Nathan didn't want to return to work after we left the nursing home. Maybe he was feeling bad about the visit with his grandmother, but whatever the reason, he decided to spend more time with me.

We ate a late lunch together at a local restaurant that was famous for its fried chicken, and we stopped at a studio where a local potter worked. I was astonished at the man's talent and found out he was a world-renowned artist.

“What do you think about this one? Too colorful for Peacock Alley?” Nathan held up a large horse figurine, decorated with multi-colored swirls.

“No, I like that one a lot. I think it would fit right in to your library. What about this tray for your dresser? You need somewhere to put your change when you are getting undressed each night.”

“I like the blue. And are you calling me a slob?” He laughed as I passed the piece over to him for his inspection.

“Of course not. I wouldn’t dare.” My eyes lit up with my smile. “But maybe you need a little help from time to time.”

We bought several colorful pieces for the house, and I vowed to come back in the future and shop some more. Nathan wanted my opinion on everything we purchased. I was pleased that some of my choices would now make their way into the estate, and I resolved to sneak in more of my preferences for the house in the future.

Later, we took a long, leisurely drive. He finally showed me the majestic Mississippi River, and I marveled at the muddy water and the distance between the banks. We also saw several Indian burial mounds and a picturesque country church.

Mostly we saw acres and acres of farmland with a variety of different crops, like soybeans and corn that had withered in the heat. I noted that the cotton didn't seem bothered by the dry weather at all.

I didn't care what we saw on that drive. I enjoyed spending time with my husband and talking about everyday things. There was no mention of dead wives or ill grandmothers. Our respective mothers' voices were mercifully absent, and it was a lovely, peaceful day for us to act like the newlyweds we were.

At one point we stopped the car and got out to take a closer look at the river. I asked him about the barges floating by, fascinated by the activity.

“Where are the barges going? There’s so many. And how do they keep from crashing into each other?”

Nathan surprised me when he interrupted my questions about the river with an abrupt change of subject.

“What do you think about having a baby sometime soon?” The breeze had picked up, and Nathan took a moment to brush my curls out of my face.

“I don’t know. Seems a little crazy, to be honest. We just got married, after all.” I glanced up to see if he was offended by my words.

“I know. We rushed the marriage, and now I’m saying I want a baby. It is crazy.” Nathan fell silent, but he didn’t look upset, just thoughtful.

I could tell we were both intrigued by the thought of starting a family, even it was a terrible idea this soon in our relationship. Part of me recognized that Savannah had never given him a baby, and this act would be uniquely mine. I would be the mother of his children, an area where dead Savannah couldn't compete. I knew that was a terrible reason to have a child, but I didn't worry about it much.

I was confident my primary motivation was that vision I had a couple of months earlier, of baby Nathans playing in the fields. Now that I was more familiar with Peacock Alley, I could see the exact places they might play.

“What do you think about putting in a playset and maybe a sandbox close to the back of the house?” I wanted to know that the imposing estate would be baby friendly before I committed to getting pregnant.

Nathan seemed to like my ideas, and that gave me the confidence to say more. "I know you think you are getting old, and you want to get your family started. I also know you think I'm a little young to be committing to motherhood. I think the answer is somewhere in the middle. Maybe we need a little more time to adjust to married life together, but I think we are both more ready than we realize." I smiled and looked out over the rolling river for a moment.

We were both lost in our own private musings. What was Nathan thinking about now?

I stopped on the riverbank, wanting to share one more thought before we went on. I gazed up at him, and my adoration for him was clear to see. "And I know you will be a wonderful father, no matter what our timing."

We were still walking hand in hand, and never more in love with each other. Nathan said as much, and then squeezed my hand.

"Any baby we have will be the result of all this love that we have cultivated between us. I know things aren't perfect. When it is just the two of us, I think things are great, but you have been dropped into a pressure-packed situation, sweet girl."

He kissed my hand where it joined his. "I don't think I realized how hard the transition would be for you. I don't want to rush you, but I can hardly wait to have children running up and down the halls of Peacock Alley. I can't think of anything I want more."

Nathan stopped to pick up a small stone, and he chucked it into the river with a satisfying splash. We halted for a minute to watch Canadian geese flying in formation over our heads. I loved the sound of rushing air that came from the furious action of their wings, and the loud honking as they called to one another.

He turned back to me. "I've told you before, I deliberately rushed you into this marriage, and I'm trying very hard not to rush you into motherhood. The problem is I'm learning that I'm a greedy bastard when it comes to you, Darby. I want it all, and I want it all right now." He grinned ruefully, and I couldn't help myself, I was charmed all over again.

I loved my husband so much.

“We don’t have to figure everything out today. It’s enough that we are talking about expanding our little family.” Nathan turned to me and hugged me closer as he spoke. I could feel how much he loved me in that simple gesture.

“Maybe I should stop taking the pill, and we can use condoms for a while. That way whenever we do become ready, my body would already be adjusted to being off the hormones.”

I was tentative in my offer because I wasn’t sure if it was really a good idea. Nathan did not like using condoms, and I couldn't see him tolerating them for long.

Nathan made a face but then laughed. “Okay, I guess we can give it a try.”

I was okay with that reply. The important thing I wanted to focus on today was how my marriage seemed to get stronger with every passing day.

True, meeting Nathan’s grandmother had been a disaster. There was no other way to spin it. But I loved how the rest of the day had turned out.

Nathan was right. We had rushed into this marriage, but I did not regret our haste at all. And it seemed that my husband didn’t regret it, either.