The doorbell ringing causes me to drop my pencil on the coffee table. I rub my temples slightly, my anxiety of what I have to ask my Mama and Daddy weighing on my shoulders.

"Button, can get you the door?" Mama asks me, not looking up from the papers she's filling out to get my baby sister enrolled in the first grade.

I sigh and stand up, walking into the foyer. I pull the front door open, coming face to face with a boy that had shaggy brown hair, hazel eyes, and a beautiful smile stands there. He looks to be Raylen's age. I hesitate.

"Yes?"

"Is Raylen home?" He asks. "I'm Eric. He told me I could come over."

Eric? I vaguely remember Raylen mentioning him a few times...

"Um...hold on."

I shut the door in his face and walk into the living room, up to Mama.

"Did you know Raylen invited somebody over?"

She pushes her glasses up further on her nose, her brown hair falling from his place behind her ear.

"Yes. He's a good kid and I talked to his mother." Mama says. "He can come in."

I walk back to the front door and pull it open.

"You can come in." I say, stepping aside.

He walks in, looking around.

"You must be one of his sister. Noemie, right?"

"Yes." I nod my head. He sticks his hand out and I shake it.

"Raylen!" Mama calls. "Eric is here!"

I lead Eric to the living room. Mama stands up.

"Hi Eric." She smiles.

"Hey Mrs. Reed." He smiles and shakes his hand.

"You can call me Mrs. Odette...or Mrs. Odeletta."

"Mrs. Odeletta." He says. He looks at Noah. "Hey man, you must be Noah. I'm Eric."

Noah looks up from his book.

"Nice to meet you." He shakes his hand.

He does the same to Caroline and then squats down next to where Lucy is coloring.

"Are you Lucy?" He asks. She nods her head and looks at him.

"You have to call her Mrs. Odeletta but I get to call her Mama." She grins proudly and all of us smile.

"I heard that." He nods. Raylen walks into the room.

"Thank God you're here!" Raylen groans. "I'm surrounded by women, Dad's working and Noah's got to read this whole book. I'm so bored! Let's go watch a movie or play video games or something."

Eric nods.

"I brought GTA."

Raylen's whole face lights up.

"Let's go!" He exclaims. They run to the kitchen and Mama watches as they grabs cans of coke and a bag of chips.

"Do not make a mess!" Mama calls.

"Yes ma'am!" He calls back. Their voices disappear downstairs.

I hear the garage door slam and footsteps. Daddy comes walking in with a red button down and black slacks on. He hangs his keys and walks straight to Mama to give her a kiss.

"Who's Toyota is in the driveway?"

"Raylen has a friend over." Mama responds. I glance at the clock.

6:24PM.

Daddy kisses my temple, and then Caroline's, and then Lucy's, and then ruffles Noah's hair.

"How was work?" Mama asks, sitting back down with the papers.

"Annoying." He says, peeking at Caroline's winter assignment. "Six is A." He says.

"Nathan!" Mama gasps. "You cannot just give away answers like that!" But she's laughing. Dad grins at her and Mama smiles.

"Um...I have a question." I mumble.

"Ask away Button." Daddy says, plopping down on the couch across from Mama.

"My friends are going to go bowling tonight and then they're walking across the street to the movies and they invited me." She says. "And I would like to go."

"Who is going?" Mama asks right away. "Which friends?"

"Um, Amanda, Madison, Justin, Kyle, and Logan."

"Wait, what?" Dad demands. "Boys? You want to go to the movies with boys?"

"I want to go to the movies with my friends." I say, my voice shaking. I knew he would freak out. I should have asked without him here. Mama's expression remains calm. Daddy scoffs.

"No. You're not going. If you go with Amanda and Madison, then you can go."

Mama just smiles a little.

"Do you like one of the boys?"

My eyes widen and I feel my cheeks heat up.

"Which one? It is Justin?"

I look down at my fingers, picking at my red nail polish.

"Yes." I mumble. "But it's with friends, and-"

"No." Daddy growls. "There's not a chance in hell that my little girl is going out with a group of boys."

Mama sighs slowly.

"Have the other kids asked their parents? How are you getting there and how are you getting home?"

"They have asked their parents and I would need a ride...also, I was wondering if they would be able to sleep over...?"

"No!" Dad stands up, stepping towards me. Lucy whimpers and backs into Mama's legs.

"Nathan." Mama says harshly. "Stop acting like a child. She's fifteen!"

