“Delays? No More Delays!”

The front door slammed open as a bundle of frenetic red energy burst through the door. The fireball nearly slammed into her cousin, but her agile dodge diverted the collision. Still, the teen staggered momentarily before regaining her balance.

“Out of the way!” Lacey warned, darting around not only Cormac but her father before leaping onto the stairs.

“You have twenty-seven minutes and counting,” Rachel called out upon leaving the kitchen.

“Dammit!” the high-flying cheerleader cursed while scrambling upstairs.

“Don’t break anything!” Clive reminded, leaning to shout up the stairs.

BANG

The concerned homeowner shook his head at the sound of his youngest daughter’s bedroom door banging hard against the wall. The crash that followed caused him to wince in fear, but the thud worried him the most.

“You okay, cupcake?”

“Fine. I’m fine!” Lacey responded, sounding a bit out of breath. “Rammy! I need some help up here. Rammy!”

The aforementioned strawberry blonde sighed before slowly rising off the living room sofa. Tossing the magazine she’d been skimming onto the coffee table, Ramsey slowly made her way toward the. Seated on the opposite loveseat, Skye flashed a sympathetic smile toward the teen as Lacey screamed for her again.

“I’m coming!” Ramsey snapped before stomping up the stairs to her co-best friend’s bedroom.

Rachel and Clive watched the door, waiting for their other daughter to race inside in a similar manner. Yet, Lana didn’t appear. Finn did, and he wasn’t in a hurry by the way he strolled into his extra home.

“Talk about a backseat driver,” Finn remarked with a wry smile and slight headshake. “Although she sat next to me and tried to help steer.”

“Why would… never mind,” Clive trailed off, pinching his forehead.

His older sister, Blair, appeared from the den with a smirk on her face.

“I remember when you were like that—too much excessive energy. But yours faded a few years earlier than Lacey. It's probably a good thing, too. Clarence was ready to strangle his hyper little brother.”

“That’s why he preferred Marshall. He didn’t have enough energy,” Clive responded.

“No. Marshall never had your backbone or penchant for talking back to his big brother. That’s why Clarence prefers having him around,” Blair explained, causing Rachel to roll her eyes at the Stratton sibling rivalry. Not that she ever had an easy relationship with Cynthia, her older sister.

“Where’s the other one?” Clive inquired.

“Lana? She raced off after Peyton. Shouted something about free showers and spare clothes at the Tarvers,” Finn recounted before joking. “You’d think it’s like she had her own bedroom and closet over there. Wait, she does.”

Rachel smiled before exhaling a deep, relieved breath at Finn’s words.

“I take it the plan worked. Peyton and Lana patched things up?”

“It took a while as the pictures didn’t help. Luckily, we had the videos,” Finn explained.

“I always know they’ll make up, but I do get worried,” Rachel admitted. “Thank you.”

“Good job, son,” Clive said, patting Finn’s shoulder while his wife hugged the young man.

Blair’s heart warmed as she watched the scene. Despite only having two daughters, her brother appeared to have gained several surrogate sons over the years. Clive had always been available as a sympathetic ear for Sean, Barney, and her own son, Cormac. That’s not to mention all the young attorneys he’d mentored over the last two decades. However, Finn held a special spot in her little brother’s heart.

“Don’t thank me. This time might have been a lot more difficult if Barney hadn’t told me about the tapes,” Finn admitted. “They not only had Pey and Lan crying, but everyone else.”

Rachel and Clive agreed that Barney deserved credit and a reward. While Clive struggled to conjure up an idea, Rachel mused about putting her suddenly free daughter to work. She’d need a status report about Barney’s dancing from the other night. Did any particular girl click with the bumbling yet good-hearted photographer? Rachel still held out hope for Barney and Emily Buttery. The two seemed perfect for each other.

After a brief conversation about last night, Barney, Finn’s cousins and grandparents, Rachel informed her surrogate son that she had his bags in her trunk. When asked if Finn wanted to leave them at the house or take them with him, he opted to store them upstairs in the guest room that morphed into his bedroom years ago.

“Are you driving to the cabin in your car?” Rachel inquired, following Finn out into the garage.

