Two weeks later.

Daniel has taken Jessica out a few times, but so far they have not told anyone else.

"So Jessica.. How about we make us an official thing."

"Hmm?" Jessica smirks.

"Wanna be my girlfriend?"

"Hah!  Well I'd love to!" Jessica laughs.

"Good!" He grabs her waist and pulls her body to his.

"Ooh!" She giggles and kisses his lips.

"Daniel.. My Danny.." She plays with his collar.

"Jessica.. My Jessie."

Jessica laughs and goes on her tiptoes for a kiss.

"Danny!" Grayson runs to him and grabs his leg.

"Hey Gray!" He picks him up.

Jessica smiles as she watches them together.

"Hey Jess, I was wondering if you wanted to take the boys to the fair this weekend? It'll be our first outing together with the kids."

"Oh that sounds fun! Hey, I was gonna ask.. When do we tell everyone about us? What do we say? My brother and Sarah are the only ones that know."

"You can tell them whenever you're ready."

"The only one I'm afraid to tell, besides my boys is my mother in law.. She told me that she wanted me to move on and meet someone, but.. I don't know.. I'm just nervous."

"I understand, sweetie."

Jessica focuses her eyes on Grayson and softly caresses his arm.

"Mama!"

"Grayson!" She smiles.

"I gotta get back to the office."

"Okay. Come here, Gray. Say bye bye, Danny!"

"Bye bye, Dan!" Grayson smiles.

Jessica laughs and straightens his shirt out.

"What do you two have planned for the rest of the afternoon."

"I think we're gonna go see grandma Jane.. Wanna go see grandma, Gray?"

"Yeah!"

"You gonna tell her?"

"Yeah.."

"Good luck." He touches her arm and kisses her cheek.

"Mm!" Jessica puckers her lips.

He laughs and kisses her.

"Hey dat my mama!" Grayson laughs.

"I'm sorry, you little stinker!" Danny tickles him making him laugh harder.

***

"Jessica! Grayson! Oh how's my boy?!" Jane takes him from Jessica and kisses his cheek.

"Hi honey, how are you?" She gives Jessica a hug.

"I'm great, how are you?"

"Oh I can't complain! Come in and sit! Are you hungry? Thirsty?"

"Oh no, I'm okay. Thank you."

"No problem. So, how are the boys?"

"Good! The twins will be home in about a month, and then I'll have them all home with me all summer! I'm so excited!"

"Oh I bet you're just counting down the days!"

"Oh definitely!" Jessica chuckles.

"Jane.. I wanted to talk to you about something.." Jessica quickly becomes serious.

"What's the matter, sweetie?"

"Well.. I-I met someone... A man.."

"Oh really?" Jane smiles.

"Yeah.. We're uh.. We're dating now.."

"Well that's great, Jessica!"

"It is?"

"Yes honey!  I want you to be happy.. Samuel wanted you to be happy."

Jessica nods and gets tears in her eyes.

"I'm not trying to replace Sam, I just-"

"Sweetheart no!  No, of course I know that!  You're so young and no one expects you not to date."

Jessica nods and looks down.

"Let me see!  Wipe these tears and let me see your beautiful smile." Jane wipes her cheeks and lifts her chin.

Jessica smiles and lets out a small chuckle.

"There it is!  Grayson, doesn't your mama have a beautiful smile?"

Grayson smiles and nods.

Jessica giggles and Jane asks, "So tell me about this nice young man!"

"Well his names Daniel.."

"Danny!" Grayson yells with a smile and his hands in the air.

"He seems to be a fan!" Jane says as they both chuckle.

"He's Michael's basketball coach.  He's a dentist, he's a single dad.  His wife died when their son was only two years old."

"Oh that's so sad!  How did she pass?"

"Suicide."

"Oh no!"

"Yeah she had really bad depression after she had Zachary.. Daniel told me that he thought it was his fault, but.. Now that I've been in a situation like that.. It wasn't his fault.. I told him that he shouldn't think that way because it's not."

"That's so sad."

"I know.. He's such a great dad too.. Michael and his son are really good friends.  They went camping a few weeks back."

"Oh really?  Well that's good!  So he treats you right and the boys right?"

"Yes!  Very well!  He reminds me a lot of my Sammy.  He's so kind with us and is always there to talk when we're having a rough day.... Every time he sees me he tells me that I'm beautiful.." Jessica looks down and smiles.

