When Ishani's parents arrived, they were talking with Dusty's parents who also entered. Lynn and Reena were talking animatedly, mostly about their children. Akash and Brody… about their wives.

"Yeah, when Dusty was like three he got tricked by another boy he was playing with into eating a-"

"MOM!" Dusty yelled, turning bright red. "Not that story please!"

Lynn leaned in and whispered, "I'll tell the rest later." before waving at her eldest. "Hi sweetie!"

"And I have plenty to tell as well." Reena replied, before looking to Dusty. "He is quite handsome… He gets his mother's eyes certainly."

"Thank you."

Brody shook his head. "I apologize for any of my wife's embarrassment in advance. She's a wonderful woman, but she is of course… a mom first."

"I could say the same…" Akash replied, before going over to Dusty and shaking hands with him. "I am Akash, Ishani's father… It is a pleasure meeting the man she's fallen in love with."

"It's an honor to meet you… I've heard so many good things about you and your wife from Ishani." Dusty smiled warmly. "She's an amazing young woman."

"I like to think so…" Akash leaned in a bit lowering his voice. "And I have one thing to remember for you… listen carefully."

Dusty nodded, paying attention. Akash's expression turned dark.

"Break her heart and I'll let Isaac do whatever he see's fit. He deals with her suitors more than I do."

"Y-Yessir!"

Lynn in the meantime, introduced herself to Ishani. "You're so beautiful… Dusty has good taste." She grinned.

Ishani blushed a bit. "Well, he is a wonderful man…"

"Indeed… He'd make a good husband."

"M-Mom!"

Ishani went red. "E-Erm…"

Brody pulled Lynn away. "Come on Lynn, let's save the embarrassing things for dinner itself."

"But I was going to ask her if she wants kids!"

Ishani and Dusty shook their heads, watching their parents go. "I already feel mortified." Dusty whispered. "I am SO sorry about this."

"I don't think we could've avoided this. It was either now or later…" Ishani laughed quietly. "I like your mother… she's unafraid to speak her mind."

Just wait… She got banned from being left alone at races for some of this stuff…

Finally all were sat down at the table and Dusty could take a head count of everyone who had come along for the trip. His family, El Chupacabra, Rochelle, Dottie, Chug, Sparky and Skipper. He was grateful for the others being there as well to help with conversations not to mention hopefully keep his family in check… though he had doubts on that part…

"So, what's for dinner?" Andy asked, looking around.

"It's whatever Isaac decided." All the members of Ishani's family sans Isaac replied.

Isaac just wore a smirk. "A new recipe." Was all he said as he headed to the kitchen soon serving it. "Blackened curried chicken, spicy garlic shrimp, and herb steamed lobster… Enjoy…. and if you can guess what I put into the sauces for all… Well, you get bragging rights."

Ishani giggled. "Challenge accepted dear brother."

"Accepted as well… Let's see how it turned out this time... " Kali replied, hoping for the best. Isaac always makes me nervous when he's smirking like that!

Everyone dug into their meals eating away. Poor Sparky had to stop for a moment to douse his tongue with water.

He hung his head a little in embarrassment. "Sorry… don't do too good with spicy, but it tastes delicious just so you know."

Isaac smiled reassuringly. "Still appreciate that you tried it, you don't have to finish if it's too hot." He replied. 'Besides… looks like there's someone else in the same boat."

Olivia pushed her plate away a little, drinking her water quickly. "Too hot!"

Dusty chuckled. "Poor sister."

Dottie and Chug gave Sparky and Olivia a pat on the back.

"My poor assistants…" Dottie said with a sympathetic look.

"I don't like spicy stuff." Olivia said, giving a puppy eyed look.

"The lobster is sweet, so that's safer to eat." Isaac said, with a sheepish look. Ishani and Kali were finishing up their shrimp without even batting an eye.

What are they talking about? This barely has any heat.

They're crazy…

Dusty made a mental note to himself.

Ishani can stand any spice… I'll keep that in mind if I ever cook anything.

As if Isaac were reading his mind, he decided to pop a question to Dusty. "Hey Dusty… Know how to cook?"

Dusty blinked turning to him. "Actually yes…" He smiled. "My mother taught me when I was a kid… She said she promised herself no kid of hers would ever move out of her house not knowing how to feed themselves."

Isaac smiled. "Good…" He looked over to Lynn. "Very smart Mrs. Crophopper."

Lynn blushed a little, grinning sheepishly. "I just wanted to make sure he and his siblings would be ready… That, and…" She nudged her husband. "Brody couldn't even crack an egg when we married so I had to show him everything! I wasn't going to make another Crophopper wife do that!"

"Lynn!"

Dusty smiled to himself.

Huzzah it's not me she's embarrassing.

"Speaking of… When's the wedding?" She asked, as if reading her son's mind.

Dusty nearly choked on his water. "MOM!"

Ishani stuttered a little, turning bright red. "I-I u-um…"

Brody shook his head. "This is why we can't have nice things…"

"What? I'm just wondering how long after it'd be until they give me a grandkid!"

Dusty went deep red.

I should've never the thought the thoughts I did, I jinxed myself… Welcome to the Crophopper rendition of awkward table conversations. This week's subject… embarrassing the heck out of the eldest son about his love life.

Skipper shook his head. "Let's not rush things now… Matters like this take time."

Dusty sighed in relief. Thank you Skipper for being a voice of reason…

Andy leaned over to whisper to his brother. "If you thought that was bad, I heard from Maya her mom gave her brother's gal a run for her money about wedding plans all the way down to grilling her on biology cause she's a doctor. I'd say we lucked out!"

"I think I can agree." Dusty whispered back.

