A VentureRealm Trip Part 2 free porn video

After Etienne's hilarious telling off that shocked JD and caused a bout of laughter from the others around him including the lovely Princess Nicole, the family went back to riding more rides. All but John went on the rides while he chose to watch the ladies' purses while they went on the bumper cars, just so John wasn't the target for the kids as he normally is. Willie wasn't so lucky, but thankfully for him, Billy was a good driver even if he chose to bump hard into his brother and sister a lot. They decided on going to see Princess Nicole's song and dance show before dinner with JD being a bit reluctant to go after she had humiliated him earlier. He had little choice in the matter, Nicole was a great singer and the kids were told that she had the most energetic of the shows. John struggled at times to understand her thick Cajun accent but what he lacked in understanding from her speaking parts he made up for in enjoying the dulcet tones of her singing. Her show closed out the evening for the family. Instead of opting for Chef Andre's cuisine, the family decided to go back to the hotel and eat in town. Tessa's office staff had gotten a large auto parts chain to agree to fix the minivan but John had simply told them that it was taken care of as he would simply call the rental company and have them deliver a minivan while taking the old one back to their garage and ensuring that their own people were able to fix it without "local intervention" as he called it. John's call was heeded and two hours later he had a minivan waiting at the hotel. Unfortunately, that also led to John having to ask Les and Mary for a ride into town leading to John inviting them to stay for dinner as a thank you. The couple couldn't refuse the genuine offer, the Gibsons drove John and Valerie to the hotel with Valerie making reservations for all of them at the best restaurant in town. The restaurant was packed but John got a cringe-worthy moment as Elaine and Jerrod Oberlin were there with their 16-year-old son Rick and 12- year-old daughter Debbie as well as Saffron and Mace. Reed tried to hide away but it was futile as Elaine called over to John and Reed and talked with them as they awaited their tables. Reed kept looking away so he wasn't noticed by Saffron but she was too busy keeping her cousins in line to pay him any attention let alone do something about him being there. Debbie sensed something was wrong and went to the bathroom to "powder her nose," dragging Saffron with her so they could talk in private. Inside, she demanded to know why she was acting weird and trying hard to not look at the boy talking with her mother. Saffron tried to dodge the question but when forced, she explained, "He's the one that humiliated Pepper, Ginger, and me, the one who got them arrested when they tried to go after him after he told them to leave him alone or else they'd pay dearly." It took all of her strength not to say anything, but Debbie blurted out, "He's too cute for them!" Saffron nodded silently to which Debbie also added, "He's got someone else, I can see it on his hand. The 7th and 8th- grade Irish boys in my school gave those rings to their girlfriends, how he's wearing one says that he's taken and not looking for love." Saffron didn't say anything more, but Debbie grinned and added, "Dad looked him up online and he's got a lot of things going for him and is really nice with girls so he might be nice to you if you don't act like you did before. Mom said he's a VIP at VentureRealm, Queen Tessa never gives out those unless they are really special. He's not even looking at you, he doesn't want to do anything to you." The two used the bathroom then returned, allaying any questions that Elaine would have had about what they were talking about but not being subtle enough to go unnoticed. Elaine was no fool and knew exactly who was being talked about and why but she felt great pride that her daughter was maturing right in front of her eyes thanks to trying to help her cousin deal with meeting someone whom she had upset. Debbie was a bit of a brat most of the time but since she has been around Saffron the tween had started to become a young woman and was following Saffron's lead in acting more like a lady. Mace noticed Reed and Saffron's attempts to not notice one another and got the impression that the two had met before and it wasn't pretty. Rick saw this as well and heard the name "Reed" and whispered to his cousin, "He's the boy who got mom to let Saffron live with us. He's the one Ginger and Pepper want to have sex with. He doesn't like them and told them off." Mace cringed at hearing that, Saffron wasn't into guys so it was all an attempt by her to keep the girls happy and not go after her anymore. She didn't mean any of what she was forced to say, she would do anything to keep her cover from being blown. It was tough enough having to live up to their parents' demands, but being a lesbian was tougher and she'd do anything to keep it a secret from the girls. Rick sensed something was amiss and demanded to know what was going on, leading to Mace having to carefully tell him, "Saffron doesn't like him like the other girls liked him." Rick's eyes nearly popped out when he heard that, it wasn't what he expected. Mace nodded, adding, "Nobody knows so please don't tell anyone especially your mom and dad. She can't take any more rejection." Rick had no intention of outing his cousin, but it did make him feel weird to know that they were a lot closer in personality than anyone would ever know. Saffron liked girls, it may not have been quite what his parents had expected them to bond over but Rick was happy that she could understand him in a way that most other girls wouldn't. As good of a cousin Mace was, he had a tendency to tease the younger Rick while Saffron was gentler and did more to help him with girls than Mace had done so far. Reed finally finished talking with Elaine as the parents started to talk on a level he didn't want to even think about yet, especially as Valerie whipped out baby pictures of their new grandchildren. He made his way over to Saffron and said a friendly, "Hello", hoping that it would ease up her fears and put her either on the defensive making her make a wrong move or bury the hatchet and move on from the annoyance that Pepper and Ginger had been. Debbie smiled at her and made her offer a meek, "Hello" back, showing that it was alright and they wouldn't have words as he had expected. Their parents were waiting for something to happen but neither Saffron nor Reed did anything, letting the incident die out and not bring it up again. The Gibson, Pena, and Finn group were led to their tables while the six youngest shared a booth. The Oberlins were led to their own tables with Elaine and Jerrod getting to eat on their own for the first time in years, much to the four kids' enjoyment. The meal took longer than expected as the adults talked a lot to calm their nerves while the teens and kids finished early. Mace and Saffron took Rick and Debbie outside while Reed and Sylvia took the Finns and Penas outside as well but going to the RV to watch TV and settle down. Kylie was put in charge while Sylvia and Reed sought out Saffron and Mace to talk one on one and settle things. Reed walked out and asked to speak with Saffron in private. Mace looked at Debbie and Sylvia who both gave him the all clear. Saffron reluctantly walked off to talk but knew that Mace was close by just in case Reed was going to get his revenge now that his parents and her aunt and uncle were distracted. Reed didn't waste time and asked if she had heard what her friends had done and where they were now. Saffron glared at him, telling him angrily, "They aren't my friends and never were. My parents forced them on me to make me like them. I'm not them. I don't even like guys. There, I said it. Spread it around and leave me alone. You can't ruin my life any more than it already has been." Reed had what he needed, she wasn't the same person she had been before and wouldn't have blurted out something so damaging to him if it wasn't true. He calmly told her, "I don't care about that. They never made mention of losing you to your aunt and uncle so it's clear that you don't mean a thing to them. They are going to prison, you made a choice for yourself when it mattered most." He smirked then added, "As for spreading your secret, I don't give a damn. I don't care who you like or what you want to do with them, my sister and two cousins are dating girls. Four of my girlfriend's best friends are dating girls and I don't give a damn what anyone in this town has to say about you. That's your personal life, you have a right to it and what you do with your sex life is your own business." They were overheard by Debbie who looked at Saffron oddly before she realized that Saffron had just admitted to being a lesbian and didn't have an interest in boys. Mace had to whisper to her, "She's been that way since she was your age, she's no different than she was before you found out. Don't bug her about this, it's tough to live with and people are more than willing to harm her because of it." Debbie felt bad about being shocked but she loved Saffron and didn't want her hurt. She walked over and hugged Saffron, easing Saffron's anxiety as she realized what she had said in front of her cousins. Mace gave her a knowing nod, Rick knew as well and didn't care about her sexuality. It was a touching moment that wasn't lost on their parents with Elaine casually telling the others, "She finally gave in and told the others that she is in love with women. It was pretty darn easy to see that she was not into guys, anyone who spent any amount of time around her since she was 12 would have seen that she is a lesbian. I feel bad that her parents forced her to be around those horrible girls, the girls took advantage of her secret and made her do horrific acts with guys under fear of outing her." This only caused the already upset Jerrod to grow redder as his sister Rose was turning into someone that would have made his parents disown and run out of town. She had already upset them by her fling with Magnus, who was known to them to be bad news and a man who would sell his soul to get ahead in life. Jerrod saw Saffron and Mace as being the only good things to have come from his sister, Rose was family but she was nothing like her blood relatives. The adults walked out to where the kids were and saw them hugging Mace and Saffron. Jerrod kissed her cheek and whispered, "You did something amazingly strong tonight, you admitted who you really are and showed you are nothing like those girls. We love you, no matter what Rose and Magnus say you are the best thing to happen to them even if they don't acknowledge it. Just be yourself and show your cousins that who you are isn't determined by who you know and who you control." John asked Reed what that was all about, getting a timid, "She thought I was going to go after her. She outed herself to her cousins just to deflect an attack, it was the last thing she had to lose and the biggest weapon to use against her. I told her the truth, I don't care about that and was seeing if Mayor Oberlin was true to her word about her being different with them." John didn't need to know more, it was all he wanted to know and Saffron's sexuality and personal life weren't any of his business. The family walked on and let the Oberlin family get going while Sylvia and the Gibsons went with them to the hotel to talk some more about the upcoming arrival of Mitch. He would be spending the night with Reed before the wedding, going along with the tradition of not seeing the bride before the wedding rather than tempting fate anymore by staying with Sylvia at home. Plans for the next day were hashed out as John would go in town to work with Roy Dodd and Howard O'Neil before meeting Mitch at the airport. Les and Mary were too busy at the post office to be able to pick him up, but the fact that Reed and John hated thrill and motion rides played into their hand as the kids were going to visit SnowyHill the next day, giving them a reason to do the run for Les and Mary. The Gibsons left with Sylvia being pulled apart from Cat and Billy. She smiled at them, it meant a lot to her that they still cared deeply about her even if they couldn't see her much. She was happy to have the day off in two days, but unbeknownst to her it wouldn't be the day off that she had planned. At the Gibson home, Mitch called to tell them that he had everything settled and ready to go, he just needed the OK from Tessa but that was a formality. What he had planned wasn't known to them, but to involve Tessa was something that was too much to comprehend. They had to smile at their son being so bold and secretive on the eve of the biggest step in his life, but it was for all the right reasons that he was trying to keep things a secret from even his parents. As they woke up the next morning, the kids were bouncing around the suite while John and Reed were barely comprehending their energy levels at that time of day. They looked over and saw why they were so hyperactive, Cat and JD had gotten into the secret stash of local soda varieties that John had bought for himself but apparently hadn't hidden well enough. He looked at both kids and told them that they would have to pay to replace what they had drunk out of their allowance, with Billy looking scared as he had no way of paying while Ella and Logan simply shrugged it off- the duo didn't join in the fun. Willie was told and immediately told Billy, "No TV for a week," which was enough punishment to him to set him straight, he couldn't go a night without watching his favorite talking animal cartoon show. Kylie was silent and glad that John hadn't taken away her right to talk with her girlfriend at night, but that was a job for Willie and Kennedy and both were pleased that she didn't give in to mischief. Reed was the only one who asked about the sodas, John happily said he wanted to enjoy local flavors which were tough to refute and given John's penchant for trying new things it was fitting. The kids took a half hour to calm down, but thankfully they ate in peace and were more anxious than on a sugar rush. They ate their cereal and waffles while Billy ate his eggs and sausages. Willie and he were eating the exact same things at breakfast, it was clear that Billy was acting like his father and was trying to show his dad how much of a big boy he was especially after being punished. The group drove off to the park and were met by security and went through the same procedures as everyone else with kids but the kids never noticed that they were getting different wristbands than the other kids. It was by now normal to them and they barely noticed them, especially as the girls were used to bracelets sliding up and down their wrists from wearing their own bracelets at home. Other kids did notice them and stared at them with awe, especially those who knew why they looked different. John and Reed told them not to overdo the rides and keep their snacking to a minimum, which was met with a glare from the kids but a stern, "It's so you don't get sick," from Kennedy. Valerie just smirked as she knew that they would lose their breakfasts after two hours which was why she had some extra water and anti-nausea medicine on standby, conveniently bought by John when he bought the sodas. The kids ran on ahead of the three adults while John shook his head and told Reed, "Sometimes I think those kids are trying to go out of their way to break the rules." Reed had to agree, it was what Kylie loved to do best and what Cat reveled in doing especially when John told her not to do it. It was the one thing that they shared as relatives, they weren't blood but they shared that aspect of their personality. The two drove into town to meet with Les and Mary and buy a few souvenirs around town to keep as keepsakes for themselves before going off to meet with Roy and Howard regarding Chili and Sage and the "Spice Girls." Reed casually let slip that they were all named after aromatics but they stunk badly. John had to stifle a laugh but Les happily added, "It's true. They act like the girls are the holy trinity but they were really a few ingredients short of a recipe." Mary added, "It's a running joke in town that they are all overblown, overused, and leave bad tastes in your mouth." The couple showed them where to get the right souvenirs then shipped them east for them. Mary loved to point out a necklace for Reed which he had to have for his girlfriend Jessie. Reed blushed, it was the perfect gift for her as it had "VentureRealm Princess" on the front and the park's logo on the back. The shop owner was delighted that John was spending so much, especially as it was unusual for anyone to buy VentureRealm stuff in town. Seeing the Gibsons with him raised an eyebrow but his interacting with them was enough to quell all questions as they were doing wonders for the shop. John had just given the shop its best day ever and with others whispering that he had spent a lot on snacks and at the restaurants and given a huge tip to the waitresses he was becoming a favored customer. The Gibsons walked with John to the post office and went to work shipping the items to Winnisimmet for him. Reed kept quiet but John told him to add his necklace to the pile, it would be waiting for him when the Penas returned home from their long drive back in their RV. John knew that it was safer with him, he didn't want it to get lost or stolen during the drive north then east especially as they were going to stop off in St. Louis and Chicago first. As expected, John got a call about Reed and he being in town and was asked to come to the courthouse to meet with Howard about the investigation into Chili and Sage. Reed took over the phone call and told them that he would help out in any way but also asked that the state's attorney general clear it first so there was no mistaking his ability to assist them. It was exactly as Howard had foreseen, he agreed and had his assistant fax over the legal clearances from the attorney general's office. The duo walked over to the large, century old, brick and cement masterpiece that the two had passed a few times before. It was a bit intimidating to John and Reed but it was not like the times they had been in a courthouse in the past. It was only the third time that John had been in a courthouse since he and the family moved back east seven years before but it was the first time that he had not been as a witness nor as a parent to those whose court case was being heard, usually his wife handled the court situations for the family especially regarding their children. The two were escorted inside Howard's office by several uniformed deputies who were there for their protection, just in case Sage and Chili wanted to try to get at them again in a public place. Howard was ecstatic that the clearance was hot off the fax machine as they entered, with the deputies reporting that they had two in view ready to take action against the duo. Howard nodded, letting them know to let them make their move but to also take action if they were visibly armed. John caught this and added, "Both have 9mm handguns in their coat pockets, they were smuggled in via their coats. I highly doubt that your deputy at the x-ray machine missed them." Howard saw a good chance and had both taken into custody before they could do any harm, it wasn't worth the risk to bystanders and they would have their second and third way of getting at Sage and Chili now. Both men put up a struggle but their guns dropped to the floor and fire a round as soon as their coats moved a few inches causing every available deputy to rush to their location. The deputy on the x-ray machine was taken into custody alongside them but held in a separate cell with him immediately demanding to speak with a lawyer He didn't need to speak, they knew that he was the elder brother of one of the deputies that were already in custody from the issues two days before while his two cohorts were his brothers-in-law making the dirty deputies a family operation. John got down to business and told both Howard and Roy everything that happened so far and what he suspected was really going on. Reed backed John up and added his own insights. Both were having a tough time thinking about motives beyond running the town and county but greed and complete power over a small place was a good enough reason. John started to think deeply while Reed pored over the subpoenaed accounting information that had been obtained from the bank. They started off with Magnus' business, particularly where he was getting his money from and who was taking it out. Some of the transactions didn't make sense, particularly ones from supposed suppliers for goods that were way too high from his own limited dealings with an auto supply company that his boss Beverly Bollinger had dealt with before. It was clear to Reed that someone was putting money in from a personal account but little actual money was coming into the business from deposits via ATMs or bank branches or even from credit card companies. For a company like Magnus' which dealt with small transactions from customers, it was tough to justify this information being missing. To Reed, it was a clear indication that either he was keeping a separate set of books or he had no actual revenues other than the money that was being moved around for Chili and Sage with his experience telling him it was likely to be both. This was a big break for Howard as it allowed him to search Magnus' shop to search for the accounting information while the accountant that he was supposedly using was going to have to explain why he was lying to the state and federal government about his clients' transactions. They could now go after Magnus full speed while Chili and Sage were unable to help him without exposing themselves to the state and federal governments for tax fraud. Their whole house of cards was falling down now. Reed spent three hours going over the account and pinpointed where the money was coming in from and where it was going to and had the exact accounts matching up to what they expected: Chili and Sage's personal accounts. It was all a blind, they actually owned the company and Magnus was nothing but a front for their business interests. It was even worse for Sage and Chili as they were shown to be the ones who were buying and selling the parts to themselves but not actually moving anything around and by their own actions, they were caught up in a net over illegal business practices as it was. Their initial hunch of the two were using the delivery company that Chili owned to act as a front for the real operations, fencing stolen goods and moving drugs between major cities. Sage was known to have contacts with illicit people in the major cities like Fayetteville, Tulsa, Little Rock, Texarkana, Fort Smith, Joplin, and other cities and towns throughout the region. Chili wasn't the brightest bulb so it was clear to Howard that Chili was another front for operations while Sage was the money man who used Chili to move the goods and would take the heat should one of the shipments get stopped by police and Magnus likely was the one who stored the goods and used his shop to operate in the open. Reed took a lunch when John forced them to stop at noon. Reed needed the rest and if he didn't stop he would have worked straight on through the evening. It may have been what Howard needed but it was not what Reed needed, he was still only 18 and needed the rest. Lunch was interesting as John and Reed were treated like royalty by the diner staff while the rest of the customers were being inconvenienced as they were ignored and waited a long time for their food. John had to tell the owners to stop treating them that way and if they continued they would cost themselves a lot of business as people would avoid the diner due to their actions and John would take his business elsewhere. It was no threat, he could see that the people were all visitors from out of town and would not hesitate to say a bad word about the diner. John's warning was heeded and to make amends to the others patrons he paid for their meals which was greatly appreciated and only led to his reputation around town growing as word spread about John thinking about the reputation of the town. It was already known but this was a confirmation that the man wasn't afraid to spend a lot of money in their town and wasn't about to let the town get a bad reputation