Part Eight

Without opening his eyes Matthew Giles lay there listening to the noises, categorizing them into their sources. The creak of the of the house as it settled another fraction; the swoosh of the wind through the pine in the side yard as it convoyed spatters of November rain against the side of their house; the rattle of the bathroom window in its casing. A faraway muffled blast of a semi's air horn out on the interstate that told him the wind was out of the Northwest. Nothing out of the ordinary, status clear. He burrowed his face into the pillows to shut out the cold, damp sounds as he snuggled a little closer to Karen and pulled the blanket up a little tighter. "Gotta get those storm windows in."

With a click and a rumble the furnace kicked on jogging his memory regarding another chore. "And get to the hardware store for those filters." Matt turned his head to look at the bedside clock. "Ten after.... might as well get up." He slid out of bed and grabbed his jeans from the floor. With a yawn he reset the clock from 5:30 to 6:15 and quietly slipped out of the bedroom following the Siren's call to the coffee pot.

He leaned on his elbows and gave the stone cold coffee maker a deadly look. "Now what the hell is matter with you?" He asked the balking appliance while giving the on/off switch several clicks. "You're suppose to kick on at 5:00... ah shit.... come on..." Turning his attention to the timer he flicked it off and tried again. "Great.. you piece of crap... don't you start in on me or I'll use you for crossbow practice." The coffee maker began to hiss as it finally decided to brew. Matt curled his lip into a annoyed smile. "Threaten it... so that's the ticket. But you're still outta here. We're too far out of town for you to torch this place." He yawned again and rummaged around for a pen to add the note "buy new coffee maker" to the "to do" list.

"This week's gonna be a hell ride, gettin' all this crap done before we head North." He groused outloud he made his memorandum on the bottom of the overloaded calendar. "Today, I gotta get Karen to school by 9:00; be over at the adult education place at 10:30; get her to the doc at 14:00; then hell and gone back to the campus..." He puffed his cheeks and blew out a long exhale. "Gotta get that hose to fix her car, maybe I can drop her off at the grocery and go get that done while she's buying the grub." With a final glance at the coffee maker he went in to take a fast shower and get ready for another long day.

Still clad only in his jeans with a towel slung over his shoulder he spit a curse or two at the coffee maker before snatching the plug from the wall. Matt held up the pot and eyed the bare inch of weak, cold brew in the carafe. "Well, I get one halfassed cup... guess that's just gonna have to do." He filled his cup and tossed it into the microwave. "Karen will want some tea." He mumbled to himself as he filled the teapot, sat it on the stove and jacked the burner up on high.

The phone rang. Matt startled at the sound of an early morning call and raced into the living room to answer it before it woke Karen.

"Good Morning! I saw your lights on."

Matt rolled his eyes at the sound of landlady number one's voice. "Mornin' Ma'am."

"Jane and I were talking last night and we decided to sell the house and move to Tennessee, down to where her son Gene lives."

Matt grimaced as the prospect of losing his residence of the past four years reared its ugly head. "You're selling out... completely?"

"And we want you and Karen to have first shot at it." Betty paused for a moment. "All sixteen acres, the outbuildings and both houses for two-hundred and twenty-five. What do you think?"

"I... I..."

"Oh we know you'll have to talk it over with Karen, but can you let us know this evening if you're interested?"

"Yes Ma'am... we can do that."

The teakettle began to whistle causing Matt to hustle back into the kitchen to pull it off to the burner.

"How is Karen? We saw her yesterday and she looked a little pale. She said you were taking her to the doctor this afternoon."

"Yes Ma'am..." Matt jammed the phone between shoulder and ear to free up his hands while he rummaged around for a hotpad. "...she's had that morning sick thing real bad for the past week or so."

Betty made a "tisk-tisk" expression of empathy. "That's a shame, but it happens. When Jane was expecting Gene she was awful sick the whole time. But she had three other little ones to take care of and Bobby was over in Korea..."

