"When we go to the mall on Saturday," McKenzie started as her fingers quickly moved over the phone in her hand tapping out a reply to Briahna. "Are you and Melissa gonna be with us?"

Rachel spared her daughter a glance, her eyebrow raising, as she turned off Sunset Boulevard onto JC's road. "You and Briahna have lost your minds if you think we're just gonna drop you off at the mall and leave you there."

McKenzie rolled her eyes. "I mean are you gonna walk around with us or can Briahna and I walk around by ourselves?"

"You don't want to hang out with mommy?"

McKenzie rolled her eyes again. "Mom..."

"We'll see." Rachel answered.

"Awesome!" McKenzie grinned and quickly sent Briahna the answer her mom gave.

"You're not getting the credit card though." Rachel grinned as she slowed down as the road started to curve more heavily. "I hate this road," she muttered. "Mel and I will just follow behind you guys. Six paces back. One pace to the left. We'll only step up to swipe our cards M'Lady."

"Shut up," McKenzie rolled her eyes.

"One of these times you're gonna roll your eyes and they'll stay in the back of your head."

"Then I'll really have eyes in the back of my head like you say you do."

"I do. Every woman gets them after they become a mom. We get those and the sense that our kids are doing something they aren't supposed to be doing.  You're not going to be on your phone the entire time we are here."

"I know mom," McKenzie gave an exasperated sigh. "I know the rules."

"Just checking." Rachel hid her smile. They were on their way to JC's for dinner. Karen had extended the invitation to her and McKenzie yesterday after the aborted shopping trip.  Thursday was the best time to get together. Their flight was early Saturday morning and Karen wanted to be in bed at a decent time on Friday. Thursday gave the opportunity to stay up late. Rachel gave in even though it was a school night. McKenzie would be up late with the hour drive home. In the back of her mind, she thought about having them pack a bag and stay the night. They could wake up early and Rachel could drive her to school from JC's. She talked herself out of it before she could bring it up with JC.

JC's house came in to view and she gave a silent curse realizing she came in the wrong direction. There wasn't a lot of parking on the road to begin with. With two extra cars it was downright impossible. JC had told her to park right in front of his garage. She turned around in the neighbor's drive and maneuvered her car out of the road as much as possible. She didn't want to come out to leave later and find out her car had been sideswiped.

"I don't think you got close enough," McKenzie said as she squeezed out of the passenger seat. Her mom had parked so close to the garage, she couldn't open the door all the way. "You should try again."

"Har dee har har," Rachel said as she climbed from the car. Opening the back door, she grabbed the insulated carrier usually used for casseroles. It held desert instead. She had made a cherry pie as well as peach cobbler. Tucked inside the carrier was a tub of cool whip because she couldn't eat peach cobbler without it. She had also brought a can of whipped cream for the crazies who didn't know what was good for them. JC assured her he had vanilla ice cream. Her house had smelled so good all afternoon, she had half a notion to see if they could start with desert first.

"You need help?"

"No thank you," Rachel said as they walked toward the gate. With one hand, she entered the code and allowed McKenzie to push it open.

"Could this be considered a date?" McKenzie asked as they walked along the sidewalk to JC's door.

"Well... maybe. I guess technically it could be considered a date." Rachel answered her daughter. "But normally you don't bring your kids on dates. Or your parents for that matter. Definitely not your brother and sister. Why?"

"Briahna is babysitting Kloey and Caleb tonight because Joey and Mel are going out."

Rachel nodded. Thursdays were usually the Fatone date night. Melissa hated going on the weekends because it was always crowded. ‘Everyone goes out on Friday and Saturday.' Melissa had told her once. When Rachel had answered with a ‘not me', she got a ball of socks to the face from the basket of laundry her friend had been folding.

"Why haven't you and JC gone out on a date?" McKenzie asked as they got to the door. She reached out to ring the doorbell. "You know, like a real one? Where you get dressed up. He comes to the house to pick you up. I'm not tagging along like a chaperone."

Rachel was a little caught off guard by McKenzie's question. "Well... I don't know. I guess there just hasn't been a right time. We haven't been seeing each other very long. We were out of town for awhile. He has family visiting. Besides, he hasn't asked me."

Before McKenzie could respond, the door opened and JC was there with a smile.

"Hey!" JC grinned seeing Rachel and McKenzie.

"Why haven't you asked Mom out on a date?"

"Kenzi!" Rachel gasped horrified. Her face flamed with a blush.

"What?" McKenzie asked innocently looking at her mother. "I'm just asking."

"That's not something you just come out and ask." Rachel wished the ground would open up and swallow her whole.

"You want me to ask your mom out on a date?" JC could see the blush on Rachel's face and his grin broadened.

"Yes." McKenzie nodded. "I can't be a chaperone forever."

