Tabitha felt a little awkward schlepping her bags out of the taxi and heading up to the front door of the Miller house. Damon and Scott had finally convinced her to check out of her hotel room and spend the next two days with them, as she prepared to head out to Lutsen. Somehow, Damon had managed to suss out that she planned to go there before she had left the previous day, and told her that he would be happy to help her plan for the trip. This time, she knew that she couldn't say no, and Scott had given her a ride back to her hotel that evening, telling her that she could call in the morning to get a ride back.

She hadn't had the heart to tell him no, that they were already being too kind by opening their home to her, and that she would be getting a taxi for the last trip out to their house. It had been so easy to pack, though she wished that had packed a little more, now that she was going to away from home longer. She had originally packed for a quick jaunt to Boston, not an extended trip halfway across America, after all. And before she could even raise her hand to knock, Damon was opening the door, welcoming her inside with a warm hug.

"I thought Scotty told you that he'd pick you up this morning?" he asked as he closed the door behind them, and she shrugged.

"I didn't know what time I'd be finished with breakfast, and I didn't want to impose. Besides, you'll be dealing with me for the next two days, until I catch my plane to Minnesota."

He nodded as he brought her upstairs, showing her to a room that was decidedly feminine, and she knew that this had once been Alex's bedroom. "Is that all you have with you?" he asked when he saw her drop her bags on the bed, and she nodded. "And you're planning on being in Minnesota for a few weeks?"

"Yeah, but I didn't realise that I would be making further stops when I left for Boston." She looked at her bags and let out a little sigh. "Do you mind driving me to Target, so I could grab another suitcase and some clothes? I don't think I'll need too much, but I'm tired of wearing the same pair of jeans!"

He let out a chuckle as he nodded and she grinned as she picked up her purse and followed him back downstairs. "If you don't mind, I'll pick up groceries there, too."

"That's fine! And I'll buy lunch for us. Will Scotty be home then, or just the two of us?"

"I'll be home, unless you want some help with the heavy lifting?" Scott peeked his head out of the kitchen, giving them a warm smile as he wiped the dish in his hand.

"That might be nice, since I have to get beer and cat food. You don't mind, do you, Tabitha?"

She shook her head, grinning at Damon. "The more, the merrier!" They nodded at her before Scott disappeared back into the kitchen, only to come out a few moments later, wiping his hands on his jeans as he walked with them out to the garage. The drive into the city didn't take long, and Tabitha wondered if she had been taken for a ride by the taxi drivers, since it was such a difference in time. Shaking that thought from her head, she went inside the store with them, grabbing a cart as they passed them. Scott gave her a small smile as they went separate ways, and then she was heading for the clothes section, looking over what was available.

She picked up a few short sleeve shirts, a cardigan, a sweater, a second pair of jeans, and two skirts, in case she wanted to go to church one Sunday. Tabitha then grabbed fresh underwear, a few pairs of socks, and a different bra, along with a swimsuit before she headed to the luggage, choosing a bag that would match her others at home. Then she went over to the makeup and bath products, grabbing a small bottle of shampoo and conditioner, along with some sunscreen. Last, she added a few bits of makeup to her cart before making her way over to the grocery section and looking down the aisles for Damon and Scott.

It didn't take long to catch up to them, and she smiled as she gave Scott a little wave, starting to follow them as they finished in the rest of the section. "So, did you find everything you wanted, kiddo?" Scott asked, ruffling her hair.

"Yeah, and probably too much, but it was cute! Are you guys ready to check out?"

"I think so. Did you need anything else, Dad?"

Damon shook his head as he looked at Scott expectantly. The younger man dipped his head a little and then deftly took the handle of her cart and began to push it towards the front, following Damon. Tabitha frowned, knowing that their intention was to pay for her items, and she wondered how she could thwart that without insulting them. The line they chose moved very quickly, and then everything was being rung up by an older woman, who smiled cheerfully and kept up a conversation with Damon as Scott placed the bags back in their carts.

That distraction was enough for Tabitha to smoothly step in front of the paypoint, and as soon as the woman was about to ask about coupons, she slipped her card into the slot and waited for it to clear. "How?"

"Sometimes, it pays to be young. We can move quicker," she replied as she entered her PIN and approved the transaction. "This is a small price to pay in order to thank you for hosting me, Damon." Tabitha smiled widely as she took the receipt from the cashier's hand and then moved to the exit with Damon and Scott.

"You are your mother's daughter, through and through," Damon muttered, a wry smile on his lips. She nodded, the grin never leaving her lips as they packed their bags in the trunk. "Since you took care of this, I will pick up lunch today. And you cannot protest, since all this will cost more than a meal for us. Okay?"

"I suppose that I can live with that," she replied as she got into the passenger seat, leaving Scott to take the back after he'd returned the carts. "I didn't notice anything perishable, so does that mean we can eat in whichever restaurant you choose?"

Damon nodded as he pulled out into traffic, and she grinned as she settled back in her seat, taking a few pictures of interesting buildings as they passed by. Her stomach was rumbling a little with hunger when they pulled into the parking lot of an Italian restaurant, and she smiled happily as she popped out of the car and waited for the men to join her before they went inside. Once seated, she pulled out her phone and took a few pictures of the place before looking down at the menu. She found a few options that she would love, and then chose the cheapest option, as she didn't want to be rude.

When their server arrived, after she'd taken their drinks order, Tabitha gave her a small smile as she handed over her phone with the camera open. "Would you mind taking a picture of us all together? I'm visiting, and trying to document as much as possible."

"Of course, sugar!" Tabitha smiled as she beckoned the men to lean in a little, and the server took a number of pictures before handing the phone back to Tabitha.

"Thank you!" she said as the woman went to get their drinks, then scrolled through the pictures, finding the best one to send to the family chat before letting out a pleased sigh. "This has been the best week of my life after, well, you both know," she said in a rush, feeling quick tears sting her eyes. "I am so grateful that you both accepted me, and have told me such wonderful stories about Mum and Alex. You've given me a lot to think about when I'm resting and relaxing in Lutsen."

Damon nodded as he reached across the table to pat her hand gently. "And you have brought me great joy by sharing stories you know about Alex from your mother's diaries. I've been able to see new facets of her, something I never thought would happen. I just wish that you had found her here, so that you could find more in depth answers about the questions that we can't answer."

She shrugged, feeling closer to tears, and reached for the water that the server had dropped off so that she could distract herself and will the tears away. "I guess that I found the answers I needed with the people I was supposed to meet," she finally managed to say, letting out a deep breath as the server returned with their drinks. After placing their orders, the table fell into a soft silence, which she was grateful for, as it allowed her to regroup a little more, knowing that her time with them was so limited, and wanting to make the most of it until she left for Minnesota.