All familiar characters belong to Janet. Mistakes are mine.

"Hey, Boss. Your Mom is pulling into the garage, do you want me to walk her up to Seven for you?"

"No," I told Gene. "I'll head down myself."

I disconnected and caught my wife's look. "You're leaving? Ummm, we've got about fifteen minutes to get someone," she glanced over at Olivia who is still very much playing with her whole-wheat Lego waffles, "cleaned up, packed up, and ready for school."

"I know, Babe. That's why I'll take Jace with me to meet my mother in the lobby. You'll have two hands free for one kid, plus my mother will be here momentarily to take over."

The relieved expression on her face said more than any words could. She's exhausted but determined not to shortchange our kids when it comes to her time.

"Thank you," she said a beat later. "And kiss your mother for me for showing up just when we need her."

I used up another second to kiss her before taking Jace from her. "We're a team, Babe. Trust me to know when you need an assist."

"I do. And it seems like my Mom-in-law can sense a breaking point too."

"We don't break in this family; we support each other to head off any potential breakdowns."

"It's working."

Jace agreed and started moving his arms in excitement. Or he just reacts outwardly to Stephanie like I do internally. When Stephanie first moved into my building, I made sure that even the stairwell temperatures could be controlled to stay consistently warm, so I didn't need to add a layer to Jace's paw print pajamas. My body heat and the building's heating system would keep him comfortable.

The men had begun to bitch when they started to sweat more than usual in the gym, but I shut them up quickly. Carrying out operations in the desert, in full sun, while wearing full gear builds up your tolerance for discomfort while diminishing your patience for unnecessary whining.

"What are you doing here?" I asked my mother when Jace and I exited the elevator.

"Good morning to you too, Carlos," she said, gesturing for me to lean down so she could kiss my cheek. "And you brought the little one. How is mi nieto?"

"He's good. Not a heavy sleeper, but we're adapting."

"May I?" She asked, not waiting for an answer.

She took Jace out of my arms and cuddled him like she hadn't seen him in weeks, when it's been only a matter of hours since she, my father, and some combination of my siblings had visited him last.

I curled an arm around the two of them and moved them into the elevator. Stephanie wasn't exaggerating, Olivia needs to be ready to go soon.

"To what do we owe this honor?" I asked, trying a new angle. "Whatever the reason, Stephanie told me to kiss you for showing up when you did."

"How is she doing? I can't say I recall the days of having just two small children instead of six to care for, but just keeping one child alive and happy is a serious undertaking. I hope she's not judging herself too harshly."

"Don't worry. I'm not letting her."

"Good boy," she said in Jace's direction but I knew she was saying it to me. "My precious Olivia wanted me to see her classroom so I thought today would be a good day for that. I tried to wait long enough so I wouldn't interfere with your morning routine."

"You timed it right. Olivia decided to turn her breakfast into a craft project this morning and the clean-up was just beginning when we left the apartment."

She tore her eyes away from her grandson's face to narrow them at me. "You didn't just leave Stephanie to deal with it, did you?"

"No. Jace and I came to meet you while she reins in our daughter so we can leave on time. I would have taken over, but those two enjoy choosing clothes, hair clips, or shoes for the day, together. My uniforms are black from neck-to-boot for a reason. I don't see a need in wasting time thinking about clothes or your appearance when there are more important things to get done."

"You wouldn't think differently. You can thank me and your father for genes that don't require any thought to be exceptional."

"My ladies don't either, but they still prefer to guild the lilies so to speak."

"I've done a good job with you. And I will help you to be just as amazing as your Daddy is, baby Jace," she promised her grandson.

I was equally touched and frightened hearing that vow.

"Gammy!" Olivia yelled two minutes later, seeing her grandmother walk into our apartment. "You got da baby."

"I do, but I have two arms, so I get to hug you while I'm holding your little brother."

My daughter ran towards her with enough enthusiasm, my mother would've been knocked off-balance had she not raised six kids with two of them being boys.

"Do not chastise my granddaughter for expressing how much she loves me," I was told.

My mother loves to believe she can read my mind. She can't, but it's always entertaining whenever she tries.

"I don't think your son is capable of 'chastising' our baby," Steph said in what I believed was my defense. "He more 'suggests' the correct thing to do and encourages Olive to do it. His daughters know he's incapable of reprimanding them. Good thing they live for making him proud of them or we'd be in serious trouble."

I cut my eyes to her, and she smiled in response.

"Are we ready to go?" My mother asked Olivia.

Steph's expression went from amused to questioning. "Olivia wanted to show-off her preschool to someone who hasn't seen it yet," I explained. "My mother thought you could use a breather and would accompany me for the drop-off. We can take Jace with us if you'd like an uninterrupted shower."

