Kit didn't notice the smoke beginning to seep out of the oven until the fire alarm began to blare. It drowned out the music she was blasting and instantly threw her into a panic. She turned from the stove, where she had been making pancakes, to find the kitchen in a haze. 

She let out a small, panicked yelp as she ran to the oven. She turned it off and yanked the muffin tin out. The scolding metal burned her hands the moment they met and she dropped the pan. It clattered to the floor adding to the chaos. Dancing around the hot muffins now scattered on the floor, she ran to the back door and threw it open. 

She quickly opened all the windows and grabbed the nearest towel. She waved it through the air, trying to dissipate the smoke. But the smoke only seemed to grow thicker. She grabbed a second towel and spun in circles, waving her arms faster until one of the towels hit an object. 

She jumped, and let out a surprised scream when Edison appeared out of the smokey haze. He gave the scene a worried look as he quickly assessed the situation. Kit watched in amazement as he quickly moved to the stove, where her pancakes had turned as black as coal and turned the flame off. He grabbed the pan, smoke rising from the hot surface, and took it outside. 

When he came back, he jumped up onto the counter and yanked fire alarm from the ceiling. Kit put her hands over her ears, trying to block out the screaming noise until he finally managed to turn it off. 

When she removed her hands, her ears were ringing. She could hear her music again, but it sounded fainter. Edison hopped down from the counter and searched the kitchen before he found the music and turned it off. Kit's shoulder's slumped with relief once it was finally silent. 

Edison gave her an amazed look.

"What?" he asked. "We don't see each other for a day and you're so desperate you decided to burn down your house?" 

She gave an embarrassed laugh and resumed waving the towels around.

"I was making breakfast," she said. She stopped when she stepped on a muffin on the floor. They were a crisp black and still steaming. "Well, I was trying," she corrected.

She picked up one of the muffins. "Are you hungry?" she asked.

She held the muffin out to him. Chuckling, he shook his head. He crouched down and began to pick up the muffins.

"I think I'll pass," he said. 

"How about some pancakes? They have red, white and blue star sprinkles in them."

"I'm not sure those sprinkles are red, white and blue anymore."

She jumped up and went to the stove. She frowned when she didn't find the pan and began to turn in circles. When she looked at Edison, he just grinned and pointed out the door. She laughed.

"I guess that's the last time I'll try to make a fancy breakfast," she said. 

Edison carried the burnt muffins to the trash. "Pancakes and muffins was a bit ambitious," he said. "I didn't even know you cooked."

"I don't, but it's the Fourth of July! And I found these really cute sprinkles," she said. 

"How about some scrambled eggs?" he asked. 

"Fine," she grumbled. She pulled the carton of eggs from the fridge. 

He was by her side in a second, holding his hand out. He nodded to the bar stools.

"How about I take over the cooking before you burn the house down?" he said. When she didn't move, he took the eggs and gently nudged her in the right direction. "You can be DJ," he added. 

"Fine."

She hopped onto the bar stool and pushed play on her music. She lowered the volume as the song resumed playing. Edison froze when he recognized the song.

"Hey Farewell? Really?"

"What? There is nothing more patriotic than Hey Farewell," she argued. 

"They're a boyband."

"And nothing says patriotism more than three hot guys making beautiful music."

His eyes went up in surprise. "You think they're hot?"

"I don't think there is a teenage girl in America who doesn't think they're hot."

"Well, you know," he swaggered towards the counter and leaned against it. He gave her a flirty smile. "Everyone says I look like the guitarist." 

Kit gave him a critical frown. "Who says you look like Noah?" 

He casually shrugged. "People." He tossed his head arrogantly. 

She laughed. "Who? Amanda? The cheer squad?" His expression fell slightly and she knew she was right. She smirked. "Their opinion isn't biased at all." 

He straightened and returned to the stove.

"Do you want eggs?" he asked flatly. 

"Yes."

"Change the song."