“Yeah, that’s my plan. I don’t think we can all squeeze into one fewer vehicle. Skye’s returning with us, right? And I don’t know if Uncle Harvey is planning to return tonight,” Finn mentioned.

“If he isn’t, then Whitney will need to return with us. Don’t forget the kids have school tomorrow. No three more weeks off like the rest of you,” Rachel reminded, watching him lug his two bags out of the trunk.

“Ah, I see. You’re jealous that we have off, and a certain principal has to return to work,” Finn joked.

“Could be,” Rachel chuckled, holding the door from the garage into the house open for him. She felt a strong sense of relief over how the craziness from the other night didn’t appear to have impacted their relationship.

“Hey,” Cormac greeted. “Sorry, I borrowed your room last night. My mom took the main guest room, but I can crash on the couch tonight.”

“You’re not going home tonight?” Rachel asked, surprised.

“Mom wants to stay another day to help set up the revamped re-election campaign,” Cormac informed his aunt. “It sounds like she’s returning here in a few days. My dad won’t be back for a couple of weeks.”

“Don’t worry about it. I can always stay at my grandparents tonight,” Finn reassured the other young man. “I don’t stay there enough these days.”

Cormac wandered into the kitchen while Finn and Rachel walked to the living room. He’d planned to grab something to drink but paused when he saw the attractive brunette closing the refrigerator. Usually a confident, outgoing guy, Cormac hesitated before awkwardly greeting Skye for the second time in the last twenty minutes.

“Uh, hey, so did you have a good New Year’s?”

“It was fun. I’m still tired from the last two nights,” Skye admitted, slightly unhappily with JoJo and the Locketts for their racket last night.

“Yeah, so, um, I just wanted…well, you know…”

Skye scanned all the entrances to the kitchen before leaning forward.

“Don’t worry. I won’t tell anyone what I know about New Year’s,” she whispered. “It’s your secret. My lips are sealed.”

“Ah, right. Um, thanks!” Cormac replied, relieved greatly. Despite Lana’s looks and reputation, it still couldn’t come out that they had sex. That scandal might follow them for life and would absolutely hurt their extended family. “Right, so I owe you one. Just let me know–”

“Actually, I have a way you could thank me,” Skye interrupted him before flashing her winning smile. “Let’s talk about your friends in Arbor Corners.”

While Skye continued her search for a good man to date, Ramsey passed the time in Lacey’s bedroom. Bored out of her mind, the reporter scanned her friend’s room for anything to distract her. She smiled while looking at the same pictures she’d seen thousands of times on Lacey’s mirror and bulletin board. A few of the old photographs were her favorites.

However, Ramsey frowned when her gaze roamed over a batch of pictures soon to be taken down. She fully expected the shots of the once-happy couple to be removed later tonight or by tomorrow morning. Despite her years of covering the news or being around others who saw the worst in society, Ramsey still felt mild shock over Austin’s actions of late. How did I never see Austin’s selfish and arrogant side? Note: Conduct a reevaluation of my methods and a self-assessment for any blind spots. Clearly, I’m failing when it comes to noticing people in my daily life.

Hearing the shower shut off, Ramsey hopped away from the now-forbidden memories. However, her sudden movement caused her to bump into Lacey’s bookshelf, which wasn’t really used for books. In the process, the strawberry blonde accidentally knocked a few items off one of the shelves.

While Ramsey picked up a pair of stuffed bumblebees off the floor, a medium-sized Zurbrugg College mascot also tumbled off the shelf. Sighing, the teen failed to notice one of the larger stuffed animals on the top shelf hanging precariously. The stuffed bear fell only at the precise moment when Lacey entered the bedroom.

“Captain Clue!” the petite redhead exclaimed, watching her treasured item land on her co-best friend and bounce to the floor. “Ramm!”

“Geez, it’s fine. Calm down,” Ramsey reassured, picking up the stuffed bear. Wiping off any dust or dirt for show, she returned the bear to the top shelf. “I don’t know what the big deal is with this one. Just because he’s holding a cupcake…”

“It’s not that. He was a kind, thoughtful gift,” Lacey muttered. Then, she suddenly shouted, “Give me that top. No, the blue one!”