Matt rolled his eyes as Betty launched into one of her stories. He knew there was no use in trying to say another word until he heard her usual sign off.

"Well, I know you're busy so I'll let you go."

"Yes Ma'am... I'll get back to you about what you said. Bye."

He disconnected and laid the phone on the kitchen counter. "Buy this place?" He stood and stared at his reflection in the window. "Kid... wife... house..." His voice faded out and he decided to take his coffee and go back to bed until the alarm officially started the day.

Matt slid back under the covers and propped himself up on one elbow to watch Karen sleep. This had become a standard operating procedure lately as his mind sorted out the events of the past twelve days. It had all come so fast and furious that, despite his facade of bravado, he was fast approaching "overwhelmed" by the combo hits of baby, wedding, school, her Old Man, house. Matt took a sip of his coffee and whispered the latest addition to his plate. "House... thanks Betty."

"Hummm?"

"Hey Babe. Didn't mean to wake you up. It's only 6:00. You got another 15 before the alarm goes off."

Karen snuggled her head into her pillow. "I was awake.... almost." She opened one eye. "Ick... that coffee stinks."

Matt took a final sip and put the offending brew on the floor. "Guess I'll have to drink my coffee on the back porch for the next seven and a half months."

Her head went back into the pillow. "I'm sorry. Anymore coffee just... stinks."

"I made you some more of your breakfast ice tea." He swung his feet out of bed. "I'll get you some. You want any toast, or crackers or anything?"

She curled a lip at the thought of eating. "Unt-uh."

"Are you sure? I'll get you..."

"Naa... just the tea, with a lot of sugar and one drop of that orange extract."

"How 'bout some orange juice? You should eat something with vitamins or something." Matt suggested hopefully.

"Ick."

"You sure Babe? I can run into town and get you something."

"Just the tea, Hon."

Matt sat there for a second then shrugged his shoulders at the unfathomable mystery of a pregnant woman. Since they had returned from Vermont all she had wanted was doctored up, super sweet ice tea; tomato soup and Taco Bell and it had him worried. With a small shake of his head he gave up, retrieved his cup and went into the kitchen to make her concoction. As he rummaged around for the extract his eyes went to the calendar hanging beside the cabinets, his attention focusing on the countdown until the wedding. "Eighteen more days, and counting 'till D-day." He thought to himself as he fiddled with the tiny bottle. "We better get up there a day early maybe Monday instead of Tuesday. Couldn't hurt..." Giving the calendar a second look he felt a knot from in his stomach. "Monday the eighth.... November eighth." He drew in a long breath and leaned up on the counter. "That would have been me and Deb's fifth anniversary." Unconsciously he fingered the Blanchard cross which hung around his neck running a finger down the chain until he felt a pang at the absence of his first wedding ring.

With a grunt he banished the memory and gave himself a mental slap for even going there. "Nothing's forever... like your Old Man said - 'get over it'."

"Hon?" Karen called from the bedroom.

"Yeah Babe... I'm coming." Matt answered as he quickly made her tea and brought it to her. "Here 'ya go, and I threw some bread in the toaster."

She smiled her thanks and patted the bed for him to lay back down beside her before taking a small sip of tea

Matt lumped his pillows into a backrest and leaned back against the headboard. After a moment he half turned to Karen and made a funny "cluck" noise.

Karen arched an eyebrow at the sound. They had been together long enough that she knew that noise preceded something that bothered him.

"Ah... Betty called this morning."

Despite her queasy stomach, Karen giggled at the mention of the elder of the two widowed sisters. "She was probably sitting there, laying in wait for a light to come on out here."

With a wicked grin Matt launched into the theme from "Jaws" as he worked a hand under the covers and walked his fingers up her leg. "Dum dum.... dum dum... dum... dum dum dum...." He leaned sideways until he was laying close beside her. "Gotcha Babe, give the shark a kiss."

