"Guess what!" Doug said to Jo one warm May afternoon.

"What?" asked Jo, who was trying her best to get Bethany to 'go' on her little potty.

"Remember Erskine? His daughter, Bits, is getting married next month. We just got an invitation in the mail today."

"Cool!" said Jo. She remembered Erskine and his family from the camping trip they'd taken together the summer she'd been pregnant with Bethany.

"Bethy pee! Bethy pee!" Bethany began jumping around in excitement. Jo saw that a stream of urine was running down one leg, but there was a little bit in the potty as well.

"Good girl!" She cleaned her daughter up and gave her an M&M for her effort. "So who's Bits going to marry?"

"Fellow named Tyler Hughes. He's Erskine's assistant pastor."

"Keeping it in the family, huh?"

Doug laughed. "Guess you could say that!"

A couple of weeks later, Jamie finished the tenth grade. She planned to spend the summer doing community service with the Police Explorers, and Jo hoped that would keep her from getting bored.

Not long after that, Clay came home with big news. "Benjamin Cooley and I are moving in together," he announced one evening.

"Where 'bouts?" asked Doug.

"Royal Arms Apartments."

"Those are nice. Are you sure you can afford this?"

"Benjamin and I have worked out a budget. You know he was hired on at the Police Department at the same time I was, and we've both been saving our money up."

"What's his Mom say about it?"

"He told me she said she'll miss him, but she can understand his wanting to be independent."

"Well, OK then, if you've got it all figured out."

The following Saturday morning, the entire family helped Clay pack his belongings and transfer them to his new apartment. Once there, Jamie skipped from room to room, eager to see her stepbrother's new 'digs'. "Wow, this bedroom's a lot bigger than your old one!"

"Why do you think I'm moving out?"

"So are you gonna put your stereo system in here?" Jamie was now waltzing around the living room.

Clay snorted. "No, I'm gonna put it in the bathroom, right between the toilet and the shower stall."

Both young people went outside to help their parents bring in the many boxes and bags. Jo watched as Bethany scampered on the lawn. "Pitty!" she crowed, pointing to a wildflower.

Jo smiled and nodded.

Doug, Jo, Clay, and Jamie worked hard all morning to get all Clay's belongings moved into his new apartment. They took turns watching over Bethany as they did so.

Jo was carrying a box into Clay's new kitchen when Jamie ran up to her with panic written all over her face. "Come quick, Mom! Bethany can't breathe!"

"Oh my God!" Frightened out of her wits, Jo followed her daughter outside, where she saw that Bethany's face was as red as a beet and the little girl was indeed struggling to breathe.

"Bethany!" The terrified mother picked her small daughter up and tried to calm her. A moment later, Doug, who'd been alerted by the panicked voices, snatched Bethany from Jo's hands. He held the toddler nearly upside down and delivered several sharp blows to her back, and a large, white, moist glob flew out of her mouth. Bethany drew in several large gulps of air, and her face returned to its normal color.

Jo began to cry with relief. "I didn't know what to do," she apologized to her husband.

"I know you didn't," Doug replied. "That's why I took her from you."

"She didn't swallow a thing!" Jamie insisted. "I didn't take my eyes off her for a second, so I know!"

"It looks to me like it must have been some kind of allergic reaction, maybe to one of these weeds," said Doug. "Why don't you take her back home, hon. Clay, Jamie and I can finish up here. We'll call when we're ready to be picked up."

Jo buckled Bethany into her car seat and drove back home. Everything seemed to go fine for the rest of the day. She made a green salad and cooked lasagna, and just before dark, Doug called and said that he and Jamie were ready to be picked up.

"I'll bet you two are exhausted!" she exclaimed as they got into the van.

"I've never been more tired in my life!" Jamie exclaimed. She slouched back in her seat and closed her eyes, giving several loud snores for emphasis.

"Well, did you get it all moved?" asked Jo.

"We got it all into the apartment, but there's still lots of unpacking to be done," Doug replied. "Clay can take care of all that himself." He ruffled Bethany's hair. "How ya doin', pumpkin?"

"She's been fine all evening," Jo told him.

The family returned home, where Doug and Jamie practically inhaled the salad and lasagna, barely pausing to wash it down. Jo gave Bethany a snack of juice and graham crackers, then gave her a bah, put her pajamas on her, and read her a story.

She was just about to turn the light off and leave the room when Bethany began to gasp and cough, and soon her face was as red as it had been before.