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[Author's note - What Cathy said.]
When first we greet our heroes they are talking on the phone to Murphy...
"Hey Murph," Lee Stetson greeted.
"Lee?" Murphy grinned, happy to be hearing to his cousin. "Just a second." He put the telephone down and closed the door to the den. "I'm back," he announced.
"How's Sherry doing?" Lee asked.
"Seeing Tommy and being home lifted her spirits," Murphy answered, "but I can't get her to really talk to me." He ran his hand through his hair. "She's the therapist. I'm lost in that department."
"Maybe Amanda could speak to her at the reunion?" Lee suggested.
"I'm not sure we're even going, Lee." He sighed deeply. Lee began to answer, but Murphy cut him off. "All that excitement and all those children running around may not be a good idea." He heard Lee convey this news to his wife.
"Amanda thinks it would be the best thing for her -- it's not for several weeks and by then, maybe she'll be ready to talk," Lee passed along. "And I agree," he added.
Murphy shook his head. "I'm just not sure," he began. "Let me go over it with Sherry in the next few days and I'll get back to you."
"Murph," Lee said. "Whatever we can do...you know that."
"Yeah, I do," he replied. "And thanks." Murphy hung up the receiver.
This is the first time that we even get to see the family's reactions to Jenny, the Stetsons' first child. Lee Stetson with a kid, who would have thought it was possible? Surely she deserves a little more comment than this. And so I did... comment that is.
As the DC-10 lifted gracefully into the sky, Lee looked over at Amanda sitting next, Jenny securely tucked in close. For the sixth year in a row he was returning to a family reunion and this time with a new baby daughter. For years it had been too painful -- the ranch reminded him of the few happy times in his lonely childhood.
But now he couldn't wait to show off his incredible perfect little angel. He knew his family could barely believe he'd actually achieved fatherhood. Something he hardly believed himself. But, there she was -- cooing in his wife's arms.
Amanda noticed him watching Jenny and smiled. "I'm surprised she's being so good," Amanda noted. "I thought the plane would upset her."
"Hey, she's a Stetson after all." Lee beamed, reaching out to touched one of her tiny fists, which immediately closed around his finger in a tight squeeze. As always it brought an instant smile to his face. "You're going to be the hit of the reunion," he told her proudly.
Amanda smiled briefly, then her face clouded. "I just hope it won't upset Sherry. She says she's okay, but she was so devastated. Maybe we were wrong to think she would be ready for this."
Lee's expression grew serious, understanding Amanda's worry. "I've been worried about that too." He glanced down at Jenny again, thoughts of what he would have done if anything had happened to his precious daughter played across his features.
"I can't imagine what she and Murphy must be going through," Amanda declared, tears threatening at the corners of her eyes.
Lee's eyes shifted to Amanda's face again and he nodded self-consciously. "Jenny is one of the best things that ever happened to me -- both of you are," he added sweetly, reaching out to take his wife's hand.
Leaning forward, Amanda kissed him on the cheek. "I feel the same way." They shared a long, loving look. "It's going to be rough, but at least they have each other." Amanda smiled resolutely. "And they have all of us. We'll get them through this."
Jenny started to fuss so Amanda shifted, preparing to feed her. "We'll just have to be sensitive about her feelings and hope being around family helps. I think it will."
"You're right," Lee remarked softly, never taking his gaze from his perfect little girl.
* * *
The Stetsons arrived at the ranch amid a flurry of welcomes. Before they were even out of their rental car, Andy and Caitlin had run out to meet them. As they made their way into the house, Jenny was already the center of attention.
"She's beautiful," Caitlin praised.
"You sure she's yours, Lee?" Skip teased. "She's much too cute to be your baby." He slapped Lee on the shoulder.
Lee elbowed his cousin playfully in the stomach in response. "She takes after her mother."
"Thank goodness for that," Andy piped up.
