Gibbs surprised Suzanne with a nice dinner with colleagues and family at Clydes, a popular Georgetown establishment known for its great food and service. He went all out—renting the banquet room, decorating the room with the Hoya colors, even ordering a cake shaped in the mascot. The invitation list was lengthy, from the field agents to those who work along Suzanne in dining services. She mingled with the others while Gibbs and Susan sat at the bar.

"I just want to let you know that I love Suzanne." Gibbs began the conversation. "I want her to become my wife. Your daughter has made me happy."

"What is your problem?" Susan asked Gibbs.

"No, what is your problem? You've been nothing but critical to Susie since she told you we're engaged. By the way, our engagement announcement wasn't planned to happen that way."

"Susie?" Susan repeated. "I'll tell you what the problem is with Susie, Agent Gibbs." Susan responded, clutching her gin and ginger ale. "She's green. She's not ready to get married. Suzanne is also too shy to become a lawyer."

"She is not naïve at all." Gibbs sipped on his Makers Mark. "She has a good head on her shoulders."

"You know, I didn't want her. I didn't want a daughter. It was my husband who wanted a daughter. My sons wanted a sister. My life would've been different. I would've been a professor, instead of an English teacher for 35 years. She derailed my road to a Ph.D." Susan took a sip and continued factually.

"I just finished my Masters degree in 1984 at USC. Simon was 5 years old and starting school. I was interning with the principal of a high school and was accepted into a PhD. program when I learned I was pregnant with Suzanne. I already had two sons. I was married. I was content, until she came along. I missed 5 years of work because of her. By the time she was school aged, it was too late." She glanced at Suzanne, smiling and chatting away in a corner.

"Look at her." Susan scoffed. "Suzanne thinks she's so dammed special."

"You're jealous of your own daughter?! God, Suzanne was right."

JR and Simon overheard their mother's response.

"Solomon? Simon?"

"We thought for all these years, Susie was the one who initiated the problem." Simon said.

JR was stunned by the revelation. "You have never loved Susie like we did."

"I love Suzanne."

"Mother, we convinced Susie to invite you to graduation. We blamed Susie for years not getting along with you." JR shook his head. He paused, remembering more unusual details from recent years.

"It all makes sense—why she never came home at William and Mary, why she went into the Peace Corps after college and stayed here instead of home. It's not her; it's you."

"Well, I said it!" Susan proclaimed. "The truth is out…" Suzanne walked over and overheard the last line—

"My life would've been different without Suzanne."

"And there it is." She shook her head in acknowledgment. "All I wanted to hear you say my entire life was you didn't want me, that I disrupted your dreams. I knew that, Mom."

"That's a cruel thing to say, Mother!" JR chastised their mother.

"It's the truth, JR. I cannot be upset with the truth." She smiled and shook her head with understanding.

"Suzanne? It didn't come out the right way."

"No." She motioned the bartender for another drink. "I'm not upset with you. I'm glad you told the truth…finally." Suzanne shed a single tear. "I thought it was something I've said, done didn't do, for long as I can remember. You just…didn't plan to have me. I held you back."

"Mother!" Simon yelled.

"Suzanne, I love you."

"Mom? It's okay. You don't have to say that you love me."

Suzanne kept her calm as she walked to the terrace.

"I better talk to her." Susan said.

"I think you've said enough." Jethro replied.

"No, I haven't."

Suzanne walked outdoors to smoke a cigarette. She leaned at the edge of the building, fumbling through her pockets for a lone cigarette. Susan joined her daughter. Jethro stood along the edge, simply keeping an eye on the two. He heard part of the conversation.

"How can we work through this, Suzanne?" Susan asked.

"How about saying to me 'Suzanne, I am jealous of you?'" She suggested.

"How about I am so proud of you?" She turned Suzanne to face her. Susan reached to wipe the tears from her daughter's face, only to be stopped.

"How about I am jealous of what you've done with your life?" Susan took a deep breath. "Suzanne, you've done so much more with your life. You're just like your father—fearless, fascinating, intelligent, no nonsense, traveled across Latin America and Europe. You never played it safe."

Susan's tears flowed.

"I'd like to think I got those traits from you." Suzanne commented.

"You never followed rules to the exact letter. You ask questions."

"Mom, why can't we get along?" Suzanne asked. "Why can't you love me?"

"Suzanne, I have always loved you." Susan stroked the hair from Suzanne's forehead. "You're my baby. You are a part of me." Susan only reached Suzanne's shoulder, even with heeled shoes.

The comment made Suzanne smile.

"I never showed it like your daddy, told you like I should have. Baby, I am sorry I've made your life a living hell." Susan finally bawled as did Suzanne. "I am so sorry I hurt you, Suzanne."

The two embraced. It was a true loving embrace between a mother a daughter, one they never fully shared.

"Mom, I love you too. I appreciate you. I appreciate what you've sacrificed for me." Suzanne tilted her head. "Don't beat yourself up. I understood what you meant."