"I don't care! She's not going out with boys and they're not sleeping over!" He shouts. Raylen and Eric come upstairs.

"What's going on?" Raylen asks.

"Noemie asked Daddy if she could go out with two girls and three guys and Daddy is blowing his lid." Noah responds.

Mama sighs.

"She's going with a group, Nathan. A group. She's-"

"She's fifteen, Odeletta, and she's-" he cuts off. "She's hit puberty."

"Daddy!" I gasp, my face heating up from embarrassment.

"You're not going." He yells at me. "No way! You're never dating! None of my girls will ever date!"

He's a really nice Dad, he always has been, but he's a really strong Dad too, and he's standing in front of me with his veins bulging out of his arms, his hands in fists. Lucy is openly crying now. Mama huffs loudly and moves to stand between me and Daddy, putting her hands on his chest.

"Stop." She says. He ignores her, and I take a step back. "Nathan!" Mama snaps. Dad's eyes snap down onto hers. "Stop! You're acting ridiculous! Go upstairs!"

"Odeletta," Dad begins. She just points to the stairs, her right hand on her hip, her eyes piercing into his. His eyes study her face for a second and then he turns around, stomping out of the room like a small child. He slams the bedroom door and Mama sighs, walking over to pick up Lucy with her left arm.

"What time do you have to be there?" She asks, rubbing Lucy's back.

"Eight." I say nervously. "But I don't think I'm going."

She opens her mouth to reply when Dad comes stomping back out of the room. He stops behind Mama.

"You can go if Raylen and Eric go with you."

"Dad!" Raylen says.

"Invite Abigail." He says flatly. "Eric, do you have a girl you like?"

"Yes..." he trails off.

"Invite her. Raylen, you get a night with your friends and Abigail and Eric, you get a night with your friends and your girl, I calm down because Raylen is there to watch Noemie, and Noemie still gets to go out. Everyone wins."

"No." Mama says, running her fingers through Lucy's hair. "Nathan, if this was Raylen at fifteen, you would have been fine with him going out."

"Yeah, because he's a guy!"

"Noemie is fifteen. She's not going to get dressed up to go on a date. She's going out with a group of friends. She's fine, she's old enough to go out alone."

"I don't care. She's my little girl and-"

"She is growing up!" Mama snaps. "My Papa last saw me at twelve years old! I hadn't even started my period! The next time he saw me, I was having sex with son random guy." She says. "And he acted like a grown man. You are acting like a child."

"That's different, you were twenty two years old!"

"I don't care." Mama snaps. "You're being ridiculous. You're scaring Lucy, Nathan." She turns to me.

I stand with Odeletta, holding Lucy's hand. Noemie is standing with two girls and three guys and they're all talking and laughing. My wife is talking with the two mothers of the girls. I scowl as one of the boys looks at me and wanders over to where two guys that resemble the girls stand.

"If he touches my little girl, I'll cut his hand off." One of the guys mutters. He looks to be my age, his hair already gray. He has blue eyes. One of the girls has blonde hair and blue eyes. That's who I'm pretty sure is Amanda. The other girl has black hair and brown eyes, resembling her father with the same hair and eyes, and that's Madison.

"Are you their fathers?" One of them scowls at me.

"No." I grumble, picking Lucy up. I watch at Noemie puts her hand on Justin's arm. He has brown short hair and blue eyes.

He's probably a player.

"Noemie's mine." I say to the guys.

"Which one is yours?" The guy with gray hair frowns at me.

"Noemie." I nod towards her. "Skinny jeans that are way too tight, with the gray sweater."

"Mine is Amanda. The blonde." The gray haired guy says.

"Mine's Madison, the other brunette." The guy with dark hair grumbles.

I scoff.

"Are you guys okay letting your little girl be with-"

"No." Amanda's father says harshly. "My wife, Katilyn," he nods towards a blonde talking to my wife and another brunette. "She forced me to let her come."

"Same with Amy!" The other says guys. "I'm Derek Lawrence, by the way." He sticks his hand out to me.

"Nathan Reed." I shake his hand, he shakes hands with the other guy.

"Michael Reynolds." The gray haired man says. I shake his hand, nodding.

"My wife didn't give me a choice." I say.

"Who is this?" Michael smiles at Lucy. She grins at him.

"I'm Lucy! I'm six!"

"It's nice to meet you Lucy." They both shake her hand.

"What happened to your arm?" Derek asks.

"My Mama beat me because I split the milk."

