Miles had gone back into his room after meeting the new girl across the street when there was suddenly a knock at the front door. He went to answer it, but his mother and father were already at the door and he saw from the other side, Steph, with two women behind her, who he assumed were her parents.
"Hi, we just moved in the house across the street, I'm Ann O'Toole-Kirkman, and this is my darling soul mate, Jackie." Ann said as she kissed Jackie on the cheek.
"And this is our beautiful adoptive daughter, Stephanie Marsh. We adopted her a few years ago, but she wanted to keep her old last name." Jackie introduced Steph who waved to the Desotos and Miles.
"It's wonderful to meet you, I'm Gabrielle, this is my husband, Miguel, and behind me and no doubt crushing on your daughter is my son, Miles." Gabrielle introduced.
"Mamá!" Miles groaned embarrassed and blushed. Stephanie also blushed at this, but giggled a little bit.
"Miguel and I had some spare time and were just going to play some go fish with some snacks, would you care to join us?" Gabrielle asked.
"Uh...no thanks, I think..." Stephanie said as she tried to push Ann and Jackie back, but the two insisted they go in.
"Oh, come on Steph, why don't you and Miles talk out in the back yard? You can talk about school. I'm actually on break from going to college." Jackie said to Gabrielle.
"Really? what are you majoring in?" Miguel asked.
"Human development and family studies, it was my Angel here that inspired me. I helped her reacquaint her with her family and I wanted to help others in a similar fashion." Jackie admitted as they sat down and got their cards ready.
"That's so sweet, mine's a little bit the opposite. I was the "b" of my high school, and I wanted to help others change for the better, so I got my sociology degree. Now I'm happily married with twins." Gabrielle said.
"Twins?" Ann asked.
"Yes, our daughter, Miranda, she's out with her girlfriend right now." Miguel said as they started the game.
Miles led Stephanie outside where they sat down. Miles had brought out some soda for them to drink as they awkwardly sat down and started drinking their sodas not knowing what to say first.
"Parents, right?" Miles finally said.
"Heh, yeah, I know. I've known my....moms for a few years now, but I feel like I've known them my whole life." Stephanie said.
"So....uh....your sister has a girlfriend?" Stephanie said trying to start a conversation after a long silence.
"She does."
"Do....you...have one?" Stephanie asked trying not to sound like she was asking.
"No, but I feel like a little unlucky in the love department, there was one girl, who was a little...older than me. Than a few weeks ago, I go camping with my friends and meet a...unique kind of girl, and I think something's going to happen, but then she and her parents are going on a trip and won't be back until the fall. So, I don't really know what I am with her." Miles said.
"Well, you and I could start by just being friends." Stephanie suggested. "You could also show me some songs you know on your guitar, I'd like to hear you play." Stephanie admitted.
"Sure, I'll be right back." Miles said getting up. "Go slowly on this Steph, go slow." Steph said to herself hoping this relationship might go somewhere in the future.
***********************************************************
Duke met up with Jacob Moreland at the new S.P.E.A.R location after getting a call from Caleb about helping out with a vampire dilemma he had.
"Are you sure, Nat couldn't make it?" Jacob asked as Duke walked with him to meet Sarah and Michelle.
"When I told Nat it might have something to do with seeing vampires again, she pretty much said 'no'. She wants to hang out with her girlfriend for the summer. Which is what I would be doing too, if my girlfriend wasn't the one who convinced me to come here." Duke said.
"You've met the woman you're definitely going to marry, I can tell you that." Jacob said.
"Okay, now just what is going on here with all this top secret comic book organization?" Duke asked as he talked with Jacob alongside Sarah and Michelle.
"This is Sarah, she's in charge of this thing the government's calling S.P.E.A.R, basically dealing with the supernatural or getting them to join the cause. Next to her is Michelle, her friend has a sister who's now a vampire." Jacob explained.
"Well, sorry, but if she's a vampire, then that's it. She's not involved with your life or her sister's life anymore." Duke said as he began to walk away.
"Wait, please, I want to help Wanda see her sister again, you're the only one who can help us find her with this Cassandra girl." Michelle said.
"Cassandra? Did she say anything about...her father by any chance?" Duke asked. "Uh...yes, she did. She talked about him...romantically? It sounded like."
"Damn it, not her. Cassandra definitely is someone who hates me, and the Morelands, since we killed her father, also a vampire. Besides I'm not sure how welcome I'll be back there. I'm basically the exiled prince, my brother's in charge alongside his wife." Duke said.
"Please, you're...what part vampire? You can go over there and maybe help set up an outreach to your brother? There's got to be someone over there who'll listen to what you have to say." Michelle insisted.
Duke sighed and shook his head. There might be someone who would listen.
"Alright, god damn it, alright. If I can meet up with my brother, maybe. If not, I'll try talking with Lancelot." Duke said.
"Lancelot of Camelot?" Sarah and Michelle asked as Duke nodded his head. Jacob got a portal ready for Connor to go to the vampire homeland, hopefully he could get in contact with them about Duchess Jenkins. Duke was informed everything he could be told about Duchess Jenkins before Jacob got him ready to go.