for the actions of a few. John was acting as he normally did, he didn't want others to suffer because people wanted to take advantage of him and his wealth. The two watched in surprise as Saffron entered the diner with Missy and a flustered Mace. It was clear to both that Mace was smitten with Missy while Saffron was unsure how to act around her but was trying hard be a good friend to her. Missy was doing the same for Saffron, only her attempts were pure as she was doing as Trent had requested and found Saffron to be a good friend at heart. John signaled them to come over and eat with them, with Missy giving Mace and Saffron the indication that it was genuine and to follow her. Missy asked why they weren't at the park, getting a stammer then a quick, "We aren't fans of thrill or g-force rides" from Reed. John added a swift, "I have a lot of issues with nausea and Reed has an old injury that could be triggered if too much force is put on his stomach." Reed saw the confusion on their faces and confessed, "I was stabbed in my abdomen three and a half years ago and could reopen if too much pressure is put on it." John added, "He almost died from it then, but the scar tissue is in a bad location and could easily cause damage if ripped loose." It wasn't entirely the truth but it caused a lot of pain if too much force was applied to his abdomen. It was enough for them, but Missy added, "I hope you are at least going to watch the shows later, Old Man Winter puts on a great song and dance routine with his dancing snowmen. The kids love him for it especially if they have seen the yodeling showcase earlier on." John knew about both and it was going to be a fun encounter for the kids especially as it was a surprising link between the two shows. The food arrived and all ate in silence as there was little else to talk about. After the main courses were finished Mace got up and went to the bathroom leaving Missy and Saffron to talk with Reed and John. Reed casually told Missy, "I hope you noticed it but Mace has a crush on you. It doesn't take much to see that he is falling hard for you." Missy blushed while Saffron added, "He has liked you for years but you stayed away from getting to know him because of me. He doesn't want Pepper or Ginger, they were supposed to marry him but he loves you." Missy hadn't seen any of what they were talking about in Mace before, he was normally nice to her but she kept away from him due to the girls' previous behavior. John stayed out of it but Reed added, "Give him a shot, what will you lose? He's not like his friends, I know that they are OK guys in small doses away from their sisters but they aren't going to stick with him anymore now that Saffron is off the table. At the most, you gain a boyfriend. At the least, you find out that you are incompatible and he falls for another girl and you become friends." It was tough to deny but she was outfoxed and their logic was sound. She gave in and agreed to let him ask her out, but only if he did it himself. Saffron grinned at hearing that, Mace was standing behind her and heard what she said and was trying to say something but got caught up in the moment. When Missy noticed him she just smiled at him and hugged him tightly, kissing his cheek and sealing the two as a couple without saying a word. Saffron looked at Reed who was trying to figure out how this had been able to happen but gave up and let things go on as they were. It was too sweet and she didn't want to ruin it by saying something to upset either Missy or Mace. Dessert was eaten and the new couple left hand in hand, with Saffron beaming with pride over how her brother just took a huge leap into manhood right in front of her eyes. John shook his head at the sight, it was a good start to the new lives for the siblings. Missy was a girl that would ensure that they were on the right track and ensure that both got what they needed. The duo walked back to the courthouse and went right to work, with John acting as Reed's eyes and the person he bounced ideas off of. John had never done any sort of work with accounting before but was able to spot patterns in numbers add amounts quickly to keep pace with Reed's findings. It took all of John's strength to stop himself from simply hiring a proper accountant to look into the accounts but it was worthwhile to hold off, the delay in finding someone who was neither connected to or owed a debt to Chili and Sage was worth the effort John was exerting. Reed did relent and call in for backup from the one person he could trust to give him an honest answer. John had to shake his head and ask if it was wise, getting a terse, "He would be upset if I didn't ask for help when he could give it. He can do what I can't do: think clearly and spot the patterns that I can't. He's not as able to handle more than some simple accounting things yet but he's good enough to think like a criminal and know what is out of place in their transactions." Their handler, a young ADA, demanded to know who was being called, getting meek, "My son. He is employed as an intern with the Massachusetts Attorney General's Office as an assistant investigator for their financial crimes unit. He does the job that Reed is doing but from a law enforcement angle and is the same job that your expert would be doing if they were available." Miles Finn was called and asked for various bits of data that Reed had gone over already, then called back to tell them that they were looking at the wrong files. Reed asked how he knew, getting a harsh, "I know a shell company that isn't being honest with you when I see one. It's clear that their books are falsified. You need to search their offices, they are hiding something big there and the state needs to shut them down before someone tips them off and you lose out on it. Do it immediately- no delays!" It was all that they needed, Miles' words were good enough for Howard and Dodd to go before a judge and get multiple search warrants issued for the offices and homes of Chili and Sage. They went one further and added warrants for Magnus' home and business as well as Chili's trucks and all three men's personal cars and trucks. It was going to be a complex and coordinated effort but it had to be done and done quickly before the trio started to get rid of the evidence as Miles had claimed. The only catch was the men, they could hightail it out of town but John grinned and told them, "Bring them in. You have reason to believe that they were coordinating things and their actions are more than enough to justify a discussion in your office. They don't have to be charged fully and they won't say anything to you, but you will have something to build on as they look over their shoulder and start to panic. This panicking is key. It's where they start to battle one another and seek to get attention put on the other while you pick apart their stories with the evidence that you find in the searches." Howard saw where he was going, they would go to great lengths to cover their tracks but in doing so they will draw more suspicion. John had set them up for their fall, they were going to make a mistake and Howard and Roy were going to be there to pounce on them. It was simple yet brilliant. Howard bid them goodbye, they could handle it from there. John did offer a hearty, "You might want to have some of your better investigators take some accounting classes or even consider hiring an ADA who has specialized in financial laws. It'll help your forensic accountant out as well as give them a new line of thinking. It's cheaper in the long run, especially if they also have a degree in forensics even if they don't use it much if at all. Better to have and not use than need and not have." Roy couldn't fault them, it was a good idea and the pay raise that the deputies got would go a long way. John walked out proudly and drove Reed to the airport to meet what was supposed to be Mitch's regional flight but was instead met by a group of people that he wasn't expecting. Reed cringed at John's reaction, he knew that he was in trouble for not telling John but before he could say anything Miles boldly told him, "We told him not to tell you because we didn't want Cat to weasel it out of you. We all pitched in to pay for the hotel and charter the plane out here, your plane back is larger than you need because of all of us going back east with you." Miles knew John's next question so he beat him to the punch in saying, "I was already on the ground when he called, I was expecting his call when Mitch told me what happened to both of you. I told him where to look and was only giving him the barest of answers. I'd have to see them myself before I can do much more for the DA, but it's a start for them." The group of 18 walked over to the car rental counter and drove four vans in, with Mitch going with Michael and Courtney Finn and Jaimie and Rick Samuels. The two infants in the minivan were fast asleep giving the others a moment of rest while Mitch played navigator for them. John had to fight for words about where they were staying but Reed happily told him, "They are staying in the same hotel as us. Aunt Valerie coordinated everything so you already paid for their plane and hotel costs. They are supposed to reimburse her but I know you aren't going to accept it." Across Bayleston, Chili and Sage were starting to get anxious. Word about the failed attempts on John and Reed the day before had caused both men to send in another attempt on them, this time with orders to make them go away permanently. The men hired were expendable, but just to be sure they had their source ensure that their guy was set up from the start and no ties to them were able to be found. There was a problem, their source was stopped by John and Reed's quick thinking before anything could be done and now the two men were facing a lot of questions that they didn't have answers to. When deputies came to their offices to talk with them at the station they knew that they were in deeper trouble than they thought, and looking at a lot of possible things that could go wrong. They weren't able to warn anyone, they were taken away immediately and the search warrants executed on all six locations with nobody able to tell anyone to get the goods out of there before they were found. 12 teams hit the six locations, one at each looking for the accounting information and another at each looking for any incriminating evidence tying the three to illicit activities. Howard was thorough, he was going for everything and would have manifests for every bit of merchandise and item in the offices so there was no way that anything that should not be there wasn't accounted for. The trio's employees were not about to go against Howard and Roy, they ratted out their bosses and told the truth to anyone who asked them and was not afraid to tell where the real merchandise was and who it was owned by. Magnus had no actual employees other than himself, they were all employed by Chili. And as a surprise to nobody Chili's employees were actually employed by Sage, Chili actually only owned the building and trucks and even then they were under the control of Sage due to a legal agreement. Sage's bit of control was his undoing, all roads were now leading to the man as being both the money and mastermind behind the whole situation with his iron grip being a noose around his neck now. That was just the start of the investigation, once the teams had seized all of the assets and started their searches into the files and products they kept hitting pay dirt. The deputies weren't detectives, but they were able to see that what was in the warehouse and trucks weren't what they were supposed to be. It wasn't long before initial tests came back positive for drugs and the serial numbers on electronics and weapons were positive for items reported stolen by manufacturers en-route to stores in the region. Reed was called in again to help out, with Miles going along with him to offer additional eyes and the expertise that he had as both an assistant investigator and accountant. The fact that he was also trusted by another state to do the investigating under watch by an ADA was a plus, as it meant they could get more done in less time and without bias. Miles wouldn't hold back, they were going to get the help they needed and with nothing else to do that afternoon, there was more incentive to help where he could. Miles wasted little time and found the incriminating evidence in the form of emails and contracts saved among Sage's personal files in his home office. Sage was smart in keeping full control of operations but stupid in telling Chili everything to ensure that he knew exactly where he stood in the pecking order. Chili was used by Sage to get what Sage wanted and with the contracts held in his home and office away from Chili's grasp Sage could destroy them and put all blame on Chili when things went south, he said so himself directly to Chili no less giving new charges of extortion against Sage! The financial data was clear and laughable. Chili was bled dry and Sage had him doing everything for him at a reduced rate that meant there was no way Chili could ever earn money and needed Sage to pay for all things right from the start. Without realizing it, the debt was more than the company was worth and Chili was never going to get away from Sage no matter how much he earned making Chili a virtual slave to Sage and coupled with Chili, "Owning" the inventory in Magus' store made Sage the ruler of their triumvirate and able to destroy the lives of both men and their families whenever he wanted to. Emails were damning as the only way to keep Sage happy was to offer up Saffron and Pepper to Sage to marry off to Dill while Mace and Basil were to get close with Ginger. Sage had seen them as the only real collateral that the men had that he couldn't control, with the kids not even being given the chance to refuse. When Magnus asked about that, Sage told him bluntly to get the two on the same page or he'd personally ensure that they complied via Ginger's actions against the girls while Magus paid the price himself if he didn't get Saffron to come back into the fold and accept Dill's advances. Reed had to smirk at that, they never considered that Saffron might have help in the form of Elaine and Jerrod. Miles asked what the look was for, getting a happy "Uncle Nigel situation." Miles grinned, to which Reed added, "It came after she got in trouble but before she got into legal trouble. They have no shot of ever getting her 'in line again' because her aunt and uncle won't let her do that. She's safe now." Miles started to look over the files further and found the cornerstone in the prosecution of all three men within seconds. He smiled at reading it, the men were about to have a harsh lesson in reality as they had done something that they clearly forgot about or Sage blatantly ignored and would pay for. Reed read it over and laughed, while the ADAs tried to gather their reasoning but shook their heads in disbelief. Miles finally vocalized, "Classic screw-ups. They were so busy trying to run their criminal businesses that they forgot that they sold off stock to people who could cause it to collapse. Jerrod Oberlin is your key, as soon as he calls in their debts to him they are going to see just how dire things are. His family is the true owner of their companies, everything that they have done was with his startup money and by their own records he had to approve of all of their deals but never gave his approval. And if they claim that they got it, you have them on fraud and identity theft. I think we need to speak with him now." It was the biggest break yet. Jerrod would gladly take on the trio and force their businesses to shut down and undo all contracts that they have, with those who tried to get at the companies being pointed right to Sage who was on the hook for the debts to them instead of Jerrod. Sage's need to have control just bit him in the rear end, Jerrod wasn't on the hook for anything. Miles was released as Howard and Roy got to work trying to get their ducks in a row for the inevitable news being released once the trio were arrested. They were met by Jerrod, who quickly was called in by Howard to clarify his ownership of the companies. Reed and Miles explained to him about what they found and why and to his shock, the man had completely forgotten that he owned 50% of Sage, Chili, and Magnus' businesses via his investment in Sage's initial business back before his kids were born and which had never been paid back to him. Reed explained that Sage had manipulated things to keep him from knowing what was going on and as the time wore on he was busy with other investments and running his family's business to have a part in the running of the companies. Jerrod was relieved, especially when Miles told him that he was able to bring down their companies simply by exerting the need to repay debts and was even owed a lot of money that Sage had withheld paying him including the costs of the initial loan. Sage was deeply in debt to Jerrod and would get wiped out by Jerrod immediately, making a legal defense tough to mount. Outside, Elaine was concerned over her husband being requested at the courthouse by Howard. She looked at the exiting Reed and Miles and waited for an explanation, with Reed finally steeling himself and explaining, "Your husband is being told that he was defrauded out of millions of dollars by Sage Herber. He went into business with Sage years ago, who then used that money to buy into and take over Chili Carney's and his brother-in-law Magnus' businesses. He is owed all of his share of the profits from all three businesses for the past 20 years and DA O'Neil is telling him it might just be the time to call in the debts rightfully owed to him." Elaine was relieved. Her husband was a shrewd investor but back then Sage was his friend to which Jerrod gave money to in order to help start his business. She remembered it as she helped file the paperwork just after they married. She didn't ask anything further as they couldn't do anything more without someone hearing them. The business bit was non-negotiable and if Sage tried to hide his money after he found out that Jerrod now knew that he was owed a lot of money he would be in a world of trouble. The rest was sensitive, she didn't want to know for the sake of sending Sage to jail. Elaine realized Miles was there and introduced herself. Miles introduced himself and got an odd look. Reed happily explained, "He's Uncle John's son, the one having a baby in early October." Miles cringed while Reed added, "Mitch Gibson wanted all of us here for the wedding, so Aunt Valerie flew the 17 of them east. You are probably going to hear about it soon." Elaine thought she recognized Miles with Miles adding, "I was Mitch's roommate and teammate, I'm why he why the MVP at the Bay State Bowl. He wanted his and his fiance's real friends here for the wedding." Jerrod exited followed by Howard. Jerrod had a folder of files which he told his wife he had to make some phone calls about. She knew what it was in regards to and let it go, but first introduced him to Miles and told him that it was going to be a big crowd for the wedding the next day. After their tense interviews Sage and Chili were told to lay low by their informants in town but why they had to lay low was never told. Their informant purposely left that out, he was under surveillance by Roy's deputies and had been told discretely by one of them that if they interfered they would end up behind bars alongside the duo. The two may have held sway in town, but it was clear to anyone that Roy had them bang to their rights if he was letting them wiggle for a bit longer. Chili and Sage thought that they were getting off easy and Roy interviewing them was just a simple fishing expedition that wouldn't amount to anything. They were wrong, it was actually going to end up being what was used against them as all of the questions asked were refuted by both Reed and Miles in their inspection of the financial records and by Jerrod who had the accompanying proof of fraud. They thought that they were being slick by lying after being read their Miranda Rights, but they willingly gave Roy false answers that would be used against them and provided additional charges against them. It took the rest of the afternoon and much of the evening to get things in order but by 9 PM Howard had all he needed to arrest Sage and Chili while not even bothering yet to go after the hapless Magnus as he was no threat to their case and had little to actually do with the whole situation beyond being a willing extortion victim. Jerrod had to fight with his accountant and lawyer to get documents he needed to be sent to Howard, with Howard personally telling them that he would charge them with a number of crimes for trying to impede their client's rights as well as impeding an active criminal investigation. He wasn't in the least bit surprised that both had an interest in keeping Sage and Chili out of court, with the documents known to be damning evidence against their biggest client- Sage. As soon as they were verified as being authentic and everything was in order, they were put up against the documents taken in the searches and were exactly as expected with all of the documents clearly showing evidence of fraud and a concerted effort to defraud Jerrod, Magnus, and Chili of their share of the money as well as giving Sage an unaccounted revenue stream that the state and federal revenuers would want to see. The county judge who was handling the case happily put out an arrest warrant for all three men for fraud, embezzlement, failure to pay income, business, and various other taxes along with criminal conspiracy charges. Sage and Chili were both at home with their families with both men putting up a fight as they were arrested by Roy personally. Sage himself couldn't help himself, he threatened Roy as well as Howard and was told repeatedly that he had the right to remain silent but still threatened both men. Howard simply told the arresting deputies to charge him with criminal threats and to segregate the two from one another while he had their bank accounts frozen so no money could be removed from them, causing the bold Pepper and Ginger to scream about being cut off and penniless. It was a tough evening for Roy and Howard but the two were pleased that the duo's reign of terror was stopped. Chili and Sage found little support in the town as the real face of the men was exposed for all who were either unaware of their actions or who turned a blind eye to them to now see with Magnus being seen as nothing more than a stooge for the duo and openly mocked for not being able to think for himself. Magnus being the last to be arrested and only arrested by two deputies instead of the six that the other two were arrested by only showed how harmless Magnus was and how far he had fallen from grace and how little regard Howard and Roy had for him as a criminal. His wife was no better, Rose was laughed at as she tried to brush it off and acted like her brother and sister-in-law would ensure that the charges went away. She fully believed that the three men were getting off as soon as the courthouse opened and Howard and Roy would be forced to issue a public apology for wrongly targeting three upstanding citizens. The reality of it was that Jerrod would never dare to ask Elaine for help and Elaine would never intervene on behalf of anyone in legal trouble, she refused to use her office to pervert the course of justice for anyone especially not family members. Ginger and Pepper tried desperately to get Saffron to help their fathers, even soliciting Basil and Dill as a way of enticing her. She simply smiled as she told them over the phone, "I'm a lesbian. I can't stand either of them and want nothing that they are trying to offer me. I know for a fact that no girl will touch either of them now that their fathers have been shown to be pathetic losers who bullied the town. You can threaten me all you want, I don't care anymore. I am not going to be scared by two people who have no sense of just how childish they are. Grow up!" Saffron smiled as she said that, with Missy hugging her tight as Saffron broke down in tears of joy. Ginger and Pepper were stunned, it was the last thing they had expected the meek and docile Saffron to say to them but like so many bullies they never realized just how powerful someone could be if you pushed them hard enough and long enough. Saffron leaving them meant they had nobody left to