Everly sped down the driveway as fast as she could in her walker, "Daddy, Daddy, Your Home! Mommy daddy's home!"

Asher hopped out of his truck.

"Hi princess I missed you," Asher said, lifting Everly out of her walker, "you were pretty speedy there."

"She's getting faster," Allison said.

"I missed you," Asher said, setting Everly back on her feet and pulling Allison into a hug and kissing her passionately.

"I missed you too," Allison replied, pulling him closer to her before whispering, "I can tell you're excited to see me."

"Nap time," he whispered in her ear. She nodded her cheeks turning bright red.

"Daddy," Everly demanded, "play please."

"We can go play," Asher agreed.

"Play house," Everly asked.

"We can go play in your playhouse," Asher agreed.

"We've spent most of the summer there," Allison smiled.

"Start walking," Asher told Everly, "mommy and I are behind you."

They walked to the back yard following Everly pausing to open the gate for her. She made her way to the playhouse. Asher looped his arm around Allison's waist and she leaned into him.

"Have we figured out the fall," Asher asked.

"I kept two days of work," Allison said, "a 6 and an 8 I need to keep two so I can pick up more on breaks. And we can always use the money. I know you went away to put some in savings but if we don't have to use it. I know Med school will be expensive, my applications are a couple hundred each."

"Allie we can do it," he assured, "I got a raise. I'll work over time so you can study and be with her. How are you going to balance it?"

"She goes to preschool Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings from 8:30-12:30," Allison said, "Monday my class is 7-10 pm so you're home with her. Wednesday and Friday I have morning labs so I drop her off and go to school. I'm at school Tuesday - Thursday all day but she has full day Early Intervention from 8:30-3:00 on Tuesday and Thursday so I have Josh picking her up on Thursdays because I'm not done school until 7. So I'll get home in time to tuck her in."

"Wednesday," Asher asked.

"We're trading with Nisha," Allison said, "she's off Wednesday and will pick up Everly from school then on Monday's I have Khitam during the day. Tuesday my last class ends at 2 so I can get her. Wednesday my classes end at 4."

"Friday," Asher asked.

"Still working on," Allison said, "I'm done at 2 again so just need her picked up and brought home."

"Your mom," Asher asked.

"Maybe," Allison agreed, "she's going to real preschool in a couple weeks."

"She is," Asher smiled, "she's ready."

"She is," Allison said, "she needs friends and to be part of a group."

"She likes people," Asher smiled.

"Will she be okay learning," Allison asked.

"She knows her letters and can count to ten," Asher said, "you read to her in two languages. She can speak French. She's determined."

"Daddy," Everly called.

"You two play, I'll make lunch," Allison smiled.

"Mommy," Everly called as Allison walked away.

"For a bit," Allison agreed.

After playing together for a while and having lunch Asher tucked Everly in for her nap.

"So," Asher asked, kissing Allison.

"We have a couple hours," Allison smiled.

"Are we really," he asked.

"We didn't at the cabin because Ev wouldn't share with Heather," Allison said, "I can wait till tonight."

"I can't,'' he said, "seven weeks is too long."

"As long as she stays asleep," Allison said.

Asher picked her up and carried Allison to their room, kicking the door closed and locking it behind them.

That night after Everly was in bed Allison and Asher drove to a friend of hers from school.

"Allison is actually coming tonight," Lauren, one of the girls in her classes, said."

"She is," Ava said, "I'm surprised. Asher got home today."

"Asher is actually coming," Lauren said.

"Her mystery Fiance," Xyuan asked.

"Not a mystery," Ava said, "they've been together since high school and we've all been friends since middle school. He's a good guy."

"Seems controlling," Xyuan said.

"They have a kid," a guy said.

"Everly,' Ava said, " she's three now."

"How old is Allie," the guy asked.

"21," Ava said, "we were in high school when Everly was born."

"And she's pre med," Jake asked.

"She is," Kristen replied.