“Seriously, what’s the problem?” Ramsey questioned, handing over the shirt.

“The problem? The problem is that I don’t have enough time to get ready properly!” Lacey exclaimed, racing around the room to find the pair of jeans she wanted. “I need to look perfect.”

“Why? You broke up with Austin,” Ramsey pointed out, risking the potential backlash.

“Exactly!” Lacey declared, yanking open her underwear drawer.

“Why would…Wait a…Oh, no…You aren’t searching for Austin’s replacement already, are you? Lace, you just broke up!”

“I am not looking for his replacement!” Lacey snapped, turning around to glower at her friend. “I am not Austin. I’m not going to jump the first person I see.”

“That’s a relief.”

“However, I am sick of being treated as the victim. Everyone keeps assuming that Austin dumped me as if I’m some helpless little girlfriend. I’m not helpless!”

“I never said you were,” Ramsey stated, holding her hands out defensively.

“I’m my own woman. I can survive just fine without Mr. Quarterback. There are plenty of fish in the scene, and I’ll catch one when I’m ready,” Lacey proclaimed. “Until I do so, I will help others find love. It’s what I do.”

“Okay,” Ramsey said, hesitating over her next question. “But why are you freaking out over your clothes? We’re just heading to the cabin briefly before returning home.”

“I have to look good…no, damn good, Ramm! I’m not wallowing in despair, and nobody better think so. Better yet, I want Auss to regret losing me because I look fucking hot every single fucking day!”

“Yikes,” Ramsey mumbled.

“And guess what?” Lacey asked but didn’t wait for a response. “I’m starting with finding you a boyfriend. It’s going to be awesome!”

---

“We don’t have time for this.”

“Don’t worry. We’ll be fine,” Jeff replied, handing out menus to the rest of the table.

“We only had an hour head start,” Gabby continued.

“That’s why I picked a diner on the outskirts of town. Plus, you know this place is fast,” Jeff reminded.

“It’s also greasy,” Gabby muttered, wishing her husband didn’t enjoy dirty diners so much. Then, looking over at the two teens, she suggested they find what they wanted quickly.

Scanning the menu needlessly, Gabriela knew what to order from previous stops at the diner just outside Honey Hollow. Jeff insisted they occasionally stop at the tiny restaurant when returning to Rattle Ridge after visiting their hometown. Gabby didn’t understand why, as the food often **** them to make another stop before reaching their house.

“Pick something they can make fast,” Gabby told her husband.

“Relax. Rachel’s a slow driver. She’s not beating us to Wasp Lake,” Jeff insisted.

“Wasp Lake, huh? You sure you folks want to head there today? Heard they had a lot of trees come down the other night,” the waitress said as her greeting.

JoJo and Jared shared amused looks at the eavesdropping waitress while another customer turned around to chime in. The customer eyed their clothing while commenting that only rich people had places on Wasp Lake. Jeff didn’t seem as insulted as Gabby when the man continued by pointing out they looked more like Frog Lakers than Wasp people. The guy eventually caught her pissed expression and turned back to his plate after the waitress finished taking their order.

“Well, we only have a few more hours until the lovebirds split up,” Jeff began after checking his watch. “Will we see you in Rattle Ridge often, Joanne?”

“Jeff!” Gabby hissed.

“Dad, we’re not like that!” Jared exclaimed while JoJo blushed.

“We’re not a couple, Mr. Lockett,” the once-shy brunette insisted.

“Yeah, I plan to have fun for the rest of my senior year while Jo is looking for a boyfriend. One down in Honey Hollow,” Jared clarified after his dad raised his eyebrows.

“And it’s a good thing she is,” Gabby chimed in, patting the teen’s hand with a pleased expression. “You need to get out, have great sex, and experience life more, honey. Also, my son can’t be trusted in a long-distance relationship.”

“Gee, thanks, Mom,” Jared complained while JoJo laughed.

“Give our boy some credit, Gabs. I’m sure he’d keep it in the stable for this little filly,” Jeff remarked, winking at JoJo.

“Highly unlikely,” the knowledgeable mother replied. “What would you ever do if Leann, Andrea, Tina, and so on stopped coming to the house? Leer at the potted plants instead?”

“Eww, Dad!”

