3.29 Birthday Wishes

It was time for Lexi's birthday. Although the night before had racked her nerves, she did not want it to spoil her birthday.

Lexi woke up to a text from Layla, baby Joseph had been born the night before. The couple had settled out in the country side, where they would have space to grow.

The family gathered around the dinning room table like they had so many times before. Lexi looked at her cake and smiled at her parents. Ding dong, the door bell sang into the almost empty house. "Wonder who that is?" Logan said walking into the hall. Moments later, Ti-Ning entered the dinning room. Lexi through her arms around him, "I'm so glad you came!" Ti-Ning just laughed and held her close.

"Before we get started, I wanted to give you something. " Ti-Ning whispered in her ear. "It's a ring. I intended it for other purposes, but it's clear our roads weren't meant to cross that path." Lexi looked at Ti-Ning, his words were always beautiful. "Just wear it as a reminder of the good times we've had." Lexi simply shook her head and wiped a tear from her eye.

"Where's dad?" Lexi said, looking around the corner.

"Little sis!" Mason yelled walking into the dinning room, Layla and baby Joseph in tow.

Lexi smiled brightly as she looked at her friends and family crowd around her. For this birthday, Lexi wished silently, I wish for things to stay this way. Closing her eyes, she blew out the candles.





((One day from aging to an elder, MaKenzie has maxed her career. Logan has already retired, level 3 in police. As of right now, everything for Gen 3 is met. I think Lexi is going to have a easier life than her poor mother. On to Gen 4)

3.28 Birthday Eve

Lexi's birthday was quickly approaching. She was scared. She wanted to stay with her parents but she was anxious to get away. She hadn't heard from Mason since his letter neither had she heard from Layla.

Ti-Ning had planned the perfect birthday eve party from Lexi. It started with dinner and a movie, moved to a late night stroll at the beach and ended with giving her a promise ring.

It wasn't just Lexi who was anxious about her birthday. Ti-Ning seemed to be anxious also. "I just don't want you to like, go to college and move away. You know?" Lexi looked across the car at her male friend. "I haven't really made up my mind. Plus it's not like we can't still get together and hang. You act like I'm falling off the face of the earth or something." Ti-Ning looked across the space at her, "It just don't want to loose you."

The rest of the ride to the theater was silent. Lexi wasn't thrilled. Ti-Ning was her best friend and soon they would go their separate ways. And deep down, Lexi hopped they'd stay in touch.

"So what movie?" Lexi said, admiring the movie posters outside the cinema. "It's your birthday," Ti-Ning reminded her as he approached her, "you pick."


Lexi turned to see him, "How about--" just as she turned around Ti-Ning wrapped his arms around her and pushed her against the iron fence. His lips were firmly on hers; his arms were pulling her tighter.

"What are you doing!" Lexi gasped, pushing him away. "Ti-Ning. No."

3.27 Reconnected

"Ti-Ning! Let's go!" Lexi yelled at her friend, who was currently chatting with a few females across the Art Yard. Lexi turned around laughing, that boy has no game. "Lexi!" a surprised female voice called her name. Lexi turned to see Layla standing, obviously pregnant. "Lay!!!" Lexi screamed in excitement. "I haven't seen you in ages! How are you!"
Lexi laughed before grabbing her stomach. "Well, other than pregnant, I'm good."
"Lexi! Come on! I'm ready," Ti-Ning called from his position across the street. Lexi looked at Layla and shrugged, "Well it was nice to see you again. Sorry I can't stay and talk." Lexi hugged her distant friend and ran across the street.


Days later, Lexi exited the school bus and stopped at the mail box. Reaching inside, she pulled out a stack of junk mail. She carried the mail inside, sorting through it as she walked. It wasn't all junk mail. She found a couple of bills inside, after sorting though it, she found one envelope addressed to her. She fingered the envelope carefully. There was not a return address but the postal stamp was local. Lexi opened the envelope and a photo fell out into her hands. It was Mason and Layla, wrapped in an embrace, at a wedding on the beach.

Lexi,

Sorry I acted as I did, but I want you to know that I am happy now. We wed shortly after we both came of age. Layla is expecting our first child. I'm still working with my internal demons. I found my mother. Funny thing is, it's Mrs. Avi. So that makes Khalid my brother. If you remember, Layla dumped Khalid for me. Talk about awkward! Of course I found all this out after we were married. Layla insists she'd marry me anyways.
I hope to see you soon.

