"I see plane! Daddy in it!" Avery squealed, waving frantically as she watched the plane overhead. "Him wave back to Avery!"

"Sissy, you been sayin' that about every…" Ben trailed off. He wanted to tell her that there was no way she could see someone waving back but he also knew that would make her upset and mama had said no fighting today.

"I mean, that's cool sissy, that daddy waved back! I can't wait to see him, can you?"

"No, I not wait. I hug him so most."

"Me too! I can't wait until he picks me up in his strong arms and hugs me and kisses my face with his scratchy beard. That is so much fun."

"Yay for daddy!" Avery shouted, jumping up and down with so much exuberance that her jean skirt eventually fell down around her ankles.

"Whoops sissy. Your enthusiasm gived your skirt a run for its money."

Avery laughed and Ben helped her back into her clothes, then hugged her tightly.

"I love you sissy."

"I love you too Ben."

"Let's go by the car to wait for mama and Cole."

"No Ben. Mama say on porch."

"Oh yeah. I forgot. Thanks for tellin' me sissy. Hey mama and Cole, hurry up so we can go to the airport and fetch our daddy!"

"I only just now found the shoes I wanted," Colton explained coming out onto the porch and letting the screen door slam behind him. "Otherwise I would have been ready long ago."

"Where did you find your shoes?"

"One was under my bed. The other one was with the stuffed animals in Aves's room. I looked there a lot but I guess I didn't look hard enough."

"Where's mama?"

"She's doin' her make-up. To impress daddy."

Ben cackled and shook his head.

"Don't she know she already 'pressed him for good?"

"I guess a lady just has to remind herself that some dude loves her."

"Oh. Well that's weird. Is she almost done?"

"I hope so. It's almost time to go."

"Mama! Hurry!" Avery shouted, pounding on her chest like Tarzan. "We go!"

"Okay, I'm coming."

She opened the front door and stepped onto the porch while the boys both gasped and Avery squealed in delight.

"Oh mama. You look so splendid," Ben said, looking at her with a smile. "You're really gonna 'press daddy like that!"

"Like what?"

"Mama, you really outdone yourself. You are so beautiful! And your hair is so different than normal too!"

"It's not different."

"It is! You made yourself extra pretty for daddy! You're wearin' a dress!"

"I did not make myself pretty and I am wearing a dress because it's hot out. Now get in the car."

"You tryin' to get daddy to fall in love with you again?"

"No, Benjamin. I'm not doing anything," she answered, helping the kids to buckle themselves into their seats.

"Is this why you was usin' that rock to scrub your feets and make them soft? Because you wanted to 'press daddy with your smooth feets?"

"Ben-"

"And why you put on that perfume in the really pretty bottle?" Colton added, his eyebrow raised.

"And why your fingernails is painted a pretty color?"

"And the reason you been singin' all day long?"

Lindsay sighed and looked at all three kids for a moment.

"You know how much you guys miss daddy? Well I miss him about ten times more than that."

With that, she gave them all a grin, shut the door and climbed into the front seat, adjusting the mirror and allowing a quick glance at herself before starting the car. Maybe she'd gone a little overboard, but for some reason seeing him today was making her as nervous and giddy as she had been right before their first date.

"How long until the airport? I am dyin' back here!"

"Ben, don't be dramatic. It not that far."

"It feels like a journey of a thousand miles what beginned with one small step."

"The phrase is "One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind,"" Colton corrected.

"Well I was quotin' a different phrase, Cole."

"No squat with spurs on!" Avery hollered with a laugh. "Avery squat."

"Yeah, when you're goin' number two in your diaper."

"Yes, Avery do that."

Lindsay laughed and glanced back in the rearview mirror as the kids started a friendly game of Rock, Paper, Scissors. They'd been happy and agreeable all morning, even at times when they could have thrown tantrums or gotten into fights, they'd just seemed to move on and forget about being frustrated. She knew it was just because they were happy that Adam was coming home, but it didn't stop her from wishing that every day could be like this.

