When John arrived home after work on Wednesday, he heard his mother on speakerphone with Frances. From the restrained yet tense tone of Hannah's voice, he could tell that the conversation was anything but pleasant. His mother and sister had never been close, but since Fran had started college, their relationship had become increasingly strained. Hannah had always thought her daughter to be weak and even occasionally frivolous, especially when compared to her son. She despised these attributes in others, but loved her daughter in spite of them. In fact, for this very reason Hannah felt more protective of her daughter than she did of her son. Regardless of how much her mother loved her, however, Fran could not help but feel that her mother did not respect her or, more importantly, love her as much as she did her brother.

John heard his mother ask his sister what she planned on doing with an English degree if she didn't intend to go to law school and knew the phone call would not end well. He was correct as he heard his sister scream through the phone "Mom, everything isn't about money! And for heaven's sake, stop comparing me to John!" before she hung up.

Unlike her daughter, Hannah Thornton was not prone to strong emotions. She did not show any sign of being disturbed besides sighing and putting her hand to her face in a quizzical manner. As she heard her son shuffle through the mail, she finally became aware of his presence, despite the fact that he had been home for several minutes.

"John, I did not realize you were here. When did you get home?"

"About 10 minutes ago. I see you had another heart to heart with Fran," he commented.

Sighing, she responded, "Your sister is so frustrating sometimes. She is seriously thinking of majoring in English Literature. What can she possibly do with that degree! You were so sensible when you were in college. You picked a major that actually allowed you to go to business school and have your current career. Why is it so hard for her to think about her future?"

"Well, to be fair to Fran, I was in a completely different situation. I mean, dad had died not too long before I started college and we both know that he didn't leave us much money to work with. Part of the reason I was so focused was because I had to be."

"And she doesn't have to be focused?" his mother asked skeptically.

"That's not what I meant. Of course, she'll eventually have to settle down and think about what she wants to do in life. But right now, she's nineteen. She's enjoying her friends, school, life. I didn't have that luxury at her age. I know she's frivolous, but she's not getting into trouble and she's doing fine in school." John was determined that Fran would have the normal, carefree life of a college student that he felt he had been denied by life's circumstances. Although he knew she was spoiled, he also thought that, with time, she would grow out of it. He often defended his baby sister against Hannah's protests even if he sometimes agreed with his mother.

"She should be grateful to have a brother like you, yet she screams anytime I tell her she should look up to you. You defend her in spite of the fact that she is so unappreciative of all that you do for her. She could use a little tough love from you."

John listened to his mother but also found himself growing impatient with the conversation. He was anxious to end it, especially since he was in a bit of a rush. "Mum, in time she'll fully realize our sacrifices. For now, I have to focus on other things. I'm going out to dinner tonight and I want to freshen up before I leave."

As she heard her son's words, a curious expression came over Hannah's face. This was the fourth time this week that he had gone out and although John did not tell her who he was going out with, Hannah was now pretty certain who the woman was. She thought that the mystery woman must be extremely special if she could manage to hold John's attention for this long. The only other woman who had captured his interest this seriously was Anne.

"You've been going out a lot this week" she said, curious to see if John would finally tell her who he was seeing.

"I have. Mum, do you remember the woman I was talking to in Fran's dorm?" Hannah nodded and let John continue. "Well, we've gone out on a couple of dates so far and we're going out again tonight. Speaking of which, I should really start getting ready."

Although she could see that John was impatient, Hannah wanted to know more about this woman and proceeded to further question him about who his date was.

"So much for her just being an 'acquaintance' as you initially said she was," she said while raising her eyebrow. "What is her name?"

John was annoyed that his mother remembered him mentioning Margaret as an 'acquaintance' and even more so at her interrogation when he was obviously in a hurry.

"Margaret. Margaret Hale."

"And what does she do?"

"She's a social worker."

At this piece of information, Hannah raised her eyebrows even more. She couldn't quite fathom her son dating, of all people, a social worker. What could possibly have attracted John to someone in that profession? It didn't make sense to her at all. "A social worker?"

"Yes. Is that an issue?"

"John, well... you couldn't find someone different? Honestly, I can already tell you two come from different worlds. I'm surprised you are even getting along right now. You don't think being in such completely opposite occupations will eventually present a challenge?"

"Mum, I'm surprised that you are stereotyping her. It's not like you at all. You haven't even met her and you're already making a judgment on her. We've been getting along extremely well, despite what we do for a living. It really isn't a big deal at all. I think once you meet her, you'll like her. She's very down to earth and friendly."