"How well do you know her," Lauren asked.

"I'm her maid of honour next summer," Ava said.

"I want to meet their daughter," Lauren said, "she's always in bed when I go to Allie's."

"They do that unless they know you really well," Ava explained, "another friend of ours was really mean about Everly and now Allison keeps friends away from her daughter to protect Everly."

"Why," Kristen asked, " everyone knows about Ev and that she has cerebral palsy."

"Olivia," Ava said, "called her defective."

"No," Lauren said, "she said that! This is Olivia that comes when she's in town."

"Ya her and Allie were really close until graduation then Allie got really focused on Ev and Asher and school and Liv started partying and travelling."

"Her want to be influencer," Kristen said, 'is Allie okay?"

"Asher has been gone all summer for work it's hard for her," Ava said, "but she's okay. Tired."

"He's coming," Kristen said.

"She wouldn't tonight unless she could bring him," Ava said, "I want what they have."

"A baby," Lauren asked.

"She's three now but the connection and relationship," Ava said, "i'm always single."

"Change it," Lauren said.

"I try," Ava said.

"What are you doing to change it," Lauren asked.

"I go online, I talk to guys, I go on dates," Ava said, "but school and work I don't have a ton of free time and I live with my parents."

"So do I," Lauren said, 'and why do you need to date right now? Because your best friend is getting married to her highschool sweetheart?"

Asher parked his truck out front of Lauren's house so they could go to the party. The group was a mix of nursing and pre med students that Allison and Ava hung out with at school. Allison seldom joined them on the weekends or at night. Asher hadn't spent a lot of time with her school friends, they were so busy during the week and she worked weekends usually so they spent most of their weekends at home together. They sometimes went for dinner with friends but at times felt disconnected, they refused to go clubbing or to drink excessively. They liked games nights and gatherings at people's houses over frat parties and wild nights. They sometimes hosted and it was getting better as Everly got older and more independent, but they usually invited people to come after Ev went to bed. There were few friends who were fully comfortable with their daughter and it was better to have Everly asleep when friends came over.

"Welcome home," Ava smiled, giving Asher a hug.

"Its good to be home," Asher agreed.

"Xyuan this is my fiance Asher," Allison introduced, " I don't think you've met."

"We haven't," Asher said, "it's good to meet you."

"I never see you on campus," Xyuan said.

"I'm an industrial electrical apprentice," Asher said, "so I'm only on campus if a job takes us there. But we're doing the new science lab building so I'm on campus for a few months."

"You'll have to have lunch with us," Xyuan said.

"We'll see," Asher said, "I don't think the library wants me in wet muddy work clothes and my work boots.'

"But I like it," Allison smiled.

"I know you do," Asher said, "Xyuan what are you majoring in?"

"Pre med,' Xyuan said, "it's nice that the two of you came out."

"I've been working on the dam project all summer so haven't been home," Asher said, "I had three days off but we were at the cabin."

"Your daughter must have missed you," Lauren said.

"The daily I want daddy melt downs," Allison said, "we both missed him."

"I bet," Lauren said.

"When did you get home," Ava asked.

"Noon ish," Asher said.

"And you're here," Lauren said.

"Allie really wanted to come," Asher said, "and we didn't leave until Ev was in bed."

'Can I meet her soon," Lauren asked.

"One day," Allison shrugged, "she gets my full attention when she's awake. We try to do our things when she's in bed for the night."

"Why,' Xyuan asked, "do you not have babysitters?"

"A lot of them but they babysit so we can work and go to school," Allison said, "we don't want to take advantage."

"Who is she with now," Lauren asked.

"My parents are home and will check on her," Allison said, "but she's asleep."

"Enough kid talk,' Jake teased, "Asher it's good to see you man."

"It's good to be home," Asher agreed.

"Beer in the cooler," Lauren said, "we have burgers and dogs."

They spent the night hanging out with friends, talking around a bonfire and dancing in the grass.