Sammy ran down the hall and crashed into Spot's legs.

"Quiet Sammy," Spot said.

"Gramma said the cookies are ready."

He smiled. "All right, go help yourself to one."

"She said to get Ken'a."

"Well, go get her. I think she's in the playroom."

"Ok," he chirped, running back down the hall.

He smiled, carrying Robert through the halls.

"Ma..." Robert called happily.

Spot nearly split himself in two with his huge grin. "That's right!" Was Robert starting to talk?

"Ma!" the boy said again.

He laughed and kissed Robert's forehead. "Don't talk too soon now! I'm sure your momma wants to hear you."

Robert babbled something unintelligible.

"That's more like it," he said with a chuckle.

Spot set him on a blanket on the floor in the living room and Robert promptly rolled over. He laughed. "You're quite the roly poly."

Molly walked in with James. "This one weighs a ton," she said, placing him on the floor next to his brother.

"They are growing up fast."

She smiled. "It seems like only yesterday that they were born."

"I know," he agreed. "And already.. I think Robert is starting to talk."

"Really?"

"I'm not sure... but I think so."

"She's all clean and happy," Chris said, walking in with Lizzy.

"Thank you, Chris," Spot said.

James rolled onto his stomach and attempting to inch his way across the room.

Spot laughed, seizing him round the middle. "No you don't mister."

He whined.

"None of that now, kiddo.'

Spot sat him back on the floor.

James pulled himself over to his siblings and they babbled over each other.

Spot sighed. "There will be no stopping him now."

Molly laughed.

Robert rolled over onto Lizzy and she began to fuss, waving her arms and legs.

Spot laughed. "I can see the trouble now."

Molly moved Robert and picked up Lizzy. "It's ok, sweetie."

Spot picked Robert up. "You've got to take better care of your sister! She can't see you to roll out of your way."

Robert blinked at him.

He smiled. "You'll understand when you're older.

"Spot!" Rae yelled from down the hall.

He winced, from the tone of her voice he knew she wasn't feeling well. "Yes dear?" He called, entering the room.

She was curled up on her side on the bed. "The room is spinning."

Spot went over and sat next to her. "Is there anything I can do?"

"Make it stop," she whimpered.

He pulled her up to a sitting position. "Rest your head on your knees."

She did as she was told.

He rubbed her back gently. "Now breathe deeply and slowly."

She took a couple of deep breaths. "Sorry," she whispered.

"It's not your fault."

She took another deep, ragged breath.

"Feeling any better??"

"Not much..."

Spot frowned. "Maybe you should eat something. That might help."

"Maybe a little something."

He nodded. "I'll be right back then." Hurrying from the room, he entered the kitchen and began rifling through the cupboards.

"Can I help you find something?" Noelle asked.

"Something for Rae to eat. She isn't feeling well," was his muffled reply.

She opened a cabinet and handed him a sleeve of crackers. "Let her try these first."

He nodded, taking them. "I will. Thanks."

"I'll bring her some good soup in a little while."

He smiled. "She'd love that, I'm sure." She shooed him out of the kitchen. "Going, going." He returned to Rae and handed her the crackers. "Noelle said to try these first."

She carefully ate one. And Spot watched, a bit worriedly. She another cracker and then rolled onto her side. Reaching over, he stroked her hair. After a moment she closed her eyes. "Are you going to be okay for now??" he asked worriedly

"I'm gonna take a nap..." she whispered.

Leaning over, he kissed her gently. "All right. I'll let you sleep."

"I love you."

"I love you too. Sweet dreams."

He sat there another minute or two before leaving.

"Is Momma okay?" Sam asked.

"She's just really tired right now. So we need to make sure that she gets lots of rest."

Sam nodded, holding a finger to his lips.

Spot smiled. "Have the older boys come home from school yet?"

"Not yet."

Spot glanced at the clock. "They should be home soon. You and Joey can go to the gate and wait for them...but don't go past the gate."

He nodded and grinned. "Yessir."

"Remember...don't go past..."

"...past the gate..." Sam finished.

Spot smiled. "Good boy."