"But I can't. It's on my Fourth of July playlist," she said. "And the rules are no skipping or shuffling the playlist."

He gave her his classic amazed look. She grinned. He shook his head as he returned to making eggs.

"You have a Fourth of July playlist?"

"Of course!" 

"I didn't realize you were so patriotic," he said. He began to search her cabinets. 

"Bowls are in the third drawer," she directed him. "And it's a holiday that involves BBQ and fireworks. What's not to like?"

He gave an agreeing nod. "Well, if you grew up in Lighthouse Point, then a lot of things," he said. "The town goes a bit overboard. It's one of the biggest celebrations of the year." 

"I know! I've heard stories from Jaxon. He shares your bleak outlook on the holiday, but I'm excited to finally get to experience the celebration."

He shook his head and gave her a bewildered look. "The only people who actually enjoy the celebration are the kids and grandparents."

"Then I guess I'll be in good company."

He scooped the scrambled eggs onto a plate and slid it across the counter to her. She reached across for the star sprinkles and poured some over her eggs. She took a bite and frozen when she caught the look Edison was giving her.

"You're so weird," he said, more to himself. 

"It's the Fourth of July," she argued. She didn't feel like her reasoning needed more of an explanation. 

Edison seemed unsure of her abilities in the kitchen and offered to clean up the dishes while she got dressed. He was waiting in the front hall when she came down the stairs decked out in a red, white and blue outfit. He stared for a moment before he opened the front door and mumbled something under his breath. She caught the word crazy and chuckled as she followed him outside. 

He managed to hold onto his comments about her outfit until they were driving. She put her feet up on the dashboard and he couldn't resist any longer.

"Those shoes are ridiculous," he said. 

She looked at her feet. Her left shoe was red and white striped, and her right shoe was blue with white stars. She smiled. "Aren't they amazing!" 

Before he could make any further comments, her phone rang and she answered, putting it on speaker.

"Hello, mother dearest!" she said. 

"Happy Fourth of July, darling," her mother said. "How are you?"

"I'm doing great!" she said loudly. "I'm driving with Edison. We are going to the Fourth of July parade. Edison say hi." 

He gave her a surprised look and stumbled over his greeting before he managed to get a hello out. 

"Hello, Edison, nice to meet you," her mother said. 

"It's nice to meet you too," he said. He gave Kit an unsure look and she laughed. 

"Are you guys in London yet?" Kit asked. 

"We are waiting to board our flight now," her mother said. "How was dinner last night?"

Kit held back a smile as Edison listened in a stupor as she told her mom about her time with Jaxon and her aunt and uncle. They exchanged details about her parents arrival at the end of the week before they said goodbye. 

As she ended the call, she looked over at Edison and grinned.

"Be honest," she said. "There was a part of you that didn't think my parents actually existed." 

"Psshhh...what?" he said, trying to sound casual. But he avoided her gaze. 

She laughed and hit her knees in delight. Her head went back as her warm laughter flitted out the open window.

"You totally did!"

"What was I suppose to think?" he said defensively. "You show up out of nowhere, you don't have any furniture and there aren't any adults around."

She just kept laughing. 

"At least I didn't believe you were married to some rich, old dude," he joked. 

"Hey, that hurts Albert's feelings."

"You're crazy," he chuckled. 

"Definitely! But I do have parents." She grinned as she watched the corner of his mouth turn up, even though she could tell he was trying to fight the smile.

Her smile settled into a content look as she kept looking at him. He had one hand on the steering wheel, the other resting on the door. His manner was lazy, his hair hidden beneath a backwards hat. 

She suddenly felt the impulse to be nearer to him. She pulled her seat belt loose and moved closer. He responded instinctively, shifting his hold on the steering wheel and wrapping an arm around her. She rested against him and laced her fingers through his. She propped her feet on the door, her red, white and blue shoes hanging out the window like a flag as they drove into downtown. 

