"I want you off your feet right away," Claudia told Natalie. "You've been under enough stress as it is, and that's not good for my grandson. Why don't you just relax in the recliner and watch TV, dear, and I'll finish cleaning up." Gratefully Natalie did as she'd been told, looking forward to several hours of relaxation before bedtime. Claudia loaded the dishwasher and turned it on, then cleared the table and wiped all the surfaces clean. Natalie was so tired that she fell asleep in the recliner watching television, and Ralph had to shake her awake to get ready for bed. Claudia planned to sleep on the sofa.

"I wish she'd at least let us know beforehand," Ralph said to his wife as they were cuddling together in bed that night. "I would have straightened up the house a little better."

"Seems to me she enjoys straightening up herself," Natalie chuckled.

"Does that bother you?" asked Ralph.

"So far it's been heaven."

Ralph chuckled. "Let's see if you still feel that way a week from now."

"Have a safe trip." Jo hugged Blair's neck at the airport. "I'm sure gonna miss you."

"I'm gonna miss you too, girlie." Blair hugged her back and kissed her cheek. "Keep in touch, OK?"

"Will do." Jo watched until her friend disappeared, then drove home feeling more and more depressed with each passing mile. She was in a pensive mood for the rest of the day.

"Blair get off OK?" Doug asked after he'd come home from work and kissed her hello.

"Yeah."

He saw that there were tears in her eyes. Gently he wiped them away with his thumbs and then winked at her. "I've got a surprise for you," he whispered. "I'll tell you later."

"Oh, I love surprises!" She smiled for the first time since coming home from the airport.

Nothing more was said about it until they were getting into bed that night. "Remember that surprise I was talkin' about earlier?" asked Doug.

"That's right. You did promise me a surprise, didn't you?"

"Indeed I did. Guess where we're goin' this weekend?"

"Where?"

"Ever been sailin' on Lake Hefner before?"

"No..."

"Girl, you're in for a treat!"

"Wow!" Jo laughed and gave him a hug. "But what about Bethany?"

"I already took care of that. Grace is gonna keep her for us."

That Friday evening, they drove Bethany to Grace's house. "Be a good girl for Aunty Grace," Jo told her daughter as she kissed her cheek and handed her to Grace. Bethany primped up to cry, and Jo immediately felt guilty.

"We're gonna have lots of fun together, Bethy," said Grace. "Look what I've got for you! Animal crackers! Your big brother used to love these when he was your age!" She picked up a cookie that was in the shape of a bear and made growling noises. Bethany giggled as her parents sneaked quietly away.

They left the house at the crack of dawn the following morning. The sun was just rising over the lake as they arrived, bathing the scene in brilliant hues of pink and purple and orange. "It's beautiful!" Jo gasped. Doug grinned as he took her hand, and they headed for the boat rental office. Thirty minutes later, they were floating lazily on the lake.

"Now, this is the way to relax." Doug lay back with his hands behind his head and closed his eyes.

"Yeah." Jo did the same. They spent most of that day on the lake, and later took a tour of the lighthouse. They went up the winding staircase, stopping briefly to look at all the interesting items on the wall, until at last they reached the small room at the top that contained the giant beacon. "Whew! I don't think I've ever climbed so many steps in my life!" Jo laughed.

"It's worth it though, isn't it?" Doug remarked. "Just look at the view from up here!"

"Oh, wow! It's gorgeous!" Jo agreed. As she stood with her husband, their arms around one another, desire flooded her, and she turned to him and gave him an open-mouthed kiss.

"Later, babe," he chuckled.

Next they went biking around the lake, and then Doug built a fire and they cooked hot dogs and beans. After the sun had set, they set up the tent and prepared for bed. "Now where did we leave off in the lighthouse?" Doug began to kiss his wife passionately.

"You did remember to bring protection, didn't you?" asked Jo.

"Of course I did!" He took the condom from his pocket and showed it to her. Soon they were both naked and, lying atop the sleeping bag, began to make love. Doug cried out as he found release, but groaned in dismay a moment later. "Oh, no!"

"What is it?" Jo asked anxiously.

"The thing broke," Doug said sheepishly.

"You're kidding!" That had never happened to them before.

"No, I'm not."

Jo sighed. "Great. Now I might be pregnant again."

"Is it the time of month when that might happen?"

"I don't know!" Jo had to admit to herself that she didn't keep up with her monthly cycle as well as she should.

"Oh...well, it'll probably be all right."

Jo knew she'd be holding her breath until her next period started. "I ought to go on the Pill. I can now. I quit nursing Bethany months ago."

"Yeah, that would be a good idea. So, what did you want to do first today?" He was in a hurry to change the subject as he didn't want to think about it anymore.

They went fishing that morning, had lunch at a nearby seafood buffet, then drove back to Grace's to pick Bethany up. The little girl was taking a nap when they arrived, so they stayed and visited with Grace for awhile. "Has she been good all weekend?" asked Jo.

"She was a regular little angel," Grace replied. "If I were you, I wouldn't mind having two or three more just like her."

Jo and Doug exchanged glances. Neither of them smiled.