The new year began with little fanfare, just the adults quietly sipping champagne in the courtyard at midnight as the girls slumbered quietly in their rooms. After a round of hugs and kisses, they all departed to kiss their daughters good night and get some sleep themselves.

Alex, who had gotten to know Ellie and Sarah over the past several months, approached them during their girl's weekend to ask their assistance in planning their wedding. Ellie, remembering how stressful it was trying plan her own wedding, and Sarah, who thought she might pick up some tips for when it was her turn, gladly accepted. Alex had explained to them that after much discussion, she and Morgan had agreed to get married in one of the chapels at Pendleton that spring, and that they wanted a simple ceremony, but beyond that had no clue as to where to start.

The women discussed decorations, dresses, food, and more as they enjoyed their time in the spa and while getting their nails done, taking a brief respite to get their massages, then picking up the conversation again over a light dinner and wine as Ellie made notes on her cocktail napkin. By the time they'd arrived back to Echo Park, they'd managed to get Alex's mom as well as some of her girlfriends from college on the phone and made their plans to meet up in a couple weeks to go dress shopping.

They'd asked Emma to join them when they'd gone to the bridal shop, hoping to get the girl's dresses done quickly. Molly and Clara were the only little girls that Alex knew, since all of Morgan's cousins who had kids either had little boys or pre-teen girls who wouldn't be interested in tossing flowers and being generally adorable for long enough to walk down the aisle. Since Alex had done her research and had a vague idea as to the kind of gown she wanted to get, it made it easier to find flower girl dresses that would compliment whatever gown she eventually chose.

They had the girls try on a few of the 'princess dresses' as Clara had been calling them before settling on white sleeveless dresses with a layered, tulle, skirt and crystal accented sash. Clara had begged to stay to see Alex try on some of the pretty dresses and Molly happily followed her older cousin's lead. However, after the third dress, the girls were getting bored, so Emma lured them away with promises of McDonalds and playtime at the park.

The older women stayed on a while longer watching as Alex tried on a few more dresses before going back to the second dress she had tried on. It was a sleeveless chiffon gown with a v-neckline, satin sash, and a skirt that draped elegantly from the natural waist and ended in a sweep train. They played around with a few accessories before Alex decided on a two-tiered veil with a scalloped edge and thin beading.

The bridesmaids dresses were a little easier to find, as they were in a similar style to the dress Alex had selected, only with a below-the knee skirt and in a pale lavender for the bridesmaids, who consisted of Ellie, Sarah, and a friend of Alex's from high school, and a pale blush color for the matron of honor, Alex's cousin, Sophie.

It was early afternoon by the time all was said and done, so the ladies decided to have a late lunch before heading home. There was a small café down the street from the bridal shop, so the ladies decided to check it out. After a light lunch of soups, sandwiches, salads, the ladies went their separate ways.

"I heard you ladies had some big plans next weekend," Alex smiled up at her friends as they made their way to their cars.

"Yeah, my mom got us a couples weekend up in Napa," Sarah smiled.

"Isn't it a little early in the year?" Alex asked.

"It's open year-round," Ellie shrugged, "It might be a little rainy, but who cares. We're going to be inside sipping wine so the weather doesn't much matter. I've always wanted to go, so I'll take any time of the year I can get."

"Me too," Sarah agreed, "Mom said she and her late husband, the one she married a few years after she and my dad split, loved it up there. I think she said they went in late March, and it was lovely, but it was kind of crowded. February is low season for them, so it shouldn't be too bad. She offered to watch the girls for us over the weekend, but I think she has an ulterior motive to spoil them and feed them nothing but sugar while we're gone."

"Oh, I don't doubt that," Ellie chuckled, "She loves doting on the girls." She then turned to Alex and added, "Since our parents aren't around and Devon's folks live in Chicago, Emma has basically adopted Clara as another granddaughter."

"That's actually kind of sweet," Alex smiled.

"Do you and Morgan want kids?" Sarah asked.

"We've talked about it," Alex shrugged, "I'd like two or three, and he's more or less of the same mind."

"Your mom and Bolognia would spoil any kids you had rotten," Ellie laughed.

"Your dad, though," Sarah shook her head, "He's so stern, I wonder what kind of a grandpa he'd be, I mean you turned out great, but how much of that was your mom's influence."

Alex burst out laughing, "My dad is the biggest teddy bear you'll ever meet!" She exclaimed, "Don't let the hardened Marine exterior fool you; he's a big softy. Mom calls him Sugar Bear, an I bet any kids we have will have him wrapped around their little finger in no time."