Ishani decided to clear the air a little for them by directing her attention to Rochelle and El Chupacabra.

"I have to ask, how do you two make so much time for each other?"

"It's a lot of planning in advanced and seeing where our schedules can actually work." Rochelle answered. "Emphasis on the planning…"

El Chupacabra brought an arm around her. "It's kind of sad how heavy the planning part is. If it's not exactly to plan our visits are basically ruined… but we make it work."

"Indeed… and we savor the time we have…" Rochelle kissed his cheek. "And… we have somewhat embraced technology… Web cams work wonders when you miss the one you love."

"Si mi amore." El Chupacabra looked to Dusty. "Are you and Ishani going to try and see each other more after this?"

"I hope so…" Dusty looked to Ishani. "I can't imagine just going back to letters after this…"

Ishani nodded. "I believe that is one thing we can both agree on… If I have to, I will work around my racing schedule… Life's too short…"

"Yeah…" Dusty cringed a little mentally, thinking back to Piston Peak.

It was almost cut short for me after all…

"Then come up with a plan and you'll be fine." Rochelle said, giving a reassuring smile. "These kind of things have a way of working out."

"We'll do our best." Ishani reached over, squeezing Dusty's hand gently. "Right?"

Dusty squeezed back, smiling at her. "Right."

She sighed in content. "Right now… I just want to enjoy this moment in time…"

"And so do I…"

Olivia couldn't help but squeal at the sight. "Awww!"

Andy chuckled. "That is really cute."

Brody put his hand over his wife's. "Take out that phone camera and I will so leave you here for awhile."

Lynn pouted. "You never let me have any fun."

Dusty shook his head.

Ah family… gotta love them…

After the meal was finished, Isaac brought out chocolate for everyone to eat.

"I would've done something a bit more formal, but I thought simple would be better." he said as he set the plates full of chocolate down.

"Chocolate is chocolate!" Olivia squealed as she took a bunch for her plate.

"I agree!" Kali said, taking some for herself. Andy shook his head, setting the ones on his plate onto Olivia's ruffling her hair.

"Here, you can have mine."

Olivia blinked. "You sure?"

He nodded. "Yep." Hey, she deserves it… She's being too darn cute.

Dusty smiled. Way to be a good brother Andy… even if she's gonna be on a total sugar high later…

He saw Kali and Olivia make their way over to each other.

Uh oh…

"Hey, wanna play tag in the garden?" Kali asked.

"Sure!"

Andy stood up. "I think I'll go with, I need to stretch my legs."

With that, the three headed off for the gardens, Olivia running ahead giggling.

"She's going to be up all night." Brody chuckled.

"She takes after her mom… Quickest way to her heart is chocolate." Lynn giggled.

Skipper got up with Sparky.

"Pardon us but Skipper needs to be getting to bed… it's for his health." Sparky explained.

Isaac stood back up. "Please let me show you to the guests rooms."

"That would be great." Skipper said, tiredly.

"I think I'll go with." Dottie commented getting up. "I'm pretty tired too from the trip."

Chug stood up as well. "Me too."

Brody and Lynn exchanged a look and nodded. "I think we better be heading off to bed as well… Not as spry as you youngsters." Brody said winking to his son.

"Speak for yourself." Lynn muttered with a small smirk. "Either way… I'm exhausted… Good night everyone… And-" She was dragged out of the room. "HEY! I was just gonna say have good dreams!"

"Knowing you it'd be about marriage."

Dusty shook his head as they departed with Isaac. "My family Ishani…"

She giggled. "I like them… Not afraid to speak their minds."

Dusty smiled. "Good… Though I can't say everyone is here. I have one other family member back at Propwash that I'll have to be sure you meet later. She's basically my adopted sister. Her name is Chile."

"I'd love to meet her." Ishani smiled back.

"We would've brought her along but she doesn't do too well with travel… It's a long story I'll have to tell you about later."

"I'd like to hear it. I look forward to meeting everyone…" She grinned a little. "Maybe even the Air Attack Team you wrote to me about."

"Oh yes… that'll be a must with them…"

"Be sure to do it soon then, mi amigo." El Chupacabra said as he got with Rochelle. "We're gonna head off to sleep as well, enjoy your night."

The two departed, leaving Ishani and Dusty along with Reena and Akash at the table.

Ishani shook her head. "Is it just me or is everyone leaving in a bit of a rush?"

"Probably plotting something… though if you don't mind… I wouldn't mind going back out to the balcony again to have some quiet time together…"

"I'd like that… Mother, Father, we'll be heading off as well… Goodnight… and Father…" Ishani raised an eyebrow. "Don't let Isaac do anything evil please… Yes I heard that."

"No promises." Akash answered with a bit of smirk. "You two go enjoy yourselves now."

"We will." Ishani giggled as they headed out. "And that… is my family… Not too many stories to tell… Right away... " She shook her head. "They like to drop the bombs later on."

"Got ya."

The two headed out on the balcony, greeted by nice weather and a gentle breeze. They sat down on the lone bench the balcony had, resting against each other.

"This is nice…" Dusty whispered, sighing happily.

Ishani nodded, nuzzling him. "So quiet…"

Dusty nuzzled back. "Low and slow… just the way I like it…"

"Fly swift… Fly true…."

Dusty chuckled, kissing her head. "I've missed that… I've missed you..."

She kissed his chin, keeping close. "I've missed you too… So much…"

"We'll make this work… from now on… we'll make an effort to see each other, just like El Chu and Rochelle do."

"I'd like that… and whatever comes down the road… We'll meet it head on…" She rested her head on his shoulder. "Together…"

Dusty rested his head against hers.

"That's right… together…"

From here on, to whatever the future holds for us.

The End