"We'll see. So, when will I actually get a chance to speak to her" she said barely hiding her skepticism.

"In due time, mum. For now, however, I have to go." With those words, John kissed his mother on the cheek and went out the room.

Hannah watched him with a pensive look. She had wanted John to find someone new, yet she wasn't sure this was the match for him. She told herself that perhaps her doubts were unfounded and that, upon meeting Margaret (if that meeting actually did occur), she would like her. For now, all she could do was hope for the best.

As John was walking to his SUV, he took out his phone to call Margaret. They had agreed on their previous date that he would pick her up from her apartment and they would go to a movie. He knew he was running late and wanted to let Margaret know. He was relieved to find that she was calm and not upset at the delay. In fact, she had been delayed herself at work. She was finding the Boucher case increasingly difficult to resolve. She looked forward to seeing John again as their date would be a welcome distraction from work.

When he arrived at Margaret's apartment, he watched her rush out of the lobby of the building to meet him in the parking lot. Her noticeable excitement at his arrival energized him. As they headed to the movie theater, John apologized for his delay and explained that he was late because of his mother. "As soon as I came in, my mother was on the phone with my sister and then wanted to talk to me afterwards. I tried to rush her a bit so that I could go, but if there is one thing my mum is good at it's making you stay put until she gets her point across."

Margaret smiled for, even as he was describing his obvious irritation, it was still apparent how much love and respect he had for his mother.

"If you don't mind me asking, what was it your 'mum' (she got a slight chuckle out of saying this) and sister were discussing. It obviously was quite pressing."

"Trust me, it wasn't as urgent as it sounds. My sister is in her sophomore year at college and is thinking of majoring in English Literature. My mum thinks it's the most absurd thing my sister has ever done. She thinks it's highly impractical. I suppose to a certain extent it is. I'm not exactly sure what she could do with that degree except perhaps attend law school or go to grad school-well, I can't see her pursuing either of those routes. Still, I want her to be happy. She should be carefree during this time of her life."

Margaret was touched by the concern Johns had for his sister. It reminded her of her older brother. It was such a different side of him than the one she had seen during their first encounter. "I'm sure with such a caring older brother, your sister will be just fine, no matter what she does in college or beyond" said Margaret, smiling.

John smiled back, feeling touched by her kind words. He thought how very different they were from the first words she had spoken to him. Margaret had so many different layers to her personality, and he beamed internally as he thought that he was getting the chance to know each one. "Perhaps that would be a comforting thought to my mum, although I doubt it" he replied with a chuckle. Margaret laughed and then changed the subject.

"John, could you do me a quick favor? Would you mind taking me to my parent's house for a quick second?" Looking down at a paper bag on the floor of the SUV, she continued, "I would've gone this morning on my way to work, but I was running late and didn't have an opportunity. I borrowed a book from my mom and she insists that she needs it now since she's going to use it for one of her courses this week. I know if I wait until after our date, it'll be late and she won't be very happy. I also need to give her back her sweater which she left at my apartment."

"Is your mum in school?"

"Oh, no! She's a professor at Bryn Mawr College. She teaches French Lit as well as Women's Studies."

"Right, I remember you mentioning that both parents are professors. That must be nice. Of course I can take you to their home." As he spoke those words, he hoped that Margaret would simply drop the items off. He felt ill-prepared to meet her parents just yet, especially considering that Margaret's father would soon be his professor. How awkward it would be for Professor Hale to know that one of his students was dating his daughter!

Margaret responded, "To a certain extent, it is nice. They're both extremely intelligent and intellectual. It inspired me to always work hard in school and to live up to the ideals and expectations they had for me and my brother. Still, I always felt pressure to live up to those expectations, especially those of my mother. It wasn't just the academic pressure-I never settled for an A minus when it could be an A. I mean, there was also the pressure to always do what was right, to literally make the world a better place. I get a lot of my liberal ideals and aspirations from her. My dad is also pretty liberal, but I think he is a little more laid back than mom."

Margaret directed John to her parent's home and they quickly arrived at the address on a tree-lined street in Chestnut Hill not too far from Margaret's apartment. It was a large Victorian house surrounded by an abundance of grass and a black metal fence. On the porch was a swing that Maria Hale often sat on during the summer months. She and Richard Hale would sometimes sit on it together, their hands intertwined as they enjoyed a summer evening outside, gazing at the night sky. Although her parents were less than a ten minute drive from her apartment, Margaret often felt that they lived in a different world from her own. The huge home with the trees shading it, the rose bushes, and the surrounding porch had a homely feel that differed radically from the small apartment she shared with Edith. Despite living on her own, her parents' residence always gave her a sense of being home and among family.

