Topic: Family Fun Time

Victoria Granger

Date: 2015-07-26 09:28 EST
((Contains a brief reference to adult activity.))

There was always something happening on Maple Grove. Whether it was a confirmed widower moving into a cottage with a woman who had tried to rob him and her daughter, or a teenager with wings who had been sent to Rhy'Din to keep him safe suddenly turning out to be related to the Old Man, there really was never a dull moment for those who lived at the big house. And that wasn't even taking into account the family who lived there, with their two hyperactive children, their hyperactive dog, and the Old Man himself.

With the summer in full swing finally, Vicki had taken to working outside when she could, which gave her a chance to work while supervising the children, however loosely you'd like to define supervision. Or work, for that matter. "Ben ....no eating the mud pies," she called absently from where she was sketching a set design for the Shanachie while lying on the grass in the garden attached to the manor. She didn't even seem to have looked up, but the toddler - now over a year old, and thoroughly enjoying his attempts at walking - lowered his muddy fist from his mouth with a giggle. "That's my boy."

Jon was pacing not far from where the small family was gathered, practicing his lines for Shakespeare, while clad in a pair of royal blue swim shorts, ready for a dip in the pool. Though his lines were from A Midsummer Night's Dream, he didn't look much like Oberon as he strut across the grass in nothing but his shorts. "Welcome, good Robin. See'st thou this sweet sight?" he started, gesturing with a hand before clucking his tongue in disgust, unhappy with his own delivery. "No, that's not right ..."

Of course, with Jon pacing and going over his lines, Emily had been wrapped in a swimming costume, inserted into an inflatable ring, as well as water wings, and was happily paddling around the shallowest of the shallow end while Cosmo dozed in the sunshine. It was a pretty standard day for these Grangers - easy going, calm, but always just on the very edge of disaster.

"Are you talking to the dog, or to me, love?" Vicki asked Jon in amusement, twisting to look up at him with a grin.

"Nae, fair wife. Cans't thou not see I am memorizing my lines for this bloody play?" he asked her, doing his best to stay in character. He sighed and tossed the script on a table. "Methinks the sun has addled my brain," he continued. "What think thou, daughter?" he said, crouching down near the pool. "Shall I join thee for a swim?"

At two years and a few months, Emily was fast becoming a talker, though her conversation still left a fair amount to be desired. "Daddy splash!" was the succinct answer to Jon's query, accompanied by a splash so vigorous that she tipped over completely. The ring was a nice idea, but not when all you could see was bottom and legs sticking up out of the water.

"Shit!" Vicki lurched up from where she was lying, but Jon was closest.

Jon chuckled at his daughter's remark, but when she tipped over, his heart was suddenly in his throat and he wasted no time in diving in after her, disappearing under the water to right her before she had the chance to take a single gulp of water. He'd witnessed a drowning once before and had been helpless to do anything about it, despite having tried, and he wasn't about to let the same thing happen again, especially not to his own child. He went in with a splash, disappearing for a moment before coming back up with a sputtering Emily in his arms.

It was a relief to see Emily righted once again. Vicki wouldn't deny that her own heart had skipped a few essentials at that sight - they'd lost one Emily in the family to the sea, they weren't going to lose another one to overly enthusiastic swimming. "Everything okay?" she asked, still in that awkward half-crouch she'd risen into from the grass.

In Jon's arms, Emily spluttered and coughed, and abruptly banged her hands onto the water. "Again!"

Thankfully Jon was a very good swimmer and was hardly out of breath, though his heart was pounding. "Other than the fact that I almost had a heart attack, I think so, yes." He slid Emily back into the floating ring, but this time decided to stay nearby so he could keep a close eye on her. "You, young lady!" he said, waggling a finger at her. "You are going to be the death of me!"

Vicki couldn't help laughing as Emily blew a raspberry at her father, unsurprised when a pair of little hands clutched wildly at her own leg. It was an automatic thing now, to reach down and catch Ben before he pitched headfirst onto the ground. "I think Emily and Daddy are getting a bit excited," she intimated to the little boy, who was watching his sister enviously. He wasn't allowed properly into the pool yet, not unless he was on someone's lap while they sat on the steps. Vicki glanced between him and the rest of their family, and sighed softly. "Fine. We're coming in!"

