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Glenn has met his son, now it's time for him to hear the rest of the story.

Day turned into night. Herschel had Glenn pull his car around in back of the house, where even if someone drove right up to the front door, they wouldn't be able to see it. Telling Maggie they could use his car if they needed to go somewhere. But he would really prefer they didn't. After all, no sense looking for trouble. Then Herschel had Glenn call his mother, to let her know he had found Maggie and would be home in a week. Annette raising her eyebrows at the extravagance of the long distance call. But neither of them missed what was going on between their daughter and Glenn.

Maggie and Glenn were both reluctant to let the other out of their sight. Herschel clearing his throat and pointedly looking away, at the sight of Glenn sitting on the floor outside the upstairs bathroom. Bobby standing next to him, pounding on the bathroom door. Calling, "Mama. Mama. Mama." Totally ignoring Glenn.

Despite Maggie's best efforts, Bobby refused to say "Daddy", or let Glenn hold him by himself. Somehow he knew Glenn was different. He wasn't just a friend of mama's. And he wasn't sure about him. Yet. When he saw Glenn sitting next to his mama, he raced to climb on her. Putting his hands on her cheeks, turning her face towards his. Away from Glenn. Seeming to grow more clingy and insistent about having his mama's total attention as the day went on. Causing Maggie to mutter under her breath, "You stinker, you let Daryl pick you up. And now your daddy's here and you won't… Oh, child."

For Glenn's part, just thinking about Bobby, that he had a son, seemed to be enough to bring tears to his eyes. As he continually whispered, "I'm so sorry I missed everything." And, "I wish I had known, I would have… I don't know what, but I would have done something."

While Maggie seemed to spend quite a bit of time sitting on her left hand. She had removed her wedding ring before she left Texas, but there was a definite white indentation where her ring had been.

Dinner was a stilted affair. With Bobby arching in his highchair, throwing his head back, refusing to eat. Even Gamma's homemade applesauce which was his favorite. With an exasperated sigh, Maggie hauled him out onto the porch.

Sinking down on the porch swing, son in her lap, Maggie offered him a bottle. "You need to finish this. Because I'm not going to get up with you at 3 am because you refused to eat your dinner. I just don't understand what has gotten in to you today, young man. You haven't been this stubborn since…"

"Since when?" Glenn appeared from the screen door. Maggie and Bobby both watching as he made his way to the swing. Draping an arm around Maggie's shoulder. Then reaching over, trying to brush Bobby's cheek.

With a groan, Bobby violently threw himself sideways in Maggie's arms. Away from Glenn. Her eyes going to Glenn, his face sagging. "I'm sorry he's being so… Give him a day or two, he'll…"

Bobby's hands were on her cheeks, turning her face back towards himself. "Papa. Bobby want Papa. Where Papa."

Maggie's mouth dropped open for a moment. Catching herself, she quickly swallowed. "Bobby. You don't… Glenn is your daddy. Can you say…"

"It's okay Mags. He's only known me a day. We'll get there." Sighing, Glenn managed to rub Bobby's back for a hot second before the toddler twisted out of reach. Again. "So, who's Papa?"

Kissing the top of Bobby's head, Maggie stood up. "I'm going to have Gamma take him up to bed."

Looking miserable, Glenn slumped back on the swing. Nodding. Bobby triumphantly patting Maggie's cheek, and giving Glenn the stink eye.

Hurrying inside, Maggie passed Bobby off to her mother. Giving her son one last kiss. Muttering against his forehead. "Glenn is your daddy and he loves you. And I love you. Good night, Baby Boy."

Dragging herself out on to the porch. Ready to have a few minutes with Glenn alone, without having to wrestle with their son. Sitting down on the porch swing, she leaned into Glenn. His arms circling her. Holding her against his chest. The two of them silently sitting together.

Several minutes passed before Glenn shifted in his seat. Maggie pulling back to sit up a little straighter. Twisting to look him in the face, stroking his cheek. "I still can't believe you're really here."

Glenn's hand curled around the edge of hers, turning it over so he could press a kiss to the back of her hand. "Believe it. I'm here and I'm never leaving you again. You or Bobby." With a quiet snort, "I have a son. I feel like I missed so much."