The downtown of Lighthouse Point had been transformed in the one day since Kit and Edison had completed their princess birthday hunt. Every store front had an American flag. Red, white and blue streamers hung from every available awning and roof. All the flower boxes lining the street were filled with red, white and blue flowers, like-colored pinwheels hidden among the plants. 

Everyone was dressed in patriotic colors, a small flag in every hand. Kit felt like a balloon, light and floating, only held down by Edison's hold on her. They walked down the middle of main street, Kit's gaze darting around as she took in all the sites. Someone handed them small flags. Music with a country twang played faintly in the background. 

The sidewalks were already filled with people in camping chairs and kids in wagons waiting for the parade to begin. Vendors walked up and down main street, selling streamers, balloons and candy. Kit stopped one and bought a balloon. She refused to walk any further until Edison agreed to tie it around her wrist. 

Trumpets blared from one end of main street and Edison pulled Kit off the road as a marching band started the parade. He led her along the packed sidewalks, looking for a spot for them to watch the parade. She blindly followed his lead, charmed by the crowd. Families in matching outfits, friends in coordinated colors, older couples in vintage shirts with embroidered flags. 

They finally found a less crowded spot where they could smash in and join the crowd along the sidewalk, but Kit couldn't see over the people in front of her. She reached up on her tiptoes as the music from the marching band grew louder, but she could only see the tops of the band members red and white hats. 

She was trying to find a bench or step to stand on when Edison grabbed her hand. He bent down and held out his other hand, motioning for her to climb onto his shoulders. She stepped into his hand and climbed up, and suddenly she was a foot taller. 

She cheered with the crowd as the band passed, playing Famous Stars and Stripes, their instruments shining in the sun. Following the band, came a group of people who had served in the military, a wide range of uniforms and ages. Then came an assortment of trucks and special old cars. 

Bringing up the rear was a large float decorated with flags. It had the town officials and, to Kit's surprise, Amanda. She was in a glittery red dress with a white sash across her chest. She was wearing a crown and waving like she was royalty. The cheer squad walked along the float, handing out flowers and candy to the crowd. The football team followed behind the float. 

Kit couldn't help but laugh at the haughty, regal look Amanda was giving the crowd, as if they were her loyal subjects and she, their queen. But the little girls in the crowd didn't seem to mind being seen as subjects. They squealed at the sight of her and waved to get her attention. A group of girls in front of Kit and Edison called to Amanda. She turned to them, gracing them with a rosy smile and a gentle sway of her hand. It only excited the girls more and they grew louder. 

Amanda continued to wave at them, lapping up the attention until her gaze landed on Kit. Her smile froze and the haughty look disappeared from her eyes when she saw who's shoulders Kit was on. Amanda's eyes jumped back to Kit and Kit just smiled and waved. Amanda quickly looked the other way and pointedly didn't look back in their direction until she had moved well past them. 

There were only a few groups that followed after Amanda's float, but the excitement didn't dissipate. Main street opened up once the last group of the parade had passed and the crowd flooded the street, bringing up the rear of the parade. 

At Kit's urging, Edison joined the crowd. Kit had the best view as she surveyed the crowd from his shoulders. She waved her flag and danced to the marching band music. They only walked a few blocks until they reached the town circle. The road circled around a large common green area with hedges and a fountain in the middle. Across the street from the fountain, stood the tall, white town hall with large green lawns on either side. 

The crowd filled in every inch of the street and any open space. Everyone from the float, including Amanda, now stood on the steps of the town hall. A man with a bushy mustache stepped up to a podium and began to address the crowd. He spoke about the town's history and their ancestors who had fought for freedom, but Kit barely paid attention. 

She was more interested in her surroundings. All the grassy areas around the fountain and the town hall had been filled with white tents. Some of the tents had crafts for sales, others prepared food. Half of the tents had games. 

