"So, how was the eye doctor?" Adam asked curiously as both boys trudged past him, dropping their coats on the floor and kicking their shoes off.

"Well… it started out okay," Lindsay said, picking up the coats and hanging them by the door. "They both did really good, and Colton was pretty excited about the machine where you have to click the button every time the hot air balloon comes on. Ben was harder to test, but he sat still, so that was good."

"Why are they so grumpy?"

"Well Colton's got perfect vision, which he was pretty proud of. Ben on the other hand is going to need glasses."

"Is it bad?"

"The doctor said his left eye is starting to turn in, which I hadn't noticed, but he says he's farsighted pretty bad. That's probably why it took him so long to talk, he couldn't see our mouths moving unless we were really close. Even about a foot away is kind of fuzzy for him."

"So he's getting glasses soon?"

"Yeah. We tried a few pairs on him and he was less than thrilled until I told him that he could have glasses like uncle Danny. Then he bawled when we had to leave the display glasses there. Colton is upset that he doesn't get to wear glasses like Danny, and they bickered in the back seat all the way home."

Adam chuckled and shook his head.

"Did you remind Colton that he could be glasses free like daddy?"

"Yeah. He said he already looks like you enough."

"Ouch."

"Anyway, Ben's glasses will be here in a couple weeks."

"What if he breaks them?"

"I got the most indestructible ones they make, and the doctor said the kids glasses always come with a second pair."

"Well that's good. I am assuming the regular doctor visit was uneventful."

"Basically, except when they discovered the paper on the exam table and ripped it all off before I could stop them."

"Sounds about right."

"They're both healthy though. Colton's a little tall and Ben's a little short, but nothing that's a big deal. He said he thought Ben's speech might be a little lacking, but he was just shy and didn't want to talk today."

"Sorry I couldn't take the day off to go with you."

"Not a problem. Besides, you get to take them clothes shopping tomorrow. That's way worse."

"I know. Quit gloating."

She smiled and looked over at the boys who were playing on opposite sides of the room, stealing glares at each other every few minutes.

"Hey guys, you should probably work on getting in a better mood if we're going to have someone over for dinner."

"Who's comin' over?" Colton grumped. "And why for? Tonight is Thursday, it's Skyping with Taylor night!"

"You can Skype with Taylor still, but don't you want to see uncle Freddy too?"

He shot off the ground and clapped happily, dancing in a circle.

"I love uncle Freddy! He always plays Pull My Finger. It's so funny, mama."

"Yes, I know, that is one of his finer qualities."

"When is he comin'?"

"He'll be here in about an hour, so I need to go get dinner ready. Do you think you two can get rid of the grumpy pants before he gets here?"

"Oh yes, we can. Right Ben? We can be happy boys again huh?"

"Yep," Ben sighed, wiping the back of his hand across his snotty nose. Adam moved in and cleaned it up before he could get it on anything else. "Ick, daddy."

"I know it's ick and that's why I don't want it on your hand."

"Gwasses," he said, pointing to his eyes. "Unca Dan."

"I know. Will you wear them all the time?"

"Yep. Not sleepin'."

"Yeah, you can take them off at night."

"I don't get to have glasses, daddy," Colton sighed.

"Well maybe someday you can have a hearing aid."

"Yeah! That will be cool!"

"Or dentures!"

"Yeah!"

"Or a peg leg."

"Then I could be a pirate for real!" he hollered, punching the air happily. "Then maybe I would get a patch over my eyeball and a parrot on my shoulder!"

"Yeah, maybe you could."

"I will be patient for all that. Now I will just be a regular kid."

"I think mama would appreciate that."

She'd burned the bread. It didn't happen often, but when it did it really drove her nuts. An entire loaf, wasted. At least the weather had started to warm up a little, the winter snow had melted days ago and she could crack open the windows so the apartment didn't smell so bad. Ben and Colton were running around laughing and holding their noses while Adam scraped the burnt bread out of the pan and into the disposal.

"Why does this always happen to me?"

"Because you've got too much going on. No one has to know about this, okay?"

"Yeah, make sure to keep it a secret since it is such a blow to my ego."

"Bread burner."

"Shut up."

He smiled and drew her into a hug, suddenly realizing that it had been at least three days since they were able to catch a moment together. He held her for several minutes, running his hands up and down her back before he kissed her. She smiled against his lips and slid her arms around his neck.

"Love you."

"Love you too. Even when you burn the bread."

Wrinkling her nose, she slapped his shoulder and turned back to the stove as there was a knock on the door.

"Uncle Freddy's here!" Colton said, running for the door and flinging it open. "Hi! Come inside and play Freddy! Come on, hurry up!"

"Colton, give the man a second to breathe," Lindsay chuckled, even as Freddy knelt down to hug the boys.

He was her father's youngest brother, only fifteen when Lindsay was born and he'd always been her favorite. When she was four and her mom had taken off for a year, Freddy had been there to help take care of her. He taught her how to ride a two wheeler, how to tie her shoes, and had taught himself how to braid her hair just right so it stayed out of her face. They'd spent hours playing with her Easy Bake oven, taking the horses out for a ride, and laying on the porch eating sunflower seeds.

