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In the waiting hall at the airport, Jo was anxiously chewing gum and pacing back and forth. She was waiting for both of her parents to come from Sweden, and their arrival had been delayed several times already. When someone started talking over the speaker system, she got ready to kick something, thinking that the flight was delayed again. But this time the speaker had no information for her, so she sat down. Just as she did, she caught sight of her parents, loaded with bags and suitcases. Smiling she ran up to them, hugging them both.

“I’m so glad to see you guys! It’s been so long, and I’ve missed you!”

Tina smiled and hugged her only child back. “We’ve missed you too. Gosh, I thought this day was never going to come!”

“Aww…Oh, Daddy!” Jo let go of her mother and gave her father a second hug, feeling tears rising in her eyes.

“There, there, don’t cry.” He patted her back and smiled at her, somewhat misty-eyed.

“I won’t. Oh, I’ve got so many things to tell you, so many things to show you. But first thing’s first. Let’s go meet Chloe.” Jo grabbed a suitcase and went for the parking lot.


“She’s adorable, Lina! Absolutely adorable!”

“Yeah, I know. I love her to death. And she’s so sweet. She barely ever cries or anything.”

Jo sat back and watched Tina and Stephan fussing over Chloe. Lina was proudly showing off her baby to them. Usually Jo loved to just watch Chloe, but now her head was full of other things. Like the home pregnancy test in her purse. She already knew what it was going to say, but she wanted to be absolutely sure before she told anyone. She looked up, discovering that everyone was looking at her.

“What?”

“Wedding plans?” Tina gave her a knowing smile.

“No… Well, maybe.”

“Don’t you worry. We’re here to help you, and we will.”

Jo smiled. “I know, mom.” She looked at her watch. “We should get going, if I’m gonna get you installed at the Littrells so that we can go see the house.”

“You’re right. I’m hoping we’ll see you both tonight at the barbecue,” Tina said with a nod at Lina.

“Wouldn’t miss it for the world. We’re coming, all three of us.”


“What a beautiful street this is.” Tina was looking out the window of the car.

“It is. I just fell in love with it. And it’s perfect, seeing as it’s only a couple of blocks away from Lina’s, and not much farther away from Leigh and Brian,” Jo smiled.

“What number did you say it was?” Stephan asked.

“Number three. Right over here,” she pointed as she slowed down and turned onto the driveway. “It’s nothing fancy really, not like Brian and Leigh’s. No gate or anything like that. It’s just perfect, just what I wanted.” She rummaged through her purse until she found the house key that she’d gotten for Christmas. “Alex had the locks installed yesterday,” she explained with a big smile as she opened the door.

“Oh, Jo… I’ve never seen a house more… you. You were right. It’s perfect.” Tina’s eyes teared up again.

Stephan nodded in agreement. “It’s amazing. Do you mind if I take a look around?”

“I’d be mad if you didn’t. Go on. The kitchen is in here,” she said as she walked into it.

“I’m speechless,” Tina gasped.

“And that doesn’t happen very often,” Jo and her father added in chorus, laughing at the family joke.

“Oh shut up you two.”

“Could you excuse me for a minute? I need to use the bathroom.”

“Sure sweetie,” Tina muttered, her head halfway into a cabinet. Stephan was moving towards the stairs to see what was up there.


Jo sneaked off into the bathroom and closed the door behind her with shaking hands. She took out the test and looked at it for awhile. ‘This is it,’ she thought.


“Hello?”

“Hey babe, it’s me!”

“Hey princess! What’s up?” Alex lit up at Jo’s voice over the phone.

“I’m at the house, with my parents, and I kinda need you to get here as soon as you can. Like, right now.”

“Anything wrong?”

“Just come over.” Jo flipped her phone shut and walked out into the back yard. “So, what do you think? Isn’t it the perfect location for the wedding?” she asked her parents.

“It’ll be gorgeous. Are you sure you don’t wanna come for lunch with us?”

“I’m sure. I had a late breakfast. See you back at the Littrells? We still gotta go look at dresses.”

“Sure!” Tina started walking towards the car.

“But what about the car, Jo? Don’t you need it?”

“Nah, not really, I’ll walk back. Here.” She gave her father the keys. “And don’t let mum drive, no matter how hard she begs. You know how she gets when there’s lots of traffic,” she added with a smile.

“Crazy, you mean?” Her father smiled and kissed her on the cheek. “I won’t, I promise.”


Jo laughed as he walked away, then sat down on a bench to wait for Alex. She didn’t have to wait long. Just a minute after her parents had drove off she heard a car door slam, and his voice calling for her.

“I’m in the back yard,” she yelled back.

He popped his head out the patio door. “What’s wrong?”

She smiled at him. “Nothing’s wrong. I just missed you. Come sit here next to me.”

He shook his head. “You’re insane. I drove here like a @#%$ idiot just because you missed me?”

“Yup.” Her smile showed how pleased she was with herself. She patted the bench and he sighed, not quite able to hold his smile back, as he walked over to her.

“You’re crazy, but god knows I’m glad that you are.”

