Chapter 25

"Mommy, where are we?"

"We're at church."

"Why?"

"Because it's good to go to church."

"But it's not Easter or Christmas!"

"Haven, stop."

"Sorry."

Meredith took a deep breath and stepped out of her car. She had taken the initiative to attend Graham's church with her daughter. After helping Haven out of her car seat, they walked into the church. As they approached the front doors, Meredith saw someone familiar outside and talking on a cell phone.

That's Graham's sister-in-law, she thought to herself.

Meredith waited until she finished the conversation and approached her.

"Hi. You might not remember me, but I'm Meredith. You were with Graham when I met him in Home Depot yesterday."

"Oh yeah! I didn't get a chance to introduce myself. I'm Alicia."

"Nice to meet you. This is my daughter, Haven."

Alicia crouched down to Haven's size and said, "Hi there. I like your dress- it's very pretty."

"Thank you."

Alicia then looked at her cell phone, which was still in her hand.

"I'm setting a great example, huh? Talking on my cell phone in front of the church. But it was my dad just checking up on me. If I didn't answer, he'd still try to call me anyway."

"My dad's the same way," Meredith replied.

"My fiancé is inside with our niece and nephew- you're more than welcome to join us."

"I'd love to. Come on, Haven."

Meredith and Haven followed Alicia into the sanctuary of the church, to the pew where Merrill and the kids were sitting.

"Merrill," Alicia said, "this is Meredith."

"Meredith..?"

"Home Depot," she whispered under her breath.

"Oh! Hi, nice to meet you. I'm Graham's brother."

Meredith looked confused as she said, "Wait a second. You're Graham's brother…and Alicia's fiancé?"

"It's a long story," Alicia replied, "but let me introduce you to Graham's kids. This is Morgan and this is Bo."

They all introduced themselves and Meredith said, "Haven, honey, why don't you go sit next to Bo and show her your new purse."

Haven followed Bo and sat next to her as Meredith sat next to Alicia.

"I haven't been to church in ages," she whispered to Alicia, "I feel a little out of place."

"Oh believe me, I'm not exactly Little Miss Churchgoer. But Graham has this way about him that makes you feel welcome. I wouldn't dream of going anywhere else but here. And I'm not just saying that because he's family- even if he wasn't, I'd still enjoy coming here."

A few minutes later, the service began. Graham's view of Meredith was blocked, so he never even saw her during the duration of the service.

When it was over, Alicia asked Meredith, "Do you want to come with us to lunch in Doylestown? We always go out after the service."

"I would love to, but I promised my parents that I would spend time with them this evening. But I'll take a raincheck."

"Will do. It was good seeing you."

"You too."

Meredith swallowed the lump in her throat and decided to approach Graham. He finished talking to someone else and then immediately noticed her.

"Meredith? Hi..I..I didn't know you were here."

"Yeah. I sat with Alicia and your brother. I really enjoyed the service."

"Thank you. I'm glad you decided to come."

"Alicia invited me to lunch, but I made a vow to my folks that Haven and I would spend the day with them. Maybe we can do that next Sunday."

"I hope so. So is this Haven?"

"Yes. Haven, I want you to meet a friend of mine. This is Father Hess."

"It's OK. She can call me Graham."

"Alright then, this is Graham."

Graham was intrigued by Meredith's smile and her overall presence. He tried to break away from the thoughts by extended his hand to Haven's.

"Is Bo your daughter?" Haven asked.

"Yes, she is."

"She's nice."

"And so are you, from what I can tell."

Haven smiled coyly and wrapped her arm around Meredith's legs.

"Well, we should get going," she said.

She reached into her bag and took out one of her business cards.

"That's how you can reach me."

Graham examined the card and said, "You're a writer for the Trenton Times?"

"Yep. I'm a feature reporter- I research all the headline stories and that good stuff."

"Like Lois Lane."

"Yeah, I guess. OK, now I'm really leaving. It was good seeing you, Graham."

"You too. Bye, Meredith."

"Bye."

As Meredith walked away, Graham exhaled deeply and tried to get the thought of her out of his head.

Take things slow, Graham, he thought to himself.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

"…this phenomenon, I had to put it in a song, and it goes like…whoa…amber is the color of your energy.."

The following Tuesday, Alicia quietly sang along as she sat on the floor of the garage house. She was looking at the final copy of the wedding invitations as she sipped on a beer. LaStalla was going through a slow period, so she decided to take a week-long vacation in order to plan the wedding. The ringing of her cell phone suddenly broke her concentration.

"Hello?" she answered.

"Hey gorgeous. What are you up to?"

"Picking out what the final invitation's gonna look like. It's actually relaxing- I've got my Miller Lite and I'm listening to 311. Ellen should be here any minute."

"And she's here until Sunday, right?"

"Yep."

"We definitely need to go out tomorrow night- like we used to."

"Oh, we will. Hey, do you still have Kylie's address? I wanna send her an invitation."

"Alicia, you've lost your mind."

"I'm serious. That would be so deliciously bitchy to invite her."

"Yeah, and have her interrupt the wedding? I wouldn't put it past her to do something like that."

"But seriously, as soon as Ellen gets here, we're going to order the invitations and send them out. You wrote down everyone you wanted to invite, right?"

"Yes…and push comes to shove, we can order more just in case."

"I'm on a budget here, remember?"

"Let's not worry about money right now, OK? Just concentrate on getting everything done that you need to."

"Whatever you say."

