In the Jone's residence, they were getting ready for bed , in Kevin's room, tucking him in.

"Daddy, why are you crying?"

John placed a gentle hand on Kevin's forehead, "Sport, I was thinking about how close I came to losing your sister because I was so hateful because I couldn't accept her. But the Walter's love and cherish their daughters, yet they've hurt others with their pranking," he sighed.

"John, you are a good man who has finally opened his heart to his daughter. Now I see the man that I fell in love with, years ago. You are a strong man, Beloved. Only a strong man will cry," Mary declared as she hugged him.

"WHAT ABOUT ME? DON"T I NEED LOVING?"

Mary giggled, Yes, Kiddo. We're just a couple of big kids."

"Want me to tell you a story?"

"Sure, Daddy."

"OK, One day, there was a young boy who was hungry, he was an orphan, and alone. He was in the country, looking for a family to love him. He found a small house with a garden that needed tending and an elderly couple in the garden tending it. The boy approached the couple and asked, "What are you doing?"

"We are weeding our garden. Come, we are about to stop for lunch. Are you hungry?"

"Yes, thank you."

So, the boy at lunch with the couple, and helped them to weed the garden. That night, he slept on a cot, warm and cozy after wishing on a falling star.

The star was a wish fairy who heard his wish for a family, and granted the wish. The next day, he woke up to find that the cot was a small bed and he had many clothes, the old couple was now young."

"I wish that fairy was real, for Sandy," sighed Kevin.

"Sport, in a way, she did grant it by sending us Em."

"I know, Daddy. But Sandy would like to have been a girl, growing up. Right?"

Mary hugged him, "When did our son get so wise?"

Kevin blushed, "Night Momma. Night Daddy."

<strong><big><center>[*][*][*]</center></big></strong>

Back at Jack's Diner, they were cleaning up. Sandy and Daisy Mae were wiping down the dining room while J.J. was making sure that his delivery truck was ready to deliver the prepared meals to the customers. Jack had started a catering service that had branched out to a meals on wheels program.

The catering truck delivered fresh meals around town and served as a mobile diner for those working at construction sites when not being used to cater parties. The popularity of Jack's Catering had proven to be a mixed blessing during the spring when they were deluged with requests, getting Jack to invest in another catering truck.

"J.J., have you looked into getting a new catering truck?

"Not really, before I do that, we need to think about hiring new waitresses and cooks."

"We are both cooks, are you sure that you want to hire another?"

"Dad, Sandy can cook almost as good as you, or me. She'd be the best choice as she knows the business and our clients."

"If we do that, then Daisy Mae will become our Head Waitress in place of Sandy. Who do we get to help her?"

"Why not the Walters' girls? They may be here as a punishment, but if they do as good as I think they will, they'd be perfect since that way they'd have a steady income and able to save for college."

"Good idea, let's talk to Sandy and Daisy Mae and get their opinion."

Daisy Mae and Sandy came into the stockroom where Jack and J.J. were loading up the delivery truck, standing on the rear concrete dock, "Jack, Sandy and I are through. Anything else?"

"Yes. we are thinking about starting a catering business, but we need more waitresses for it, and possibly a new cook. Any ideas?"

"Sandy is an excellent cook. And she can easily take prepared meal and add the final touches better than I can. But do you want Brit and Debbie as waitresses?"

"HEY! DON"T I GET A SAY IN THIS?!" asked an incredulous Sandy.

J.J. smiled. Sandy, if we actually start this sideline, YOU will be involved as a waitress, or cook.

"I figured that out, but DON'T draft me into doing a damned thing! ASK." she huffed.

"Daisy Mae giggled, "Guess our little girl has finally gained her courage. That little girl from England must have done a number on you."

"She did," Sandy agreed. "And helped me with my family, too."

"In what way, Sandy? I wasn't here when they were, you know."

Jack took pity on me and spoke for me, "When Em came over, she taught her family how to accept Sandy for who she is and to forgive the past."

Daisy Mae hugged Sandy, "Poor girl! I understand. No girl wants to lose a baby."

"Thanks, Daisy Mae. Em did help to heal my family. And for that, I am forever grateful."

'Daisy Mae believes that I got pregnant and lost the child. How ironic since I was born a boy and am transitioning into a woman.' thought Sandy.

"Daisy, do you think that you could work with Brittney or her sister Debbie when Sandy runs our catering division?"

"Sure, but will Jack's Catering have new uniforms?"

"Jack, currently, we can easily remove our waitress apron and look like we're business women. For the catering division, we need to wear a uniform of some sort, even if it's jeans and a t-shirt with 'JACK'S CATERING' on it."

"Dad, she has a point. we can get a t-shirt made and for the more posh events, have a waitress uniform dress like the one that Mary Jane wore in 'Spiderman.' I'm sure that the girls could deal with that."

"J.J., as long as the hem is down to the knees like our skirts."

"Sandy, Jack's Diner is a 'FAMILY RESTAURANT.' NOT anything like Hooters."

"True, but I am worried about how Brittney and Debbie's employment here will influence their uniforms, and ours."

Jack cleared his throat, "Sandy, you like them, don't you."

"Yes, even though they did pull a prank on me, I know that it was in good fun. And as an older girl, I feel that it's my duty to protect them from any undue retaliation," she admitted.

"OK, your catering uniform will be a 'Jack's Catering' t-shirt and jeans for casual and a waitress dress for formal with a knee length hem line," promised Jack.

"Thanks, Jack. That takes a load off of my mind," sighed Sandy.