turn to, their mothers had fled their fathers years before and gave up all rights to them in exchange for getting away from their fathers so the two girls were on their own for the first time in their lives with only their brothers as company and no way of supporting themselves. In the cells at the county jail later that night after finally being arrested, Magnus was told that Elaine and Jerrod were not going to help him get out of the mess that he had helped create. He was then told that his wife was going to divorce him as well as losing his business to Chili and Sage and eventually his own brother-in-law once he sued Sage and Chili. The man had nothing left, he lost everything in a span of two days thanks to the newcomers to town- John Finn and Reed Pena. As Miles and Reed were leaving and Jerrod entering, they were forced to talk with Elaine about what was going on and why. The two didn't hold back and explained the situation as best that the could without harming the cases against the three men, with Elaine taking the news surprisingly well. She wouldn't receive any blowback from the downfall of three, "Upstanding citizens" as the truth was stronger than whatever fiction the three could come up with and few would support them outright. Seeing the large crowd of teens awaiting Reed and Miles, Reed felt that there was need to introduce all of them so he went around the room and introduced the seven couples and two sleeping infants. Michael, Courtney Johnny, Miles, and Christina Finn caught her ear as did Sylvia Samuels, with Reed sighing and adding, "She's named after Jaimie's, Michael's, Jessica's, and Scott's former friend who committed suicide three years ago. And before you ask, yes she is Sylvia Roberts' daughter but Sylvia refuses to acknowledge that as she willingly gave up all rights to little Sylvia before she was born." Mitch stepped in and told her firmly, "She gave her first born up for adoption to the woman who needed to be her mother and to not be reminded of a horrible situation forced upon her by a group of total scumbags. She treats her like a niece and the little one took to her new mother as if she birthed her herself." The little one had her hands firmly fastened to Jaimie Samuels' arm and shoulder showing just how close they were, giving truth to Mitch's statement. Elaine wouldn't dare say anything more, she had her four waiting for her to exit and didn't think that it was wise to talk about sensitive things especially ones that could be used to hurt someone who had done nothing wrong except be a victim of a horrible crime. Sylvia Roberts deserved better from her. The group walked out and Elaine was immediately met by her son and daughter, both looking scared at her being around so many imposing teens. Mitch was noticed and received a look of awe from Debbie while her brother looked at him with shame, as if he wasn't fit to be near the town's hero. The one who was the most scared was Saffron, the people around Reed seemed to sense that there was something about her that they didn't like or wasn't entirely good. Elaine introduced the 14, with Reed telling Saffron, "I warned you about my girlfriend's friends but I couldn't tell you that these people were coming here. Courtney is my girlfriend Jessie's older sister, Jaimie, Michael, Miles, Eric, and Claire are my cousins and cousins to two of her friends. Stacy and Rick are her friends' older siblings. They wouldn't hesitate to beat some sense into me for cheating and would ensure that Jessie knew everything and got every family member to hurt me in retaliation." Saffron understood fully what he meant, the eight were eyeing her closely while Mitch saw her start to look like she was feeling the penance from her earlier actions. It was left at that, the group saw John approaching and walked to him while Saffron, Debbie, and the young Rick Oberlin followed. John had seen the whole confrontation and asked if they were done, getting a nod and letting things go. The group walked on to the diner and were seated while John was stuck with baby duty outside. He told the waitresses that the 15 were with him and he was paying for everything which was enough to satisfy them especially as he was not going to let them slack off and ignore the other customers. It was clear from how John and Reed had acted before that they weren't problems so they acted normal. Elaine sent the younger Rick, Debbie, Saffron, and Mace ahead to be away from prying ears and back to their original plans for the evening while she awaited Jerrod's return from his meeting with Howard and Roy. None of the four wanted to go but she let them know that it wasn't an option. Debbie cringed while Rick moved them on, Elaine wasn't fooling around. After they had left, Johnny Finn awoke and gave John a glare followed by a gurgle which caused John to complain. Elaine had to hold back a laugh as John muttered incoherently as he changed the dribbling and flapping four-month-old's diaper while he made things tough for John. It was like Johnny was doing it on purpose just for her benefit, with him looking at her the whole time. As soon as he was done changing Johnny, Sylvia started to stir and cried loudly at John then cooed as she saw Elaine come into view. John loudly complained, "Seriously? Is it something in the water? First your cousin, now you? I swear you babies have a secret code that you babble to one another saying 'treat him like he is a bad guy and love every new person you see' with how you all act." Elaine was losing herself and finally broke down into a big laugh at the two getting under John's skin so easily by just doing what babies do best. They both looked at one another then at Elaine and gave her a big smile and giggle as they flapped their arms for attention while John stewed. She loved the scene, the proud grandfather of two and richest person you could meet was reduced to a mumbling grouch by two little darlings who were trying hard to have fun in their own way. When he calmed down, John finally explained, "Since I was a little kid babies have been ignoring me or giving me a shrill cry whenever I come into view. My own nieces and nephews have continued this trend, now my own grandchildren have done it. Only one hasn't done it but it's due to his being close to a lot of people and taking after his mother and grandmother who both are too empathetic to be mean." Elaine smiled at that, it was touching and sweet and the kids clearly loved him enough to act that way. She recalled Rick and Debbie doing that to their uncle Magnus and aunt Rose, it was funny at the time but now it showed that they were good judges of character even as infants. The two babies in front of her was happy to give her attention and when their game got old they let John give them bottles so they could keep more attention on the fun around them. The two waited a while and made small talk while John dealt with the fussy Sylvia and grabby Johnny. He was asked, "Were your four youngest like that?" as Johnny kept trying to rip John's hair out and fall out of his arms as John burped him. John cringed and explained, "JD and Cat were and Valerie said Michael and Jaimie were as well. Logan and Ella I don't know about, we adopted them 17 months ago." John realized his mistake and explained, "Their mother was killed by a man trying to get money that their stepmother had tried to launder for him. She knew that she was going to be murdered and asked us to take them in and raise them as our own so they have a good life. They are my son Michael's brother and sister through their biological father, I adopted him just after I married his mother. Jaimie is our daughter through my adopting her just before I married Valerie. She had known Jaimie's family for years and by luck the three are related to Jaimie via their great- grandparents. And before you ask, we adopted Miles after taking him in after his father was arrested and later killed nearly five years ago." John shook his head as he saw the shock on Elaine's face. He calmed her by adding, "We aren't just a bunch of rich people, a lot of the money in our family comes from tragedy and lawsuits. I got mine through luck and a young lady in our family through her genius mind but most are through troubles. They'd give anything to have their loved ones back or to have not undergone humiliation that brought about lawsuits. Sylvia Roberts ended up getting several million the same way, we ensured that she was given a rightful settlement from the families of the fraternity that orchestrated the whole rape, the only good to have come from that is this little angel and sadly none of us would dare take back that night if it meant that we wouldn't have her in our lives." The babies fell asleep again leaving the two to sit in silence. John finally added, "He's going to tell you that things are alright, and I believe him. If they weren't you would be there with him as Roy wouldn't let him suffer alone. I don't know what Miles and Reed found but it's big and involves Jerrod so be ready for fallout and to help him but I think it's a good thing going on inside the courthouse. The duo are young but they do good work and if I suspect that the trio are not brainy enough to outsmart them." The 15 exited the diner with the babies both waking up and demanding their parents. Jaimie just smiled at Sylvia who cooed and dribbled all over her shoulder while Johnny grabbed Michael tight around the neck and gave John a look of, "Haha I'm getting attention" which John ignored. Elaine could see just how far the babies were going with their cuteness act but it was sweet to see something so tender and meant to be funny and felt the gravity that in a few years she'd be the one getting that reaction. The group left the town center with the townsfolk abuzz with the realization that Mitch was back in town and had himself what looked like an entourage. Elaine fielded questions about the teens and why he was hanging around a group that included two visibly pregnant girls and two who had babies with them. She happily told everyone who asked, "They are friends of Mitch Gibson and are here for a special reason. What that is will be revealed tomorrow afternoon so don't disturb him or his friends. They are all married judging by their rings so don't spread rumors about being unwed mothers hanging around the town's sports hero as it's a blatant lie and I will see to it that those spreading it pay dearly." Elaine dared people to say something more, with the most daring being her challenger for mayor demanding to know why they let a rapist, the rape baby of that rapist, and an abomination roam free in their town and make a mockery of their hero. Elaine happily told the loudmouth, "I see you have been trying to dig up something on Mitch Gibson to use against him when he refuses to help you in your failing campaign. It's not a surprise, his parents already told me that they refused to let you exploit their son. For the record, he is among friends. They are close to him thanks to his former roommate and teammate, the one who insisted on Mitch being named MVP of his bowl game, and who share a lot in common with him. They are real friends, not friends who abandon him because he chose a quality education over being used by all of you and the local state university." That caused jeers from those she intended to hit and led to a lot of stares as they were exposed for the town to see. She happily added, "His fiance did the toughest thing she could ever do, giving up her child to the family who could give her unconditional love and attention. They are some of the greatest people you will ever meet but most of you will never know that as you only see them as cash cows and want to use them to line your pockets. She may be different but she is trying to be the mother that her daughter needs and unlike many of you in the crowd she is happily married and proud to raise her husband's child as her own. I know many of you hate your spouses and stepchildren so save the false outrage. You have no problem acting like you care about Queen Tessa and her princesses, that young lady is no different than any of them and will do the world a lot of good when she finishes her education." She walked away as those who were upset were in a tough situation as their own dirty laundry was put on display and was worse than what they were complaining about. Elaine was a master of making you into the center of attention, both for your benefit and for hers. This time it was for her benefit and to show just where she stood and where those who were upset were out of line and costing them dearly. John drove to the hotel and checked everyone in, with Reed moving his things into a room with Mitch while Billy was moved into the room with Logan and JD. John and Reed bid the others goodbye as the two had to go back to the park to meet with Valerie, Willie, Kennedy, and the kids. Mitch was anxious as he heard that Sylvia and his parents were not going to be with them but John assured him that they were doing something special for Sylvia which wouldn't lead to her knowing he was back in town yet. John drove and was met by Dave and the senior officers, causing John to immediately ask, "What did she do this time?" Dave let out a laugh while John shook his head at his daughter Cat doing something that would warrant the attention of Dave. It was either something really bad or something that had to be taken care of with some care, either way John would have to address it. Dave just smiled and led the way to SnowyHill, telling John as they walked, "She didn't do anything that was against rules and regulations or got your wife upset. She and her cousin did something that touched Queen Tessa's heart and gave a little girl the needed support that she had lacked from others. You have to see it for yourself, it's tough to describe without giving away too much." The group walked on and were met by an excited Cat, who showed John her new friends. The two girls were scared but Cat encouraged them to come meet John. John saw that one was timid and from the look of Valerie it was why Cat was trying hard to show her off to John, she needed assurances. John said hello to both girls, with Cat telling him about their day so far. John knew that he had to hear it for himself and there was no escaping the description, but they had plenty of time before the Old Man Winter show in an hour. Cat smiled as John sat down and let her tell him everything. After John and Reed left, the kids were on their best behavior as they knew that they could easily be taken back to the hotel and miss the rest of the park as Valerie wouldn't let them get away with acting up. Kylie took charge of the older three while Cat took charge of the younger three, with the others not even trying to argue. Logan wasn't up for a fight and Kylie never let the power get to her while JD and Billy were used to Cat leading them around. The kids spotted the thrill rides, especially the ones centered toward kids. They heard kids screaming and giggling and knew that they weren't going to get out of riding all of them at least once, with the kids seeing their own favorites among the rides. They were all big enough to enjoy some of the basic thrill rides, with Billy loving that he could enjoy the scrambler and give Kylie a squish as she got crushed by his body weight, showing just why Reed was wise to not join them in the park. They were rushing from ride to ride when they spotted a man acting odd. Cat pointed to a man walking back and forth in front of a group of snowmen. "Momma, what's he doing?" Valerie shook her head. "I don't know." The man stood still and yodeled. Nothing Happened. They watched him continue to try teaching them for a couple of minutes and were starting to laugh at the uncooperative snowmen. "Why is he trying to teach snowmen? They can't sing," Cat said. A girl and her mother had walked up during that time and the girl sighed. "That's Mister Casey. Queen Tessa rescued him from a cold place and brought him here to cook in SnowyHill. He makes the ice cream too. Every time he makes ice cream, his brain freezes and he teaches the snowmen to yodel." Suddenly the snowmen began making random musical notes for a minute and ended with one calling out, "Woo hoo hoo." Every one laughed at that even more as Casey pleaded, "Come on guys! People're watching!" The group of snowmen then gave a choral piece of yodeling and he conducted them. At the end he turned and bowed to the clapping crowd then began to walk away. Casey had only taken a few steps when one of the snowmen turned slightly and let out a loud Tarzan-like yell. "Hey now!" Casey called out, making the snowman turn back as the entire crowd watching roared with laughter. The adults had already figured out the display was animatronic, but for many of the kids, the snowmen were real and Casey Malorian taught them to yodel everyday. Cat looked to the girl. "His brain froze making the ice cream?" "Yes. Mister Casey is the best ice cream maker, that's why Queen Tessa went to find him. I'm Taylor." Taylor introduced herself then saw Cat's wrist. "YOU have one of those?" Cat looked at the wristband. "It's like one of those bands at the hospital. It tells the grown-ups where I am. I'm not supposed to know that part." Taylor shook her head. "All kids get one, but you have a special one! You have a white one! Only Queen Tessa gives those out, it means you're special!" Taylor showed her own white wristband. This now got all of the adults' and kids' interest, even Logan was listening. Taylor pointed at all the kids in the group wearing the white wrist bands. "These keep us safe here. Bad people can't take us away. If we get lost, Queen Tessa's guards come find you and bring you back to your Momma or whoever you came with. Nobody can lie either. The Guards know who brings you and who didn't. Only the special guards can take these off." Kennedy asked her, "What do you mean, special guards?" "They're all women. They hide though, you won't know they're special. They look like all the other workers, but different. There's a bunch of special guards nobody ever sees. They see us though," Taylor explained. Valerie asked, "They do?" Taylor nodded. "Yes Ma'am. They see everybody." They all turned and looked when she pointed to the obvious camera pods then a squad of drones that flew overhead at high speed. "OverWatch. I heard the Security saying that before. That explains it now why they were on the guys the other night so fast. It's the military term for distance protection" Willie said. Kennedy quickly put two and two together and remembered the woman putting that bands on the kids wore a slightly different colored shirt. It had the park logo, but what looked like a shepherd's crook above it and no name tag. She hid her smile at their sneakiness. Security hiding right under everyone's noses. After confiding to Willie, he nodded. "I noticed the different colors too. Now I understand. Their uniforms are a language. Might be fun trying to figure it out but it's best not to dwell on it. They have shown to be top notch, it's a bit of OPSEC and I would prefer not getting on their bad side over it." The kids tried to figure out what Willie meant and let it go, while Cat eagerly dragged them along with Taylor joining them at Cat's insistence. The kids were enjoying themselves in their own little world while JD and Billy were fine with Cat focusing on Taylor while enjoying the rides alongside them. Cat was in rare form now, she had an outlet that was matched by Taylor's own fun nature. Taylor's mother Paige Holloway was forced to rush with Taylor as were Valerie, Willie, and Kennedy. She blushed deeply and apologized for Taylor's enthusiasm and introduced herself to them. The trio introduced themselves and pointed out which were their kids, with Paige being relieved that they weren't upset at Taylor forcing her way into the kids' group as most kids often were as they saw that Taylor was known to many of the workers at the park and spotted the VIP bracelet. Valerie had to stifle a laugh at the apology then added, "She's nowhere near as enthusiastic as my own kids are. She might have met her match with Cat, she's as headstrong and is taking to Taylor pretty well. She doesn't normally get close to other kids, but Taylor seems to be doing wonders for her." Paige was relieved and asked how they had earned their white bracelets, getting a humble, "That was a gift from Queen Tessa. She invited us to the park as part of an exchange of donations between her 'Little Ones Found' charity and my husband's 'Finn Foundation'. One of Queen Tessa's scholarship recipients is friends with our eldest children and got her involved with my husband through being there to support her. She and my husband are of like minds and share a strong philanthropic spirit." Paige was surprised to hear all of that, Tessa was a reclusive person but they seemed to be on a friendly level with Tessa. Valerie also added, "We are also here for the wedding tomorrow of one of Tessa's interns to the town's football hero. Tessa is presiding over it as queen and getting as many of the staff involved as possible. The Tribal Council at WildForest will be participating with their representatives giving a big show for the audience as each tribe offers their own version of what is a wedding or the close approximation of joining a couple together in their own language and with their own customs." Paige gasped at hearing that, Taylor was asked to attend and be part of some of the dancing that the young kids of the town were learning under the guidance of the Tribal Council as part of an extension of the park's educational goals. It being a real deal wedding made it all the more poetic, Paige couldn't help but smile as Taylor would love taking part in it just on its merits alone. She wanted to show Tessa that she deserved her VIP status beyond being the first child to trigger the missing child alert system. Kennedy and Valerie had to smile at the girls unintentionally getting to know one another before they would have met, with Cat especially being given a chance to get over nerves that she would have had the next day as she met the kids. Valerie happily vocalized, "Our daughters might have just helped one another without knowing it. My daughter isn't too good around new kids but she seems to have taken a shine to your daughter and if my hunch is right they were meant to meet tomorrow." The four adults watched as the kids jumped from one ride to another with Kylie and Logan leading the way while Ella gave Taylor a big sister role model for the day. JD and Billy were fine with the girls getting close, the less Cat bugged them the better in their eyes and Billy was happy to just follow the bigger JD around without Cat trying to lead him where he didn't want to go but couldn't refuse. It was a good sign that Billy was finally starting to be his own boy but still knew to follow along as needed. Taylor was telling Cat about some of the fun she had at the park before when she spotted someone near that she had to introduce to Cat. The tween girl was wearing a white wristband like the others but the way she was acting it was as if she didn't think she deserved to wear one. Taylor hugged the girl and gave her a big smile, telling her that she was happy to see her and introduced her to the kids. She smiled and blurted out, "Meet Cat, her twin brother JD, their older brother Logan, and older sister Ella, and their cousins Kylie and Billy." The girl meekly said, "Hello" and looked like she didn't know how to react to the new people. Cat asked her, "Are you becoming a girl? My cousins acted like you do when they started out. Your hair doesn't look that long and you don't have boobies like you should." JD and Billy both gasped as Cat blurted that last part out while the girl looked scared. Cat hugged her, telling her, "My sister is like you, but she had longer hair." JD, Ella, Kylie, and Logan saw just what she meant and waited for her to say something, with Cat doing her best to smile and show it was alright. The girl asked if they were OK with girls like her, getting nods from all of them while Cat added, "Our sister is all girl, she had surgery and is a mommy now. Our family has a lot of girls and a boy who were not born as they should. We aren't mean, we like them for what they are." The girl felt relief and meekly told them, "I'm Blaire. I just started to live as a girl full time now that I'm out of school. My mom got me help last year after Princess Nicole told her what I could be. She told mom that there are boys who were