"Really?!" The older women looked at their friend in amazement.

"Yeah, I remember him coming home from deployment, sometimes really late at night," Alex had a soft smile on her face as she reminisced, "He thought I was sleeping, but I was a light sleeper, so I knew when he'd open that door. It didn't make a sound, but I could always sense him when he entered. He would always pull my blankets up, tucking me in again, kiss my forehead, and then take a seat on the edge of my bed, stroking my hair and watching me sleep. My mom said he was absolutely gone for me from the first minute I was placed in his arms, she has pictures of him, dozing on the couch with tiny little me balanced on his chest, his big hand completely covering my back as he held me in place."

"Aww," The women cooed.

"I really hope to see him be a grandpa someday," Sarah smiled, "I'm sure I'll get to experience it at least a few times. With as close as Chuck and Morgan are, we're likely going to be at some of the same family events."

"I'm looking forward to it," Alex smiled then nodded toward her little green sedan, "Well this is me. Thanks for coming along today, I really appreciate your help."

"You're welcome," Sarah hugged the petite woman and stepped aside for Ellie to do the same, "We'll see you in a few weeks to check out the reception venues."

"Sounds good," Alex nodded and got into her car to drive away.

"We should probably get going," Ellie nodded toward her own car, "Before we have to scrape the girls off your mom's ceiling with a spatula."

"We may already be too late for that," Sarah joked as they made their way over to Ellie's car and headed toward Emma's house.

"So, next week is the trip to Napa, right?" Morgan spared a glace at his friend before shooting a few more zombies on the screen before him. While the ladies were off dress shopping, Morgan and Chuck had decided to head out to the Santa Monica Pier to indulge in a little arcade action.

"Yep, we take off as soon as Sarah's classes let out for the day," Chuck confirmed, putting a few headshots through some zombies Morgan had missed.

"What all are you gonna be doing up there?"

"Emma booked us some wine tastings, a day at the spa for the ladies while Awesome and I enjoy some beer at a local brewery." Chuck smiled, "She even gave us a free night to wine and dine our ladies as we see fit."

"And?" Morgan gave him a suggestive look.

"And what?" Chuck looked at his friend confused as to what the man might be hinting at.

"Are you gonna pop the big 'Q?'" Morgan gave him a look that showed he thought Chuck should have understood his question the first time as he placed the plastic rifle he'd been using back in its holder.

"No," Chuck shook his head, slipping his own gun into place and following his friend out to the pier, "That is not in the cards for that weekend."

"Why not?" Morgan insisted, "I mean you two have been in love forever, you're perfect for each other and her daughter adores you and is already calling you 'Daddy.' What's the hold up?"

"It's too soon," Chuck shook his head, a patient smile on his lips, "We only just reunited Labor Day weekend, and she has Molly. I don't want to rush things."

"Don't want to rush…" Morgan muttered, "Are you insane?! You moved in together after two months! You're already taking steps towards adopting her daughter! Besides you have been in love with that girl since you were 18. Eight-freaking-teen my Dude! If you think asking her to marry you now is rushing things, I think you need to reexamine your definition of the word 'rush.' A ten-year infatuation is the very description of a slow burn."

"I don't know Morgs," Chuck hedged, "I mean you and Alex just got engaged, if I ask her now, it's just gonna seem like I'm trying to get in on the action."

"So what?!" Morgan demanded, "Her brain is already focused on wedding stuff as it is, and let me tell you, Alex would be thrilled to be planning their weddings together. She's told me that she's caught Sarah looking wistfully through the bridal magazines they use when they meet up with Ellie to talk about whatever women talk about when planning a wedding."

"Isn't proposing at Napa kind of cliché?" Chuck arched an eyebrow. "I mean if I were to propose, and I'm not saying that I will, it has to be perfect. Remember that proposal plan we came up with when we were like 12?"

"Oh man, I'd forgotten about that," Morgan chuckled, "How sweet would it have been if I'd rolled up in a DeLorian to propose to Alex?"

"Okay, so maybe not going that far, I mean it was kind of out there," Chuck shook his head, "But, I don't know, Sarah is really special, and I want the proposal to be just as special as she it."

Morgan nodded, "Let me ask you a few things, Chuck. Do you love her?"

"What kind of question is that?" Chuck gave his friend an incredulous look, "You know I love her more than life itself."