She turned her head. "Not until Mrs. Shark is sure she can keep this tea down. So what did Betty want?"

Matt sat back up. "She and Jane wants to sell us this place and move down to Tennessee close to where Jane's son lives. Not just this house, but the main house, the barns all the land... the whole nine yards for two-twenty-five."

Karen sat straight up and thought about it. "That's a good price."

"Babe! That's a quarter of a million!" Matt shook his head at the amount and went to a disjointed stutter. "Jesus.... how.... no... we just can't..."

"The Alliance helps with financing. You know that." Karen countered. "And we could stay out here in the little house and rent the big one for about $800 a month. Realistically we could pay it off in about ten years with renting one house and both of us working."

Matt did not stop shaking his head. "There's barely enough room out here for the two of us. And what if the work dries up and we can't pay? What if something happens with you or the baby? What if I get vamped? What if..."

She reached over and put two fingers across his mouth to quiet him. "Then we'll take the big house; I'll become an exotic dancer for a grand a night; baby and I will be fine; I'll stake you and go marry one of those tall, dark and handsome López studs."

With a dark pout that was only half in jest Matt asked. "Which one?"

"Hummm... I don't know. How about Roberto?"

"Ha... ha... glad to know you already got the next batter on deck. But he'll just keep you barefoot and pregnant."

Karen snickered and pulled back the covers to expose her bare feet. "And how is that different than right now?"

"It just is." Matt grumbled.

"Okay not Roberto, hummm... how about T.John?"

"That's even worse. Unless you want to spend the rest of your life cleaning catfish." Matt snotted with a roll of the eyes.

"Xander? He's cute."

"Now you're robbing the cradle!"

Karen put her tea on the nightstand. "Well, you know what they say: 'get 'em when they're young and train 'em."

"Too late. He's taken."

"Oh darn..." Karen said with a theatrical sign. "...so who beat me to the punch?"

"I don't think there's been any 'punch' yet, but he and Caroline have been makin' time with each other since he got to Sam's. So if you want the rookie as my replacement you'll have to wrestle Caroline for him." Matt added a wicked laugh as he slid over to put his arm around her. "But you better do it fast 'cause when Sam finds out about this old 'California Kid' is dead meat."

"Pass. Those Landry girls have catahoula backup." Her voice went to a purr as she snuggled close and ran a finger down his bare chest. "And if Sam's going to serve Xander up as gumbo, guess I'll have to make do with you."

He leaned over and began to nuzzle her neck. "Yeah, Babe... you're stuck with me."

"Like glue..." She murmured as he started a line of kisses downward toward her breasts. "...forever."

Matt drew in a sharp breath. "Don't say 'forever' Babe." He raised his head and stroked her cheek. "I don't want to jinx us."

"Hee-YA! Dog! Take him!" Xander unsnapped the lead from Buffy's collar and swung his arm toward the dummy which whizzed toward them along an overhead wire. The catahoula raced forward then feigned off to the side, coming around to clamp her jaws into the back of the counterfeit vamp's leg. "All right! Good dog!" Harris shouted with a jab of his fist into the air. "Good Buffy! Now l'terrain!"

The catahoula braced all four feet into the dirt floor of the barn and began to literally shake the stuffing out of the dummy.

"L'terrain!" Xander repeated the command. "L'terrain... ah, let go... lay down!"

With a giggle Caroline Landry observed. "She got a good bite but bullheaded."

"That's why I named her Buffy!" Xander said while joining in with her laugher as he went over to the dog and began to rub the catahoula under its jaw. "Come on girl... l'terrain." The catahoula released her hold and finally laid down still eyeing the training dummy for any sign of threat. Harris knelt down beside the animal and scratched her behind the ears while muttering praise.

Caroline hit the rewind switch to send the mannequin creaking back to its perch in the loft. "Still don t'ink dat 'Buffy' is a bon name for a catahoula."

