Fan Fiction - Written by Doug Fowler - Book & Television Universe

"Aw, isn't that the cutest thing," Danny Tanner said. The proud grandfather held a finger for his grandson to grasp, and the boy instinctively tried to pull it toward his mouth, though at only a couple months old he didn't have much strength.

"He thinks your pinky finger is a pacifier," Jeff Farrington joked. He and Michelle had been married for over a year.

"I know. Can you imagine your wife was once this little?" When Michelle said, "Dad!" Danny said, "Okay, or her sisters. Those sure were wonderful times, when my girls were little. When I could just cradle them in my arms."

Michelle shook her head as Danny spoke happily to the baby. "Dad, when we decided this would be the perfect place for my home daycare, with you as a live in helper, we agreed you would learn to deal with the fact I've grown up."

"I know...it just brings back such happy memories. But, okay, I won't think about that. Are you sure the yard is fenced in well enough out back now? How are you coming on certification? Business startup costs? Other finances?"

"Well, Pop, after the loan to build an amusement park a few blocks from here, we're about ten million dollars in debt." Jeff broke into a large grin as Danny's jaw dropped. "Come on, I'm just teasing."

"I knew that. I did, really," he said, realizing that Jeff was the class clown when younger, so he really should have known that. His best friend Joey was the same way, though joey comedy was more with voices and impressions.

"We're fine, Dad. Steph did tell me she and Robert would be coming over. They don't have real problems, but I guess they're having a few worries."

Stephanie and her new husband showed up at the door; Stephanie was a couple months pregnant. Before they even stepped in the door, Danny asked, "How much do you need? Are you sure you don't need to move back in? Michelle and Jeff have the attic now, but the basement wouldn't have to be a playroom, I suppose we could make room for you down there. Of course, I suppose you could have one of the guest bedrooms on the second floor, but that might feel kind of awkward with me also sleeping there." Michelle and Jeff's new baby, Jesse Joseph Farrington, was in the attic for them for now, though they planned to let him and other kids be on the same floor with Danny when older if they wanted.

Michelle shot her an apologetic look. "Sorry, Steph, I probably shouldn't have said anything to him."

"It's okay, Michelle. He would have said it after we outlined our concerns, anyway.' Stephanie explained the situation. "It hasn't caused any major arguments or anything yet, but we're wondering if we can afford house payments now. Or, if it would be better to wait a little while and keep renting."

"CPAs rake in the most money come tax time, so I'm just anticipating a little down time the rest of the year. And, it's hard to know how much," Robert explained.

"Well, you came to the right person. Michelle, why don't you and Jeff come sit down, too." He asked if D.J. and Steve would be needing his advice, too.

"No, but wouldn't they have already heard whatever story you're going to tell, anyway?" Stephanie inquired.

"Good point. Plus, since Steve's taken over your Grandpa Nick's business, and D.J. still can work some as a nurse, there is more income flowing in for them right now. Although, maybe you'll get one of your freelance articles published, Steph. Anyway Jeff, you remember me telling you how I started out the same way you are with the TV station?" He did. "Good. Well, this was around when I started to do some things part time for them in the stock room. You see, Pam and I eloped right after the prom. So, D.J. was born while I was in college. So, we not only had a baby, we had a good friend who wasn't always the most responsible..."

"Joey?" Robert inquired.

Danny nodded. Robert had only known the Tanners since his second year in college, when he and Stephanie started dating, while Jeff and Michelle had known each other since Kindergarten. "That's right. We were really strapped for cash; we were down to our last $800, and we needed a break. Unfortunately, Joey's car had one...."

"No, what?"

"He shaved his facial hair off when he married Grandma Gina."

Danny touched his mustache. "Honey, do you want me to? I mean, I thought it was kind of cute, the way it seems to tickle the baby's face, but..."

"Don't worry, I'm just kidding. Although, you remind me of a taller Gabe Kotter," she said, referring to Gabe Kaplan's character on the TV show "Welcome Back, Kotter." "I keep expecting you to start telling jokes about some crazy uncle."

Danny smiled. He would try a few different styles and keep the mustache for a few years, shaving it off when getting a job out of college, as he felt that would make him look more like a professional sportscaster. "Hey, why not. Your brother Jesse would make a good Sweathog," Danny joked, referring to the rabble rousers on that show. "Okay, I'll keep it, as long as you don't mind. You know I'd do anything for you."

"I know; you swept me off my feet, and swept everything else up, too." They laughed.

