Bill had another great birthday, with dinner at Mia's parents' house at their insistence. Jackie and Tom came, and they brought Arthur, who looked more like a baby to Bill now, and less like a meatloaf.

"He looks so much like Tom," Mia said to Jackie while she held the baby, getting a good feel for how to hold her own baby when the time soon came. "Do you think he'll have those dark freckles Tom does?"

"Tom's mom said his freckles didn't start showing until he was a little older," Jackie shrugged, "so we'll see."

Mia gazed lovingly down at her little nephew, her long wavy hair cascading down beside him. "He is the cutest baby I have ever seen."

Bill liked watching her with Arthur, and how seemingly naturally it came to her. He knew she would make a wonderful mother to their own baby…

"Do you want to hold him?"

"What?" He snapped out of his daydream.

"Do you want to hold him?" Mia repeated, passing the baby slightly over to Bill.

"I don't, uh-"

"Here." Mia scooted closer on the couch to him, Arthur still cradled in her arms. Bill started to feel a little panicky at the idea of holding a baby.

"I don't know-"

"Hold your elbow like this," she demonstrated, ignoring his protests. "Okay. Just make sure you support his head."

She slowly placed the baby in the crook of his elbow and helped him position his arms properly. When the baby was safely secured, Bill felt himself start breathing again. He couldn't believe he was actually holding a baby. He had never held one before, not even Bobby or Joseph when they were that small.

"I think he likes you, Uncle Bill," Tom smiled.

Huh...Bill never thought of himself as an uncle before… Even to Bobby and Joseph he only really felt like their dads' friend. Suddenly he felt an additional layer of responsibility, on top of the responsibility he felt towards being a good father. Now he needed to be a good uncle, too...


Gilbert and Raul had begun moving in next door, much to Mia and Bill's delight.

"If I ever need to borrow a cup of sugar, I'm coming to you first," Raul joked to them.

Raul and Gilbert would join the other neighbors out in the alley frequently. Hank might have side-eyed Raul's heavily tattooed body at first, but warmed up quickly once they got to talking about cars and sports.

Gilbert had come over to visit Bill one day, bearing gifts for his new baby cousin.

"For Master Dauterive," he explained, holding out an elegantly wrapped box towards Bill. They sat in the living room together while Bill curiously opened it.

Bill tore the paper carefully away and pried the lid off of the garment box. Laying neatly in thick tissue paper was a little cream colored suit, not unlike the one Gilbert tended to wear often.

"Wow, Gilbert. This is very nice."

"A little gentleman must be clothed as such," he nodded wisely.

Mia decided on an underwater theme for the nursery. She painted the walls a calming water blue, hung a fishy mobile over the crib, and found a cute octopus lamp to put on the dresser. Dale had also given her a taxidermy turtle which she thought might enjoy its new home in the closet.

Mia's mother threw her a baby shower in which the family was invited to, just like Jackie's. And also like Jackie's, everyone wanted to touch her stomach and feel the baby much to her discomfort. The gifts she was given for the baby were all very cute. There were many little outfits and hats, soft toys and blankets, packs of diapers and bottles of baby bath soap. It all made her more excited to have her baby than ever before.

Soon It was nearing the end of August, growing ever so closer to September and ultimately the day the baby would be ready to arrive.

Peggy's baby shower for Mia was similar to the one she threw for Leah. The same guests were invited: Luanne, Minh, Nancy, and Leah. The same boggle game was played (and Peggy won again.) Mia had a lot of fun, as she always did with the neighbors, and could truly understand what Leah meant about them being her Arlen family.

Luanne joined Mia and Leah on the couch once the festivities had finished.

"We can't name our son Gordon now," Luanne sighed, "Lucky's cousin named his new pitbull that."

"That's too bad," Mia sympathized.

Gracie toddled around the house, exploring and enjoying all of the excitement and noise. Mia held Anthony, who laid in her arms happily. He was beginning to smile now, and would give a big, gummy grin to Mia every now and then.

"He has his dad's smile," Leah commented on the couch beside them. Mia would have to take her word for it, as she hadn't seen Boomhauer smile very often.

"He has his ears too, I think," Mia observed. Anthony's ears tilted forward ever so slightly, like Boomhauer's.

"I think so, too. All of the Boomhauers have ears like that."

"I'd imagine the Boomhauer genes run rather strong," Nancy said from the chair across from them.

"They do," Leah agreed, "Whenever I go to one of their family gatherings, it's easy to tell who is a Boomhauer by blood and who is just by marriage."

"Connie is pretty and delicate, like me and my family," Minh said.

"Bobby, I have to admit, looks like Hank's side," spoke Peggy, "But he has my penchant for free spiritedness."

Luanne looked thoughtful. "Gracie looks like me. Well, that's what everyone tells me. I know she at least has my teeth."

Nancy didn't comment on Joseph.

Mia wondered who her baby would look like. She figured he might have her wide, round eyes, which was a prominent feature within her family tree.

But one thing she did know for certain was that he would be just as handsome as his father.

While the baby shower was going on inside, Bill and his friends were hanging out in the alley and discussing the upcoming wedding.

"Another wedding means another bachelor party," Dale chuckled with a quirk of his eyebrow.

"You never got your bachelor party, did you, Boomhauer?" Hank noticed.

Boomhauer shrugged impassively.

"Well Bill," Hank turned to him, "How do you want to celebrate?"

"Blackjack and hookers," Dale deadpanned before sipping a beer.

"Remember Patch's bachelor party?" Bill asked them with a smirk.

Hank groaned. "Don't remind me."

"I've already been through it all before," Bill dismissed, "I don't need to do it all again."

"Nonsense, Bill," assured Dale. "This marriage isn't going to be a joke. It's the real deal. We should celebrate that."

