"Hey there, girlie!" Travis exclaimed when he saw Blair.

"Hey!" They embraced.

"This is Katelyn, and that's Kimberlyn." Katelyn was almost as tall as Blair and was slender with wavy light brown hair and hazel eyes. Kimberlyn looked a lot like her older sister but was chubbier and had brown eyes. "I've got 'em for the spring break. Where's your young 'uns?"

"With their Dad. He has them for the spring break." They both laughed.

"It's nice to meet you girls." Blair shook hands with both girls, who smiled politely back at her.

"Well, what do you want to do first?" asked Travis.

"Disneyland!" Katelyn and Kimberlyn exclaimed together.

Blair laughed. "Fine with me!"

They spent an afternoon of fun riding rides, watching shows, eating junk food, and getting to know each other. They stayed late and watched the fireworks, and then Travis took them back to his apartment. Both girls fell asleep in the car on the way home, and their father had to shake them awake to go inside. Blair unpacked her suitcase and put her things away while Travis got his daughters settled. She'd just packed away the last item when she felt someone hugging her from behind and turned to look into Travis' grinning face.

"Kids all settled for the night?" she asked.

"Yep. Now it's just me and you." He kissed her, his tongue seeking entrance to her mouth, and she allowed it. Within seconds, their hands were all over one another's bodies, exploring with abandon. Slowly each article of clothing was shed, until at last, completely naked, they tumbled onto the bed together.

The first few weeks of Natalie's pregnancy were remarkably easy. Mrs. Garrett, Jo, Blair, and Tootie were all surprised and happy for her and wished her the best. A few weeks into the pregnancy, Natalie had to take several blood tests. Dr. Barber called to tell her that one of her test results had had an abnormal result and she needed to come in for an amniocentesis.

"A needle in my belly, ugh!" she complained to Ralph.

"It'll be all right," he replied. "Lots of women have to have that done. I'll go with you and hold your hand, if you want."

"Of course I do!"

A few days later, Ralph stood beside his wife holding her hand as the ultrasound technician moved the wand over her slightly swollen belly. "Oh, our baby!" Natalie exclaimed as their unborn child's image came into view. Ralph clasped her hand more tightly.

"Deep breath," said the technician. Natalie squeezed her eyes shut as the long needle was inserted into her abdomen. A few seconds later, she heard the technician chuckle. "You can open your eyes now. It's all over."

Natalie felt a bit shaky but relieved as they left the clinic. She and Ralph were almost home when it happened. Suddenly she heard a terrific crash as the car rocked violently and she was thrown forward, her body straining against the seat belt.

"You look so handsome!" Jo told her stepson.

"Thanks." Clay grimaced. He hated wearing ties.

"Everybody ready to go?" asked Doug.

"Ma ma?" Bethany lifted her arms for Jo to pick her up. She was dressed in a light pink frilly dress with rows of ruffles on the skirt and matching light pink pantyhose, and she wore black patent leather shoes. Jo picked her up, and the family walked out to the car together.

Arriving at the church, they saw right away that Paige and Buck were sitting in the front row and that Paige was holding their newborn daughter. "She's precious!" Jo exclaimed. "What's her name?"

"Prairie," Paige told her. "Is that Bethany? Wow, she's really big now! How old is she?"

"Sixteen months," Jo replied. They found their seats, and the service began.

"At this special time of the year when we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, we have another event to commemorate as well," Father Hanadarko began. "The parents of Prairie May Sanderson have brought her this morning to be christened."

Doug and Jo watched as Buck and Paige came forward with their daughter. As the christening began, Jo was swept back in time to Bethany's christening and, many years before that, Jamie's. The service wasn't quite finished when Bethany became restless and began squirming and Jo had to take her outside to walk around.

When they returned home, Clay and Jamie immediately began to dash to their rooms, but Jo stopped them. "Please, just let me get a picture first."

The family posed together on the porch steps, Doug and Clay looking very handsome in dark suits, Jamie lovely in a frilly dress and make-up, and Bethany holding a large pink stuffed rabbit. Jo snapped the photograph, then handed the camera to Doug so that he could take one of her with the children.

"Are you all right?" Ralph's voice was shaky.

"I think so," Natalie told him. "Are you?"

"My head really hurts." Ralph held his head in his hands.

The driver of the car that had hit them turned out to be a little old lady in her eighties. "I stepped on the accelerator instead of the brake by accident," she apologized. Ralph continued to hold his head for the entire time the policeman was there taking down the information.

"I think you'd better go to the hospital," Natalie told her husband. "You might have a concussion."

"Nah, I'm OK." Ralph winced.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah." They hadn't even made it back to the car, which was badly damaged but still drivable, when he began to throw up.

"I'm calling an ambulance," Natalie decided.