"Jealous?" Xander asked with a grin as Caroline tried her best to look annoyed. "So are you?" He egged on as he came over to her.

"I'm not worried." She answered while taking a quick glance around. " 'Cause I got you... beaucoup."

After giving the barn his own scan for anyone else Xander wrapped his arms around her. "Got me good, huh?" He arched an eyebrow in an exaggerated fashion. "I'll have to think about that....." One second later his 'thinking' was complete. "...yeah, you got me! So reel me in."

"Yous talk too much." She murmured as she pressed up against him.

He lowered his head for a kiss. "Then, no talking." Xander said softly in kind as he drew her closer. As their lips met he felt a tingle course through him which heightened to a delightful shiver as their tongues explored and teased. Caroline pulled away form the kiss a bare inch while reaching up and stroking the side of his face. "Dat tickles." She told him as her finger delightfully traced the outline of his goatee. "Yous go up da bayou to Kansas City for two weeks and come back to me growing dat t'ing all over you face."

Xander caught her hand in his and drew it to his lips, giving each of her fingertips a nibbling kiss. "Do you want me to shave it off?"

"A non amour..." She answered, her Cajun patios giving the words the cadence an exotic song. "...it makes vous look juste, like a mal hunter."

"I am a hunter. Mike Blanchard called me a....." He paused as his brain cranked away at finding the line that had accompanied the slap on the back given on the occasion of his first Alliance staking. "Ah.. a 'maitre 'a la chasse'." He cocked his head to one side. "That was good, huh?"

"Yes, yes... 'master of da hunt'. Now no one will want to mess with you..." She paused for a second for effect. "...except moi." With a second look around she added in a hushed voice. "You knows... I t'ink everyone is gone for da afternoon."

Xander's eyes lit up at the broad hint. They had been "seeing" each other since that first week in the form of clandestine rendezvous for a stolen kiss or a forbidden touch. And he knew he was playing with fire... one white hot fire in the form of Caroline. Oh God! How he ached to have her but this ache was offset by his apprehension of facing her father for Sam had warned him in no uncertain terms in the very beginning that he would not tolerate any improper advances toward his daughters.

But right now Xander didn't care, he did not even think about it. Not at all covertly he gazed out the wide open barn doors to double check which vehicles, and by the power of elimination, which family members were home or gone. The recent absence of both her father's truck and her older sister's car meant they were both off somewhere; it was almost one o'clock so her Mom was sure to be parked in front of the TV for her soap opera; Greg Blanchard's truck was there, but it was a given that he had left with Joan. Emboldened, he decided to raise the stakes. "Want to... go check the supplies in the storeroom?"

Even though she knew what he meant she still asked. "Da supplies?"

"Yeah..." Xander cleared his throat, steadied himself and went for broke. "Like... ah, we can lay the sleeping bags out on the floor to count them."

She lightly moistened her upper lip with the tip of her tongue and answered him with a kiss that made his knees feel weak.

With a heady combination of reluctance and anticipation Xander pulled away from the embrace and fumbled for the keys to the windowless, cement block outbuilding which held both the Alliance field office and the storeroom for hunting supplies. Caroline called Buffy over and snapped the lead back on the catahoula's collar. She paused for a moment and considered putting the dog back into its' run, but decided that they would just confine her in the office part of the building while they "checked supplies".

Arm in arm and as nonchalantly as possible they strolled over to the outbuilding. As Xander unlocked the door Caroline pressed up behind him and placed her hands lightly on his hip bones then drew them upward along the line of his shirt buttons until she reached the top one.

Xander nearly dropped the keys as he felt her start to unbutton his shirt. But what caused him to forget to breath was the simple question whispered into his ear. "Are we goin' to make love?"

