"Doug, Clay, this is my Mom, Rose Polniaczek," Jo said. "Mom, this is Doug Norman and his son Clay."

"Pleased to meet you, ma'am." Doug smiled and shook Rose's hand.

"Yes." Rose didn't smile.

It was the following afternoon, and Jo had driven Doug and Clay to her mother's motel room to meet her. Doug had offered to take the entire group out to dinner that evening.

"Well, are we off, then?" asked Doug. Rose rode in the front seat beside him, and Jo rode in the back with Clay and Jamie.

"You're gonna love my Grandma," Jamie told Clay. "She's really cool."

"I don't even remember my Grandma," Clay replied. "She died before I was born."

"Both of them?"

"Yep."

They arrived at the restaurant and were seated. "You are eating healthy, aren't you?" Rose asked her daughter. "You know how important that is in your condition, especially considering your age."

"Don't worry, Mom," Jo replied. "I'm watching my diet very carefully."

"Are you sure you're getting enough iron?" asked Rose. "You know, when I was pregnant with you, they started me on iron supplements right away."

"I'm taking them, and prenatal vitamins, too."

"Good." Rose looked satisfied.

Their food arrived, and to Jo's relief, she managed to keep everything down this time.

"Jo tells me you're in landscaping," Rose said to Doug.

"Yep. Been doin' that for about thirty years now."

"And you own your own home?"

"Sure do."

"Jo tells me your first wife was killed in the Oklahoma City bombing."

"That's right."

"You must have gotten some kind of settlement from that, didn't you?"

"Mom!" Jo whispered furiously, kicking her mother underneath the table.

"Well, I do have to make sure you and this baby you're having are gonna be taken care of."

"You forget that I work too, Mom."

"And how long are you gonna be able to keep working with a baby to take care of?"

"We'll find a way."

After dinner, Doug dropped Jo off at her motel and then took Jo and Jamie home. "I'm sorry about my Mom," Jo told Doug. "I know she seems awfully nosy sometimes."

"That's all right." Doug chuckled. "If I had a daughter, I'd imagine Id be just as protective of her."

"You may well have a daughter in less than a year from now," Jo pointed out.

"Or another son."

"Does it matter to you which we have?"

"Not one bit, as long as it's healthy."

"Yeah, that's the way I feel, too."

He walked her to the door, kissed her good-bye, and then left.

Mrs. Garrett, Blair, Natalie, Tootie, and Jo's aunt and cousins all flew into Oklahoma City over the next few days. They were all happy to meet Doug, Clay, Grace, and Earl. Jo didn't reveal Earl's true identity to any of her family members or friends, as she didn't want to take any of the focus away from her upcoming wedding.

She took her confirmation papers to Father Hanadarko, and he scheduled the wedding for that Sunday. Doug's groom's men were Clay and Jo's cousins Paul and Mike. Jo's bridesmaids were Jamie, Blair, and Tootie's daughter, Tisha. Earl walked Jo down the aisle to give her away.

"Wow, that's really it! We're married now!" Jo exclaimed when the ceremony was over. Doug smiled triumphantly as he took her hand and walked with her to his car.

He'd arranged for them to spend several days at a cozy little bed and breakfast beside a lake. Jo, who'd never stayed at a bed and breakfast before, looked forward to the adventure. When she opened the door of the bedroom in which they'd be staying, she had to gasp in delight. The walls were painted a cheery yellow, and the window opening onto the view of the lake had white lace curtains. The bed had a canopy, which was also made of lace, and on each side of the bed was a table with a lamp. A yellow shag rug was at the foot of the bed, and tapestries with nature scenes were hung on the walls.

"I think I could spend about a month in here without coming out once," Jo yawned.

Doug laughed. "Why don't you take a nap? You're tired."

Jo, who'd nearly fallen asleep in the car on the way to the bed and breakfast, eagerly slipped off her shoes and crawled beneath the covers. She awakened to find Doug sitting in a chair beside the bed, reading. From the way the sun's light was shining through the window, she could tell that she'd been asleep for several hours.

"Wow! I must have been more tired than I thought," she exclaimed.

"I knew you'd need the rest," Doug replied. "I've got a big evening planned for us."

"Oh? Starting when?" Jo grinned.

"As soon as you can get ready."

Quickly Jo dashed to the restroom to freshen up, wondering what her new husband had planned.