Donna sniffled a bit. "Let's just agree this isn't such a great situation."

                           "That's fair," said Robert, not looking her in the eye.

                           "But Robert, we made a promise. There's no turning back on that. It wouldn't be right." Robert nodded.

                           "You're right, it's not about us, it's about them. We want what's best for them, and this is what's best." He rationalized.

                           "Exactly." She said, still sniffling. "I think we should just get them out of their childhood and then whatever happens between us, happens. Until then, we just bury everything we're feeling. It's nobody else's fault it had to be this way."

                          "Yeah," said Robert, leaning over and brushing a stray tear from her cheek. "I'm sorry I brought you into this with me."

                         "No, don't do that. I knew as well as you did what had to be done when they were at the door."

                         He knew he should be comforting his future wife, but what could he say? He'd been reason she was in this situation to begin with. At that moment, the back door opened, and Bill's voice came calling.

                       "When you two are done with the herding, come inside! Steve's on his way!"

                       "We'll be right there, Dad!" Called Donna, disguising the sadness in her voice. When the door shut again, she turned to Robert. "Are you ready?"

                      He wasn't sure if she meant ready to herd, or ready to get on with their lives, but either way, his answer was the same. "Yeah." He said.

                      About fifteen minutes into herding the cows, a long black car appeared on the road in front of the house. Donna watched, as it cruised into the driveway beside Robert's truck. It was a bittersweet moment. Here comes the officiant of their wedding. The man who was inadvertently coming to end their childhood. "Robert!" She called.

                      "Yeah?" "Steve's here." She said, pointing to the car.

                      "Okay then, let's uh, get the cows back and then we'll go in." He said, his heart fluttering. She was right. They couldn't turn back now.

                       Once the cows had been herded back into their barn and the horses to theirs, Robert once again grabbed Donna's hand. Together, the two approached the house, and entered through the back door.

                      Steve had been seated on the couch in between Mark and Delilah, talking to them about what his role was in weddings, when they entered.

                    "Donna! My goodness, you've grown! The last time I saw you, you had braces and you were so small!" He exclaimed, going in for a hug.

                   "And I believe this is the famous Robert." He said, shaking Robert's hand.

                   "Hi Sir, I don't believe we've met." Said Robert. "Well it sure is nice to meet you, Robert." said Steve.

                   "Likewise, sir." said Robert.

                    Donna and Robert sat on the couch adjacent to the one where Steve was seated. "Okay, so how did you guys meet?"

                    "Donna and I met in high school. We were in ninth grade together, and we shared a Math class." said Robert.

                   "Okay. Donna, what made you know that Robert was the one?"

                   Donna looked at Robert, and then at Steve. She'd had no intention of telling the truth to her father's friend. "Well, let's just say we had a common goal. We both wanted to raise children, and have a home together."

                    "I love to hear that." said Steve, smiling. "And what values are important to both of you in this marriage?"

                    "I would say, unending loyalty, and a true partnership were what I set out to find. And I found them in Donna." said Robert, making the corners of her lips curl up in a half-hearted smile.

                     "Awesome." said Steve. "Now I have some questions regarding the ceremony. First, do you know where you want to have it?"

                    "Out there in the yard." said Robert, pointing to the window that overlooked the yard.

                   "Farm wedding, nice. Will there be any vows written?"

                   Donna shook her head. "No. A tried and true ceremony is good enough for us." She said. She looked down at her hands. Goodbye dream wedding. She thought. Nothing but two kids and the bare necessities for them..

                   "Um, what would it cost for us to have you do the ceremony here?" Asked Robert.

                   "Come on, this is Bill's daughter here. I'm not gonna charge you." Steve said, laughing heartily. "Do you two have your license already?"

                    "Yes Steve, we got it today." said Donna, a touch of disappointment in her voice.

                     "And lastly, I just need the date. When will you two be looking to enter Matrimony?" Donna and Robert glanced at each other. It was the one thing they hadn't thought of, but there wasn't a lot of wiggle room. The clerk had said their license only had ten days on it, and they still didn't know when CPS would be coming back. "Robert?" prompted Donna.

                     He cleared his throat. "Five days."

                     Steve's eyes widened and so did his grin. "Whoa! Can't wait to be together, huh? Well, that's alright. You wanna be married in five days, I'm there. Congratulations." He shook both of their hands. And like that, another piece of Robert and Donna died.