Alex sought me out and gave me a big hug. “Congratulations, Meredith!”

“Thanks, Alex. Did you know that was coming?”

“The proposal?”

“Yes.”

“I can’t tell you that, Meredith. Patient confidentiality.”

“I understand, Alex. But you gave me my answer.” He laughed.

“How do *you* feel about it?”

“Excited. I can’t wait to marry Julian.”

“I’m surprised. After what you’d told me about not wanting to get married again, I would have thought you’d be upset and would have said no.”

“I couldn’t say no, Alex. It would have really hurt Julian and I couldn’t do that to him.”

“So, that’s why you said yes?”

“In part, but only a small part of it. I wouldn’t have accepted the proposal and ring if I didn’t want to marry Doc. I realized I was being silly about being afraid of the M word.”

“Meredith, do you have an appointment with me any time soon?”

“In a couple weeks, I think.”

“I want to see you this week. I’ll look at my schedule and see what day I can get away for an extended lunch break and I’ll come out here, okay?”

“Only if you agree to not give me grief about the wedding, Alex. This is a happy time for Julian and I and I want it to stay that way.”

“I’m not going to give you grief. I just want to make sure you really want this.”

“I do, Alex.” I looked into his eyes. “So there’s really no need, I’ll see you in a couple weeks.”

“I believe you are sincere, but I still want to chat with you.”

“Like I said, Alex, it’s not necessary. Enjoy the party.” I walked away. He was NOT going to ruin my good mood! However, I didn’t have time to think any more of it as Charlotte approached me. “Where’s Julie Anne?” I asked her.

“Julian has her. I have a feeling I’m not going to be able to pry her out of his arms when it’s time to go home.” We both laughed.

“Julian is so smitten with her. He just loves her.”

“And she adores him.”

“Charlotte, I’m hoping you’ll be one of my bridesmaids.”

“I’d be happy to, Meredith!”

“And we want Julie Anne to be our flower girl and the twins to be the ring bearers.”

“I’m sure the boys will love it, but Julie Anne is a bit young to be walking down the aisle.”

“We can decorate a stroller and have you push it down the aisle.”

“That’s a wonderful idea! I’m sure she would be thrilled even though she won’t really understand what’s going on. She‘ll see her beloved Uncle Julian at the altar and that‘s all that will matter to her.”

“That’s okay, Charlotte. Years from now, when she’s old enough to understand, she’ll be thrilled that she was involved in his wedding.”

Oliver Hampton found me and we discussed our trail ride. “When would you like to go?” he asked.

“Not this month, it’s too hot for both me and the horses! Next month is going to be a bit crazy with court, so how about early October? By then, I’m going to need one to just relax and take in the sights on the trail.”

“That sounds fine, Meredith. We’ll finalize plans before then. Have you made any progress in getting Julian to learn to ride?”

“None at all. I think it’s a lost cause, but I’m not giving up!”

“I hope he’s eased up on being so worried about you riding.”

“He doesn’t say as much anymore, but I know he worries about it.”

“I have tried to talk to him on your behalf, Meredith, and I’ve told him that riding isn’t as dangerous as he thinks it is.”

“I know, Dr Hampton, but because of what happened last year with me getting thrown and injured, he has it in his mind that it is. I’ve told him over and over that that was because dogs were nipping at the horse’s legs and that’s the first time that’s ever happened to me.”

“Meredith, you can call me Oliver when you aren’t in my office.”

“Thank you - Oliver.” I smiled. “I’m never going to get Julian to see riding as totally safe, so we’ve come to a compromise. I agreed to only ride off my - our - property when he’s home and I take my cell phone with me. And he doesn’t give me grief about doing so.”

“Why does he feel better if he’s home when you’re riding?”

“He says then he can at least come rescue me and treat my injuries when they happen. It‘s okay, I can live with it. I accept him as he is and he accepts me as I am.”

“I don’t think I’ve seen a couple so accepting of each other’s differences”, Oliver said. “Especially such profound differences.”