After a moment, Susan noticed Gibbs on the terrace. She chuckled.

"Happy, Agent Gibbs?" Susan asked.

"Very." Gibbs smiled. "A daughter needs her mother; a mother needs her daughter."

Both Susan and Suzanne agreed to spend the weekend together. It was very surprising to all she invited her mother to stay in her home to repair and renew their bond. Suzanne apologized in advance for the simple setup. Suzanne had a queen sized bed with a homemade quilt and matching pillow shams. Inside her bedroom was a convertible couch/twin bed.

"Susie, I like your house." She flipped on the television set.

"I only have my bed." Suzanne said as she changed into her night-clothes. "I figured you can sleep in the bed and I sleep on the couch."

"How did you meet Jethro?" Susan noticed a picture of Gibbs on her nightstand.

"At work." Suzanne replied. "We've worked together 5 years and been dating for about a year."

Susan laughed. "I've never heard you like this."

"Like what?"

"You're in love."

Suzanne came out of the bedroom wearing duck pajamas. She sat at the edge of the bed, smiling.

"I admit it. I love him." Suzanne chuckled. "Mom, Gibbs makes me feel…alive."

"…and probably confused too." Susan reached to touch her daughter's plump cheek.

"How did you know?"

"You've just finished law school, scheduled to take the bar in July. It's a no-brainer for women." Susan reminded. "Everything you've worked for is right at your grasp and something's there to take it all away."

"I took it all away from you."

"It was my choice." Susan said. "I don't regret it, not now. I have three children, with three different personalities: a military man, an engineer, and my daughter who's a lawyer." Suzanne smiled. "I'd like to think my impact as a woman is making well-educated, Army-strong children. I was fortunate to have a teaching career while being a mother and a wife too."

"I think it's because of both you and Daddy." Suzanne shared the belief aloud. "Mostly you are responsible for making me head-strong, stubborn…"

"Good traits to have. It drives men crazy!"

Mother and daughter laughed. It was a long time since the two shared a memorable moment.

"Thanks, Mom." Suzanne hugged Susan.

Sunday they all agreed to meet for breakfast. While Susan showered, the men in her life arrived. Suzanne explained to Gibbs, JR and Simon what her mother meant and felt for many years.

"I represent to Mom what she could've achieved." She sipped her coffee. "You've got to give her a break."

"Still, it doesn't sound right." Simon remarked.

"Look, she came up during the height of the Women's Movement. Earning an education, achieving a career and raising a family are not easy feats—together or one at a time." Suzanne added. "By getting pregnant with me, she had to settle."

The men still protested about past behaviors.

"Guys, she doesn't hate me. Mom loves me. I remind her "could've" been, "should've" been moments in her life. If I wasn't born in 1984, right at the height of her opportunities, she could've been a principal, the first female superintendent, the first African-American female principal, superintendent. She was on the fast track."

"Is she okay with you and Gibbs getting married?" JR asked.

"That…I don't know." Suzanne walked into the kitchen, stirred in one pot, and clicked up the heat for her cast-iron skillet.

"That's something you don't to experience, Gibbs…getting knocked the hell out with one of those!" Simon commented.

"Been there before…" Gibbs responded. "That's a Southern woman's best friend!"

"See how she picks it up like it doesn't weigh much…?"

"Stop it!" Suzanne laughed.

"You have some really nice, fluffy towels, Susie." Susan complemented as she walked downstairs. All exchanged greetings. Suzanne continued frying and cooking.

"Is that fried fish?"

"Yes ma'am." Suzanne replied. "Grits, cornbread, and scrambled eggs are also on the menu."

"Now that's what I'm talking about!" Gibbs rubbed his hands together. Suzanne chuckled and brought the fish to the table.

"What you know about this, Gibbs?" JR asked.

"Camp Lejeune, NC." Gibbs replied. "I was stationed there and used to eat the same thing for breakfast—fish, eggs and grits—Combo 4 at Ray's!"

"I didn't cook much when Susie was home. She did the cooking!" Susan added.

"This looks good, Sugar." Gibbs reached over and kissed Suzanne on the cheek. All complimented Suzanne for preparing such a great breakfast.

"Honey, would please bless the food?"

Gibbs spoke from the heart, reaching and holding Suzanne's hand with his right and Simon's on the left.

God, I thank you. Thank you for touching my heart with love that you've provided just for me. He glanced at Suzanne, squeezed her hand tighter, and continued.

Please bless this food, this family to enjoy this nourishment of our bodies and us to thy service. In Christ's name we pray, Amen.

"You're marrying a good woman, Agent Gibbs." Susan said. The table stopped briefly, only to await more from the matriarch.

"Mom…?" Suzanne asked.

"Suzanne, you've always been a smart girl. Agent Gibbs—Jethro—is in love with you. Marrying him is your decision, not mine, not your brothers." Susan reached for Suzanne's hand. "I'll respect your decision."