When she'd moved to New York she'd been nervous and not sure she should do it, but one phone call from him had cemented her decision. She remembered those first few weeks, being homesick and uncomfortable at work, not knowing where she fit in. She would come home and find him watching TV and making dinner and he would tease her until she laughed and felt okay again. She was almost as close to him as she was to her brothers and her father and it was a pity that they lived so close and rarely saw each other.

"What's goin' on boys?"

"We were just waitin' for you to get here! Could we play checkers? I think I could beat you this time."

"Yeah, we can play. Benjamin, you want to be on my team?"

"Yay!"

"We'll go get it after dinner."

"Alright," he agreed, returning the boys to the floor. "Hey Peaches."

Lindsay smiled and accepted his hug feeling like a little girl for a moment.

"Why do you call mama Peaches?"

"Because when she was your age all she wanted to eat was peaches and she would cry and cry when we made her eat something else."

"Mama, you were such a weird girl."

"Yeah, but I think it was because I was around uncle Freddy too much."

"More than likely. I smell food."

"Don't be fooled," Adam chuckled. "She burned it."

"Honey don't be a jerk."

They all sat down to dinner and the boys chattered non-stop, telling Freddy stories, some made up and some real. They were so excited to see someone else that they could barely eat their dinner, and after twenty minutes Lindsay had to tell them to quiet down and eat their food. They both sighed and obeyed her, eating as fast as they could because the adult conversation was boring. It didn't take long before they were done and clattering their plastic plates into the sink, then tugging on Freddy until he finally relented and got up from the table.

"Okay, okay I'm coming."

"I'll save your plate," Lindsay chuckled as the boys drug her uncle off into the other room.

"We need to have him over more often. Gets the kids out of our hair."

"Yeah. Did you ever call Tim back today?"

His brother had been leaving messages for two days and he hadn't sounded like he just wanted to chat.

"Yeah. Him and Stacy aren't doing so good."

"Are they separating or something?"

"I don't know. He said she won't talk to him so he doesn't know what's wrong. She said that he works too much and they make a mistake getting married so young."

"Uh-oh."

"I'm going to meet him for lunch tomorrow and see if I can help him figure this out. He thought that maybe you could talk to Stacy sometime."

"I don't know. I can try. We haven't talked in a while."

"I'll see what Tim thinks. I hope it's just a rough patch and they can work it out."

"Me too. They seem so together."

He nodded and reached across the table for her hand.

"Have you ever worried about that happening to us?"

She sighed and nodded a little.

"Not worried like it was possible, but I have worried that I'll screw up. And then I think about how much it would take to that to happen and I just… it's impossible."

"I think so too."

"Mama, come in here and help me! Freddy's gonna beat me at checkers!"

"I'll be back," she said, standing from the chair and going into the other room. Freddy was on the couch with Ben on his lap while Colton sat on the other side of the coffee table, concentrating hard on the checker board.

"Mama help! If I go here, he will jump me! If I go here he could be a king! What do I do? I don't want to sacrifice a man!"

"Well it's a good thing this isn't like chess bud. Sometimes sacrificing a man isn't the best choice. Now let's see what we can do here."

"It's hopeless, mama."

"No, it's not hopeless. Look right here. You've got a double jump just waiting for you."

"A double jump! I didn't even see it! I got you now Freddy!"

He jumped the red piece over two black pieces in succession, then clapped his hands and took the jumped pieces off the board.

"Ah, I'm wounded," Freddy said dramatically, falling back onto the couch.

"Hey!" Ben said, patting his face. "Wakey!

Freddy roared and sat up, catching Ben before he toppled to the floor.

"Again, again!" the boys chorused, laughing with bright eyes.

"Wait, don't you want to see who wins checkers?"

"Nope, be a monster!"

"I'm too old for that."

"Oh come on!"

"Give him the puppy face Colton," Lindsay said with a grin. "That's right."

"Did you teach him that?"

"Yes I did."

Freddy shot her a look and gave in, crawling onto the floor and roaring at the boys. They squealed delightedly and ran around the room, trying to get away from him but also wanting to be caught. They seemed to have unending energy, and it wasn't long before Freddy sprawled out on the floor, too tired to continue.

"Too much for the old man?" Lindsay teased, poking his ribs with her foot.

"Yep."

She chuckled and he sat up, breathing heavily.

"You were never like this."

"I'm a girl."

"I mean, you were crazy, but never like this."

"You were stayin' with us for free. You had to earn your keep."

"You were a pretty cool sidekick. Every time I took you to town that little grin of yours got me a couple numbers."

"You used me to pick up girls?"

"They were women, Peaches. Women."

"Did my daddy know you were doin' that?"

"'Course he did. Karma came back to bite me, it's how I met Kathy."

"My innate adorableness is the reason you met your ex-wife. Great. Do you know how hard it's going to be for me to be adorable now?"