Mason's scribbly signature donned the bottom of the page. Lexi held it close and smiled inside.

3.26 No more Secrets

The days following Mason's abrupt departure were hard on the whole family. Logan and MaKenzie both aged up into elders. Instead of it being a happy time in their lives, it was almost one of the worst.

Lexi was crushed as much as her parents. Mason was her closest friend. She began to spend many hours playing her guitar or hanging with her friend Ti-Ning.

Coming out to Lexi was easier. After Mason's blow up, Lexi knew it was coming. Logan and MaKenzie set down with Lexi in the formal living room and explained the situation to Lexi. Just as he had to Mason.

Lexi was receptive. Nothing could change the bond she had between her parents. Even if the two people she called 'mom' and 'dad' weren't really her mom and dad they still raised her. She would always love them for the life they did give her.

"Furthermore," Logan said, "We'd like for you to stay here with us and give us lots of babies," he finished, nudging her in her side playfully. "Just think about it okay. The staying with us part."

Lexi knew she'd play with the idea.

3.25 Bend the pieces

MaKenzie and Lexi jumped from the couch as Mason stormed into the house and up the stairs. "Mason!" MaKenzie shouted running into the foyer. Logan walked into the house, dragging his feet. "Don't," he said, putting his hand on MaKenzie's shoulder. MaKenzie looked between her husband and the top of the stairs where Mason disappeared.

"What happened," she whispered, turning into Logan. "I had to tell him. He wouldn't come back without it." MaKenzie turned away from him and walked into the kitchen.

MaKenzie sipped on her coffee, watching the clock hands tick. She couldn't sleep, even before drinking half a cup of coffee. The night's events had shook her world and all the walls she built in order to have a "normal" family came crashing down. MaKenzie longed for her father.

MaKenzie was taking a sip of her coffee when Logan entered the kitchen behind her, "You're still up?" "Mmhmm," MaKenzie mumbled in response. As MaKenzie set her cup on the counter, a soft thud was heard coming down the stairs. Mason appeared in the door way, glaring at his parents.

"MaKenzie, Logan," his words were unfamiliar to MaKenzie, this was her son, addressing her by her first name. "I'm leaving. You're not stopping me."
Logan was the first to interfere, "you are not going anywhere but up to your room." Logan's voice was calm but firm.
"Why do you care," Mason shouted, closing the space between him and Logan, "you aren't even my real father!"
MaKenzie felt helpless, shocked that her son could be so harsh.
"Get. Upstairs. To. Your. Room." Logan argued, his voice slightly higher in pitch, enunciating each word.
"I'm leaving! NOT THAT YOU CARE," Mason yelled, swooping to grab his bag from his feet and running towards the back door.

Logan was caught off guard. First his son was talking nonsense, second he was yelling at him, and lastly, he was running. Logan hesitated before realizing that Mason was running. Logan chased after him, but Mason had a decent head start.

Logan met the glass sliding door that led to the back deck. "Shit", he yelled, noticing that Mason had laid a wooden post in the door frame. Logan slammed his fist into the glass out of frustration.

MaKenzie stood, transfixed, in the kitchen. Logan returned to find MaKenzie in the same place he had left her. Their eyes met for a moment. Logan could feel the frustration building inside him. "ARG," Logan yelled as his hand smashed into the coffee cup, shattering the ceramic on the refrigerator, warm coffee dripping to the floor.

3.24 Last Chance

I hope he's here, Logan thought. Truth was he had checked all over town along with the police chief, Layla, and the Avi's and this was the last place. He remembered this place, he used to bring the kids here when they were, well just kids. It was along the ocean, hidden by a thicket of trees. Logan himself had spent time here growing up. Nights when we would get ran out of MaKenzie's house but he didn't want to go home yet.

Logan stepped into the clearing. The sun was setting below the tree's and it was getting dark quickly. "Dad, what are you doing here?" Logan turned around to see Mason squatting on a nearby rock. "Mason!" Logan shouted, pulling Mason into his arms. Relief splashed Logan, "We've been so worried about you. Let's get home, it's getting late."

Mason pulled away from his father and shook his head, "I'm not going home." Logan stepped back and looked at his son, "What?"
"I'm not coming home. I want answers," Mason spat.
Logan looked at his son in disbelief. The sun was almost completely below the tree line and the temperature was plunging. "Let's get home and I will tell you everything."
"No fathe-, Logan. Now."