"Do you love Molly?" Morgan pressed, "Are you really ready to take on the responsibility of being her dad for real? Kissing the scraped knees, chasing off he boys who are pulling her hair, father-daughter dances, the whole thing?"

"Yeah I do, and I am," Chuck agreed.

"In your free time, do you ever imagine what your life will be like five years in the future, ten years?" Morgan pressed, "Do you see them there? In a house with a big back yard, maybe with another kid or three and a dog running around?"

The smile on Chuck's face as he imagined the future Morgan had just described said it all. "Yes, to all of the above."

"Then you're ready, my friend," Morgan clapped his life-long best friend on the back, "I know you, and I know you are going to keep questioning it until the day you actually get the cojones to go through with it, but let me tell you something the Colonel told me when I asked him for Alex's hand. There is no such thing as the perfect proposal, and he should know. He proposed to Kathleen in a bus stop in Buffalo of all places because their bus to Niagara Falls broke down. You don't need a nice dinner, or the perfect sunset, or any of that shit that romcoms tell us girls need, all you need is the girl, your girl.

"Tell you what," Morgan broke Chuck from his reverie, "There's a nice family-owned place not too far from here, it's where I got Alex's ring. Why don't we go look, if you don't see anything that speaks to you, fine; no harm, no foul. But, if you find the ring, you have to take it with you to Napa. I'm not saying you propose to her while you're there, but maybe, just maybe you'll find your moment and you'll be glad I suggested this."

"You now what?" Chuck looked at his little buddy, "Okay, let's do it. I mean what could it hurt to just look, right? I mean I doubt I'm going to find the ring that is meant to sit on her finger for the rest her life at the first place I go, right?"

"Holy shit!" Chuck murmured, the small purple box in his hand as he and Morgan left the store. "I can't believe that just happened… I can't believe I just did that! What the hell was in that smoothie you gave me earlier? I don't do this, I'm not impulsive…"

"I think your trip to Catalina Island ten years ago blows that theory out of the water," Morgan rolled his eyes before grabbing his friend's arm and turning him to face him, "Chuck!" He waited until the older man's eyes refocused on Morgan rather than the ring that as in the box in his hand, "Buddy, you with me? Don't freak out."

"Easy for you to say," Chuck huffed, "You didn't just walk into a jewelry store, and put down $2,500 for the first ring you saw!"

"Well it wasn't that expensive, but pretty much, yeah I did," Morgan chuckled, "A month ago when I got Alex's ring. I went into that same store we just left, just to browse for when I was ready to take that leap and right there on the counter was the ring I knew was meant to sit on Alex's finger for the rest of our lives. Next thing I knew, I was calling the Colonel and Kathleen, asking if they would be available for me to stop by in a couple hours and getting into my car to drive to Pendleton and ask their blessing."

"Oh my God, Emma!" Chuck gasped, "I didn't talk to Emma, she made me promise her I would speak to her as soon as I was considering getting a ring for Sarah… Ellie is going to kill me for not including her in this, either."

"Hey Chuck, come here," Morgan waived as if he wanted his friend to bend down so he could brush something off of his buddy's shoulder. Much to Chuck's shock, Morgan did not want to brush a bug of his shirt, his best friend of 22 years slapped him right across the face, "Get a hold of yourself, man, you're spiraling! I don't think Emma is going to care if you spoke to her before or after you got the ring, she's just going to be glad you got your head out of your proverbial ass and made an honest woman of her little girl. Same goes for Ellie, I'm sure she would have loved to go with you to help select a ring for Sarah, but Dude, you know she's going to be all up in your and Sarah's grills helping to plan the wedding. She'll live despite not being included in this one step."

Chuck nodded quietly before sticking the ring box in his pocket and extracting his phone, "You're right, Buddy. Only thing that matters is that I have the ring so that when we do find our moment, I'll be ready. I probably should still go talk to Emma." He checked the time on his lock screen which read four in the afternoon. "You think Ellie and Sarah got the girls from her place yet?"

"I don't know," Morgan shrugged, "Give her a call and ask."

"Right," Chuck nodded, unlocking his screen and pressing the speed dial button for his girlfriend's mom and waited while it rang. "Hey Emma, it's Chuck. Yeah, it's good to hear from you too. Look, I was wondering have Ellie and Sarah been by yet to get the girls? Good, good, um, are you going to be home for a while? Great, I'll uh… I'll see you in a little bit." Hanging up the phone he did a little happy dance, joined shortly by Morgan. They were making complete fools of themselves, but they didn't really care.

