Mary awoke, and as usual, she felt happy. It was no wonder. After waiting so long to settle down and get married, she found that marriage was everything she'd hoped it would be. She and her husband, Charles, were coworkers at the same TV station, so the transition from dating to living together had been easy. Shortly after they were married, Mary was shocked to discover she was pregnant. Soon after their first anniversary, Mary gave birth to a little girl, Melanie.

Once she had a child, Mary gave up her TV career to be a full-time mother. Sure, she loved working in the news business, but it didn't compare to having a daughter. The three lived comfortably on Charles' salary as a news anchor. Before Mary knew it, her daughter was no longer a baby, and was in fact old enough to start preschool. The idea of leaving her daughter in the hands of strangers was a bit scary, but as she got used to the thought, something else began to creep into her mind. With her mornings now free, Mary might just be able to go back to work. Luckily, the station had offered Charles a position on their morning show. So, he would be home to take care of Melanie in the afternoons. In the years that she'd spent raising Melanie, Mary never completely forgot about the newsroom. It was in her blood.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a soft kiss from her husband. "Morning," Charles said, smiling as the kiss ended. "You look like you've got something on your mind. Don't tell me you're having second thoughts."

"Sort of," Mary admitted. "I've been away from the news for almost five years. I'm not even sure I remember what to do. Actually, before I even get to that point, I have to survive an interview first. I've never been good at interviews. I still don't know why Mr. Grant hired me. I mean, I was -"

Charles kissed her again to stop her rambling. "You love the news. That's the first thing you said to me when we went out, remember? Being in a new environment will be scary, but I bet once you get over that, you'll be great. As for getting past the interview, well, I can't see how anyone could not love you."

Mary smiled. He was such a sweet husband, nothing at all like the men she'd been out with previously. Those bad dates were now just a very distant memory. "Thanks," she said. "I can't believe I'm starting over again. I've done this before, so you'd think it would get easier, but it doesn't." She sighed as she finally sat up.

Mary knew she would have to start getting Melanie ready. The little girl would be starting preschool today, conveniently enough. Luckily, the task of getting a four-year-old dressed was enough to take Mary's mind off her job worries, at least temporarily. Though she knew it was genetically impossible, Mary often thought her daughter had inherited some of Rhoda's genes. The little girl was unafraid to speak her mind, especially if she didn't like something. "No!" was her favorite answer. It kept Mary on her toes, but she was used to standing her ground, especially against a toddler.

"Mommy, where are we going?"

"We're going to your new school. Remember, we were there last week, and we met your teacher? You like her, right?"

Melanie nodded vigorously. One thing the child had inherited from her mother was a sweet, charming personality. It didn't take her long to win adults over. Even Lou Grant was in love the moment he met her as an infant. It was the only time Mary had ever seen her former boss cry.

"But what about you, Mommy?" Melanie's question brought Mary back to the present.

"Well, I have a new job. Hopefully."

"A job?" Melanie asked with a look of confusion. "You mean like Daddy?"

"Yes, exactly like Daddy. I worked for a long time before I ever met your daddy. Now that you're a big girl, I can go back to doing what I love." Suddenly, the thought of being back in a newsroom made Mary smile. She really did love her work. But Melanie wasn't so happy. She was on the verge of tears. "Oh, sweetheart, no. I love staying home with you, too. But this is just something that I have to do. You'll understand when you're older. I just hope I can get this job."

Melanie was grinning as if she'd never been upset. "You can do it," she said. "You're the best mommy in the world!"

Well, with a vote of confidence like that, how can I lose, Mary thought.