Moments later, Jeff turned the heater on. "You can certainly tell we are no longer in sunny Florida."

"I figured you would have turned on the heat when we crossed near the Blue Ridge Mountains."

"Nobody mentioned they were cold."

"Come on, Dad, didn't you see the icicles hanging from my ears and nose." It was Virginia speaking.

"I see you are back with the living," I said, smiling.

"Do you think Daddy could pull over at a gas station before we reach Grandmother's?"

"I thought you could hold it," Jeff mentioned.

"Daddy?" Virginia moaned in her little whine.

"Don't panic. I feel like I'm carrying a water bag myself. The first station I see, I'll pull over."

"Let's just hope it's not miles down the highway," Virginia giggled. "I don't think I can wait too many miles."

I listened to the two of them and couldn't help but feel the love that was blanketed inside the car. It was nice being with my family. I was sure the car ride hadn't been that enjoyable for everyone not able to really move about, but at least we were together in one place. With Jeff working long hours, not to mention my job, plus house chores, I'm surprised we all had the free time to take off. It seemed like Christmas was the only time any of us were able to have that complete closeness with each other. Whatever Mother had to tell us, I was just glad I had this time to be with my family.

Virginia was the first to make a dash for the bathroom.

Annie went next, then me. Of course Annie had to go back in to recheck her makeup, not to mention her hair. Still at seventeen, when it came to her hair, everything had to be right. There had been a lot of times she had hogged the mirror to adjust her appearance.

In a way, I was glad Virginia wasn't like that. She had only recently turned fifteen, but she didn't go in for excess glamour or trying to worry so much about the latest fashion trends. Virginia was the type that cared for her appearance, but hers was more or less the cut loose and go.

Jeff was standing with hands on his hips when we approached the Camry. "What, did we take too long?" I inquired with a smile.

"I guess not. But I really need to go. One of us had to stay behind and fill the tank. Besides, I wanted to make sure my lovely ladies were safe and inside the vehicle before I took my turn. Be right back." he said, making a mad dash for the restrooms.

"Daddy is always such a nut," Annie mentioned. "That's what I love about him."

"I do, too, sweetheart," I expressed as we climbed in the vehicle and snapped the seatbelts. "Can't find too many men so laid back like him in this world anymore."

"That's why I'm going to take my time finding a man before I even think about marrying. After graduation next year, I plan to go into the nursing field. Maybe I'll find someone like Dad with all the people I come in contact with daily."

"Perhaps you will, dear. Your dad is truly one of a kind. And I am glad you chose the nursing field. I think that you are going to make a great nurse. You really care a lot about people. You and Virginia both."

"Do you think that is why Grandmother never remarried?" Virginia asked. "She never found anyone like Granddad."

I thought about that for a moment. I never remotely considered my mother marrying after Daddy died. Mothers just didn't do that. Didn't they stay faithful even after death? Yet many women and men married after the spouse was deceased. No, not my mother. She had always been devoted to Daddy that she would never even go that route. Nope, I never saw that happening.

"Well, mom?" Virginia waited.

"Mother was so dedicated to Daddy. I don't think she would even consider finding someone else in her life. She has too many friends now and clubs she belongs to."

Jeff opened the door and slung himself in the car. "Okay everyone ready to finish this adventure?" he asked rubbing his hands together, then starting the engine. "What? Did something happen while I was away? Did we get an important call? Seems everyone's countenance is marked serious."

"Everything is great. Virginia and Annie were just making comments on how a great dad you are. And we got on the subject of marriage."

"Oh. Well, marriage is a serious subject," he expressed as we eased back on the interstate. "I'm surprised your mother never remarried."

"That's what I asked Mother," Virginia said. "I wondered why she never married."

I palmed my hands in the air. "Wait a minute, Jeff. Why would you even make such a statement? Mother remarry? Please. She was devoted to my dad. Another man would never enter the picture."

He gently freed his hand from the steering wheel for a moment to pat my knee. "Hey, if it happened to me, I would want you to find someone to spend time with. I wouldn't want you to be lifeless the rest of your life."

"I love you. I wouldn't want another man, ever."

"One must never say ever, Heather. Life is too short. We should seek every occasion to be happy."

"So you intend to remarry when I pass away?"

"No. When they made you, they broke the mold. There won't be another Heather in my life."

I knitted my brows together, then folded my arms over my chest. "Oh, just Mary, Sue, Janice..." the girls interrupted me in laughter.

"Heather, dearest, all I'm saying is, I don't want you to try to carry the burden that life drops in our laps at times. After I'm gone, I want you to know, it is all right with me, if someone were to come along in your life and put that radiant smile back on your face. You have my blessing to remarry."

"Oh, Mother, that is so romantic," Annie mentioned. "I really hope that there is another man out there with the traits of Dad."

"Allan is. He is sweet and kind." Virginia threw in her two cents.

I noticed that Jeff cast an eye in the rear view mirror. "I hope you aren't getting too serious right now, young lady. You still have your schooling to finish."

"I know Dad. So does Allan. That is why we both have promised to wait to get serious until after we finish school. For now we are really good friends."

"So I don't have to worry about wedding bells in the near future, or even my baby girl running off to say 'I do'."

"Absolutely not."

"Whew, you had me worried there for a moment. I say we change the subject about marriage. This is something a father really doesn't want to hear right now when it's coming from his daughters."

I agreed. Not only that, how could Jeff even imply anything about my mother and remarriage? I immediately shook that notion from my head and reached for another magazine. At least that had occupied my mind, temporarily erasing any foreboding feelings that were still trying to inject into my system.