All familiar characters belong to Janet. Mistakes are solely mine.

"Call Eddie and invite him over," I told Stephanie after reading the text from Vince. "Don't take no for an answer and make sure he brings your cousin."

Even without seeing her face, I knew hers was curled up in a grimace.

"I'm not sure I'm up for a play date with Shirley. She's as much work as my mother is and a bigger gossip than Grandma. Oh ..."

"Yeah, oh."

"My mom's on her way here?"

"Yes. She's taking the scenic route while she works up her nerve, but all signs point her in this direction."

She took that in for a beat and then continued on as if this isn't something we've all been bracing for.

"How do you know?" She finally asked.

I just stared at her.

"Right. A tracker tied to the control room must've accidentally got stuck under my mother's car."

I bent my head and kissed the frown off her lips. I only drew back when I felt some of the tension leave her body.

"Nothing accidental about it, Babe. Do you think I'd let her ambush you any more than I'd allow anyone else to?"

"No."

"Family can be just as dangerous as any stalker. Your mother more so because we already know she intends to harm you if it gets her access to Frank."

"She can try, but she can only hurt me if I care at all about what she thinks of me, and I don't."

"That makes two of us. Call Eddie. Conveniently, with one couple we have both the Burg and the police department covered."

She looked up from Olivia's grin and over at me. "What do you think my mother is going to do? Knock me out and kidnap my Dad?"

"You don't knock out easily," I answered. "So no, but I'm not willing to leave anything to chance. She'll have a hard time recreating what happens here if Shirley is an eyewitness to what Helen didn't want to happen. Testimony from a core member of the Burg grapevine will correct any delusions your mother cooks up and shares. And if she wants to claim I threatened her, verbally or violently, Eddie will be on hand to give her a police escort off my property without me needing to do anything more than tell her to leave. Which I'm sure Shirley will enjoy retelling as well."

Now her smile is as wide as Olive's.

"You're an evil man ... and I really love you for it." She lifted our daughter off the sideboard where she'd been parked so Steph could re-roll the cuffs on her baby jeans.

Olivia's shirt has a heart with the word 'LOVE' written inside it, and I couldn't agree more that it's exactly what my daughter represents.

"Being prepared doesn't make you evil," I pointed out, handing her cell to her.

"No, but being sneaky does. Hey, Eddie," she said, while we both watched our baby head back down the hall with Gunny and Mo. "Ranger and I were both thinking how nice it'd be to catch up with you and Shirley. Like right now." She paused. "Why do you think something's going on? She's my cousin, of course I'd want to see her too." Steph cut her eyes to me and then rolled them. "Fine. My mother's headed here with a confrontation in mind and I don't want my husband or my dad getting in trouble because of her. You can ... well ... police her so she doesn't try to goad Ranger into anything that she'll try to charge him with later, and Shirley's standing in the Burg carries more weight than even my mother's so she won't get a chance to damage my Dad's reputation." Another beat of silence and then she shrugged like Eddie can see her. "I don't know what's going on with them, but whatever it is ... it isn't exploding on my doorstep. We'll treat for lunch and also supper if she doesn't leave quickly. Yes, you can choose what we order. Great. See you in a few. Yes, Olive is awake. She'll love to see you too. After my mother leaves."

She disconnected and turned to face me.

"We'll get through this," I promised her.

"I know, but I can't help wondering when do we get to go back to not having to 'get through' everything and just enjoy our life without needing to think about it?"

"We can have a conversation about that tonight after we find out what Frank's 'plan' is."

"I would say I'm looking forward to it, but tonight feels like a loooong time away." She picked up her phone again while I got mine out.

"You available to watch Olivia?" I asked Tank just as I heard Steph connect with her father.

"Mom's on her way here. Probably only minutes out by now. What do you want us to do? You sure? Alright. I'll let Ranger know."

"Anytime," Tank answered me. "Vince says the shrew's incoming. Am I right in thinking that's why I'm needed?"

"Yes. We don't want Olivia in the middle of this. I have Gazarra and Steph's cousin en route to contain the chaos."

"They clean?" He asked.

"Yes. Shirley's been home with the boys since this pandemic started and Eddie's tested regularly."