JC laughed loudly at McKenzie's words. Rachel further groaned and covered her face with her free hand.

"Saturday's perfect," McKenzie continued. "We're hanging out at the mall with Mel and Briahna. We can find the perfect outfit there. There is also that awesome nail place. Then she can go home and get ready and I can go to Briahna's."

"Sounds so easy." JC was amused. A smile playing at lips as he listened to McKenzie set up a date between he and Rachel. "Where are we going on this date?"

"I can't do all the work," McKenzie sighed exasperated.

"Get inside." Rachel gave her daughter a nudge forward. "Or you're grounded until you're 40."

McKenzie grinned and stepped forward. "Hi JC." She gave him a hug.

"Hi Kenz," JC returned her hug with a laugh. "You better get inside."

"Take this," Rachel said, holding out the insulated carrier for her daughter to take. "I can't believe her," she shook her head when McKenzie had disappeared inside.

"I don't know," JC mused. "She has a good idea. My Saturday is wide open."

"Well as you heard, my Saturday afternoon is taken."

"What about Saturday night," JC slipped an arm around her waist pulling her to him. "Say about seven?"

"I'll have to check my calendar," Rachel laid her hands on his chest. "But I'm pretty sure I'm available."

JC smiled. "What do you say I take you out without our apparent chaperone?"

"I'd have to say I'd like that a lot." She wound her arms around JC's neck when he lowered his head to kiss her.

"How about letting her in the door before you maul her?"

JC broke the kiss and looked over his shoulder seeing Tyler. He loved his family, but he would be so glad when they went home. Then he could kiss Rachel in his doorway without anyone interrupting. "What do you want?"

"Just coming to see if you needed any help." Tyler grinned. "Kenzi told us how she had to ask Rachel out on a date for you. Really, C," he shook his head, chuckling. "Can't even ask a girl out. Had to have a thirteen year old to do it for you?"

"Oh shut up," JC rolled his eyes. He let go of Rachel and placed a hand on her back as she moved toward the door.

"Rachel, desert looks great." Karen said as she greeted the woman with a hug when she entered the kitchen. "You didn't have to bring anything."

"Show up empty handed?" Rachel gasped.

"Mama Bass would be so embarrassed." JC teased.

"I would never be able to show my face in Mississippi again."

"Your southern hospitality is safe." Karen assured her.

"I'm all for southern hospitality if it gets me more cherry pie." Tyler said as he poured a glass of wine and handed it to Rachel.

"You haven't even tasted it."

"Tyler usually doesn't taste his food anyway." JC grinned. "Just shovels it in his mouth."

"Says the guy who needs to eat a cheeseburger." Tyler made a face at his brother.

"Alright boys," Karen chided. "Knock it off."

"Anything I can do to help?" She felt the look Karen sent her all the day to her toes and raised a hand in surrender.

"A guest lifting a hand to help?" JC grinned. "I think Mama Bass just shuddered."

"Knock it off," Rachel slapped his arm with a laugh.

"Mama Bass as that sensor in her head that goes off when one of her kids sullies southern hospitality? Sort of like the sensor in a dad's head when a kid touches the thermostat."

"Something like that," Rachel laughed at Drew's assessment.

"My hand would barely touch the thermostat and Dad would be yelling from the other room that if I touched it he would break my fingers." Drew laughed at the memory.

"We were the only house on our block who walked around in three layers of clothes on in the house because Dad refused to set the thermostat higher than 68 in the January."

"If you had meat on your bones," Tyler quipped.

"The next time you see him, he'll probably have a dad bod." Drew grinned, taking a drink of his beer.

"What's Tyler's excuse?"

"It's called being prepared."

"Alright, out," Karen put the spoon down on the holder and made a shooing motion. "All of you. Out. Get on. Out. Go go. You'll be in here plenty after dinner doing the dishes."

*~*

"I thought food comas only happened at Thanksgiving." Tyler groaned.

"Well when you eat half a pie in one sitting..."

"But it was so good," he moaned rubbing his stomach.

"We wouldn't know," Heather said dryly. "You didn't let anyone else have any."

"Should be quicker."

"I was afraid of being stabbed with a fork."

"If I'm ever in Florida, I'll stop in and make you your very own." Rachel laughed, pleased.

"My God, JC, marry her."

"So you can have her make you pies?" JC laughed. He was going to marry Rachel but not because of her kitchen skills.

"I wonder if you could ship them..."

Rachel laughed, feeling a blush cross her face. "I'll be sure to tell Mimi how much you liked her pie."

Heather snorted and took a drink from her wine glass before she could make a comment.

"She lives in Mississippi right?" Tyler asked, grinning.