She was shaking her head before I finished speaking. "Jace and I will be okay," she told me before turning to Mama Manoso. "Mo doesn't know what to do with himself if he doesn't have Jace's little tummy to rest his chin on. Olive deserves to have all of your attention. Plus, if your grandson is here, I know you'll come back and visit for a while after Olive has given you a tour of her classroom and then shoos you out of her space."

"You couldn't keep me away."

I was happy that a statement like that was appreciated by Stephanie. It didn't scare her off or make her angry. She loves my parents as much as I do.

"Oh ... if you happen to see Olive's principal, it wouldn't hurt to say something nice about Hal. The tall, blond, and built thing isn't working as well as you'd think for him with her."

I wanted to sigh. That's all my mother needed to hear in order to make Hal's happiness her side project. The way Steph's blue eyes sparkled clued me in that she knows that and it's exactly why she'd said it.

"Someone doesn't think our Halvor is good enough for her?" Was Mama Manoso's question.

"It's not like that," my wife said, getting Olivia into her coat before holding up her backpack to slip on. "My guess is that Hal's too nice, too cute, too everything and it makes him seem unreal. She purposely doesn't want to see beyond his physical appearance and get to know the Halosauras we all love."

My mother nodded, mollified for the moment. "I'll keep my eyes open for her." She pressed a kiss to Jace's forehead and reluctantly let him go so we could leave.

"Olive, give Mama and Jace a kiss," Steph told her. "And I want to hear the details on what you did today when I pick you up."

"So, you're picking her up," I teased.

"Yup. I need some fresh air and some semblance of a normal routine."

"You try to do too much," my mother told her.

"Says the woman who had six kids to raise."

"It was a different time then."

My wife shook her head. "Making and raising good humans is hard, whether it's today or thirty-plus years ago. I can promise you that I would not have become a mother myself if you hadn't been such an amazing one to your kids."

"You will not make me cry, Stephanie."

"Good, because I'm not trying to. You guys have a good drop-off, and we'll be here when you get back."

My lips lingered briefly on my wife's before I kissed my son and escorted my daughter and mother down to the garage and into my car. Once I got Olivia buckled into her seat, I slid behind the wheel and called Hal using the hands-free connection.

"You may want to clear out when I get there and stay gone until I'm ready to leave," I told him. "My wife and mother are determined to 'help' you score points with Ms. Rajos. I'll understand if you want to bail during the period of time I can cover you."

He didn't respond right away, but when he did ... it solidified Stephanie's take on his situation. He is interested in pursuing Olivia's principal and didn't mind a little outside help.

"I'll stick around. Thanks for the offer though."

"Was that really necessary?" My mother asked me as soon as I disconnected.

"Yes. Hal has the right to manage his own life. Like I told you when you realized I was in love with Stephanie, we would happen when we were meant to ... and they will too."

"Or like I told you back then, some people are so hardheaded, they require a little assistance in taking that first step. Of course, I knew Stephanie loved you ... how could she resist my son?"

"You'd be surprised at the lengthy list of people who despise me. And it's an ongoing one."

She didn't snort like Stephanie would, but she did wave her hand as if to dispel the truth of my statement. "If you're doing the right thing, you will always be angering someone. That's a positive thing. You just be yourself and you'll be loved by those who truly know you ... as you discovered with Stephanie. I want Halvor to find the same thing. If this woman is worthy of him."

"Olivia likes her and my daughter is more intuitive than a lot of people I know."

She glanced back at Olive. "I do trust her. Do you like everybody at your school?" She asked.

"My teaches is nice," Olivia answered. And then she got extremely animated, kicking her heels against her seat as she spoke about someone else. "LyJa is my bessy friend."

If I weren't driving, I'd close my eyes against the knowledge that my toddler has already become fascinated by a boy.

"Elijah St. James," I informed my mother. "He's a boy in her class ... and apparently her best friend now."

She grinned at my discomfort.

"Don't," I ordered her as I turned into the school's parking lot.

"Don't what, Carlos?"

I didn't answer. She made her point.

I also trust my girls, but that doesn't mean I'm ready for either one to pay serious attention to a male figure other than me, or me and Ron in Julie's case.

I unbuckled Olivia and got her backpack for her as my mother let herself out, smiling the entire time. Olivia's tour of her classroom was uneventful aside from taking in my baby's obvious pride in her school, 'best friend', and what she refers to as her schoolwork which has mostly been crafts or alphabet/number projects that usually involve non-toxic glue or paint. We all have to start somewhere, and my daughter has been soaking up everything she does here.

"Well, mi nieta, this seems like a fun place to play if you can't be with Mama and Daddy, or me and your Papa."

"I certainly enjoy having Olivia in my class," her teacher told my mother. "Today we'll be working on our counting skills and see if we can get to twenty using daisy petals or picnic ants."

My mother pasted a comically horrified expression on her face. "I hope you aren't thinking about bringing home ... bugs."

Olivia's eyes sparked mischievously just like her Mama's had not an hour ago, and I wondered at my ability to fall in love with my family all over again daily.