I opened the front door and we finished the rest of our conversation in person. Tank being two floors away and being able to take the stairs three at a time comes in handy when you need impromptu child care.

"I'll let you know when it's safe for you to bring her down," I informed Tank.

"Hi, GodTank. That was fast," Steph said, as she waited for I assume Edna now to pick up. "Olive, you've got company!"

Three bodies came back to where we haven't yet moved from.

"OdAnk!" Olivia yelled and Steph and I just stepped out of their way.

"Hi, Grandma," my wife said through the smile caused by watching Olive reach liftoff courtesy of Tank's hands and height. Even Gunner and Ammo up on their hind legs couldn't touch her. "Mom's headed here. Dad's on his way down to the lobby. Can you meet us there? I want Dad to have a solid wall of support behind him. Thanks. We're on our way out the door now."

"Frank wants to talk to her?" I asked Steph when she disconnected.

"Yeah. What good he thinks will come from it, I have no idea. But I don't want her to bully him into doing anything. If he wants to go home with her or stay here indefinitely, it's going to be his decision to make. Give Mama a kiss, Olive. I'm gonna need it."

Tank held our baby securely as she leaned over his arm and smacked her lips to her Mama's.

"You sound like you're going off to war," Tank said to her.

"The amount of planning and people it takes to deal with Helen isn't dissimilar to coordinating a mission," I answered for her.

I kissed Olivia's head and then we waved goodbye to peace for the time being.

The only thing stopping Steph from nervously pacing the elevator's interior is my arm anchoring her to me.

"Any idea what Frank intends to say?" I asked, just to keep her mind from straying into worst case territory.

"Nope, which is what's worrying me. But if he wanted to resume life as he's known it, he would've just got in his car and driven back to the house ... wouldn't he?"

"Normally, I'd say yes, but there's nothing normal about your family except for you."

She leaned into me for a moment, allowing us both some comfort but it was short lived. The doors opened and her spine went ramrod straight. Edna was seconds behind us and Frank was already standing at the lobby door.

"Everything okay?" Gene asked me.

"They will be. When the Gazarras pull up, let them through."

"Will do."

"What about Mom, Dad? Are we letting her through the front gate or do you want to keep it down between you?" Steph asked, before looking at me. "Okay, now I get what you were saying about planning for every possible outcome. I'm clearly just as paranoid."

"It's easier to clean up a scene if you prevent one from happening in the first place," I said back.

Frank looked confused at the question. "Why would I need to speak to your mother through a security gate?"

So she won't club you over the head with her broom and drag you back to her coven, was the answer I wanted to give. The expression on Gene's face said he was thinking something similar. You can't find a single fan of Helen Plum in this building.

Steph's answer was more diplomatic. "So Mom won't decide to sit in your car and not get out of it until you drive her back home. Or so she won't refuse to leave the parking lot as an attempt to get Ranger in trouble for making her. Or so she won't disrupt our family and business by screaming 'Why me?' at the top of her lungs any time you try to tell her something she doesn't want to hear. One or all of these could happen. If you still think they won't, or aren't already prepared for any of them, I suggest you let Ranger, Eddie, Grandma, and I, handle this until you're ready to admit to what you're really dealing with here. Talks with Mom about something as simple as dinner were never easy or quiet, a discussion about your marriage or living situation definitely won't be a civilized one if she has her way."

"Listen to your daughter, Frank," Edna said. "This ain't the time to fight if you ain't got none left in you. You've been happy here. We all know it. Don't give that up, least of all for my daughter who won't appreciate the sacrifice."

"The Gazarras are pulling up," Gene announced. "And so is Mrs. Plum right on their bumper. Allow both in? Or do I send out someone just to wave just Eddie through?"

Frank looked at me. "You can let Helen in. I take full responsibility for the decision."

Steph sighed. "She's not your responsibility, Dad. And if she gets out of line, she's out. This is our home and our people who live and work here. Ranger's alright with you treating this building as your home, permanently if you want, but Mom has to respect that, us, and you, or she's gone. I didn't build a new life here just to invite what I hated about the Burg into it."