Joey Gladstone, Danny's best friend since fifth grade, popped into the apartment. "Hey, guys. I just had an idea. Why don't we go to Palm Springs?"

"Palm Springs?" Danny and Pam said together.

"Joey, we have a baby. A tender, delicate, innocent little creature who is just starting to make sense of the world. She doesn't need the stress of California traffic."

"Danny, come on," Joey declared, "you took this semester off of college to earn some money and start raising D.J., you've got all the time in the world."

"I do not have 'all the time in the world,' I happen to have a job and things to pay for, like rent, groceries, and so on."

"Come on, Danny, say I put in a couple hundred for gas, food, and lodging, so we split the cost. How much would you have left in your account, if we both put in that much?"

"$800."

Joey laughed it off. "$800? Man, you're rich. Come on, I got enough money to split that stuff, and we can call and get a double room. How about it? Pam can come, too."

"I don't know..." He sighed. He was always very cautious, but he wasn't afraid to take a few risks. And, back in 1977, $800 was a lot. He wanted to go. Still, he had someone else to consider in his life now. "What do you think, Pam?"

"I think D.J. can travel. It's not like she's a fragile piece of china," she chided Danny. He was a little too protective sometimes.

Danny hedged a little, then said, "I suppose. It's not like anything that bad can happen. But, Pam and D.J. are coming, too. I don't have a lot of time with Pam babysitting and me having my own job. I'll probably have to go part time next semester, too."

"Hey, that works out great, so will I; if we plan it right we'll both be class of '80 then." Danny and Joey had met in fifth, in February of 1968, and graduated in '75. Pam graduated the next year, with Danny taking her to his prom and hers. Pam had been in Danny's class in tenth grade when they met only because, being so smart, she could take a class a year ahead in that subject.

Danny scoffed. "Sure, you'll take till 1980 because you spend all your money on toys."

"Hey, I'm being responsible, Skipper," Joey said, impersonate Gilligan on "Gilligan's Island." "I filled up the gas tank, I even put oil in the radiator." Danny chuckled a little and shook his head.

"Joey, you do know water goes in there, right?" He did. "Just checking," Pam finished.

Starting early on the 11th, Danny and Joey took turns driving, while Pam was in the back with the baby. After a few stops, they made it to Palm Springs, and checked into the motel. "Joey, I must admit, I was a little concerned, but this is actually a decent place. You even thought about getting a crib."

"Well, of course. You're not living the bachelor life like me, but that doesn't mean I can't understand what you're going through. We all need a break once in a while." Pam announced that she was going into the bathroom. While she was doing this, Joey said, "You even tried to make it sound like my car was making a funny noise. See, you can do good comedy."

"What funny noise? Joey, I thought that was your funny noise."

"Why would I make a funny noise?"

"Because funny noises are your life. If I wanted a car to do something funny, I'd have it reciting the sports scores from last night."

Pam overheard Danny and Joey debating it for a moment. "Did someone say the car was making a noise?" she asked anxiously as she stepped out of the restroom and glanced at the baby, who had just awakened.

"Look, don't worry; I'm sure it's nothing."

"Well, it can't be nothing, something has to be making that funny noise," Pam insisted. "Nothing can't make a noise."

"Look, the car got us down here, I'm sure it'll get us home." Danny sighed. "I hope."

"Danny, Pam, relax." As Pam cradled baby D.J., Joey said, "So there might be something that costs fifty bucks or so, I mean, would I come down here without anything as a backup in case we got in trouble?"

Danny could tell Joey looked nervous when he said that. "Whether you would doesn't matter, the questions is, did you?"

"Do you hear them?" Pam said to D.J., flashing a delighted smile and giggle. D.J. cooed back. "Mommy thought she left her babysitting charges back home when we came down here on vacation. Can't you just hear one of them? 'Would I do something like that, Miss Pam?'" Pam and the baby giggled.

Joey was now explaining to Danny and Pam how fortunate they were. "Look, I'll just go out to the parking lot, have a look at it, and if I think it needs taken somewhere, you two can stay here and celebrate. Hey, this can be the honeymoon you never had. With you two still in school, and D.J. being conceived right after you got married, you never had any time to do that."

"Joey's right, Danny," Pam said at last. "I know I worry a lot, but you're right. That car got us here. We'll make it through." She often got very excited about everything, and needed to remind herself that it was going to be okay. But, this was a chance they didn't want to pass up.