Blowing raspberries at Jon accomplished nothing except to see him blowing them back before leaning in to rub his nose against his daughter's. As much as he loved the stage, he was happiest and most relaxed when he was here at home spending quiet time with his little family. Before Vicki could properly wade into the pool, there was a huge splash as Cosmo jumped in, barking encouragement up at Vicki and Ben. "I think it's Cosmo who's excited!" Jon pointed out.

While Ben independently struggled with his sneakers, Vicki put a handy rock on top of her work and slipped out of her top and shorts - she always was prepared for the pool, even when she wasn't expecting to be using it. With Emily yelling "Cozzcozz!" at the top of her lungs, the redhead whipped little Ben's shirt off and lifted him up, stepping down until they could both sit safely in the water. "And why shouldn't he be excited?" Vicki asked Jon laughingly. "Both his puppies are in the water. Although the sooner we teach Emily to swim, the better."

"Maybe we should get her lessons," Jon suggested, having no idea how to teach a child as young as Emily to swim. Swimming was one of those skills the amnesia hadn't robbed him of, but he couldn't recall how or when he'd learned, except for what other people had told him. As far as he was concerned, it came as naturally as walking or breathing. He took up a ball and tossed it across the pool for Cosmo to fetch. With any luck, the play would eat up some of Cosmo's boundless energy.

"Maybe Cian would do it, if you asked him," Vicki suggested, one arm loosely around Ben as he splashed happily. Both children were giggling like small looney toons at the sight of Cosmo paddling across the pool for his ball. Somehow that dog could still wag his tail, even when swimming.

"Cian?" Jon echoed, wondering why she'd suggest him, other than the fact that he was mated to a mermaid. "Maybe we should invite them over. I'm sure Emily would love to meet a real live Little Mermaid, wouldn't you, EmilyWemily?" he asked, reaching beneath the water to tickle his daughter's bare toes. Of course, she had already met her Uncle Cian and Aunt Leilani, but she - nor anyone else in the family - had ever seen Cian's chosen mate sprout a tail just yet.

Over the sound of Emily's dirty little cackle, Vicki grinned. "Well, I figure since he can keep up with Leilani in the sea, he must be a pretty strong swimmer," she pointed out, bouncing Ben on her knee as he splashed water in his sister's direction. "Of course we should invite them over. Maybe we should have a barbecue or something."

"What do you think Leilani eats?" Jon asked, passing over her comment regarding Cian's swimming skills, since he wasn't really sure how to reply to that. Like everything that had happened before the shooting, he didn't really remember much about his relationship with Cian, except for what other people had told him. Cosmo paddled back over with the ball in his mouth and Jon tossed it again.

Victoria Granger

Date: 2015-07-26 09:29 EST
Vicki blinked, surprised by the question. "Well ....I think the only thing she doesn't eat is meat," she shrugged. "Like me. We can sit and eat shrimp kebabs in the corner like the beef scorning pariahs we are. Can't we, Benny-boo?" The little boy on her lap grinned back at her, and lunged wildly for a moment to plant a kiss on her cheek. "Aww, thank you, sweetie!"

"Shrimp?" Jon echoed, dubiously. "Uh, think about that again, Vic," he said, thinking a mermaid eating shrimp might be a little like Ariel eating Flounder, but then big fish ate littler fish, didn't they' "Hang on, Emmy! We're going for a ride," he warned his daughter as he slipped into the water to push her and her floating ring about the pool.

"What do you think she was eating when she was living in the sea, Jon, seaweed?" Vicki asked, grinning as he propelled their cheering eldest around the pool. "Look at Emily go, Ben! Isn't she clever" And when you're a bit bigger, you'll be able to do it too!" Cosmo seemed to think Jon's interaction with Emily was the best thing ever, paddling to keep pace as the little girl splashed anyone and anything that came within range.

"You mean, there isn't a Mermaid version of McDonald's under the sea?" he teased. What did he know about what mermaids ate" He'd never asked and no one had ever told him. Fact of the matter was, to the best of his knowledge, he'd never met a mermaid before his cousin had brought one home with him. "You think she really is a mermaid?" he asked curiously as he kicked along behind Emily.

She chuckled, catching Ben before he slipped off her lap entirely. "Little escape artist ..." she muttered, before raising her voice to answer Jon comfortably. "I don't see what reason they have to lie. And, to be honest, Leilani is awful at telling lies, even little ones. Remember how hard Gabi was trying at Christmas to keep her from finishing any sentence that began with Cian, presents, or surprises?"