"Alright, class is about to start. I gotta go, babe. I should be home by 5."

"I'll see you then."

"I love you, beautiful."

"Love you more, stud."

Alicia hung up and submersed herself back into her work. A few minutes later, she heard a car horn in the driveway.

"Elle Belle!" she said aloud to herself.

She immediately jumped up and ran outside, down the stairs and to Ellen's car. As soon as Ellen got out of her car, Alicia threw her arms around her.

"Hey stranger!" Ellen said.

"Hey stranger yourself! How was your drive?"

"Peaceful, believe it or not. It's nice to escape Manhattan sometimes, you know? God, it feels like I haven't seen you in forever!"

"Oh come on…we saw each other at Merrill's party. That wasn't long ago."

"I know, but still…you look different, like you have a glow. You're not pregnant, are you?"

"No! The whole wedding thing is starting to sink in- and it's the most amazing feeling. Come on, let's go inside the house. Graham fixed up the guest room for you."

"That was nice of him. Speaking of Graham, how are things with you and him?"

"A lot better. It was really awkward there for a while, but now everything's cool. I think he's ready to start dating again. He met this really beautiful woman at Home Dept on Saturday. She even came to church on Sunday to see him."

"Oh really? Well, that's good. He's made such improvement since Colleen died. So have you."

Alicia smiled and said, "I'm doing the best I can."

She opened the door to the guest room and Ellen put her bags down.

"Where's everyone?"

"Work, camp, church…it's nice to have some quiet time, though."

Ellen put her hand on her stomach and said, "I am so hungry. I was too busy this morning to eat breakfast. Let's go get some lunch."

"Got anywhere in mind?"

"Let's go somewhere in Trenton."

"After you."

They left the room and went outside to Ellen's car, and were on their way to Trenton within 5 minutes.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

School had been over for an hour. Merrill sat at the computer in his classroom, browsing various locations where he and Alicia could have their reception. His student assistant gathered up her belongings and approached his desk.

She handed him some papers and said, "Here you go, Coach. I got through grading only half, though."

"That's OK. I really appreciate your help, Kelly."

"No problem. Do you need anything else?"

Merrill laughed and said, "Nothing that you can help me with. The whole wedding thing is more complicated than it looks on TV and in the movies."

"What's so complicated about it?"

"Finding somewhere to have the reception. Everywhere is booked."

"Have you ever been to Northampton Valley Country Club?"

"Once, when I was still in the minors. It was before I even met Ali. Why?"

"My dad is director of marketing there. I'm sure if I talked to him, he could work out something for the reception."

Merrill looked up from the computer and said, "Are you serious? It's beautiful there- Ali would love me forever."

"Won't she do that anyway?"

"Yeah, but…anyway, when can you let me know about it?"

"I'll ask my dad when I get home. What day is the wedding on?"

"September 7th."

"OK- I'll ask him."

"Thanks, Kelly. I'll see you tomorrow."

After Kelly left, Merrill stayed behind for another hour and a half. Then he finally packed up his things and headed home. After the drive home, Merrill was relieved to finally arrive home. He went up the stairs of the garage house and opened the door. Inside, he was startled to find Alicia and Ellen on the floor- weeping their eyes out.

He asked, "What's wrong? Why are you guys crying?"

Then he answered his own question just by looking at the TV.

"Oh. You're watching Beaches. Never mind."

Ellen sniffled and looked up at him, saying, "Good to see you too, Merrill."

"Come here, you big baby. Give me a hug."

She stood up and gave Merrill a big hug.

"How have you been?" he asked.

"I've been good. I'm glad to be here with you guys."

Merrill bent down and gave Alicia a kiss.

"Hey sweetheart. So what trouble did you two get into today?"

"We got a lot accomplished. We ordered the flower arrangements and the cake, and we sent out all of the invites. All that's pretty much left is what we're wearing and where we're having the reception."

Ellen said, "Wait a second. Al, didn't you guys have a wedding planner? Where is she in all of this?"

Merrill replied, "Her 15-year-old daughter got knocked up and they skipped town. She left us a voicemail and that was it. We just decided to do everything on our own. It's just gonna be a small wedding- not a Presidential inauguration."

He opened the refrigerator and asked, "Who got sushi?"

Alicia replied, "It's for you, babe. Elle and I stuffed our faces at lunch, but I knew you'd be hungry we you got home."

"You're the best. I have so much to do tonight. I have to grade 40 exams so that the kids can get their final grade- and then summer school is done."

Ellen asked, "Do you get a break before school starts?"

"I had an option to take a week-long break, but I decided to save it for when Ali and I go on our honeymoon. Plus, we start football practice next week and I have to help out with that."

Alicia said, "Honey, do you mind just taking a second to go over some places for the reception?"

"Actually, I'm already on top of it."

"Really? Do tell."

"You know Kelly- my student assistant?"

"Yeah."

"Her dad is some bigshot at the Northampton Valley Country Club. She's gonna talk to him and see if we can have our reception there."

"Shut up! That would be a perfect place to have a reception

Merrill leaned down and kissed Alicia twice on the lips. As the night went on, Alicia and Ellen helped Merrill grade his papers. Time snuck up on them and before they knew it, it was 12:30 in the morning. They were all slumped over and exhausted. Ellen was sitting at their tiny dining table, with her head down. Merrill and Alicia were on the floor, leaning against the bed.

Ellen groaned, "I cannot believe we cleared two six-packs between the three of us."

