"It's lovely to meet you too!" Blair smiled brilliantly as Travis pulled her chair out for her. He looked a bit young, but so what? He was still a very attractive man, and she looked forward to getting to know him.

"I suppose these charming two rug rats are yours."

She laughed, hardly even noticing that he'd just called her children 'rug rats'. "This is Adam, and this is Alyssa."

"Nice to meet you both." Travis shook hands with both children. "I've two of my own, back in California. I already miss them like crazy. I'll show you a photo, if you'd like."

"Oh, yes!" Blair exclaimed.

Jo smiled, noticing how well Blair and Travis seemed to be hitting it off. She remembered that Ralph was a few years younger than Natalie as well. She glanced at Doug and Randy, by now deeply engrossed in conversation. She was happy to see that the two brothers seemed to be getting along so well and dreaded the discord that Doug's revelation about Travis' possible paternity would be sure to cause.

"Oklahoma City seems like such a neat place to live," Travis said to Blair as they ate. "I'm hoping that perhaps you'll get the chance to show me around before I head back to California."

"Sure, I'd be happy to," Blair replied. "I'm kind of new to the area myself, but I could show you some of my favorite places to hang out." Before the meal was over, they'd made a date for a sight-seeing expedition.

Jo was in such a good mood that she even temporarily forgot 'the issue', as she'd come to think of it. "Travis and Blair seemed to really hit it off, didn't they?" she mentioned to Doug on the ride home.

"Yeah! That was great, huh?" Doug grinned. "I reckon he's lonely and needs a woman in his life. Believe me, I know the feelin'!" He patted her knee affectionately.

Later that evening, she and Doug were cuddling on the sofa watching television when she received an unexpected but very welcome telephone call. "Well, hi there, Mrs. G!" She was so excited that she was practically shouting into the telephone. "How are you doing?"

"Pretty well," Mrs. Garrett replied. Her speech was slightly slurred but clear enough to be understood. "I'm able to get around with a walker now. I even do my own cooking. There's a lady who comes in a couple of times a day just to make sure everything's all right."

"I'm so glad to hear you're better," Jo replied.

"How are things going for you, dear?"

"Everything's still fine. Bethany just had her first birthday. She's walking now. Doug's brother Randy and his son Travis are visiting from California."

"That's nice." They chatted for a few more minutes and then said good-bye. Natalie and Tootie both called soon afterwards.

"Things are still going great between me and Ralph," Natalie told her. "My Mom's glad I've finally found someone to settle down with. Ralph's sister Jeanette keeps in touch with us. She seems really sweet. She said that perhaps she'll visit in the summer."

"That's nice," Jo replied. "So do you have both a Christmas tree and a menorah up this year?"

"Of course," said Natalie. "Ralph's family's never really been particularly religious, but they've always had a tree up for the sake of tradition. I don't mind at all. I've been pretty much accustomed to being around Christmas trees all my life, you know."

"And your home doesn't seem overdecorated?"

"Not to us it doesn't."

"Well, that's what's important. As long as the two of you are happy."

On Christmas morning Jo awakened in her husband's arms. "Merry Christmas, sweetie," he said as he kissed her lips.

"Merry Christmas to you too!" She fetched Bethany from her crib. "Hey, want to see what Santa brought you?" The little girl clapped her hands excitedly as her mother carried her into the living room, where Clay and Jamie were already busily ripping into their presents.

"Wow, thanks!" Jamie exclaimed, holding up her her new bedroom slippers.

Jo sat Bethany on the floor and handed one of her presents to her. Together they ripped the wrapping paper off to reveal a wooden ride-on pony that was painted pink and had purple wheels. Doug picked his daughter up and sat her on it.

The morning passed swiftly and pleasantly. Jo spent a relaxing and enjoyable day with her family, all her cares and worries temporarily forgotten. Several days later, however, she came upon Doug sitting on the sofa in the living room staring glumly at the wall. "I just can't let them go back home without knowing for sure," he told her.

She sat beside him. "Well, the only way to find out would be to get together with Randy and have the paternity test done," she replied.

"I know," he said. "I just have to get my nerve up and make that call."

"Why don't you call him up right now?" she suggested. "That way, maybe they could even have the results back before they have to go back home."

"All right. I'll do that."

Jo stayed with him and heard his end of the conversation. "I don't know how to tell you this, Randy, but there's a chance that Travis is really my son, not yours...oh, you did?...whew, that's a relief! I was scared you were gonna get mad at me all over again. Listen, bro, I've been thinkin.' You know there's one way to tell for sure which one of us it is...well, it does matter to me, and to Jo too...OK, you do that. Thanks, Randy. This means a lot to me." He hung up the telephone.

"He wasn't shocked at all," he told Jo. "Said he knew all along there was a chance Travis was really mine, that to him it don't really matter 'cause family's still family. I got him to agree to contact Travis and arrange for the three of us to have the test done, though."

The following morning, Randy and Travis arrived to pick Doug up and take him to the lab. "They'll have the results back in five days," he told Jo when he returned. "Right before Randy and Travis fly home."

Jo knew that it would be five of the longest days of her life.