Logan shoved his fingers through his hair, MaKenzie would be pissed that he made her wait but he knew that right now that he had to do damage control.

Sitting on the rock, watching the sky darken above them, Logan told Mason the whole story. The whole story from the concoction that damaged MaKenzie to the adoption of both children, to the plans to tell them both before they graduated.

3.23 Missing You

MaKenzie blew Mason's phone up as soon as she hadn't received his phone call. She called the Avi's, who confirmed that Mason had left almost an hour ago.

"Hon," Logan said, putting his arms around her, "we'll find him." MaKenzie looked into her husbands eyes with flashback of her father's last days vivid in her mind. "I'll take the car out, call his girlfriend," Logan called, grabbing his keys from the bowl by the door. "I've taken care of it," Lexi called, flipping her cell phone closed.

MaKenzie hugged her daughter, happy that for at least one night, she was home.

MaKenzie sat alone on the couch, her thoughts wrapped around her son. The living room was completely quiet, until Lexi's phone rang an obnoxious, top 40 pop song. "It's Layla, she hasn't heard from Mason either." Lexi moved to sit next to her mother and put her arm around her. "It's okay mom, we'll find him."

3.22 Rewriting History

Mason walked in to the Avi's house. "Hey Mrs. Avi," he called spotting her in the living room. She sobbed a hello as Khalid poked his head from his room. "Come on in man, mom has the TV."

Mason walked into his friend's room and plopped onto the bed. "What's up with your mom?"

Khalid shifted under his weight, "She gets like this every year. You'd think she'd got over it already. I apparently have an older brother. His birthday is coming up." Khalid shrugged, "we just avoid her."

Mason sat on Khalid's bed, and picked up the video game controllers as Khalid continued babbling, "Yeah she has this box and it has a foot imprints, a baby picture, and a lock of hair. Completely weird. It has to be a female thing."

Mason had almost tuned him out when Khalid yelled, "Dude you killed me!" Mason laughed, setting the controller aside. "Smells like dad's done with dinner. Let's go see"

The boys walked out of Khalid's room and made their way towards the kitchen. Both of Khalid's parents were standing over the oven, Mrs. Avi was looking considerably better. Walking past the kitchen island, a photo caught Mason's eyes.

As he approached the picture, he recognized the cubby little face staring back at him.

It was his.
And the picture currently sat on the living room wall.

Mason stopped and stared at the picture. He finally found his voice as he excused himself and walked out the door in shock.

It was almost like any other day, the sun was setting and it was about dinner time; however, today he wasn't calling home and he sure as hell wasn't going home.

3.21 New Opportunities

Lexi's parents knew little about what she did in her spare time. Lexi liked it that way. Truth was, Lexi walked a very fine line.

She would go to school just enough so her parents were not altered to her absences or grades. She quit her job, but she continued to leave and return at the same time each day.

Today wasn't any different. Today Lexi found herself at her favorite spot, the community park. In the distance she heard the bell ring, signaling that school had started. Lexi pulled out her guitar and started to play.

It was easy to get lost in the chords. Lexi looked up startled at the crowd that had formed around her. She smiled and continued playing to her new audience.

After her performance, a man in a business suit approached her. "Hello, my name's Bernard Chrisman. I'm CEO of Chrisman industry." Lexi looked at him cautiously. "I understand that you are probably a minor and that you are probably skipping school right now," he said, winking at Lexi, "but I would love to be your agent. I see a lot f potential in you." Lexi stood, stunned. Mr. Chrisman held out a card for her to take. "Think about it? Discuss it with your parents. Give me a call," He said, turning away from her.

Did that really just happen? Lexi thought as she watched him walk away.

3.20 Falling Apart

Lexi's perfect upbringing could not prepare her parents for the terrible teen years they now encountered. Her parents themselves were mild manner teens and Mason wasn't a challenge. However, the quiet and shy Lexi turned into a loud and charismatic teen over night.

MaKenzie kept comparing Lexi to Mason. Mason was easy to raise, he would come home after school each day, rarely going to friends houses. When he would visit friends houses, he was always home before dinner.

Lexi, on the other hand, would always stay out late, sometimes brought home by the cops. On the rare occasion Lexi did find her way home, she usually spent the whole time texting, or talking, on her phone.