"And I have to be at work in 7 hours," Merrill replied, "But hey, at least we got the tests graded."

Alicia got up and stretched as she said, "Elle Belle, we should call it a night. Mom's meeting us at David's Bridal at 10:30."

"The one in Trenton?"

"Yep. I'll walk you over to the main house- I need a cigarette anyway."

Ellen stumbled up and said, "Goodnight, Merrill."

"Night, Elle. Thanks for helping me."

"No problem."

Alicia ruffled Merrill's hair and said, "I'll be right back."

"I'll be waiting."

She met Ellen outside and they walked across the lawn, to the front porch of the main house. They sat down on the stairs and both lit cigarettes.

Ellen said, "You know, I've been seriously thinking about moving back to this area."

"But what about your job?"

"I can get an editing job anywhere. Nickelodeon's not as fun as it used to be. Everybody who I've been close to has left and things just aren't the same. And then there's Tyler- his job is starting to really take off. Plus, he's getting really serious with Haley- she practically lives with us. He's got no time for his little sister anymore."

"I have to admit, it would be awesome to have you closer."

"Yeah, my mom keeps saying the same thing. I think I'm gonna live with her and John until I find my own place in Trenton or Philly. I have to be in a city, but not something along the lines of New York City. What about you? I know you loved NYC when we lived there. Don't you and Merrill miss living in Trenton?"

Alicia looked out at the cornfields and said, "Not really. I think this is where I belong. When I was little, I dreamed of living somewhere serene. Sure, Newtown can get boring, but Philly and Trenton aren't that far away. I love sleeping at night and hearing nothing but the crickets and cornstalks rustling- no traffic or anything like that waking me up. I'm perfectly content here."

Ellen leaned her head against Alicia's shoulder and replied, "Al, do you realize that this is it?"

"What exactly do you mean by 'it?'"

"A new phase of our lives. You're getting married and you'll probably be a mom in the next five years. It seems like just yesterday we were convincing our moms to drive us to see New Kids on the Block in Philly."

Alicia cracked up laughing and said, "They were our world!"

"But now you've got an awesome guy who's your world. It takes some people a lifetime to find their soulmate- you found yours when you were 22."

"Speaking of a lifetime, do you realize that we've been friends for 11 years? Some people don't stay married that long."

"The best 11 years of my life."

Alicia put her arms around Ellen and squeezed her.

"Mine too, Elle Belle."

They stayed on the porch and relished the tranquility of the night for a few more minutes.

Finally, Ellen stood up and said, "It's almost 1:00- I've been up since 6. I'm beyond exhausted and I drank way too much beer tonight- I'm done."

"Call my cell when you wake up in the morning- maybe we can leave early and hit Starbuck's before we meet Mom."

"Sounds like a plan. Goodnight, hon."

"Night."

Alicia blew a kiss at Ellen and started walking back to the garage house. When she arrived inside, Merrill was sitting on the bed, watching TV.

"Hey," she said, "I thought you were going to bed."

"I was, but I just wanted to see who won the game earlier."

"I see."

Alicia changed into her pajamas and climbed into bed with Merrill.

He wrapped his arms around her and said, "I talked to Jack today about being my best man."

"And?"

"He said he thought I would never ask."

"That's awesome, honey."

"Yeah. He and I are going out for drinks tomorrow night- I don't have to be at work that next morning until 11. You and Ellen should come- he always did think Ellen was cute."

"I never knew that! Isn't he still dating that girl who was Miss Philadelphia?"

"No, they broke up."

"Interesting. That should make for a fun night. Lord knows that Elle and I are gonna need a drink after dress shopping with Mom tomorrow."

Merrill sat still for a minute, and then suddenly started to tickle Alicia.

"Stop!" she gasped, "You know how ticklish I am, baby!"

Before Alicia knew it, Merrill was lying on top of her and their noses and foreheads were touching. Then, much to Alicia's delight, he slid his hand slowly underneath her tanktop. She bit her lip and fully enjoyed the moment.

"You know," she whispered, "I've been thinking of getting them pierced."

"Both of them?"

"Yeah. Why not?"

"That would be hot, babe."

"Ellen has hers pierced."

"And how do you know that? You do get pretty crazy when you're drunk."

"She told me, jackass!"

"I was kidding."

"But I have seen them briefly. We're best friends- nudity's no big deal. Besides, I'm sure you've seen Jack naked."

"Alicia, men are different."

"Whatever."

Merrill then placed his lips on her earlobe and whispered, "You're not sleepy, are you?"

"Kinda. You were the one who said you wanted to get some sleep. You know that once you start nibbling my ear, you're crossing into the point of no return."

"Or I can leave you hanging…"

"Who said I wanted to have sex anyway?"

Merrill glared at Alicia and then slipped the straps off of her tanktop, one at a time.

"I wanna feel your skin against mine," he whispered, tracing his finger along her collarbone.

Alicia pulled the tanktop over her head and pressed her bare upper body against Merrill's. He kissed her lips three times and then ran the back of his hand against her cheek.

"I… love… you," he sang.

"Are you still drunk?"

"No. Do I have to be drunk to tell you that I love you?"

"Of course not."

"You know, now that I think about it, saying 'I love you' is so inadequate. It seems so meager when it comes to how I really feel about you."

"You don't need words to tell me you love me. I can feel it whenever you hold me like this and when you look at me. It's the kind of connection that a husband and wife should have."