"We're to the airport everybody! Mama don't drive by it! We gotta get daddy!"

"I'm not going to drive by it Ben, I'm just finding better parking."

"Okay but I am just really excited out of my mind about seein' my daddy. Aren't you excited Cole?"

Colton nodded vigorously, bouncing up and down in his seat.

"I missed daddy so, so much! My chest feels all explodey because I'm excited."

"How 'bout you, sissy? You excited to see daddy?"

"Oh yes. Daddy play. And we eat! Go out to a place."

"Mama, sissy wants to go to a restaurant. Can we?"

"Maybe. Let's see what daddy thinks."

"Daddy always thinks yes for stuffs like that sissy," Ben assured with a nod of his head. "We is gonna be drinkin' outta straws in no time!"

Avery clapped and laughed while Colton pointed out all the parking spaces that Lindsay was driving by. He was getting visibly frustrated but she needed to find a space with no car on either side because it was much easier to get the kids in and out that way. Finally she found one and parked the car, begging the kids not to undo their seatbelts until she'd actually turned the car off.

"Now listen to me you three. Before we go in we need some rules."

"Oh man!"

"There will be absolutely no running away from mama. There will be nothing but nice indoor voices, and there will be no arguing with each other. I reserve the right to modify or add to these rules at any time. Is that understood?"

"Yes mama."

She helped them out of the car, then took Ben and Avery's hands, directing Colton to walk on the other side of Avery and to keep close.

"It is really crowded in here," Ben whimpered when they stepped into the airport. "I don't like this mama."

"I know baby. We're going to find a quieter place to wait for daddy."

Ben gripped her hand tighter and all three kids seemed to suction to her side as they made their way through the throngs of people to the far side of baggage claim where they found a few empty chairs.

"This is so much noise," Ben said, burying her face in Lindsay's shoulder. "I wanna get daddy but I don't wanna do it here."

"It's okay honey. I'm right here."

"But it's just so many-"

"DADDY!"

Colton bolted out of his seat and ran across the room while Avery screamed in delight and toddled after him. Ben hesitated slightly then screamed with laughter and ran for Adam too. Lindsay watched as Adam knelt down and hugged all three kids tightly, not wanting to let them go. They laughed and hugged him back, chattering about everything he had missed and how excited they were that he was finally home. After a long while he stood up, lifting Avery into his arms while the boys grabbed onto his legs, giggling as he slowly made his way across the large room.

"I think they're glad to see you," Lindsay remarked with a smile.

"Well I am awesome after all."

She laughed as he set Avery down and walked towards her, pulling her into his arms and kissing her deeply.

"Dearlin' you are a sight for sore eyes."

"Mama got extra pretty for you daddy!"

"I did not. I'm just naturally like this."

"Blushing?"

"Okay, that's enough."

He laughed and kissed her again, longer this time until the kids started complaining that it was gross and taking forever.

"I'm glad you're home."

"I'm glad too, and I never want to stay in a hotel again. Have you noticed how boring they are when you're alone?"

"I suppose so. Let's get your stuff and get out of here. Ben doesn't like all the people."

He nodded and she bent down to pick up Avery, who was suddenly interested in the dirt on the floor and melted into a sobbing pile of toddler when she was taken away from it.

"Mine!"

"No, it's not yours. We don't play with all the dirt and junk on the floor in a public place."

"Unless we want to get scabies."

"Adam!"

"Hey, you know you were thinking it."

"Mama? Daddy? Are you two okay?" Colton asked, knocking on their door.

"We're fine."

"We heared a big thump noise!" Ben added, rapping his knuckles against the door. "Did ya fall outta bed?"

"Um… yeah."

"Well why did you do that?"

There was silence from the bedroom and he pressed his ear to the door, wrinkling his nose.

"Hello in there!"

"Um, we were wrestling."

"Yeah, daddy tickled me too much and um… we fell off our bed."