“Sometimes, opposites really do attract, Oliver. And if you really love the person, you’ll accept the differences and work with him or her to co-exist with them. That prayer “God grant me the serenity to change the things I can, accept the things I can’t etc. is so true.”

“It certainly is, Meredith.”

I saw Doc walking around alone. He’d rolled his shirt sleeves up, most likely due to the heat. I also noticed he’d taken his undershirt off, leaving his chest vulnerable to the sun in the “v” where the buttons were undone. I went over to him and asked if he’d put sunscreen on. His guilty look said it all.

“I seem to remember getting spanked for forgetting sunscreen”, I said as I reached for his hand.

“Meredith! Shhhhhh!” he said, looking around to see if anyone was close enough to overhear.

“Aw, Doc, don’t be paranoid.” I took his hand and squeezed some onto his arm from the bottle I was carrying around in case anyone needed it. I put the bottle between my upper arm and my side and rubbed the sunscreen into his arm, then did the same with his other arm. “Where’s Julie Anne?” I asked as I squeezed some onto my hand and rubbed it into the part of his chest that was visible.

“Charlotte took her inside to change her diaper. I offered, but she insisted.”

“Okay, I’ll see you later.” I stood on tiptoe and whispered into his ear “You’ll be punished after everyone has gone home, honey” before kissing him and walking away.

Later, I was chatting with Steve, my vet, when I saw a couple men walking toward me. One of them waved at me, then I recognized Scott Fletcher, the detective who was on the Jane and Watters cases. When he got close, he said hi and introduced me to his husband, Bruce. I introduced both of them to Steve.

“I’m glad you came”, I said to Scott and Bruce, “though I didn’t think you would.”

“I talked to the Chief and he said that since the investigations are over and all that’s left is court, I could come out for the party.”

“That’s great! Have you seen Julian yet?”

“No, we haven’t.”

“Just look for a guy carrying the cutest little 7 month old girl you ever did see.”

Scott and Bruce laughed. “I’m going to venture a guess that she’s not his daughter”, the cop said.

“You would guess right. She’s our goddaughter. Julian delivered her at our Christmas party last year. I think he’s more in love with her than he is with me.”

“That is not possible, Meredith. Julian loves you more than anything in the world. I’m a detective, I read people and I’m pretty good at it.” I blushed.

“That reminds me, Scott. You missed our announcement.”

“Announcement?” I held out my left hand so they could see the ring. They both gasped. “Well, finally! I’ve been waiting for him to get off the pot and propose. When is the big day?”

“December 7- and you are both invited!”

“We’d love to come”, Bruce said.

“You are going to have a very busy fall, Meredith.”

“I know, Scott! But Julian and I didn’t want to wait any longer. Jane’s trial should be over by then and after Christmas, we can take it easy for a while. He may take a couple months or so off work.”

“Good. You two should get away for a bit.”

“We will. We’re thinking of buying a cabin, or if we don’t buy, we’ll rent one. Hey, make sure you find Julian. He‘s dying to meet Bruce!”

The rest of the day went by in a whirlwind of activity. Between helping Doc make sure enough food and drink was always out, I was mingling among our guests and trying to chat at least a few moments with everyone. Karen’s husband, Kevin, had volunteered to watch the barbecues to make sure children were not around them unsupervised and that nobody got hurt.

Just before dusk, I lit the bonfire and got my guitar from the house. A few of our guests had brought their guitars and we had fun playing and singing campfire songs with those that remained - many had gone home to put their kids to bed.

By midnight, everyone was gone except our neighbours. Kevin made sure the barbecues were off (we’d return the borrowed ones the next day) and the fire was out. Karen came inside and helped us put the leftover food away. I sent a bunch of it home with her and her family, and we still had tons left. “I think we’ll be eating this for the next week”, I said to Doc.

We decided to leave the dishes until the next day. I’m loathe to use paper plates, so we’d bought cheap plastic ones for the day. After washing them, they would go into the recycling bins.