"I know, but ....a mermaid?" he said, sounding a little doubtful still, despite the fact that it was Rhy'Din and there was nothing outside the realm of possibility. "Is she happy on land, or does she miss the sea?" he mused aloud. Thankfully, he hadn't broken out in Disney lyrics yet. Emily's favorite was Frozen anyway.

Vicki considered this for a long moment, bouncing Ben to keep him interested as he splished and splashed with his chubby hands in the water. "I think she's happy wherever Cian is, to be honest," she said eventually. "Scarily devoted to him, that girl."

"So, invite them over for dinner, and we'll get to know them better," he suggested, having given up on learning his lines for now. It was Shakespeare anyway, and he was a natural at Shakespeare. He pushed Emily closer to Vicki and Ben, where the water was shallow enough that she could stand and scooped her out of the float ring so she could splash around on her own, so long as she stayed close.

"Tonight?" Vicki asked with a grin. "Or tomorrow night' Because you're at the tech rehearsals on Sunday, and you never know how long they'll take." On one memorable occasion, 'Taya had actually canceled the opening night because the technical rehearsal had been so dogged by mishap that her cast hadn't gotten away until the wee small hours of the morning.

"Do you think it's too late to invite them to come by tonight?" Jon asked, with an uncertain frown. It was kind of silly really, considering the fact that not only were they family, but they lived on the grounds, but Jon was always a little worrisome when it came to anything involving Cian.

"Jonathan Granger, what is wrong with you?" his merry wife asked him with a smile. "You don't think twice about calling Lena, or Des, or Dom and inviting them to dinner an hour before it's served, but Cian makes you worry about getting a no?" Of course she knew about the slightly sticky relationship he had shared with Cian for a while, but in the wake of his memory loss, it no longer mattered.

Cosmo got in on the lecture by barking like mad, but all he really wanted was for someone to throw that damned ball for him to fetch again. Whether or not Jon remembered it anymore, Cian did, and that was the sticky part of it for him. He took up the ball, feigning one way and then the other before tossing it across the pool, Emily clapping and giggling as she watched Cosmo paddle after it. "I know," Jon said. "It's just ....awkward."

"The only way it isn't going to be awkward is if the pair of you spend time together," Vicki pointed out, rocking as Ben settled himself comfortably against her chest, content to be in the water with everyone else. "And besides, the reason behind it all is long past and has no relevance anymore. You're married with children, and he's wrapped around Leilani's fins. So there is no excuse for avoiding each other. And I know it's not just you, so don't take it personally."

"Lena says we used to be close," Jon mused aloud, that frown still on his face, causing his forehead to wrinkle. There had been a time when he and Lena had been at odds with one another, too, but that had been long since forgiven and forgotten. Why hadn't it been with Cian' "I would like to see more of them. I'd like to get to know them better. I don't-I don't remember ..." His voice trailed off. If anyone understood, it was Vicki.

"You don't need to remember," she told him gently. "He needs to let it go, and he's getting there. It's just time, patience, and exposure to each other that'll work things out for you. Like with you and Des - you were certain he'd hate you, and now barely a day goes by when I don't catch you texting or chatting about secret ingredients in cookies or whatever."

Jon couldn't help but chuckle at that. "That's not what we talk about," he told his cheeky wife, but he got her point. "Okay, am I calling or you?" he asked, though he already knew she'd insist it be him, if only because he needed to face this fear and get over it.

"You are, obviously," she smiled. "If only so that you don't have to deal with Ben's saturated diaper." Finally Vicki had started to use diaper instead of nappy, but it was a close run thing when she was tired or stressed out. Of course, the looks on people's faces when she started talking about her children's nappies made it more entertaining ...."And if they say yes, warn Lucas. Humph won't mind, but Luc's not used to the way people randomly drop in yet."

"Obviously," Jon echoed with a smirk and a roll of his eyes. He wasn't sure which of them was getting off easier - the one making the phone call or the one dealing with Ben's diaper. "I think Lucas is going to Fliss' tonight," he replied as he scooped up Emily to get her out of the pool, so he could make his phone call without having to worry about her flipping over again. "Should we make it a barbecue?" he asked, as he climbed out of the pool, Emily in his arms, both of them dripping wet, Cosmo at his heels.