Right now, it was time for supper, however. They went to the parking lot, and drove a short while to a restaurant. After dinner, they came out to the car. "Uh-oh," Joey said as he tried to start it.

"Joey, I do not want to hear the word 'uh-oh' when someone's trying to start a car. Of course, is it even a word? Maybe it's two words. 'Uh' being what you say when you don't know what's going on, and 'oh' when you find out."

"You're nervous, aren't you, sweetheart," Pam asked tenderly.

"I think we have a minor problem. Danny, if you don't mind, I'm going to go try to call a garage."

Danny used some cash from his pocket for the cab ride back. The next day, the 12th, Joey got up early and walked down to the garage where the car was being looked at. Danny and Pam had been enjoying the time alone when Joey finally called the motel room and asked them to come down.

Danny and Pam decided, since it was such a nice day, to put D.J. in the stroller and walk. It was only a dozen blocks or so, and a nice part of town. "Isn't this great?"

"I know. One of these days, D.J.'s going to be coming down here with her husband." She saw Danny starting to sweat. "Relax, it won't be for a long time."

"You're right. This is our honeymoon. I'm really starting to be glad that Joey talked us into this." He smiled. Joey could be a goofball, but he was a lot looser than Danny, a lot more willing to let go and have fun. He was the perfect complement to Danny. "I mean, when would we have done this otherwise? We probably wouldn't have. We both have responsibilities, and by the time we were able to take a honeymoon, D.J. would be a preschooler, and we'd spend all our time keeping her occupied." He added that, "I think we need to plan our next baby for after I'm out of school, maybe 1981 or so."

"I like that. Jesse and I were five years apart," she said as they spied the garage ahead. She adjusted D.J.'s large bonnet to ensure the sun was out of the baby's eyes. "I think that's good spacing so the older child can be a bit more independent and help with the baby a little. Same with our other kids down the line, if we can; four or five years."

"My thinking exactly. Isn't it amazing? We've grown so close. We think so much alike." They stopped, and shared a long, impromptu kiss, while each kept a hand on the stroller. "It all seems so perfect." Pam agreed.

Joey saw them as they entered the garage. "Hey, over here," Joey called.

D.J. started crying. Pam picked her up. "Oh, D.J. needs a diaper change. Do you have a restroom I could use?" she asked the mechanic. He pointed it out, and she went into it with the baby and the diaper bag.

"Okay, Joey, how does it look?"

"Well, Danny..." he hedged. "Remember when you told me how much you would have left in savings after our trip?"

"How much?"

"You know, it really is a lot of money now, but who knows what it'll seem like in ten years."

"How much?"

"I'm sure we'll all look back and laugh about it years from now, how the cost for repairs and the number you gave me matched."

Danny wasn't sure if he wanted to know what that meant, though he had an idea. "Which would be...?"

"$800."

"Eight hundred dollars?! Joey, do you realize what you're saying?" Danny admonished. "I could go out and get a decent used car for that to get us home! How long has it been since you had it looked at, anyway?"

"Well, maybe...June." Danny kept glaring. "1975."

"You haven't had it looked at for almost two years? No wonder it's got so many problems with it!"

"Danny, please, calm down, I'll pay you back. I promise."

"Oh, really; with what? Action figures? Joey, you don't seem to realize the responsibility I have as a parent."

"Why, sure I do." Joey began to dance and sing with the voice of a pirate, from the 1967 song used at a Disneyland attraction - changing the words from the pirate theme. "Yo ho, yo ho, a parent's life for me. We feed and we diaper, we cuddle, we love." When Danny put a firm hand on Joey's shoulder to force him to stop, Joey did his Popeye voice instead. "Well, that's what I does for me Swee'Pea when I'm not out protectin' me Olive."

"Joey, can you be serious? Any minute now, Pam is going to come out of that restroom, and I'm going to have to figure out some way to explain to her that we're going to have spend our entire savings just get us home!"

"You what?!"

Danny felt faint. "Honey...I'm sorry, I didn't mean for you to hear that yet. It's just...I can't figure out how else to say this..."

"The repairs are going to cost $800," Joey said.

"Eight hundred dollars?! But, what about the rent next month, what about groceries, what about..." Pam sighed, and began to weep. "We never should have come here."

"I know, honey," Danny said, coming up tenderly behind her and holding her, pecking her on the forehead. "I'm sorry."

"It's not just you, Danny. I want to be the best Mommy in the world, and I just feel like I'm failing our little girl right now! A good Mommy's supposed to be able to plan for everything."