"You have the Midas touch. But I guess it's alright, she's still my best friend even if I can't live with her."

"You guys are weird."

"Oh well. Monroe's have never been much for normal."

"As evidenced by the way you taught me to swim."

"You learned quick and you didn't drown."

"Yeah but I didn't set foot in the water for years after that."

"I only scarred you because I love you."

"Yeah, you were pretty cool. I always felt so special because I got to hang out with you all the time and the boys didn't."

"You know, despite the circumstances, when they ask if you could go back and relive a part of your life, that year is always it for me."

"Really?"

"Yeah. We had fun, didn't we?"

"Yep. Probably too much."

"Hey, that was the best slingshot I ever crafted."

"I know, and I still get sad thinking about how dad broke it over his knee when I mis-shot one too many times."

"If you had just let me teach you."

"If I had let you teach me I still wouldn't know how to shoot."

"Such sass."

"Now that is what I let you teach me."

The next few weeks passed slowly for Ben and he wondered if the day would ever come that he could get his glasses. He didn't understand when they told him it was just a few more days, and he didn't understand why he couldn't have them now. He wondered if he would look older with them, as grown up as uncle Danny did.

Finally it was time and he was so excited that he could barely sit still as Lindsay buckled him into his seat.

"Ben, you is gonna look cool I think," Colton said, having had a change of heart about the whole matter. "You will look like Smarty Arty Orange on the Squeez-It bottles."

"Smarty?" Ben asked curiously.

"Yeah. Like you got lotsa brains and know lots of stuff. Like how daddy and mama are smarties about science."

"Oh."

Lindsay chuckled and watched them in the rearview mirror as they slipped into a different conversation, and she wondered if Colton understood what Ben meant with his two word sentences, or if he just guessed and Ben went along with it. It was a short drive to the optometrists office and she hauled them both out of the car, taking their hands and going inside.

"Here for gwasses!" Ben said as they approached the front counter.

"You must be Benjamin. Dr. Richardson is waiting for you right in there."

Ben grinned and looked up at Lindsay, tugging on her hand.

"Colton, you want to stay out here and play with the toys in the waiting room or do you want to come with us?"

"Um, I want to come with you."

They went into the other room and Ben climbed up into the chair without being asked, sitting back and folding his hands in his lap.

"Alright, are you ready to try these on?" Dr. Richardson asked, opening the shipping box. Ben nodded enthusiastically and his feet wiggled in anticipation as the doctor slipped the glasses on him.

"Looks like a pretty good fit. How do they feel buddy?"

"Good!" he giggled, catching his reflection in the mirror. "Ben! Mama, I Ben!"

"I know," she said with a smile, watching how his eyes lit up behind the silver frames.

"Hey Cole!"

"Hi Ben," Colton giggled. "You can see better now, huh?"

"Yep."

The doctor did a few more adjustments on the glasses, making sure they were sitting comfortably, then gave them the extra frames and some cleaning spray. They went back out to the front desk to make sure the bill was paid and Ben spent the time looking intently at things. He could see a lot higher up now, not just things that were right in his face. There were so many things he had never noticed before.

"Ben," Lindsay started, holding out her hand. He turned and looked at her over his shoulder, bottom lip sucked in and brown eyes round with curiosity. She smiled and reached out to run a finger over his cheek, loving how happy he looked.

"Ready to go?"

"Yep! Daddy?"

"Yeah, we're going to go meet daddy at work."

He slipped his hand into hers and they made their way to the car and through rush hour traffic to the lab. The boys were always excited to visit and had to be constantly reminded to be quiet and not run around. Lindsay held their hands tightly as they walked down the hall, making a game of peeking into rooms looking for daddy.

"I spied with my little eye, someone that is my daddy!" Colton said, breaking away from Lindsay and running across the hall to the conference room. Adam was just coming out and he stooped down to gather the boys in his arms.

"Wow Ben, nice glasses. Did you pick them out?"

"No. Mama."

"Well mama did a good job. Do you like them?"

"Yep."

"He looks pretty cool, right daddy?"

"Yeah, he does look pretty cool."

"Hey boys," Jo greeted as she came out the door. "Wow, who's this smart lookin' guy?"

"I Ben!" he giggled, shaking his head and knowing that she was teasing.

"You look so grown up."

"Yep. Uncle Dan."

"I guess it does make you look like Danny," she conceded, crouching down to look at him. He smiled and reached out to hug her, giggling when she tickled him.

"You boys need to come visit more often."

"I like comin' to the lab," Colton said with a sigh. "But mama's afraid we're gonna cause too much ruckus."

"Well, you two are a lot like your daddy."

"Hey!"

Lindsay smiled as Adam wrapped an arm around her shoulder and they each held a hand out for the boys.

"Time to go home kids. Say bye to Jo."

Both boys hugged her and kissed her cheeks, promising to see her again soon. They begged her to baby-sit and she promised that she would do it as soon as she could. The boys each gave her a final hug, then took their parents hands, and the little family of four ventured out into the night.