The babysitter had called out last minute, so now Idina's hand held a car seat with a gurgling infant and a tight grip on her husband. He looked so dashing, his hair gelled back and the wine-red tie that brought a lively undertone to his normally dull brown eyes. Walker looked dashing as well, grey blazer, blue vest, and tie to match his stepdad, along with a hat. It brought out his smile bright, excited eyes.

Aaron had another child he was holding in his free arm, so the boy held onto his elbow, looking up at him every so often for a smile of approval. Erika was cradling the third baby, who kept reaching out and grabbing at her face whenever she dropped her from her attention. Lucinda had so much of her mother in her, Aaron often said.

Erika was dressed in an A-line black dress that passed her knees. It was shoulderless with a high neckline. She was a vision. Idina had done her hair and make-up, smiling to herself as she did so.

"I wish I looked like you," Erika had told her while Idina tried to match their blush.

"Honey, you look so gorgeous," she said.

"Not like that," she said, "but you're pretty, like, I wish we looked related, and that other people would see it."

Idina pouted and hugged her. "That's not what matters."

"I know," she said, looking away from their reflection in the mirror.

Idina rubbed her arm and kissed her.

Arriving together now, all uniform, they might be assumed to be a family. They were an odd bunch to be here by circumstance.

Zephyr gurgled, calling for his mama with his arms outstretched, done with this car seat and his injury and recovery. Idina cooed at him while they waited for a hostess to find their reservation. She made a silent prayer that this one had not been tampered with.

"Perfect, right this way Mrs. Menzel," the hostess said with a smile.

Idina sighed with relief and squeezed Aaron's hand as he led her through the sea of expensive gowns and wooden chairs. Idina was turning heads, and she tried not to make eye contact with semi-familiar faces, this was a family affair after all.

When seated, their waiter came quick to ask them if they would like a wine list.

"No thanks," Aaron said with a chipper smile.

"You can have some," Idina insisted as she took Zephyr out of the car seat. "Please don't refuse on my account."

"I'm good," Aaron assured her with a wide smile. He put an arm around her and kissed her.

"Not in public," Walker moaned, his face hidden in his hands.

They were in a round booth near the back, where all the more high-profile guests sat. It was oriented in such a way that you could not fully see the other table from your secluded section. Tall fake plants and vines helped keep the atmosphere intimate, along with the low lighting and music so quiet one was never quite sure if it was actually playing or not.

After asking for water for everyone, they were left alone for a spell.

"This place is pretty," Erika said. Walker had since taken Lucinda and was engaged in playing peekaboo with her.

Idina smiled and nodded. "The first time I was here was with the Wicked cast," she said. "I had won the Tony, and everyone pooled to make the reservation. At the time we still were not sure where the show was going. We knew we had made it past Tony season, but no one would have imagined it would still be running today."

"It was a good show!" Walker interjected, followed by a happy squeal from the infant in his lap.

She smiled. "And we wanted something real nice, make your bank call you about suspicious activity fancy," she giggled as the memories came flooding back. All the hullaballoo and excitement, feeling like you were on top of the world. The anxiety of not fitting in, of the show going under tomorrow and the debt that would follow. None of that happened, and now she was here with her family, considering it a treat the way her parents had when they had gone to a chain restaurant that did not serve pizza or burgers.

Erika was smiling at her as she talked, eyes darting from her face to Aaron's.

"Mama," Zephyr said, demanding her attention.

"Yes, my little man?"

"Mama," he said again.

"Can you say dada?" Idina asked, handing the baby over to her husband. Soren was practically crawling onto her lap from his.

"Made," he said. Everyone laughed, even Aaron though his ears were turning red with embarrassment.

"It's like he's doing it on purpose," Walker said. "It's dada," he told his brother.

The baby stared at him, mouth agape.

"Dada," Walker repeated, pointing to Aaron.

The child pointed toward his father, once again saying "Mama."

"Let it go, Walk," Aaron sighed. "He's his mother's son."

"Dada," Soren said when his younger brother would not, making the table coo towards him, calling him so smart. He smiled and clapped his hands.

Someone came and offered them some high chairs for the babies.

"Oh my god thank you," Idina said in relief. She had not asked for them with the reservation and had not wanted to bother them because of their last-minute plan changes.

Some more service workers came out, setting up the high chairs. Idina strapped the babies in, giving them a few toys and bringing the chairs as close to their seats as possible. Idina moved out the edge so that she could entertain her boys while Erika and Walker were with Lucinda on the other.