After dinner, everyone was gathered in the living room. Dinner had been demolished and the dishes had been done and put away. Complete with the grumbling from Roy, Tyler, Drew, and JC. Not that they said a word within Karen's earshot. The girls had sat in the living room with their drinks talking and laughing until the men joined them. Heather drug games from JC's closet, minus Monopoly that was still missing the thimble, the shoe, and the dog.

Pictionary had been first. Guys vs. girls. There was so much laughter especially when it was Drew's turn to draw. There had been plenty of complaints by the men when Rachel had to draw stating there was an unfair advantage. The girls ended up winning the first round. McKenzie then jumped to the boys' team stating they needed all the help they could get. It hadn't helped. The girls still won. At the end, Rachel had drawn the men their own consolation trophy: a hand drawn in the shape of an L sitting on a block. The plate on the front said participant.

Trivial Pursuit followed Pictionary. Heather had wanted to play Cards Against Humanity, but Rachel had vetoed the idea. McKenzie was too young. She did not want to have to explain anything. That would have to be saved for another time when it was just adults present. For the trivia game, each teams broke up in to couples. McKenzie had decided to be on Rachel's and JC's team. She took the teasing from Tyler on the decision gracefully. The extra person hadn't helped. Roy and Karen demolished the teams. Roy took great pleasure in handing the participant trophy Rachel had drawn him back to her.

The evening drew to an end much later than Rachel had originally planned considering the drive she had back home. It had been such a good night, she hadn't wanted to leave. There were a lot of laughs and stories being told. Alcohol had flowed freely for some, but not others. She stopped drinking after dinner knowing she had to drive. Since it would be the last time Rachel and McKenzie would see JC's family for awhile, there were plenty of hugs and photos to go around. Receiving more teasing from Tyler, JC walked them outside to her car.

"Someday we're gonna stop meeting like this." Rachel wrapped her arms around JC's waist. McKenzie already said her goodbyes and climbed in to the passenger seat. She figured her daughter would be asleep before they even made it to the 101.

"That's a dream of mine." JC wrapped his arms around her. "To not have to walk you to a car and watch you drive away."

"One of these days..." Rachel leaned forward and kissed him.

"So about this date Saturday night..." JC said after the kiss ended. "Pick you up at seven?"

"Can't wait." Rachel smiled at him. "And I bet Kenzi can stay the night at Briahna's."

JC grinned at the news. "I love you." He kissed her.

"I love you too."

"Let me know when you get home." JC said after he kissed her one last time and opened the car door for her.

"I will. Night JC." With a final kiss she climbed into the car and allowed JC to shut the door. After starting the car and with a final wave, she pulled away from his house.

"Would we move in with JC or would he move in with us?"

"What?" Rachel asked, completely caught off guard at McKenzie's question.

"That's the next step isn't it?" McKenzie asked.

"Moving in together doesn't happen before the first date, Kid." Rachel glanced at her daughter. "You just remember that."

"For when I'm thirty?"

"Forty."

McKenzie rolled her eyes and looked down at her phone. It didn't last very long before she put it to sleep and stare out the window.

"You alright?"

"It's late. Everyone's sleeping."

"Well settle in, we have a long drive back home."

"If we lived with JC, we'd already be home." McKenzie could feel her mother's look on the back of her head as she stared out the passenger window. "Just sayin..."

Rachel shook her head not bother with a reply. Mostly because she couldn't refute her daughter's statement. If they lived with JC she'd be upstairs in his bedroom, getting ready for bed. She'd be brushing her teeth, washing her face. Taking off her clothes. Sliding into their bed waiting for him. More than likely she would have sent McKenzie to bed at her normal time and continued visiting with his family. Cards Against Humanity might have even made an appearance.  Instead it was a kiss goodbye in the driveway - again. Going home to an empty bed. Again.

She was anxious to see how their relationship would go after his family left.  She was anxious for their date on Saturday. Where were they going? What should she wear? The black dress in Bloomingdales came to mind. Along with the heels Heather and Sarah were talking about from Macy's.  A smile formed on her face when she thought about the black lace bra and panties from Victoria's Secret. If McKenzie could spent the night at Melissa's, JC would be able to...

Maybe if she had been paying closer attention, she would have seen the headlights. It was too late to do anything. She hated the road JC lived on. The road was full of twist and turns. It was barely wide enough for two cars. Add in the cars parked randomly on the side of the street there was no room. There was no where for her to go.

The other vehicle came around the corner. Rachel slammed on her brakes and yanked the wheel in an attempt to miss the car. There was no where to go. Everything was in slow motion.  The cars collided. There was a violent sound of metal crunching and twisting. A scream filled the air. Bodies jerked forward; the seatbelts catching and digging into skin. It was over in seconds. A sweet smell circled around them as radiator fluid leaked out from beneath the hood. The smell mixed with the scent of gunpowder. Powder was everywhere. Silence reigned.