"You are supposed to be takin' naps! You said it was family nap time!"

"Okay we'll go to sleep."

The boys turned and went back down to their own room, shaking their heads the whole way.

"Boy, it sure is a lot of work having parents."

"I know what you mean Ben. Sometimes they forget what they are supposed to be doing."

"Ain't that the truth."

"You know what Ben? Since they aren't havin' a nap, maybe we don't have to either. Maybe we could go downstairs and play!"

"Are you sure we won't get in trouble Cole?"

"Um… maybe if we're real quiet. We could play Checkers."

"But you always win me at that game!"

"Because you need more practice. Let's play it but we won't let any of the games count. Okay?"

"Alright."

They made their way downstairs and found the game in the cupboard then set it up on the coffee table.

"Hey Cole?"

"Yeah Ben?"

"Is there anything I gotta be worried about for kindergarten?"

Colton tapped his chin in thought as he moved his first piece on the board.

"I don't know Ben. Kindergarten was one of the best things in my life."

"But what if someone pours glue in my hair?"

"Junior will beat them up and mama will get the glue out."

"What if I am stupid?"

"Benjamin we don't say stupid in this house. You are not stupid. You are very smart."

"I am?"

"Yes. That's why I like to talk to you. You aren't a baby like Aves. You're smart and you're nice and you're funny. That's all the things you need to be in kindergarten."

Ben sat back on the floor and stared and the game-board, deep in thought.

"Are you sure? I want to make friends like you did. And I want my teacher to like me. And I don't want lots of homework."

"You don't get homework in kindergarten, Ben. Don't worry about it. You were good in preschool and you will be good in kindergarten too."

"What if I get scared?"

"You will have Junior with you. That won't be scary. Plus I will be in the same school, just a different classroom. If you are really scared or worried you can tell your teacher and she will let you go to the office and then I will come there and talk to you. They let Sarah and Isa do that before, and some other kids in my class too. Nothing will be bad in kindergarten Ben. You will have a lot of fun."

"Okay Cole, if you say so. But now what about sissy? She will be here all by herself with no one to play with."

"Ben, if you haven't noticed, Aves likes that. Because she gets mama or daddy all to herself and she gets to be the center of attention."

"Why is that girl like that way she is?"

"I don't know Ben but she sure is weird."

"I'm hungry. Lunch was a long time ago. Do you think we could find something to make for dinner?"

"I bet so! Let's go look for something."

They ran into the kitchen and started opening drawers and cupboards, looking for anything that resembled a ready made meal. The noise must have woken Avery up because it wasn't long before she strutted into the room, rubbing her eyes and smiling.

"Hello boys," she greeted. "What doin'?"

"We're findin' something to make for dinner. Cole! I finded macaroni and cheese!"

"That's great Ben. But I don't know if I can make that. Maybe I will get on the computer real quick because mama found that place that has all the safety rules. You get out the milk and butter and I will be right back."

He ran out of the room and to the computer, shaking the mouse until the screen came on, then carefully typing in the password. Avery pulled up a chair and sat next to him, her hands clasped in her lap.

"Oh look! We get a call!" she said, pointing to the flashing Skype icon. Colton clicked on it and found all three Messer kids staring back at him.

"Hey guys! What's up?" he asked, giggling at the pipe cleaner in Isa's hair.

"We're playing but we wanted to call you kids for a while. What is going on at your house?"

"Well mama and daddy are taking a nap and me and Ben are making some dinner, and Aves is sitting here next to me chewing on mama's pen."

"I wanna see Binyin, where is he?"

"In the kitchen. Hey Ben! Messers are on Skype!"

"Okay!"

"Aren't you gonna come in here?"

"I can't 'zactly do that at the moment Cole. You see I am havin' what we call a problem."

"Aves, go check on Ben."

Avery obediently climbed off the chair and skipped into the kitchen, her eyes growing wide at what she saw.

"Uh… Coley! Help!"