My daughter grinned and poked a tiny finger playfully into her grandmother's side. "I make ALL the bugs."

Mama Manoso narrowed her eyes. "You love flowers, no way would you pick ants over them."

That caused Olive to cross her arms over her belly as she laughed at her grandmother's obvious distaste. "Bugs. Bugs! And lots bugs!" She yelled.

"Do you do time-outs?" I asked Ms. Dervis. "My mother obviously needs one for getting her granddaughter worked up right before class begins."

"We're just playing, Carlos. No need to be dramatic. You'll be alright to do your schoolwork. Won't you, my little Olive?"

She nodded. And then as quickly as it started, she abandoned the joy of teasing her grandmother when she saw Elijah sit down at a nearby table.

"Have fun," my mother called after her. "Am I right in assuming that's what Stephanie meant when she said Olivia would dismiss us at some point?"

"Don't feel bad, it's happened to all of us. But by the time noon rolls around, she's excited to see us again."

"They are so precious and also precocious at this age, which is why I wanted to be a preschool teacher," Ms. Dervis shared with us.

"Well, we're definitely happy that you made that particular decision," my mother said. "Olivia really does love it here."

"I'm glad. And I'm always happy to meet the people in her life. She is one innovative little girl."

My mother wanted to roll her eyes and say something like 'Duh, she's perfect', but she stuck with a mature ... "That she is."

There wasn't much to add to that statement, so with one last kiss to Olivia's head we left her to her 'workday'.

Stephanie might not like or approve of the Burg's interest in people's personal lives, but she does have a unique ability for recognizing potential in them. Ms. Rajos may want to keep a professional distance between her and Hal, but you don't need to be a body language expert to see that she didn't like seeing a female who isn't my wife near him, when she had exited her car and spotted our group in the parking lot. I could hear her spine snap in indignation as she took in the sight of my mother gently cupping Hal's cheek with affection and gratitude for watching out for Olivia.

It would be amusing if I didn't remember how much I hated knowing Stephanie had been kissing Morelli when it should have been me. "Mama," I said to get her attention and to reassure Olive's principal that Hal isn't interested in anyone else. "Meet Olivia's principal, Ms. Layla Rajos. Ms. Rajos, this is my mother. I'd give you her legal name, but she's going to insist you call her Mama Manoso regardless of what I say."

"Olivia's grandmother?" She asked.

My mother didn't miss the confused look the principal shot at Hal. "Oh ... you thought ..." Her voice trailed away as her smile took over her face. "Bless you for getting the wrong idea. I'm old enough to be Halvor's very young grandmother, and I'm giving you a hug for not thinking so."

That wasn't an idle threat. It was a brief yet effective hug. Ms. Rajos initially stiffened but quickly relaxed into the friendly exchange. "Did you enjoy your visit to my school?" She asked Mama Manoso.

"I'm enjoying it more with every second. My granddaughter is loving her preschool time, and the boys are making sure no harm comes to her while she's here so I can focus solely on spoiling my new grandson for the next couple of hours."

"I heard that Olivia has recently become a big sister."

"A proud big sister," Hal corrected. "She's as protective of Jace as we are of her."

I could feel Stephanie nod her approval of his comment even though she's at home. She'd love any and all compliments directed at our daughter, but it was also a statement that would elevate Layla's opinion of Hal. He clearly loves our kids but in a way that's appropriate for everyone involved. He sees himself as Olive's overly big brother more than an uncle or her bodyguard ... and acts accordingly.

"I admit," Ms. Rajos said, "I wasn't comfortable with a security team surveilling my school, but now I can say I feel a small measure of relief knowing that if something were to happen, it will be handled and ended quickly."

"Nothing will happen at all as long as we're here," Hal stated. "Junior and I are good at our jobs."

She was clearly taken aback. "I wasn't trying to imply that you weren't."

He nodded, but still appeared offended.

"Halvor ..."

"I go by Hal, Mrs. M."

"Of course, you do. But you mean more to me than a three-letter nickname."

He'd be embarrassed if he knew how red his face became, but it helped his cause.

"That's so sweet," Ms. Rajos stated.

"These boys look all tough, but they are some of the most caring men I've ever had the pleasure of knowing."

"Awww, Mrs. M.," Junior said, "don't go ruining our image. We need to make sure the bad guys think we're worse."

"But we're among friends so you can let a little of yourselves show."

Junior cut his eyes to me, and I lifted a brow in response. "If you go up against my mother, you'll lose every time," I warned him.

"This has been an illuminating meeting. Thank you for coming," Ms. Rajos said to my mother. "You've cleared up some things for me."

Without explaining her comment, she glanced up at Hal for a millisecond before heading inside the building.

"Did I help or hurt the situation?" Mama Manoso asked us.

Junior, being the least invested, spoke first. "You got her seeing Hal in a different light, that's for sure."

The coming days will show if this worked to Hal's advantage or against it.