Merrill kissed Alicia's forehead and said, "You never told me you love me back. You accused me of being drunk."

"Come on, do I really need to tell you?"

"I like to hear you say it."

She bit his nose and said, "I love you, I love you, I love you!"

"I know."

"Who are you, Han Solo?"

"No, I'm much more attractive and charming."

"I don't know about that. Harrison Ford was pretty hot in the Star Wars movies."

Merrill laughed as he reached over to turn out the bedside lamp. Then he wrapped his arms around her waist and stroked the small of her back.

Alicia murmured, "That feels so good."

Merrill unclasped one of his hands and moved it to Alicia's face, where he traced her lips with his fingers. Then he kissed her, savoring the feeling of holding her lips in his. After he let go, he played with Alicia's hair.

"What are you thinking about?" Alicia asked.

"Oh, a lot of things."

"Like?"

"Mostly about our future…and how crazy and life-changing these next few months are going to be."

"I think about that a lot too."

"I was also just thinking about what my life would've been like without you. You know, if we hadn't have been re-acquainted that day by Colleen."

"I'm sure we would've met again somehow."

"Yeah, but it might've been too late. We could've both been with other people…and I probably wouldn't be as close to Graham as I am now."

Alicia said, "I think I needed you more than you needed me."

"And how's that?"

"I probably would've crawled back to Harrison and I'd be miserable. But you know what? We shouldn't dwell on what could've been. I have you and I've never been happier in my entire life."

Merrill kissed Alicia one final time and said, "I love you."

"I know."

They laughed together and pulled the covers over their head- and were asleep within 15 minutes.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

The next morning, Alicia's cell phone alarm went off at 9 am. She struggled to open her eyes as she shut it off and then noticed a note on Merrill's pillow.

"Ali-

I didn't want to wake you up this morning to say goodbye- you were out like a light. I'll call you later on my lunch break.

Love you, Merrill."

Alicia smiled to herself and placed the note on the nightstand. Then she picked up her cell phone and called Ellen. Much to her surprise, Ellen answered almost immediately.

"Hey! What's up, Ali Bean?"

"You sound ten times more awake than I do."

"I'm so used to getting up early- it comes naturally. I'm in the kitchen having coffee with Graham."

"I'll be right there."

Alicia hung up the phone and got out of bed. As she brushed her hair back into a ponytail and put on shoes, she realized she still had no shirt on.

"That's all I need," she said to herself, "Walking into the house topless."

She laughed, picked up her tanktop from the floor and put it on. Then she headed to the main house and went through the back door. When she arrived, Ellen was browsing through the newspaper while Graham was cleaning the kitchen counter.

"Good morning," Alicia said, pouring herself a cup of coffee.

"Hey you," Ellen said, "By the way, Merrill said to tell you goodbye and that he loves you."

"Yeah, he left me a note this morning."

Graham said, "So today's the big day, huh? Picking out the dress."

"Yep. This is all slowly starting to sink in- it's a little nerve-wracking, but it's so worth it."

And I wish Colleen was here to help me out, Alicia thought to herself.

Graham asked, "Ali, you're still going with Bo to the zoo on Friday, right?"

"Yep."

"She's so excited- it's all she's been talking about."

Ellen looked at Alicia and laughed.

"You're going to the zoo with Bo? You hate animals!"

"That's not true. I like dogs, cats, and koalas."

"Oh yeah, since koalas are so common in Pennsylvania."

"I'll be fine. So Graham, what's on your agenda today?"

"I'm gonna go back to Home Depot and buy that ceiling fan that I saw the other day. And then I have a few counseling sessions. People are still suffering from some trauma from the attacks- you know, questioning their faith and such."

"I see. Well, I'm gonna go take a shower and then we can get out of here, Elle."

"OK. I'll be here."

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

A few hours later, Graham sat in his office at the church and went through general paperwork. The church's receptionist knocked on his door.

"Reverend Hess, there's a phone call for you- it's from a woman named Meredith McCarthy."

His heart skipped a beat as he replied, "Thanks, Jill. You can put her through."

Graham waited for two rings, and then he cleared his throat and picked up the phone.

"Hello?"

"Graham? Hi, it's Meredith."

"Hi."

"You sound preoccupied. Should I call you back?"

"No, I'm honestly just surprised that you called me."

"Surprised?"

"Yeah- I didn't think you would."

"I always keep my word. You're not too busy to talk, are you?"

"No, of course not."

Graham felt too nervous to say anything, letting a few moments of uncomfortable silence pass. He then decided to ignore his inhibitions and just be upfront with Meredith.

"I know this may be a little rushed, but would you like to come over for dinner tonight?"

"Oh, I don't know if I could find a babysitter for Haven on such short notice."

"She's invited to come too."

"Wow. Most men find out I have a daughter and they want nothing to do with me."

"That's because they're probably not fathers."

"Very true."

"So…was that a yes or a no?"

"Of course it's a yes. What time should we come over?"

"Is 7:00 alright for you?"

"It's perfect. Let me get a pen so that I can write down the directions to your house…"

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Alicia sighed in frustration and shook her head.

"I don't like this one either," she said.

Sarah adjusted the bottom of the dress that Alicia was trying on and said, "Why not? It fits you perfectly."

"Mom, you've said that about every gown that I've tried on. This looks like a prom dress. Elle, what do you think?"

"I like the second one you tried on."

"But it made my boobs look huge and smashed against my chest."

"Is that necessarily a bad thing?"