born wrong and they can become princesses like her." Blaire's mother Madeline looked on as Taylor introduced the kids to her daughter. She was afraid of what they may do if they found out about her daughter's change. The kids seemed to be alright with her and were eager to join her on the rides but things could always change in a matter of seconds. She saw that her daughter was getting along with them and they were enjoying her company, but she could not dispel her nagging suspicion that things would turn ugly immediately. Kennedy saw the worry written all over Madeline's face and introduced herself to Madeline. She asked her warmly, "Are you worried that the kids will not take finding out about your daughter's transition too well? You don't have to worry about them, out of all the kids in the park, she is safest with those six." Madeline was shocked that someone had been able to read her daughter right away let alone had been able to sense just what she was thinking. Kennedy sighed and explained, "My daughter is exactly like your daughter, only she has had a three and a half year had start and sadly got forced to have her final surgery six years too early. She's roughly the same age, but had the same look when she first started." Valerie added, "My eldest daughter, my niece, my niece-in-law, and Kennedy's nephew are transgender so the kids have grown up around people in similar situations and think nothing about her being born different. They are welcoming and will happily be the friends your daughter needs in the park. Taylor seems to have facilitated this, she is fine with your daughter so our kids have seen that your daughter will be alright with them just from that alone." Kennedy added, "She's doing well so far. Her hair could use some styling but that could wait until she goes back to school. Hopefully you are getting her the proper care that she needs?" Madeline started to see that they were trying to reach out to her and accepted their branch, giving them a soft, "She has been seeing a psychologist for the past year and has been taking hormones and blockers for the past six months. She's just starting to show in her chest, it's been a battle with her over the slow progress but she is trying hard to stay focused on the long run and not let her lack of development get to her. She has lost all of her friends and the few who remained are struggling to accept her. She has only just fully come out so the shock of her change hasn't fully set in yet but we are hoping that they come around and support her. They are good kids, they seem to understand her more now." Kennedy understood best and replied, "My daughter fought with us for two years to get hormones, she has only been on full dosage for a year herself and had to cut back on her dosage when she had some side effects. It's tough early on but you get used to her new self and soon the old boy will fade away as your daughter's true self becomes permanent. Give her friends time, once they see her new additions they will see that she's here to stay and with her new confidence she will earn more friends." Madeline wasn't used to hearing words of support from people, but she saw Kennedy's point. Her daughter had a couple of people who were trying to be the friend she needs but they have six years of being friends to contend with. Blaire was happy, that was what mattered most. The younger kids moved on ahead while Kylie held Blaire back for a second to talk. Logan was about to say something but realized what it was about and quickly moved on, ensuring that Ella and the other three didn't bother them. It was needed, Blaire had to know about Kylie and give her a sense that she wasn't all alone in the world even if she knew the secrets of Nicole and the other princesses. When they were alone, Kylie finally confessed to Blaire, "The reason Cat saw right through you is that she was there for when I started to become a girl. She was only two but she remembered all of the talk about me being like her older sister and that they are concerned about me. I am lucky, my birth mother has big boobs and her family has bigger ones than her so I am going to be large. And yes, I'm adopted but to me she is my real mom, the one talking with your mom earned the right to be called my real mom even if she didn't give birth to me. My dad is the one keeping an eye on us while mom and Aunt Valerie talk about us, he's supportive of girls like us and loves me unconditionally." Blaire looked at her in shock, Kylie added a firm, "I started hormones last year and blockers two years ago. My parents wanted me to make sperm first so I could have children, they didn't want me to regret not doing so and after meeting some girls like us who fell in love with women and met my aunt who is now a mother from her wife making babies with her sperm it makes sense. You may not like boys as you get older, liking them has nothing to do with being a girl. My cousins Jaimie and Nichole do, but my other cousin Mia likes girls and is dating one." Blaire asked what she liked, getting a happy, "I like girls. My cousin and I tried for months to figure out what we liked until we realized it. I have a girlfriend who is the most amazing girl I ever met and who doesn't care that I had something I wanted gone. She had issues with boys because she was raised as a boy because her dad was afraid of acting like a man but she is a girl and loves me." The two started walking along and stopped suddenly when Blaire saw some boys that went to school with her coming towards them. Kylie was ready for them, it had been a while since she had been able to make a boy look foolish but she was up for some fun. She also saw security nearby ready to act, they were keeping a close eye on the kids, especially Blaire, and were ready to intervene just in case. Kylie smiled at the boys and said, "Hello" while Blaire looked scared of them, giving the boys a sense of pride that they were going to make Blaire suffer just by being there. When they were cut off from anyone else in a small alcove between rides, the boys started to surround them and give Blaire glares. It was what Kylie needed from them, she was reeling them in for the big reveal and making themselves both look foolish as well as ensure that they got a proper punishment from the park. One finally asked, "Do you know anything about that thing next to you? That's not a real girl, that's a sissy wearing dresses! He probably lied to you about being a girl just to get close to you and make you do things with him. He's not a girl, he's just another gay sissy freak!" Kylie gave Blaire a subtle nod to be quiet while she handled the boys. She casually asked, "How do you know she's not a girl? Have you checked her panties? I doubt very much so, I don't think you have ever seen what's in her or any girl's panties. As you can plainly see and are catching quick glimpses of she has boobs. How do you know they aren't real? You couldn't tell if they were real or not without feeling her up and I doubt you have ever gotten close to a girl to do so so you have nothing to compare it to anyway. So you are just going by word of mouth, which is pretty filthy." Blaire gasped at Kylie's candid remarks. She then added, "You wouldn't know if she was 'real' or not anyway. You couldn't tell if a girl was real without forcing yourself on her which would end up with you boys in jail for sexual assault. For all you know there could be dozens of girls who were born as boys in the park and not one of them would tip you off as being anything other than cute, nice, lovable girls. I think you are jealous that she makes a beautiful girl while you can't get any girl to get close to you let alone date you. I think you are scared of her, because she makes you see girls are more than vaginas and you are starting to question yourselves as to whether you are gay or not for liking her." She had a smug look on her face then added, "I know why you were trying to separate me from her. For your information, I don't like guys. I don't care for guys like you, I never have and never will. I have a girlfriend back home who loves me a lot and who is 10 times the man you are. Heck, I'm a girl now and I was 10 times the man you are back when I was still a boy!" Her revelation caused the boys to gasp in shock then blurt out obscenities at her. She just grinned and let them say vile things that were causing parents to cover their kids' ears as they walked by. They fell for her trap and after a few seconds the boys felt taps on their shoulders as security officers happily told them, "You are in violation of multiple rules of conduct. Your passes are revoked and your parents are being informed as to why you are banned from the park for one year. Please leave immediately." The boys tried to fight them, blaming Blaire for their actions but Sgt. Sullivan, the security supervisor for SnowyHill, proclaimed, "We heard your entire tirade and have it recorded for your parents. We don't appreciate any form of discrimination nor do we allow vulgar language. Those girls have done nothing to you nor have they acted as anything other than ladies. Follow us, please." The boys left to a cheer and laughter from kids older and younger than them while Blaire was unable to grasp how Kylie had outsmarted them. Kylie just grinned and admitted, "They aren't the first to do that to me. My girlfriend did that to boys hurting us when we were kidnapped and our friend Maisie did it to them to get them to hurt her and waste a lot of time which caused them to get caught by our parents." Madeline and Paige both gasped as they heard that. Kennedy explained, "She and her friends were taken by a group of boys who were expelled from their school for groping girls. They were brutally beaten after the boys found the three girls' secrets. They hurt their friend a lot worse, she needed immediate genital surgery while Kylie and her friend Mia had to undergo an orchiectomy to remove their damaged testicles and later their own genital surgery. Kylie had her surgery in April and Mia had hers two weeks ago and is still recovering from it." Valerie added, "The boys were part of four families that were terrorizing the neighboring town and who were expelled for tormenting a girl like Blaire and Kylie. The girl moved to our city and befriended Kylie's girlfriend but when they found out she was also attending school they abducted the girls. They made a major mistake, they never found out just who the girls were related to. They abducted daughters of a deputy US Marshal, the niece of a federal agent, the niece and daughter of the police chief, the daughters of a deputy sheriff, and sister-in-law of a state trooper. They were sentenced to 30 years in both state and federal prison for their crimes." Madeline was scared for Blaire now, but Kennedy happily added, "That was the worst that could happen. If you let her learn self-defense she could scare off most potential harm while also earning the respect of girls around her. She is a natural girl, she won't have much trouble making friends. The shock of her becoming a girl will pass, especially as people learn that she put those boys in their place. Kylie might have done it but her being there with Kylie will be forgotten as things get around town." The ladies walked on and saw Kylie and Blaire enjoying a heart to heart talk that was badly needed by Blaire. Madeline saw her daughter starting to open up and felt pride in her daughter being herself even after that scare with the boys. It was her true self coming out more than ever before, the real Blaire was shining through after being buried under months of fear and depression. The girls knew they were observed and talked anyway. Kylie was not holding back and offered an ear to Blaire to vent about her struggles with becoming who she really was. Kylie understood fully, it was just what she had encountered years before. The girls finally rejoined Taylor and the others and rode multiple rides before Taylor had to leave for dinner. John asked them to join them for dinner but Paige politely declined, she had her own dinner at home that was ready to eat and Taylor would be bouncing off the walls unless she went to bed early. It was tough to refute that as Cat would be the same way that night. Taylor hugged Cat and hoped to see her again the next day. Cat smiled brightly at that, she hoped to do the same. The girls hugged and said their goodbyes, with Cat shedding a tear at seeing Taylor go and feeling some grief over knowing that they would only have a little bit of time together the next day. JD was going to say something but thought better of it when he saw his mother's warning glare. Blaire had to stifle a giggle while Kylie rolled her eyes at the twins being their normal selves. Madeline was seeing things were normal for the family even after something that would cause concern, they must have had a lot of practice with dealing with things that would cause her to grow scared for her daughter but it was almost as if it was normal to them and after hearing about Kylie it made her blase attitude all the more inspiring to Blaire and Madeline. Madeline and Blaire had to bow out after another hour as they needed to go home and have a long talk. Valerie and Kennedy both offered their support but it was something that Madeline needed to do on her own which both mothers understood. Blaire's encountering the family was going to change how she dealt with her life and give her a renewed vigor that she was going to be alright after all and even if there were people who didn't accept who she was as a person she at least was true to herself. Kylie shed a tear as Blaire thanked her for being honest with her. It was just Kylie being herself but to Blaire it was the world. She knew that there were other girls like her out there who had things that were tougher and who had endured pain that she wouldn't endure. Kylie was her role model, the kind of girl that Blaire hoped to become in time even if she knew that she wasn't going to be as "blessed" as Kylie. In the car on the way home, Blaire asked her mother if she would love her any less if she liked girls. Madeline shed a tear at the honest question and had to think about it for a while. Before they reached home, Madeline sighed and explained, "I wouldn't love you any less. I hope that you would consider a chance to become a parent even if it involved doing something that you hate. I'll ask your doctor about saving semen so you can have children in the future." Blaire cried openly and blurted out, "I like girls. I don't like boys. I need to be a girl but I like girls. I know that it's not going to be easy but seeing another girl like me makes me see that I'm not alone and I want to be the daughter that you need as well as the wife to a girl who loves me for myself." The two hugged until they calmed down. Madeline was happy that her daughter was find her true self in addition to being her true self. She would support her daughter in all ways, especially as she became more womanly and dealt with another wrinkle in her life now that she loved women. At the park, Valerie had to endure John finally asking about their new, "Guests" and why she kept him in the dark about their arrival. Kennedy blushed deeply while Valerie gave him a challenging smirk. John knew that he'd never win against her so he gave up and accepted that she had done it for all of the right reasons and it wasn't up for debate. The kids were looking at them oddly until Kylie realized what was happening and blurted out, "They are coming! Jaimie and the others are coming! Sylvia isn't getting married without her friends! Mitch didn't come alone, Aunt Valerie flew them in with him and we are going to meet up with them later!" The kids cheered while Valerie blushed at Kylie figuring it all out. She then added, "Nichole said that you were not going to let her do this all alone. She said the 14 were her closest friends and it wouldn't be right if they weren't there. It's the only reason why they all had this weekend off." Reed proudly told them, "A lot of people are going to celebrate tomorrow! It's the best week the town has had in a while." John shook his head and added, "Miles and Reed were put to work doing their normal investigator routine. The two of them not only put away three people who needed to go to prison but also got the Oberlins several million dollars in back pay from the men. If we weren't leaving soon I swear Elaine would have thrown a big celebration for Reed." Reed had to swiftly move away from Kennedy's kiss but was grabbed by Valerie who gave him a big one on his cheek leaving the boy blushing deeply as the six kids snickered at him. John led them on to the show which he heard was supposed to be really funny. The kids were unsure, but once they saw that Old Man Winter was outside greeting all of the kids and getting kids laughing they relaxed. The show got off to a hilarious start as Casey Malorian was there and trying again to get his snowmen to yodel on cue but none of them would do it right. The kids were laughing hard as he gave up and told Old Man Winter to do as he pleased with them since they wouldn't listen to him anymore. Old Man Winter simply smiled and when Casey was out of sight the snowmen got up and bowed to the crowd then started to dance while Old Man Winter sang a song about snow and the cold. It was a typical show but the kids were enjoying it a lot, especially when Casey came back and was looking glum over not getting his snowmen to do anything. The snowmen moved to the beat as Old Man Winter clapped his hands and in rhythm they did a dance while Casey shook his head at his little friends acting up while making him look foolish. Old Man Winter simply told him that they were just snow, he couldn't help it if they had more in common with him than Casey which caused the kids to all laugh at him while Casey looked down in shame to which the snowmen hugged him as the show ended. It was great fun and the kids loved that the two had put great effort to keep the show going throughout the day making their initial introduction to Taylor all the more special. Cat couldn't stop smiling, it was the most fun that she had had the entire week and loved this part of the park the most. She may not have been able to ride some of the rides yet due to being too small but Taylor had been the light that she needed to enjoy herself more so than she had ever enjoyed herself before. The family walked over to the SnowyHill Snack Shack for dinner and were treated to Casey saying hello to them with Cat and JD giggling at seeing him in person. It was expected by Casey, the young kids always caught his act by accident while the older kids seemed to not want to get close but still enjoyed seeing him make a fool of himself for the kids. He moved on to the adults and was happy to hear that they were pleased with the food and glad that it wasn't trying to be anything more than just a restaurant with decent quality fast food that filled you up and renewed your energy. They ate their fill and spoke with Casey for a bit before leaving for the hotel. They avoided speaking with Queen Tessa but that was due to the number of kids flocking around her and not wanting to cause her any distractions as she worked the crowd before heading to the castle for her evening lullaby. The kids were just happy to have seen her in SnowyHill at all, she had been busy elsewhere all day. The ride to the hotel was in silence as the kids were exhausted. John kept his eyes on the road and got ready for his usual snubbing while Valerie enjoyed the chance to relax. She eventually told John about the two kids they met that day, with John smiling at Cat making a friend outside of the family. At the hotel, the kids tried to rush inside but were slowed by their parents. They didn't have a chance to do much anyway, the teens were going out on the town with Mitch showing them around and making the trip seem like a bachelor party. The kids were more interested in seeing Johnny and little Sylvia, the teens were just a bonus especially as they wouldn't do much with them anyway. As soon as John was noticed by Sylvia and Johnny they cried, with Sylvia letting loose in her diaper as she gave him a glare. The little two-and- a-half month old did her best to make John upset but he chose to ignore her and walk to his room while Jaimie dealt with the diaper and Valerie cuddled with Johnny and told the teens to enjoy themselves. She took both kids upstairs with Sylvia giving John a glare but doing it with a bit of a smile which she shared with Valerie. A few hours later the 16 returned to the hotel with smiles and Mitch shaking his head at the stupidity of some of the townsfolk while telling the family about some of the guys trying hard to get close to the ladies but backing away when they angrily told them that they were married. It was made even funnier as Will Bollinger had to rein in a couple who tried to get Claire to leave Will for them, with Claire using the now infamous, "Williams Women" wit and logic to cut them down to size while Will happily told them that his wife was a billionaire and had no interest in guys who wouldn't make more than minimum wage thanks to their coasting by on their rapidly fading looks. Mitch laughed hard at the stories, especially as his own, "Friends" tried to entice Jenna Daniels and Jaimie to join them for some private time. The guys were shocked to hear that the two would gladly give them some private time as they whispered in their ears just what they'd do to them if they didn't back off, with Jaimie adding, "And that's just my grandfather-in-law, his buddy Sean is even worse" sending the two running scared while the others laughed at Jaimie not even losing her cool at them. The ladies were used to guys trying to separate them from their boyfriends, but now that all but Will and Claire were married things changed and they were more protective of their spouses. It was about as good of a bachelor party as Mitch could want, he wasn't into strippers and getting drunk and being under 21 there wasn't much he could do anyway. Being with people that he liked a lot and being with people who were closer to him than his "friends" had been in school was what he wanted most. The 15 were closer to him than anyone else ever had been, they were true friends to him and now that he saw the real face of some of the people that he had grown up with he was glad to have the 15. The six kids got to help with the infants while the teens were out enjoying a night of bowling and a movie with Mitch. It was carefully choreographed so they were not in the same place that Sylvia would be, as Nicole, Danica, and Michelle took her out for a night of fun. They were all going with several other ladies from the park and with Nicole's close friend chef Andre Babineaux acting as a babysitter for Jennifer Colefield. Jennifer was the designated parent for the ladies that evening and while only a couple of years older than the three princesses she was one of the most respected park employees. Sylvia felt upset that she didn't have a chance to talk with Mitch during the evening thanks to him telling her that he had, "Plans with the guys that he couldn't break," but the ladies kept her from dwelling on it and Jennifer offered her a caring grin while trying to deflect her need to call Mitch just to hear his voice. It took a lot of effort but it worked, with the ladies going bowling then watching a movie at a private screening and laughing at the choice of movie. It was a screwball comedy with raunchy jokes and a few sexy scenes but fit perfectly with the unknown bachelorette party theme, especially as it was centered on a group of ladies trying to give their friend one last night of fun. Sylvia was exhausted when she was dropped off at the Gibson home, Mary had to help her get ready for bed while Les got the ladies to tell him what happened. Jennifer was thanked for keeping them in line while also praised for taking the night off and giving herself some fun away from her daughter. It was rare that she was apart from her daughter for so long, but little Bethany was happy to have the night off as well especially if she got to help Andre cook for the staff who didn't go with the ladies. The ladies had a lot of fun and even little Bethany was smiling as her mother took her up to bed. It was tough for any of them to sleep but they all went to bed and awoke early for their shifts at the park. The same was true for Mitch as he woke up early after fighting the urge to text Sylvia his apologies for not calling her the night