"She's still smaller than them," Walker said. In the chairs, it seemed more obvious. "But she looks more like a baby now and not all smooshed like when she first came home."

That was true. She had outgrown all her clothes; they all had. All three of them were bubbly, happy babies. Idina dug her nails into her palm. They were for now until she screwed them up. She leaned into her husband. He was here, he would help prevent that. They would sort out her medical issues well enough that the triplets would never truly know how unwell mommy was until they were old enough to deal with it, much older than Walker was right now.

God, he was so old. He was eleven. He would graduate from elementary school next year. Where had all the time gone?

Walker and Erika fell into a deep conversation as they waited for the menus. Idina started up at her husband, her lips slightly parted. His eyes darted at their surroundings, then they found her face and he smiled.

Kiss me, she pleaded with her eyes. Right now, would be perfect. His arm was already around her, and she loved it when he made the first move. It was one of the few things she could let him be in complete control of because if she could not trust him at their most intimate and her most venerable, there would be no hope.

He got the message, lips locking with hers. Her hand was on his chest. His hands were on her waist. The two of them are close together.

Aaron pulled away, still planting small loving kisses on her lips. "You look gorgeous,' he said, eyes shining.

Her blush burned across her cheeks, and she smiled and tried to hide behind a few wayward strands of hair. With a wide smile on his face, Aaron brushed his fingers against her cheeks and held her face, drinking in the view. Idina's cheeks burned under his stare, and she was sure her make-up was unable to hide the colour. Even if it could, Aaron would feel the heat.

"Can I get a pop drink?" Walker asked, breaking their moment.

Idina turned, nodding.

"No kissing in public," he said firmly, two fingers pointing from his eyes to her with a stern face.

"Sorry kid, I'm going to kiss my husband if I want to do it," she said. "No one can see us anyway."

"Alright fine." He rolled his eyes and turned back to the paper placement had been drawing something on. It looked like he was trying to explain a TV show to his sister.

Idina leaned over and kissed her husband again, just enough to make her head spin. She craved the happy feeling that same as kissing him. All of it felt new and enticing, after weeks of being without. Even the tips of her fingers tingled every time his grip would tighten for a second when he got caught up in the moment.

But they could have that later tonight. This moment was for the whole family.

The babies were happily playing with some toys. Walker and Erika were talking and giggling. She figured she could kiss Aaron again. He looked like a puppy, wanting her love, unable to do anything but look at her.

"I love your smile," he said.

They kissed again until Idina felt too woozy to continue. No alcohol was needed when she had this man beside her. She leaned into him and wrapped his arms around her in a hug while they waited. Slowly, the murmurs of the restaurant grew around her in a weird calm. It felt like they were frozen here while the world moved around her, and that made her unusually calm.

~

Before the entrées were served, Idina got out some bottles for the triplets, so they did not get fussy seeing everyone else eat. They had been so good today.

"We'll be feeding them applesauce before we know it," Aaron said as he passed a child.

Idina nodded, a twinge in her heart at the thought of them growing up. "Oh, that's okay," she said to Soren, "you're still mommy's little baby right now," she continued.

"When's the food coming?" Walker asked. His coca cola glass was empty, and he had had more than his fair part of their appetizers. "I'm so hungry," he groaned, rolling his head back.

He is growing up too, she realized. "Soon, Pumpkin," she said.

He groaned. "You said that fifteen minutes ago."

"It'll be soon," Aaron assured the boy.

When the babies were put back in their highchairs, looking a bit groggy, walker scooted over and sat beside his mom.

"Are we really going home in a few days?" he asked, "I don't want to go home yet."

Idina shrugged, not trusting her voice to hide the surprise. "It's a vacation," she eventually said.

"I know," he groaned, " but you're happy and everyone's happy and we've been having fun."

"We can do that at home too," she assured him, but he did not seem convinced.

Idina went to take a drink of water, but her arm started trembling and a cutting pain shot through her bone. She held her wrist, but it did not stop the jerking as a glass got knocked over, spilling liquid across the table. Erika and Walker grabbed napping a were quick to dab at it while Aaron whispered calming notion.

"Mom?" Walker asked. "That's not a seizure."

She shook her head, hissing at the pain. "Just the stupid involuntary motions," she said through gritted teeth.

"Are you okay?" he asked tenderly, moving closer.

Idina nodded even though her eyes were starting to water. She gasped when it was over, biting her tongue not to swear.

At soon as she exhaled in relief, walker tackled her with a hug, knocking her over into Aaron.

"Shh," she said, trying to comfort him.

Erika had moved closer too and put her hand on Idina's shoulder.

