Donna and Robert both stared at each other quietly for a moment. They both knew why her ring was off.

                                  "I read that you should clean your wedding ring right after the wedding." She explained, making no attempt to retrieve it.

                                   "That's a good idea." He said stoically. In that moment, he knew he failed her. When they were together, he'd gone out of his way to not clip her wings or hold her back in any way, and yet that's exactly what he was doing this time around.

                                    Donna came up to the counter and picked it up. "But it's-it's clean enough now. I'm not gonna take it off anymore, see?" She said, holding up her hand and slipping it back on, trying to reassure him.

                                    "You know, it's okay if you need to...take it off every now and then." said Robert.

                                    "No, no. That's not gonna happen anymore. Only needs cleaning once. Um, are you ready to change our names today?" She asked, hoping to change the subject.

                                   "Of course, did you find out how?"

                                   "Yeah we just need to file some papers, and then we get a hearing. If we go before they get too busy, we might get a hearing today." She said. They'd survived a hectic engagement, a quickie wedding, and a emotionally painful and forced consummation. Now she would wear his name and he would wear hers. Just two teenagers trying to create a stable, child-raising home together.

                                    The kids came down the stairs, remnants of sleep still evident in their faces. "There's toast for you guys." said Robert when he saw them. Mark and Delilah came to the table and climbed up into the chairs.

                                    "So kids, you must be pretty excited." said Donna, sitting in one of the empty chairs.

                                    "Why?" Asked Mark, wide-eyed and chewing on a piece of toast.

                                     "Today is the day I get to have your brother's last name and he gets to have mine." She said. Mark gasped excitedly, and covered his mouth with his hand.

                                     "Why do people change last names, Donna?" Asked Delilah.

                                     "Well, it's just something that husbands and wives do. Sometimes it's to show their respect and love for each other, and sometimes it's to show that they'll stand together no matter what." Donna explained.

                                     "Do you love Robert?" Asked Delilah, grinning slyly.

                                      Donna met Robert's eyes across the kitchen. "Of course I do," She said, still looking at him.