Colton sped into the kitchen, stopping in his tracks when he came across Ben, who was hanging upside down, the belt loop on his jeans having been caught on the drawer pull.

"Ben. What happened?"

"Cole, I don't wanna talk about it."

"But why were you up on the counter?"

"I don't got time to 'splain! Just go get mama!"

"Okay!"

Colton zoomed out of the room again while the Messers hooted and hollered from the computer.

"What is happening to Benjamin? Is he injured?" Sarah asked, her voice full of distress.

Avery crouched down on the floor and patted Ben's head, trying to comfort him.

"Um sissy, I am happy that you are bein' all nice to me, but the fact remains that you smell real bad, like a dirty diaper and cheese. So if you could back away a little, that would be great."

Avery shuffled back and sighed, shaking her head.

"Oh Ben. This bad."

"I know it's bad. Don't ever get up on the counter like what I done. Because now I am stuck upside down with my bottom showing."

Avery snickered.

"Ben what are you doing?" Lindsay asked as she came into the room.

"I'm just hanging!"

Adam started to laugh but Lindsay shot him a look and unhooked Ben's pants from the drawer.

"Thanks mama. I thought I was gonna be there 'til I was a old man and then my beard would grow upside down!"

"How did you manage to get caught on the drawer?"

"It all happened so fast…"

"Why were you up on the counter?"

"I can't tell you that mama. It's embarrassin'. And the Messers is on Skype and they will hear it."

"Hello Ross peoples! Did Ben die?"

"No Isa!" Avery answered, running to the computer. "Ben fall up-a-down. Mama save him. He better now."

"Oh. Did he get hurt?"

"Nope!"

"Well that's not very exciting," Isa sighed, shaking her head. "It sounded excitin' a minute ago."

"Boys, what were you going to do with this box of macaroni?"

"Uh-oh. Boys in trouble. Gotta go!"

"I knew they weren't going to sleep in their own beds tonight," Lindsay whispered, running her fingers through Avery's hair.

"I thought we were in the clear for a while."

"Leave it up to Ben to upset that perfect bed-time balance we had going on."

"I didn't know that when he said he wanted to sleep "wiff daddy" he meant that he wanted to be surgically attached to me."

"He's sleeping now, you could move him."

"I tried. He just grabbed on tighter. I think I am missing some skin now."

"He loves you."

"And yet I am certain I will wake up with his foot jammed into my face."

"Hey, Avery's not much better. I woke up a few days ago and found her actually in my shirt. While I was still wearing it."

"Do you think they have separation anxiety or are they just weird?"

"They're just weird. Look at their parents."

"Point taken."

"Speaking of which, my shoulder still hurts."

"You need to learn how to land, babe."

"Maybe you should give me a warning that we're about to fall. Not landing on top of me might be prudent as well."

"Are you telling me to take lessons?"

She stayed quiet and he laughed at the look on her face.

"Okay then. Now that we've had an embarrassing moment that we will never tell anyone about, we can move on."

"I like this idea."

"Speaking of ideas, I had one-"

"No."

"You didn't even hear it!"

"No. No more ideas of yours for a long, long time."

"Even if it's-"

"No."

"Lindsay!"

"Veto!"

"You just vetoed yourself."

"Did not."

"I said your name and you vetoed it therefore you vetoed yourself and you cannot reject my idea."

"Fine."

"I was thinking that after we get back from our camping trip we should take the kids to the water park."

"Okay how come when I preemptively strike down one of your ideas it always turns out to be a good one but when I trust you with an idea it's something like "I'm going to leave for a month." That's not fair."

"Neither is that stupid voice you do when you're irritated at me. You make me sound like Scooby-Doo's grandpa."

Lindsay snorted and turned her face into the pillow so she wouldn't wake the kids.

"Adam, you make me really happy."

"Usually after I make you crazy."

"At least you redeem yourself."

He smiled and reached across the kids to take her hand in his.

"I'm never leaving again."