The sound of synthetic piano flowed through the Seville home while the boys went about their various concerns; Simon watched the weather on the afternoon news, Theodore listened to music through his headphones, and Alvin approached the den after spending time in the kitchen.

Peeking into the room, he saw his father sitting by his desk listening to recordings of instrumental tracks from the digital audio workstation software in his desktop computer. By the PC was a notepad scrawled with last-minute changes to notes heard and the recordings' arrangements.

"How are the songs coming along, Dave?" Alvin asked, strolling further in.

Dave nodded. "I'm almost done, and then, after I drop them off with Sy, I think a little celebration is in order."

"Ohh! Can we go someplace cool, Dave...like Nome, Alaska?" his son snarked. But, Dave understood where it came from and commiserated.

"It has been uncommonly hot these past few weeks."

Theodore, overhearing and entering the room, added, "I know! I like ice cream soup, but not when it's still in the cone!"

"Oh, that reminds me," Dave pointed out. "Stop sticking your head in the refrigerator, Alvin. It wastes electricity."

"I'd cool off faster in the freezer, Dave," Alvin countered. "But, I can't reach it."

"By the way, has Priscilla called anytime I was away?" Dave asked him, as a way to change the subject. "I didn't want to lose touch with her."

Alvin scoffed. "Your date hasn't called, Dave. But, it's nice that she likes 'distinguished-looking men', with your hair graying ever so slightly, and all."

"Funny, Alvin," Dave smirked. "But, Priscilla doesn't care about any of that. Otherwise, we wouldn't have hit it off at that music industry conference."

Dave leaned back in his chair after his boast, his confidence suddenly clouded with doubts born from countless past failures where promising dates turned into relationships that never lasted more than a month, at best. Hope may spring eternal, but he was starting to feel an autumn of defeat in the air.

"We're going on another date soon and I just want this to really work out," he confessed.

Theodore approached his father and gave his hand a comforting pat. "She's nice, Dave and she likes you. She could be the one."

"I hope so, Theodore," Dave sighed. With a ring from the desk phone, the moment was broken. Dave picked up the receiver, only to feel himself picked up when he heard a woman voice on the other end.

"Oh! Hi, Priscilla! The boys and I were just talking about you," Dave exclaimed. Then, after a question, answered, "We are definitely on for our date! I wouldn't miss it for the world. I'll see you then! 'Bye!

Dave stood from his desk, his resolve renewed as he regarded his sons. "Okay, boys. I want you to help make sure that the house straightened up before Priscilla comes over. I want to make a good first impression."

Theodore beamed. "Okay, Dave. See, I told you."

Alvin, not really looking forward to time spent doing housework, decide to jab Dave one more time, saying with a smirk, "Will do, old man."

"Alvin..." Dave sighed, not caring if it gave his son such satisfaction, reaching over and pulling a thumb drive free from his computer and pocketing it. He then stood from the desk and started to leave the room. "I better turn on the air conditioning."

"What?" Alvin asked in jest, with Theodore trailing behind him. "'Old man' is a term of endearment!"

As Dave approached the thermostat in the dining room, Alvin offered, "Y'know, Dave, I could always do that for you."

"Sorry, Alvin, but it's a Seville tradition that the power bill should never be as high as the mortgage," Dave quipped as he decided on a lower temperature. Then, the doorbell chimed.

"Will one of you get that?" he called out.

"I've got it," Alvin said, getting to the door first. "I guess Priscilla couldn't wait for that date."

The broad door swung open and any clever or snarky comment he would have chirped died under the pleasant shock upon seeing a face as familiar as it was unexpected.

"Mom!" he blurted, catching the attention of his brothers.

"Mom?" Simon and Theodore echoed before all three pups rushed into her with a big hug by the threshold.

"Oh, my little ones!" Vinny exhaled, heroically keeping her balance against the emotional assault. "It's so good to see you, again!"

"Same here!" Simon concurred.

"Come in!" offered Theodore.

From the dining room, Dave heard the boys call his name from the living room. From its urgency, it prompted him to wonder, nervously, if Alvin's earlier comment about Priscilla was accurate.

"What is it? Is Priscilla here?" he asked, reaching the living room and preparing his smoothest greeting. The female Chipmunk sitting on the couch by the window was the last person he expected. "Vinny?"

Vinny gave him a seemingly sheepish nod. "Oh! Hello, Dave."

"How are you doing?" he asked, cordially, mentally standing down from 'Impress Mode.' "Have you come to see the boys?

"I'm doing fine and yes, I did come to see them," she said. "I...hope I didn't come at a bad time."

"Not at all, but why didn't you tell us that you were coming over? We could have gotten the place prepared for you."

One of Vinny's bare feet began to swivel slightly, the heel making small circles against the base of the couch. "Uh...I was just thinking about all of you, and so, I decided to come over on the spur of the moment. I hope you don't mind."

"Not at all!" the boys said in happy unison.

Dave shrugged, amicably. "Well, I guess that the ayes have it. Where are your bags? I'll take them up to the guest room."

Vinny, herself, shrugged with a grin. "I didn't bring any. I decide to travel light, this time."

"Oh, okay. Well, make yourself at home," Dave bade her, turning towards the kitchen. "I'll bring out some punch. It must be sweltering out there."

After he departed, Vinny turned her focus back to her sons. "Oh, my boys! I missed you so much. There's never been a day that I hadn't thought about you."

"We missed you, too, Mom," Alvin replied with a rare sincerity.

Theodore chirped. "It's great that you're here, now, Mom! We've got air conditioning. You can stay here as long as you like!"

"That's sweet, Theodore," Vinny muttered. "But, I don't want to be a burden to you boys and Dave.

Simon exclaimed. "Nonsense! Dave would love to have you around the house."

"Yeah!" Alvin agreed, easily. "Mi casa es sua casa, and all of that!"

Returning with a pitcher and some glasses on a tray, Dave, overhearing, voiced his opinion. "The boys are right, Vinny. You can always come over the house. You don't even need a reason to."

Giving a visible sigh of relief, she relaxed. "Oh, thank you, Dave, boys." Then, she hopped off the couch to address them with an honorable glint in her bespectacled eyes. "But, if I do stay, for however long it is, I will not take advantage of your hospitality, or take over your home, like I did the last time I was here."

Before any word of polite debate over her last visit had the time to be said, she continued her pledge.

"You may be city folk, but this is your city and I will make every effort to keep to your ways while I pull my weight and keep your home in tip-top shape. I insist!"

Dave, familiar with Vinny's old-fashioned sense of propriety, knew better than to argue the point, especially when it actually benefited the whole.

"Well, I am expecting company soon," he decided, suddenly remembering one small point that he did take umbrage with. "And you don't have to change who you are to be with us, Vinny. However, it would be nice to have some help keeping the place in order and the boys in line. While you're here, this is your home, too."

With personal honor satisfied, Vinny brightened. "Then, it's all settled! I'll start first thing in the morning. In the meanwhile, boys, you can show me some more things about your city. I didn't have much time to do so the last time I was here."

"Sure!" her sons chirped.