Both of their eyes widen and they look at my wife like she's filth.

"Oh god," I say. "No, her foster mother beat her." I say. "My wife and I adopted her!" I put my hand on my forehead. "Lucy, don't tell people that, okay? They're going to think that is actually true and they will take you away from me and Mama."

"Sorry Daddy." She frowns.

"It's okay." I say. I look at Noemie and see her laughing at something Justin is saying. I scowl.

"We should riot." Michael says. "Go up against our wives and insist they let us stay and supervise."

"I tried to get my son to come with his friend Eric but they refused." I grumble. "They're only freshmen. Noemie just turned fifteen at the beginning of this month. She doesn't need to get her heart broken."

"I'm down for a riot." Derek says. "What do you say Nathan? You in?"

"I'm in." I say. "Our wives are just that, our wives! They're not the boss of us!"

The three of us shake hands and we march over to our wives.

Michael's wife, Kaitlyn, looks at us with raised eyebrows. Derek nudges me and I clean my throat dramatically.

"We have decided to stay and monitor the girls." I say. Odeletta snorts.

"No you're not Nathan."

"You're not the boss of me." I say, setting Lucy down. Odeletta takes her hand and just looks at me with raise eyebrows.

"Derek, this is ridiculous." Amy says. "We're leaving."

"I'm not going anywhere." Derek says firmly.

"Michael." Kaitlyn sighs.

"We're staying." He says.

"Nathan, this is not happening." Odeletta shakes her head.

"Yes it is." I say. I hand her the keys to the truck and dip down, kissing her. "I love you amour."

She takes the keys from my hand.

"I love you too, Beau. Please do not go overboard."

Amy and Kaitlyn sigh, kissing their husbands goodbye. I kiss Lucy's head and walk over to the group of kids, letting them walk in.

"Um, what are you doing?" Noemie asks.

"Well we're staying Noemie." Derek smiles at her. Her eyes fill with horror and she looks at me.

"Daddy?" She asks.

"Go on in." I nod inside the alley.

The three boys start squirming.

That's right. Like they're allowed to be with my little girl. I was their age once. They only want one thing.

The moment our husbands are outside, I turn to Amy and Kaitlyn.

"I say we go to my house and drink wine and leave our husbands to figure out how to get the kids home." I say. "That will teach them for saying we aren't their bosses."

"What kind of wine do you have?" Amy asks.

"Any kind you can think of." I say.

_____

I walk in my house with Lucy, Amy and Kaitlyn, and notice a random girl sitting on my couch. She's talking to Abigail, who I have only seen once.

Caroline is sitting with them, listening intently to their conversation. I walk into the living room and raise my eyebrows at my daughter.

"Mama, you remember Abigail." She says.

Abby stands up, her eyes widening.

"Hi, Mrs. Odeletta."

"Hey Abby." I say, glancing at the blonde girl sitting with my daughter and my son's love interest.

"Mama, this is Francesca." She says. "She's friends with Abby and Raylen and Eric."

The girl, Francesca stands up.

"Hi, Mrs. Odeletta. You can call me Frankie."

"Hi Frankie." I shake her hand and set Lucy down. "Where are Raylen and Noah?"

As if on queue, Raylen, Noah, and Eric walk into the living room, a board game in Noah's hands, a bag of chips and a bowl of salsa in Raylen's hands, and four cokes in Eric's arms.

"I asked Dad and he said they could come over." Raylen says when he seems the look on my face. Just to prove his point, he shows me his messages with Nathan. "Where is Dad?" He looks at Kaitlyn and Amy.

"They are at the bowling alley with your sister and her friends." I say. "Please take your games downstairs." I add. "And Eric, you are more than welcome to spend the night, but girls, I'm sorry, but I do not allow girls my son's age to spend the night."

"That's okay, Mrs. Odeletta. We're staying at my house tonight. We have to be there at eleven." Abby smiles politely.

"Mama, can I ask Parker and Lance to spend the night?" Noah asks, clasping his hands together.

"Sure." I say.

"Can I ask Lauren and Gabby?" Caroline pleads.

"Yes."

They both run for the house phone and Noah grabs it first, but after he starts to dial be sighs and hands the phone to his sister.

"Ladies first."

Abby picks up the board games Noah dropped and follows Raylen and Eric downstairs with Frankie. I sighs slowly and turn around.

"Your house is incredible." Amy says.