before. Reed had to hide his phone and laptop so he wasn't tempted to throw out tradition and talk with his bride before the wedding and unintentionally give away his secret. The entire family went down to breakfast and were given looks of intrigue and shock over the whole organized chaos that John and Valerie were at the center of. Once the teens and kids had eaten the four adults were able to eat with Mitch joining them instead of going back upstairs. He was told the plans for the day and wasn't surprised to hear that the wedding was bigger than just the 31 that he knew of. The teens and kids returned and were led by John out to the park. They were met by the Olberlins as well as Dave and his security force. The group was concerned about them being there but Dave just grinned and explained, "We are here to hold your bags before the ceremony. I don't think you want to spend the next few hours walking around in your uniforms." John, Willie, Will Bollinger, Eric Vincent, George Daniels, and Scott Nelson were happy to be relieved of their uniforms while the ladies gave them smirks. The ladies had their own dresses ready to wear, all hand stitched by members of the tribes that were represented at the park. John paid them a large fee for creating them, with the dresses being authentic and crafted with pride by the tribeswomen. The clothes were put away and the group allowed to enjoy themselves in the park. It was tough for the pregnant Stacy Nelson and Christina Finn but they didn't mind being the designated babysitters as Michael and Courtney Finn and Rick and Jaimie Samuels enjoyed the rides without the need to keep an eye on little Sylvia and Johnny. John stayed with them as he didn't want to join the rides lest he loses his breakfast so he got to be the infants' joke yet again causing the two expectant mothers to feel better about not joining in on the full fun and seeing a preview of what was to come yet again. Rick Oberlin, Mace, and Saffron were by the teens' sides as they enjoyed the rides and lost all anxiety about being around the group. During a wait in line, Courtney told Saffron, "It's no big deal that you are what you are, we know too many lesbians, and in fact have several who are directly related to us, to say anything bad about your love life. You learned your lesson about treating people and moved on, none of us will say anything especially as we understand your reasons for acting that way." Rick had a hard time keeping his eyes off the ladies but he didn't do anything to make a fool of himself. Mace was feeling left out and stuck by Rick's side but abandoned him when Missy came into view. She had a big smile on her face and was happy to be there with him especially after knowing what had happened to his father the night before. Saffron acted like Rick's escort and relieved some jealousy in him. She was happy to be by his side, he was appreciative of her and enjoyed her presence more than Mace did. The others were too used to one another to get too close to, but the cousins were doing just fine together once Mace left for Missy. The group went from section to section, enjoying various rides before time started to catch up with them and they had to get dressed. John happily gave the infants back to their parents while he received glares from the two of them. John didn't play their game, he ignored both of them while he checked over Cat, JD, and Billy giving the two infants a taste of their own medicine. The teens were enjoying the day at the park until Ginger and Pepper appeared and started to show an interest in the guys. It lasted for hours and was ignored by the guys, they were happily entrenched with their spouses and fiance and not about to let two floozies entice them away. They weren't aware of just who the two were but from the way they acted it was clear that they were bad news. As they were skulking around the park looking for dates to take their minds off of their fathers' issues, Mitch caught the girls' eye, especially as he was talking with the ladies like they were his personal entourage. They noticed Saffron and Mace among them and wanted some blood from the two of them, seeing the group as a way of getting revenge as well as get Mitch away from the group. They couldn't have picked a worse group to try to use against the trio, their plans were foiled before they could start. The ladies were spotted before they got within earshot and led to Saffron telling the group that they were about to get unwanted visitors. The 15 looked over at the girls and could see what she meant, while Mitch rolled his eyes at the two girls. He angrily told the others, "They are trying to get me to knock them up, they are nothing but gold diggers. Ignore whatever they try to say to you, don't give them any ammunition to use against you or they will make your time here a living hell." Claire Peterson burst into laughter and casually added, "Let them. They are going down in flames. Reed already told the guys about them, they are going up against guys who have endured far worse from better looking, smarter, and more ruthless girls. And that's just Rick's and my sisters!" The others burst into laughter while Rick Samuels cringed as he told her, "My sister Al is just about the most outspoken, sharp-tongued, logically sound person out there. Only Jaimie is better at those things but Al lacks a filter that Jaimie developed so it's worse coming from Al. They are in deep trouble." The girls got close and gave a glare to Mace and Saffron while the seven ladies walked off but stayed close to them. Saffron didn't acknowledge the girls which only caused them to become infuriated and give her a harsh glare followed by Ginger telling her, "Buzz off of these fine men. They don't want some cheap skank slut claiming to be a dyke around them. Take the shrimps with you, but leave that hunk of man meat. He will learn to appreciate real women tonight if he knows what's good for him." Missy had to be held back by the grinning Reed, who pointed at the hovering OverWatch drones that were clearly recording what the girls were saying. He knew what they were doing and it was brilliant, it had to have been noticed by the others as well since Will was all smiles while the others felt like it was a big deal. Will recognized the make and model right away and was going to get them to act just right to ensure the proper response from security, leaving no room for chance. Will was the only one who wasn't married so he took the lead in putting an end to the girls' actions and causing them to be humiliated in a way that would live on in town and park history. He produced his trademark smirk that was giving the girls the wrong impression but he was all too happy to make them look like fools for what they had done to Reed and tried to do to John. He may have avoided the bulk of the issues that some of his friends endured over the years but he had a strong hatred for bullies and that was what he saw those girls as being- just a couple of bullies. Will asked the girls what they had against Saffron, as she was a beautiful young woman who treated kids like they were people and got them to laugh and have fun. The girls took the bait and went for the most obvious flaws of Saffron, with Ginger blurting out, "She's trying to steal our men. She spreads rumors about us trying to get with a married man and said we tried to get a good looking boy arrested. She says she is into women but we know that she has slept with a dozen boys. She's just a cheap skank who can't get a real man so she is trying to go after peoples sympathies by lying about liking women." Ginger noticed his size and muscles and started to get closer, while Pepper started to rub up against him and flutter her eyes at him. Ginger asked if he had a girlfriend, getting a quick "no" which got the girls to say, "That's a shame, you are better than any of the guys in this town. They are just a bunch of hicks who either are stuck working for their parents or are sucking up to that freak who owns this park. You are the best thing to come around in a long time, it'd be a shame for you to leave without some fun." Will had to force himself from gagging at their bad flirting while thinking about a response that would take care of the girls. He grinned then asked, "What do you have in mind? I'm only here until tomorrow. I can't stay, I have to get back home." Ginger smiled and admitted, "Anything you want. We are into everything you can think of and have done it all with guys. Both of us have. You probably have a huge 'thing', we know some things that will make you never want to be with another girl again." Will had them now. He looked at Claire who was fighting the urge to strike them but was held back by the smiling Jaimie and Stacy. Will just smiled and shot back, "As good as that sounds, I'm in a strongly committed relationship with an honest to goodness billionaire who's the most beautiful woman I have ever seen and who loves me deeply despite my flaws. She's trying her hardest not to rip you to shreds for trying badly to entice me. I'd back away and leave while you can, I doubt her cousins can hold her off any more and the way you two are acting I am inclined to let her do it." The teens around them laughed loud and hard at Pepper and Ginger, while Will added, "Why would I want to be with girls who have just admitted that they have been with dozens of guys? No guy wants that, not unless they want an STD! And you're what, 18? 19? You had to have started young to have amassed that kind of experience with guys making it disgusting. It's a miracle that you two haven't gotten pregnant already but judging how you are acting I say it's only a matter of time until it happens." The girls were outraged that Will had just made them admit their darkest secret to the town, and with it being shared by everyone with a phone with several recording it for posting online. Ginger thought that she had to do something and threatened Will, saying, "I'll ruin you! I'll get people to hurt you! You won't get out town without being beaten to within an inch of your life!" Will just smiled, then asked, "Is that right? Did you just threaten the brother-in-law of a state trooper, nephew-in-law and cousin-in-law of four police officers, and nephew-in-law and cousin-in-law of two federal agents? I heard what happened to your fathers overnight, how exactly can you do anything if you don't have any money to pay for people to hurt me in the first place? Your fathers are in jail and their bank accounts are frozen. You are broke, unless you have a secret bank account then you are in serious trouble as my aunt-in-law and mother will ensure that you two are sued and every penny that you have is looked at and reported to the proper tax collectors with the two of you on the hook for every cent that you illegally earned." Will hated pulling out the "Mom card" but it was the brutal truth. Valerie alone would ensure that they barely had the clothes on their backs and got him a pretty penny. The girls picked the wrong person to threaten, Will was becoming a Finn by marriage and coupled with his mother's accounting magic the girls were in for a rude awakening. Ginger got bold and slapped Will for daring to challenge them. Pepper did the same, while Ginger told him that she would get him back no matter what. Will just grinned, pointed at the security officers, and told them harshly, "Please try to do just that. I know for a fact that you are both out on bail and are in a big heap of trouble when you go to trial. By all means, try something. I have 17 witnesses who will say that you threatened me. I have done nothing to provoke you except turn down your unwanted sexual advances so you have no defense for anything." Will walked off, with Claire grinning as Dave took great pride in telling both girls, "You are hereby banned from entering VentureRealm ever again. Your passes are revoked and your faces logged. Any attempt to enter will result in immediate arrest for trespassing. Just be glad you aren't facing assault charges as he has more important things to do than deal with you two." Ginger tried to say that they couldn't do that, that they had done no wrong. Dave retold exactly what the girls had said, word for word, and played the audio recording of them saying it. They tried to claim that they would sue the park but Jimmy Sloan, Dave's lieutenant, explained that they forfeited their rights to sue as they violated the park's rules each of which they agreed to upon entering the park and which had specifically been told to them just two hours before. Ginger slapped them while Pepper kicked Dave's shins earning both an arrest for assault with the two security officers behind the girls quickly grabbing and cuffing the girls. Dave casually added, "That's a violation of your bail conditions, you are going to be remanded to jail until trial now. You would have just been removed from the park but as you felt the need to assault security we will prosecute to the fullest extent of the law." Both girls gave him a glare and threatened him as they were hauled away but Dave simply told them that he was going to play the threats to the deputies awaiting them at the gate and have additional criminal threat charges added. It was the final nail in the girls' coffins as they were never going to be the same again. There was no way they could escape their charges, and with no money to bribe people to lie or extort people to help them they were looking at several years in prison. It was a sad sight but one well earned for them. The group moved on and didn't speak about what happened, but Will did get a big hug and kiss on the cheek from Saffron for defending her honor. He happily said, "Just my luck that the first girl other than Claire that kisses me is not into guys." Claire shot back a witty, "That's because I lost a bet and was stuck with you, all of the other girls in school wouldn't go near you." Saffron was fighting a laugh but lost causing Will to give her a smile followed by a kiss on the cheek and a hug from Claire to show there that she was happy for her. Will felt good about getting one over on someone who needed it and seeing Saffron ease up was worth the ego bruise from Claire. Claire's dig was a calculated dig that was easy to make and was waiting for the right moment, Will played it perfectly and gave Claire just what she needed to ease Saffron and impress Mace all in one stroke. Time was slipping by and saw the teens' phones ringing and the group rushing to WildForest to get ready for the wedding. The guys went to one side with Saffron while the ladies changed into their new dresses. Saffron was stuck hanging around with nothing to do, Kennedy saw her boredom and gave her the easy yet time fulfilling task of watching the infants so she and Valerie could dress. The two didn't react to Saffron watching them, in fact, they were happy to put on a show for her and do the usual "I'm a cute baby" act while keeping her attention on them. Her maternal instincts kicked in and gave her a bit of heartache but it wasn't anything she couldn't deal with. It felt good to be needed and the two gave her a needed sense of purpose. It took 20 minutes but the ladies came out of the dressing room, each dressed in a slightly different dress that showcased their natural beauty as well as beautiful bead and stitching. There were simple patterns but together made for an ornate looking dress that felt like a second skin to them. The ones who were the happiest were Stacy and Christina, their dresses had a little extra room so their wombs weren't constricted and their baby bumps weren't on full display. Reed, Rick, Miles, and Michael were decked out in traditional shirts, pants, and shoes of the tribes as each was representing the individual tribes with Jaimie, Christina, and Courtney wearing dresses of the same tribes. There was one extra dress, Jaimie looked at Saffron and had to smirk. She was the right size for it and would be acting as Reed's counterpart for the ceremony. Jaimie picked up little Sylvia and asked Saffron to go inside and put on the fourth dress. She tried to refuse but Jaimie explained, "Reed needs you to wear the dress. It's the Lakota version, it'll be part of the story as they don't have a normal marriage situation so you and Reed work out perfectly. It was going to be Reed's girlfriend Jessie but she wasn't able to get time off of work to come with us." Saffron thanked her for including her, then put the fussy Johnny back in his carriage and got dressed in the fourth dress. The other ladies were decked out in similar dresses but not intended to be out in front like Jaimie, Courtney, Christina, and Saffron. They were fine with being with Will, Eric, George, and Scott during the ceremony, it meant more to them anyway as they knew Sylvia better than anyone. John, Willie, Scott, Eric, George, and Will were out next and were dressed in their full Class-A dress uniforms. The kids were next out, with Cat twirling in her dress while JD looked unhappy to have a matching outfit to Cat but without the turquoise necklace. Kylie blushed as she felt her breasts jiggle under her dress, it was the first time she had been without a bra in public that didn't involve her wearing a swimsuit and while it was something she wanted to do before actually doing it was entirely different to actually have her breasts freely moving around only covered by the dress and necklaces. Trent, Missy, Mace, and the Oberlins entered next and were dressed normally, but were each handed turquoise necklaces to wear. Mitch was the last to enter, he was dressed in a loose-fitting pair of pants, white shirt, beaded necklace, and wearing a headband with a feather. He had no problem wearing the outfit, it was able to be customized to each tribe in seconds and meant a lot to the representatives that he would include their customs into his wedding so that many others could observe and learn. The group was brought into the reservation and introduced to the Council of Nations with the head of the Council, Elder StormDawn, greeting all as they approached. He required Linda JumpingDoe to translate for him. The elderly Lakota man was commanding and earned your respect immediately, he was not one who looked like he would accept insults or rude behavior from anyone especially kids. John was intimidated by the man. The others sensed this anxiety and waited for something to happen but Linda walked with Elder StormDawn and greeted John as if he was expected as the head person in the group. John was fighting for words but Elder StormDawn greeted him warmly and offered him his apologies for not meeting him the other day when he visited the park. Linda asked where they were all from, noticing the accent on several of them that was clearly from far off. John had to fight for the right words and explained, "We are from a small city called Winnisimmet, Massachusetts. It's near Boston. It's a 'blink and you miss it' place that has been seen in movies before." She gave a smile and asked about the name. The others gave groans with the Oberlins not realizing her mistake. John was happy to tell her what she wanted to know, it was his lifelong obsession! John had to think for a second then happily explained, "It's a Massachusett dialect of Algonquin word meaning 'good water here', named after the springs on the hills of the city. It's a pain to spell and pronounce right but it's one of the few tribal names that have endured. Saugus, Swampscott, Nahant, Natick, Mattapoisett, Neponset, Mystic, Mattapan, Mashpee, and Aquinnah have endured alongside it but ours gets the most notice thanks to being in the news so often. And yes, Mystic is a native word. It means 'big river' in both the Massachusett and Pequot dialects. The infamous puritan settlers let it go for a good reason, it wasn't connected to the other meaning." Elder StormDawn was smiling at the man understanding his history and willing to tell others about it and with enthusiasm. Linda translated the words and seemed to understand what John meant when he said, "Algonquin". John asked, "Have you encountered members of the various tribes who speak it?" She nodded, adding, "It was part of a cultural exchange and event to garner federal attention to for the needs of our peoples. They were from the Cheyenne and Ojibwe who share some of the basic words and meaning but the base root of the language is still there. It is good to know that some words still survive even if only a few of the people have." The two watched as the representatives from the Navajo, Cherokee, and Pueblo tribes entered and got their items ready for the ceremony. Maggie Red Blanket, the Cherokee leather craftswoman who had created Sylvia's dress and oversaw the designs of the other eight dresses and the five guys' suits, was glad to see a large crowd there already but even happier to hear that they were all part of the wedding. She looked over the dresses and was pleased that they were comfortable and the ladies loved them. Jennifer Colefield arrived with her daughter and set up cameras to record the event, placing them at all angles so they could be edited together into a cohesive video. Cat saw Bethany and introduced herself, then took the scared girl off to the side to play with the other kids while Jennifer worked. Jennifer was about to say something but John explained, "She knows what the equipment is and is not going to pass up a chance to get in the good graces of Queen Tessa by trying to act like a young lady and not a brat. She doesn't know when those will be turned on so she doesn't want to upset our other family members who are going to watch the wedding from home. Her aunts, uncles, and cousins wouldn't be happy if she was acting up at something so important." Cat glared at him but Jennifer smiled as Cat led the timid six-year-old Bethany away. Cat showed Bethany to JD and Billy with both not taking much attention of her. Cat whispered, "They are just bored, they don't like weddings. They want to get back to the park." Bethany giggled at the boys but understood their reasoning. The girls played on their iPads until more kids arrived, being led by Princesses Michelle, Danica, and Nicole. Taylor immediately sought out Cat and hugged Bethany, asking if she was going to join them another time. Bethany nodded, she was busy with some youth programs in town and had to forgo dancing with the girls but was going to do it next time especially as it was going to be part of the park's program now. She asked if Blaire was coming, getting a happy nod and a cheer from Cat. Cat added, "Blaire gets to meet my big sister, she gets to meet a big girl like herself." Bethany gasped but Taylor added, "Cat showed me her picture yesterday, she's really pretty." Cat gave a giggle then pointed to Jaimie sitting with her husband, saying, "She's here for the wedding. She's with her daughter. She's a mommy now. The baby is not nice, she poops when daddy is around." The girls giggled at that and saw how Sylvia was reacting to John whenever he walked by giving them a sense of the fun she was having at his expense. Blaire arrived next with her mother and sought out Taylor and was happy to see Cat there. Cat pointed to Kylie and told her that she was going to introduce her to someone special to them, giving Blaire a big smile as she did so. It took all of her might to get up the nerve to walk over to Kylie but Kylie hugged Blaire and offered a soothing, "You have to meet my cousin Jaimie." Kylie walked Blaire over to Jaimie and gave her a hug, then announced, "I told Blaire that she had to meet you. She just started to transition like us." Jaimie looked over the timid Blaire and smiled at her, pausing for a bit before telling her affectionately, "You are beautiful. I can't say I like the hair but it's growing out and will look cute in a little pixie cut in September. And wow, you really took to those hormones! You are going to be bigger than other girls soon, especially if your family runs large." Blaire was blushing and was having trouble believing that this young woman was like her. Jaimie asked if she was alright, to which Blaire meekly explained, "I don't believe that you are like me, you look too much like a girl to ever be like me." Jaimie smiled then asked if she wanted the full story or cliff notes. Blaire looked around and saw that they had time, so Jaimie explained what happened to her at her age and why she was able to get so large. Kylie added, "It happened to me too, but hers was because the boy who hurt her was being badly hurt himself and he had no choice but to hurt her. You