"You gonna do this?" Morgan asked once their dancing was done.

"I'm gonna do this," Chuck nodded, "Emma said she was going to be home for the rest of the night, but I don't want to keep her waiting. I'll see you later, Buddy."

"See ya, later, Man." Morgan beamed, "I'm proud of you!"

With one last smile the men set off for their cars, Morgan to head back to the apartment he and Alex had shared since the previous summer, and Chuck to speak to the amazing woman who gave birth to one of the most amazing women he'd ever met.

"Took you long enough," Emma teased, opening the door for Chuck to step through.

"Yeah, sorry about that," Chuck shrugged, "Traffic."

"That's not what I meant, and you know it," Emma gave him the look, "I think we both know we should have had this conversation a little closer to Sarah's birthday… or even as soon as the night of her concert. You sat next to me for two and a half hours and I've never seen a man so in love with a woman in my entire life and my Bill adored me."

He chuckled nervously as he took a seat on the couch next to the older woman, running his palms down his jeans to remove some of the nervous sweat that had accumulated there during his drive over from the pier. He appreciated that she gave him time to get his thoughts together before he spoke, "I know you know why I'm here," He gave her a small smile, "I mean you literally just told me that I should have done this a while ago, and you might be right, but I'm here now. Emma, you know how much I love Sarah, I would do anything for her and for Molly. When I think about my future, they're both there. Sometimes there's another kid there, a dog, all of them running around a huge backyard. I know you've hinted at it, said it, practically demanded it multiple times over in the short time since Sarah came back into my life, but I want to do this right." He paused for a moment and smiled when Emma gave him an encouraging nod, "Emma, may I have your blessing to ask Sarah to be my wife. I would love nothing more than to be her husband and the father to Molly and any other children we may have."

"Oh, wow Chuck, that's a really big ask. I'll have to think about it." She chuckled when she saw his face fall, "Oh I am just kidding, you know my answer is yes. You have my blessing. I take it that's a ring you've been fidgeting with in your pocket, because if it isn't, there's a whole other conversation we need to be having about how to behave around your girlfriend's relations."

Chuck blushed and extracted the small velvet box, handing it over to Emma who opened it. On a satiny pillow set two rings, a round solitaire that looked to be about a full carat with a halo of smaller stones around it and halfway down each side of the platinum band upon which it sat. The other ring was an eternity band that complimented the engagement ring perfectly. "Oh Chuck, it's perfect," Emma cooed, "And you're sure it's the right size?"

"Yeah, I had the jeweler check," Chuck nodded, "Ellie was less than subtle when dropping hints as to Sarah's ring size."

"Did the set come with a ring for yourself?" Emma looked up at the man who was to be her son-in-law.

"Yeah," Chuck nodded, pulling out another box and handing it to Emma, "I figured Sarah would be so busy with wedding planning it might be easier to just get the full set."

"Practical," She nodded, opening the box to reveal a platinum band wider than the ones meant for her daughter, with small diamonds channel-set down the center of the ring and halfway down each side. "I'll give you this, you have a great eye for rings." She closed the boxes and handed them back to him. "Congratulations, Son."

Chuck's smile widened at her words as he leaned in to hug her, "I'd better get going, I want to stop at my office before heading home, don't want Sarah to find the rings too soon."

"When are you going to ask her?" Emma inquired.

"I don't know," Chuck shrugged, "A friend of mine gave me some really good advice. He basically told me to not waste my time trying to create the perfect moment, but to take advantage of any moment that might find us. He said his father-in-law put it a lot better, 'You don't need all that other stuff, all you need is the girl.' And he must know what he's talking about because he's been married to his wife for 25 years and is just as in love with her today as he did the day he asked her to marry him, if not more."

"He's a wise man, you should listen to him," Emma agreed with a soft smile, "But you better get going. Sarah and Ellie left with the girls an hour or so ago, if you don't hurry, you're liable to be late for dinner."

"Good point," Chuck nodded as he stood to his feet and bent over to press a kiss to Emma's cheek, "Thanks, Em. I'll make sure she calls you first, whenever it happens."

"I look forward to it," Emma smiled as she walked the young man back to the front door and watched him bound down the steps and toward his car, a wide smile on his face. "Yeah, Bill, he really is the best thing for our girls," She whispered and closed the door.