“I wouldn’t mind meeting your friends someday,” JoJo blurted out, surprising Jared and Gabby. “Sean has mentioned a few of them over the years, so I feel as if I know them already.”

“Haven’t you met Bethany?” Gabriela queried, aware that she’d come down with the Locketts on a visit in the past.

“Um, she’s a little intense,” JoJo commented.

“A little? Beth is fucking scary,” Jared admitted about his closest friend.

“I wouldn’t mind meeting your guy friends. A few seemed…nice,” JoJo remarked with a twinkle in her eye.

“Uh-oh!” Jeff boomed with laughter.

“Why Joanne Gibble! Aren’t you expanding your horizons,” Gabby teased.

"Don't get any ideas. If we meet up at Zurbrugg, I'm not bringing Darren or Andre, and Breck has already been taken. Find your own man down here," Jared directed.

“I don’t need your permission to visit Rattle Ridge,” JoJo declared mischievously.

“What’s this about Zurbrugg?” Gabby asked while Jeff cracked a joke about Jared getting knocked down a few notches if JoJo met his friends.

“Just something mentioned before we left,” Jared muttered, glaring at his dad for the joke.

“It was more than a mention,” JoJo revealed, giving Jared a weird look. “We’re talking about revisiting campus. It could be a great way to see everybody again before graduation. I think Iona would be down, even though she’s not attending Zurbrugg next year. And I bet Sean will need an escape if he’s slowed down for the next month or so.”

“Sounds like a great idea,” Jeff praised.

“It might be nice to get some alone time for a weekend,” Gabby hinted.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa! Don’t get any ideas. I’m not taking Jules anywhere near Sean. I’m not her babysitter or her virginity keeper!” Jared exclaimed, causing several of the diner patrons to glance over.

“Like I’d trust you to watch your sister,” Gabby scoffed before turning to JoJo with a grin. “What kind of a boyfriend are you searching for?”

“An athlete. He needs to be an athlete,” JoJo proclaimed.

“Ooh! You like them with muscles and stamina, huh?” Gabby teased while the waitress reappeared with their food.

“Definitely,” JoJo replied, licking her lips.

---

“Why not?!" Lana whined.

“I said no, and that’s final!” Peyton declared in an and-that’s-final-voice.

“But they’re both single. It’s destiny time!” Lana insisted.

“Sean’s going through a lot right now. He nearly died while saving Whitney and got injured in the process. Ramsey, not knowing his name, broke his heart. Then, his home life has been upended. Sean’s a romantic, Lan, you know that. Our parents getting divorced might hurt him more than we think,” Peyton explained patiently before glancing at her best friend with a grin. “Give it time. Sean and Lacey will eventually happen. If it’s meant to be.”

“If it’s meant to be?! We make it to be!”

“Great grammar, Lan,” Peyton teased, turning off Vine Street into Boxwood Court.

“I’m not in class, Mom! Why do you–Whoa!” Lana’s head swung over to look past Peyton. “Gawd, he’s so hot!”

“And she’s not a slouch,” Peyton added.

The Emersons, the newest additions to the neighborhood, must be returning from a shopping trip. Derek, the handsome, fit husband, first caught Lana’s attention while bent over the backseat of the driver’s side of his car. He appeared to be grabbing several bags. Then, they caught sight of his wife, Mandy, doing something similar in the trunk. Both Emersons had toned physiques, including the asses that caught both coeds’ attentions.

“What I would do to him,” Lana purred, now shifting to stare out the side window and eventually the rear window behind Peyton as their car moved slowly toward the Tarvers’ home. “Oh, shit! Where did they come from?”

“And this is precisely why I drive,” Peyton pointed out.

Four kids under the age of ten had scared the crap out of Lana by appearing just outside of her side window of the moving car. The four Ruffalo siblings waved and shouted at the two familiar women. Peyton waved politely in response while Lana gawked at the four terrors.

“I wouldn’t have hit them…probably not,” Lana muttered as they reached the end of Peyton’s driveway. Suddenly, a new thought hit the ginger. “Shit, is your dad here. That might get awkward as fuck.”

Peyton hit the garage door remote control. She waited patiently to respond while the door rose. Spotting an empty garage beyond Sean's car in the driveway, she reassured her friend.

