Once Josh and I finish in the old barn, we slip back into the house. We find everyone in the study. Lulu and Tori are toddling around the room, taking toys from Jed and Abbey to Ellie and Vic to Zoey and Charlie, then around again. I'm not quite sure what the game is, but everyone is laughing and talking and having a good time.

I hang back in the door frame, just watching the scene. I feel kind of bad intruding in the family time. But Josh charges into the room and plops himself down in the middle of the action. Lulu squeals and runs over to him climbing into his lap.

Abbey catches my eye from across the room and smiles enigmatically at me. "Donna, come walk with me."

"Yes, Ma'am." I say automatically.

She gives a little eye roll and shakes her head. I glance towards Josh and he smiles encouragingly at me. I'm suddenly feeling a little nervous. Does he know what Abbey wants to talk about?

I haven't spent a lot of alone time with Abbey since the Transition when she was mentoring me for the COS job. Usually, the four of us are all together, often in a large group, and then the President and others dominate the conversation. I enjoy it.

Last year, Lulu was so small. Abbey really did make us feel right at home, she played both Doctor with me, and mother to Josh, admonishing him to take good care of me and wait on me hand and foot.

But this year is different. I don't really need doctoring, and Josh is really doing such a great job as a Dad and Husband that she doesn't really need to give him a lot of advice. I don't really know what she wants to talk to me about.

Maybe there's something about my job that she thinks I can improve? Or maybe it's about Lulu?

Once we have our heavy coats on, we walk out towards the animal barn. I hope we aren't going to see the horses. My hopes are dashed as we walk in and Abbey heads to a stall. I stand back at the door nervously. I could go over there and pet the horses nose, I suppose, but I really don't want to. I hope that isn't rude. I really try to do everything right while I'm here, but it can be so stressful. I wasn't raised in this environment, and sometimes I feel like I have a neon sign over my head reminding everyone that I'm from a middle class background and I'm completely out of my element.

Abbey looks over and gives me a genuine smile, "Why, Donna! Are you afraid of horses?!"

"Yes, Ma'am," I answer softly, cursing myself a bit for my honesty. I should have denied it and just sucked it up and gone over to her.

Abbey laughs a little. "Oh, Donna."

She leaves the horse and walks up to me, then slips her arm through mine and leads me out of the barn back toward the house.

"Donna, how many children do I have?"

Is this a trick question? I sense that I may be falling into a trap. "Um, three?" I choose the obvious answer, even though I'm guessing it's not what she's looking for.

"No, I have eight. Plus four lovely grandchildren."

I must look a little perplexed as she guides me towards the swing on the porch and we sit down together.

"The good Lord gave me three beautiful daughters to raise, then he gave me a disheveled son in his mid-thirties. For all intents and purposes, Jed adopted Josh in that airport the night of the Illinois primary. And I did too. Although, I have to tell you sometimes he is more trouble than the girls!"

She chuckles and I laugh with her. I quickly see where this is going. I knew that she and Jed consider Josh to be a son. So four children plus their spouses, that's 8.

"During that campaign, he also gave me another daughter. A beautiful young woman, in her mid-twenties, smart as a whip, brave as could be, but a little insecure."

I'm a little stunned. If she's saying what I think she's saying, then she saying she's considered me part of the family even before Josh and I figured out what we really meant to each other. Can that really be what she means?

"But . . . ." I don't even know how to articulate a question. It would be morifying to assume that she thinks of me as family and be wrong. Finally, some words tumble out all on their own.

"I sort of thought you wanted Amy and Josh to get together."

"No, Donna. I've known that you and Josh had something special since the first time I saw you together. I knew that Amy was just a distraction. Your place in this family isn't because of Josh. It's because of you. You remind me so much of Jed, even more so than any of the other girls. You have his compassion, and his love for trivia, and his child-like faith that if you try hard enough you can solve whatever life throws at you."

I feel tears start to gather in my eyes and I want to blink them away. But Abbey looks at me so sweetly, that a couple spill over. This is one of the nicest things that anyone has ever said to me.

