Chapter 28

When Francesca saw the look on her fiancé's face and remembered that Sammy was already fourteen, she quickly added, "But you have to remember that I was raised in Italy and things are different there. It's better if you wait till you're older and find just the right guy."

"If you found the right guy when you were fifteen, then why aren't you still with him?" Sammy wanted to know.

"Because the guy you think is right when you're that young usually isn't. Even my dad and mom, who got married when they were nineteen and eighteen, turned out not to be right for each other. But look at how happy he and Luna are now!"

Blake had known Francesca wasn't a virgin, nor had he any illusions that she'd had several lovers, but he had no idea that she'd been that young the first time! And to have admitted it in front of Sammy, who was only a year younger than she had been! He didn't want to scold Francesca in front of Sammy, but he felt they really needed to have a talk when they could be alone. However if they didn't get on the way soon they would be late for dinner. "We should be heading to your father's house, speaking of them. We don't want to be late."

"Sounds like a good idea," Francesca agreed.

"Kat are you sure I shouldn't wear my uniform to your parents' house?" Sturgis asked for at least the third time that morning.

"No, a suit is fine. This is a family dinner not a military function. You aren't nervous about meeting my father, are you? I thought you knew him?"

"I do, but only in regards to the Navy. I have to be honest, everyone always dreaded his visits to the Virginia office."

"He can be pretty intimidating," she responded. "Just remember though, today he's just my dad, and not your boss."

"Kat as long as I'm in the Navy and your father is the SECNAV, he will be my boss!"

"Okay, I guess so, but today you don't have to treat him that way."

"Why don't I just play it by ear?"

"Sounds like a good idea," she agreed.

They were waiting in the lobby when William Turner pulled up out in front of the hotel. He smiled at them as Sturgis held open the door for Kat to get into the front seat. When they were both in the car, Sturgis introduced Kat and his father. She took the hand the elder Turner held out and said, "Well I can certainly see where your son got his good looks, Mr. Turner."

"Thank you, Kat, but please call me William. Sturgis always was a very selective boy. It seems he has done very well for himself." Looking at his son through the rear view mirror he asked, "Are you glad I got you this lovely ladies' book?"

"Yes Pop, it was a very good book, and it was because of that I went to find more by the same author and lucked into meeting her."

"Ah, so I get no credit at all?" William sighed and shook his head. To Kat he said, "You see how sons are? I suggest you have girls," William gave her a wink that only she could see. While she laughed and Sturgis protested, William put the car in gear and started for the Sheffield home.

Meanwhile in McLean, a car had just pulled up in front of the newly enlarged Chegwidden home. AJ and Luna had heard the car arrive and came out on the porch to greet their guests. Sammy jumped out of the car and was up on the porch by the time Francesca and Blake emerged.

"Hi Grandpa, Grandma!" she exclaimed as she gave AJ and Luna both a hug.

AJ looked over the head of the child in his arms and at his daughter and her date as they approached the house.

"Well we were going to tell you today," Francesca said. "But we were going to wait until we got into the house and maybe even had our coats off…" she shook her head in amusement at Sammy.

The girl grinned unrepentantly and said, "Hey it's hard to keep good news to yourself!"

To be continued…..