Doc went upstairs while I waited for Jessie to do her thing outside. When she came in, I turned out all the lights then made my way up to our bedroom. Julian was just coming out of the bathroom. I went in to wash up and brush my teeth. When I came back out, he was on my side of the bed lying on his stomach in his pjs. I sat on his side and said “Time for your punishment, Doc.”

“Huh?” he mumbled.

“For forgetting sunscreen. Over my knees, Julian.”

“No.”

“Excuse me?”

“You heard me.”

“I *think* I heard you say no, but that can’t be.”

“I did say no.”

“For every minute you stall, you will get one more whack.”

“I’m not getting any.”

I got on the bed on my knees and started to pull his pj bottoms down over his hips. He tried to resist but I managed to get the back of them off his butt, then I proceeded to spank him where he lay. I got about half a dozen spanks in when he said “If you keep that up, I’m going to throw up all over your side of the bed.”

“Are you sick, Doc?” I asked.

“Yes.”

I leaned over and felt his forehead. It felt cool. “I don’t think you have a temperature, but maybe I should take it to be sure.”

“I don’t need my temperature taken, hon. I just ate too much. I threw up some of it in the bathroom. I’ll be okay.”

“Are you sure that’s all it is?” Doc almost never overeats, no matter what the occasion.

“I’m sure, Meredith.”

“Why are you lying on your stomach, honey?”

“It felt better after I threw up. Until you started spanking me.”

“Would you like some ginger ale?”

“Please, hon.”

I checked in the small fridge we keep in the bedroom, but there was no ginger ale. “I have to go downstairs to get it. I’ll be right back.” I went down and got a can of Canada Dry out of the fridge. Any other brand is a waste of money. Then I looked for his medical bag. It wasn’t in the bedroom, which meant it was down here. He would have kept it handy in case he needed it, but out of reach of children. I found it on the top shelf of the linen closet. I had to get the step stool to reach it.

Back in our bedroom, I poured a glass for Doc and let him take a couple drinks. He had pulled his pj bottoms up. He was on his side now. I managed to pull them down again and put lube on the rectal thermometer and gently pushed it into his anus. “Meredith, come on, you don’t need to do that.”

“Rectal is most accurate, remember?” He groaned. “It’s only three minutes, honey. No big deal.” I rubbed his back while we waited for the reading to register. “That was a great party today, Doc, and everyone loved the food! I had a few comments that it was better than the catered food in years past.”

“I had a wonderful time, hon!”

“I was so proud when you announced our engagement, and I felt like the luckiest girl in the world.” I leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. “I think Julie Anne enjoyed it, too. Seems she spent most of the time in your arms.”

“Every time I tried to give her to someone else, she screamed bloody murder.”

“She adores you, honey. You would make a really good father, Julian. Are you sure you don’t want children? You know I’d gladly bear them for you.”

“I know, hon. But I’m just getting too old.”

“You aren’t that old, Doc.”

“Mid 40’s is a bit too old to be having children, hon. I wouldn’t be able to keep up with them. I can give Julie Anne back to her mom when it is too much.”

“What about adoption? We could adopt an older child.”

“We can think about it, but I don’t know. It would really cramp our play time.”

“We’ll talk about it another time, Doc”, I said as I took the thermometer out. I looked at it. “37, right on the dot, no fever.”

“I told you, Meredith. I just ate too much.”

I took the thermometer in to the bathroom and washed it with soap and water. Back in the bedroom, I changed into my night shirt. “Do you want to sleep on my side of the bed, honey?”

“Yes.”

I got in on his side. He always wants to sleep on my side when he’s sick, for some reason. I think he finds comfort in it. I turned off the bedside light and lay down next to my love and gave him a kiss. I rubbed his back some more and soon he was falling asleep. I snuggled up and put my arm around him. I nestled my face in his neck and breathed in his scent as I kissed him again. I hated that he wasn‘t feeling well, even if it was self inflicted from eating too much, and wished I could take it away for him. “Good night, Doc.”

“Night, hon.”