"You think that some of the 'boys' will try something?"

"Yes, Daisy Mae. Even though you've graduated, too many boys see you as easy because you are an unwed mother. Who know what they'll think of those girls if they were to dress in revealing uniforms."

"Sandy, my baby's father and his buddies are paying child support for getting me drunk after graduation. I'm grateful that Mom and Dad didn't get mad at me and are helping me to raise Joshua."

"I know, but there are other students who support you, and the faculty does too. in fact, because of you, Augusta High School is considering a program to help unwed mothers to graduate."

"Oh?"

"Tell her Sandy! You know that you want to," chided J.J.

"Well, it's not yet been approved what with the Student Exchange Trip and recent events, but it will be approved at the next Board Meeting in the capitol."

Daisy hugged Sandy, "Not quite the way that I want to be remembered, but at least other girls will benefit."

"Ready to clock out?"

"Ready, Jack."

"Me too. Still have to pick up my order at Walgreen's."

"No need Sandy, Charlotte dropped it here," admitted Jack as he passed a small bag over to her.

"Anything wrong Sandy?"

"No Daisy Mae, just iron pills."

Jack escorted the girls to their cars, then got into the delivery van while J.J. locked up the diner and got in next to his dad and drove home.

<strong><big><center>* * *</center></big></strong>

The next day, Sandy woke up to the smell of bacon and eggs being prepared and the aroma of fresh brewed coffee. She stretched, luxuriating in her day off as she heard her dad call out, "Sandy, are you getting up or sleeping all day?"

She flung the sheet off of her, revealing her still hosed legs as she headed for the bathroom, "I'm getting up, Daddy. Anything planned for the day?"

John stood outside of the bathroom, "I was thinking about taking the cars to your school's Auto shop and letting them change the oil and transmission fluids unless you have a better idea."

"Daddy, why don't we do it? I need to learn car maintenance and this will teach me what I need to know."

John smiled at her, "Are you sure? I don't want for you to feel that I am trying to get you to do anything."

"Daddy, when I go off to college, I'll need to take care of myself. Knowing about car maintenance will help will help me to know when a mechanic is trying to pull a fast one. Besides, it'll give us some 'father/daughter' time."

"OK, after breakfast, we'll get into the coveralls and head out to the garage."

Sandy opened the door, now ready for the day, wearing a pink tank top and matching shorts, "Coveralls, Daddy? Are you expecting me to volunteer," Sandy giggled.

"Well. I hoped that you'd want to. I didn't know if you were ready to do anything with me," John admitted.

Sandy hugged her daddy, "Promise one thing."

"What, Princess?"

"From now on, just ask. OK?"

"OK."

* * *

Heading into the kitchen, they saw the funny sight of Kevin standing on a chair wearing an apron as he scrambled the eggs while Mary tended to the bacon. The table was already set up for breakfast minus the eggs and bacon.

"Mommy, the eggs look dry."

"Yes, they're ready Kevin. Good job!" she said as she turned off the burner.

"What about the bacon?"

Mary flipped the remaining bacon onto the pile of bacon in the bowl, "Ready, Master Chef," she giggled.

"I'm no Master Chef, just a kid," he laughed as he scampered off of the chair.

"Mary, who cooked what?"

"Kevin did everything but the bacon. Why?"

"I'm just wondering if Kevin's going to become a Master Chef instead of being a police officer like he wanted to be last week."

"Daddy, why can't I be both?"

John picked up his son who had taken off the apron, "You can, Son. I'm just worried about you, that's all," he confessed.

"You think that I might be like Sandy?"

John nodded reluctantly, "I don't want you to get hurt, Kevin."

"Daddy, I LOVE Sandy, but I want to be like you, a daddy."

John hugged his son, "Then why are you down here, cooking?"

"Because of that show 'Master Chef' where Master Chef Martin teaches new students here on the 'Cooking Channel."

"You go to school with his daughter, don't you?"

"Yes, Momma. Why?"

"Because, Scamp. You're just being a boy," giggled Sandy as John let Kevin down while Mary finished setting the table.

"That's 'cause I AM a boy, Silly," laughed Kevin as he scampered into his chair.

* * *

"Debbie, Brittney, breakfast is ready," called out Jocelyn from the kitchen.

Brit came into the kitchen still dressed for bed, "Where's Daddy?"

"He went in early, today. Have you and Deb got your dirty laundry ready?"

"She's getting it ready right now and loading the washer."

Then from the utility room came the sound of the washer beginning to work, "Hope she's not put your delicates in. I still have mine to go."

"I put ours on top of yours in your mesh bag, Mom," announced Deb as she entered the room.

"Good, then your new uniforms will be ready for school, Monday. Do you girls have your gym uniforms ready?"

"I have mine from last year, Mom. Didn't we get a couple of uniforms, each?"

"Yes, but I've been talking to your principal this morning about using Brit's cheerleader uniform without breaking the ruling."

"Oh? Do I get to be a cheerleader, again?"

"Hardly! No, I can remove the school's monogram and you can wear it to play tennis or badminton."

"You got the idea from Drew playing badminton as Gaby, right?"

"Yes, your dad and I thought that this would be a way to honor Drew."

"Does that mean that we can wear them at the 'Y'?"

"Yes, as long as it doesn't involve anything to do with the school, Deb."

Britney sighed, "At least now we can do something to show that we care about Drew. Who said 'Yes' to Dad's idea?"

"Let that be a mystery for you two to solve."

To Be Continued...

Grottoes