He nodded. "I understand. And thank you," he said, including me in his thanks, "for letting me stay here ... for everything you've done for me since."

Steph's eyes hit the carpet as she fought to remain hopeful that she isn't about to say goodbye to both parents all over again. His words can be taken two ways, and I had to remain optimistic that he's just experiencing a moment of gratitude, not ready to give up on himself.

My gaze stayed on Frank, willing him not to throw his life away and my wife's last hope with it.

We walked out of the building as a group, but Steph and I went to greet Eddie and Shirley, while Edna went along with Frank to Helen's Buick. As my mother-in-law's narrowed eyes landed on the Gazarras, I could almost hear the one-two tap as her metaphorical gloves came off and hit the asphalt on the visitor's parking lot.

"Eddie, Shirley," the harpy bit out. "What are you doing here?"

She tried to sound polite, but no one was fooled.

"Having lunch with Steph and the family," Eddie answered.

I didn't think it was possible, but Helen's entire posture and personality became even more rigid. If all goes well, she'll blow her own head off trying to contain the steam that is desperate to escape.

"How convenient," she said. "Well, Frank and I won't keep you."

Eddie is clearly enjoying the show. "You aren't since Frank is supposed to be joining us. We can wait for him."

I knew the decision to call him was a good one. Eddie took Helen's attention off Frank while giving him the perfect way out of this.

"This won't take long," Frank promised us.

"Frank, we haven't seen each other face-to-face in months. Tell them that they can visit and eat without you," Helen ordered.

"The no-contact for months wasn't just about this virus, Helen. I was keeping a low profile for a reason."

"Whatever that 'reason' is," she countered, "I'm sure it has worked itself out. Everyone has been asking about you."

"No they haven't, Aunt Helen," Shirley said. "Everybody knows that he's living here with Stephanie now and hasn't been speaking to you. Whatever Eddie hears and then shares with me, I make sure to pass along so there's no misunderstandings between those concerned about our family."

"No, we wouldn't want any misunderstandings, would we?" I said, trying to leave out the sarcasm, but some slipped through the cracks regardless.

"We wouldn't," Shirley said, oblivious to the tension ratcheting up all around her. "Some people start rumors just for fun. I'm not one of them. I only report the facts."

"The funner the facts, the better," Edna added, getting a nod of agreement from Shirley.

Eddie groaned for the four of us who aren't supportive of rumor mills.

"Don't you have children you should be home caring for?" Helen asked her. "Where are the boys?"

Knowing the question had a bite to it, Shirley hit back. "Eddie's mother is visiting. She offered to stay with them so they wouldn't destroy Ranger's building. Isn't it nice to have family you can always rely on?" She ended her performance by covering her mouth as if she'd just misspoken. "Oopsie. I shouldn't have said that, things being what they are for you right now."

Despite the horror stories I've heard from both Stephanie and Eddie about 'Shirley the Whiner', I had nothing but respect for her in that moment. Even Steph was back to curling up against my side with her arms hugging my midsection while she watched two Burg heavyweights trade jabs. She and Frank weren't involved, Shirley looks like she's having a good time ... already planning how to retell this for maximum effect, and Helen is angrier and more miserable than I've ever seen her. A win all the way around from where I'm standing.

It took Helen a few beats and a few more deep breaths before she felt she could redirect and then control the situation again.

"That's exactly why I'm here ... to get 'things' back to the way they were."

"And the reason I asked Ranger to open the gate for you," Frank began, "was so I can say this in person, so you know I mean what I say, that I think I need to stay here."

"Oh really, Frank?" Helen said, cold fury dripping from every syllable. "You think you need remain living here?"

He gulped and everyone can sense that this is a make or break moment for Frank Plum.

"No, you're right, Helen ..."

"Of course I'm right," she interrupted to say, like there isn't any possible chance she could be wrong about something.

It was like night and day. Her rage has suddenly been replaced with a serene smile as she pretends she hadn't just been seconds away from achieving full head rotations. The mask that slipped momentarily was already put neatly back into place.

"I don't think I should stay," Frank continued, "I know this is where I want to continue living. I'm not going back to Chambersburg or to the house with you, Helen. Not today ... and possibly not ever."