Sammy turned and ran through the house, looking for Joey. Moments later, the two of the shot through the door and across the lawn. He watched as they ran down the driveway.

And just as they reached the gate, a slew of boys trooped through it. Jeremy bent down. "What are you two doing down here?"

"Waitin' for you!" Joey replied.

"Does Mr. Spot know that you two are out of the house?"

"Yep." Sam nodded seriously.

"Hop on," Jeremy said, turning his back to his brother.

Joey grinned, pouncing on his brother's back.

Sam tugged on Andy's pants. "I want a ride."

After a sigh, Andy crouched down so he could clamber on.

Sam crawled on and yelled, "Giddyup!"

Andy couldn't help but laugh. He whickered like a horse and trotted after Jeremy and Joey.

"Run Jerry," Joey hollered with a laugh.

Jeremy took of running, and Andy bolted after him, as if it as a race. The two boys on their backs screamed and hollered, yelling for their "horses" to run faster. The other boys raced along side Jeremy and Andy, shouting for whoever took the lead at the moment.

Noelle met them on the porch. "Settle down boys," she said softly. "Miss Rae is trying to sleep." Andy and Jeremy stumbled to a stop that nearly threw their passengers over their heads. All the boys nodded quietly. She wiped her hands on her apron. "Come get yourself some cookies and then do your homework."

"Yes ma'am," the boys chanted.

As the boys headed toward the kitchen, Andy slipped into the living room where Spot was talking to Chris and Molly while Kendra played on the floor with Robert and James.

Spot looked up at Andy.

"What's wrong with momma?" Andy asked.

"She's just very tired."

Andy nodded. "Is she gonna be alright?"

"I hope so. She needs a lot of rest right now."

Andy nodded hesitantly.

Spot smiled and ruffled his hair. "Don't you worry now."

Andy looked up at him. "Has she always been sick? I can't remember now..."

"Not always... at least not that I know of. We used to not like each other very much, so she wouldn't have told me then."

Andy sighed and nodded.

"Why don't you go have some cookies with the other boys?" Spot suggested.

"Yes sir," he said, turning and leaving the room, his head down and his hands in his pockets.

Spot frowned a little.

On his way down the hall, Andy peeked through the door of Spot and Rae's room. Rae was dozing in bed, curled up beneath the blankets. He leaned against the door and watched her sleep for a few minutes. She looked so calm, so peaceful. He tiptoed in and kissed her cheek. He smiled, tucking the blankets more securely around her and then crept out again.

Spot watched this all from down the hall. It seemed that sometimes Andy was old beyond his years. Andy closed the door quietly behind him Spot walked down the hall and put his arm around his son. Andy looked up at him. "She IS gonna be okay, isn't she?

Spot sighed. "I hope so, son. I hope so."

He frowned worriedly, and trotted ahead of his father.

"Andy..."

"Yessir?"

"Please don't say anything to the others..."

He paused but then nodded. "Yessir."

"Thank you."

He nodded and trotted off for some cookies from Noelle.

Spot sighed and walked back into the main room where James was inching his way toward the door. "Where are you going, kiddo?" Spot asked, lifting a brow.

James looked up at him and babbled something.

With a smile, Spot bent over and scooped James up. "Now I don't think there is anything out there that you need."

James waved his arms, still babbling.

He smiled, setting James down by his sister and brother. "Now you three play nice." He sat down next to them and looked up at Chris and Molly. "Why don't you two take a walk down to your cabin."

They smiled. "Are you sure?" Chris asked.

"Molly still hasn't seen it yet."

"That's right!" Molly said with a smile.

Chris stood and took her hand. "Let's go before he changes his mind."

They all laughed at that. Molly stood. "We'll be back later then."

"Take your time..."

"Thank you."

Molly easily matched her pace to Chris' uneven gait as they left the house. Chris slipped his free hand into Molly's. She smiled up at him.

"About tonight..." he said.

"Hmm?"

"Are you really gonna sleep with Kendra?" he asked.

"Well, I believe so. Why?"

"What about me?"