Their parent's didn't know half of Lexi's behaviors, and they would be ashamed if they did. Mason had heard the rumors, from pretty reliable forces, like his best friend. Even though he tried not to believe the rumors, it was hard to look past the piling evidence. The late nights out, the after school visits, the left over marks.

Mason loved his sister and she was on a fast track to self destruction. Mason tried to intervene, he loved his sister but sometimes there was no reasoning with her. She was hard headed and stubborn.

Lexi was such a handful, that Mason felt "pushed to the back burner".




Since he was quickly approaching adulthood, his parents allowed him more freedom (or because Lexi was slowly wearing their nerves). Mason found himself spending his time at his friend Khalid's house.

Khalid was the only person that Mason really felt a connection with. He spent almost all of his waking hours at the Avi's house, only leaving to go to school and go eat dinner with his family. Unlike his sister, he would always call his mother after school and before he left the Avi's, as he was headed home.

3.19 Birthdays

Lexi's birthday was quickly approaching and she reminded her family daily. Her wish list grew from a cell phone to a car and almost everything in between. MaKenzie spent the days leading up to her special day in the shoppes downtown looking for the perfect gift.

MaKenzie was leisurely browsing the local supermarket after work when she found the perfect gift. The gift, a brand new, hot off the press, Sonaflux guitar. Lexi will love it, MaKenzie thought.

Lexi's birthday came early Saturday morning. Before she, or the rest of the family, had time to get out of their pajamas, Lexi was pulling and pushing them towards her cake. With her family around her, Lexi blew her candles out and wished for a brand new car.

Lexi tore open her present, upset that she didn't find the keys to the brand new Compressor she wanted. However, Lexi was excited about her brand new guitar and stereo system.

3.18 Family Feud

Logan watched his son cuddle with his girlfriend in the living room, the television illuminating their silhouettes. It was so innocent, at least from this point. What Mason did when Logan wasn't home wasn't a road that Logan wanted to venture down.

"Ahem," a woman cleared her throat behind him. Logan turned to face MaKenzie, covered in dirt from the garden. "What?" Logan said, pulling her close to him. "Careful, I'm covered in dirt," MaKenzie squealed. Logan kissed her softly and stepped back, creating a small space between them. She was just as beautiful now as she was the night she kissed him shyly all those years ago. "If you aren't in here eavesdropping on your son, then what are you up too?" MaKenzie said, looking him up and down.

"We'll have to tell him. Eventually," Logan answered, lowering his voice. "One day," was all MaKenzie could muster in response.

Logan looked back at Mason as MaKenzie fled the room. Logan couldn't help but think of the pink elephants looming on the horizon.

3.17 Another Ending

Nights at the hospital grew long and it was slowly wearing at Logan’s nerves. He enjoyed his job, but he couldn’t wait until he was promoted to Resident so he could leave the long hours behind him. The promotion did not take very long to achieve.

Being a resident was hard work. Way harder than Logan would have imagined. But each day he went to work and enjoyed his job.

Many nights, he would come home stressed out. MaKenzie would always greet him with a back rub and a warm plate from dinner. McKenzie loved her job. She was slowly but surely advancing through the lab rooms. From Useless Contraption Manipulator to Aquatic Ecosystem Tweaker, MaKenzie always loved her new position over the last.

Nights at the hospital slowly ate away at Logan. The worst part was the nights he was called into work, when he was absolutely not needed. Some nights, “they paged him on accident” other nights they did it “just because.” Logan knew why they did it. The doctor needed his private time with his new intern. The beautiful, and married Lola. It disgusted Logan. It wasn’t just the large age difference (after all the doctor was already practicing when the intern was born) between the two love birds, but also the fact that both came from loving, almost happy homes.

Tonight was like many of Logan’s nights off, after working hard all week, the weekends were spent spending time with his growing children and beautiful wife. The family sat at the ocean side. Lexi played tag with a few of the other children, while Mason made out with his current girlfriend when he thought no one was looking. It was rare that they took a time out to spend time with each other, but this was their weekly ritual.

Buzz. Buzz.

Logan slammed his head back onto the lounge chair. “Are you serious?” He questioned out loud to no one in particular. His beeper had become a nuisance; especially on his days off. He swung his feet off the lounge and stood up, fishing for his phone in his pocket.

“Logan Parkes,” he said into the receiver, without attempting to cover up his annoyance.

