"Don't worry about the cost. Any fixing up there is, I'll do a little at a time so it doesn't cost too much. If the girls want to, I'd be glad to have the help — I don't know diddly about matching colors and patterns and all that. If I'm not busy with work, any of you is welcome to come down for whatever reason."

Smiling, she warned me "If you say that where the girls can hear you, you may never get rid of them. They've all missed you sooooooo much" — imitating the greeting I'd gotten from Wendy

— "that I can't begin to tell you. And all I've heard since you called has been 'Is Uncle Ted really coming to stay with us?', and they've all been happier than I've seen them for months. They know you aren't going to spoil them or anything, since you didn't do that when they were little; they just like you because you're such a nice guy, and are willing to pay attention to them the way you do."

She hesitated a moment, then told me " I'm glad you're here, too, Ted. Really glad." before giving me another kiss on the lips that quickly matched the last one she'd given me. I put my hands on her hips, but nothing more. Technically, she was still married, and that whole marriage vows thing was always something real important to me. The other thing that occupied my mind was the knowledge that she had only recently gotten out on her own. Sure, she had three kids and a job and all that, but up until just a few months before, she'd also had whatever support there was to be had from Doug; I figured that she'd need (or want) some time to decide for herself what she wanted for herself and the girls, and who she wanted to share her life with.