The past few months have been great. My wife and I are back to sharing a bed and Don Henley hasn't reared his ugly head. Mason and Sara are glad that Mommy is back and our son has been cuddling with her nonstop. Today we fly to San Francisco for mom's birthday.

"Lindsey, would it be too bad keeping two homes?" Stevie questions halfway through the flight. Both kids are asleep.

"What do you mean? Keeping your Santa Monica Condo and our home on the outskirts of Los Angeles? They're only about an hour away from each other." I explain.

"I know. The LA home could be our main but if we wanted to go to the ocean on the weekends we have a place right on the water." Stevie says.

"If you want," I reply.

"Thank you." She kisses my cheek.

We land in San Francisco at noon and a car picks us up. My family home is bustling with people and Stevie and I just stand and stare.

"Do we even bother going in there? We'll be put to work." I say bending down and picking Sara up.

"We have to." Stevie sighs shifting Mason and walking to the front door.

It's even worse walking in and having to dodge a catering tray.

"Holy shit," I mutter

"They are really going all out for this aren't they?" Stevie asks.

"I guess so." I shrug.

"Oh, my babies how are you?" Ruth asks walking in and seeing us.

"Gramma!" Sara cheers wiggling out of my arms and running to my mother.

"Oh Sara, I've been meaning to give you something," Mom says going to the mantel and grabbing a picture.

"Is that me?" Sara asks.

"You and your Grandfather the day after you were born. You can have it." My mom smiles.

"Thanks, Grandma." Sara hugs her.

***

We're hanging out in the kitchen drinking some ice tea when the front door opens. "Rutheda..." We hear a voice.

"Fuck sake..." Stevie cries laying her head on my shoulder.

"Kitchen!" My mom yells back.

The first one in is Walter.

"Hi, Stevie." He gives a cheesy grin.

"Walter." Stevie nods.

"You look awfully pretty." He blushes and I hide a snort.

She's wearing a pair of worn-out bell bottoms and a tom petty tee-shirt tucked into them. She's got tennis shoes on her feet standing her very tall five one height and her hair is pulled into a messy bun on the top her head, she calls it a Gibson, I call it a nest. Her glasses are also perched on her face,

"Thank you." She states.

"I told you she was a skank, Lindsey. Why are you still dating her.?" Martha walks in.

"I'll have you know, I am not you and we have been married now for seven years. Don Henley is just an asshole. Now, don't focus on my marriage. Your husband also cheated on you and left you for her. So, re-evaluate everything you're saying about my wife. The only reason you don't like her is that we spent three days alone here at ages twenty-two and twenty-two." I spit.

"You're married!! Since when?" She gasps.

"January 27th, 1973. Our daughter was born on January 17th, 1975. So, so much for her trapping me with our five-year-old." I smile.

Martha just growls and walks out.

"Nice one Linds." Jeff cackles. All three of us share a healthy distaste for our mother's older sister.

"She was awful rude." Meredith crosses her arms.

"That's why Uncle Ralph ran," Jeff smirks.

"Daddy, can we swim?" Sara asks pointing the pool that I grew up splashing around in.

"Sure baby." I smile.

"Since when do you swim?" Greg asks.

"Daddy taught me in May. I'm also going to be taking dance classes in the fall. Mommy's been teaching me some ballet and the splits." Sara cheers.

"The Splits at your age? You got lucky Lindsey." Jeff looks at Stevie and I blush.

"I'm only 31." Stevie pouts. She and Sara have the same dangerous pout.