"So long as you warn the cook," she reminded him, tucking Ben onto her hip as she rose from the water herself. "You and Cian can handle blackening the meat and the fish, can't you? And Humph likes spending the evening outside, anyway. Give Lucille enough warning, and she'll have all sorts of wonderful things marinaded and made into salads."

"Sounds like a plan," he replied, setting Emily on the table to towel her off before he got around to making the phone call and arranging dinner. "You want to extend that to Gabi and ....George, is it?" he asked, trying to remember the name of her new boyfriend.

Vicki's smile was definitely on the suspiciously amused side as he suggested this, but to her credit, she didn't make a point of this tactic. "That's a good idea," she nodded, grimacing as the water Ben's diaper had soaked up started trickling down her own leg. "You're so lucky I love you, little man ....Invite Gordon, too," she suggested to Jon, though she held back on suggesting that they invite Miranda as well. Who knew, Miri might well show up anyway if she found out Gordon and his children were at the big house.

Victoria Granger

Date: 2015-07-26 09:30 EST
"Okay," he replied, setting Emily on a blanket on the grass once she was half-way dry, though that was mostly undone by Cosmo when he decided to take that moment to shake himself dry, water droplets flying everywhere. "If I wasn't already wet, I am now!" Jon said, laughing, as he snatched up his phone to make the calls. Inviting Gordon was a good idea. It would give Humphrey someone to talk to that was closer to his own age. Hopefully, inviting Gabi would make Cian feel a little more comfortable, and it would give the kids a chance to play together. He didn't think he was being a coward, but maybe he was. In the end, it was up to them whether they accepted the invitation or not anyway.

Whether he was looking forward to it or not, Jon's invitation was accepted by all parties - even George, who had apparently been folded into one of the twins' cots at the time. Gabi had certainly hit gold with that one. While details were being discussed and warnings handed out, Vicki dealt with the soggy children, drying them off to put them down for their nap sooner rather than later. That way they wouldn't miss everyone arriving in dribs and drabs over the afternoon, and would probably demand bed at roughly the same time tonight. She'd learned a lot about being a mom over the last couple of years.

Jon let Humphrey and the cook know their plans, to the Old Man's delight. The Granger patriarch never seemed to grow tired of having his family near. The Old Man wasn't getting any younger, and with family constantly nearby, there was little chance of him getting lonely. Even the cook seemed delighted with the idea of a barbecue, which would give her a chance to whip up some rarely-made treats. Once the kids were in for their nap, there was nothing to do but wait, and Jon had taken to memorizing his lines again, though Oberon was a role he knew well enough.

Dried off and back in her shorts and tank once again, Vicki had rescued her work from the garden to lounge in the air-conditioned coolness of their own suite inside the house while the children napped. She loved listening to Jon recite, and despite the fact that he knew the play inside out, never objected to running lines with him. There was no more relaxed Titania in existence than Vicki lying on her back on the couch, bare feet in the air, reading from her own battered college copy of Shakespeare's Dream. "What, jealous Oberon! Fairies, skip hence; I have forsworn his bed and company."

"Ill met by moonlight, proud Titania," Jon replied, as he paced the floor in bare feet, shorts, and a t-shirt, his hair curling stubbornly on his forehead. He sighed and looked over at Vicki, giving up on rehearsing his lines for now. He knew the Dream inside and out and could pick up just about any role with very little practice. It wasn't his first time playing Oberon, after all. It was strange how well he remembered Shakespeare, but couldn't recall his own past. "Are you sure he's not still mad at me?" he asked, worrying again.

She let her head fall back, the book falling open onto her chest as she looked over at her husband fondly. "Jon, if Cian was still mad at you, why would he have stayed on the Grove" Why would he agree to come to dinner?" She sighed, dropping her feet to the floor as she sat up. "Sweetheart, just because you don't remember, it doesn't mean he doesn't. And he remembers everything - not just the bad, but the good as well. He remembers being your friend when you were younger, and ....well, losing Frank almost broke him. Yes, he has Leilani now, but he needs that link to the good times as much as you do. You might never be as close as he remembers you being, but you can be friends again. It just takes time."

Jon knew his wife was right - hell, she was always right - but that did very little to soothe his worries. "I know," he started. "I just ....I hardly know him." But then, he'd felt like he'd hardly known anyone when he'd first awoken that day in the hospital when he couldn't even remember his own name. He'd given up on any chance of ever remembering his past, and truth be told, he didn't want to remember. He was happy with his life now and with who he was now. He'd been a different person then, and he didn't want to have to reconcile that part of himself with who he'd become.

