They pull up to Emma's residence

"Are we there yet?" Christopher exasperatedly asks for the umpteenth time.

"Yes we are. Quit your hollering," Thomas replies. "You've said it for so long that nobody even bothers replying to you anymore."

Thomas drove the wagon onto the driveway of a single family home in a non-descript small town neighborhood. The houses were separated quite apart from one another. Trees with empty branches filled the empty space behind the backyard area, emphasizing the ruralness of the neighborhood. Sensing an object in their detection field, the floodlights turned on, bathing the front driveway in white light for the group to see. Once parked, he cut the engine. However, he left the headlights on to further light up the driveway in the evening blackness.

"Thomas, if you could bring the bags inside for us and our esteemed guests', that would be just excellent," touted Emma.

"Yeah, awesome idea Emma!" shouted the friends in the back.

Muttering something under his breath, Thomas was about to open the door when his mom leans closer towards Thomas, as if expecting something. Thomas, wondering what was going on, also leans closer to his mom.

Emma then closes the distance and plants a unmotherly kiss, not on the cheek, but on Thomas' lips, an unnaturally wet one. Thomas opened his eyes wide, but didn't move, her lips continuing to suck his. After what seemed like longer than a brief moment, she disengages, leaning back in her seat, and says, "thanks honey."

Chris lights up when he sees the interaction take place. "Well, guess you gotta do what your girlfriend says huh, hahahaha."

With the agreement appearing to be set, Emma, Chris, and Grace pull the car door handle to exit the car and head for the front door, while Thomas sits in the driver seat, still recovering from the shock of his mom's action.

When Thomas felt a little better, he exited the car, moving to open the trunk of the SUV. It was filled to the brim in bags, so he had to carry them in waves, a few at a time, into the house.

"What was that?" Thomas asked himself while moving to and fro the SUV and house. "Was that a tease? Was she just trying to keep up our appearance of being a couple for appearance's sake, or was there something more to it?"

Once all the luggage was all moved in and the car securely locked, he made his way towards the front door and inside the house.