Thanks for the lovely feedback on the last chapter! I appreciate each and every review. Wholehearted thanks for helping me reach 1000 reviews. Absolutely overwhelmed by that. Y'all are good people, ya hear?

Back with Fran Morgan for this one...

Happy reading =)

"Let us be grateful to people who make us happy, they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom." – Marcel Proust

I smile as I spy them walking toward me, hands held together between them. It always warms my heart to see my baby boy so happy and in love. He'd put up those walls and pretended to embrace the "player" lifestyle, but I think all along he just needed someone to break down those walls. Emily had done just that, and from what I can tell, he'd broken down the walls she'd put up to protect herself. They're good for each other.

They haven't spotted me yet, which suits me just fine because I get to sneak a peek into what they're like when I'm not around. They look every bit the part of a happy couple, with relaxed smiles on their faces and a look of love in their eyes when they glance at each other. The two of them are completely and utterly smitten with each other, and it's a beautiful sight. With all the evil they've faced over the years, and all the difficulties they've overcome, it's about time they get something so beautiful in their lives.

Finally they spot me and begin to head toward me, both of them still wearing wide smiles.

"Hey, Mama," Derek says happily once they reach me, opening up his arms for a hug.

"Derek," I say with a wide smile, wrapping my arms around him, "I've missed you."

"I've missed you too, Mama," he answers as he releases me from his hold.

"And Emily," I say, turning to face her. She smiles warmly as our gazes meet. "So good to see you again. Still keeping this one in line, I see," I quip.

"Trying my best," she answers with a grin before giving me a quick hug, "but I can't work miracles."

I let out a laugh as Derek frowns at her words and lets out a heavy exhale, making the fact that he's unimpressed with the two of us clear as day. "Come on, you two. The car's this way."

"You really didn't have to come pick us up, Fran," Emily says as we begin walking toward the parking lot. "We could have taken a-"

"Nonsense," I say, waving off her words. "I have a car, and you're here visiting me – it's the least I can do."

"But you're putting us up for the weekend as well."

"It's a pleasure to have you, Emily, not a burden," I point out, fixing her with a look to let her know I mean every word.

"Well, I'm happy to be here," she says with a smile. "And I'm looking forward to having some of your famous pulled pork."

"Famous?" I echo, my eyebrow arching at her words.

"This one," she says, jerking her thumb in Derek's direction, "wouldn't shut up about it for the last week."

I glance at Derek and he just shrugs. "What? It's good pulled pork."

I shake my head at his blasé response. He's such a man sometimes.

"Make sure he leaves some of the coleslaw for you. Last time he was home and we had it, there wasn't any left for Sarah or Desi because he got there first."

Emily chuckles and glances back at Derek. "I'm not sorry," he defends staunchly. "It's that good. Trust me. It'll change your life."

Emily rolls her eyes and shakes her head in disbelief. "Are they joining us for dinner?" she asks, seeming to have a particularly keen interest in the answer.

"They're at the house right now."

"You left them alone with the pulled pork?!" Derek says, his eyes widening in horror. "Mama, don't you remember what happened last time?"

Emily frowns as she looks at Derek and then back at me. "Um…did I miss something here?"

"Hush, Derek. They've been told not to touch the pork or the coleslaw."

"As if they're going to listen," he grumbles, and I swat at his arm to reprimand him.

"Honestly, Derek. You're so overdramatic sometimes. The pork will be fine."

"I'm just saying, if it tastes funny I'll know why," he says with a bit of a pout.

"Are you seriously pouting right now?" Emily asks, clearly surprised by his actions.

"They ruined the pork, Em."

She stares blankly at him. "It's just pork."

"You can't say that, you haven't had it."

She arches an eyebrow and I admit I'm a little amused by their interaction. "You're ridiculous, you know that, right?"

"Says the woman who went off on a tangent on the flight here about the zombie apocalypse."

She narrows her eyes at him for a moment. "That could happen."

I just laugh and revel in the fact that my son is here, healthy, happy, and clearly very much in love.

"Emily!" Sarah says with a smile as she gives the brunette a quick hug. "So good to see you! It's been ages since you were here."

"I know," she says in apology. "Work has been absolutely crazy lately. Finding time to sleep has been a challenge."

"They work you too hard, girl."

"Gotta pay the bills somehow," Emily quips before hanging up her coat and slipping off her shoes.

"Well, well, well. Look what the cat dragged in," Sarah teases, meeting her brother's gaze. "My good for nothing little brother."

"Sarah," I scold as I roll my eyes, "behave."

"That's right," Derek says triumphantly. "Be nice to your brother, the one who brings you those little truffles you like so much."

Her eyes widen. "Did you really? The ones with the-"

"Yes," he answers, cutting her off. "But why should I give them to you if you're going to treat me so badly?"

"Don't tease me, little bro. Give 'em up and nobody gets hurt."

"You two are ridiculous!" Desi says as she comes to the door. "Derek, it's good to see you," she says as she shoves her sister out of the way and opens up her arms for a hug. "And you too, Emily," she finishes, giving the brunette a quick hug.

"It's good to see you too, Desiree," Emily says warmly as they break apart. It's nice to see how well Emily fits in here. She'd bonded quickly with both Sarah and Desi in the times Derek had brought her home to visit us, and I know they kept in touch in between.

"See, Desi treats me well," Derek says, shooting a look to Sarah.

