"Katie! Katie, wait!" A voice hollered from down the street. Katie looked around everywhere as she stopped dead in her tracks in front of the Business School in Rockfish, Virginia. When she didn't see anybody she proceeded to walk down the sidewalk towards her car.

"Katie!" The voice hollered one more time. Katie stopped and looked up to see a young man running towards her with a bouquet of flowers. She stopped and laughed.

"What are you doing here?" Katie asked. Finally he reached her and reached his hands out to give her the flowers. Katie took them and sniffed them. "Roses, oh they are beautiful Michael."

"I wanted to bring them to you today because it has been exactly seven days, nineteen hours and twenty four minutes since you said you would marry me." Michael replied.

"You remember that? I didn't even keep count of that." Katie said.

"Well, you are just marrying me; but my dream came true when you said you would marry me so that's why I'm counting." Michael stated. He wrapped his arms around her. "I have been in love with you since you first moved to Charlottesville all the way back in 1976."

"Oh what a thing to say!" Katie said as she turned around to face him. "Michael, I do love you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you."

"When do you want to tell your family?" Michael asked. "You've already met my entire family."

"Oh Michael, I have so many aunts, uncles, cousins. The only way we could tell everybody together at one time is to wait until Thanksgiving or Christmas." Katie responded.

"I don't want to wait that long Katie. I want to get married just as soon as possible." Michael replied and kissed her. Katie broke the kiss and pulled away.

"I thought we agreed that we wanted to wait a year or so to get married, so that we could get to know each other better. Learn habits, tell the family, and plan a proper wedding. I was at my Aunt Elizabeth and Uncle Drew's wedding. Aunt Elizabeth told Grandma and Grandpa when she was fourteen that Uncle Drew was the man she was going to marry." Katie said.

"They waited an awfully long time though Katie. I thought you told me that she went to college and got her Master's Degree in Botany and that she traveled the world for several years, even joined the Peace Corp before she married your uncle." Michael exclaimed.

"Yes, Aunt Elizabeth got married when she was in her thirties. I think Mama said that she was thirty four when she married, but that isn't a long time. (A/N: I know that if you actually take the year that Elizabeth Walton was born, 1928, to the year that she and Drew Cutler got engaged, 1969; that it is more than 34 years, but they skipped a lot of years in the television series and the reunion movies) What if I wanted to finish school, Michael?" Katie asked.

"You don't have to go to school Katie. That's the good part. I will make enough that you won't have to work." Michael said hugging her.

"I know, you told me that. But what if I wanted to work? My mama works even though my father has a job." Katie replied.

"Okay, if you want to finish your schooling first, than we can wait to get married. You should only have a few years left anyway don't you?" Michael asked. Katie stopped and thought to herself. After a pause she looked at Michael.

"I only have a year and a half left before I graduate from college with a business degree like my Aunt Erin has." Katie stated.

"How many aunts and uncles do you have Katie? Every time you bring up a family member it's always somebody different." Michael said, but not in a rude or sarcastic tone. He looked at her with sincere eyes.

"My father was an only child, didn't have any brothers or sisters; my mama on the other hand has six brothers and sisters. There is Uncle John Boy and Aunt Janet in New York City with Zeb and Esther; my cousins are named after my grandma and grandpa. Then Uncle Jason and Aunt Toni live in Nashville with my cousins Loretta Lynn, Patsy Cline, Roy, Merle Haggard, and Hank. Then Aunt Erin lives here in Charlottesville. She was married at one time, but got divorced before I was born. Her kids are Susan, Peter and Amanda. Then Uncle Ben and Aunt Cindy live in Jefferson County, and have a son named Charlie. Uncle Jim Bob isn't married; he still lives on the mountain. Lastly, Aunt Elizabeth and Uncle Drew have Andrew and Olivia. They also reside on the mountain in Jefferson County where they all grew up." Katie stated profoundly.

"That's a lot of family." Michael said with a smile.

"Yep!" Katie exclaimed. "And I wouldn't have it any other way. Well I really should be going. I have a lot of studying to do for examinations coming up." Katie pointed to the books in her arms. Michael nodded.

"I will call you later. I love you." Michael gave her a peck on the cheek.

"I love you too. I'll be waiting for your call." Katie replied with a smile as she gets into her car and starts to drive off.

[

When she got home she checked the answering machine on her phone. There were three calls on the answering machine.

"Call one." The automated answer machine said, and then she heard Michael's voice on the answering machine.

"Hey Katie, it's me. I guess you aren't home from class yet. Maybe I can catch you up there and talk to you. I can't wait to see you again. Well I really can't wait to be married to you, but that's another story. I love you, and guess I will talk to you later." Katie smiled as she listened to the message and put her roses in some water.

"Call two," the answering machine said, and then Jonesy's voice could be heard all the way through her apartment.

"Hi Katie, this is your dad. Your mom called and said that you had something you wanted to tell me. I just thought I would call and see how you are doing. I love you. Call me back when you get this."

"Call three," the answering machine said, and then a soft sweet voice came from the machine that warmed Katie's heart.

"Katie, it's your grandma. I was just calling to see how everything is going for you. Your grandpa and I were talking about you and Clay earlier in the week. We love you and miss you. Since you live in Rockfish we were hoping to get a chance to see you more often. Maybe sometime we will have to plan a time for Grandpa and I to come see your new apartment. Good luck in school sweetheart. I just wanted to see how your life is going. Now that I look at the time, you are probably actually still in school or driving home from the business school. You don't know how happy that Aunt Erin and I are that you chose to go to the same business school that she attended. She even taught classes a few years before she went into teaching and taking over the Walton's Mountain school. I hope to see you for Thanksgiving this year. Bye Katie." The answering machine clicked off. Katie put her books down on the table and walked over to the phone. She dialed a number and waited while it rang. After three rings, a man picked up the phone on the other line.

"Hello?" He said.

"Hi dad!" Katie exclaimed. "I got your message; I wanted to call you back."

"I'm glad you did Katie. I've been missing you a lot. Your mother and I both since you left to go to school. But we understand why you did." Jonesy said. He paused and sighed out loud. "So what's this big news you have to tell me?" Katie looked down at her watch.

"Can I come see you instead of talking on the phone?" Katie asked.

"Sure!" Jonesy exclaimed. "I am here all by myself and your mother should be getting off from the hospital in several hours. Are you going to stay overnight?"

"Oh no, I can't I have class in the morning. I just want to tell you my big news in person rather than on the phone." Katie stated.

"That's fine. I will be waiting to hear from you." Jonesy responded.

"Okay, bye dad. Love you." Katie said.

"I love you too." Jonesy replied. Katie hung up the phone and at first bit her lip, but then got a huge smile on her face as she took her keys off the table and walked out the front door.