As John pulled in front of the dwelling, he began to grow more anxious. He hoped he could stay in the vehicle while Margaret quickly dropped off her mother's belongings. Unfortunately, he was to have no such luck. Margaret noticed that he did not proceed to get out of the car and subsequently prodded him to do otherwise. "Why are you staying in the car? Surely, you don't think you're unwelcome in their home?"

"No. I just didn't want to impose myself on your parents, especially considering that I have yet to meet them and they surely don't expect me."

"Don't worry! My parents are some of the most hospitable people around. They won't mind your presence for a few minutes and they would think you were being rude for staying in the car and not saying hello. Besides, this time of day, I doubt either is home anyway," she responded, oblivious to the true cause of his apprehension.

Margaret guided John up the stairs to the porch that led to the door of the spacious home. She had a key, so she proceeded to enter the house. Turning to look back, she said to John, "See, no one is even here. There is no one to impose on." She smiled, making John feel more at ease.

However, as she finished her sentence, her mother walked into the house through the backdoor. "I guess I spoke too soon," Margaret said sheepishly.

"Margaret, is that you?" said her mom upon hearing her daughter's voice.

"Yes, mom, I've come to return your book and your sweater," she responded.

"Oh, thank you! I really need that-" Maria's voice trailed off as she spotted the tall, striking man standing next to Margaret. She gave her daughter a questioning glance which prompted Margaret to introduce her companion.

"Mom, this is John. John, this is my mother."

"How do you do Mrs. Hale? It's a pleasure to meet you. Margaret has told me so much about you," said John as he extended his hand.

Shaking his hand, she replied "Well, I hope it was all good. I have to say that I have heard nothing about you." Margaret gave her mother a sharp glare and quickly pulled her aside to a different room.

"Mom, please don't start" said Margaret in a hushed tone.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I wasn't 'starting' anything. I'm just curious as to who he is. That's all. Now that I think of it, his name rings a bell. Didn't you talk about a gentleman you met named John recently at one of our dinners?"

Not wanting her mother to remember the conversation she had had with her parents about her encounter with the rude gentleman from Starbucks, Margaret tried to quickly end the conversation. "Oh, look at the time. We're running very late. We should probably get…"

Gasping, Maria finally remembered the context of her daughter's meeting with her companion. "You're dating him? The man you reprimanded in the coffee shop, the one who insulted you in the park? Margaret, what on earth would possess you to date him? I didn't think you would care to spend time with someone who took pleasure in belittling others."

Rolling her eyes, Margaret responded, "He apologized to the barista. As for me, I am well past that incident in the park."

"I would hope. Well, I'm sure he must have some redeeming quality. What does he do?"

"Umm, he works for a health insurance company," Margaret replied curtly.

"Doing what?" Maria persisted.

"Well, he runs the company—he's the CEO." As she said this, Margaret began to lift her head defiantly.

"Good lord! He's worse than Harry. Margaret, you need to be with someone who shares your values, not someone who is the antithesis of them." Her mother spoke with a mixture of worry and disappointment. "Look at your brother. His fiancée works for an NGO. She spends her life caring for others. I would think you would a partner who does the same."

"Oh God, Mom, just because he is a CEO doesn't mean that he doesn't…"

Before she could continue, John walked in. He was concerned that perhaps something was wrong. "Is everything okay?" he asked.

"Everything is fine. Let's go before we're late," replied Margaret in an agitated manner. "I'll see you later, mom." She gave her mother a kiss on the cheek.

"Good-bye, darling. Remember what we discussed," Maria responded warmly. Turning to John, she said in a cold tone "It was nice meeting you. I hope you treat my daughter well. I'm sure it's not often that you meet someone with such values as hers."

John raised his eyebrow at this curious speech. What on earth is she talking about? "Well, it was nice meeting you as well. I'll be sure to treat your daughter as well as I would want a man to treat my younger sister."

They left the house. On the way to the car, John asked, "Why doesn't your mother like me?"

"She doesn't know you. How can she not like you?" Margaret responded blankly.

"Well, she seemed a bit cold towards me. Honestly, she also seemed scary."

"Oh, don't mind her. She can sometimes be a little cold towards people she's not familiar with. She'll warm up in time."