"I want Merrill looking into my eyes, not at my boobs."

Sarah said, "Maybe we should take a lunch break and then go somewhere else. After all, we don't have to decide on a dress today, honey."

"Yeah, you're right. Why don't we go to the mall? There's a bridal store there- let's get out of here."

Alicia changed back into her regular clothes and then left the store with Sarah and Ellen. After they stopped for lunch and arrived at the mall, Alicia's cell phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Ali."

"Graham! What's going on?"

"Did you have major plans tonight?"

"Not until later on tonight. I'm going out for drinks with Merrill, Elle and Jack. Why?"

"I invited Meredith and Haven over for dinner."

"You did? You sly fox!"

"I'm heading home now to try and figure out what to make. How's dress shopping going?"

"I haven't found one that I like yet."

"I'm sure you'll find something soon."

"You sound like my mom. Well, we're about to go into the mall. Do you need me to pick up anything from the grocery store on the way home?"

"No, I think I'm good. I'll see you later."

"Bye."

Alicia caught up with Sarah and Ellen.

"Guess what? Graham invited Meredith and her daughter over for dinner."

Ellen asked, "Is that the woman he met at Home Depot?"

"Yep!"
Sarah said, "Excuse me? Graham met a woman at Home Depot?"

"Yeah, but I'll explain it on the way home. Right now, I-"

Alicia lost all thought as they entered the bridal store. She immediately spotted a mannequin in the back of the store.

"Mom, Elle, look! That dress is...amazing! That's exactly like the one I've always dreamed of wearing- that's the dress!"

Alicia went up to a woman who worked in the store.

"Excuse me, but the dress on that mannequin- is it on any of the racks?"

"Yes, it's over there. But it's a size 8."

"What size is the one on the mannequin?"

The woman took the mannequin down and looked at the tag on the back of the dress.

"It's a 4."

"That's exactly what size I am! Is there any way you could switch the gowns? I really like this one."

"Let me double check with my manager- I'm sure it won't be a problem."

"Thank you so much."

While Alicia waited for the woman to come back, she grabbed Sarah by the arm.

"I think my gown search might be over. And the price isn't too steep, either."

Ellen said, "Ali, have you decided on bridesmaid dresses yet?"

"I talked to Miranda, Carly and Angie- and they all agreed on wearing red. Since you're my maid of honor, you should wear whatever you want to."

"Flip flops and jeans?"

"Sure, Elle. Next week, the girls and I are gonna decide on the design."

The woman came back and had the dress that was previously on the mannequin.

"Did you want to try this on?" she asked.

"Of course," Alicia replied, "I really appreciate this."

"No problem. Follow me."

Sarah held Alicia's purse as she went into the dressing room.

Ellen rested her chin on Sarah's shoulder blade and said, "This is all so surreal. I don't think I'll actually believe that Ali is getting married until I see her come down the aisle. I can't even begin to imagine how this makes you feel."

"To be honest with you, it's a 50/50 feeling. Half of me is beyond ecstatic to see Alicia like this- smiling, happy, in love with an amazing man…and the other half of me is devastated because Colleen isn't here to be a part of this."

Ellen replied, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean for you to think about that."

"No, honey, it's not your fault. I just hope that Alicia's love for Merrill will overpower the grief that she feels. I don't want her to have a mental breakdown and be depressed- this is supposed to be the happiest time in her life."

"It's going to be- don't worry."

The door to the dressing room opened and Alicia stepped out. Both Ellen and Sarah were taken aback by how beautiful she looked in the dress. It was a creamy white tube gown, with a beaded top and a satin bottom with delicate layers of chiffon. She twirled around and grinned.

"How do I look?"

Sarah immediately thought about Alicia as a child. She would put on tiny princess dresses, spin around, and grin- exactly the way she had just done. Now her little princess was a stunning woman about to change her life forever.

"You look gorgeous," Sarah said, "Like a princess."

Ellen added, "I've never seen a dress like that. It's perfect for you, Ali."

Alicia squealed and said, "I'm gonna call Merrill!"

"No!" Ellen exclaimed, "It's bad luck! You have to surprise him with this gown."

"In fact," Sarah said, "I'll keep it at home. That way, Merrill doesn't see it at all."

Alicia replied, "I guess you're right. OK, I'll be right back."

Right as Alicia stepped back into the dressing room, her cell phone rang inside her purse.

"I'll answer it," Ellen said, "and look- it's Merrill. Hello? Hey you. We're at a bridal store in the mall. I don't know- maybe she found a dress and maybe she didn't. No, I'm not gonna tell you what it looks like. It's supposed to be a surprise for you."

Alicia peeked out from behind the door and said, "Can I please talk to my husband-to-be?"

Ellen handed the phone to Alicia, who went back into the dressing room.

"Hi baby! Yeah. Uh huh. No, it's my wedding day secret. Nothing you can do or say will lead me to divulge any details. No, not even that. Mmm, that's tempting, but no! Don't you want something to look forward to as I walk down the aisle? Oh, that's so sweet. Did Graham call you and tell you about dinner with Meredith? I know! I'm proud of him for being so bold. Alright. I love you too, sweetie. Bye."

Alicia reached over the door and handed Ellen the cell phone. A few minutes later, she emerged with the dress in her arms.

Sarah took it from her and said, "Give this to me so that I can pay for it."

Alicia kissed Sarah's cheek and said, "Mom, you're the best. Thank you so much for doing all of this for me."

