"Catching Feelings (Part 2 to One Night Stand)"

"Love Does Amazing Things"

Nat kept checking his phone for the time. He sighed every once in a while as he realized it had only been an hour since they started watching the kids. Summer had been playing dress up & started a tea party with the girls. Nat was just sitting on the kitchen counter overlooking the living room area where the girls & Summer were playing. Kacey ran up to Nat & started tugging on his sleeve.

Kacey: We're playing princesses & we need a prince. Will you be our prince, Uncle Nat?
Nat: No honey, if I play this game I'm the queen.
Kacey: Auntie Summer is our queen.
Nat: Oh she is? Well, then I'm not playing.
Diamond: Ok.
Nat: Kids are brutal. Wait, 1...2... Where's number 3?
Kacey: Oh! You mean Deja? She's upstairs in her room. She never wants to play with us anymore.
Summer: Hey, Kacey! Why don't you & Uncle Nat go get Deja? Tell her we're gonna watch a movie.

Nat rolled his eyes & Kacey excitedly pulled him off of the kitchen barstool & dragged him upstairs.

Nat: Hold on! Dang! You're a fast runner for a tiny thing.
Kacey: Here's Deja's room.

Deja's door was covered in pictures of Korean boy bands & a big sign that read: Keep out! Especially if your name is Kacey or Diamond... Nat waited for Kacey to knock.

Kacey: Oh no, I'm not allowed in. You knock.

Nat knocked on Deja's door.

Nat: Deja, it's me, uncle Nat.
Deja: Is Kacey there too?

Nat signaled for Kacey to be quiet & stand off to the side.

Nat: Just me.
Deja: Ok, you can open my door.

Nat opened the door & looked around the room. Deja's walls were decked with pictures of friends & posters of her artwork. Deja was seated at her desk drawing & sketching. As Nat entered Deja's room, Summer came upstairs carrying Diamond over her hip. Kacey was off to the corner & held a finger up to her lips to signal them to be quiet. Summer & Diamond stayed off to the corner listening as Nat was trying to coax Deja to join everyone. Nat sat on the bean bag in the corner of Deja's room close to her desk. Deja had her earbuds in.

Nat: Wow! Deja, you are quite the artist.
Deja: Thanks.
Nat: Doesn't it get lonely up here by yourself?
Deja: No. I like the quietness. I like being myself.
Nat: I totally get it. But sometimes it's nice sharing out time with others.

Deja continued sketching & never looked up from her paper.

Deja: Yeah, I guess.
Nat: Hey why don't you come down with the rest of us? We're about to watch a movie.
Deja: That's lame.
Nat: You wanna know a secret?

Deja removed her ear buds & set her pencil down. She finally looked up from her paper.

Deja: What?
Nat: I think this is lame too, but I love you girls so that makes it less lame for me.
Deja: So you're saying that love makes life less lame.
Nat: Exactly. Love does amazing things.
Deja: Will love make my daddy come home sooner?

Nat was now standing & could see what Deja was sketching. It was a picture of her & her dad. Nat saw a tear form at the corner of Deja's eye. The tear eventually dropped on the paper that Deja was drawing on. Nat leaned over & hugged Deja tightly. Summer popped her head in & motioned for Kacey to follow.

Summer: Group hug!!

Everyone hugged it out. Summer & Nat made the rest of the evening fun for the girls. Deja forgot all about how sad she was in missing her dad. The girls were soon all tuckered out & had passed out in the fort they made downstairs. Summer & Nat had survived the night watching the girls. It was now 11:00 & the girls had been sleeping soundly for the past hour or so. Krystal had called & said she had two more stops before heading home. Summer washed the dishes & cleaned the kitchen while Nat picked up all the toys & pizza boxes in the living room. As Summer & Nat saw in the formal dining room, Krystal cane tiptoeing in. Summer & Nat met Krystal in the foyer & Nat grabbed the sushi trays from her.

Nat: Let's eat. I'm starving.
Summer: I'll grab the wine.
Krystal: Uh, no wine for me.