"Kay, you don't have to pack everything. I would like for some of her things to stay over here," Eve said, folding Endora's undershirts and putting them in the suitcase.

"Really?" Kay asked surprised.

"Yes." Pausing, Eve turned to look at the younger woman, who was packing up the toys. "This is her home just like my home will become hers. You are her family. You are a big sister/aunt figure to her and Maria is her little sister/cousin. Uncle TC, Whitney, Simone, and I are just being allowed the privilege to join the family she already has."

"Oh, Auntie," Kay cried, hugging her aunt fiercely.

"It's all true, Kathleen. So I hope you'll allow her to continue to consider this her home."

"Of course. This will always be a second home to her like yours was to me."

"I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"For not being there for you when you needed me. I knew Charity moving in and Noah being gone was a big change for you and I wasn't there for you like I should have been. Can you forgive me?"

Kay's mouth dropped open. Aunt Eve was apologizing to her. She couldn't recall any adult doing that before. And no one had ever acknowledged how hard it was to have newly found always perfect cousin, Charity, to move in so shortly after the big brother she idolized, Noah left for college. "Auntie Evie, you didn't do anything wro- -"

"Yes, I did. I wasn't there. If I had been there for you, you wouldn't have moved in with Tabitha, a woman you barely knew at the time, rather than with me and your uncle."

"Auntie, I knew I could have moved in with you, but- -" Looking into her aunt's eyes, Kay knew it was total truth time. "I knew what I was doing wasn't right and I knew you wouldn't approve. I was doing things you, Dad, Mom, and Uncle TC had always taught us not to do. And Tabitha wasn't judgmental- - not that you guys are, but she just wasn't- -" She didn't know how to explain it. "I didn't really know her so I knew I couldn't disappoint her or let her down like I could with you guys."

"Kay, whatever problem you have or situation you're in, you can always talk to me about it. No judgment. No questions asked. Okay?"

"Okay."

Going back to their individual tasks while Maria and Endora slept, Kay decided to use this opportunity to ask the questions she had been dying to ask.

"Auntie, what's going on with you and Mr. Crane?"

Eve hadn't been expecting that question and fought hard not to freeze. She couldn't be seen reacting so strongly to the question. "Nothing. Why do you ask?"

Kay shrugged. "Simone and I have seen you two together a few times and your discussions always seem really intense."

Damn you, Julian. Now Kay and Simone, besides Fox and Whitney were suspicious. And knowing her niece like she did, she knew Kay was like a dog looking for a bone; she wouldn't rest until she found out the truth. Great. Now she had to lie to her; she had no other choice. "It was probably hospital business. He can be very tight-fisted sometimes when it comes to the hospital's needs."

Kay suspected there was more to the story than that, but for now she'd let it rest. She'd do some more investigating later when things were more settled. "How is Uncle TC going to react when he finds out that Mr. Crane is Endora's father?"

That was a subject weighing heavily on Eve's mind. "He won't be happy, but hopefully Endora will wow him. And maybe, if you don't mind, Julian could have his visits here? So the two of them rarely have to see each other- -"

"Except at ballet recitals, school performances, programs at the church, birthdays, and holidays."

How could she have forgotten all that? Maybe Julian would forget, too, but she had a sneaking suspicion she wouldn't be that lucky. "We'll deal with him. Don't worry."

With her back turned to her aunt, Kay rolled her eyes. Now her aunt was living in a fairy tale. Things were going to get bloody around here as soon as Uncle TC found out about Julian, unless- - "Auntie, we don't have to tell- -"

Shaking her head, Eve knew where Kay was going with this one. "No, it wouldn't be fair to Endora. She's gone the first two-and-a-half-years without her father, I won't allow to miss anymore."

"But Uncle TC would be her dad."

"Yes, and he still will be. But Julian deserves to get to know her and love her."

Hearing the finality in her aunt's voice, Kay wisely decided to drop the subject and they continued to pack making casual conversation.

"What's this?" Eve asked herself out loud, while givin the bedroom a once-over to make sure they hadn't left anything important behind.  Getting on her hands and knees, she pulled out a box wedged underneath the dresser.  Eve opened the box and found pictures of Timmy and Tabitha dressed for a costume party.  They were dressed in outfits she thought looked to be from around the late 1800s.  Feeling the texture of the paper and looking closer at the picture, she was puzzled.  She had never seen a photograph made from this type of paper.  Shrugging her shoulders, Eve decided to let the mystery go for now.  Anything having to do with Tabitha usually left her with more questions than she had at the beginning.  Returning the photo to the box and putting the lid on it, she decided to look at the other photos when she got home and had some time.

"Mom, we're ready to shop," Simone called out.

Grabbing the box, Eve made her way downstairs. "Kay, are you coming? I think your room and Maria's could us a little sprucing up."

Happy to be included, Kay smiled.

"Yeah, Kay come with us. It's been forever since we've been shopping," Simone encouraged her best friend.

"Okay, let me grab Maria's coat and stuff."

"Already in the car," Simone informed her.

"That sure of me, huh?"

"Kathleen, when have you ever passed up an opportunity to shop?" Eve added.

"So true, Auntie. So true," Kay replied, locking the door and happily heading out to spend some quality time with people whom she loved that were still here.