"You hardly knew me when I came to your trailer," she pointed out gently. "Hardly knew Des or Dru when they showed up out of the blue. You hardly knew Humphrey when you woke up, but something made you want to know him again. I know it's frightening, love, and I know you're worried about being judged on actions you don't remember and have no bearing on you any longer, but sometimes you need to take the leap of faith. Cian deserves your trust that he won't hold the specter of something irrelevant in the way for the rest of your lives."

"I know," he replied again, dropping onto the couch beside her. "I'm probably worrying about nothing." He sighed again, remembering the day he'd gotten the call that Cian was in the hospital after a motorcycle accident that might have been fatal if not for Frank. A lot had changed since then - both he and Cian had changed since then. "What do you think ever happened Tera?" he asked, curiously. After all, she had been his P.A. before she'd disappeared and a friend of Vicki's. Whether Cian had any inkling what had become of her was uncertain, and Jon had never asked.

The redhead sighed again, shaking her head. "I don't know," she admitted reluctantly. "She just disappeared. Gabi thinks it was her fault, because she yelled at her, and I doubt anyone's going to make her think otherwise. I think I was wrong about her, though. She cut and ran right when he needed her most; hasn't been seen or heard of since. And if I'm honest, I think that's rather despicable. But if she hadn't gone, he wouldn't have gone off on his adventure, and he wouldn't have found Leilani."

"Everything happens for a reason," Jon mused aloud, mostly for his own sake, rather than hers. If it hadn't been for the shooting, he might have never ended up with Vicki. Did every cloud really have a silver lining" "I guess there's no point in worrying about things that can't be changed," he said. He'd finally made peace with her mother's death, so why was he having so much trouble with this"

"Every silver lining has golden chocolate sprinkles," Vicki nodded solemnly, but for the twinkle in her eyes. Serious wasn't really something she could sustain for long - you knew things were bad if Vicki hadn't cracked an awful joke for an hour. "What I don't understand is why you're pacing around worrying about a cousin who obviously wants to know you again, when you have your ravishing, always horny wife sitting here on the couch doing absolutely nothing to negate her own gorgeousness."

He laughed. How could he not laugh at that, though he got her point. "If you're trying to seduce me, Mrs. Granger, you don't really have to try very hard," he said, drawing her over onto his more-than-ready lap. The kids would likely sleep for at least an hour, and what better way to kill a little time than to get naughty with his wife"

"Oh, but I like it hard," she teased laughingly, brought onto his lap entirely too easily. She'd never made a habit of hiding how much she loved and desired Jon, starting on her own sixteenth birthday, impossible to embarrass by hinting at her love life. Hell, if pressed, she'd been known to offer a few tantalizing hints herself. Looping her arms about his neck, she grinned, her lips barely millimeters from his. "Is there such a thing as too hard with you, stud muffin?"

"Mmm," he murmured, his body coming to life almost as soon as she slipped onto his lap, his desire impossible to hide from her. She had quickly learned there was one way to stop Jon from over-worrying, and that was to distract him in such a way that he could think of nothing but her. He wound his arms around her, hands sliding beneath her rear to pull her closer. "Would you like to find out?" he asked, smiling back at her just before his lips captured hers.

Her laughter faded as he kissed her, warm and tender, and infinitely capable of dealing with any of his worries in her own special manner. Life with two small children might have cut down on the amount of time they could spend lounging in bed, but they'd very quickly learned to appreciate quality over quantity ....except on date weekends.

Right from their very first date, their sex life had always been far from conventional and definitely not boring. Though they might not have as much time or privacy as they'd had before they had children, they'd learned how to make the most of each moment.

Victoria Granger

Date: 2015-07-26 09:31 EST
Relocating seemed like a waste of time, given that the children were safely ensconced in their cribs for the time being and Cosmo was supervising Humph downstairs. Thus the couch was christened for the umpteenth time, with laughing affection shared back and forth until they crested together, wrapped up in each other's arms. Was there any better way to spend naptime"

Not if you were Jon or Vicki, unless you really wanted to take a nap, too. Even Cosmo was quiet as he watched over his two charges like a good protector, while Jon and Vicki enjoyed the moment of peace. It didn't last nearly long enough though, and there was a lot to do yet to get ready for their guests.

