats walking through it. What do you suggest for cleaning this up?"

"A time machine back to when we picked an apartment, and choosing one with dark carpet."

"And in a non science fiction world?"

"I guess the vacuum."

They spent a while cleaning the mess up, glad the plant hadn't been watered in a good long time because damp dirt was a lot harder to clean up. By the time they were done Colton had stopped crying, so Lindsay put the vacuum away and went to check on him. He'd fallen asleep on the floor, his face still tracked with tears. She wanted to pull him into her arms and comfort him, but he needed a nap and she didn't want to wake him up. She pulled a blanket off his bed and settled it around him, then closed his door again.

"So I'm thinking about going to that coffee shop down the street," Taylor said. "Spend an hour people watching or something."

"Need to escape the insanity?"

"No, no. I just…"

"Get out of here, Tay."

"Thanks. I won't be gone long, I swear."

"Alright. Be careful and try to be home before it gets dark."

"I will."

Lindsay watched her leave, then went into the front room, cleaning up the destruction Colton had left in his wake. He was getting too old to be content being inside and at home all the time. He needed to be with kids his own age on a more regular basis. She didn't want to put him in daycare, but maybe a few hours a week would be alright. The thought of it made her tired, so she went into the bedroom and climbed into the messy covers, pulling them tightly around her and closing her eyes.

"Hey, I'm home," Adam said as he came through the door a few hours later.

"Hey," Lindsay returned, stirring the pot of soup on the stove. "How was work?"

"Same old."

He came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, pressing a gentle kiss to her neck.

"You missed me?" she asked, quirking her eyebrow and turning to look at him.

"It was a long day. What's going on here?"

"Remember when I said I was never going to buy a Pack and Play because I didn't want our child to feel like he spent half his life in a cage?"

"Yeah."

"I am reneging on that and we're getting one this weekend. That child is insane."

"What did he do?"

"Oh hon, the question is what did he not do."

"Where is he right now?"

"In his room. He went in there a few minutes ago and shut the door. He's either doing something really bad or… I don't know, I just didn't want to go in there."

"I'll risk it. Where's Taylor?"

"She went down to the coffee shop about four hours ago. I'm kind of getting worried."

"Did you call her?"

"No, not yet. I don't want to bug her."

"It's okay to bug her. Give her a little longer though. I'm going to go and see what our offspring is up to."

He released her and went into the Colton's room, finding him sitting on the floor, all of his toy cars in a circle around him.

"What are you doing bud?"

"See daddy?"

"Wow, it's a car show."

"Red," he commented, holding a red car out to him.

"Yeah, that's right. What color is this one?"

"Um… boo?"

"You're right buddy. You're too smart for your old dad."

"Oh. See lellow?"

"Yellow car. Which one is the best?"

"Dis!" he said, holding up the blue Jeep Wrangler.

"Is that because it's daddy's car?"

"Daddy's car!" he giggled, driving it over Adam's arm.

"So I heard you drove your mama batty today. Are you proud of yourself?"

"Okay."

"You gotta ease up on her buddy. She works too hard to have to be cleaning up after both of us all the time."

"I play."

"I know you're playing, but you need to be a good boy for mama, okay?"

"Okay daddy. Wesso?"

"You want to wrestle? You think you can take me? Never!"

Colton squealed as Adam tickled him roughly, blowing raspberries on his stomach and leaving playful pinches on his legs. They played like that for a while longer, until were both winded and laughing, their hair sticking up unnaturally. Lindsay stood in the door and watched them amusement spreading across her face as they both lay on the carpet.

"Daddy, get mama!"

"No way, she'll get me back."

"I get mama!" he said, jumping up and running towards her. The glee on his face completely made up for his earlier shenanigans, and she scooped him up, holding him tightly and kissing his cheek.

"I love mama," he said, tossing his arms around her neck.

"I love you too honey."

He smiled and planted a kiss on her cheek before giggling and hugging her again.

"Are you guys hungry for dinner?"

"Dinnah!" Colton shouted. "Go."

They went back into the kitchen, Lindsay and Adam both stopping at the threshold and looking at each other.

"Crap, I burned the bread!"

She put Colton down on the ground and threw the oven open, dark smoke swirling out from what had once been a loaf of French bread.

"I forgot I put it on broil," she muttered, turning the oven off and using oven mitts to try and get the bread out. "Ouch!"

"Here, let me do that, you go open a window."

"It's going to smell in here for weeks."

"At least you can't blame it on my socks now."