"Awe!  Jessie, that's exactly what Samuel wanted, remember the letter?"

"Yes ma'am." Jessica looks at her with a smile.

"Well Jessica, I'm very happy for you."

"Thank you, Jane."

"I think of you as my own daughter and I want you to be happy.  I'd love to meet this nice young man one day."

"Of course!" She smiles.

"Oh Jane, I was going to tell you!  It's so sad, but I wanted you to know how much Grayson loves his daddy."

"Awe." Jane gets tears in her eyes.

"He constantly asks for him and wants to watch home movies with Sam in them.  It broke my heart but a couple weeks ago he was crying for him and he looked at me and said, Dada hold me."

That got Jane and she started to cry.

"Oh that's so sad!  Poor baby!"

"I know.  I wish he was still here.. They would have been so close!" Jessica starts to cry.

"It really is a shame.. But Sammy is watching over this little guy.. They'll always have a strong bond no matter what."

Jessica nods and wipes her cheeks.

"Dada!" Grayson smiles and points to the corner.

Jessica chuckles and says, "He does that a lot. 

Do you see dada, Grayson?" She smiles.

"Dada!" He giggles and eats his hands.

"Are you hungry?" Jessica laughs.

***

After she left her mother in laws, she went over to her parents house.

"So what's new baby?  You seem so happy." Albert says when he notices the constant smile on his daughters face.

"What do you mean?  I'm the same!" She giggles.

Jessica's phone goes off and her eyes light up.

*Hello beautiful!  How is your day going?*

Jessica's fingers quickly jumped all over the screen.

"Who's that?" Dorothy chuckles at Jessica texting so quickly.

"Why are you acting like I'm a kid?" She chuckles.

"Alright fine, don't tell us! 

.. Jessica, who are you texting?!"

"Okay! Fine! *Smiles* I met someone."

"You did?!  Awe Jessie!"

"His names Daniel, he's a single dad, widower, Michael's basketball coach and... Such an amazing man!" She smiles.

"Well Jessica, we're very happy for you!  When can we meet him?" Albert asks.

"Soon!  I'll talk to him!  Jane wants to meet him too.  I just left from there."

"How'd she take it?"

"Very well!  She was happy for me!"

"Oh really?  That's nice."

"Yeah.. Now the next ones I have to tell are the twins.  I'm so nervous!"

"Why?  They'll be so happy for you!"

"I don't know.."

"They will!"

"Maybe.."

***

Saturday.

"Hi my baby!  How are you?!" Jessica says to James.

"Good!  I can't wait to come home, I miss you guys."

"I know!  I miss you two like crazy!"

"How is everyone doing?"

"Great!  Are you and your brother okay?"

"Yeah, we're fine."

"How's Caroline?"

"Good!"

"You two aren't doing anything stupid, are you?"

"Besides spending our lives buried in books?  Nah!"

"Well that's what I like to hear!  Sam isn't getting into any trouble, is he?"

"No, he's too lazy for that."

"Hah!  Well I suppose that's good!"

"Yeah!  Hey mom, what's going on?  Your voice.. You seem so happy!"

"Well, I'm well!" Jessica giggles.

"Heh!  Well I'm glad!  I better go, but I'll call you tonight."

"Okay, baby!  Love you."

"Love you too, mom."

Jessica hangs up the phone and sighs.

"You okay?" Michael asks.

"Yeah.. I just miss them."

"They'll be home soon."

"I know.. I'm terrified!"

"Why?"

"Because I don't know how they'll react to Daniel."

"Oh yeah.."

"I'm more worried about Sam.. I'm not sure exactly how he'll take it."

"Well I'm sure everything will work out.  Don't worry about it."

"Yeah.. You're so smart." Jessica smiles and wraps her arm around Michael.

***

At the fair.

"Wanna try some of Mommy's food, Gray?"

"Mhm!" He says sucking his bottom lip.

Jessica giggles and gives him a little piece of her funnel cake.

"Mmm!" His eyes light up.

"You like that?" Daniel chuckles.

"Ah!" He opens his mouth and leans forward for Jessica to feed him more.

She laughs and gives him another piece.

"He's gonna be bouncing off the walls!" Danny says.

"Mhm!  My little happy feet!" Jessica tickles him.