"I-if you want to, I've got... I bought one... at a truck stop... I have a... in my wallet." He stuttered while pushing the door open. She slowly withdrew her hands and went into the office. Xander gulped and mouthed a silent "wow" as he cast one last glance around and followed relocking the door behind them. "Carol... I have one because the first time... ah I mean the last time... which was also the first time..." His cheeks reddened as he sidestepped around her to go unlock the storeroom door. "...then I didn't have one, because I never thought I would need one... but I was a Boy Scout and you know what they say in the Scouts."

Caroline felt herself blush. "What do dey say?"

"Be prepared." Xander said a little to loudly as he swung the second door open. "And I wanted to be prepared because." He stopped mid-sentence, overwhelmed at what was about to happen. "Because, Carol... I love you. I've loved you since I got her and making love to you has been such a dream and I could only hope for it."

She took his hand. "I love you, Xander and I want you to be da one."

Something clicked in Xander's mind. "The one? You've never..."

Caroline shook her head. "No... I have done somet'ings with a man. Mais non... never have made true love."

Xander raised her hand to his lips and kissed it before backing through the doorway, guiding her into the back room and to what he knew was going to be a joy.

******

"Halo statue Matt... Sam. For da wedding present, Joellen an I want to fly yous Pere and da others from Sunnydale to Rutland and den back. I will pilot and find da co.. a yes, maybe Michael or Renee. Mais.. you call me back. Adieu."

"Answering machine." He mumbled as he hung up the phone. "Dat rodeč never be home."

"A no, but dey are probably busy." Joellen Landry answered without turning around. Oh.. did Joan and Gregory leave yet?"

Samuel Landry stubbed out his cigar and pulled the curtain back to double check. "I t'ink dey left 'bout 15 ago. Takin' it to LeRoi Tire, at Pointe a Saussis. Yes.... dey... be... gon...." His voice faded out as he caught sight of Caroline going into the office and Xander doing a conspicuous scan of the area before following her inside.

" 'Bout temp you got tires on dat t'ing." Joellen said as she poured a half cup of coffee from the percolator. With a nod of approval at the "so black it reflected purple" color in the cup she went to the stove and poured in an equal amount of warm milk. "Yous want a cafe noir before I go TV watch?" She asked as she pulled a small cup from the cupboard for her husband's usual afternoon hit of strong, black coffee. "No."

Joellen came over to Sam's side and peered out the window. "Wat you lookin' at, hein?"

"A serpent d'eau." Sam muttered as he turned on his heel and headed for the office.

******

Xander inhaled with a quivering hiss as he pushed Caroline's blouse from her shoulders the action coming in the same racing heartbeat as her hand cupped around the jeans clad bulge of his erection. She paused to wiggle out of the blouse, giving it a nonspecific fling across the room. Harris pulled his half unbuttoned shirt off over his head and followed suit before locking her into his arms to take them both downward to the hastily made pallet of sleeping bags on the floor. "I love you..." He whispered as he lay down on top of her. "Love you... love you... love you.." The declaration repeated over and over interspersed with hot kisses on her lips, her neck and her breasts. With a groan he raised up onto his knees to better take in the sight that lay before him. The curve of her breasts spilling out of the top of her bra; the movement of her tongue across her lips as she concentrated on undoing his belt buckle....

....the pure panic that appeared a split second before her blouse arced across the room and landed on her shoulder, both of which were punctuated by Sam Landry's command for them to stop. " 'A CA OUI!"

The only thought that flashed into Xander's mind was a odd bit of gallows humor. "I have just pissed off a man who owns five square miles of bottomless bayou... so they're never going to find my body!" Their hands and arms collided as she tried to put her top back on as he simultaneously tried to cover her with the edges of the sleeping bag, all the while his mouth began to speak with out any input from the brain. "Ah... Sam... hi Boss... you're back... ah... ah.. I was done training and...." With a backward glance he noted that Landry had turned his back on them, but seemed to now be contemplating the row of crossbows and swords which hung on the wall. "Ah... Sam? Sam?"