“Logan, we have an emergency.” Without asking questions, because he knew he would not like the answer, Logan slammed the phone shut and shoved it into his pocket.

His eyes meet with MaKenzie’s. “I’m sorry. I have to go.”

MaKenzie watched the scene unfold on the evening news. A standoff at city. Couple of people dead. Many injured.

Logan paced the halls up and down the hospital. This time, it was serious. There was a need for hospital personnel. After hours of working, Logan wanted nothing more than a candy bar and a cold drink. He opened the door to the employee beakroom to find Dr. and Lola sandwiched in the gap between the wall and the refrigerator.

“I’m done with this!” Logan screamed. While everyone else was busy taking care of the injured, the doctor was diddleing with the interns. Logan threw his pager, hitting the refrigerator. He quicky spun around on his heels, without saying another word.

((Note: As of right now, Logan is still job hopping, both children are adoptive, MaKenzie is excelling in the science career almost met her LTW. Only thing completed is Awesome (rebuilding of the house-- and it is awesome) and runs in the family, both kids have artistic.))

3.16 Rebuilding Lives

The death of their grandfather hardly stopped the kids progress. Mason continually did well in elementary school. MaKenzie hoped he would continue in high school once hormones kicked in. Lexi finally entered elementary school. It was easier on MaKenzie and Logan because now, they didn't need a baby sitter.

But between raising their family and working, MaKenzie and Logan worked hard on building their new house from the ground up. MaKenzie envisioned a two story house, with an unfinished basement and deck, for future expansions. Although MaKenzie couldn't imagine why the house would need to be expanded. She had designed it with 4 bedroom and 3 bathrooms. A huge family den, living room, and upstairs play area. Not to mention a library that could easily be adapted into a bedroom if need be. Not to mention the tiny box they were living out of while they rebuilt could easily be used as an in-law annex. There would be plenty of room.

Jace was properly buried in the backyard with the rest of the family, that is after his body was located.

Building the house was therapy for MaKenzie. Something about tearing apart the house was relaxing and the rebuilding symbolized moving on for her.

3.15 Changes

MaKenzie called her sister first without any information. In a panic, MaKenzie called the police who also hadn't had any leads.

MaKenzie walked back into the house, leaving her lab coat draped on the sofa. In the distance, she herd Lexi's tears and went to hold her daughter in her arms. "Oh baby," she whispered hugging her close.




She had almost given up when the phone rang. It was Logan from the hospital. "MaKenzie hon, we found your father." MaKenzie wiped away her tears and relief overcame her. "Great Logan where is he?" But MaKenzie could tell something was wrong. Logan just wasn't Logan.
"He's in the morgue. He had a heart attack. Saturday morning. At the art gallery. They didn't find any identification on him. So when they brought him here, they started the paperwork process." MaKenzie stood unable to move.

MaKenzie arranged a wake the next day for after school. They rented out a large room and placed Jace's paintings on the wall. MaKenzie invited her sister and her aunt and uncle and their families. It was family MaKenzie hardly knew anymore, but they were family.
Together they mourned their loss.






Afterward, Logan sat at his wife's side outside. He had loved his father in law, but it was nothing compared to how MaKenzie had loved him. MaKenzie jumped to her feet to move across the yard but Logan was faster, he stopped her in her tracks and wrapped his arms around her. "It's okay," he whispered. She shook her head violently. Held her close and whispered encouraging words in her ear. Her sobs quieted down and she looked him in the eyes. “I hate this place Logan. Help me change it.”

3.14 Full House

Alexis finally joined the house as Logan was teaching Mason to talk. "A-LEX-S," Logan enunciated to Mason, pointing to Alexis. "LEX-ie," Mason repeated. After that day, Alexis was always called Lexi.

Mason was a happy child. He eagerly learned his skills and then forced his father to read to him regularly.

Lexi and Mason kept everyone busy. Logan, who was currently pursuing a medical career, took time to help his aging father in law care for the kids.

It wasn't long before Mason entered school and Lexi was standing on her own two feet and chattering nonstop. With the bulk of the child raising behind them, Jace began to spend hours at the local art gallery.

Sometimes he would stay gone for days. MaKenzie figured her father had simply found a lucky lady to shower with love. But Jace would always call before Mason went to sleep, to wish him good night.