"Don't make me revoke dessert privileges," I warn. Emily chuckles at my words.

"How was the flight?" Desi asks, breaking the brief silence that had taken hold after my words.

"Oh, it was fine," Emily says.

"No it wasn't," Derek grumbles.

"What? Why not?" Desi asks, a frown on her face.

"Em had a perpetual seat kicker behind her, and I got stuck next to the kid with a million questions," he explains.

"It wasn't so bad," Emily offers diplomatically. "He's just grumpy because they didn't serve any food, and someone forgot to eat before we left the house."

"I didn't forget, I didn't have time because someone had to do her packing last minute."

"Don't start," she warns, holding up a finger and pointing it at him menacingly. It's then that Desi, Sarah, and I notice the ring on her finger.

Our eyes widen simultaneously. "Derek!" Desi exclaims happily. "You asked her!"

Emily's expression of surprise at the sudden outburst shifts to a wide smile, and Derek flashes that trademarked grin of his. "Yeah, I did."

"Congratulations!" Desi says happily, throwing her arms around the two of them and squeezing tightly.

"Congratulations," Sarah echoes her sister's sentiments with a smile of her own.

Derek and Emily's eyes then turn to me, and I find tears threatening to fall. "You two," I manage to get out eventually before first engulfing Derek in a tight hug, and then Emily.

"Details! Give me details!" Desi demands, her excitement radiating off of her. "When did this happen?"

"Last week," Emily answers as she leans into Derek's hold, his arm slipping around her waist as hers winds around his in return. "We were going to call you guys, but we wanted to tell you in person."

I find Emily's gaze on me, an apologetic look in her eyes. "So that's why you were so insistent on visiting this weekend," I say, catching Derek's eye. He gives me a lopsided grin in reply. "Well, I think I prefer it this way anyway. I get to see my son, and my soon to be daughter-in-law this way."

"So how did you ask?" Desi presses, shifting her attention to Derek.

I swear I see the faintest tinge of a blush on Emily's face as he answers. "We were curled up one night, and it just hit me that it was the perfect time. I had all these grand plans of taking her out somewhere fancy, and expensive, but it just felt right at that moment, so I asked her."

"Aw, that's so sweet," Desi says with yet another smile spreading on her face.

"Actually, you didn't technically ask," Emily says. "You just said, "Marry me.""

"Yeah, well, it got the point across, didn't it?"

"Yes, it did," Emily says happily. I'm struck by how relaxed, and how genuinely happy she is. It wasn't so long ago that Derek had brought her home and I'd held her as she broke down in my kitchen.

"Let's see the ring!" Sarah says as she grabs Emily's hand. "Holy crap, Derek! That is one nice ring. It's so intricate."

"It's a puzzle ring," Emily explains proudly. "It's actually a bunch of interconnected rings that you have to fit together in a particular pattern to form the ring."

"So it would fall apart if you took it off," Sarah says slowly, wrapping her head around the idea.

Emily shifts on her feet. "Kind of, yeah."

I scrutinize her carefully. "How many times has that happened so far?" I ask, knowing it's happened at least once from her reluctance to answer.

"Only twice," she admits after a moment. "I had to take it off when I was washing some dishes, and it took me forever to put it back together after."

"And the other time?"

"That was all him. He wanted to show Penelope how it worked, so he asked me to take it off for a second, despite my protests. I did, and then we couldn't put it back together right away. Penelope had to do a search for instructions online," she admits, clearly a bit embarrassed by it.

I stifle a laugh. Her expression tells me it's not something she would be comfortable being teased about yet. "Don't worry, I won't ask you to take it off," I say, a grin spreading on my face.

She lets out a quiet chuckle, shooting me a grateful look.

"So how does it feel?" Sarah asks, directing her gaze first to Emily, and then to Derek.

"Amazing," Derek says, flashing that wide grin of his.

"What he said," Emily answers with yet another smile. I don't think I've ever seen her smile this much.

"Well, congratulations again, you two," I say.

"Thank you, Fran."

I spy Derek glancing at his watch and resist the urge to roll my eyes. "Okay, you three go set the table," I instruct, fixing my three kids with a look they know well. "It's about time for pulled pork, I think."

For once they don't argue or bicker amongst themselves, and instead head into the kitchen with Derek's arms slung over his sister's shoulders. I watch as they share a beautiful moment before turning my attention to Emily. I find her eyes on them as well, a serene kind of smile on her lips.

"I don't think I've ever told you this, Emily, but thank you," I say softly, capturing her attention.

She frowns gently as she turns to face me. "For what?"

"You make my son so happy, and I know you'd do anything to protect him, and for that I'm grateful."

"Fran-" she begins, but I cut her off.

"Emily, honestly, I have never seen him so happy before. You bring out the best in him. He's a lucky man to have found you."

"Trust me, Fran, I'm the lucky one. He…he saved me in so many ways."

I nod in understanding. They'd saved each other, I think. "In any case, welcome to the family, Emily," I say as Derek, Sarah, and Desi erupt in laughter over something one of them said. "We're a bit crazy, but you'll learn to love us."

"I already do, Fran. I already do."

"Mama! Princess! Let's go! I'm starving!" Derek calls out as he puts down the last plate.

Emily and I share a look before sharing a laugh. "Are you sure you want to marry him?" I tease.

"Definitely," she answers with a grin and another laugh.

So...how'd you enjoy Fran's reaction? How about Sarah and Desiree? Let me know!