"You're my baby girl. Why wouldn't I?"

As Sarah went up to the register, Alicia looked at Ellen and held her hand.

"You look tired. You OK?"

"I wanna get married," she mumbled, "I'm like Bridget Jones..I'm gonna die an old spinster."

"Elle Belle, no you won't. You're gonna find yourself some dashing guy with a great job, who wants to spend all his money on you."

"Yeah, if you see him, let me know."

They waited for Sarah to pay and then went home.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

It was now a little after six thirty that night. Graham was outside setting up everything for the outdoor dinner. Alicia came down the stairs of the garage house, dressed in a flowing green tube top and jeans. Her hair was pulled back into a high ponytail and she wore a mirrored pair of sunglasses.

Graham thought to himself, That's Ali. Looking glamorous even for a backyard barbeque.

"I'm gonna go get Bo ready," she said, walking past Graham.

"Hey, how does the tablecloth look?"

"It looks fine- I like it."

"Do you think it's too informal to have dinner outside? I don't want to make a bad first impression."

Alicia walked back over to Graham and said, "You have nothing to worry about, Graham. Meredith is really nice. You know me and my vibes- I can always tell when a person is being phony. She's a genuinely sweet lady and I'm sure that she and Haven are gonna have a great time."

Graham squeezed Alicia's shoulders and said, "You're just like your sister- always knowing the right thing to say at the right time."

Alicia walked towards the door into the kitchen and said, "I try."

A few minutes after Alicia went inside, Merrill's car pulled into the driveway. When he got out of the car, he lugged two bags of groceries along with his school bag.

"Did you get everything?" Graham asked.

"Marshmallows, chocolate, the crackers that bear your name, hot dog buns, and wine."

"Wine?"

"Gotta make a smooth first impression, bro."

Meanwhile, Morgan was playing Uno with Ellen while Alicia was braiding Bo's hair.

"Aunt Ali?"

"Yes, baby?"

"Does Daddy like Haven's mommy?"

"They're friends- but that's all."

"I don't want a new mommy."

Alicia turned Bo towards her and said, "I know you don't. Meredith's not going to be your new mommy."

But I can't make that promise, Alicia thought to herself.

Bo touched Alicia's face and said, "I wish you were our new mommy."

Alicia sighed and said, "Your mommy is always going to be your mommy. Even though she's in heaven, she's still your mommy and she always will be. Even if your daddy meets another lady and wants to marry her, she still won't replace Mommy."

"UNO!"

Ellen and Morgan had been so absorbed with playing Uno, they hadn't even heard Bo and Alicia's conversation.

Right after Ellen yelled, Morgan said, "Oh yeah? Draw four!"

"Hey! You did that on purpose!"

Alicia finished helping Bo and then they went downstairs and outside. Bo ran to the swingset and Alicia approached Merrill, who was tending the grill. She wrapped her arms around his waist, pressed her nose against his shirt and inhaled deeply.

"Mmm…I love that cologne."

He mimicked her and said, "Mmm…I love you."

"Are you making fun of me?"

"Now why would I ever do that?"

Alicia walked towards the picnic table and said, "The weather couldn't be any more perfect for an outdoor dinner."

Graham looked at his watch and said, "It's seven. What if she's not coming?"

"She's being a typical woman- fashionably late."

"What if she's lost? I've never been good with giving directions."

"If you don't stop worrying, I'm going to bite your fingers off- one by one."

"You're making me shake in my boots, Alicia. I'll be right back."

Graham went inside the house and Merrill walked over to the picnic table.

"Have I mentioned how beautiful you look?" he asked Alicia.

"Do I really? I didn't overdress?"

"No, baby- you look perfect."

He sat behind her, locked his arms around her, and rested his head on her shoulder.

"Is it just me," he said, "or is September taking forever to get here?"

"It'll be here before we know it, babe."

"So you can't tell me anything about your dress."

"Nope!"

He started kissing her neck seductively and whispered, "Please?"

"You're using clever tactics, Mr. Hess…but sorry."

Merrill pulled her ponytail back so that her head was tilted backwards and she was looking at him.

"You're extremely sexy when you're mysterious."

"And you're always sexy."

"If you were one of my students, would you wanna sleep with me?"

"Oh, of course! I'd always wanna stay after class for 'tutoring.' How many schools have coaches as hot as you?"

"Turn around."

"Why?"

"So that I can kiss you."

Alicia quickly swung her body around and held Merrill's face in her hands. Then she giggled and met him halfway for a kiss.

He broke away and said, "I love it when you wear that lip gloss. It makes your lips so irresistibly soft."

They leaned in to kiss again, and were interrupted by the sound of a car coming onto the gravel driveway.

"She's he-ere," Merrill said.

"I'll go get Graham," Alicia said.

As Alicia went inside, Merrill met Meredith and Haven in the driveway.

"Hey. Did you get lost at all?" he asked.

"No, we made it OK. Haven, say hi to Merrill."

Haven smiled and said, "Hello."

Merrill pointed to the swingset in the backyard and said, "Bo's over there on the swings. She's been looking forward to playing with you."

Meredith said, "Go ahead, sweetie. Go play on the swingset with Bo."

Haven ran over to the swingset and Meredith continued her conversation with Merrill.

"We're eating outside? I love it!"

"Graham was really nervous that you would think this was all too informal."

"No way. I'm very low maintenance- I don't need a five star restaurant to have a great time."

Graham appeared and said, "Hi, Meredith."