Danny embraced Pam, and let her cry in his arms for a moment. "It's okay," he said with a sigh. "We just...need to remind ourselves we're going to make it through. We're a married couple; we promised to do it. For richer or poorer, for better or worse. And...we're going to. Somehow." Danny knew they were committed to each other, and in both of their minds, they'd decided they didn't have a choice. When Danny would later tell D.J. they would make it through a crisis because "we have no choice," he was echoing a mantra that had begun here, when the honeymoon phase ended. They were a family then, as well as here, and being a family, to Danny, meant you made it through, no matter how hard the road may seem.

"Right." She sniffled, and stood upright, and spoke more confidently now. "We're going to make it. But, how?"

"Well...look, I'll go hunting around, maybe there's a decent used car for $750 somewhere...but what if we don't find one?" It was Danny's turn to get anxious. "What if we buy one and it breaks down? Then we're back where we started. And, what good is fifty extra bucks going to do us, anyway? We can't make the rent on that."

"Right. Right. Danny..." Pam swallowed hard, and - thinking more as a parent who was determined to try to think of how best to provide the things needed for D.J. - made a choice. "We have to give up the apartment. There's just no chance."

"Well, there could be..." Still, Danny had to admit, "I don't see how, though."

"Danny, we have to think of D.J.. We'll need diapers, food, everything. We can't scrimp when it comes to her."

"You're right. That comes first."

The mechanic finally intervened. "Look, I know it's rough for a young couple like yourselves," he said sincerely, "but I need an answer, so I know whether to start working on it." He explained all the problems.

"Well...Pam, Joey is my best friend. I mean, even if we could be sure we'd find a car that worked perfectly..."

Pam nodded slowly. "I know."

"Why don't I talk to the mechanic, lend Joey the money, write him a check, and then we'll think about how this budget's going to work." He didn't want to say it, but he knew they needed to figure out where they were going to live.

Pam sat and sang to D.J. a little, unsure of how this was going to work out. She found herself praying a little, something she knew she had to remember to teach her kids about that. Danny wasn't as into churchgoing as she was, though even she wasn't as consistent as some she knew.

Still, she had trusted Christ as her Savior, and that was the part that she knew would get her to heaven, that forgiveness, not anything she'd do on her own. And, it let her have a great relationship with God in this life, too. She would get the girls into church enough that it would make a difference, and they would be able to trust God when it counted, if not always thinking about Him otherwise. Stephanie, for instance, would pray for the return of one stuffed bear that Pam gave her once, even after she was gone. And, Danny, even prayed the blessing at Thanksgiving.

"I don't know what's going to happen, D.J.," she said lovingly, "but your father and I are going to make this work. That's the mistake a lot of couples make. They think it can't, or they don't commit themselves to getting through things even if their dreams don't come true. But, we're committed, honey. Your daddy and I would love each other even if we were homeless." She chided herself for even thinking that; but, that was part of how excited she got at times.

Danny and Joey had overheard. "That's not going to happen," Danny assured her.

Pam said she hoped it wouldn't. Still, as Joey wheeled D.J. to another part of the garage in the stroller and entertained her, Pam said she was really worried. "Danny, I know we've said my parents would be okay for sleepovers later. They do seem to keep from fighting in front of the baby. But, living there would be different. Jesse's no help, and if we would happen to move in there I just know they won't be able to hold it all the time. Dad and Mom would never hit, but still, all that shouting..."

"I know. I know," Danny said with a sigh. "And, the way Jesse antagonizes your dad..." Danny started prancing. "Look, let's just forget about them, okay."

"But, what if we can't?" Pam giggled. "I just said we couldn't, huh? But, still, we might have to."

"I'm sure my mom..." Danny blurted before stopping. That was probably too easy, and he realized he'd better get it out now. "...wants to move to Washington State. Honey, I don't know if I told you..."

"It's okay, Danny, I know. With Wendy graduating in a few months, it's something I know she'd like to do."

"Well, what I didn't tell you, or may not have told you, is that she's already promised Wendy some money from a sale. Wendy wants to go to Africa."

"Africa!" Pam shouted, dumbfounded. "Why?"

"To study monkeys."

"She could study apes by watching Jesse," Pam joked, not really understanding why Wendy would do that.

"I know. Honey, that's just always been her dream. She loves animals. Now, we'll get some of that money, too. But, remember, Wendy's not going for months. Of course, it might take that long for the house to sell. So, maybe it could work out if we move in there."