will get there, your mom is average size but she has a small frame so it looks large on her." The trio talking got Madeline, Blaire's mother, concerned. Kennedy walked over and hat to explain, "She is talking with the best person possible to talk to about what's going on with her. She's my niece, Jaimie Samuels, and is another girl like herself and who had a lot happen to her before she transitioned. She's the catalyst for all of our lives changing." Madeline asked if she suffered like Kylie, getting a nod and quick, "And she forgave the boy who hurt her especially as he was being hurt too. He's that young man with the lovely young women sitting quietly next to the girls, trying hard not to say something about who he is. It hurts him to hear the story again. What he did was done due to abuse and he hated doing it to her and regrets ever doing it." Scott was doing his best to not react, which only caused Madeline to see what Kennedy meant. She asked about the others, getting a happy, "They are either direct or indirect family and are all her friends. They have all supported her since she admitted her past and had already won them over before they heard her story. They all got together because of her and she caused ripples that helped dozens of more people across the country as well." Things came to a halt as Tessa arrived with her, "royal guard" security contingent. They were spread out throughout the clearing and were acting as ushers for the adults and children who were involved in the ceremonies. Tessa had a seat of honor in the front while being flanked by the Nicole and Danica, with Michelle acting as an emcee and as a performer for the ceremony and sat at the end of the aisle. Tessa walked over to John and Valerie and asked if all was set, getting a nod while John looked over the crowd to keep out of Johnny's line of sight. This little action caught Tessa's interest and led to trying to speak with him more while Valerie had to stifle a laugh as Johnny stirred and in her arms to get a look at the new person with his grandparents. He caught sight of John and let out a cry, which made for a funny sight as John tried to ignore him but failed. John let Valerie handle things and walked off to take his seat, brooding in his frustration over Johnny putting on another show for a new person. Tessa looked over at Valerie for clarification and was told, "It is a tradition among the babies of the family to treat John like an unwanted person especially if they are around a new person. They ignore him, snub him, cry, release their bodily fluids, and finally refuse to even go to him. It's all for show, you are just the newest person to catch the act. He likes John, he only did it because he saw you and knows you are important." Tessa tried to remain stoic but did afford herself a smirk while thinking to herself, "Poor guy, but it's funny as hell." Valerie realized that the 14 were awaiting an introduction and introduced each of them, with Jaimie and Rick being the last to get introduced. Johnnie was handed off to Courtney and Michael for a nap while Sylvia was handed off to Valerie for some attention with Tessa trying to keep herself from asking about the little tyke as she saw some of the elder Sylvia's traits shining through in her. She was the spitting image of her father and shared some of his prominent features such as his cheeks and nose, but her hair was a lighter shade of brown and matched Jaimie's hair but was a little lighter. Her eyes were a lighter shade of brown as well, with both Jaimie and Rick having darker hazel eyes. She was a beautiful baby, it was painful to know how she was conceived but she was clearly loved. She held Sylvia at Jaimie's insistence, getting an odd look from Trent but a content look from Dave. It was a tender moment for the normally aloof and commanding woman, but she could only act separately from her emotions for so long before having to show some TLC to a little one who deserved it. She had done it before in befriending Taylor when she first met the little girl but normally was all business during the hours that the park was open, giving her a reputation as tough but fair and caring boss. Sylvia wanted Jaimie after a few seconds of giving Tessa a tender moment but gave Tessa a look as if she knew that Tessa had what she needed from her. She was like her birth mother, even if it was not acknowledged there were still some personality traits that were clearly ingrained in both. Tessa didn't say a word over the affection, just letting the little one calm down and Jaimie return to the others. Valerie received a text from Les that they were five minutes out which prompted Michelle to get all into their positions for the wedding ceremonies. When the trio finally arrived, Sylvia was in tears as she saw the 14 sitting in front while Mitch was out of view of her. She was trying to form words but none were coming prompting Jaimie and Christina to hug her and lead her off to the side to help her get into her dress for the ceremonies. When they were alone, she finally asked, "What are you all doing here? How did you get here? Where's Mitch? Oh god, please don't tell me he is hurt!" The two were trying their hardest to calm her, with Jaimie having to have her sit and explained, "He's here. He's off to the side and is awaiting his cue. This is your wedding, your friends at the park wanted you to have something memorable and special. They arranged everything, including getting us here. That fun you had last night? That was your bachelorette party. It's what you told them you wanted." Sylvia dressed in her white dress, which was complete with tassels and beads and looked beautiful on the slim Sylvia. They added a headband similar to the other girls but with a more ornate pattern of beads. It was then followed by necklaces featuring carvings that had special symbolism to the tribes. She was ready and were about to leave but were interrupted by Valerie entering with Michelle. They were told that as Sylvia had no family willing to attend, Valerie was going to serve as her maternal figure and give her away to Mitch as per the customs of the tribes. Valerie happily added, "I told you before to call me 'Aunt Valerie', well as your aunt I'm exercising the right to hand you off." Jaimie giggled while Christina added, "As the head of our family it's your right. Don't kid yourself, mom, you are the only person who any of our aunts and mothers would want to do this. It's your job to do it for Sylvia, none of them would allow you to forgo this right." Sylvia took Valerie's arm and could see off to the other side that Mitch was on his mother Mary's arm as she would be doing the same as the head of his family. She understood now why Valerie was doing it for her instead of Mary, she couldn't do it for both of them and Valerie was like a second mother to her. Before the two duos entered, a fire was lit in the center of the clearing. A prayer was then offered to the ancestors of all in attendance as a blessing for the future of the couple about to be bound together. It was moving as each of the four tribal representatives offered their own versions of the same prayer and blessing, each burning sage and other fragrant sacred herbs as prayers were offered and the elders spoke in their native tongues. Finally, the formal ceremony started. Elder StormDawn offered a Lakota creation story while Linda translated for him. He then offered the traditional prayer of: 0 Morning Star! When you look down upon us, give us peace and refreshing sleep. Great Spirit! Bless our children, friends, and visitors through a happy life. May our trails lie straight and level before us. Let us live to be old. We are all your children and ask these things with good hearts. It was then followed by the girls and women of the dance troupe performing the traditional dances, with Taylor and Blaire both sporting big smiles as they kept in step and performed flawlessly. This was followed by a blanket being held in the air and the couple being led under it as traditional music was played by Lakota musicians and another Lakota elder led the couple under the blanket and around the fire in a circle as Linda proclaimed it to be a procession through the village. This was followed by Linda proclaiming the couple joined together as one in the eyes of the Lakota people. Elder StormDawn smiled and offered his personal thanks for allowing his peoples' customs to be shown, even if they were altered for size and convenience. He took his place alongside the other elders and was replaced by the Cherokee representatives with the men and boys lining up on one side and the women and girls on the other. The Cherokee wedding ceremony saw Valerie taking out a basket containing an ear of maize and a blue blanket and Mary taking out a basket containing a portion of venison and another blue blanket. The couple was led in by their female guardians and led to the front of the fire where the baskets were placed together. They looked into each other's eyes and felt the love of one another while the audience shed collective tears at the subtle beauty of the moment. The elder started to recite the traditional Cherokee wedding prayer as the couple stood together: God in heaven above please protect the ones we love. We honor all you created as we pledge our hearts and lives together. We honor mother-earth - and ask for our marriage to be abundant and grow stronger through the seasons; We honor fire - and ask that our union be warm and glowing with love in our hearts; We honor wind - and ask we sail though life safe and calm as in our father's arms; We honor water - to clean and soothe our relationship - that it may never thirsts for love; With all the forces of the universe you created, we pray for harmony and true happiness as we forever grow young together. Amen. Sylvia then folded her blanket into Mitch's blanket and put her maize into his basket to which he put his venison in her basket as Michelle recited the reasons for such movements. Valerie, John, Les, and Mary then put a white blanket around the couple as a symbol of the two becoming one. The elder of the Cherokees pronounced, "The blankets are joined" symbolizing that they were now married in his tribe. The next to step forward was the healer for the Navajo people, who accepted a gift of the skin of a deer that Les had hunted during the previous hunting season. This was then followed by Les asking John and Valerie for permission for his son to marry their niece. With the blessing of the healer, John and Valerie agreed to the union allowing for the next part of the ceremony to occur. The group walked around the fire, stopping with each step around the fire to recite a vow that the healer had told to them. This was then followed by the couple being seated on a blanket on the ground and a vase of water and woven bowl being brought out to allow the couple to wash their hands. Sylvia first washed Mitch's hands then he washed her hands, symbolizing cleansing themselves. The couple dried their hands and listened as the healer then recited the traditional wedding blessing: Now you have lit a fire and that fire should not go out. The two of you have a fire that represents love, understanding and a philosophy of life. It will give you heat, food, warmth and happiness. The new fire represents a new beginning...... a new life and a new family. The fire should keep burning; you should stay together. You have lit the fire for life, until old age separates you. It was moving and was only heightened as the healer put down a basket filled with cornmeal mush and started to make a circle with a cross in it, then told the new couple to dip three fingers in the mix. They ate the mix and with the symbolism complete the basket was given to Mary to retain for the couple as a sign of their marriage's longevity. The guests were given a similar mix which all ate out of respect, with only the two infants not eating any due to their young age. The Navajo portion ended and the couple cleaned their fingers, waiting for the Pueblo portion of the ceremony to start. The elder offered a traditional prayer to the spirits and the ancestors asking for their blessing and to keep the couple in good faith and in eternal happiness. He then brought the couple forward and offered his own blessing for their happiness and strength to go forward in life. The couple was seated on another blanket and instructed to drink from a vase with two spouts and a handle connecting the spouts that formed a circle. Mitch drank the herbal tea first from one end, then Sylvia drank from the other end. Then, both drank from each spout giving them a symbolic joining. The ceremony seemed to be over but Elaine stepped forward and offered a fifth tradition, that of the traditional wedding vows and ring exchange. Sylvia didn't have a ring to give to Mitch but Les produced two rings, which Mitch recognized as his grandparents' wedding rings. His grandmother's ring was a simple gold ring that had a small diamond embedded in it with rubies around the perimeter, it looked high fashion when it was first made but not what he would have bought for Sylvia. She was too misty-eyed to refuse the gift and thanked Les and Mary for including their family into the ceremony, showing her that she was now part of the Gibson family and no longer on her own. Elaine performed the ceremony with the couple signing their marriage licenses and having John and Valerie sign off as witnesses making the marriage legally binding to go along with spiritually binding. Elaine had to feel great pride as her small part was the least moving part of the ceremony yet Sylvia reacted to it as if it was the most important part, the impact of being a Gibson shook her that hard. The rings were exchanged and Sylvia's ring fits perfectly. She looked at Mary who calmly explained, "It was resized to fit your finger. It was two sizes larger but then again my mother-in-law was a large woman. I hope that you like it, I was hoping that you would." Sylvia nodded and hugged her tightly, crying into her shoulder as Mary hugged her back. There was nothing else to do so the next part started, that of dancing and enjoying being with others. It was part of all of the tribes' ceremonies and was what each could happily agree needed to be included. The kids started to dance with one another followed by the teens. John had to blush as he received a few texts from others with one, in particular, causing him to blush. He looked over at Tessa and calmly told her, "The Lords and Ladies Smith send their regards and their thanks for hosting the wedding and making Sylvia's special day even more special in allowing all of them to observe it." Tessa raised an eyebrow and explained, "All of my sister's family watched the wedding. Her mother and father-in-law watched it with their grandchildren and great-grandchildren over in England while she and her husband watched it in Winnisimmet. You were seen by honest to goodness English lords and ladies: 12 lords and ladies, plus two friends of theirs who are also titled noblewomen." Valerie added, "Two earls, a countess, a future earl, a viscount and two viscountesses, and a baron and two baronesses not counting their infant children. You already have a real knight as well, but he hates to be reminded of that bit of information." Tessa grinned and despite knowing Michael's secret she had to ask anyway. John shook his head and added, "My son, but I think you knew that. The whole family saw it, and I am not in the least bit surprised if the governor saw it as well. His grandchildren are at his home today." That was a surprise but a pleasant one. Tessa just smiled and let it go, it was something that was out of her control and he was an ally to the family if not a member by default so it wasn't going to lead to a problem for her. Her own governor wasn't in the same party as the one in Massachusetts but both share a common bond in putting people first and trying to govern via example. The elders approached John and Valerie and asked to speak with them about the ceremony. John steeled himself for any criticism but they were proud to have conducted something so sacred to their peoples and give a good start to the new life for a couple who had deserved it. John deflected the praise to the elders themselves as they were the ones to make the ceremony special, earning respect from the elders. John was finally asked about the couple as it was rather odd and there were rumors about Sylvia and her connection to John and Valerie. John sighed and explained, "She and my son-in-law were raped by a group of students who got them both drugged up and drunk nearly a year ago that saw her becoming pregnant by him. We gave her help and got the people responsible put in prison. She fell in love with Mitch, who supported her and helped her deal with the problems at the college. She gave up her daughter to be adopted by my daughter but kept close to my daughter and daughter-in-law. She did the noblest and hardest thing a mother can do- give up her child because she can't support her and gave her to someone who could never birth a child of her own." The elders sensed there was more to which John proclaimed, "She is transgender and can never have a child even if she was with a woman. She lost her manhood years ago and before she was 'man' enough to procreate. Her husband fell in love with her at an early age despite knowing she could never birth a child for him. He is proud to be the father to his daughter and she the mother, even if not biologically." The elders understood what he meant and felt pain for Jaimie but pride that she was the right person to be the mother of her new daughter. Linda explained to John, "Two-spirit people like your daughter are the forgotten people in cultures. She is a treasure and exuded a light that shines brightly." John nodded in agreement, adding, "You have no idea how true that is. Dozens of people are touched by her ability to be the most generous, empathetic, understanding person. She is one to turn an enemy into an ally and help bring the best out of you. She is beloved by anyone who meets her and will try to help out your own people as much as she can as a thank you for helping her friend Sylvia today." Across the clearing, Sylvia was walking over to Jaimie and shed a tear as she realized that Jaimie was holding the younger Sylvia in her arms. As soon as she got within sight of the infant, the little one was bouncing in Jaimie's arms and trying to go to Sylvia. It took all of her might to not cry at being so close to the baby that she chose to give up, but little Sylvia was happy and healthy and that mattered most. Jaimie handed her off to Sylvia and sat down to get a break from her daughter's affections. Little and big Sylvia hugged tightly, with the infant giving her a happy smile as she recalled Sylvia's voice. It was a touching moment, with the elder Sylvia seeing how much the younger Sylvia was starting to grow to look like her father and show love to her new mother. It was a moment that her therapist had hoped that Sylvia would have, one of acceptance that what she did was the right thing to do for her daughter and even though she wasn't her mother anymore she was still going to be in her life as her aunt and help her as a guide rather than a parent. She would never be the parent Sylvia needed, Jaimie was too perfect for the little one and Rick was a package deal giving the infant a full battery of love and affection along with support form countless family and friends but all Sylvia could offer her was a single parent, stepfather, and maternal grandparents who hated her. Little Sylvia started to fall asleep and was put into her carriage allowing Jaimie to hug the elder Sylvia and cry into her shoulder over accepting her as Sylvia's new mother. Jaimie feared that Sylvia would not feel as she felt before and may want to rescind their adoption agreement, but Sylvia had no feelings like that and wouldn't dare to think about going back on her word. Jaimie was now little Sylvia's mom. The two sat for a while as their anxieties and fears dissipated, with Jaimie finally telling her, "She is your niece and will be your niece until she can learn the truth. I don't want you shut out of her life, you are still bound to her as family. Rick and I can't just leave you out of her life, we want you to be there." It meant the world to hear those words. Jaimie was a friend but this was different. Hearing the two talk made Valerie and John get a warm feeling in their hearts and a tear in his eye. He looked at Valerie who nodded, Sylvia had become part of the family and would become even closer when they got home. The kids were enjoying their dancing and showed JD, Cat, Kylie, Logan, and Ella how to dance. The boys weren't aware that the dances that the girls were performing were supposed to be done by females, if they did learn it would have caused extreme embarrassment in them and they would have refused to attempt the dancing at all. The girls didn't know that fact and the elders were pleased to see that the kids were trying to learn alongside the girls so it felt best to just let them dance and have fun and enjoy the culture as is and not tell the boys the truth. Michelle tried to get John to dance but found just how badly he was at it. It took all of her willpower to keep Valerie from cracking jokes but Will and the guys happily told Michelle that John had two left feet and the timing of an iceberg making dancing anything except a slow dance impossible. John happily agreed, even going so far as to show Michelle just how bad he was making her back away laughing. Kylie and Cat were dancing better than expected, with Danica and Nichole asking how they were so good. Kennedy pointed out that they had two and three years of ballet dancing already learned with Kylie learning other dances for her school dances that year. She then added that JD and Logan learned thanks to helping with their aunt's dance recitals so the kids had boys around them to dance male roles and dance in the background. Blaire asked if it was true, getting a big nod and happy, "Our aunt is like us, she was born with a birth defect like we have. She became a girl in college and danced until they got rid of her. She loves to teach kids and has a couple more girls and a boy like us in her school. She's even a mother of two boys, she adopted her husband's son and then adopted a boy who needed a home." Blaire felt her heart warming at knowing that she could be successful as a dancer even if she didn't dance beyond special occasions. Kylie had won her over again and was just being honest with her. She gave her the drive to continue being who she really was and learn new things. Kylie asked if she wanted to know more about others like them, getting a fierce head nod. Kylie started to list off the girls and boy like them and what was special about them. Hearing another dancer and one who had been forced to become a girl then thriving as one made Blaire feel bad then great about her lot in life, especially as she learned that she was capable of great things if she put her mind on them. The news of a genius like them caused all sense of self-loathing to evaporate, especially as Blaire saw that being a smart girl was a thing to take pride in. Kylie loved sharing what she knew, it was family and Blaire was trying to learn things about herself. Kylie knew just what to say and even though she was glossing over the tough parts of their lives she still painted a positive future for Blaire. Taylor came over with several other girls and asked what they were talking about. Bethany listened and gasped at hearing about Kylie while the other girls didn't believe her. Bethany was looking at Cat for how to react to the news, with Cat whispering, "She's got a girlfriend too!" which only caused Bethany to smile and see that it was something that was not a bad thing and Kylie was as normal as them. Bethany was just a couple of months older than the twins but she had been around the princesses since her mom was hired to run the IT department at the park. She was in a bubble most of the time but she was a good judge of character. She had heard and seen just what kind of person Kylie was, and to her, Kylie was a good person despite how others felt about how she was born. The little girl just let things go and kept on enjoying the fun as the adults finished breaking down the cameras and chairs and dousing the fire. There was some sadness as they had to get changed but it was quelled when they were told they were going to get lunch at Chef Andre's ?touff?e Caf?. It was also part of the ceremony, one where friends and family shared a meal with the newlyweds. Andre's food was chosen as it was Sylvia's favorite food at the park. She was from Mississippi and grew up around a displaced Cajun family so she got accustomed to enjoying their cuisine and had struck a chord with Andre over her family disowning her for something that she had no control over. He acted like a big brother to her when she needed one, always ensuring that she was alright and met with her counselor and ate her lunch even if others had already ensured that Sylvia had done just that. Andre greeted the group as they entered the restaurant, saying hello to everyone and kissing Sylvia on the cheeks when she entered last. The kids giggled at her blushing but he was a proud big brother to her and happily told her that he watched the whole wedding on the park's special CCTV channel. He gave her the proper due and moved on to the kids, ensuring that the little ones knew that he had seen them and was proud that they did well and acted like little princesses. The food was served, with Andre telling the kids that they don't have to worry about eating seafood as he knew that they weren't fans of it. He just smirked and told them, "Poulet ?touff?e," which none of the younger kids seemed to understand but enjoyed nonetheless. Cat figured it out and boldly proclaimed, "It's chicken," which caused the kids to eat more of ensuring that all had a good helping by the end. John and Reed joined the kids in eating the chicken ?touff?e, showing them that they weren't alone in having it while the teens and adults ate the crayfish and shrimp version. Andre had to be forced to sit down and eat alongside them by Nicole, who herself was dragged into eating by Danica as she was so busy trying to be a facilitator and acting the role as Storm Bayou's princess that she was neglecting her own meal. The kids loved the sight and were happy to see the real friendship between the ladies and Andre, it was their real selves shining through and showed that they were authentic in how they acted. The meal was a big hit and Sylvia was in tears as Andre announced each course as well as the desserts. She was a chocoholic and his chocolate filled beignets doused in cocoa powder were the perfect match for the ?touff?e, giving her a calming end to the meal as well as giving the kids a little sugar rush that propelled them to enjoy the next few hours in the park. Sylvia was sticking with her friends and family, with the Gibsons enjoying the day with their son and daughter-in-law and getting used to the idea that their baby boy had become a man and would in the near future become a father. To the relief of Jennifer, Kennedy, Valerie, and Paige Holloway, their daughters and sons had kept clean and were ready to run around. The four mothers were forced to rush along with them, leaving Willie and John to keep an eye on the three older kids while the teens were on their own. Debbie Oberlin joined Blaire and Kylie as a middle school triad with Ella and Logan going along with them as their older brothers and sisters and cousins enjoyed some private time in the park. Madeline volunteered to take the kids off their parents' hands, getting a thank you from John and Willie while Elaine and Jerrod asked if she was alright with the hyperactive Debbie. Madeline asked if they were alright with Blaire being around their daughter, not wanting her to upset anyone who supported Elaine, especially in an election cycle. Elaine brushed off the fears, Debbie was her own person and if she was alright with Blaire then Blaire was not going to have a problem around Debbie. The kids didn't even talk about Blaire and Kylie's shared secret, they were aware and didn't care. It was a big shock to Blaire but Debbie actually liked Blaire before she started her transition and was happy to be her friend, especially as she was one of the few who wanted nothing from her and whose mother was not trying to use her to get at Elaine. Debbie was her mother's daughter and saw the good in you even if you didn't know it, she was going to befriend Blaire and become her best friend and teach Blaire all there is to know about being a girl even if she had to drag her over kicking and screaming. The girls were getting close and Madeline had to hold back tears at times as Blaire and Debbie walked together and at points shared close conversations. It was new for Blaire, she was actually happy and was acting as close to normal as you can get. She wasn't fearful of anyone hurting her or saying words to her, she and Debbie were true friends now. The girls saw Madeline's reaction which caused Blaire some fear but Debbie hugged her tightly and kissed her cheek, telling her affectionately, "She's happy that I'm being your friend and you aren?t afraid of me anymore. It's just a normal a mom reaction and one she hasn't seen from you before. I like you a lot, you aren't like other girls and boys and I would have been your friend sooner but you always ran home after school before we could talk." Blaire timidly asked, "Are you OK with me liking girls? I don't want it to be awkward for you." Debbie gave her a big smile, telling her, "My cousin likes girls, but she's too old for you." Saffron was cute but she was not Blaire's type, she preferred girls who were more adventurous. Debbie would have been her type of girl but Debbie wasn't into girls and was just a friend anyway. It hit Blaire hard, she actually loved the idea of having a best friend who shared things that she liked and who she could talk about things with that nobody else could understand especially her mom. Saffron was busy dealing with Rick Oberlin's love life as the poor boy was tongue-tied as he saw the girl that he had his eyes on for months. Saffron thought that she looked pretty plain, but Rick seemed to be enamored with her beauty. The girl noticed his lingering stares and blushed, she had a clear interest in him but the 16-year-old couldn't bring himself to talk to her let alone ask her out. Saffron casually asked the girl about Rick, getting a blush and reluctant, "He's too handsome for me, he could get any girl in school if he wanted to. He's always nice to me but the guys around him are jerks. I like that he isn't too much of a jock, but he's too good to date someone like me." Saffron smirked, then shot back, "He's head over heels in love with you. He can't keep his eyes off of you. He has had those idiots Ginger and Pepper after him since they started growing breasts so he has kept away from most girls for their own protection but he loves you. Give him a chance." Saffron backed away and pushed Rick forward, forcing him to meekly say, "Hi" while trying to look away from her in embarrassment. Saffron walked off, but first told the two to talk or else she would make them go out and would have Debbie asking a bunch of annoying questions. That was enough to get Rick to walk off with the girl who asked if he really did like her then told him that he was too good for her and he could get a better girl easily if he wanted to. Rick did the only thing that he could think of and kissed her deeply then told her, "You are worth it. I have loved you since the 7th grade and don't want bimbos or other girls- I want you. I need you." The two kissed deeply, this time with her initiating the kiss. She was gasping for breath but finally got herself together as she had to return to work at the games booth that she operated, but first made plans to go out with Rick later on in the week when she had the night off. Rick was walking on air as he saw Saffron, trying hard not to thank her but loving her for making them talk. Saffron had a smug look on her face, to which Rick had to admit she had been right and he was being a fool to not try to go after the girl of his dreams. She felt that it was part of her job as his older cousin to help out Rick, but it was also a penance for how she acted for years to others. She was just happy to finally help someone instead of doing them harm. Rick's sudden happiness caught his parents by surprise. They asked Saffron what was going on, only to be told, "He's in love and has a date with his dream girl." Elaine was about to demand an answer but the sight of him smiling at his new girlfriend as she passed by him stopped her inquiry in its tracks. Mace had a tougher time with Missy as his aunt was close by and keeping an eye on them. It was more to ensure that the two weren't going too far too fast and do something that they might regret or end up in a compromising situation leading to one or both giving up their dreams. The two were an item by all accounts, but they were acting more like they were married than just starting a relationship. Mace got some ribbing from guys that he went to school with as they walked through the park. He was happy to show off Missy and she, in turn, was happy to play the loving girlfriend. They felt anxious around Elaine but she left them far enough away to not interfere with their romance. The couple kissed under a tree and couldn't stop smiling as others that they knew were shocked to see the two together let alone kissing so deeply. Mace's biggest fears regarding his relationship with Missy was that Basil and Dill would do something to sabotage him, which he had heard rumblings about the past two days. He would never leave Missy, and the two were just talk and little action anyway. Dill and Basil had been hard at work behind the scenes trying to work against Mace to the point that they had a bunch of guys willing to "knock some sense into him" for a price. It was in the planning stages but unfortunately for the duo was never going to happen, once their dads were in jail the money was tied up and the two were stuck with nothing. That only led to the two trying to get into the good graces of girls to get them to go after Mace but with the help of Trent working as Missy's unofficial uncle all attempts stopped dead in their tracks as he carefully told the girls to back away or they would have a lot to answer for and would pay for trying to ruin Missy- literally and figuratively. The two couldn't land a girl in their hometown without their money, and thanks to the work of Sheriff Roy Dodd, DA Howard O'Neil, and both Miles and Reed, there was no money left for the two to use regardless. Their fathers had only a small amount available to them to use for legal defense that was from outstanding payments owed to them from legitimate business deals but otherwise they were bankrupt. The duo was left with houses that they didn't own and no jobs nor prospects for jobs other than as dishwashers or fast food workers. Trent was working with Jerrod to go after Chili Carney, Sage Herbert, and Magnus Opal for the money owed to him and was finding that the Sage had owed more money than he actually had on hand. All of his finances were in a shambles and when Trent was finished the only thing he had left was his house but that was going to need to be sold to pay his mounting legal expenses. Chili and Magnus were no better, all they could do was sign over their homes to Jerrod as compensation leaving Rose Opal out in the cold and begging her brother for help. Jerrod had to field multiple calls for help from his sister, all of which he ignored to the point of shutting off his cellphone. In the morning Rose showed up at his door and begged him to help her. He just gave her a big smile and angrily told her, "You ignored me for 19 years and only came around when you had need for my help, repeatedly forced my niece to endure men who were nothing but lecherous perverts, and try to have two people who are the most upstanding of citizens that you will ever encounter in life arrested and you have the gall to ask for help? No." Rose wouldn't accept that he was refusing to help, telling him that he had an obligation to help her out of respect for their family. Jerrod scoffed at that, asking her, "What about your duty to your daughter? What about your duty to protect her? You tossed her out when she refused to be a pawn of two jealous sluts whose fathers got your husband into this mess. Don't contact me again, we are through." Rose left him with an angry threat, but Elaine happily told her, "You have nothing to use against him, and there is not one person in this town that will help you hurt me. Well, maybe your lover can be duped into helping you so long as you continue to give him a little bit of sex. Sadly he doesn't have a chance of beating me in the election and he won't leave his wife for you. I may tip her off about the two of you having a longstanding affair though, I'm tired of dealing with your messes anyway." Rose left in a hurry but Elaine made the phone call to her friend, the woman who happened to be the wife of her opponent in the election, to warn her that she couldn't hold off on her secret any longer. It was fine with the woman, she was ready to file for divorce anyway. He was starting to get too far out of line regarding Elaine and some of what he wanted to do were beyond politics: it was all well and good to go after Elaine for her actions in office, but going after Saffron and her sex life was too much. That afternoon in the park, Elaine was shocked to receive a text from her friend explaining how her husband had just been caught in bed with Rose and she had tossed him out of the house for his rampant infidelity. She was proud to file for divorce and seek sole custody of their kids. It took all of Elaine's energy to not call her, she knew it wouldn't help things but she did text that she knew a good lawyer. Jerrod noticed this interaction and asked about it. Elaine sighed and informed him, "Your sister was just caught in bed with my rival. I'm sorry to say it, but it looks like she's going to file for divorce from him and take him for everything that he has. He's stuck with Rose, but it's only until he loses every penny." Jerrod just nodded and moved on, there was nothing that he would do to help Rose and she deserved everything that she was getting. Her house was going to be sold to pay him back so they were stuck with finding a new home, a new job, and good lawyers to defend against their divorces. It was not the best news to tell Saffron and Mace, but both understood and were glad Rose got her comeuppance. Trent was enjoying the day with Tessa and Missy. When Mace joined them he asked if he had decided on what he was going to study in college. Mace had to think and blushed as he said, "Law. I wanted to be a lawyer but dad hates them and wanted me to work for him so that's not happening now." Trent could sense that he needed an experienced hand and countered, "You have a quick mind and a long memory. From what Missy has told me, you are the perfect kind of person to be a lawyer. You just need to hone your skills and learn. Judging by your business classes in school, you might make for a good business attorney and guide clients through mergers, acquisitions, and other kinds of messes." Trent was no fool, from what he had been told about the recent high school graduate, Mace was going to be one of the best lawyers in the town when he graduated from law school and Trent wanted to have him working alongside him. Mace was trustworthy, loyal, and had the personal integrity that he wanted from a lawyer. Mace just needed confidence, which was starting to build but it would take years and the support of Missy to break through to undo his father's influence. Missy may have been going for a paralegal degree, but she and Mace would make for a good office for his small firm in seven years when Mace went to pass his bar exam. He just hoped that Mace didn't get enticed by offers from large firms in the cities, they wanted him for his ability to make money and for his access to his aunt. Hopefully, Mace saw local ties as a good thing but he was his own person. Trent asked when they started their semester at the local college. Mace blushed and reluctantly told him, "I haven't applied yet. Things happened so fast and my dad wouldn't let me send out applications to any of the colleges in the state or neighboring states." This was not a problem for Trent, he had a good working relationship with the local university and could get Mace signed up in a matter of seconds especially as he had strong support behind him in Tessa and with multiple strong character references. Trent made a phone call and got everything set up for the two to go to the nearby state university in two days time to speak with the admissions officials about their education. He would be in a business college but it was his best fit. Even if Mace failed as a lawyer, he had a good degree to fall back on which would be sought after by the town's many businesses. Tessa remained stoic but was pleased to see Trent's initiative in helping two who were benefits to him and to the town. She loved that her friend was covertly doing something for himself even if it was helping other people. She didn't need to say anything, he knew she heard everything and wouldn't hesitate to put in a word with both the university and with the bank regarding a loan. Across Storm Bayou, John and the elders were talking about how he could help young people in their tribes. John was serious about offering some financial support for education, there were those who fell through the cracks because they had commitments to the family that caused issues with their grades and made them look lazier and apathetic as students. He wanted to help, which would trickle down to help the tribe as a whole as they would be able to perform needed jobs beyond simply existing. There was passion and empathy in his voice, which was what they knew to be him doing it for the good of the people rather than for image purposes. John was known to be a philanthropist, but it's different to give money because you care rather than give money because you can. They agreed to talk with their tribal councils and arrange something, many could use the help right away. Taylor's and Blaire's dance troupe led the kids through the park and enjoyed talking with them about the city and how different it was from Bayleston. It was weird to hear about all the different people and even odder to hear how it was dangerous and fun at the same time. The kids were hooked on the stories but some of them had to be watered down to protect the kids' friends' privacy. When they passed by Sgt. Kowalski, he happily said, "Hello Duchess Kylie, Princesses Ella and Cat, and Princes JD and Logan." The five cringed as he said that, with Kowalski smiling at getting one over on them. He knew that it was forgotten by them that they had been dubbed that by Tessa but it was worth reminding. Taylor asked what that was about, Kylie explained, "It's because of Queen Tessa. She dubbed us that since we are 'visiting nobles from the Kingdom of Wonderland'. It's the name of the closest amusement park to our hometown. Uncle John would be the King of Wonderland so we would be the next level down from a king and queen, Cat and Ella are princesses and JD and Logan are princes. I'm a duchess because I'm not his daughter, I'm only his niece." Cat added, "Our cousins are really nobles. They saw the wedding." JD nodded while Logan explained, "Our aunt is married to a noble and our cousins inherited titles. It's complicated and our eldest cousins would rather not have their titles since they inherited them from their great- uncle." All the others could say was a collective, "Awesome!" They didn't need to know more, it was something that Tessa would do and there was no hint that it was a lie. Logan sounded remorseful about the death of a relative making it even more powerful and meaningful to them. The kids walked on and enjoyed more rides before they had to return to their parents. Taylor hugged Cat tightly while JD reluctantly hugged her and had to move away as she tried to kiss his cheek. He was too old for that kind of stuff anymore and to get one from a girl who wasn't related was too much. Bethany had kept quiet during her time with the kids. She and Cat stuck together when the kids left and was feeling a little overwhelmed by the number of kids who were around. She had fun, and Cat ensured that she enjoyed herself. When the kids went on rides too big for them Cat and JD waited with her. She was only a couple of months older than the twins but they were the same size. They were smaller than the others which only make things tougher for Bethany but to JD and Cat, it was alright since they were happy to have her there with them especially as she knew the park better than anyone thanks to her mom's job. Cat sensed Bethany's fears and told her that the kids were alright with her and she had the best mom in the world since she worked in a fun place and Bethany knew all of the princesses personally and got to taste all of the cool foods and treats that the chefs came up with. Bethany hadn't thought about that but it was true, she did get to do all of that stuff and she was often the first to try out the new rides and get to play the games when they were being looked at by the park. Her mom working at the park was the best thing in the world, she even got to be babysat by Tessa when her mom had to do things at a far off place for the park and got treated like a princess by everyone in the park during those times. Jennifer arrived to take Bethany off their hands and was met with a big hug from the little girl. Cat had a big smile on her face while JD just shrugged, it was typical Cat behavior. Jennifer asked if Bethany had fun and if she enjoyed being around the other kids now that she was going to be going to school, getting a nod and happy smile from Bethany as she realized that school would be just like that at times. Jennifer left with the relieved Bethany starting to show fatigue from the fun. The five walked on with the grinning Kennedy, who had kept herself a discrete distance from the kids but close enough to be there in case they had trouble. It was time to go and the kids were showing exhaustion even if they were not ready to admit it, with only Kylie, Ella, and Logan not showing signs of slowing down. The family gathered together to leave, with Sylvia and Mitch being given hugs and kisses from the 14. Mary and Les had to suppress tears as they saw Sylvia and little Sylvia hugging goodbye, with the little infant being happy to get attention for Sylvia but showing no signs of wanting to remain with her. She had become so accustomed to Jaimie that she never realized that Jaimie wasn't her, "real" mother but she did show love to Sylvia as she did to the other ladies and even Mary. Mitch received a wedding present from his parents, a cruise around the Caribbean in a stateroom. It was also advised to not get too overly enthusiastic but they supported the couple should anything come from their, "Fun". Mitch blushed deeply but it was his parents showing that they wouldn't abandon the two no matter what, unlike Sylvia's birth parents had done to her in her time of need. The group departed the park with Will, Eric, George, and Scott saluting Dave, who returned the salute. They had spent enough time around military officers to know one when they saw one, and Dave being the head of the company of security officers was worthy of a salute from them just on principle. Rick, Michael, and Miles didn't salute but did shake Dave's hand as they left and offered a quick, "You run a tight ship," as they departed, which meant a lot to Dave and the officers as it meant they did their best possible job for the guests. At the hotel, the twins and Billy took a nap while the teens relaxed and John got to work changing the two infants' diapers. Valerie had to feel for him, and tell him that she had miscalculated on something. He blushed and asked, "You were so busy getting things in order for the trip and helping Courtney and Jaimie that you forgot when you were due, didn't you? I may be busy at times but I thought the timing was off. I'm sorry honey, I know you would have loved to have shared your love one more time." Valerie blushed and added, "It's fine, and we both agree about Sylvia becoming part of the family. She will be a good daughter for us. She needs love and support and she will get it from us." Michael, Miles, and Jaimie heard all of this and gasped at what they meant, they would be Sylvia's siblings. Michael shook his head and smiled. Jaimie looked at him oddly while Miles nodded. Miles explained, "Sylvia's going to be adopted by mom and dad. They want her to be part of the family in full. She's going to be the big sister to Cat and