The melody continued playing and the home movie began with little Amanda, dressed in a party dress, sitting on the couch in a decorated living room, surrounded by friends as she unwrapped presents.

"You were five years old.  Such a big girl," Dotty remembered.

"I loved that dress," Amanda smiled.  "I still have it, too."

"Why?" Jamie asked.

Amanda sighed, "I thought I could pass it down but you and your brother weren't little girls so --"

"Hey, is that your dog, Mom?" Phillip interrupted.

"Pinto!" Amanda nodded excitedly, "Gosh, I haven't seen a picture of him in ages.  Look at him…"

Amanda and her friends played musical chairs.  They played Pin-the-Tail-on-the-Donkey.

"Oooh, there's my cake," Amanda said as she watched herself blow out all the candles.

While Lee and Jamie applauded, Phillip teased, "Good job, Mom."

"Your grandmother's cake," Dotty said.  "Orange cake with chocolate frosting, just for her Amanda.  We had a devil of a time keeping Pinto out of the frosting."

"He loved chocolate," Amanda added with a smile.

"And there you are, caught red-handed," Dotty accused as she watched little Amanda sneak the dog some frosting under the table.

"It was my birthday," Amanda said defensively.

"You and your father, always sneaking that dog chocolate," Dotty commented in an annoyed tone.  "And every time, Pinto ended up sick as a d--" Dotty interrupted herself when she realized what she was about to say.  Without skipping a beat, she continued, and pointed at Amanda, "It happened every single time but you, missy, still went ahead and fed him and who was the one who cleaned up after Pinto each time?"

"Mother, how could I say no to that face?" Amanda asked in a childlike voice as she pointed to the screen and tried to ignore the chuckling from behind her.  "Just look at him.  Look at my Pinto."

*****     *****     *****

Little Amanda held her mother's hand as they walked down the block.  They stopped in front of a building and Amanda turned to the camera and stood there while her lower lip quivered.  She looked to her mother who indicated she should go inside.

"First day of school," Amanda and her mother announced at the same time.

"Poor baby," Lee sympathized as he hugged Amanda.

"She didn't want to go in the worst way," Dotty said as she watched the image of her daughter holding onto her tightly.

"I was scared," Amanda defended herself.  "I didn't think I'd know anyone.  I didn't know why I couldn't just stay home with you."

"But you didn't cry," Dotty added as she saw herself let Amanda go.  "As soon as your daddy and I promised you again that you'd have fun and that we'd be there to pick you up at the end of the day, you said, 'Okay, Mommy, I'll go.'  And off you went.  Just like that.  My big girl."

"Poor Grandma," Phillip said.

"Well, I didn't say I didn't cry," Dotty commented as she saw herself sobbing after her daughter entered the building.

A hand reached out to Dotty with a handkerchief that she accepted.  After quickly blowing her nose, she hurried inside the building after Amanda who was standing in the hallway with a teacher and happily waved good-bye to her mother.

"Mrs. O'Shea," Amanda said with a smile.  "She used to make us oatmeal chocolate chip cookies."

"Old lady O'Shea?" Phillip questioned.

"Phillip!" Amanda reprimanded.  "She was not old when you had her and she's not old now.  She's gotta be, what, Mother, in her sixties?"  Dotty didn't answer and Amanda turned to look at her, "Mother? Are you okay?"

"Just a little something in my eye," Dotty explained as she dabbed her eyes with a tissue.

"Mother," Amanda repeated softly.

*****     *****     *****

Young Amanda was dressed as a witch and raced to the front door carrying a jack-o-lantern.  She opened the door to her costumed friends who entered in a rush and surrounded her.

"Prettiest witch I've ever seen," Lee commented with a kiss to Amanda's cheek.

"That was my combined tenth birthday/Halloween party," Amanda replied as she watched everyone onscreen dancing in her living room.

"Who is that Dracula," Lee asked as he suddenly tensed up, "and why is he kissing you?"

"Aaah," Amanda replied in an amused tone, "That would be Bobby Jackson.  He was my boyfriend at the time."

"The Jacksons lived down the block from us," Dotty explained as she watched herself bring out the birthday cake.  "Bobby and Amanda played together all the time."

"What happened to Bobby Jackson," Lee asked in a still slightly jealous tone, "and why didn't you tell me about him?"

"You never asked," Amanda teased.

"Wait a second, what happened to no more sec--"

"He wasn't a secret," Amanda interrupted as she patted his arm, "and, don't worry, Lee, Bobby moved away when I was eleven and, last I heard, lives in New York with his wife of 13 years and their four children.  I'm all yours."