"He's right, uh, in his own blunt way. We should do something. This is going to be your last time as a bachelor."

"Well, I like having an excuse to grab a beer."


Bill didn't mind what type of wedding they had, or where it was, or how many people came. He had had a flashy wedding once already, years ago when he married Lenore. This time, the time that mattered, the time with Mia, he just wanted to be with her. Mia was never interested in a big guest list or a fancy venue. What seemed the most appealing was just being with friends and family in their Arlen back yard. She invited her parents, siblings, grandmother, and all of their Rainey Street neighbors.

Hank insisted, as he always did, on manning the grill. Leah tied together a beautiful bouquet from the flowers she grew in her garden. Peggy asked if she could decorate, and Mia's mom was delighted to help her.

The backyard was quaint and lovely, with delicate white table cloths and ribbons and string lights for when evening came.

Mia was in the house somewhere getting ready with help from Leah, Jackie, and Luanne. Bill walked around the yard to say hello to everybody, who all seemed to be having a good time. He caught different snippets of conversation, like Peggy trying to speak with Mia's mother in broken Spanish, and Hank and Mia's father talking about propane. Kahn and Sam were discussing their careers, as they were in similar lines of work with computers. Nancy and Minh seemed to be flirting with Raul, who was dressed sharply in a button down shirt and slacks. After Raul walked away to kiss Gilbert, Bill heard the two women sigh, "What a shame."

Dale called out to Bill and waved him over.

"Bill, we couldn't get a hold of the guy Mia wanted to officiate the marriage, so we got Reverend Stroup instead."

"What!"

"He's just kidding, Bill," Hank called from across the yard.

"I did invite Octavio, though."

"Seriously?"

"He's just kidding, Bill," Hank called out again.

Dale chuckled.

Bill scowled. "Don't mess with me today. I'm stressed out enough."

"Why? Getting cold feet? You already knocked her up, Bill. You're stuck with her for eighteen years whether you like it or not."

"No, nothing like that. It's just a big day is all. But I'm very excited to marry her." It's all I've ever wanted…

Inside the bedroom, Mia sat at her vanity while Luanne did her hair, with Luanne's similarly sized baby belly sometimes bumping into Mia's back.

Mia asked for a half-up, half-down style, and Luanne did a beautiful job making it look pretty and graceful with delicate cascades of waves.

"Oh, you look so beautiful, Mia!" Luanne sighed once she was finished.

Mia stood up to look her whole self over in the floor length mirror on the back of the closet door. Her dark hair had a fairy tale princess look, she thought, and the makeup she did herself was the most elegant and romantic she had ever done it before. The dress she picked was a simple white sundress, rounded at the belly and sweeping across her knees.

Leah poked a few sprays of little white flowers into Mia's curls.

"Baby's Breath," Leah said.

"You look perfect!" Jackie complimented brightly, and smoothed out Mia's dress and fussed with the placement of her hair a little more.

"I've really been feeling funny today," Mia mentioned, her hand on her curved stomach, "like more Braxton-Hicks contractions than usual."

Jackie dismissed it. "Oh, it's probably from your excitement. Nerves can trigger them."

"Are you ready?" Mia's mother called from the bedroom door.

The girls beckoned her to come in, and she gasped in surprise as Mia stood there, beautifully light and graceful in her soft wedding dress.

"Look at you! You are so beautiful!" Her mother clutched Mia to her in a hug, but carefully minded not to mess up Mia's hair.

"Mama, don't cry!"

"How can I help it? My other baby girl is getting married!"

"Is it time to start yet?"

"Yes… Whenever you're ready. Mr. Shortman is here now to officiate."

Mia drew in a determined breath.

"Let's get married!"

The guests were all seated outside, in fold-out chairs decorated with big chiffon ribbons tied to the back. Arthur and Anthony were napping in their car seats under a shady tree. Gracie played with toys in a seat between Lucky and Luanne.

Bill waited with anxious excitement at the end of the yard, under a pretty archway tied with ribbon and set with flowers. Connie began a traditional wedding song on her violin.

The back door opened and Mia stepped out onto the grass. She was breathtaking, glowing under the sunlight, smiling with pure radiance. Bill had never seen her look more beautiful.

The officiator was a family friend of Mia's family, and he had even read the vows at Jackie's wedding. He was around Mia's age, standing tall, strong-jawed with cornflower hair. He thanked the guests for coming, and spoke about marriage, and about how love is a bond and a test of patience, among other profound yet typical marriage insights Bill was hardly listening to. He was too transfixed by Mia: on the soft contours of her face, her high cheekbones and full lips, her dark, round eyes that were peering up at him, sparkling happily as she tried suppressing a grin.

"Do you, William Fontaine de la Tour Dauterive, take this woman to be your wedded wife?"

"I do." Of course I do…

"Do you, Mia Cherise Gallo, take this man to be your wedded husband?"

For a flash, gone in an instant, Bill could have sworn he saw her wince.

"I do."

But she still grinned up at him in earnest, as if nothing was wrong. He must have been imagining things.

"By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride."

Mia hopped up on tiptoe to throw her arms around his neck and pull him down to her, and kissed him vigorously.

Everyone clapped and cheered, some even cried. Mia tossed her bouquet to Connie, who caught it perfectly by the bunched stems and gave Bobby a blushing glance.

The mood of the entire wedding was elated with joy. Everyone was thrilled to see Bill and Mia together, now married and set on the path to start the next chapter of their lives. Mia's mother and grandmother held each other while crying happily. Tom saluted Bill, who returned the gesture. Dale had hooked elbows with Boomhauer and they danced around in a circle, while Hank proudly marched away to light up the grill.

"Now, if you'll excuse us," Mia called out across the yard of guests, grinning widely, "I'm going into labor."