She smiled and wiggled her brows, making him laugh. He sat down next to her and put his arm around her. They sat quiet for awhile. Finally, Jo couldn’t hold back, so she broke the silence.

“Alex?”

“Yeah?”

“What would you say if I told you that…” she fell silent again.

“If you told me what?”

“If I told you that… that…” She took a deep, shaking breath. “If I told you that I’m pregnant?”

“Holy @#%$! You’re kidding me? Wow! I mean… Oh @#%$!”

Jo couldn’t figure out if he was happy or not, so she didn’t say anything, just looked down on the grass and waited.

“I’m… Oh my god. @#%$! Jo!? Joanna, are you?”

She nodded, still unable to lift her eyes and look at him. She heard a sound that she couldn’t really place, so she carefully sneaked a peak at him. She’d expected any reaction but the one she got. He was crying, big tears were rolling down his cheeks. She turned to face him with a nervous laugh. “Are those…”

He pulled her into a big hug. “Oh Jo! A baby! Yes, they are happy tears! What did you expect!? I’m marrying you, but I don’t want children with you? Of course I do! I’m so happy! When did you find out?”

“I’ve suspected it for awhile. But I took a test today, and it confirmed it. We’re about six weeks pregnant, if I’ve got the numbers right.”

“We gotta take you to the doctor and go out shopping and…”

Jo laughed. “Calm down. I called the doctor before I called you. And as for the shopping, you know I’m down with that, but we’ve got like 34 more weeks before he or she is here. We’ve got more urgent shopping to do. Like a wedding dress.”

He smiled. “You’re right. When should we tell the others?”

“Whenever you want. My only condition is that I’ve got to tell Lina first.”

“We should do it tonight! At the barbecue! We’ll all be there then, even Kev and Kris, and Howie!”

“Not to forget your mother. Shouldn’t you be on your way to pick her up from the airport now?”

“You’re right. But she can wait, because there’s something I gotta do first!”

“And what’s that?”

He kissed her deeply, not letting go until they were both gasping for air. “That, and some other things.” He lifted her up into his arms and started walking into the house.

She laughed. “But Alex, there’s no furniture in there.”

He looked at her with one eyebrow raised. “That’s never stopped you before, has it?”

She gave in to his logical answer. “I guess you’re right, Mr. McLean.”


“Oh, how about this one?” Tina held out a simple white silk dress with spaghetti straps.

“Ah, yes, that one will surely fit your beautiful daughter, Mrs. Ericks.”

Jo could hear her mother talking to the man working in the bridal shop, Jacques from inside the dressing room. He was being so overly-nice that it made her laugh. It was either that or his fake French accent. But the shop had gorgeous dresses, so she bit her lip when he carefully gave her the dress. It looked a little bit plain at first sight, but when she’d zipped it up she sighed. It fit her perfectly. It couldn’t have been better. She pulled out her cell phone and made a quick call, then slipped on the white shoes she had just bought and opened the door to let her mother see.

“Oh, Joanna. You’re gorgeous. If you don’t buy that dress I might have to kill you.”

“Yes, that’s absolutely the one for you, miss Ericks. Looks like it was made just for you. And in fact, it was a woman just like you I had in mind when I created it.”

‘Oh, help,’ Jo thought, ‘He’s the frickin designer. And here I’ve been laughing at him.’

She got herself together and smiled at him. “It’s gorgeous, and I love it! Now I just have to wait for another person to come see it.”

“Yes, yes, of course. We have to make some minor changes anyways.”

“Just a question… Could you make a small pearl embroidery somewhere on it?”

“Of course… Just tell me what and where, and I’ll try and arrange it.”

“I’d like a symbol somewhere on the dress, I think maybe back here…” Jo put her hand between her shoulder blades showing him.

“Yes, yes, beautiful. Do you know what you want there?”

“Just a minute.” Jo ran into the changing room and got a piece of paper out of her purse. “This one.” It was the sketch she’d given the jeweller for Alex’s Christmas gift.

“A skull and a rose... That’s very… untraditional. Are you sure that’s what you want?”

“Yes, I’m sure. This pattern has a very special meaning to my fiancé.”

“Very well then.” Pursing his lips he got out his needles and started fitting the dress. Jo was astonished. She hadn’t thought the dress could fit any better, but it did. Lina burst through the door with Chloe on her arm, but stopped short when she saw Jo.

“I hope you’re not considering any other dress,” she muttered trying to keep her tears back.

“Don’t worry. I’m not. I’m just getting a skull and rose put on this one, in clear glass pearls.”

“It’s just… it’s just right!” The tears won the fight and spilled over. Tina came over and hugged her, she too losing her battle against the tears. Jacques pinched some fabric over Jo’s waist, but she brought her hand down to stop him.

“Not there. Not until the last fitting. I don’t know how much it will change. Lina, how much did you change over the first two months?”

“Not much, but it... Jo? What are you trying to say? Are you saying what I think you’re saying, because if you are I don’t know what I’d do and...”

“Stop rambling Lina. Yes, I’m saying what you think I’m saying. I’m pregnant.”

“Uh-oh, I think grand-mère needs a chair!” Jacques let go of the fabric and rushed a chair behind Tina, whose knees gave in just as he did.