The next day, he was feeling considerably better, but I insisted that he take it easy and not do any work. I called Karen and she came over and helped me do the dishes and clean up the house. Chey and her brother Brent cleaned up the front and back yard. Kevin loaded the borrowed barbecues into his truck and took them back to their owners. I made Doc stay upstairs in bed. When I checked in on him, he was fast asleep.

At supper time, I checked on him again and he was watching TV. “This is unusual”, I said to him.

“I’m not up to reading, I don’t think I’d absorb it. I needed something ‘mindless‘ to do.”

“Do you feel up to eating something, honey? It’s supper time. I was going to put together some of the leftovers.”

“Just a little bit, Meredith. I’m not very hungry.”

“What would you like? I’ll bring it up.”

“Maybe some potato salad and ham.” I knelt on the bed and leaned over and gave him a kiss - he was still on my side, which is farthest from the door.

I took his supper up first, along with a ginger ale for him, then went back for mine. I sat in a chair with a tv tray and we ate together. “Doc, I think you should stay in bed tomorrow.”

“Why, Meredith?”

“You still aren’t feeling 100%. If you were, you’d not be eating your supper in bed.”

“I’m just being lazy.”

“You are never ‘lazy’. I’m taking your temperature after you eat.”

“That is not necessary.”

“I feel it is. And I’m in charge right now.” He gave me an ‘oh, really?’ look. “Yes, Doc, I am. You are sick, which leaves it up to me to take care of you. No arguments.”

“I’m not sick, Meredith. I just overate yesterday, that is all.”

“We’ll just make sure of that by taking your temp again.” I walked over and put my hand on his forehead. “It feels a little warm, Doc.”

He put his own hand on his forehead. “Feels normal to me.”

“I say it’s a little warm, so we’ll let the thermometer tell.” He sighed. “Doc, how can you expect me to follow your orders when I’m sick if you won’t follow mine when you are under the weather?”

“Ok, Meredith. But you have to promise me you will obey my orders next time you are sick.”

“No blackmail, Doc. I see you are finished your supper. Here, I’ll take the tray. Now, on your side with your pajama bottoms down.” I put the tray on my dresser and went back to the bed. He hadn’t moved. “Doc, come on. On your side.”

“No, Meredith.”

“Doc, I don’t want to spank you while you are not feeling well. Don’t make me.” He still didn’t move. “Honey, I’ll wear that schoolgirl uniform for you again soon.”

His face lit up. “You will?”

“Uh huh.”

“Okay.” He layed on his side and pulled his bottoms down over his delectable ass.

“Dang, if I knew it would be that easy, I’d have offered 10 minutes ago.”

“Haha, Meredith.”

I held his cheeks open and pushed the lubricated tip of the thermometer into him. “Is it really that bad, honey?” I asked while we waited for it to register.

“The temperature taking? No, I’m just giving you a hard time.” I slapped him playfully on one of his butt cheeks.

“I really oughta give you a spanking, Doc. And I probably would if my hands weren’t so sore.”

“Why are your hands sore, hon?” He started to turn over and I stopped him. “Ooops”, he said. “I almost forgot about that thermometer. But, why are they sore?”

“It’s just the arthritis, Doc.”

“You’ve been doing too much. I want you to rest tomorrow.”

“We’ll see.” I took the thermometer out and read it. “It’s normal, Doc. 37.1.”

“I thought you said my forehead was warm.”

“I was giving you a hard time.”

“Very funny, Meredith.” I wiped him off and he turned onto his back. I took my glove off and disposed of it and the tissues.

“Do you want a shower, honey?”

“Yes, that would be nice.”

“I’ll get the shower seat.” We were keeping it upstairs now, in a spare room, since I seemed to need it on a regular basis. I got it and went to the ensuite bathroom. Doc had taken off his pjs and was waiting for me. I set the seat in the tub and turned the water on. When it was regulated, I told him to get in.

“Come in with me, hon. I’m sure you could use a shower, too.”

“Are you saying I smell?”

“No, hon. Just that you haven’t had a shower yet today. Here, let me help you undress.” He pulled my t-shirt up and off my head.

