Ashley came over and, reaching from behind, kissed Chris on the cheek, and lovingly said. "Good morning Grandmom."

"Good morning, sweetheart." Chris answered smiling softly. Her heart filling with love for her sweet granddaughter, this child she so adored and held to her heart, "Did you have enough sleep?"

A stunningly beautiful young woman who had been beautiful since the moment of her birth, not only to behold with the eye but her sweetness and heart shone like a glittering star. Chris often thought her name should have been Star because she seemed to glitter and sparkle. Chris never quite understood why she loved this child so much. Ash had entered Chris’s life when she was almost 5. She was the child of Lynn’s first marriage, she and little Matt both, and became part of Chris’s family when Tim married Lynn. From the start Ashley had stolen Chris’s heart. So tiny she had been, with a bone structure that should have been reserved for a goddess. Creamy white alabaster skin, deep golden, almost burnished auburn hair, huge, expressive azure eyes the color of the sea and like Chris she loved the art of dance. Her exquisitely graceful body took to ballet as if it had been secretly trained in all the eons of time to express itself to the earth’s music. It had saddened Chris to know that Ashley’s grace and expression of movement would never bloom on the famous stages of the world, to interpret the music of the earth. Having her near had been a welcome blessing for Chris.

"Yes, plenty thank you. Ashley’s voice elevated with energy, "Isn't it exciting, Grandmom? I can't wait until I'm old enough to go."

Trying not to dampen her excitement, Chris, feeling the tug on her heart offered, "Oh, honey, I hope you never have to go. I hope this all ends tomorrow and we can go back to the real world. The way it was before the revolutionaries. You're too sweet to spend your life this way." Her voice dropping to a near whisper she add, "But you're right; it is exciting and a little scary, too." With a little laugh she added. "Not to mention a good break in the usual routine."

"Grandmom?" Ashley continued giggling and poking Chris in the ribs, "if it doesn’t will you come with me when it is my turn?"

Wiggling away from Ashley’s tickling finger Chris replied, "Depends sweetheart, are you going to push my wheel chair?"

"Grandmom!" Ashley nearly stomped but caught herself saying, "Does that mean I will never be old enough to go?" Giggling she continuing her relentless tickling attack knowing Chris would relent soon.

"If you don’t stop tickling me," Chris giggled out, "I will put you on that bus right now myself." Instantly realizing that was the wrong thing to say at that moment.

"Oh good Grandmom," she said as both hands went to work on Chris’s sides, "Now? Right now?"

Laughing Chris turned and hugged Ashley to her, "Yes, you little demon, right now!"

Pulling away and tugging on Chris’s hand she said, "Okay, lets go! I’ll get the wheel chair."

Swatting at Ashley with the bunch of parsley Chris replied, "All right then, off with you and if you find that wheel chair we will go for a ride."

Skipping lightly to the door, her loving energy left as if a trial of sweet fragrance, she pushed against the door to the dining room. She stopped, turned and grinned brightly adding in a little sing song, "Going to the old barn now to trash about for that wheel chair, so get ready Grandmom." She sailed gracefully through the door.

Laughter filled the room. Everyone having enjoyed the loving banter the two of them shared. Chris turned to Lynn, laughing she tossed the bunch of parsley at her, teasingly she said, "And you brought her into this world."

Though laughing Lynn caught the flying green bouquet and turned it in her hand, using it as a fan she replied, "Yep, the eternal optimist was some gift from the Gods all right."

Jokingly, complaining of exhaustion but without dimming the joyful tone in her voice Lynn Ann said, "Those children are energized, sure wears one out!" Laughing, she added, "or three or four for that matter but it's fun to see their excitement." With a sigh to accentuate the complaint she continued, "I'm exhausted already and the day's barely begun. Thank God for Ashley and the older children! Seventeen are a handful to bathe, dress and organize." Stopping to take a breath and reorganize her thoughts she added, "Have the other groups come up yet?"