Now back at the restaurant, everyone just talked about 
anything and everything. At around 12:30 AM, they finally had to leave 
bacause it was closing. They said their goodbyes in the parking lot 
and everyone left. Taylor, Stephanie, Beth, and Nick arrived back at 
the house at around 1 o'clock, and found Ana and Travis on the swing.
	"What are you guys doing out here?" Stephanie asked.
	"Nothing. Just hanging out," Anna replied.
	"Oh, well come on back inside. It's getting cold out here," 
Stephanie said.
	Anna and Travis followed their parents into the house.
	"What did you guys do all that time?" Travis asked.
	"Mostly talked," Beth replied.
	"For that long?" Anna asked.
	"Well we had a lot to catch up on," Taylor said.
	Beth and Nick decided to stay for a little while longer after 
being asked. Anna and Travis decided to play some more games of pool.
	Sitting in the living room, Taylor said, "About that ring. I 
did give it to you."
	"I don't know if I should believe that. I was told it was 
from my real dad."
	"Beth, your real dad died in a plane crash before you even got
that ring."
	"Well," Beth said, "If you gave it to me, then what does the 
inscription say?"
	Taylor had to think for a while because it had been 20 years 
since he'd seen it.
	"I believe it says 'Beth and Tay Valentines '98'."
	"That's right," Beth said, "Then it must have been you that 
gave me it. Otherwise how would you know?"
	"I should know. I spent a lot of money on that ring," Taylor 
said, laughing.
	"What time is it?" Stephanie asked, interupting the 
conversation.
	"1:30," Taylor said, looking at his watch.
	"Ah, we better get going," Beth said, as she and Nick got up 
and walked towards the coat closet. 
	Stephanie went upstairs and woke Mikiah up, Taylor went down
to the basement and told Travis that it was time to go, and Nick 
picked Topher and Kali up out of the play pen and carried them out to 
the car. Then the Carter family went home. 
	After about 10 minutes to the house everyone in the car, 
except Nick and Beth, had fallen asleep, Nick said to Beth, "Now that 
you know who the ring is really from, you don't have to wear it 
anymore."
	"No, I'll still wear it."
	"But why? It had no reason. I mean, it's from your past, it's 
old and you don't need it anymore."
	"I want to keep it because it IS from my past! The only thing 
that I have that isn't a lie anymore! What's your problem with me 
keeping it, anyway?"
	"My problem is that it's from an old boyfriend, one that you 
never broke up with, and that if I never came along and if you were 
never adopted, you would've married!"
	"Fat chance, and you can't tell me what I can and can't have! 
You never had a problem with the ring before, so you shouldn't have a 
problem with it now!"
	"When we get inside, we're putting that thing in the 
compactor. That's final!" Nick said, as they pulled into the driveway. 
	Everyone walked into the house and up to their rooms, except 
Topher and Kali who were carried by Nick. After Nick laid them down, he started 
walking towards his and Beth's bedroom. When he reached the doorway, 
the door slammed shut in his face.
	"You're over reacting!" Nick said, knowing that Beth would 
say something mean or sarcastic back, but instead she said nothing.
	"Can I at least have a pillow?" Nick tried to walk in when 
the door opened, but instead fell back from the pillow that hit him 
hard in the face, "If you need me, I'll be downstairs on the living 
room couch."
	Nick walked down the stairs to the main floor.

	"Where's Brad?" Taylor asked, walking into Anna's room.
	"In his room?"
	"No he's not. I just looked in there."
	"Well then I don't know. That's where I last saw him."
	"Shoot! Where could he be?"
	"Where could who be?" Stephanie asked, as she walked into the 
room.
	"Brad," Taylor replied, as the doorbell rang and they ran down 
the stairs.
	"Hello Mr. and Mrs. Hanson. I'm returning your son. He was 
airboarding around Central Park."
	"Thank you Officer Renalds. It won't happen again," Stephanie 
answered, as the officer left.
	"Oh my gosh Brad! How could you. . .why did you. . .your 
father can deal with you on this one!" Stephanie said, as she walked 
up the stairs and into her bedroom.
	"Why for the love of Pete were you out at Central Park at 
this time of night!?"
	"Dad, it's not a big deal."
	"Not a big deal?! C'mon Brad! You were out past city curfew, 
miles from home, you didn't tell anybody where you were! Do you have 
any idea how many wackos are in Central Park at this time? You could
have been kidnapped! Or even worse, you could've been dead!"
	"Why would you care? The only people who would care is Mom, 
Anna, Brooke, and Ryan! You could care less if I were dead!"
	"That is not true! I care a lot," Taylor said, surprised.
	"And why should you care?"
	"Brad, I care because I love you."	
	"Really? You do?"
	"Of course I do. You're my son."
	There was a long pause of silence and then Brad interupted it 
saying, "I love you too, Dad."
	They gave each other a hug, went to their seperate rooms, and 
went to bed.

	"Good morning," Beth said, softly (gloomily) as Nick walked 
into the kitchen.
	"Yeah, got any coffee?"
	"Blah. Yuk, how can you drink that stuff?" Beth said, as she 
handed him a cup of coffee.
	"Sorry 'bout last night. I didn't have any problem about the 
ring before, so I shouldn't have a problem with it now."
	"Ok."
	"Hey! You're s'post to say that I was right and I'm s'post to 
say ok," Nick said sarcastically.