Two Month Later…

Caroline looked up at her phone when she heard the text alert. It was from her friend Jenna and it read, "Party tonight? Need a ride?"

Caroline texted back, "Yes totally."

Jenna drove by the Hall house before heading over to the party, "So how's life with Maggie?" asked Jenna.

"The same as always. Really can't wait for Dad to get home since I'm stuck with her," said Caroline.

"Well, I'm sure tonight will be great," said Jenna. They arrived at the party and they both went their separate ways. About two hours later, Caroline was in a conversation with a boy, who honestly believed she was in college and not in high school.

"So do you want to, you know, spend some time alone together?" he asked.

Caroline looked at her phone, "Actually Jenna and I are supposed to be leaving soon."

"You mean the girl you showed up with?" Caroline nodded, "She left a long time ago."

"No she didn't," Caroline protested looking around for Jenna, "She's my ride!"

"I'm telling you she's not here," he said, "I can drive you home if you want."

"No, because Jenna hasn't left yet," said Caroline, entering a bedroom, closing and locking the door.

"Come on, we were having a great time," said the guy from outside as Caroline dialed Maggie's cell phone number.

"Maggie, it's Caroline. I need you to come and pick me up and help me!"

Maggie pulled up in front of the address Caroline had given her. It must be some party based on the noise and the smell of alcohol and marijuana lingering. She walked up to the front door and knocked. One of the partygoers, clearly trashed, answered it and said, "hey what brings you here little lady?"

"Where is she?" asked Maggie storming into the house.

"Who?" asked a bunch of the partiers.

"Caroline Hall," Maggie said, "My step-daughter."

Caroline approached from the bedroom and ran towards Maggie, "Thank you for coming."

"You, young lady, are in big trouble but we'll discuss this tomorrow," Maggie scolded Caroline, "And all of you, if you don't disperse within the next ten minutes I will call the police!" And everyone dispersed immediately.

Roland was scheduled to return from Baltimore today. Joan stood at the airport waiting for the flight to get in from Maryland. She smiled when she saw her husband approaching her. She had some big news to tell him about an offer that General Holden had made to her. Even though she had discussed retirement from the Army with Roland, hopefully he would be happy as well.

"Welcome home Dr. Burton," she said embracing him.

"I missed you soldier," he said embracing her back, "How are you? and where are the kids?"

"I'm doing great now that you're here. And the kids are with Charlie and Nicole," said Joan.

"How's Nicole doing?" asked Roland.

"She's doing pretty well. Still gets headaches occasionally but that may just be the migraines. But I do know she and Charlie have their hands full with little Nicholas."

"I'm sure," chuckled Roland remembering when Sara Elizabeth was a baby.

When the couple arrived home Joan sat Roland down on the couch and said, "I've been offered to go to the Army War College."

Roland looked shocked for a few moments and said, "Well what about retirement."

"Well I mean the war college would be a few more years but think about Roland, I could get a star," said Joan.

Roland took a deep breath, "Joan, I was offered a permanent position at Johns Hopkins."

Joan looked surprised as well and asked, "Well what did you tell them?"

"I said I'd have to talk to you but I thought you'd be on board," he said, "I mean this is always what happens Joan. You're always ready to retire and then the Army dangles something else in front of you that you go after instead."

"Roland…"

"I'm kind of tired can we talk later?"

"Come on Mom!" shouted Jordan excitedly.

"Jordan, you know I'm never that excited to go shopping," chuckled Kat.

"Come on Colonel, you can't get married in sweatpants and a T-shirt," said Claudia Joy. Kat, Jordan, and Claudia Joy along with Emmalin, Kat's mother, Diane, and Kat's sister Jenny were all at the mall to shop for bride's maids and wedding dresses. They had found the dresses for Jordan and Jenny but had yet to find a wedding dress. Kat was not one for always having the attention on her and certainly wasn't one to obsess over dresses. And it seemed like forever before Kat finally came out in the final dress she had chosen. It was white, sleeveless, had some beads on the upper part, and flowed at the bottom.

"You look beautiful sis!" Jenny shouted excitedly. Kat looked at herself in the mirror. She couldn't believe she was getting married, well, getting married again. As much as she loved and missed Steve, she was also starting anew chapter with Chris.

"You look beautiful honey," Diane said to her daughter, "I'm sure Steve is smiling down on you and I'm sure Chris will love it."

Kat turned around to face everyone. She wiped the few tears running down her face and said, "This is the dress."

Tonya awoke when a fist or foot struck her kidney. She sat up and rubbed the spot to sooth it and then looked at the calendar to see what day t was. Okay, she already knew what day it was: today was the day Blake was coming home from Afghanistan. She showered and dressed quickly in the new dress she had bought just for the occasion. Okay, maybe the occasion was to fit over her twenty-four week bump more than anything but a girl could dream couldn't she? The bus stop was crowded with the families of returning soldiers though it would be another two weeks before the rest of the troops returned home. Blake stepped off the bus and ran towards Tonya as fast as he could. She threw her arms around him when he reached, "I missed you so much baby!"

"I missed you too," he said and pulled back, his hands drifting down to her swell.

"Pretty big huh?" she chuckled.

"It's beautiful," he said, "You both are. How's everything going with the pregnancy?"

"It's going," Tonya sighed, "been going to the childbirth classes with Denise. Still haven't decided what kind of birth I want though."

"Well maybe we can decide that soon," said Blake following Tonya to the car, "Were you at least narrowing it down?" Blake got into the driver's seat and Tonya sat next to him.

"Yeah, I think I want to try for a natural birth," she said, "Denise can catch you up on some of the natural coping techniques we've learned."

Blake nodded and said, "Well when we get home, we should have a

nice dinner and then experiment with some positions."

Tonya picked up on the vibe and asked, "Is that an order Major?"

"Most definitely."

Claudia Joy exited the master bathroom later that night and found Michael ready for bed. he looked up and asked, "Hey how was the dress shopping?"

"It went well. Kat will look beautiful. But we also had some time to get other things." Michael gave her a confused look, "You tired?"

Michael shrugged and said, "Not really why?"

"Good," Claudia Joy smirked pulling off her robe and exposing the bra and underwear that barely covered her special areas, "I also had time for us."

Michael smirked back and dressed down to his boxers as if it were a timed drill, "Well then mam, I'd say we have to make the most of your investment," he groaned tossing them aside.

"Whatever you say soldier," she grinned only to be flipped on her back while she squealed with delight, "I love you Michael."

"I love you too honey. And now I'm going to show you how much I love."

"Whatever you say soldier."

I've also attached a link to Kat's wedding dress. Hope you enjoyed this chapter!

/wp-content/uploads/114270_wedding_dress_