Pam shook her head. "Oh, Danny, this is just a nightmare! If she does sell the house fast, we could have to move before we've got enough saved for a deposit on another place! And then what if one of us should get sick, or..." She stopped herself and giggled. "Oh, yeah, we haven't moved in there yet."

"Well, okay, what about your parents?" Danny asked quickly.

"My parents? Danny, do you really want to have to move in there with Mom and Dad arguing like they can?" Pam fired back. "If Jesse could help maybe, but even then..."

"Okay, we'll buy my mom's house. No, we need money to do that," Danny realized.

"Right," Pam insisted, "that's what we don't have right now." She recognized that she'd sounded rather loud there. "Okay, let's calm down," she said, as much to herself as to Danny.

"Right. We're going to make it through," Danny recited.

"We have no choice." Pam pondered weakly that, "This must be what they mean when they talk about the honeymoon being over."

"Right."

Pam wondered, "Could we move in for a few months..."

"Or, do we want someplace we can live for a few years, to save up for a home of our own? Phew, this is complex."

"I know. What about my parents? I mean, maybe it wouldn't be too bad. A little crowded..."

Danny turned abruptly to her, realizing something else. "But, honey, what about your babysitting? Some of the people bring their kids to you. I know Nick and Irene would be fine with a baby, but I don't know about the others."

"You're right." It was Pam's turn to bring up something else. "Danny, we don't have any money now. What if D.J. gets sick in the next couple weeks, before one of us gets a paycheck?"

"I don't mind that question," Danny said with confidence. "Not that I like the idea, it's just that it's easy to...well, let me start here. Did you ever meet my biological dad, the one Mom divorced back on the East Coast?"

"Yes, at the reunion, that time I met your little nephew Steve and your older sister."

"That's right, I remember. He called after D.J. was born. We got to talking, and he said he'd be willing to give us money for a major emergency; he's a rich, successful attorney. He just never had time for family, which is why Mom divorced him. But, he's really generous, and he knows I won't take advantage of a promise like that."

Pam grinned. "I should have known you'd have something planned for that, with how protective you are."

"Thanks, I do try. But, that wouldn't help us here," Danny said with a sigh.

Pam agreed. "Okay, we'll plan on your biological dad for emergency medical expenses."

Danny concurred. "We need a longer term solution here, though."

"Maybe we should pray about it."

"Good idea." They did.

After they talked for a couple more minutes, a grin started to form on Pam's face. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"About what?"

"About the one who got us into this mess?"

"You mean...Well, the thought had crossed my mind, as we were praying. I guess it's worth a try."

Pam was still a little anxious, even as they got back home and Danny made the phone call. He, Joey, Pam and D.J. arrived at the house. "Do you think this is a good idea?" Pam asked, still a little excited.

"Well, we told the landlord we wouldn't be back next month. So, we'll hae to move somewhere," Danny said. Inside, he had to wonder himself. But, then again, Joey and he were so close, they'd even managed to room together for a year on campus, though Danny moved out when he and Pam married.

The three adults walked in, with Pam carrying D.J.. "Awww, D.J's grown so much."

Joey agreed. "Mom, Danny and I, well, why don't you ask? Danny?"

"Joey, she's your mother," Danny pointed out.

"Yeah, but it's you and Pam and D.J.."

"Okay, look, we'll settle it this way, Joey," Danny offered. "I'll say a word, then you say a word. We'll just keep going back and forth."

Mindy Gladstone snickered. "Something tells me you boys aren't going to ask to camp out back tonight."

"Well, no, uh, you see Mom..."

"That's more than one word," Danny corrected Joey.

Pam started laughing as they debated the merits of words like "uh," and whether Joey had in fact started to ask with "you see." "Did they do this all the time?"

"All the time, Pam," Mindy said with a smile. "It was better than when they would arm wrestle to make a decision."

"Oh, all right, I'll start," Danny finally relented. "Mrs."

"Gladstone," Joey said. They went all the way through "Pam and I need a place to," before Joey said "live."

Danny abruptly turned to him. "Live? Joey, this is only for a couple months, you make it sound like we want to move in permanently."

"Well, if I had said stay, it would have sounded more like your place had to be fumigated and you'd be here a day or two."

"No it wouldn't have, I could have very easily continued after you said 'stay' by starting to explain how I had to loan you my last $800 to fix your car."

"Well, you may as well just tell her everything because you just blurted it out like you always do, anyway," Joey countered.

