Two short chapters to end this week. Amy shows up again, plans for the wedding continue, and Audra proposes their plan to her aunt for the fundraiser.

Thanks for reading my story. I love to see all of your great comments and try to reply to every one.

Chapter 71.

The next morning when Gretchen brought A.G. to the daycare center, Ellen was talking to a woman carrying an infant, with a young girl standing quietly beside her. Gretchen recognized Vanessa Corrigan and her mother. The infant that Michelle was holding must be Vanessa's brother Kyle.

"Hello, Mrs. Corrigan," she said. "Hi, Vanessa. This is A.G., my son."

A.G. said a friendly 'hi' to the older girl.

"I'm interviewing for a job at the hospital today," Michelle Corrigan told Gretchen. "Your mother arranged it."

"Oh! Well, I hope you get it. And Vanessa and Kyle will be just fine here," she said.

"Vanessa, there are some other four-year-olds over there doing arts and crafts." Ellen indicated a group of five children at a nearby table. "Would you like to join them?"

"OK," the girl said, and she walked over to them slowly.

Gretchen saw that one of them was Sean and Megan Sullivan's youngest, Kathleen. It wouldn't take long before Vanessa relaxed with her and her friends.

"A.G., come play with the train," Zach called to his friend, and A.G. ran over to him. Zach had a remote control and was sending a brightly colored plastic train around a short track.

"I'll show you where the infants and toddlers are cared for," Ellen told Michelle. "We have a nurse and an aide with them all the time."

Gretchen smiled, then started to leave just as Charley Lerner arrived with Amy. "Amy! A.G. and Zach will be so glad to see you. They missed you yesterday."

"I'm s'posed to play with girls." Amy looked up at her father for approval.

"Well, I'm glad you're feeling better today and could come to school," Gretchen said. "Everyone was worried about her," she told Charley.

Ellen had returned. "Dr. Lerner. Is Amy all right today?" She confirmed Gretchen's statement.

"Yes, I...I guess I should have called yesterday, shouldn't I?" He looked around the room. "Why don't you go play with those girls?" he urged his daughter.

"Yes, Papa," she said and obediently went over to three little girls about her age playing with dolls.

Gretchen expected that, with Amy off playing, Charley might tell them what had been wrong with her the day before. But instead, he just said, "I'll be back for her later."

"I have to get to my office," Gretchen said. "See you all later." She hoped she would, and that when she did, she'd see Charley again, and would have a plan for how to ask him what he was being so secretive about.

#

Before Audra went to her office that morning, she decided it was a good time to talk to her Aunt Lisa. She entered the anteroom and asked Sean, "Is Dr. Cuddy busy?"

"She's on the phone right now, but I don't think it'll be long," he replied. "Have a seat."

Audra elected to stand. And less than a minute later Sean told her, "You can go in now."

"Audra!" Cuddy said when she saw who was at the door. "I don't get to see you too often anymore."

"I know," the younger doctor said. "Although I do spend a lot of time with your husband." She smiled.

"Yes, I suppose you do. So, what can I do for you?" Cuddy had come to expect that anyone entering her office was there to ask for something.

"A bunch of us were talking the other night about why the board wasn't ready to approve the fuel cell idea," Audra began. "And we thought it might be a good idea to have a benefit strictly to raise funds to purchase and install them."

"What makes me think that my son and his wife, and Gretchen House Billings were involved in this plan?" Cuddy asked with a smirk.

"You don't like the idea?" Audra was obviously disappointed.

"I think it's a brilliant idea!" Cuddy told her. "I'll run it by a few of the board members and get back to you about it."

Audra breathed a sigh of relief. "Thanks. I know you like the idea of using them as a back-up power supply. Maybe if the board doesn't see dollar signs standing in the way they'll approve the idea too."

"I hope so," Cuddy said.

Chapter 72.

Monday evening, Becca and her bridesmaids assembled again at Tori Conway's boutique. Monique had finalized her ideas for their dresses for the wedding.

"To speed things up, we'll take the simplest off-the-rack dress and then superimpose some draping to create a look that I think will flatter all of you," the designer told them. "Audra's dress will be similar, but in a lighter color and with slightly different ornamentation."

She had Tori bring out the basic blue dresses in assorted sizes, and each of the women took one in her size to try on. Because of the cut, Sherry wound up with a dress a size smaller than she normally wore. When she wore dresses, that is.

Monique had gotten some fabric samples in a darker shade of blue at a sewing supply store nearby, and tried her idea on the tall and slim Jahzara, and then on the fuller-figured Jackie. The result was astonishing. Jackie looked taller but still shapely, while Jahzara looked positively stunning.

The women were all smiles.

The strapless dress that was the starting point for Audra's dress had a sweetheart neckline. When Monique took out the fabric sample she was going to use to enhance it, Audra looked skeptical. It was a blue on blue brocade. But when Monique attached one end at the shoulder and pulled it across to anchor at the opposite hip she looked downright unhappy.

Monique stood back and looked at her creation, then at her friends face. "You're right. It doesn't work. OK, plan B." She took the fabric off and pleated it, then pulled it around the waistline. "Oh, much better!" she said. She pinned it in place and told Audra, "Take a look in the mirror."

Audra had to smile when she saw herself in the dress. It looked simple, yet elegant.

"Maybe we can have a piece run down the back of the dress," Monique proposed.

"Like a tail?" Audra asked with a puzzled frown.

"More like a short train, but I guess you're right again, it doesn't need it," the designer said. "OK, ladies. I should have the alterations done in less than a week."

"Thanks again, Monique," Becca said.

"It's fascinating to watch you work," Sherry added. "Thanks!"

The women went to change back into their street clothes and Monique smiled as she watched them go.

#

While Becca and her bridal party were meeting with Monique, her fiancé, brother and two of his groomsmen, Justin and Tommy, were visiting a menswear store to pick out their tuxedos for the wedding. Alex couldn't make it, of course. They'd just have to order his outfit based on his usual size and hope it would fit.

"I'm glad we don't have to go through the fittings that the women do." Ricky chuckled.

"I know what you mean," Steven agreed. "Still, I'm not even sure what I want you guys to wear."

"The suits we had the men wear for our wedding were pretty standard," Justin said.

"For mine and Emily's too." Tommy nodded in agreement.

"Yes, that's what I had in mind," Steven said. "How are Em and the baby doing?" he asked his cousin.

"Good. I don't think Emily's looking forward to leaving Clarissa and going back to work, though."

"She doesn't have to go back for a while, does she?" Justin asked.

"Another month or thereabouts," Tommy replied. "But I have to go back tomorrow." Obviously, he was as reluctant as his wife to leave the baby.

"Guess Gretchen is next," Steven said.

"Did you hear that Nelson and Elizabeth are adopting a baby?" Tommy asked him.

"No. That's terrific! So what about you and my sister?" Steven asked Justin.

"We're trying," Justin admitted. "We're really trying!"