"Dat now be 'Sir' to you Monsieur Harris. And both of yous get dressed." Sam shot back with a growl.

"Pere...." Caroline began.

"Maison." Sam ordered.

She finished buttoning her blouse. "Pere... I can explain..."

Sam whirled around and pointed toward the house! "Maison fillette! Now!"

"I am not a little girl dat you can send to her room!"

Though still struggling to slip his shirt back on Xander stumbled between the two. "Saa.. Sir. This is my fault. All my fault, don't get pissed at Caroline." He swallowed hard and raised both hands in a "calm down" motion. "Carol... why don't you... ah, go put Buffy back into her run and we'll all go up to the house have some of that sliceable coffee and talk this over."

Caroline's eyes darted back and forth between her father's stone mask and her beau's 'possum in the headlights' expression. "Yes amoureaux." She said then defiantly stepped forward, planted a kiss on Xander lips and left the room.

Sam watched her scoop up Buffy's lead, kick the outer door open and turn toward the kennels instead of the house. "Mais Monsieur Harris, I see she has chosen you word over da word of da one who gave her life."

Xander tensed and waited for Sam to start swinging but the older man just walked out of the storage area and stood in the middle of the office. "How long has dis been goin' on?"

"We're both over eighteen. Caroline's going to be nineteen in a couple of months..."

Slowly Sam turned. His eyes turning to the color of a stormcloud. "I din' ax you dat! I din' ax you da years! I ax you for long have you bin laying my daughter down?!"

"I haven't... we haven't made love. We've been sneaking off to... to kiss and be together." Xander answered with a voice that was unfortunately an octave too high. He took a hesitant step toward Sam. "You've got to try and understand! Sir... we love each other."

"Try ta... understand?" Sam said through clenched teeth. He made a fist and smacked it into his opposite palm with a crack.

Xander took a step back.

"I understand love." Sam began as the anger seemed to drain from his face leaving him looking strangely disconsolate. "Understand it better than you. What I do not understand is the disrespect you have shown to ma Faith, ma daughter and ma home. You have disappointed moi, Monsieur Harris."

The words hit and twisted into him it such a way that Xander wished Sam had merely beat the hell out of him. He bowed his head and soundlessly tried to force words from his arid throat.

"You say dat you love her! Mais I don see dat! Love is a fierce t'ing. It shines like da sun, but yous 'sneak about like you be ashamed? It protects, but you take her to a zeerahb, dirty storeroom to lay her down? Love is not just sex, it is a treasure yous must pay for with you soul and heart and bein'!" Sam caught Xander's eye and shot him a look that left the young man with a feeling that he was standing before the hanging judge. "Do you hear me, hein?"

"Yes Sir." Xander shut his eyes for a moment and cleared his thoughts. "I'm sorry I dissed... I showed you disrespect and didn't do the right thing. And I want to do it right so I really am sorry."

Sam's voice became hard again. "Why in da hell should I believe yous?"

"Because, Sir... If you don't think I can do right, I'll leave..." Xander stopped to clear the catch in his throat. "...no problem. I'll go back to Sunnydale."

"So you run..."

In an instant Xander's temper ignited like it never had before. "I'm not running away!" He shouted while slamming a fist down on the desk. "I'd be leaving! Leaving 'cause I do love her... love her in that 'fierce' way you said and there's no way in hell I could hang around here and not be with her!" But who am I kidding? I can't leave her, no way Jose!" With a fling of his hands he took a few paces back and forth coming to a stop directly in front of Sam. "So I guess there's only one thing to do. Mr. Samuel Landry, Sir! May I please keep on seeing Caroline?"

Sam took out a cigar and lit it. "You axing for my permission or my blessing?"

"Both, Sir"

Landry looked at Xander with the same calculating expression that he assumed when assessing the attributes of a catahoula pup. "I give you both."

"Thank you Sir! You won't...."