They both dropped the subject and spoke of other things as they drove to the theater. Margaret hoped, however, that her mother would not be prejudiced against this man with whom she was beginning to share a bond.

John and Margaret arrived at the movie theater in Plymouth Meeting early and purchased their tickets. As they entered the theater, they noticed that there were not a lot of movie goers which allowed them to choose what they both deemed to be good seats. As they sat, Margaret looked at John with a smile on her face. "I heard this movie is good. I'm quite excited to see it!"

As she said this, she placed her hand on his and beamed a radiant smile which made John want to kiss her. They had yet to share their first kiss; although there had been many occasions on their previous dates where John wanted to kiss her, he held back, not wanting to rush anything.

"I'm sure it is" he responded. Actually, he was quite sure that the film was not good, considering it was a romantic comedy; he especially disliked films in this genre. Since Margaret was not particularly interested in seeing any films that interested him at the moment, however, he decided to compromise.

As they watched the movie, neither was really interested in the film. Margaret tried to act as if she was watching but her thoughts were on John. Specifically, she wondered what he thought of her. He was always polite and courteous and he seemed to really like her, but they had not yet kissed. She was attracted to him but wondered if he was equally attracted to her. They were on their fourth date, which assuaged Margaret's doubts briefly. They would not have gone on four dates if he was not interested in her. When she placed her hand on his, she did this as a signal that she was attracted to him. Still, he did not reply in kind, which made her doubt herself again.

If only she knew how attracted John truly was. He had his doubts as well. He didn't want to seem insolent by moving too quickly. He finally had her in his good graces and did not want to do anything to make her loathe him once more. At the same time, he wanted to show her how much he was attracted to and fascinated by her. Margaret was a walking, vibrant set of contradictions which made him not quite sure how to act when he was with her.

As the film progressed, he stole glimpses at Margaret who stared blankly at the screen. She knew he was watching her, but wanted to see what he would do next. After looking at her a number of times, John decided that the time for caution was over. What was the point of being with her if not to show how his feelings for her were changing and developing? He slowly and gently put his arm around her shoulders. He was nervous about how she would react, but she actually welcomed his embrace. She laid her head on his shoulder, giving John feel a sense of elation. They remained in this position until the conclusion of the film.

After leaving the theater, they went to dinner at Osaka. Margaret and John found that they could both agree on Sushi, and the atmosphere at the restaurant was relaxed enough for a casual date such as theirs. As soon as they were seated, they relaxed into a flirty conversation that belied the sexual tension between them. As dinner arrived, Margaret asked with a sly smile, "So, do you really like sushi or are you eating it to please me? I noticed you weren't really interested in the film."

"Well, I really do like sushi. However, the sight of a fine woman is enough to make a man like me do many things he otherwise wouldn't."

"Really? Hmm…I'll remember that the next time I need to persuade a man to jump off a bridge to please me," Margaret said with laughter, her sense of humor adding to her allure.

As Margaret said this, John noticed a morsel of food next to her mouth. He had a rather strange urge to remove it. "You have a piece of sushi next to your mouth. Let me get it."

She thought this was a little odd but allowed him to proceed. He reached across the small table with his napkin and wiped the morsel away. However, he did not lean back as she had expected. Getting so close to her luscious lips raised his desire to actually touch them with his own. Rising slightly from his chair, he slowly and gently kissed her before returning to his seat. The kiss took Margaret pleasantly by surprise and made her drop her guard. His eyes pierced hers and she felt delight, desire, and relief that he did indeed possess feelings for her.

"Wow! Umm…thank you for wiping my face and then some. You're a man of many surprises."

"Of many surprises indeed," he replied with a flirty grin.

After dinner, John dropped Margaret off at her apartment. He walked her up to her door, explaining that he wanted to see her safely inside. Although this was partly true, he also wanted to have an extra few minutes with her before returning to his own home. Margaret didn't mind and was happy for his escort. Arriving in front of her apartment, Margaret began to enter when John lightly grabbed her arm, turning her to face him. He began to caress her face before cupping it and bringing her lips to his.

Their second kiss was soft and hesitant on both parts. As they looked into each other's eyes, John, being emboldened, grasped Margaret's face and kissed her again, this time more passionately. His tongue fervently opened her lips, allowing their mouths to fully embrace. His hands moved down her body, enwrapping her waist and caressing her lower back as he pulled her closer to him. Her arms wrapped around his neck, and her hands stroked his hair. They became lost in each other's presence, losing their sense of time and space.