She smiled. "You can sleep with us too."

"I don't think so...but you tell that little squirt that I get you back after tonight."

Laughing, she nodded. "I shall." Standing on her toes, she kissed him lightly.

He kissed her back. "Come on, I want to show you the house I built for you."

She smiled. "I can't wait to see it."

He grinned. "Close your eyes."

"All right, but don't let me run into anything- or walk off of anything."

"Don't you trust me?"

She grinned. "Maybe," she said playfully, closing her eyes.

He carefully led her the rest of the way. "We're at the front porch. There are two steps up," he said.

Tentatively, she stepped up, slowly, feeling for the ground with her foot. "This is so odd." She smiled.

"Just about ten more steps and we'll be inside..."

She nodded, reaching out in front of her.

"Stop right here and open your eyes."

She did as told and gasped at what she saw. "Oh Chris... It's beautiful!" The house she now stood in didn't look anything like the little one room cabin that had once stood there. She turned all around, gasping at each new thing she saw. "Oh... oh my..." She flung her arms around Chris.

"Happy?" he asked.

She hugged him tightly. "Oh yes. It's perfect."

He kissed her. "Good."

She beamed up at him. "I love you so much."

"I love you too, my Molly girl."

She smiled. "Kendra will love it too, I know."

"She's excited about having a room all to herself...and her dolls..."

Molly laughed. "Yes. The second most important things in her life."

"Come on, I'll show you around..."

She smiled. "Lead the way."

"There are four rooms downstairs...and four upstairs..." he said, leading her toward the back of the house.

"It's amazing... this used to have what…only two rooms- the main room and a lavatory?"

He nodded. "I turned the main room into a large kitchen and went from there."

She grinned, glancing around. "You did a wonderful job."

"I put a small bedroom off the kitchen for your father to use when he comes into town..."

She hugged him tightly. "You think of everything. That is wonderful!"

He kissed her nose. "Let's go upstairs..."

"This is amazing."

He stopped at the first door at the top of the stairs. "This is Kendra's room."

She gasped, entering the room. It was like a little girl's wonderland. The walls were even papered with a simple pink and white striping. "Oh, this is absolutely beautiful. She'll feel like a princess."

He smiled. "Marty picked out the wall paper...and Andy helped me build the little doll house...and Sam helped with the table and chairs..."

She smiled, looking at one chair that had legs sticking out everywhere but down. "One of Sammy's?"

He laughed and nodded. "Sammy insisted that Kendra would like it."

She grinned. "It's so sweet."

She glanced over at the bed. "Chris, what is this?" she asked, walking over to the bed and picking up a new doll.

"It... looks like a doll."

"You're going to spoil her, Chris."

"It's just one doll..."

"And a doll house...and a tea table and chairs...and a doll bed..."

"I'll have you know I wasn't the one who bought it all."

She smiled and shook her head, setting the doll back on the bed.

"Now I'm wary to show you our room," he said with a smile.

She blushed. "Show me."

He took her hand. "All right, but no complaining that I've spoiled you."

"But Chris the money..."

He put his finger over her lips. "Just you let me worry about that..."

"Chris..."

"Ah, what did I say? I have it all under control."

She sighed in defeat.

He smiled, kissing her cheek. "Don't worry sweetheart."

"I'll try not to..."

"If it makes you feel any better, nearly all of it has been paid off already."

She nodded. "That does make me feel better."

He smiled. "Close your eyes now."

"Again?"

"Of course."

She closed her eyes.

With a smile, he led her to their bedroom. "Open."

"Oh Chris..."

He smiled. "Do you like it?

"I love it!"

He grinned happily.

She walked over to the large window and ran her fingers over the back of the rocking chair. "It's more than I'd ever dreamed of."

"I'm glad."

She hugged him tightly and kissed him. "Thank you so much. You're so wonderful."

He smiled and held her close. "I love making you happy."

She blushed. "Who would have thought you and I would get married?"

"I certainly wouldn't have..." he said, kissing her.

"Neither would I," she said. She smiled. "I'm glad I was wrong."

"Me too."