"With da same warning I gave Roger, Johnny, Lee, Greg and da same one I'm goan' tell Keith." Sam interrupted with a hard jab of the finger toward Harris. "Dass, you love her, protect her and be good to her or I goan' turn you into a tas o' cocodrie bait. Understand?"

"Yes SIR!"

"Soit!" Landry gave a slight nod, turned on his heel and left without another word. Xander blinked a couple of times and watched him go back to the house. "Thanks Sam." He whispered as he tried to fathom what had just happened. He considered the company he had been put with: Roger, Lee, Johnny, Greg, Keith - all Sam's current, future and probable sons-in-law. Xander thought for a moment and decided that it did not bother him a bit.

******

"Go to him."

At the sound of her father's words Caroline swept past him and rushed out of the kitchen. Sam shut the door and looked over at Joellen who sat at the table with her chin resting on clasped hands. He gave his head a small shake and sat down to watch out the window as Caroline literally jumped into Xander's arms. "I will take dat cafe noir now."

Joellen patted his hand. "Don worry. Dey love each other." She sighed and got up to get his coffee. "Dey have joie de vivre!"

Sam made a low 'hrummp' noise. "Yes, yes. Dey have da 'joy' and da 'life'. But da don put a roof over da head or food on da table. Dey are too young."

"Caroline be almost nineteen." Joellen countered. "Remember, when I was dat age we had been married two and half years with two beebes and Xander, he will be a bon hunter and provide."

"Dis be different."

Joellen sighed as she poured his coffee. Bringing it over she leaned over his shoulder to sit it in front of him. "Comment ca va?"

"Be better in a minute." He answered as he leaned forward to rest his forehead on his clasped hands to sort out his thoughts in silence.

With a knowing smile she began to rub his shoulders. Joellen knew better than anyone it was the fact he saw so much evil while on the job that made him so overprotective; made it so painful for him to let go; broke his heart each time one of the girls turned that first time to the protection and love of their chosen one. She worked her fingers into the tense muscles of his neck and nodded to herself as they began to slowly loosen.

Sam leaned back into his chair, allowing her touch to soothe him as he reflected on their daughters. "Anna, Marie and Lillian are married. Joan promised to Greg and I know dat Francine will promise to Keith nex summer right out of school."

"Francine and Keith have been sweet on each since da second grade." Joellen said in a low voice. "And now Caroline is sweet on Xander. You know what she said? She said dat it was love at first sight for both, but dey were afraid to tell you."

"Afraid of moi?"

Joellen tapped him on the top of the head. "Mais oui. Maybe Caroline told him 'bout you setting da catahoulas on her last beau?"

"Dat mal peeshwank was lucky I din do more." Sam huffed.

"A Yes, but dis Xander.. he is a bon homme."

"I know dat. But..." Sam admitted then he fell silent for a few seconds and sighed. "... but it is just dat now our fillettes are grown, we are getting old, soon it will just be us here alone, ma chere."

Joellen traced her finger along the streaks of gray that highlighted Sam's temples. "A yes... 'you' are getting old. Yi-yi-yi.... what am I gon to do here alone with dis old man?"

"So you don want to be alone with dis old man?" Sam questioned with mock concern. Then with a crafty chuckle he reached up and drew Joellen's hands down crossing them over his chest so her chin rested on his shoulder. Turning his head he planted a quick kiss on her cheek. "But... eah... we could always make some more beebes, fill da maison back up mais oui?"

"Mais mon homme..." Joellen began then stopped to lean closer to give him a return kiss before whispering into his ear. "...fine with me, if yous remember what I said after Francine was born: 'I carry da first six, you carry da nex six'."

"Ha!" He said with an exaggerated toss of his hands. "Guess we just gon' have ta wait for grandbeebes."

Joellen glanced out the window at Xander and Caroline walking hand in hand toward the catahoula runs. "Yes, yes a maison full."