Still intertwined, they began to move slowly into the apartment. They were so engrossed in each other that they did not hear Edith walk towards the apartment. She had worked late and was talking on her cell phone as she walked in on the pair. When Margaret became aware of Edith's presence, she opened her eyes and slowly pulled away from John.

He wondered what had happened to break their trance before realizing the source of Margaret's reddening face. Edith's presence made him feel embarrassed as well as frustrated. However, he did a better of job of obscuring his discomfiture.

Edith, wanting to do something to fix the awkward situation, said, "Margaret, I didn't realize you, um… had company. I - I left something in my car. I'll be back in a bit." She hurriedly walked away, feeling guilty for interrupting them and yet also happy that Margaret finally had a man that she cared for.

Margaret turned to face her companion once more. She gently took his hand in hers and a warm, tender smile crossed her face. "I'm sorry for that abrupt end to our evening." Caressing his face, she asked in a soft voice, "When will we see each other again?"

"I'm not sure. I start my class with your father tomorrow evening," he replied, touching his forehead to hers.

"Oh, I totally forgot!" She sighed at the thought that she would be delayed in seeing him again. "Well, since you'll be meeting my dad tomorrow, maybe you won't feel uncomfortable coming with me to our annual family gathering at my parents' home on Friday evening. It's really informal. In fact, my parents even invite some of their students, so you won't be out of place. They'll be a lot of people there, but we can be together and then perhaps we can sneak out early and see where the evening takes us." The last line was said in a teasing manner.

He was momentarily nervous at the idea of seeing her mother again. However, the thought of spending another evening with Margaret was enough to cancel out any aloofness he might encounter from Maria. "That sounds like a really wonderful plan," he replied with a smile.

"Perfect! So, can we meet after work on Friday?"

"Certainly," he answered eagerly.

After making their plans, they kissed one last time before parting ways for the evening.

"Good night, Margaret" said John longingly as he kissed her forehead. He didn't want the night to end. He knew it was late and he had to get home in order to get to work early the next morning. Yet, he wanted a few more moments alone with her. He would have to go an entire day without seeing her, a day he was sure would seem like eternity.

"Good night, John. I'll see you on Friday" replied Margaret. She couldn't believe how perfectly this night was ending. She could not remember the last time she felt this contented and blissful with a man. She had never met any man, Harry included, who made her feel like this. John slowly walked away while Margaret entered her apartment and shut the door. She leaned back against the door, not wanting this felicity to end.

John walked to the elevator of her apartment building, running his hand through his hair and wondering in amazement how he had managed to find someone like Margaret. He wasn't completely sure where this new found relationship with her would lead, but he was sure that it would lead to something that he had never experienced before. As John was going down the elevator, his thoughts were disturbed by the recognizable high pitched ring of his Blackberry. As he absentmindedly took the phone out of his pocket, he became alert when he saw who the caller was.

A scowl came over his brow as he saw Anne's familiar number on the phone's display. He debated for a quick second whether to take her call and then decided it would be best to do so. Now that he and Margaret were dating, he needed Anne to fully understand that there was no future for them in any form.

Clicking to accept her call, he heard a voice that sounded venomous despite being ultra soft and feminine.

"Hello, Anne," John greeted her in a frosty manner.

"Hello, John! You haven't been answering my calls," she said petulantly.

"Yes, I know. That usually tends to happens when a couple breaks up on less than amicable terms."

Anne remembered their last night together and felt stung by John's words. Pausing, she finally responded, "Uh…I'm just glad you finally decided to pick up. John, I know we didn't end things well but—"

Wanting to quickly get to the point of their conversation, John cut Anne off and began to speak in his authoritative manner. "Anne, I'm quite tired. I really don't feel like speaking now. However, I do have something to tell you that I think I should say in person. I think we should meet over lunch. How does Friday afternoon at 1:00 pm sound? We'll meet at Upstares & Sotto Varalli. Does that sound good to you?"

Anne wanted to say more, but knew that when John was tired and irritable-as he sounded at the moment-it was best not to converse with him. "That sounds fine. I'll see you there. Good night, John."

"Good night, Anne." John did not look forward to Friday afternoon, but knew that the only way to get through to Anne was to tell her what he had to say in person. Even if it went badly (and he was sure it would), at least Friday evening would bring something more pleasant to cancel out whatever went wrong during the day.

He went home with a sense of contentment that he not felt in a long time. Little did he know the cloud never comes in that quarter of the horizon from which we watch for it.