"Hey Graham! This is so fantastic, doing everything outside. This house is so beautiful."

"Thanks. Come on, I'll show you around a little."

Graham showed Meredith around the backyard and then took her inside the house. Meanwhile, Merrill finished cooking what was on the grill and Alicia helped Ellen with last minute preparations for dinner.

Ellen asked, "Are we still going out for drinks tonight with Jack?"

"As far as I know. Will you pass me the sugar canister, please?"

Ellen passed Alicia the sugar and watched her as she stirred some into a pitcher of lemonade.

"So is Jack hot?"

Alicia laughed and said, "I love you, Elle Belle."

"I'm serious! I don't remember what he looks like."

"You watch Trading Spaces, right?"

"Just to see Ty Pennington."

"Well, you ruined my point. I was gonna say that he could be Ty's brother."

"And he doesn't have a girlfriend?"

"Nope! And according to Merrill, he thinks you're cute."

"But I've never met him!"

"He was at Merrill's surprise party."

"Wait a second- was he the tall guy with the plastic Barbie girlfriend? He was rocking the whole Keith Urban look."

"Yep- that was him. He must've seen you at the party or something- and he couldn't say anything cause he had a girlfriend then."

Ellen squealed and said, "I feel like I'm in high school again!"

"I never knew you graduated."

Ellen pinched Alicia and picked up a nearby bowl of salad.

"I'm taking this outside- I'll meet you out there, smartass."

Alicia looked out the window and smiled as she observed Graham and Meredith talking at the picnic bench. Then she looked over at Merrill, who was pushing both Bo and Haven on the swings.

Is it wrong for me to still wish Colleen was here?

She sighed and took the lemonade outside. The wine was in an iced bucket in the middle of the table with glasses around it.

"Is everything ready?" she asked Merrill.

"I think so. Help me bring these plates over."

A few minutes later, everyone was sitting at the picnic table and ready to eat.

Morgan asked, "Dad, should we say a prayer?"

Graham looked at Meredith, and then back at Morgan.

"Sure. Why not?"

Everyone linked hands as Graham spoke.

"Lord, thank you for bringing us here tonight on this beautiful evening. Thank you for blessing us with Meredith and Haven's friendship…"

Alicia opened her eyes for a moment and saw that Meredith was holding exceptionally tight to Graham's hand.

"…we pray, Amen."

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Meredith took one last bite of her smores and groaned.

"I am officially stuffed. If I eat one more bite, I won't be able to drive home."

Haven asked, "Mommy, can I have another one?"

"Sweetie, you've had two and a half- I don't want you to get sick."

"Please Mom?"

"Sorry, kiddo. Besides, you have summer camp tomorrow. We should get going."

Alicia stood up and said, "Haven, how about you and Bo help me clean up out here?"

"OK."

Haven and Bo helped Alicia clean off the table and met up with Ellen, who was already inside the kitchen. Morgan was inside, and Merrill was in the garage house. Graham and Meredith were alone outside.

"So," she said, "I don't mean to bring up a touchy subject, but were you and your family affected at all by the attacks?"

Graham looked at her and said, "Come on- I'll show you something."

He took Meredith by the hand and led her into the corn.

"Where are we going? Malachi isn't going to come out, is he?"

"Malachi?"

"Yeah. You know, from Children of the Corn?"

"I've never seen it. Would you watch it if you had a cornfield in your backyard?"

"You're right."

Graham led Meredith to the clearing where the crop circle still remained. She bent down and ran her hands along the bent corn.

"This is...wow. I can't believe they were actually here and did this. I remember them saying on the news that they were within 5 miles of the markings they made. So that means.."

"They were in our house."

Meredith gasped and covered her mouth with her hand.

"You mean you actually saw them?!"

"One of them had Morgan in its arms."'

"OK, you can stop joking now."

"I wish I was joking."

"This whole invasion was the biggest story of my career. I saw photographs of the aliens, but that was it. I can't believe there was one in your house and...your family must be so strong to have survived something like this."

"Yeah, we made it through somehow."
"I'm sure that you were a major source of comfort to the kids and to Merrill and Alicia as well."

"To a certain extent."

"What does that mean?"

"I'll tell you another time."

"Oh, I see. There are many more layers of you I have yet to discover."

"I'm sure you will. You're Lois Lane, after all."

"So does that mean I'm second date worthy?"

"I don't see why not."

Meredith smiled and linked her arm in Graham's.

"This is spooking me out. Let's go back to the house."

They walked back through the corn and Meredith kept a tight grip on Graham's arm.

"How do you not get lost in here? It's like a big maze."

"I just look at the ground. I've lived here for 10 years, so I know my way pretty well around the fields."

They made their way to the backyard and saw that everyone was still inside.

"Thank you for coming over tonight," Graham said.

"No, thank you for inviting me. Haven and I don't get to do this a lot. In fact, I haven't spent time with another man like this since Haven was born. For six years, I've focused on nothing but my career and raising Haven."

"Were you married to her father?"

"No. I was doing a story on the mayor and I met one of his PR assistants. It was a fling that ended up with me being pregnant...and he could care less. I haven't heard from him since I was pregnant. Believe me, I don't cry my nights away worrying about it. But what does concern me is that Haven has never had a father figure in her life."

"I'm sure that will change. You're a beautiful and intelligent woman and I'm sure you'll meet someone who can be just that for Haven."

"You think so?"

"I know so."