The morning started like the typical morning. Logan, ignoring the car pool horn, was helping Mason into the car. MaKenzie, in her lab coat, was rushing out the door on her phone. Logan waved good bye to Mason and turned to his wife, only her head visible over the car door. "MaKenzie," he called, shielding his eyes from the rising sun, "where's your father?" MaKenzie's head appeared over the door, "is he not here?" Logan looked around for the family truck, missing since the Friday before. "The car's still gone."

Panic crossed MaKenzie's face. It was true, she hadn't heard from her father since Friday night. "Logan, head to work, I'll stay wit Lexi. Find dad." Logan walked over to his wife and kissed her forehead.

3.13 New Arrivals

MaKenzie couldn’t wait for the social worker to pull up. After countless visits with the adoption agency and many pieces of paper work, MaKenzie and Logan had decided on a boy and a girl.

Wanting an experience as close to real parents as possible, they wanted babies.

During one of their visits, they fell in love with Mason, a three year old toddler with beautiful brown eyes. He also attached to MaKenzie. MaKenzie hated leaving him, but until the paperwork was finish, Mason had to stay at the orphanage.

Logan walked in the house from work late one night. He assumed by the emptiness of the living room that everyone was asleep. He was barely inside when his phone rang. “Hello, Logan? This is Alberto, from the orphanage.” Logan beamed; this had to be good news. “I have found you the perfect little girl, her name’s Alexis. She has a heartbreaking story. But as soon as I came across her file, I thought of you.” Logan was at a loss for words. “Mr. Parkes, are you still there?” The social worker called through the phone. “Yes, yes, I’m sure we’d be honored.”
With hasty goodbye’s Logan got off the phone with the social worker.

Logan stood with the phone till his ear until the familiar beeps sounded the line was dead.

“MaKenzie! MaKenzie!” Logan sounded running into the dark bedroom.

A car stopped in front of the house and MaKenzie knew this was it. Alberto got out of the car, carrying a smiling Mason. He looks so happy, MaKenzie thought. MaKenzie looked around before noticing, Alexis wasn’t with him. “Where’s Alexis?” MaKenzie asked, taking Mason into her arms. “Slight paperwork mix up, I’ll bring her by tomorrow. Pinky Promise.” MaKenzie grinned, it had been forever since she pinky promised anything.

True to his word, Alberto showed up with Alexis the next day.

((Note usually on chapter 13 my kids are teenagers and here I am just getting started. Needless to say the only thing I have done so far challenge wise is a couple and their jobs. ))

3.12 Moving Forward

Logan was quickly approaching full adulthood and he was thinking about a family. It was true his wife couldn’t bear his children and when he was younger, he didn't think it was a big deal. Now that he was aging he felt like they needed kids to complete the cycle. MaKenzie was doing well in her career and Logan had just received a job in the Medical career. It was peon work, but it paid the bills.

Even though he knew it was still a touchy subject for her, Logan knew MaKenzie wanted them too. Late at night he would hear her, outside, crying softly and whispering to herself about Robert and the drink. Some days, Logan would find MaKenzie watching the babies at the park.

Logan would lay in bed too, thinking about her tears. He'd hate himself because he couldn’t fix this problem.

Or could he?

Logan stayed awake and watched MaKenzie sleep. That’s when it hit him. Adopt. There were plenty of children out there that could use a good home. And Logan knew they could provide a good home.

Before running the idea by MaKenzie, Logan spoke with Jace. Jace quickly agreed that Logan had a good idea but he warned Logan to get MaKenzie’s approval before adopting.

The night Logan planned to introduce his idea to MaKenzie, he left work early and cooked an exotic meal, or just ordered Chinese and place it on the family’s dishes. With the help of Jace, they cleared a spot next to the family garden and set up a table for two, complete with candles nearby for soft light.

MaKenzie came home and quickly saw through Logan’s façade. “What are you up too?” She asked suspiciously as he led her to the patio. Instead of answering, Logan smiled and pulled her seat out for her.

As they completed the meal, Logan took her hands in his. “MaKenzie, I’ve been thinking,” MaKenzie prepared herself for the worst. Logan felt her hands tense in his. “It’s nothing bad baby. I was just thinking that we should adopt. I mean, I know we have each other and your father, but our job can only take us so far. Plus family is way more important that work.”

MaKenzie was the queen of awkward silences. Even though Logan had spent his life with her, he still hated it when she sat there expressionless. MaKenzie could sense his discomfort and squeezed his hand. “Logan,” she began, “I’d love to.”