“Nope. Dad must be at the hospital as always,” Peyton noted, pulling her mom’s car inside.

“Thank god! I’m so not in the mood for Leo’s marriage drama,” Lana remarked, hopping out of the car.

“Hey, that’s my parents' marriage drama!” Peyton replied, sliding out of the car.

“I know! That's why we need to **** Lacey and Sean to hurry up and wed. Your family needs fixing, and my family is your only hope,” Lana stated.

Before Peyton could reply, she heard another sound nearby. Realizing what happened, Peyton could’ve kicked herself for not thinking of it sooner. Now, she needed to fix an actual mistake.

“What’s wrong?” Lana questioned.

“That,” Peyton responded, pointing to her ear and the barking sound. “Watson spotted the car. Now, he thinks my mom is home. He’s going to freak out if we just leave. The poor guy hasn’t seen us in almost a week.”

“Oh, yeah. I can see the problem.”

“Go take your shower and start getting ready. I’ll go next door and show him it’s me, not my mom,” Peyton directed.

While the buxom ginger rushed inside her home away from home, the leggy blonde walked down the driveway, along the sidewalk, and up the Kappmeyers’ walkway. Crossing the short distance, she waved again at the Ruffalo kids and even shouted a “Happy New Year” to Mandy and Derek.

Approaching the Kappmeyers’ porch, Watson’s barking increased as the blinds bounced wildly around in the front window due to his wagging body. A second higher-pitched bark joined in occasionally. Peyton didn’t need to knock as Deidre opened the front door once she reached it.

“Back so soon?”

“Sorry, not yet, Mrs. Kappmeyer,” Peyton apologized. “Lana and I stopped at home to clean up and change before returning to Wasp Lake to get our stuff. I’m really sorry. I didn’t consider that Watson would spot us and think it’s Mom coming home.”

“Oh, he’ll be fine for a few more hours. Once he gets some lunch into him, it will be nap time,” Deidre reassured, opening the door further to allow her neighbor to slip inside. “Is it okay up there? Hugh heard on the news that Wasp Park suffered storm damage.”

“I know they lost power because of downed trees, but Mr. Diamond has a generator. I haven’t heard if it came back on yet. Oomph!” Peyton sounded as her family’s beagle slammed into her right leg.

Going with the momentum, Peyton fell backward until she sat on the bottom steps of the Kappmeyers' stairs. Watson immediately crawled up her leg to lick her face. A smaller second dog bumped into her left leg as Slinky, the Kappmeyers' dachshund, wiggled around excitedly.

“They missed you,” Keira said, appearing in the hallway.

“Watson misses his mother most. Don’t you, buddy?” Peyton cooed, laughing as Watson’s head swung around at the mention of his favorite family member. “Maybe it’s good I stopped over now. He can burn up some energy before Sean arrives.”

“Oh, right! Watson is in for a big surprise with Sean’s boot,” Deidre realized.

“He’ll love it. Something new to sniff,” Keira pointed out.

“And it’s bound to bring around many guests to Wats’ delight,” Peyton added, using Sean’s nickname for their dog. “Don’t worry. I have to leave again, but I’ll bring Mom and your partner-in-crime back home with me. I’m not sure about anyone else.”

“We haven’t seen your father for more than a few minutes. I think he came home and grabbed a few things late last night before leaving again,” Deidre relayed, frowning.

“We got Newt home safe and sound. I think Samantha finally came home an hour or so ago,” Keira added.

“So there wasn’t any damage to the cabin?” Deidre pressed, almost sure there must have been based on the news reports.

“Doesn’t sound like it. Mom only reported that a lot of branches came down beside the power going off. I guess Mr. Diamond is used to that happening over the years,” Peyton said.

“Tell your mother that if she needs anything, we’re here for her,” Deidre stated, already worried sick about how the impending divorce might affect Bridget and her children.

“And I’m around if Sean needs any help,” Keira said before joking. “Babysitting is like riding a bicycle. I’m sure I can still handle your brother.”

“I don’t know if you can handle the girls that come with him now,” Peyton cracked, wrapping Watson up in a final hug before leaving.