Following an awkward indoor husband/wife dance while Beau played something that sounded an awful lot like One Day At Christmas on the piano, the wedding party had all gathered at a plastic fold-up table in the yard while Bill cooked hot dogs on the grill.

                                             Seated beside Donna, Delilah tapped her shoulder. "Does this mean you're our mom now?" She asked.

                                             "No sweetheart, I could never replace your Mom. But I am your sister now, and I'll always be here to protect you." Donna replied with a smile.

                                             "I always wanted a sister," said Delilah with a giggle. In the meantime, Steve had stood up and grabbed his coke can from the table.

                                             "I'd like to make a toast. To Robert and Donna Hess," He began.

                                             "Beaumont-Hess," corrected Robert politely.

                                            Steve began again. "To Robert and Donna Beaumont-Hess, we wish them many years of love, and happiness." He said, to which all the others stood up and raised their cans. If only they knew, thought Donna.

                                            When the newlyweds were back home for the night, Robert and Donna retreated to their bedroom. They both knew what they had to do to legally validate their marriage, but neither one was sure they could do it.

                                            It was a little hard to try and make love to validate your marriage to someone you'd never intended to marry. Donna looked at Robert, and then climbed up in the bed, her dress still on. She laid against the pillows, arms at her sides. She'd held an expecting gaze, waiting for Robert to come join her.

                                            Robert licked his bone-dry lips and shook the tremors out of his hands. He took his shoes off and got in bed beside her. Donna watched with a little bit of reluctance as Robert removed his coat and belt. He got to work untucking and unbuttoning his shirt. Donna kicked off her shoes and began to pull her dress over her head.

                                             His heart pounding, Robert climbed up over Donna, and kissed her lips, almost seeking permission for what they were about to do. The couple laid there, Donna in her bra and underwear and Robert in his boxers. She reached behind her and unhooked her bra, discarding it on the floor. How strange, thought Robert. Just a short while ago, he'd been averting his eyes as she got dressed in her bedroom, and here he was, clinging to her warm, half-naked body, trying to be intimate with her.

                                            "Just do it, Robert. It's not valid until you do," She whispered in a strained voice that almost sounded like she was going to cry. Robert pulled his boxers down and tossed them into the pile of clothes that had accumulated beside the bed. Donna squeezed her eyes shut and swallowed her pride and reluctance, doing the same with her underwear. Robert braced his hands on her shoulders, and entered his young wife's form, feeling guilt, shame, and fear all the while.