Danny grabs a piece and sticks it in his mouth.

Jessica laughs and cleans the corner.

"You have powered auger on your little mouth!"

"Oops!  Thanks." He chuckles.

"So Danny, I was thinking maybe you could meet my parents and mother in law soon.." She smiles softly.

"Oh I'd love to!"

"Daniel?"

"Yeah?"

"Why don't you ever mention your family?"

*Sighs*

"Why don't I mention my family?"

"Yeah."

"Because.. Well my mother is sick.. I couldn't take seeing her that way, so I just stop seeing her all together."

"Oh Daniel, why did you do that?" Jessica says with disappointment.

"Because Jessica, that's not my mother!"

Jessica just looks at him and Daniel sighs and runs his hand through his hair.

"I'm sorry if that's a tough subject for you.."

"It's okay.. It's just.. She had a stroke and.. It's just been a long long recovery.  Longer than what they said it would be.  It's just hard to see someone that was once so strong.. Be so weak.  I know I'm a terrible son for leaving, but it's hard for me."

"No, you're not a terrible son!  Don't say that...

But Daniel, you don't think you should go see her?  I mean, after all she's done to help you and Zach?"

"Yeah.. I know I should, I just.. I can't."

"Alright.. Well I'll drop it.. I'm sorry for bringing it up."

"No, don't be sorry." He rubs her back and kisses her cheek.

"Mmm!" Grayson puckers his lips.

Jessica giggles and gives him a kiss.

***

One week later.

Grayson was with Jessica's parents, and Michael was with friends, so Danny and Jessica went out for dinner.

"You are so cuddly tonight!" Danny chuckles.

"Well I'm sorry." Jessica lets go of him, sits up, then pouts.

"Hey, I wasn't complaining! Get back over here!" He grabs her and pulls him to her making her laugh.

Jessica wraps her arms around him and lays her head in his chest.

"Can I try this?" She points to his food.

"Of course!"

Jessica tastes his food and says, "Mmm! Oh man, I should have gotten this!"

"It's good, isn't it?"

"Yeah, I'm gonna eat some more."

"Heh! You can have it."

"No, I can share." She looks up and feeds him.

"Thank you!" He laughs.

"You want another margarita, baby?" Danny asks waving the waiter down.

"Yeah sure, I'll take one more."

They bring their margaritas and they stay there a while longer talking.

Daniel pays the bill and they drive to Jessica's.

Jessica invites him in and they sit on the couch.

"Do you know how beautiful you are?"

"Stop." She smiles and covers her face.

"You are!  You're gorgeous."

"Alright, that's enough." Jessica laughs.

Daniel chuckles and just stares at her.

He was falling in love.  It had been such a short time, but Jessica drove him crazy.  She was so beautiful, kind, smart and funny.  To him, she was perfect.

Daniel wanted more than anything to just rip her clothes off and make hot passionate love to her, but he didn't want to push Jessica into anything she wasn't ready for.

Jessica wanted the same, but it's been so long since her first time, that she was so nervous and didn't exactly know what to do.

Daniel moved close to her and took her in his arms.

Their lips met and they shared a passionate kiss.

Jessica climbed on top of him and Danny wrapped his arms around her body.

Their eyes were shut tight as their tongues danced together.

Danny lowered his hands down her beautiful curves, then slid them into her shirt on her warm bare skin.

Jessica let out a moan from his warmth.

He worked his hands up to her bra and started to unhook it when Jessica quickly pulled away from the kiss.

"What's wrong?"

"I-I.. *Sighs* I don't know.." Jessica nods.

Her eyes fill with tears and she moves off of him.

"It's okay, Jess... I'm sorry."

"No!  No, don't apologize.  It's me.. I'm sorry.."

"Jessica don't say sorry.  It takes time."

"Daniel, you're such a great guy.. and I want to be with you.. I don't know, maybe it's because I'm in our house that we bought together and raised our boys in... I just feel like I'm cheating on him."

"Jessica, it's okay.  You can take all the time you need.  I understand that it's hard, I do.. I understand.." He says in a shaky voice as he places his hand on her shoulder.

Jessica looks into his eyes with a sad expression.

"I'm so sorry."

"Don't be."

Jessica breaks and bursts into tears.

Daniel moves closer to her and holds her in his arms.

***

What do you guys want to happen?