Danny rolled up his sleeve. "Okay, if that's the way you want it, fine, let's arm wrestle, loser has to ask!" Joey agreed. And before Pam and Mindy could stop giggling, Danny and Joey were seated at a table arm wrestling. Mindy rolled her eyes, sensing Danny and Joey were too into this to pay attention as she tried to get them to talk.

"Maybe I better explain," Pam said, telling her the whole story, and why neither Danny's nor her parents would be a good solution, considering it might have to be half a year or so till they were able to afford an apartment.

"Well why didn't you just say so; we've got room here." Mindy said warmly. It would be a little crowded, but not very. And, she knew with Joey's personality, wanting to remain so childlike because of his father, she might not have real grandkids for some time. As long as they could pay for their own groceries - which Pam promised to do - it wouldn't be too bad for a few months. She was interrupted by Joey walking up to her. "Of course, you can move in here if you need. And, I've known Danny's mom for a long time, I'm sure Claire won't be upset you're taking my help and not hers."

Joey turned to Danny. "See, I told you it would be easy."

"I guess everyone goes through some hard times, huh?" Robert said.

"That's right. But, you'll always have someone to care about you. And, the important thing is, you two are committed to making it through. You just have to keep reminding yourself that you're going to. And work together, We were never close to being in a shelter or anything. And, thankfully, my being in the media and some help from my biological dad helped me to be able to afford this place."

A few months passed. Soon after Christmas, everyone was celebrating the birth of Stephanie's first baby. "Just think," D.J. said warmly to Michelle as she put an arm around her, "you've gone from a babysitting helper with Steph in about fifteen years to a real professional."

"I'm glad we'll be able to keep up the Tanner tradition of warmth and love here," Michelle said.

"Any truth to the rumors Kimmy will be your first client?" Steve asked.

Michelle giggled, a giggle that had filled the air of that home ever since Pam and Danny moved in. "I'll have my hands full. But, it'll be fun." She looked fondly at D.J. and said, "You and Steph taught me everything I know about being like a mother. Thanks."

Stephanie stood up and exclaimed, "Everyone, we have an announcement. Robert and I are ready to move into our new home!"

Everyone cheered excitedly. "Congratulations, Steph," Jese's wife, Becky, said.

"I knew you could do it, kid. How are Allie and Darcy doing?" Jesse asked.

As Stephanie began to tell Jesse about her friends, Michelle carried her baby, Jesse Joseph, over to the two-week-old baby. "Look, it's your baby cousin! Say hi to Pamela."

"And, let's hope you don't give her trouble like your namesake gave hers," Joey teased. Jesse shot him a look.

"If anything, I'd anticipate having Jeff as a dad will make your kids practical jokers," Robert told Michelle.

"I wouldn't be surprised. Now, Kimmy's girl...well, we're all going to have to work pretty hard with her. But, we'll make it through; just like with everything else," Michelle said with certainty.

"It was rough having to wait a while," Stephanie remarked, "I get as excited as Mom would. But, you know, what we found is actually better. Thanks for your help, Dad."

"Hey, I'm always happy to help. Doesn't take much to get me to start talking, huh?"

"No, but getting you to stop can be tricky," Jesse Katsopolis kidded him.

Michelle announced that one of her best friends from school, Cassie Wilkins, would be taking her medical boards in May. "You'll have to start off with Dr. Landress, but hopefully she'll be able to join his practice in a few years. At least by the time Samantha retires and is ready to have kids." Samantha was a young lady who was almost like a younger sister to Michelle, who Stephanie had been like a mother too. She was a professional ballerina right now, and would be marrying next week.

"And I hear one of the girls who succeeded you as Principal's Assistant is finishing up her Masters work in Child Psychology, Steph." Jeff turned to Danny. "It's amazing enough to see your own kids grow up like they have. Are you going to be able to keep track of it with all the grandkids who'll start to come, and all the ones Michelle takes care of?" Danny was sure he'd manage.

D.J. counseled Michelle and Stephanie, "Just keep teaching them the things Mom and Dad always have. Mom may not have lived to see everything here on earth. But, she knew it was important to put love and family ahead of everything. And, Who to turn to for help with that," she added, referring to God."

"She sure did. Dad loaning Joey all their meager savings then, struggling with how to make things work, but being committed to doing it no matter what, taught us we just have faith, things will work out in the end." Stephanie smiled as she gazed upward. "We didn't always have it perfect. But, we always had love. And, that's the most important thing."