She rolled her eyes and went into the other room Colton following behind her as she threw the windows open. It was cold out, but not too cold, and she breathed in the fresh air while looking down at the street below.

It was a few minutes before she realized it was Taylor standing outside the building, talking to a young guy, both of them seemingly happy with the conversation. Lindsay watched for a few more seconds as Taylor checked her watch and gestured toward the building. They guy nodded and hugged her hesitantly, then pulled away and kissed her before giving her one last look and walking down the street. Lindsay's eyes grew wide as panic set in. Who in the world was this guy? What was he doing with Taylor? Was he a stranger? If not, how had they met?

"What are you looking at?" Adam asked, looking through the window too.

"Taylor was… some guy… and then they kissed."

"What?"

"I just saw it."

"So?"

"So? Adam, she doesn't know anyone here!"

"Maybe she met him at the coffee shop."

"And kissed him four hours later? Maybe some people do that, but not Taylor."

"Linds she's an adult, she can kiss who she wants."

"I don't care who she's kissin' as long as she knows who he is."

"Hon, you're getting a little panicked. Don't rip into her the second she walks through the door."

"Don't tell me what to do."

"Whoa, you need to about seven chill pills, babe."

"I don't-" she started as the door opened.

"Hi guys."

"Hey kid."

"Taylor who's that guy you were kissing downstairs?"

"Way to tiptoe around the issue," Adam muttered.

"Are you spying on me?"

"No."

"Then how did you know?"

"You're not denying it?"

"I stopped denying things when I was seven," she said, crossing her arms over her chest.

"It doesn't matter how I know. Who was that guy?"

"None of your business."

"Are you kidding me?"

"What's the big deal?"

"Who is he?"

"He's just a friend."

"Taylor."

"I met him online, okay? Can we drop it?"

"Online? We absolutely cannot drop it!"

By this point Adam had taken Colton and retreated to the kitchen, still able to hear their bickering.

"Oh Lindsay get a grip. People meet online all the time. I've been talking to him for months and since I was going to be here anyway I decided to meet him. What is so wrong about that?"

"He could have been anyone, Taylor! Don't you get that? He could have been a rapist or a murderer or a psycho or any number of other things that you can't even imagine."

"But he's not. I wouldn't meet just anyone, he's a good guy."

"You first laid eyes on each other what, four hours ago and then he just goes ahead and kisses you? He moves pretty fast."

"This is New York, everyone does everything fast."

"Yeah, like beating you to death and pitching you in the river."

"Lindsay!"

"You have no idea, little girl. None."

"I'm not a little girl anymore, Lindsay. I'm an adult now and I am capable of making my own decisions."

"You can go ahead and make them Taylor but that doesn't mean they're right. Why would you do this? You haven't the first clue about what could have happened today."

"That's why I met him in public. I said that already!"

"So you stayed at that coffee shop that whole time?"

"Well no but-"

"How could you be this stupid?" Lindsay yelled, her heart pumping quickly with adrenaline. The thoughts of what could have happened pounded in her head and she could feel herself getting even madder. "I would never have expected this from you, Taylor. I would like to think that you were smarter than that, at least not this naïve. Or did you just figure you'd be fine, you could take care of yourself? You may be an adult, but you're not invincible and things can happen, especially when you put yourself into a situation like that."

"Lindsay, I-"

"Don't. Don't tell me it's not a big deal because I've seen the girls who said that and the next day they're bruised and bloody and broken and laying on a cold slab in the morgue. Don't act like you know when you don't."

"You're not my mother and you can't tell me what I should and shouldn't do."

"You're right, I'm not your mother. Heaven forbid you ever listen to me."

"Listen to you? I've done nothing but listen to you for the last ten years! When are you going to stop thinking I'm eight years old?"

"I don't think that Taylor! I never have and that's why I never expected this!"

"Am I allowed to do anything?"

"Fine, do what you want! I don't care."

Lindsay turned and stormed out of the room, slamming the bedroom door behind her while Taylor sunk down onto the couch, trying not to cry. Adam stood in the kitchen, not sure what to do. He figured they would wait a few minutes and talk it out, so he finished making dinner and was just getting the plates out when Colton tugged on his pants.

"What's up bud?"

"Daddy, Tater cry."

"She's crying?"

"Yes. In 'nere,' her reported, pointing into the other room. "Mama loud."

"Mama was upset. Why don't you play in here for a minute while I go talk to Taylor."

"Okay."