"Was she good on the flight?" Melanie asked. "I remember the first time we flew with Peter, he cried the whole time. I thought the people around us were going to throw us off the plane!" she finished with a short laugh.
"She was wonderful," Lee answered proudly. "She slept most of the way."
Involved in the round of welcomes, Amanda didn't notice Sherry's arrival until the sudden hush. Looking up, she caught Sherry's eyes as she came down the stairs with Murphy. They were bright with barely repressed tears. Walking up to Amanda and the baby, Sherry took in Jenny's angelic face. "She's perfect," she choked out, happy for her friends, but overwhelmed by her own grief. "Absolutely perfect." Against her will, the tears started to flow.
Amanda handed Jenny to Lee. She reached out and enveloped Sherry in a comforting hug. "Thank you, Sherry," she managed to say, barely holding back her own tears. "I'm so sorry," she whispered as Sherry's embrace tightened.
Amanda's sincere words went straight to Sherry's heart. "I am too," she replied. I'm glad you're here. You don't know how much I've missed you."
Everyone stood silently, unwilling to interrupt. Finally, after a few moments, Sherry pulled out of the embrace and wiped the remaining moisture from her face. "Well, what are we doing standing around here? We have a reunion to get started on." Murphy put an arm around her, escorting her into the family room. Following the lead, the rest of the family followed the couple.
* * *
"Amanda, can you leave Jenny for a little while?" Lee asked.
"She should be down for the night," Amanda informed him.
He smiled. "Good, I need you to get the Bronco to the end of the driveway. I don't want to wake anyone up this late."
Amanda tiptoed into the room she shared with Caitlin and Sherry. Gently touching Cait on the shoulder, she jumped back as her cousin startled awake. She couldn't see clearly into Sherry's corner of the room, but was grateful when the noise hadn't disturbed her friend. "I'm sorry. I have a favor to ask."
Caitlin stretched and blinked, trying to clear her sleepy mind. "Sure, what is it? Is everything okay."
"Everything's fine," Amanda replied, not willing to disturb anyone else with her concerns. "Lee and I wanted to go for a drive and I wondered if you could listen for Jenny. She shouldn't wake up, but just in case."
"Sure, no problem."
Amanda breathed a sigh of relief. "Thanks. I won't be gone long."
Making her way to the small port-a-crib in the corner, Amanda did a quick check on her daughter. She was sleeping soundly. Amanda smiled lovingly at her daughter's sweet face then closed the door, soundlessly creeping down the stairs to go get the Bronco.
* * *
Unable to sleep, Sherry had gone to the bathroom for a drink of water then she'd quietly peeked into Abigail's crib. Her little charge slept soundly in her borrowed bed. Now determined to try and sleep, she shrugging out of her robe and began to climb into the bed, then realized Amanda was gone. She wondered where she had disappeared to.
As she contemplated her missing roommate, she heard a small sound come from Jenny's crib. Walking over to it, she gazed down at the sleeping infant. With a smile, she watched as Jenny shifted to another position. She was such a sweet baby. The ache in her heart returned as she thought about the children she would never have. Backing away from Jenny, she once again and returned to Abigail, thinking how unfair it was she would never have the opportunity to love a new baby like Lee and Amanda loved Jenny.
* * *
Lee watched the antics as the Michaels family gathered for their annual photo. Still a little shaky from his recent injury, he was sitting back until the chaos calmed some. He knew it would -- once each family began to gather together. In years past he'd hated this part. He'd felt like the outsider with no real family of his own.
This year, though, he felt a certain kinship with his cousins. Perhaps it came from finally having a family to call his own. As everyone began to settle, he looked down at Jenny, snuggled in Amanda's arms. A slow smile spread across his face.
Yep, things had changed a lot since the first reunion Amanda had crashed not so very long ago. Changed only for the better -- and he owed it all to his wife. Lost in thought, it took some friendly jostling from Skip to bring Lee's attention back to the matter at hand. With his arm circled firmly about his wife, Lee turned and smiled for the camera.