And sadly, it was interrupted before they could try again. One small voice, who really shouldn't have been out of her crib, much less out of her room, spoke up entirely too close to Jon's head for comfort. "Boobs."

Jon just about jumped out of his skin at the sound of that voice, as unexpected as it was, though it was only Emily. Well, that was one way to teach children about the birds and the bees. Their sex life had never been much of a secret, after all, and why should it' It came as natural as eating and sleeping - so long as Emily didn't start too soon. Jon laughed, turning to tweak his daughter's nose. "What are you doing out of bed?"

"Emmy climb," she explained wisely, though judging by the way she was rubbing her eyes, she hadn't napped long enough to avoid the mother of all tantrums later on. Oh, well, every parent had to endure at least one.

Vicki laughed, not bothering to move from where she was pillowed on Jon's chest. All she did was lift her head to grin at their daughter. "You climbed out' Already?"

"If you're climbing already, maybe it's time for a big girl bed," Jon said, though that would mean the little girl would be able to get in and out of bed at her own leisure. Still, he didn't want her to end up getting hurt climbing out of a crib. "My little Emmykins is growing up," he said, frowning at little at the eye-rubbing. "Why don't you come over here and lie down on the couch?" he asked, though he and Vicki were half-naked and their clothes were strewn everywhere. It wasn't much different than having her crawl into their bed, after all.

At least their kids were not going to grow up with an unhealthy belief that being naked was somehow wrong. Wriggling a little to make room, Vicki offered Emily an arm up onto the couch with them, unsurprised when the little girl promptly drifted off to sleep once she was settled. She chuckled quietly. "Well, I don't think we made that much noise," she mused warmly, stroking the little girl's hair fondly. "Maybe we need to reinforce staying in bed if you think you're still sleepy again."

"Maybe she was just lonely," Jon said quietly, glancing affectionately over at his daughter, curled up beside them. It was better to let her nap beside them than risk a grumpy Emily later. "What do you think, Mrs. Granger" Ready for another one yet?" he teased, knowing he was pushing his luck. They had the perfect pair. Why mess with a good thing"

Vicki laughed, rolling her eyes at him. "Ask me again in a year," she told him. "I want both of them knowing how to use a toilet by themselves before we volunteer for being up to our elbows in diapers again."

"Really?" he asked, brows lifting in surprise. They hadn't really decided how many children they wanted, though he had once told her he wanted at least half a dozen. "Boy or girl?" he asked, hugging her against his chest as Emily napped beside them. He was suddenly feeling as lazy as she was, and the thought of a nap was tempting.

"Twins," she threatened impishly, brushing a kiss to his jaw as she grinned at him. "I wouldn't mind," was her more serious reply. "You once said half a dozen. I was thinking more ....four. Keep it an even number and hope they don't kill each other when they're teens."

"Four," he echoed thoughtfully. Four children, just like his own family, though he really had no idea just how many children his fathered had sired. There were four of them to date, but it wasn't unthinkable that there might be more. "Two boys and two girls," he told her with a smile, though he'd have been just as happy with any combination thereof.

"That'd be nice," Vicki smiled, watching as Emily sighed in her sleep and nestled closer into them. "Wow, she really did zombie walk out of her nap, didn't she?"

"Yeah," he said, reaching over to stroke the little girl's cheek with a gentle fingertip. "Might be time to start thinking about a bed," he mused again, a little sad that his baby girl wasn't going to be a baby much longer, but then, there were other things to look forward to.

"You know what the scary part is?" Vicki murmured gently. "In two years' time, we'll be looking her first school term in the eye." It was a strange thought, that one; to know that this little person who had made her appearance in the world just under a year after her parents had made it official was growing up before their eyes. "We should get a bed for her. I'd rather she got up and got grumpy, than got hurt falling out of that crib."

"Agreed, but you know what that means," he replied. "That means we're gonna have a visitor until she learns to stay in her own bed." It wasn't a given, but it was a possibility, especially when there were thunderstorms and bad dreams, but he didn't mind so much. "We should get dressed before she wakes up," he whispered - and before their guests arrived.

"It means she gets her own room, too," his wife pointed out in amusement. "Kill two birds with one stone so we don't end up with a neurotic kiddie who wets the bed whenever she wakes up on her own. Cosmo'll keep an eye on her." She eased up to look down at Jon and Emily with a fond smile. "Okay. I think I can get up without waking her, and once I'm dressed, I'll put her back in the crib."