"Oh Donna, you're just perfect. I think God always intended you to be a part of this family. We're so glad you've let us adopt you. And giving us another Granddaughter, well that's just a total bonus. Lulu is just delightful. She and Tori are going to be such good friends. And you know, you and Ellie and Zoey could each give us a couple more."

She gives me a little smirk. Honestly, the last thing she said it the one that drove it all home, such a Mom thing to do, asking for more grandchildren.

"Thank you Abbey, that means so much." I'm tempted to tell her that we're about ready to start trying. Even after the crazy trip up here, Josh and I are on the same page. I get butterflies in my stomach thinking about it, but I'm going to go off the pill next month.

"So is everything ready in the other barn?" Abbey gives me a sly smile. Neither Josh or I have said anything, but like most parents, Jed and Abbey have picked up the clues that we're up to something. And I'm sure the fact that we didn't include Charlie and Zoey in the shopping, gave them enough of an idea about what's about to go down.

"Yes." I grin broadly at her. She might already know, but I'm still not going to actually tell her.

"You'll videotape it, right?"

Oh, she definitely knows.

"Yes. Josh bought a new camera!"

. . . . . . . . . .

Josh and I are laying in a hay loft, he's got his hand up my shirt and he's nibbling on my neck. It's very enjoyable, but if we don't stop within a few minutes we're going to cross a line that's hard to come back from.

"Hey."

"Hay is for horses."

"Funny. Seriously. . . . . mmmmm, you've got to stop that."

"You don't sound like you want me to stop."

"I didn't say I wanted you to stop, I said, you've got to stop."

To his credit, he does stop. But he doesn't remove his hand. Instead, he leaves it on my breast and smirks at me.

"There. I stopped." He looks deep into my eyes for a minute, then grins.

"Josh!" I hiss as he gives my nipple a little tweak. Damn. The man is good. He really does know what I like. But we need to lay here quietly. And I know just how to encourage him to be patient.

"You know, I promised Abbey that we'd videotape this. And if we miss it, I'm going to tell her EXACTLY what we were doing instead.

That sobers him up instantly. And he pulls his hand out of my shirt, grumbling. "You know, sometimes you're no fun." But he gives me the little smile that assures me that he's just kidding.

"After Zoey and Charlie leave, we'll have the barn to ourselves. Then I'll really make an outdoorsman of you."

Josh's grin gets wider, and he's about to banter back, when we hear Charlie and Zoey's voices just outside the barn door. I can't quite make out what they are saying but they are animated, and Zoey's laughing. Probably at whatever stupid excuse Charlie came up with to get her out here.

Now that the show is about to begin, Josh shifts into operative mode. He's quiet and intent. I know he spent some time studying his new camera this afternoon to make sure he knows how to work it. Others may think that he's disheveled and does thing haphazardly, but I've always known the truth. When he decides to do something, he does it to the best of his ability. God. That turns me on.

The barn door opens, and I'm really glad that I can see Zoey's reaction unobstructed.

She steps through and then stops short, taking it all in. The barn glows from the small lights hanging from the ceiling and wrapped around the beams.

I found an old wooden ladder, and placed several framed photos of Charlie and Zoey at various stages in their relationship on the rungs, along with some mason jars and old glass bottles filled with the daisies. There are more flowers placed in just the right locations to give a softness and femininity to the space.

Directly in front of he,r there are some hay bales, with lanterns and LED candles, placed around them. And propped against one, the wooden framed chalkboard, where Charlie has written, Zoey, will you marry me?

Zoey gasps and turns around to find Charlie on one knee in the middle of rose petals, holding up a box.

"YES!" She shrieks.

Charlie gets the biggest grin I've ever seen on his face. I don't think that he ever doubted that she'd say yes. I mean, they've been working up to this for 8 years. They really aren't much faster than we were. But still there is something magical about the moment when it happens. Even when it's on a plane, with no fanfare. Suddenly, you're engaged and the world just settles into place.