“Doc, you’re the sick one, I am supposed to be taking care of you.”

“I told you, I’m not sick. Turn around so I can unhook your bra.”

After I was undressed, we got in. I insisted he sit on the seat. I lathered up his hair, rinsed it off then got his washcloth and bar of soap. I washed his back, then his front. “It seems maybe you *are* feeling better”, I said as I washed his genital area.

“You have that effect on me, hon.”

When I was finished bathing him, I got my washcloth and started on my own body.

“Meredith, sit down.”

“I’m okay, Doc.”

“I said sit! I know your hands are hurting. I see it in your face, so don’t try to deny it.” He got up. I reluctantly sat down.

“Doc, everything I do involves my hands. I have to live with it.”

“That doesn’t mean you can’t let me help, hon.” His voice had softened. “Let me do this for you. I’ll give you an anti inflammatory suppository later. It will help.”

“I hate feeling helpless, Doc.”

He knelt down in front of me and took my face in his hands. “Meredith, you are far from ‘helpless’. You are the most independent woman I’ve ever known and I did residency with a bunch of female doctors. But even the most independent need to be taken care of at times, hon.”

“At times? Seems you have had to take care of me a lot, Julian.”

“You have needed it a lot, hon. There’s no shame in that.” I was glad that we were in the shower so that he couldn’t see my tears. “You have been doing very well since getting out of the hospital, sweetie, but you’ve been overdoing it lately with planning a wedding, climbing cherry trees, getting ready for the party and doing hostessing duties, including cleaning up. Not to mention working with your horses, including taking Jack for runs. You have arthritis not only in your hands but elsewhere in your body. Unfortunately, you lost the genetic lottery. You need to learn when to back off and take it easy - and let me take care of you. I love you and I want to do that for you. You did it for me last night and all day today when I over indulged and paid the price.” I looked at him and saw the concern in his face.

“I love you, Julian.”

He kissed me, then took my hands in his and kissed my sore joints, after which he picked up the washcloth and soap from my lap and bathed me oh so very gently. When we got out of the tub, he got a towel and dried me off. “Go get into bed while I dry off, hon. I’ll be out in a minute and I’ll give you that suppository.”

“I need to let Jessie out.”

“I’ll do it. You get into your night shirt and into bed.” He slapped me playfully on my butt as I left the bathroom.

I crawled into bed after putting my nightshirt on. Doc took more than a minute to emerge from the bathroom. I could hear the water running in the tub and I knew he was cleaning it. Of course … I’d be surprised if he wasn’t.

“Hon”, he said as he put on a clean pair of jammies, “I’m going to insert the suppository, then go and let Jessie out. I’ll wait down there until she’s done.” Jessie heard her name and the word “out” and bounded off the bed. “Not yet, Jessie”, Doc said to her. “I have to take care of your Mom first.” The fact that he was talking to her like that told me that he truly was becoming comfortable with her. I knew he was getting attached to her. I’d sometimes catch him sneaking her treats, both canine and human food.

I turned onto my left side. I was lying on Doc’s side of the bed. He put some lubricant on a suppository, then inserted it into me. “Stay right there and let it dissolve, hon. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

When he and Jessie came back upstairs, I was nodding off, still on his side of the bed. He got in on my side. “Hey, Doc”, I said as I realized he was back. He gave me a kiss.

“How are you feeling, hon?”

“That suppository is working.” He gave me another kiss. “Make love to me, Doc.”

“Not when you’re in pain, hon.”

“It’s better than it was, honey. I can’t swing from the rafters, but we don’t have to do that. Unless you aren‘t feeling up to it, since you were sick all day.”

“I was not sick, Meredith. You tell me if I’m up to it.” He guided my hand to his groin.

“I do believe you *are* up to it, honey.”

He made slow, gentle, tender love to me, then we went to sleep with him on his back and me with my head on his chest, listening to his heart beat. We must have woken up in the night and changed positions, as we were on our sides with his arm around me when morning came.