"And don't you forget it," Lee teased back.

"Mush Alert!" Phillip and Jamie shouted, just as Amanda had turned slightly to kiss Lee.

"All right, later, then," the couple agreed as they sighed together.

*****     *****     *****

A teen-age Amanda stood with three girls next to a car and posed beside it as though they were showing off the car as a prize.  Amanda excitedly waved car keys in front of the camera and got behind the wheel while her friends piled into the car.

"I can't watch," Dotty said.

"Mother," Amanda rolled her eyes, "You know Daddy would never have let me get my license if he didn't think I was a good driver.  We kept telling you, you worried all for nothing."

"I'll remind you of that in a few years when that one starts to drive," Dotty answered as she indicated to Phillip.

"Lee's gonna let me practice on the 'Vette," Phillip piped up with a grin.

"He said no such thing, Phillip," Amanda corrected as she turned to make sure Lee wasn't hyperventilating at the thought of her son driving his beloved vehicle, "so you shouldn't -- Lee? What is it?"

Lee shook his head and asked, "What?"

"What's so fascinating?" Amanda asked as she turned back in time to see herself pulling the car out of the driveway, waving to the camera.

"I just can't -- Your long hair -- You looked -- That mini-skirt…"

Amanda grinned, "You've seen pictures of me before."

"Pictures are one thing.  Movies are definitely something else," Lee mumbled as he gave her a gentle squeeze of approval.

*****     *****     *****

Amanda, dressed in formal attire, twirled for the camera to show off her dress.  A hand reached out in view and held up a sign that read 'Amanda's Prom.'  She answered the doorbell and admitted a young man dressed formally in a suit and tie.  She blushed from a comment and shyly looked back at the camera.

"And that would be…" Lee began.

"Kevin Sanders," Amanda replied with a smile as she watched herself chastely kiss Kevin after he pinned a corsage to her dress.

"The college guy with the motorcycle?" Lee asked.

"So you do pay attention to my stories," Amanda teased.

"Motorcycle? What motorcycle?" Dotty asked with interest.

"Oops," Lee said sheepishly, "She didn't know?"

"Um, no," Amanda replied.

Dotty took pictures of the couple before ushering them out the front door.  She waved good-bye as the car pulled away from the curb.

"At least he had a car with him that night," Dotty sighed in relief.  "I'm glad you didn't see him that long, I'd hate to think of you riding with him on a motorcycle.  They are menaces on the road.  Simply menaces."

"Kevin was a very good rider," Amanda said.

"Amanda, you didn't go with him," Dotty said in a worried tone.  "You never went riding with him, did you?"

"Maybe a couple of times," Amanda reluctantly agreed.

"You rode a motorcycle?" Phillip exclaimed as he paused the tape.

"Phillip, don't pause the tape," Amanda said.

"You rode a motorcycle?" Dotty echoed.

Jamie, impressed, added, "Cool, Mom."

"You don't even like motorbikes," Lee commented with a disapproving frown. 

"I don't," Amanda insisted.

"Then why'd you let him take you on a cycle?"

"How could you, Amanda?" her mother asked.  "Did you want to give us heart attacks?"

"Lee, Mother!" Amanda answered, exasperated.  "I was seventeen years old.  He was my boyfriend and I wanted to go."

Dotty shook her head, "You could have been killed."

Amanda sighed, "He was an excellent rider, Mother.  He never took any chances.  Besides, it all happened years ago and I'm fine.  You shouldn't be so upset about it now."

Phillip's eyes lit up, "You know, Mom, Kenny Williams's older brother got a new Harley and --"

"And he's been taking all of Kenny's friends for rides and we --" Jamie joined in.

"Not a chance, fellas," Amanda replied as she cut off them off.  "Now start the tape again, Phillip."

The boys and Dotty grumbled while Amanda settled back against Lee who chuckled in amusement.

*****     *****     *****

A little girl dropped petals from a basket as she walked down a church's aisle.  Shortly after, Amanda, in a wedding gown, was escorted down the aisle by her father.  Her father kissed her on the cheek after they reached Joe, who waited for her with a smile. 

"Whoa, get a load of Dad," Phillip laughed, "and that goofy grin."

"Phillip…" Amanda warned.

"What about that goofy suit?" Jamie asked with a laugh.

"Jamie!"

"Well, he did look a bit goofy," Lee admitted.

Amanda quickly twisted around, "Lee!"

"But anyone would look like that when you're the bride," Lee quickly said.

Amanda's features softened and she smiled as she faced the TV again, "Bet you say that to all the brides."

Lee leaned in close and whispered low in her ear, "Just to the ones I marry."