I feel the tears sliding down my face just as Josh looks over at me. His brow immediately furrows. He hates seeing me cry. But then it unfurrows just as quickly, and he gives me a soft smile. He finally understands that sometimes girls cry when they are happy. He reaches over with one hand and finds mine, giving it a firm squeeze.

"Yes! Yes! Yes!" Zoey continues, hauling Charlie up to his feet to plant a huge kiss on him.

Josh lets out a small "Whooop!" I give him a playful glare and he immediately covers his mouth, looking chagrined.

When she's done kissing Charlie, Zoey looks up into the loft. "I already knew you were up there! Come down here and Congratulate me! I'm getting married!"

Josh and I scramble down the ladder as quickly as possible. It's amazing to be a part of this moment. Charlie and Zoey really do feel like the younger siblings that neither of us had.

Josh wraps Zoey up in a bear hug. "I'm so happy for you squirt. Charlie is absolutely the best. The two of you deserve all the happiness in the world."

"Thanks, Josh." She murmurs into his shoulder.

At the same time, I give Charlie a hug. "Good job, Charlie. I'm really happy for you guys."

"Thanks for your help, Donna. This place looks incredible."

We switch places. Zoey shows me the ring, then rocks me back and forth as she hugs me happily.

"Thank you so much Donna! I know that you did this. It's just perfect. I couldn't have asked for a better setting for the proposal."

"Well, Josh helped."

She gives me a look that says she doesn't really believe it.

"Really. He did. The flowers are all him."

"Well then, I'm impressed, Josh. I didn't know you had it in you." Zoey teases him.

Josh claps Charlie on the back. "You've still got time to back out, man. Are you sure you want to be stuck with the little brat for the rest of your life?"

Zoey sticks her tongue out at Josh's teasing, and I can't help but laugh as she proves his point. She really is his kid sister.

"Yes." Charlie answers softly, "I've never been more sure about anything in my life."

At that, Josh and Zoey both get serious again. Zoey grabs Charlie and kisses him again. "God, I love you so much."

"Come on," Josh gestures towards the door, "we'd better go tell the folks. I'm sure they are in there waiting."

"They know?" Zoey wrinkles her nose. "I am the last one to find out?"

"You're not last, Zo." Charlie assures her, taking her hand. "I did ask your Dad's blessing, but I didn't tell him that I was proposing this weekend." He looks to us. "You guys didn't tell anyone did you?"

"No," I promise him. "We didn't tell, but Abbey caught us sneaking some of the photos out of the house. Josh isn't very stealthy, you know."

"Hey!" He complains, "you got caught too."

"She didn't ask us what we were doing, but that's usually a sure sign that she already had an idea. And when we were chatting she seemed to know. She just asked me to videotape it."

"Well, I'm glad you did! Charlie did a good job!"

"Well, I just followed your instructions. 1. Pick a nice setting. 2. Try to surprise me. 3. Make sure someone videotapes it."

Josh gives me an eye roll, but I think Zoey is smart. She knows what she wants and she's not afraid to ask for it. And Charlie likes knowing exactly what to do. They really are a good pair.

"You're a good man, Charlie." Josh claps him on the back again.

We follow Zoey and Charlie into the living room, where sure enough, everyone has gathered. Somehow, Abbey's even got Liz and Doug back to the house.

"We're engaged!" Zoey announces without preamble. Her Mom and sisters immediately swarm her.

"Let me see the ring."

"Oh it's gorgeous."

"Great job, Charlie!"

"Congratulations, we're so happy for you guys."

Josh and I hold hands and grin at each other. This is a crazy family, but it really is ours, because sometimes family is what you make for yourself.

Lulu spots us and comes toddling towards us. Just before she arrives, Josh leans over and whispers in my ear-

"You still owe me a romp in the hay."

I give him a quick grin. Sure, why not? Just one more thing to make it a memorable New Hampshire Thanksgiving.