Liberty Diner was nearly full. The hustlers had ended their shift and were all packed into their usual booths to grab a bite to eat before finding somewhere to bed down for a few hours. The college kids were all cramming their minds full of last minute facts and their mouths full of whatever ​sludge the cook called breakfast. And business men and women were catching up on the latest gossip, consuming their normal quotient of coffee before heading off to work.
Near the center of the action, occupying two booths across from one another, sat a large part of what most Liberty Avenue regulars called “The Family”. Ted, Blake, Drew, and Emmett sat at one table while Melanie, Lindsay, Michael, and Ben occupied the other. Kiki, Debbie, and Betty had their hands full trying to keep up with the constant demands of their customers. “Keep your fucking shirt on!” Debbie yelled, as someone banged his coffee cup on the counter, demanding a refill. “You bang that cup at me one more time, and it will be the last fucking thing you ever bang, got it?” She had a deceptively sweet smile on her face, while holding a coffee pot full of steaming liquid right over the man’s most sensitive body parts. “Got it, Deb,” he squeaked. “Sorry!” “I’ve got to hand it to you, Deb. You sure know how to keep them in line,” Ben said with a chuckle as his mother-in-law came to their table and started refilling cups. “After all these years, I’d better!” She said wryly. If I didn't they’d run all over me!” The ringing of the bell over the door announced a new arrival, just as Deb leaned over to refill Michael's coffee mug. “Brian! Sunshine!” “Jesus, Ma,” Michael yelped, rubbing the ear she had just screamed into. “It's not like you haven't seen them lately!” Debbie chose to ignore her son. “So, how did it go, kiddos?” she asked, hugging first Brian and then Justin. Brian smiled at the only woman he’d ever considered to be his mom. “It went ok. A few tears from Sunbeam, but nothing major.” “How did what go?” Ems asked. “What's going on?” “My granddaughter started school today,” Debbie answered proudly. “She's growing up so fast!” “Too fast,” Brian mumbled as he slid into the booth next to Ben. “What's the big deal?” Michael asked. “It's just Kindergarten. It's not like she’s going off to college!” “And who was it that flew all the way to Canada an entire week before JR started Kindergarten, then moped around our house for hours after we took her to class that first day?“ Melanie asked. “I think you even cried!” Everybody in both booths laughed except for Michael. “Whatever,” he snapped with a scowl. “You cried?” Emmett asked, still chuckling. “No, I didn't!” Michael snapped, glaring at his flamboyant friend, “And I only went to Canada so Ben and I could help out the girls financially by taking JR school shopping!” “Yeah, that was the reason, Michael. Sure it was!” Melanie said, just before they all dissolved into laughter once again. ~~~~~ “Ok, everybody clean up your tables, then come over and sit on the reading rug,” Miss Frost said, pointing to a rainbow colored round rug in the middle of the classroom. Lily carefully put her coloring pages and crayons away, making sure everything was neat and tidy. Her daddy had taught her to be careful with her art supplies. When she was done, she ran over to the rug and plopped down between Dylan and a little girl who had been sitting at the table next to her. “Hi,” Lily said. Five years of being Brian and Justin Kinney's daughter, not to mention having Debbie Novotny as her grandmother, had taught Lily to never be shy. “My name's Lily. What's yours?” The other little girl clearly didn't have Lily’s outgoing personality, and silently looked down at the carpet. “She won't answer you,” Dylan sneered. "She's nothing but a crybaby. She cried when her mommy left her this morning! I didn't cry! I’m a big boy!” Lily didn't know what to say about that, since she almost cried when her Daddy and Papa left. Before she could think of a response, the teacher interrupted. “That's enough, Dylan. Since you can't be nice to Lily and Riley, you can come sit next to me.” Dylan scowled, then got up and stomped over to Miss Frost, making a point of dropping down beside her with a loud, put upon sigh. He couldn't resist sticking his tongue out at the two girls while the teacher wasn't looking. Lily decided she didn't like him very much. As the teacher picked up a story book and was about to read it, Riley finally overcame her shyness. “Hi,” she whispered, “My name is Riley.” The girls grinned at one another and scooted a little closer together, then settled in to listen to Miss Frost. ~~~~~~ “Do you think she’s ok?” Justin asked Brian. After leaving the diner, they had spent the morning in Brian’s office. Justin had sketched some ideas for a painting he was planning to start later in the week, and Brian worked on his latest ad campaign for Liberty Air. “I’m sure she’s fine,” Brian assured him. “She’s probably having so much fun she hasn’t even thought about us once.” “Is that supposed to make me feel better?” Justin asked dryly. “Because it really doesn’t.” Brian left his desk, and sat down beside Justin on the sofa. “Come here,” he murmured, pulling the blond into his arms. “I don’t like it anymore than you do, Sunshine, but she’s growing up.” “You really think she’s ok? I don’t want her to go through what we did, Bri.” “Times have changed, Justin. I’m sure she’ll be just fine. And if someone gives her a hard time, they’ll just have the displeasure of meeting Lily Rose Kinney’s pissed off Papa.” Justin couldn’t help the huge grin that spread across his face. Brian always made him feel better, and he had no doubt that the former Stud of Liberty Avenue would do everything in his power to protect their little girl.
Lily would be just fine.