Mary sat at work the next day. Despite Steven's best efforts to comfort her, she still couldn't stop worrying. All she could think about were the many times her friends had pointed out how bad her parties were. Suddenly, she realized she didn't really care about the latest celebrity wedding piece she was working on for the show. She needed a distraction. If she couldn't call Rhoda, she knew there was someone else who had known her almost as long.

Just picking up phone made her feel better. She dialed a number she hadn't called in months. She didn't even care about the time difference. After a few rings, a soft voice answered. Mary smiled immediately. "Hi, Georgette. It's Mary."

"Oh, hi, Mary." Georgette was always happy to hear from Mary. "How's that adorable baby of yours?"

"Rose is fine," Mary replied. "Actually, that's sort of why I wanted to talk to you. Her first birthday is coming up, and I'm throwing a party."

"That's wonderful," Georgette said. "I just knew you would love being a mother, and I'm sure you're wonderful at it."

"Well, thank you. But I'm a little worried about the party. I mean, you know my track record." She laughed, knowing Georgette was probably reliving the same experiences.

"Mary, you know nothing like that's going to happen."

"That's what Steven keeps telling me, but all I can think of is, what if the power goes out, or someone gets sick, or -"

"That's not going to happen," Georgette said, more forcefully than usual.

"You don't know that for sure."

"I do know it for sure," Georgette countered. "And, to prove it, I'll come to the party myself."

"You would really do that? It's mostly going to be moms and kids."

"Absolutely. I may not have a baby anymore, but I'm still a mother."

"But what about Ted? I mean, airline tickets aren't cheap." She laughed, remembering how Ted would do almost anything to avoid spending money.

"Don't worry about Ted," Georgette said. "After everything you've done for us, this is the least I can do."

Mary felt herself sigh in relief. For the first time in days, she genuinely smiled. Georgette was truly a godsend.

Despite the worries she still couldn't quite shake, Mary spent the next few days making phone calls about the party. She would have it in her and Steven's backyard. As for guests, that part was simple. Rose went to daycare a few days a week when Mary was needed at the TV station. She found the addresses of the other parents whose children Rose saw each day. She even found adorable invitations to send out. Maybe this party would actually turn out to be a success after all.

As soon as she had that thought, however, she remembered another thing about all those other parties: Each time, she was so sure this party wouldn't be a disaster. Yet, somehow, disaster inevitably struck.

Just like that, she was right back to square one.

She tried sharing her worries with Steven. He tried to reassure her, but Mary could tell he was getting frustrated. She couldn't blame him; he didn't really understand how bad her parties had been. But she could never forget.

Somehow, Mary got through the next few days. Work was a welcome distraction. It reminded her why she'd gone into TV in the first place. Soon, Georgette was due to arrive. Mary took the day off work; she knew she was much too excited to concentrate anyway.

Mary got Rose ready to go to the airport. As she dressed her, Mary shared her excitement. "You're going to meet one of my closest friends today. I've known Georgette even longer than I've known Daddy. She really is the sweetest person I know. Present company excepted." She couldn't resist kissing Rose's soft cheek.

They left much earlier than necessary. Mary had missed Georgette more than she'd realized. It had been too long since she'd spoken to someone who remembered her WJM days. They were memories that were never far from her thoughts.

Finally, Mary saw the plane would be arriving any minute now. Her heart began to race. She'd never expected her emotions to be like this, but it was one more sign of just how important her friends were.

A stream of passengers came off the plane. Mary watched intently. Suddenly, she saw a blonde woman walking toward her. They recognized each other in the same moment. Mary rushed toward her, Rose's stroller in her hands.

They hugged for a long moment. "Thank you for coming!"

Georgette gave her a slightly exasperated look. "Well, you've done so much for us. Besides, I couldn't pass up a chance to see this little angel." She smiled down at the stroller. "Oh, Mary, she's beautiful! Just like her mother."

Mary smiled, embarrassed. "Thanks."

For a moment, Georgette was quiet. "Mary, can I ask you a question?"

"Sure."

"Have you thought about calling Rhoda lately?"

"Oh, Georgette. If she wanted to talk to me, she could certainly pick up a phone."

"I remember another time when you weren't speaking and you were both miserable."

"Let's not have this discussion now, OK?" To show that the conversation was over, Mary walked toward the baggage claim. The last thing she wanted to do now was think about the friend she had lost. All that mattered was making sure Rose had a birthday as wonderful as she deserved.