Graham and Meredith found that they were standing inches away from each other.

He stepped back a little and said, "I'm sorry. This is really awkward for me. I haven't spent time with a woman besides Colleen in...well, since I started seeing Colleen."

"Don't worry. This is all new to me, too."

They gravitated back towards each other and without a second thought stopping him, he leaned towards Meredith and gave her a kiss on her lips.

She kept her eyes closed, even after the kiss was over.

"You have to excuse me," she whispered, "I haven't been kissed like that in a long, long time. I'm just relishing the moment."

In that instant, it was almost as if Graham heard Colleen tell him, "Go ahead. It's alright with me- I want you to be happy."

He pressed his lips against Meredith's and she rested her hand on the side of his face. Despite the fact that it wasn't an openmouthed kiss, the passion between them was undeniable. After about half a minute, Meredith pulled away and took a deep breath.

"Graham, I...I should get going. Haven has to get up in the morning and I have a few stories that are about to deadline and I...oh God, I sound so neurotic, don't I?"

"No."

She smiled and replied, "Hopefully we can get together sometime this weekend- maybe Friday or Saturday?"

"Sounds like a plan."

"OK. I'll be right back."

As Meredith went inside the house, Graham sat down at the picnic table as thoughts raced rampantly through his head. He didn't know what to think.

This is exactly how Colleen and I started out- but I need to take this slow...for my sake and for the kids' sake.

He ran his fingers across his lips and couldn't help but smile. Within a few minutes, Meredith came back out, holding a sleeping Haven in her arms.

"She was passed out on the couch," she said, laughing.

"Are Bo and Morgan sleeping too? I know that they were pretty exhausted."

"Alicia was putting Bo to bed and Morgan was reading in his room. He's so independent."

"I know. Sometimes I forget that he's ten. His personality is almost identical to Colleen's- I think that's why sometimes he gets along better with Alicia than he does with me. She can do no wrong in his eyes."

"Well, she seems like a great person."

"She is. Sometimes I don't know what we would do without her here."

"Alright. Thanks again for everything."

"My pleasure. I'll give you a call tomorrow."

"OK."

Graham walked Meredith to her car and helped her place Haven inside. Once she was secure, Meredith closed the door and gave Graham a hug.

"Goodnight, Graham."

"Meredith."

They let go of the embrace and gazed into each other's eyes. He desperately wanted to kiss her, but wanted to anticipate something for the next time they saw each other. Instead, he just kissed her cheek. He opened her car door for her and she smiled as she got in and closed the door. As she drove away, she waved at Graham and he watched her disappear down the road. Graham went inside the house and met Alicia as she was coming down the stairs.

"Bo's in bed and Morgan's relaxing. I'm gonna go get ready to go out with Ellen and Merrill."

"Where are you guys going to again?"

"To Diamond's, just to have a few drinks with Jack."

"That's in Trenton, right?"

"Yeah. Hey, are you OK? You seem kinda spacey. Got Meredith on the brain, huh?"

Graham sighed and said, "I don't think I'm supposed to feel like this. It's only been seven months since Colleen died."

"You know something I actually learned when I went to NYU? I took a psych class- and my professor said that the more you loved your deceased spouse, the quicker you fall in love with someone else. That's what happened to Ellen's mom. She re-married within a year after Ellen's dad died."

"I never said anything about marrying Meredith."

"I know you didn't. I'm just saying that it's normal for you to move on and have feelings for someone else. Who knows? Maybe Colleen had some hand in you meeting Meredith."

"It does sound like something she would do. She always sacrificed her happiness for others' happiness."

"So if I were you, I'd move slowly into things with Meredith. From what I've picked up, she's a fantastic woman and she really likes you."

"Can I ask you something personal?"

"You know you always can."

"Is this all OK with you?"

"You mean you starting to see Meredith."

"Yeah. I won't keep pursuing this if it upsets you."

"Why would it upset me, Graham? I want you to be happy more than anything in the world. Of course, it's a little weird to see you with someone besides Colleen, but don't let my opinion hold you back."

"You really mean that?"

Alicia wrapped her arms around Graham's waist and gave him a hug.

"Of course I do."

He kissed the top of her head and replied, "Thank you for always being here."

"You're welcome. Alright, I'm off to go get ready."

"Is Ellen upstairs?"
"No, she's in the garage house with Merrill."

"I see. Well, be safe and have a good night."

"You too."

Alicia headed back over to the garage house and when she got there, Ellen and Merrill were watching TV.

"It's about time!" Merrill said, "Where were you?"

"Morgan read to me, I put Bo to bed, and I had a nice little chat with Graham."

Ellen said, "About Meredith, huh? She's gorgeous, Ali. And you could tell that she totally digs Graham. She was making googly eyes at him all night long."

"He's really apprehensive about starting to see Meredith on a regular basis. I told him that it's healthy to move on and it seemed to put him at ease."

"That's good," Merrill said, "So can we go drink now?"

Alicia dryly said, "I'm glad you're so concerned about your brother."

"Honey, I am, but I don't want to be nosy and get involved with his personal life."

"Are you insinuating that I am?"

"No. He came to you for advice, not me. Therefore, I'm not going to put my two cents in unless he asks for it."

Alicia was irked by Merrill's careless attitude, but she brushed it off.

"Come on," she said, "Let's go."

As they left and walked to the car, Alicia thought to herself, Meredith might steal Graham's heart, but I'll be damned if she thinks she's going to replace my sister.