Evelyn was sitting on the front porch swing when she saw them walk up from the beach together and from what she could see they were coming back from a picnic. He had a basket in his free hand and she had a blanket in hers because her other hand was in his and the young couple she saw walking toward the house looked to be very much in love.

They came up the front walk and the closer they got Evelyn could see in the young man the cocky young pilot she'd fallen in love with in her younger days and married.

She didn't quite recognize the young woman next to him but thought she looked suspiciously like a younger version of her husband's best friend.

They stopped at the foot of the shallow stairs that led up to the porch and when he smiled at her, she saw Rafe. But she saw something of herself in him too and suddenly realized that she was looking at her little boy all grown up. His short-cropped hair was military style and Evelyn wondered if he'd gone through with what he told his parents he wanted to do. He looked like a pilot, she didn't know why but he didn't have that cockiness that his father had. Maybe that's the part of her that she saw in him.

And try as she might Evelyn still didn't quite recognize the young woman.

"You should have come with us Mama. It's a beautiful day for a picnic." He smiled at her as he held the young woman's hand.

"It is a very nice day Danny and one that you spend with your girl, not your mother."

He grinned and to Evelyn he really was a picture of his father. "Well next time we go you have to get Dad to come with us."

She laughed at the idea of her oldest son on a picnic with his girl and his parents. "We appreciate that. But if Dad and I are going to go on a picnic I think he'd prefer that we were alone."

He laughed in return and it was Rafe's laugh. "Message received. Would it be all right if I had dinner here tonight after I take Annie home?"

"You're always welcome Danny you know that." She answered.

"Thanks Mama. I'll be back in a little while." He said as the young woman waved at her as they headed back down the walk and up the street.

Annie?

Her eyes were open as Evelyn tried to figure out what is was that she just dreamed.

"You all right honey?" The sleepy voice of her husband got her to turn toward him. His eyes were barely open but she could see a frown.

His arm tightened protectively around her waist and she smiled. Even after all the years they had been married, things hadn't changed. "I'm fine Rafe. I just had a strange dream, that's all."

"Was it a nightmare?" His frown deepened.

She shook her head before she sat up against the headboard. Rafe sat up next to her as she sighed and tried to figure out why she had dreamed what she did.

"Come on Evelyn, what was it?" She heard the concern in Rafe's voice.

"I dreamed that our Danny was a grown man and he had a girlfriend. He seemed very fond of her and it surprised me at who his girl was." She said as she looked at him.

"You're goin' to let me in on it eventually, ain't you?" He asked and his look was amused.

"Would you believe Ann Walker?" It sounded so ridiculous to say it and she felt her face flush.

"She ain't even five years old yet."

"I know that Rafe, but she was a young woman in my dream. I must admit that I didn't really recognize her and the only reason that I recognized Danny was that he was a picture of you."

"Who did Annie look like?" He sounded curious.

"She seemed to resemble her father, but even that was hard to tell."

Rafe took her hand. "Do you suppose that you dreamed that because of all the weddin' plans you've been helpin' Barbara with?"

Evelyn nodded. "It's possible but it doesn't explain why it was our son and Sandra and Danny's daughter."

"Does it bother you?"

She shook her head. "Of course not. It just a little sad to think of our little boy all grown up, that's all." She put her head on his shoulder. "They're all growing up so fast now. Danny's almost ten, Sarah's almost nine and Joseph will be six on our anniversary."

"Honey, they ain't exactly ready to get hitched and move out of the house." He reasoned. "They'll be young yet for awhile."

Evelyn sat up and grasped his hand. "Rafe, I think that Danny is really serious about becoming a pilot. I didn't have the chance to tell you that he sent away for information from the Air Force Academy. It came in the mail a couple of days ago and the envelope was pretty thick."

"I don't know how seriously their goin' to take a request from a nine-year-old boy about the Air Force Academy Evelyn. He's got lots of time to decide what it is he wants to do with his life."

"I think he has. And if he decides that the Academy is where he wants to go, then he'll become a pilot and get the college education you want him to have." She smiled at him.

"That boy's smart, just like his mama." He smiled and leaned over to kiss her cheek.

She felt her face flush again and she smiled back. "Rafe, is it such an odd thing? I mean Danny and Ann?"

He laughed softly. "You think that dream is a premonition?"

"Why not? When I was carrying Danny I found out he was going to be a boy because of a dream."

"You did that." And he sighed. "You ain't goin' to tell anyone about this are you?"

"Of course not. Could you see the look on Sandra and Danny's faces if I were to tell them that I had a dream that our son is going to marry their daughter? They'd think I was losing my mind."

"No they wouldn't. They'd just think that you've been livin' with me for too long." He grinned.

She put her head back down on his shoulder. "It hasn't been nearly long enough Rafe."

Evelyn didn't see the grin widen on her husband's face. "For a compliment like that, you deserve a reward."

When she looked up at him in curiosity, he leaned over and kissed her. "I like that reward."

"I ain't done rewardin' you yet." He told her as he put his arms around her and kissed her again.