"Lee!" Amanda hissed.  She quickly looked around to make sure no one heard but her family was instead paying attention to the wedding reception that played onscreen.  To take advantage of the moment, she twisted around and kissed Lee firmly on the lips.

"Hey, Mom, who's that guy in the punchbowl?" Jamie interrupted.

A heavy-set gentleman leaned over the punchbowl, liberally poured punch into his glass, and ignored its overflowing onto him and the floor.  A horrified Dotty rushed over and tried convincing him to leave the glass and go sit down.

"Uncle Iggy," Amanda and Dotty said simultaneously.

Lee's eyes widened, "That's your Uncle Iggy, the wizard?"

Phillip paused the tape, "We had a wizard uncle? How come I don't remember him?" 

"No, sweetheart, Uncle Iggy wasn't a real wizard and he passed away shortly after you were born."

"Actually, he was a real wizard," Dotty corrected.  "He had a certificate and a robe and even a wand."  She turned to Lee, "Did Amanda tell you about my Uncle Iggy?"

Lee looked to Amanda, "Uh, not exactly.  It came up in passing.  Something about him joining a cult and becoming a wizard."

Dotty sighed, "Yes, well, at least he was a friendly wizard.  I've heard about some of those cults.  People join them, change their names, and disappear.  But not Uncle Iggy.  He came to each and every family event.  Invited or not, he just had to be there to provide his blessings."

"That's right," Amanda laughed as she remembered, "he gave me that little heart charm to carry with me down the aisle.  He said it would ensure that the love I felt that day would be returned to me a hundred-fold."  Amanda smiled as Phillip resumed play, "He was very sweet.  My gosh, I think I wore that heart for months after we got married…"

Trying not to think of Amanda's love for Joe, Lee commented, "Anyway, it looks like he's enjoying himself."

"Wizard or not, Uncle Iggy always enjoyed himself when there was punch around," Dotty smiled.

"Especially if there was champagne in it," Amanda giggled as she watched the image of her uncle boisterously raising his glass in toast to anyone around him.

"Look at us," Dotty complained, "your Aunt Lillian and I dragging him back to the table all by ourselves.  You'd think Aunt Edna would have helped but, no, look at her, dancing up a storm as though she didn't have a care in the world."

Amanda danced with her father and Dotty danced with Joe.  Dotty and Joe laughed while Amanda's father kissed her gently on the forehead and then quickly spun her around to her delight.

"Are you okay?" Lee asked quietly after he felt Amanda stiffen in his arms.  Amanda didn't answer but slowly nodded.  Lee hugged her and Amanda leaned back against him and pulled his arm tighter around herself.  Lee kissed her cheek and, when he realized it was damp, gently wiped away her tears.

Jamie heard his mother's soft sniffle and turned around, "Are you okay, Mom?"

Amanda's father twirled her into Joe's arms and quickly took Dotty back in his.  Each couple danced close together, oblivious to the antics of some of the children also on the dance floor.

Dotty, who had watched her daughter and Lee, quietly explained to Lee and the boys, "We lost him six months after the wedding.  This was one of the last movies we had of him…Just look how handsome he looks.  Just as on the day I married him…."

                The screen faded to black

*****     *****     *****

                "Ta da!" Phillip's voice announced as Amanda entered the kitchen.

                "Not too shabby for some ancient threads, huh," Amanda said as she ruffled her son's hair causing the camera to shake slightly.

                "Amanda, the dress looks wonderful on you," Dotty said as she admired Amanda. " I don't know why you didn't want to wear it.  You'll be the hit of the reunion."

                "Mother," Amanda groaned.

                "What made you change your mind?"

                "Change my mind?" Amanda asked as she filled a glass with water.

                "About going to the reunion," Dotty explained.  "Not a half hour ago you were all uptight about it, refusing to go, and suddenly you're all dressed up and running out the door."

                "Mother, I didn't really change my mind, I was going to go, I just needed a little push," Amanda quickly said as she rushed to the front door.  "I'll be back late," she called out, "I love you."

                "And just who pushed you?" Lee whispered in Amanda's ear.

                "I don't remember exactly," Amanda teased, "but it could've been someone who said something about being the perfect couple."

                "And who did the pushing?" Dotty asked but Amanda was already gone.  "And how are you getting there without your car? What am I going to do with you, Amanda?" she sighed.

                "What's the big deal, Grandma," Jamie asked, "it's just a dumb reunion."

                "Someday, Jamie, when you have children of your own, you'll understand."

                Jamie gave his grandmother a strange look and the screen faded to black.

*****     *****     *****