"I'm fine," she told everyone. "It was only spilt water, which you cleaned up very well," she told her kids.

"I'm fine!" she insisted when it seemed like no one would let her go. "I swear."

"Mommy," Walker mumbled.

"Hm?"

"I don't like it when you're hurt."

"Me neither," she said, kissing him. He kissed her cheek, pouting. "I know it's upsetting," she said quietly. There is nothing I can do about it. Nothing anyone could.

Aaron massaged her shoulder, making her aware of how tense she had grown. She sat up straight and got Walker to sit upright too. His eyes were a bit red.

"It's over now," she said gently, hugging her son again, and wishing he did not take her medical issues so hard. It is not your fault," she whispered so that only he could hear.

He hugged her and then turned back to the stable with a blank stare.

Suddenly the lull of the restaurant was too them; them too quiet. She breathed a sigh of relive when she caught the waiters and bussers bringing their food. Aaron moved the babies out of the way while they were served. The triplets, now wide eyes, looked around at the bright food and good smell.

"Mama," one of them demanded.

Idina was already weak for something and did not hesitate to bring the child into her lap, placing the napkin over his chubby legs and kissing his plump cheek.

Erika and Walker were both wide-eyed at their plates.

"They both look good," Walker complained.

"I'll trade your half of mine for half of yours?" Erika said.

Walker agreed enthusiastically and they went about cutting up the meats and splitting the sides until they had a less than picturesque split of the food.

"Mom you should try some it's very good!" Walker instantly. He took Idina's fork and handed it back to her with a skewered mishmash.

"Okay, okay," she said, trying to keep up with his excitement. "Very good," she agreed through a mouth full.

As they ate, Idina noticed one of the bussers kept making rounds past their tale and looking over. She sighed again, adverting her eyes. Maybe if she did not bring attention to it, Walker would not notice. He was very invested in his share of the ribs and flatbread, finishing the entire plate before Idina felt like she had even had a chance to get to hers.

Idina put a helping of her meal onto his plate, and he thanked her quickly.

Growing boys.

Idina remembered her own growth spurt. She remembered them going out to restaurants, and then one day she had still been hungry. And when Cara complained she could not eat anymore Idina took the leftovers, and then when her dad wanted to take home what was left Idina had asked to eat it right there as well. She had eaten the crusts of the pizzas when Cara discarded them and even the foods she used to turn her nose up to, as long as it was visible it had not been safe. And she had kept it up until it seemed like almost overnight Cara started asking for leftovers, and she was no longer hungry, stuck at 5'2" for the rest of her life.

Walker would be taller than her one day, no longer able to curl up in her lap the way he did. She would have to call Cara and ask her how to deal with it, physically and emotionally. She had raised boys. Motherhood was the one area her baby sister had experience on her.

Erika was the second the clean her plate.

'I'm still hungry," Walker said, eyes the bits on Aaron's he had not yet touched.

The man thought for a second, then passed the entire thing over to his stepson who looked at him with wide admiring eyes, sing-songing "thank-you".

"desserts?" her son asked afterwards, and Idina let out a small laugh.

"Of course, it's Christmas," she told him. Not to mention what happened before. Even if it wasn't a holiday she wouldn't deny him deserts after that.

When the dishes were being cleared, Idina noticed the busser who had been hanging around their table wasn't staring at her. She kept glancing in the opposite direction toward Erika.

~

That busser was clearing the dessert plates by herself when she blatantly asked Erika if they knew each other. Everyone looked up at their server.

Erika squinted for a moment and then crossed her arms. "You got me kicked out of three places," she said flatly, then looked back to her phone.

Idina and Aaron exchanged glances.

"Four actually," the busser said. "McLean's."

Erika's face sort of fell, or so Iidna thoughts, she couldn't quite tell while the girl was not looking at her.

Idina took Aaron's hand, unsure if it was to calm herself or calm him while the tension grew between the two young women.

"That's a very mean thing to do," Walker said.

"Looks like it worked out well in the end," she replied.

"Shut up," Erika said, slightly too loud, and making everyone stare at her. She crossed her arms and sat back in a seat with a scowl, a deliberate refusal to make any sort of apology for the outburst.

Everyone looked back and forth between them and neither made a move. Then, the bussers took the last few dishes away.

"Erika..." Idina said.

"I'm going to the bathroom," the girl replied quietly. "Idina don't follow me."

She got up and left so suddenly they barely knew it was happening. Walker gave his mother a hug again.

"It's not as bad as last year," he said, trying to comfort her.