Aaron's arrival thankfully ended the argument between his sons. Keeley sometimes felt overwhelmed by them. At least now they were all eager to eat.

Nathan and Oliver excitedly discussed the fire tricks; Kaleb talked basketball season with his father; and Violet turned to her grandfather.

"You're going to come to my recital next weekend, right?" she asked primly.

Robert smiled broadly at his granddaughter and patted her hand. "Of course, my little flower. I wouldn't miss it for the world."

Violet smiled. "I'm much better with my pointe shoes. They don't hurt as much anymore."

"That's good to hear," Robert replied.

Keeley watched them, a satisfied look on her face. Her father's life had become much more fulfilling since the twins' arrival, and even more so with each additional grandchild. He was no longer the miserable man mourning his wife and son, as he had been when Keeley first moved in with Aaron. He still refused to date, but his loneliness had lessened considerably.

The children frequently slept over at his house. Robert almost always joined them on weekend outings and vacations, never missing a concert, recital, sports game, or robotics competition. Each year, Aaron bought him Yankee Stadium season tickets, often taking the children along so their parents could have some time alone. He had even fostered Kaleb's love of baseball, coaching his little league team for two years.

All the children adored him, just as Keeley had expected. Robert Hall was a wonderful father, and a wonderful grandfather. He may not have had much money to spoil them, but he always gave them his time, attention, and interest—and that was what truly mattered. Aaron more than covered the material things.

"Grandpa, do you want to come trick-or-treating with us?" Nathan asked unexpectedly.

Halloween was three days away. Although Violet and Kaleb considered themselves too old for trick-or-treating, Keeley insisted on family photos in costumes. With just the twins, they'd done themed family costumes, but that became more difficult with the addition of more children. At the very least, she wanted a picture of everyone together.

The twins opted for simple costumes: Violet, a ballerina; Kaleb, his favorite Yankee player's jersey, pants, cleats, and helmet. Keeley found this acceptable, as long as they participated in the photos. She and Aaron planned to be vampires; Oliver, Chewbacca; and Nathan, a dinosaur from a popular children's show.

"Sure, I'll trick-or-treat with you. Are you doing it in your building again this year?" Robert asked.

"Yes," Keeley replied with a shrug. "The older kids want to watch scary movies in our TV room. Most of our friends are coming, too, because our building supposedly has better candy."

"That's because rich people give out huge candy bars," Kaleb said sagely. "Last time, I didn't finish my stash until June."

"I finished mine before Christmas," Oliver groaned. He'd suffered a terrible stomachache and three cavities as a result. This year, his mother would keep his candy until he wanted some.

"Someone got his father's sweet tooth," Robert chuckled, referencing Aaron's fondness for Keeley's baking. Aaron wasn't particularly sweet-toothed himself; he'd eat cake at a party, but he didn't actively seek sweets. The problem was, he devoured anything Keeley baked for him, while refusing homemade cookies from anyone else.

Keeley decided to keep this to herself. The children believed Aaron loved sweets as much as he loved their mother's baking; there was no need to shatter that illusion.

When the chef began cooking at their table, Nathan and Oliver's eyes widened. They loved this. Violet and Kaleb, more accustomed to it, were less enthralled.

The food was delicious, but Keeley felt a burning sensation at the back of her head. Turning, she nearly jumped out of her seat. Was that Ryan?

He looked like Ryan, though older and balder. And if he was staring at her did he recognize her? She hadn't seen him since the twins were babies, and assumed he'd moved away. What was he doing at this restaurant, at this precise moment?

She excused herself to the restroom for a better look. It was definitely Ryan, with a woman in her late thirties and a girl about Oliver's age. Did he have a family now? Why was he staring? Was he shocked to see her?

"What's wrong, Mom? You look weird," Nathan observed upon her return.

"Nothing," she said brightly. "Maybe I ate too much."

Keeley didn't want to spoil the dinner by letting Aaron see Ryan. Aaron had always disliked Ryan, and this was supposed to be a celebration. She couldn't let this ruin the mood.