"Thank you." I smile. I look down at Lucy. "Do you want to watch a movie in Mama and Daddy's room?" I ask. She nods excitedly and I walk off to the bedroom. "You guys can follow me." I tell Kaitlyn and Amy. They follow me across the house to the bedroom and I turn on the TV. It opens right up to Netflix and I look down at Lucy. "How about you go get your pajamas on?" I say.

She turns around and runs off. I can hear her excited footsteps on the staircase. I go to the kids TV.

"Sorry for all the kids." I say. "I have five myself. We just recently adopted Lucy and the other four are biologically mine." I explain.

"It's alright." Amy smiles. "My oldest is at home with my youngest."

"And my oldest is at home too." Kaitlyn says.

I pick the movie Moana and start it, pausing it.

Lucy comes back in one of my t-shirts that goes down to her knees.

"Did you brush your teeth?" I ask her.

"Yes."

"Yes what?"

"Yes ma'am."

"Go potty first." I say.

"Yes ma'am."

She walks into the bathroom and I hear the door close. A few minutes later the toilet flushes and I hear the sink start. A full minute later she comes back. She climbs into the middle of my bed, and the first thing I notice is she's not wearing any underwear.

"Where are your panties?"

"Upstairs." She says.

"Go put on panties, Lucy."

"Okay."

She slides out of bed and runs all the way back upstairs, she comes back and I gesture to her. She lifts her shirt all the way to her chin to show me her pink princess panties.

"Thank you." I say. She climbs into bed and I tuck her in. I bend down to kiss her forehead. "I love you Lucy, come get me if you need me, okay?"

"Okay Mama." She smiles. I start the movie and shut off the light. Kaitlyn and Amy follow me to the kitchen and I make sure not to close the bedroom door all the way and to leave the hall light on. Caroline is on her knees on the counter, digging through the cabinets.

"What are you looking for?" I ask.

"Chips." She says.

"They're in the pantry." I nod to the door to my right. She hops off the counter and walking in there. "Are Lauren and Gabby coming over?" I ask.

"Yes." She says. "They're getting rides." She adds before I can ask. Noah walks in with a few cans of coke and the movie Transformers tucked in the front of his jeans.

"Are Parker and Lance coming?" I ask.

"Yes, they got rides too."

"Okay." I hesitate. "Any messes you make better get cleaned up." I add.

"Yes ma'am." They say in sync.

They both go upstairs from the stairs by the mudroom.

I sigh and turn to Amy and Kaitlyn.

"I have a wine cabinet." I say, walking to the area off of the kitchen.

_____

I'm a little bit tipsy, or maybe I'm flat out drunk. I knocked over a glass of wine and laughed when it shattered. Amy and Kaitlyn are the same though, and I told them my whole life story and they told me theirs.

I pick up the glass from the floor, falling and catching myself with my right hand and then I just sit down on the floor, laughing uncontrollably.

"Uh oh!" I say when I see my foot starting to bleed from a piece of glass. "Child!" I yell. "I need a child!"

Raylen walks in with Eric, Abigail, and Frankie.

"Mama, are you drunk?"

"Nah." I wave him off. "Help me up!" I exclaim, wiggling my fingers at him. He reaches down and carefully helps me off of the ground. "I need the broom."

"I'll clean it." He says, looking amused. He helps me sit back down, but the world starts spinning and I start to fall. Raylen catches me and I giggle.

"Whoa Ray Ray, you're really strong." I say. I put my hand on his face. "You look just like your Dad, you know. You have my eyes though. Fooey"

He straightens me back up.

"I know Mama."

He turns to get the broom but I start falling again, laughing. Before I can hit the ground, Abby catches me. Raylen rushes forward to help me sit back up, and then he helps me sit back on the floor.

"Maybe I should call Dad..." he hesitates. I hear footsteps and Caroline walks in with Lauren and Gabby, followed by Noah, Parker, and Lance.

"What's wrong with her?" Caroline gasps.

"She's drunk." He says. Amy and Kaitlyn are laughing and I start laughing too.

"Whoa!" I say. "I'm bleeding!" I point to the blood dripping onto the floor.

"Daddy's calling." Caroline says, taking my phone off the counter next to my wine.

"Give me my wine, Noah." I point to the glass.

"You already broke it." Noah says.

"Besides Mama, I think you've had enough." Raylen hesitates.

"Hush!" I wave him off. "Caroline, what time is it?"

"It's eleven twenty, Mama."

I take the phone from her hand and jab the decline button.