"And the verdict is?" Jo asked as Doug hung up the telephone.

"Travis is Randy's, not mine."

Relief tinged with guilt flooded through her. "Well, how do you feel about that?"

"Glad I didn't marry Patty, that's for sure. I definitely couldn't have ever trusted her. If this ain't proof, I don't know what is."

"Well, she was Randy's girlfriend first."

"Yeah. First she cheated on him with me, and then she cheated on me with him. Just goes to show, once a cheater, always a cheater."

"I've never cheated on a boyfriend or husband before, Doug."

"I know you ain't, sweetie. I trust you." He smiled and kissed her lips. "Mary Frances was the same way." He looked a little sad.

Randy and Travis flew back to California the following day. Doug and Jo and their children went to the airport to say good-bye to them, and so did Blair and her children. "I'm sure gonna miss you." Travis held Blair close as he kissed her good-bye.

"I'm gonna miss you too," she replied. "Can't wait till April!" She planned to fly out and visit him over spring break.

"Neither can I!" he replied.

"Neat how that worked out, isn't it?" Jo remarked to Doug on the way home.

"Yeah." He grinned. "A new nephew for me and new love for your friend. I'm glad they came over for the holidays. It was great to see Randy again."

"It was great to meet both of them," Jo replied.

"Wow, I can't believe it!" Natalie exclaimed.

"Believe it." Dr. Hanson smiled. "I'd place your due date in about mid October."

"I can't wait to tell Ralph!" She stopped by the dry cleaners on the way home. "Where's Ralph?" she asked the girl behind the counter, who was chewing gum and filing her nails.

"Just a sec." The girl disappeared and returned with Ralph a moment later.

"Hey!" he said when he saw his wife. "What's up?"

"Big news! I'm pregnant!"

"Wow!" He laughed as he embraced her. "That is big news! When are you due?"

"Mid October. I was shocked that it happened this fast. At my age I expected it would take months and months." If it ever happened at all...

"I wasn't really worried about it," Ralph replied. "But I'm glad it happened the way it did. So, who else knows besides you and me?"

"Just the doctor. I can't wait to tell Mom. She'll be thrilled!"

"I'll call Jeanette later. She'll be happy to find out she's gonna be an aunt again."

"I'd think your Mom would be glad to hear about this too. Wasn't one of her major concerns about me that I might be too old to get pregnant?"

"Yeah. I guess I ought to tell her before I talk to Jeanette, but after our last conversation, I just feel kind of hesitant about talking to her again."

"Well, I can certainly understand that, but I was thinking that maybe she'd be happy enough about it that she'd get over being mad."

"Maybe." He chuckled. "I guess I just like playing it safe."

When she got home, she called her mother to tell her. Mrs. Green was surprised but ecstatic and said that she couldn't wait to start knitting blankets and booties and hats.

Ralph took her out to her favorite restaurant that night, and a message was waiting on the answering machine when they got home. Ralph played it back and heard his mother's voice. "What's the deal with telling Jeanette before me? I'm your Mama; I should find out first. But that's all right. I'm not mad at you. I'm really happy for you. Congratulations! So that girl you married turned out to be good for something, after all. You will let me know when you find out what it is, right? Although deep down inside, I know it's gonna be a little boy. I've always known you'd have sons. Well, anyway, once again, I'm very happy for you. Talk to you soon. I love you, baby."

Natalie felt tears welling up in her eyes. So that girl you married turned out to be good for something, after all.

"That's just the way she talks," Ralph told her. "She didn't mean anything by it."

"Yeah. Right." She knew that all she'd ever be to Claudia Petronski was a breeding machine, and that no matter how much it hurt, she'd have to accept that.