Ella that you can't fully be. Sorry, but it's true for some things." Jaimie wasn't offended by that, as much as she could give them advice and deal with clothes and boys she was in no way able to help them deal with periods and personal hygiene that came with it. She loved Sylvia and doing this for her was a big step for her as she now had siblings and support, especially as Mitch was going to have to endure agents seeking him out for when he was drafted into the NFL. The family wouldn't let them take advantage of Mitch, and with their clout, nobody would bother Mitch or try to go after him for his relationship to them. Dinner was spent in the hotel's restaurant with everyone feeling that it was too much of a strain to go out on the town and endure the restaurant owners trying too hard to please them or cause others to have to wait until they were done with their meal to have their six tables. The restaurant wasn't too bad, it was actually much better than some of the restaurants in town but they didn't try to advertise too much as it would offend too many people in town due to being in a major hotel corporation's hotel. Elaine was trying to work with them to get them to try to improve their reputation, but the town's restaurants worked against her actions frustrating her at each bend. The group went to bed and were up early the next morning as they packed all of their clothes and the little gifts that they hadn't had a chance to send off. The Penas went off on their own with their rented RV while the Finns and the 14 teens drove to the airport for their private plane home. The four Gibsons saw them off, with Sylvia being told that when she returned from the cruise to go see John and Valerie. The plane was as large as a regional passenger plane and looked normal, but inside it was luxurious and had all of the comforts of home. The Gibsons were impressed, but John had to tell them, "We would have flown in a smaller private plane but with these 14 joining us it was the smallest we could get. I hate showing off my wealth but it was necessary." The Penas were simply happy to drive off once the Gibsons left, Kylie did have a quick hug with Blaire and was happy to see that Debbie was there enjoying her new friendship with Blaire. Taylor was also there, but she was being babysat by Blaire's mother Madeline while her mom was called into work. Taylor was doing her best to enjoy the two and was treated like one of them despite their age gap. The Penas drove onward, first stopping in St. Louis to enjoy the city and the famous metal arch and were lucky to be in town when the St. Louis Cardinals were playing. Billy enjoyed the sights and even got to enjoy a foul ball landing at his feet causing him to appear on TV and smile at the cameras. He and Willie bonded more that trip than they had during the previous three years that they had been together, making father and son happy and giving Billy a sense of pride at being a son to Willie. Their next stop was Chicago then Erie, PA. Chicago was a two day stop which was fine with the kids especially as they enjoyed the museums while Reed enjoyed some time with his mother as they talked about his upcoming work with her office. For the first time ever, he was acting like Reed the colleague and not Reed her son. She felt a sense of pride as well as a tinge of old age as the young teen that she had taken into her home when he needed a parent had grown to be someone that she could hold a long, well thought out conversation with about things that both enjoyed doing. It was similar to how Willie felt with Billy now that he was old enough to appreciate these father/son moments, it was her bonding with her son on a more personal level and it felt great to her. She may have shared hundreds of hours just talking at home with Kylie and walking around the city as they spent time as mother/daughter to bond over their shared budding femininity, but Reed was different. Her boy had become a man and with it, he had started his next phase in life and sought guidance from her in a way that she had once felt she may never share- passing on her knowledge to her offspring. Kylie knew not to say anything about her mother and brother getting closer, she was just happy that it was because Reed was working with their mom and not because something bad had happened. She and Willie had not had that kind of moment yet but she still loved him and although they didn't share much in common she still loved that he was there for her. He was her dad, and he understood her. The family drove onward and enjoyed a fun family outing, even stopping briefly in Niagara Falls to take pictures from the US side. The whole family felt stronger after the finally arrived back in their hometown, with the kids spending hours telling their friends about the trip and what they did. Reed and his girlfriend Jessie were inseparable, but the two simply missed one another and after hearing about the troubles that Reed encountered she felt the need to be close to him to show that he was alright. Things in Bayleston were dire for the incarcerated Chili, Sage, Magnus, Ginger, and Pepper. They were met with a harsh reality that they were not going to receive special treatment from deputies overseeing them nor get help from anyone since they had nothing to use against anyone and had no access to their money. When they were arraigned in court all of their crimes were listed for the town to hear with most gasping at the actions of the five as their true faces were exposed for all to see. It took a lot for Howard O'Neil to not smile as he heard the list of charges against the five but he did allow some pride to show through as the girls were remanded to custody for breaking their bail for their assaults on Dave and the VentureRealm security officers. The girls fought the deputies as they were told that they were not getting out, getting more charges of assault brought against them while their fathers had to feel that the world was closing in on them as their pride and joy were shown to be nothing but spoiled brats having temper tantrums. The girls were no different than their fathers, they were just as nasty and not afraid to show that they would hurt you to get what they demanded. When they tried to contact their sons to get them to force their, "employees" to get them out, Basil and Dill were apprehended and forced to accept a plea bargain to testify against their fathers or they would be facing prison for soliciting hit men who were going to, "Take out" key people to force the release of Sage and Chili. They were no fools, they agreed to testify as their fathers were stuck with nothing to use against them and would have left them to rot in jail if they were free and their sons in jail. They testified against their fathers and were ridiculed by them in court but it only served to work against Chili and Sage in the eyes of the jury. Justice was swift and merciless as the three men were tried and convicted on dozens of counts of fraud, embezzlement, criminal conspiracy, assault, hiring hit men, drug trafficking, and bribery. Their daughters were no better, they were tried and convicted of criminal conspiracy, assault, extortion, civil rights violations, and even sexual soliciting as they tried to entice several teens in town while out on bail before the arrests as well as deputies in the jail during their trial. The whole group was sentenced to prison sentences ranging between 10 and 40 years, with Sage getting the worst sentences as he had been the mastermind behind it all. Dill and Basil were evicted from their home when it was sold, with the two having to seek temporary shelter with friends. After a few weeks, they were forced to get jobs and ended up working as strippers in the next county just to make ends meet. Initially they were humiliated by the jobs, but then started to enjoy them after they saw that they were no longer going to have to worry about their fathers and the job was steady money with the ladies enjoying the duo and the duo enjoying the fun side of being free. The duo never returned to Bayleston, instead they stayed on at the strip club as dancers and later as the new managers. They turned their lives around and earned college degrees but still spent much of their time at the club among ladies. They dated and married women who had taken a shine to them and were new men, with the ladies being the ones who finally showed that they were not their fathers. Rose Opal was publicly ostracized by her brother and sister-in-law over her extramarital affairs. She lost everything in her divorce from Magnus and forced to live on the streets as she had nowhere to go and as the family home had been in Magnus' name before being sold to Mace as a way of getting quick cash for his legal defense. Mace refused to help his mother and told her to never contact him again and if she did he would file a restraining order against her, forcing her out on the streets without a home. She and her lover were forced to move into a small trailer on the outskirts of Bayleston, one where she had once claimed she would send her daughter if she ever got out of line. It was a fitting punishment for a woman who had wronged her family in multiple ways as well as a happy bit of comeuppance that she needed. Neither Mace nor Saffron took pleasure in seeing Rose forced to live in such poverty but it was her own doing and with luck Rose and her lover would become better people. Mace borrowed money from Elaine and Jerrod to buy his family home, but the loan was not needed as Jerrod got full payment from Sage's manipulations of the Herbert Corporation, the business that was the front for Sage's illegal activities and who "owed" Jerrod. Jerrod told Mace that it was a gift from family and he should make it his own home, refusing to be paid back a penny and holding the money that owed from Sage in trust for all four of the Oberlin children. Saffron moved in with Mace and convinced Missy to move in as well, with the couple sharing a bed instead of trying to act like they were just roommates when they were already lovers...not that she would dare tell them that she knew. Saffron, Mace, and Missy went to the local university together and became friendly with other LGBT students. Saffron blossomed at the university, shedding her timidity and anxiety and becoming a strong force among the freshmen. She met and fell in love with a fellow student, an older woman who was in the same degree program as her but who was trying to earn a second degree to have a fallback career. The two dated for months before she moved in with Saffron, Mace, and Missy. She acted like a big sister to the trio but was in love with Saffron and was happy to have someone who knew the same pain and suffering of hiding her true self from the world while finally getting help when they needed it. It was a chance that they were in the same classes that semester, but to them, it was fate and led to marriage when the two finished their fall semester together. Elaine cruised to an easy victory as her opponent's infidelity and subsequent attempts to use her being so close to Saffron as well as her connection to Magnus and indirectly Sage and Chili fell on deaf ears. All of that was known to the town and none of it mattered as Elaine's strong record of being friendly to the LGBT community was not up for debate and it was seen as a sleazy move that hurt people who were not running for office. His loss was only made worse as his ex-wife came out in support of Elaine and thrashed her ex-husband for being a hypocrite for extolling family values while he himself was sleeping with a married woman. The Gibsons received some flak from troglodytes in town over their son being "allowed" to marry someone who was seen as unfit and beneath him. Their true intentions were clear, they had wanted Mitch to marry their own daughters so they could exploit his fame for their own needs. Les had harsh words for most of them, with Mary calling them out for trying to force their daughters on her son when he was his own man and could choose whom he wanted to marry as he was old enough to do so. Mary held firm and when pressed too far she refused to even speak about her son to anyone who she did not like. She had enough friends and had a steady job with US Postal Service so there was nothing that could be done to her. Les, however, went one further and happily told them that they were trying to upset a man who could easily ensure that their businesses were bought out and sold to outsider companies without breaking a sweat, especially as they were targeting his new daughter. John and his wealth were legendary in the town after only a few days of actually being there making the threats prophetic and true, he would do just that to protect his family. Les and Mary were left alone by the town after that, the only people who dared to speak with them were the ones who were actually their friends and who were happy to see Mitch enjoying his life and finding the woman of his dreams. It didn't matter one bit that Mitch had married a woman who had a child out of wedlock, Sylvia had shown to many that she was a great daughter and who had won over them without realizing it. Mary did have to play things close to her vest when sports agents started to come calling at her house. Les let her have her fun, he was too short- tempered and would have ended up in jail because he couldn't stop himself from hurting them. Mary was nicer, she would make you see the error of your ways without so much as lifting a finger or raising her voice. The agents were asked if they were registered with the NCAA and if they were aware that she could ensure that they never set foot on a college campus if they didn't back away from trying to speak with an amateur athlete by way of his or her family. They tried to call her bluff but she recited the very same regulations that she was referring to word for word making them back away. Word spread after the first to lose his license was uncovered, the few who challenged her and even threatened her found that they were in legal trouble and facing bans from all major sports for their actions and barred from speaking to any athletes while they were enrolled as students in the US. Mary and Les found themselves often having to speak with Blaire and the perky Taylor while they were at the post office, with the two hearing stories about Mitch and Sylvia that they had just been told and loving every second of the kids seeing things differently than they had in the past. The kids were like new people and were more outgoing, making the Gibsons proud to have played a small part in that. Blaire found herself being treated differently once school started. She had Debbie by her side and in the same classes, but she was never fully sure if Debbie was her friend or not. Debbie was her friend and was more than happy to introduce Blaire to her friends so Blaire had ones of her own, especially ones who Debbie knew were OK with Blaire's transition. Blaire received a lot of stares and whispers throughout the first weeks of school but with Debbie by her side, she found her inner strength to ignore them and focus on school and her new friends. Her being friends with the girls caused a lot of tension among parents, especially when Elaine was forced to ask the parents what they really had against their daughters being friends with Blaire, with their daughters asking if it was because Blaire was once a boy or that she liked girls. Blaire's sexuality was addressed by the girls early on, with Blaire telling them about the people that she had met who showed her that just because she was a girl inside didn't mean that she had to immediately like boys. The girls started to realize that Blaire wasn't a threat to them nor did she like them that way, even if she did find them attractive. Blaire didn't fall for any of her new friends, there were girls who liked girls in her school but the ones who did keep to themselves and their friends and ignored Blaire entirely as they didn?t see her as a "real" girl despite her budding breasts and growing hair. The boys in school were told about what happened to their colleagues over the summer and when they heard that the girls had been close to the princesses of VentureRealm they started to act nicer to them but still hostile to Blaire. She didn't react, they had their reasons for being that way and it was tough to go against years of knowing Blair the boy while looking at Blaire the girl. There were a couple who treated her nice and who had been nice, but distant, to her before her transition. Those boys were the only boys who got close to the girls of the school, especially Blaire's friends. They were seen as the most mature among boys and once the girls started to get to know them the girls found out that they were not the boys they thought they were. The boys were interested in the same things as the girls, with some differences in typical things like shopping and after-school activities but still it was a big shock to them to learn that they were alike to the point of being different only in anatomy and clothing making both groups see that they had a lot to learn from one another. Blaire and Debbie became close friends. There were snide remarks about their closeness but Debbie was happy to be her friend regardless of what others thought or said. Blaire loved Debbie but happily said she was a sister not a potential date, making Debbie hug her tightly and say the same to Blaire. Debbie hosted several sleepovers at her house and enjoyed Blaire being around especially as she took no notice of what Blaire had in her panties when she accidentally saw it when the two changed. The other girls were intrigued but once they saw that it was no big deal they treated it like a deformity and never took notice of it again, giving Blaire the needed support and unintentionally showing that they were true friends and not just friends through Debbie. When they returned from their honeymoon cruise, the newlyweds were immediately put to the test as Mitch had to start training camp before the start of the football season. Sylvia moved into their new apartment off campus and started to prepare for her new start at the nearby Smif College and got to know her new classmates who had some compassion for her but felt a little put off by her being married and not able to enjoy the, "Fun" that they wanted to have with the UMass and college area guys. Sylvia didn't let them get to her, it made them look worse as those who had families and friends nearby understood why she was not letting Mitch get away from her and married so young. She made sure to go to Winnisimmet every weekend to visit John and Valerie as well as the others. It was during one of those trips that she was shown the paperwork that would change her life forever. It was something that she would never dare admit, but she dreamed of being their daughter ever since she had seen just how loving they were to Michael, Miles, and Jaimie as well as their spouses. Sylvia was in tears as she signed the forms, with Valerie and John hugging her after her shaky hand finished with her signature. It was tough on all three of them and made even tougher as the seven entered and saw the two hugging Sylvia. John pulled himself together and told all of them, "We did what we felt was best for Sylvia, we made her your sister. Don't make a big deal out of this, it's already tough enough for her and it'll be even tougher when she tells Mitch tonight." The group helped her take a room in the Finn home, one that would be hers and Mitch's when they were in town on the weekends. Sylvia took a few hours to come to terms with having new parents, ones who were what she had wanted her's to be but never became. She felt even better when she realized that she now had four younger siblings who looked up to her, with Ella and Logan feeling like it was their turn to help ease someone into the family after Cat and JD helped them a year and a half before. Mitch was satisfied with how everything turned out. John and Valerie were the perfect in-laws and he could immediately see how people started to back away from him once they heard about Sylvia's new family. Those who didn't back away were met with swift action by the school and the state, especially those who tried to extort Mitch to get something for themselves. It always ended badly, Mitch was just too heavily entrenched in the Finn Family to get anything other than their just desserts. When Sylvia found herself pregnant in the fall, John and Valerie helped her deal with it and keep the school from forcing her out. It was tough for Sylvia but with the help of the family, she was able to arrange for a sitter and complete her degree while Mitch dealt with his own studies and football. She was always supportive of Mitch, but the extra support from John and Valerie was what made her stay with Mitch whenever her fears of infidelity and jealousy of other girls got the better of her. The whole family gathered for the birth of Sylvia and Mitch's first child together, with Les and Mary coming east to see the birth and help the couple deal with the aftermath of becoming parents. Little Lester Miles Gibson was the spitting image of his father and carried his mother's eyes and hair color, making for a stark contrast to his dad's deep blue eyes and blonde hair. He was his father's son making Sylvia happy that he wouldn't take notice that he happened to have the same hair and eyes as the younger Sylvia, his biological half-sister. Les and Mary got to meet the rest of the family and saw just how much of an impact John, Valerie, and the rest had on so many others with Sylvia just being the newest in a large number of people. They were proud that their son had joined them indirectly, then directly, and had a family there when they couldn't be. He was closer to Miles and Rick Samuels than his friends in high school, with the two being what they had hoped the guys in Bayleston would become but never did. Sylvia spent the rest of her summer in Bayleston, going to VentureRealm for only three weeks in total thanks to the birth of little Les. Her absence was felt but it was allayed when her work at the park was done mostly as followups to her work from the Finn home just before giving birth. She had done a lot in a short period of time and what she did do was banked for later use by the marketing department. The ladies at the park kept asking for pictures of Les, with Sylvia blushing at how often they said he was cute and how he looked like his father. Danica, Michelle, and Nicole were all in tears when she told them that they would be mothers one day, their commitment to the park was something that was preparing them for motherhood. It was from the heart and she was full of hormones, but it was the kind of encouragement that they needed even if they didn't realize it. Tessa was pleased with the work that Sylvia had done and was even happier to see the little one and enjoy listening to how Sylvia had made a strong impact on so many of the younger employees at the park. The few who were not happy with Sylvia were jealous of her and thought that she was getting special treatment from Tessa. She wasn't, the park had a strong maternity/paternity leave system and she had prepared herself in advance for the loss of hours but had done more than she would have done if she had worked the full eight weeks over the summer. When she and Mitch graduated, they moved permanently to Winnisimmet. Tessa couldn't sway her to stay with the park but she made a pledge to visit every summer with her kids especially since there was no way that they could visit Les and Mary and not visit the park too. It was the best that Tessa could do, and something that she happily accepted especially as Sylvia was one of her greatest employees. The park itself thrived on its own, but the visit by the Finn and Pena families left a lasting impression on it. They weren't just VIPs, they were people who came with a sense of wanting to enjoy something different and left feeling like it was the best trip that they could have hoped to have. The town was its own entity, but the park was the place to enjoy and they did just that. Tessa was pleased that they had done exactly as she had planned. Sure there were outside influences that changed plans during the visit, but they were exactly as she had thought could happen. The Finn and Pena families were ones to respect and admire, and after spending time with Tessa she had earned the same from them. VentureRealm would never be the same, but change can be a good thing.