Her attention was only drawn back to the steps of the town hall when she heard Amanda's voice coming through the speakers. Amanda began to recite a poem, her voice taking on a noble tone as she stood straight, her face valiantly upturned, her hand over her heart. The audience listened attentively, cheering loudly when she came to a dramatic close. Kit tried to hold back a yawn. The parade had been delightful, but she was ready to move, to find out what else the celebration had to offer.

The man who took the podium after Amanda had just what she was searching for. Kit was ready to tune him out until he mentioned a competition and prize. The competition was simple and open to all. Whoever wanted to compete would get a small booklet. Each tent with a game would give a sticker to each person who completed the game, and the sticker would go in the booklet. The person who earned the most stickers won. 

Kit was already strategizing on how to win as the speaker continued to explain the games, and encouraged everyone to participate. She tapped Edison and began to slip off his shoulders. He caught on to her intent in time to offer her a helping hand down. 

"Alright, are you ready to win this thing?" she asked, a competitive gleam in her eyes. 

He gave her a confused frown. "What?" 

"The game competition," she clarified. 

He laughed. "The game competition?" He laughed like she must be joking. She nodded her head eagerly. "You can't be serious," he said. "Only the little kids actually do that. My little sister doesn't even play."

She clapped her hands together excitedly. "Excellent. Then we won't have that much competition," she said. 

He just shook his head and began to walk away. He didn't get far when Amanda intercepted him.

"Eddie!" she beamed. Her voice was extra high, her hand reaching for him. "Happy Fourth of July! I missed you out there."

His face fell into a lazy, bored expression. He shrugged.

"You looked like you were having fun," he said. 

She giggled and tossed her hair over her shoulder. "It's all so silly, but you know how the town is," she said. "I wasn't even going to do it this year but everyone insisted."

The sun brightly reflected off of Amanda's sparkling dress. Kit lifted her hand to block her eyes as she walked towards them.

"Amanda," she said, squinting her eyes. "That dress...its really...well, it's something." 

Amanda's smile turned into a tight line as she gave Kit's outfit a scrutinizing look. She held back her comments, but they were clearly displayed on her face. She turned her attention back to Edison and slipped her hand around his.

"Are you going to Drew's later?" she asked. "I can give you a ride." 

Amanda was clearly trying to stake her claim on Edison and Kit had no interest in a territory war. She was more interested in playing games and winning the prize. She turned and walked away. 

She wandered through the crowd, trying to find where they were handing out the booklets to collect the stickers in. She stopped to look at a stand of bracelets when a small booklet appeared before her.

"I believe we have a prize to win," Edison said. She turned and grinned. 

"Chop, chop now," he said.

He scooted her away from the bracelets and towards a tent with a bean bag toss. He handed her a bean bag and took one for himself.

"Let's show these five and six-year olds how the game is really played," he grinned.

**********************************************************************

Sprinkles!!

Okay who thinks there is nothing more attractive then a guy who knows his way around the kitchen?

Honestly the one thing that would have made it better is if he had found some terrible reason - like kit cutting her hand - to take off his shirt and use it as a bandage! 😂 Pity that didn't happen.

Who thought like Edison and didn't think Kit had parents?

Rank the couples cutest to cute! (all joymoment couples) Kit and Edison (Edit), Carter and Donovan (Darter), Elliot and Beck (Belliot), Lennon and Kade (Kannon), Sky and Knox (Sox), and finally Amelia and Sebastian (Bames) (I never actually came up with a name for them, if you have a better one let me know)

Now! A deep thought! ...

Yup, I don't have one, you'll have to give me one cause clearly my thoughts don't go that far down. They're more like one of those puddles you used to jump in as a kid. Shallow, but makes a huge mess when you get into it. Yup, that pretty much sums me up!

Gosh I'm rambling. I should stop. Especially since I've rambled into someone's backyard and they're yelling at me. Okay run for it!

One color and one word that sum you up?

Mine is a cheery yellow and joy! (Of course! 😉)

fred, kjærlighet, iskrem (Norsk)

Why are baby anything's just so cute?!