"What are we gonna do if we end up with four?" he asked, looking a little worried that they'd run out of rooms, though they could easily put two in one room, if they had to. He continued to stroke Emily's cheek, as if that would keep her relaxed and asleep while Vicki climbed off him. He wasn't going anywhere until then anyway.

Very carefully easing herself off Jon, and over Emily, Vicki paused to stretch, reaching for her underwear. "Sweetie, Humph already said he's happy to let us knock a door in the wall between this suite and the one next to it," she reminded her husband fondly. "It doesn't take nine months to do that." She grunted as her hopping into her shorts brought her shin into contact with the coffee table.

"Yeah, I know. I'm just thinking out loud," he said, wincing as she whacked her shin. That was gonna leave a bruise. "Maybe we should have used the bedroom," he said. With two kids and a very nosy, very active dog, the days of dropping trou whenever and wherever might be over.

At least until they were in their late teens, anyway. Shucking her tank over her head, Vicki leaned down to gather Emily into her arms, letting the sleepy toddler cling on as tightly as she liked while her mother lulled her back to sleep with a gentle rocking motion. "Should I get that tattooed somewhere?" she teased Jon impishly. "Go to the bedroom tattooed around my belly button, or something?"

"Um, no, I think that's what you have a voice for," he teased back, getting off the couch at last, now that she was off his lap and Emily was no longer napping nearby. "I should probably take a shower," he said, smelling like a mix of chlorine, man-sweat, and Vicki. He'd ask her to join him, but was afraid Emily might try climbing out of her bed again.

Vicki probably smelled of almost the same mixture, but not quite as strong with the chlorine - she'd insisted on showering herself, Ben, and Emily before they went down for their naps. "Okay, stud muffin," she nodded. "You go and sing sexy in the shower, and I'll get little miss trouble back into bed for a little while longer."

Victoria Granger

Date: 2015-07-26 09:32 EST
He chuckled at her remark. "You know I can't sing," he said. She had told him so often enough, though it had been Mataya who had first broken the news to him when he'd asked why he hadn't gotten a part in one of her musicals. Nobody was perfect, after all.

"I never said you couldn't sing, just that you shouldn't do it on stage," she laughed quietly, still gently rocking back and forth to keep Emily in her blissful state of sleep. "I happen to know at least two small children who love to hear their daddy sing to them."

That brought a smile to his face. What better compliment was there than that' "Best audience ever," he said, touching a kiss to her cheek, a soft smile on his face. "Love you, Mrs. Granger," he told her, never forgetting to tell her at least once a day, just so she didn't forget.

Like she would ever forget that. Vicki smiled as he kissed her cheek, answering it with a kiss of her own. "Love you back, stud muffin," she promised, hiking Emily higher in her arms. "Go on, go and shower. I'll feed the dog so he doesn't beg everyone's food off their plates."

He chuckled at that, knowing Cosmo as well as she did. "He will anyway," he reminded her, but didn't argue the fact before heading to the shower. His family likely wouldn't notice or care much if he smelled like chlorine and sweat, but he was and always had been a little bit vain. Before their guests arrived - family or not - he'd likely be looking like the movie star he was.

"Yes, but he won't eat as much if he's full before the food comes out," Vicki chuckled. "Go on, shoo." She blew him a kiss, slipping into the childrens' room to gently ease Emily back into her crib.

It wasn't long before the sound of water running in the shower came from the bathroom, but no singing. He didn't want to wake the kids before naptime was over, though he thought the echo in the bathroom made his voice sound better.

By the time he was out, the dog was fed and keeping a close eye on the still sleeping children, and Vicki was examining her closet, which had grown somewhat since she'd started having children. One stray sentence in a gossip column had convinced her to start turning herself out properly, and that had been an education in itself.

Jon, on the other hand, hardly even blinked an eye before picking out a navy blue polo and a pair of khaki shorts - both bearing designer labels. He rarely had to go shopping anymore except in his own closet, as designers were always sending him home with things to wear after some photoshoot or other. It was a little sad, but the man's closet was one most women would envy.

"Feel better for a scrub?" she asked him with a grin, selecting a dress at random. Thankfully, Jon had done most of her shopping - or at least, been along with her - so she was reasonably sure of success when it came to random choices.