"You're here now. We're together, the three of us. That's what counts."

"Yeah. So who's Papa."

Oh Lordy. "Glenn you don't know." Shifting to sit sideways on the swing, her legs hanging over his. One hand combing back his hair, tracing around the outside edge of his ear. The sound of her own heart pounding in the back of her head.

The ends of Glenn's mouth pulled down, in a rare frown. "That's why I asked. Is he…"

Her hand falling down into her lap. "No. I meant you don't know hard it was after you left."

"Oh." In slow motion, Glenn shifted, creating a whisper of space between them. His head turning, their eyes met. After a long minute, he dipped his chin. "You're right. I told you about my leaving Georgia. I never asked what happened to you. I mean, I know you had Bobby. And you said you went to Texas for a while. But… Tell me."

Her head dropping against his shoulder, Maggie inhaled deeply. Breathing in his familiar scent. Somehow, after almost three years apart, it hadn't changed. I can do this, he needs to know how it was. Sitting up, she straightened her shoulders and wiped at her eyes. "After you left, I started getting sick. At first I thought it was because I missed you so much. But after a bit, I realized I was pregnant. You were gone, I didn't know where. My mama and daddy they… They wanted me to go stay with my aunt until the baby was born and then… But I couldn't." Sniffing, she blinked back tears she refused to allow to escape. "I couldn't give my baby, our baby. I couldn't give him away."

Glenn's arms tightened around her. "It's okay. I'm here, and I'm not leaving. No matter what."

"You're here now, but you weren't. Not even a letter."

His voice watery. "I'm sorry Maggie. You shouldn't have had to go through that alone."

"But I did. Until… One of daddy's friends came to visit. He was lonely, he seemed nice enough. For me to keep our baby, I had to have a husband. So, I married him." As she spoke, Maggie could feel Glenn stiffen. And begin to draw back, away from her.

His voice cracking. "You… You got married?"

Turning to face the yard, Maggie couldn't bear to see the look on his face. Or the rejection in his eyes. "Yes. I met daddy's friend Abe on a Friday afternoon. One week later, I married him in the church parlor. We left for Texas the same day. It was the only way I could keep our baby." He hates me now. I just know it. He never even had another girlfriend and I married a stranger.

Glenn's lips moved against her hair. Whispering. "Did you…"

"No. Well yes, but… I put him off until after Bobby was born. I couldn't stand the thought of him touching me, when I was carrying your baby." Please forgive me.

"Um, okay. But, I was going to ask if you loved him."

Glenn's fingers tightened on her hip. "Oh. No, I never loved him. I respected him and I cared about him. He's a good man. But I didn't love him and he didn't love me."

"Was he…"

An unbidden half smile crossing her face, as she thought about how Abe would wrestle with Bobby at night. Or blow raspberries on his baby belly. "He was Bobby's Papa, he loved Bobby."

"And he was…"

"Good to him. Abe was good to both of us. But, he isn't Bobby's daddy. He knows that."

Pulling her closer, Glenn nuzzled into her neck. "I'm not going to lie. I wish you hadn't gotten married or… You know, with some other man. But, I understand."

Twisting to look him full in the face. Maggie's hands going to his cheeks. Finding them wet. "Do you?"

"You're it for me, Maggie Greene. I love you, I always have."

Her head tipping in, until they were nose to nose, tears flowing for both of them. "I love you, too."

Sitting closer than ever on the porch swing. Not talking. Breathing in each other's breath. Sharing soft kisses, some not so soft kisses. Until the lights inside started going off, and Herschel's voice came through the screen door. Saying, "Lock the door when you come in, Margaret. And don't stay out there too long. Good night."

Swallowing hard to clear her voice. "Good night, Daddy. Mama." Bending her head close to Glenn's again, she listened for the creak of the steps to end. "So, we should go in."

"Yeah. Will you stay with me?"

Untangling their limbs, they stood up from the porch swing. Maggie didn't answer him. Instead, taking his hand, she led him back to the maid's room. And closed the door behind them.

Sigh. No words necessary.

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