Adam went into the other room slowly, not sure what he was going to stay. Taylor was sitting in the corner of the couch, her knees pulled up to her chest and small tears making their way down her face. He sat down on the coffee table and she looked up at him with a sniffle.

"You okay?"

"She's never yelled at me before."

"I know."

"She's so mad."

"No she's not."

"Yes she is. Didn't you hear her?"

"I heard her, but she's not mad. She's just very aware of what could happen. She's seen it right up close. And not just at work. You know that."

"This wasn't the same."

"Exactly. Not knowing things scares her. And losing people scares her. She loves you and she doesn't want anything bad to ever happen to you."

"I know. And maybe what I did was stupid. But I really didn't think it was. I've talked to this guy every day for months. I feel like I know him. He's been a really good friend and he listens when I talk and… you're not interested in this."

"Yes I am."

"I don't want her to be mad at me."

"She's not. Take it from someone who screwed up pretty majorly, she doesn't stay like this long. Just give her a chance to cool off and she'll probably come out here and hug you and it'll be all over."

"You think so?"

"I know so."

"Okay."

"And just for the record, and if it makes any difference, I think you did this the best way you knew how. I wouldn't recommend it, but I think you were safer about it than most people."

"Maybe I should have told her what I was doing, but I was afraid she would never let me leave."

"Well not until she ran a background check on the guy at least."

She smiled and he stood up, giving her hair a little tug.

"It's going to be fine, Taylor. I promise."

"Okay."

"I'm going to go in there and see if I can speed things up a little."

"Thanks Adam."

He gave her a reassuring smile and ventured into the bedroom. Lindsay was sitting on the bed, her arms crossed, staring at the wall. It was classic defense posture, not angry, just hurt. He sat down next to her and brushed a strand of hair away from her face before he said anything.

"So that went well."

"Adam, don't be cute."

"I'm cute?"

She sighed and he became serious, his fingers gliding down her cheek and tipping her chin up.

"Linds."

"I know."

"You need to fix this."

"I will. I have to figure out how."

He slid his arm around her and she leaned into his shoulder with a sigh.

"First foray into parenting an adult. Big fat fail."

"You've got a long time to practice before you do it for real."

"I guess."

"You'd better go out there."

"Yeah."

"And do it fast so we can eat."

She rolled her eyes and stood up, then turned around and leaned down to kiss him.

"Thanks."

"You're welcome."

She stood up from the bed and went slowly into the other room. Taylor was still on the couch and Colton had climbed up into her lap with a book and was showing her the pictures in it.

"Hey," Lindsay started, sitting down on the other end of the couch.

"Hey."

"Can we start that whole conversation over again?"

"No."

"No?"

"I don't want to talk about it, Lindsay."

"I'm not going to freak out again, I swear."

"I think I just want to keep it to myself for now."

"Why?"

"Because it's more fun that way."

"Taylor."

"I just don't want to make you mad."

"You won't sweetie. I promise, I'm going to listen to you this time."

"Okay. It's not what you think. We really are just friends. That kiss was kind of an "I'll probably never see you again" kind of thing. He goes to NYU and as part of his student teaching or thesis or something he proofreads papers and helps to create study guides for tests. I sent him some stuff and he was really helpful and we got to talking and then we just never stopped. He's really nice but there's no attraction there."

"So that's why you felt safe meeting him."

"I guess. Maybe it was stupid, but it didn't feel stupid. We met at the coffee shop and we were there for a while and then we went for a walk. I had my phone the whole time if anything got weird and I wasn't going to leave the neighborhood. I'm not as naïve as you think I am. I knew what could have happened, but if I spent my whole life worrying about what could happen I would never do anything. If I had met him in Montana you never would have worried."

"Maybe you're a little right about that. But you know that I freaked because I love you."

"I know."

"I shouldn't have done that. I don't think you're stupid or incapable. I just get scared."

"I know, and that's okay. I probably should have figured you might."

"I'm so sorry honey. I don't want to hurt you and I want you to always talk to me and trust me."

"I want you to trust me too. I guess I should have told you a long time ago."

"I guess I should listen better. Are we okay?"

"Yeah."

"I'm gonna hug you now."

"Adam said you would."

"He knows me well," she said, scooting across the couch and giving Taylor a tight hug.

"I love you, Lindsay. And I didn't mean what I said about you not being my mother. You are, for all intents and purposes."

"Well we couldn't fight like that if I wasn't."

"Pretty much."

"So do you want to go eat dinner, or should we sit here and moan about how hungry we are until Adam serves us?"

"Second idea, definitely."

They grinned at each other feeling closer now than they ever had before.