"Smell better, anyway," he confirmed with a grin as he pulled on a pair of boxers, which were also designer label. The closer it got to the hour when their guests were due to arrive, the more nervous he got. It was like going on stage on opening night. He just hoped he could pull it off without a hitch.

"It's just family," she reminded him gently, shucking out of her sweaty clothes as she headed for the bathroom for a brief flannel wash. "No one is going to expect you to be anything but yourself - a slightly distracted dad who enjoys spending time with his family. Okay?"

"Yes, dear," he said, trying not to sound too condescending. He knew it was not really guests they were hosting, but family, but he couldn't help the nervous knots in his stomach. "Do you think they'll ever settle down?" he asked, curiously of Cian and Leilani.

"I don't know," Vicki considered thoughtfully, giving herself a once over with a cool cloth. "I suppose it would depend on whether or not they ever have children. Hey ....do you think Leilani's enough mammal to get pregnant, or would she lay eggs, like a fish?"

Jon winced at the question, though he'd been thinking very nearly the same thing. "I don't think they're even married yet," he said. Not officially, anyway. He'd been told they were mated or something like that, whatever that meant. Jon wasn't an overly religious person, and he knew Cian and Leilani's lives weren't exactly conventional, but he thought they were long overdue for a proper wedding.

Wandering back out of the bathroom in just her underwear, Vicki watched him for a moment, that familiarly suspicious amusement in her smile as she considered her husband. "Not officially, no," she agreed, and then grinned, reaching for the dress laid on the bed. "Well, if you're going to arrange it, you need to call Dom and Miranda. Because Miranda will kill you if Cian gets married and she's not there."

"Tonight?" he asked, eyes widening, but then, he had no idea how long Cian and Leilani would remain in Rhy'Din, and if they wanted to do this, it was now or never. Calling Dom and Miranda was the easy part. Not looking like it had all been pre-arranged and decided for the couple in question was the hard part. "What if he thinks we're being pushy' Sticking our noses in where they don't belong?"

"So just invite them to the barbecue," she suggested. "And tell Dom that there is a possibility of Cian marrying Leilani if everything is there, but that it's just a possibility. And only Dom. If Miranda knows ahead of time, she'll let the cat out of the bag before you've even said hello." She grinned; she loved Miranda, but the woman could be a little much when she was excited. "Besides, I haven't had a good look at Ro yet. Rufus can't threaten me if I pick her up in front of everyone else."

"I better let Lucille know we're going to have additional guests," he said, though he hadn't even called Dom or Miranda yet. Chances were Lucille was already two steps ahead of him anyway, as there was no such thing as a small gathering in the Granger household.

Large or small, they were Grangers. It was probably just as well that Lucas spent most days at the Storm house, Vicki reflected as she brushed her hair. The teen definitely wasn't ready for as big an influx of Grangers as they were now expecting. Still, whether there was a wedding or not, it would be fun. That was virtually guaranteed.

Jon finished getting dressed, smoothing his hair back with his fingers and letting it fall as it would for a change. "Well, time to pay the piper," he said, with a chuckle, wondering if he should call Dom or walk over and knock on his door. Hopefully, he was at home and not off galanvanting somewhere. Ever since Elle and Daisy had come into his life, he seemed more grounded than he had been before, and he and Jon had gotten even closer.

"Miranda first," Vicki warned him with a chuckle. "She's got a baby and an over protective husband to wrangle, it'll take longer." After all, Dom had managed two weddings on short notice on the Grove by this point; one that was just a possibility was a piece of cake. She threw Jon a smile. "Betcha a skinny dip that the first thing Gabi does when she gets here is sit down."

"Yes, dear," he said again, smirking at her remark regarding Gabi. "I am not taking that bet. You wanna bet which one hands off their kids first?" he countered. He hadn't expected to be end his day surrounded by children, most of whom were under the age of two.

"Whoever gets here first!" Laughing, she stood up, leaning over to kiss his cheek. "Okay, sergeant, all hands on deck - you to the phone, me to Humph and then diaper duty. Meet you out back."

"Yes, ma'am," he said, tossing her a crisp salute and just missing smacking her with his hand. A chuckle followed and he was starting toward the door - a man with a mission, his mood far brighter than it had been a short time ago. He just hoped Cian and Leilani weren't going to want to kill him by the time the evening was over.

((Another simple scene that went rogue on us - the BBQ is still a work in progress, but will be going up as soon as it's done! Many thanks to my suggestible partner in crime!))