A/N: Sorry about the long time between updates. I wrote this chapter pretty quickly, in about three days actually. But then I had to come home and type it up, bleh! Anyway, this chapter is more of a decent length. And for the future, maybe about 3 or four more chapters for this story. Then the next one will come, and I already have about 1 and a half chapters written for that. Hopefully I will get inspired sometime.

Mary checked everything before she left to go to work. She made sure that the house wad tidy, the beds were made, and that she had everything in her wheeled carry-on bag. Today, she was flying to Dallas then to Charleston, then back home to Ft. Lauderdale. The last thing she did before she went to work was write down where she was flying to that day and the times of the flights for Wilson. As he has put it to her, "God forbid something happens on an airplane the day you are working. This way I'll know whether or not to be worried. Besides, I like to keep track of you." Every time Mary made her list on a sticky note and stuck it to their refrigerator door, Mary pictured Wilson saying that to her. Even though months have passed since he had asked her to do that for him, she could still picture it like it was yesterday. Knowing that he cared meant everything to her.

Running approximately three minutes behind schedule, Mary went toward the door. When she out her hand on the doorknob, the telephone rang. "I don't have time for this," Mary said as she reached for the portable. "Hello?"

"Hello, is this Mrs. Camden?"

Mary sighed. "No, this is Mrs. West. Who's calling?"

"Mrs. Tatum from East Fort Lauderdale Middle School. Are you Ms. Camden's guardian?"

"For the time being, yes. I hate to be rude, but I have to get to work."

"Oh yes, of course. I am so sorry to bother you, it is just that U would like to meet with you to discuss Ruthie."

"Well, I'll be home from work around three, so anytime after that is fine with me," Mary said without asking any further questions. There were a lot of things that you could "discuss" about Ruthie, and any particulars would have been helpful. However, she was late.

"Tomorrow at quarter to four?"

"Perfect. Now should I bring Ruthie along with me?"

"Yes, please," Mrs. Tatum said.

"Ok, thanks for calling," Mary said trying to wrap up the conversation.

"See you tomorrow."

"Mary grabbed her pen, went over to the fridge sticky note, wrote "Mrs. Tatum 3:45" on it, then she walked out the door. Dallas, ho!

Mary worked late that night, and on the nights that she does, Wilson gets pizza for dinner. Mary wasn't that late that night, but it did leave some down time between dinner and her arrival back home. Wilson walked over to her refrigerator and read the sticky note.

"Mrs. Tatum 3:45?" he said aloud.

"What?" Ruthie, who was in the room with him, said.

"On the sticky note, Mary wrote 'Mrs. Tatum 3:45'." Wilson turned to Ruthie. "Do you know who Mrs. Tatum is?"

"Um…my guidance counselor," Ruthie said reluctantly.

"Does she have a meeting with her?"

Ruthie shrugged her shoulders. "I hope not," she said under her breath.

The front door knob turned and Mary was revealed. Billy ran into the room, eager to see Mary. Mary walked inside, put her keys down, and did her nighttime ritual of taking off her navy pumps that killed her feet after standing in them for long periods of time. Ruthie smiled a hello to Mary, and Wilson walked over to her.

"Hi beautiful," Wilson said, kissing her on the cheek. He loved to smell the way the scent of her shampoo mixed with her natural pheromones. "How was work?"

"Awful. Tons of turbulence, not enough food; everyone was complaining."

"Well, I got you a slice of your favorite pizza," Wilson said gesturing to a piece of vegetable pizza with extra olives that was sitting on the counter.

"Thanks," she said appreciatively. "But first, I need to change. This shirt is bothering me."

Wilson nodded and Mary left the room, ruffling Billy's hair as she passed him.

Mary walked into her bedroom, took off her uniform shirt, and walked around the corner of the room over to the semi-walk-in closet in only her bra and skirt. Her not light brown hair hung just below her shoulders. The doorknob turned, startling Mary. She quickly grabbed something t cover herself.

"It's just me," Wilson said.

Mary smiled and stepped into the main part of the room, still half dressed.

"Very sexy," Wilson said as he walked toward Mary.

Mary hit his arm playfully and went in for a kiss. Wilson kissed Mary back, his hands finding her hips. When he kissed her again, Wilson moved his hands across her extremely flat stomach and rested them just beneath her breasts. Mary looked at Wilson anxiously and disdainfully, but unfortunately for Mary, Wilson did not move his hands. He kissed Mary's cheek, then moved his way down to her neck and over to her shoulder. He kissed her lips again, this time more passionately. After 30 seconds, Mary pulled away from his lips and stared at him. He knew it was time to turn it down.

"So, how was your day?"

"Ok, until Ruthie's guidance counselor called me. I have a meeting with her tomorrow."

"So I was right," Wilson said. Mary looked at him questioningly. "I read your sticky note."

"I see," she responded.

"So what is it about? Did she beat anyone up?"

"Not that I know of, but I wouldn't put it past her."

Wilson laughed, but Mary grabbed his hand seriously.

"I don't know what Mrs. Tatum wants to talk about, but Ruthie's immediate school future will probably come up. We have to have a talk with her tonight and make some plans."

Wilson nodded. "What type of plans?"

"School plans…life plans…"

Wilson squeezed Mary's hand, but she pulled away from him before he had a chance to overanalyze her emotions. Mary went back into the closet and put on a shirt.

There was a knock at the door and Billy walked inside.

"Mary, could you help me with my spelling words? My test is tomorrow."

"OK, but give me 10 minutes and we can do it over a bowl of ice cream."

"Mint chip?" Billy asked hopefully.

"Would I give my little guy anything else?" she said smiling.

Billy's face lit up. "OK," he said and walked out the door.

"You know," Wilson said to Mary," you're and incredible mother."

"Well, you're am incredible father. The way Ruthie and you have bonded; it couldn't have worked out any better."

Wilson looked straight into Mary's eyes. "When did Ruthie become our child?"

A distant look came over Mary's face and she got very quiet. "I'm so sorry Wilson. I never meant to mar our marriage. If only I-"

Wilson bent down and kissed Mary's lips. When they pulled away, and eerie silence filled the room while the couple stared at and through one another. Neither knew what to do or what to say. Did she "mar" their marriage? Things did seem to be better before Ruthie came along…or maybe that was only newlywed hype. Hey, they didn't have much to compare to. It's not like either one of them were experts on relationships or married life.

Please review!
And to the person who commented on how long it is taking me to write this story, I just want to say that whether I turn out 3 chapters a day or 3 every 6 months, it's no one's problem but mine. Not to be rude, but if you like it it will be worth the wait. If not, stop reading.