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"Sure," shrugged the young man. He smiled at Abby's protests, for he knew she wasn't going to win this one.

"I'm sure I could get Doc [Dr. Gregory, the local veterinary, and one of Abby's oldest fishing buddies, besides Terry] in on this," planned Terry. "Do you have anymore pancakes, Jake?"

After breakfast, Abby went to work, while Jake started vacuuming her parents' living room. At the marina, Abby found Mr. Winkler and Dennis, and quickly broke her news to them, so she could get any questions over with. Abby left out the details, only mentioning that she and Jake were going to have a baby.

"Well, well," smiled Mr. Winkler knowingly, "I knew you two would get around to it, one of these days!"

"Congratulations," said Dennis. "Everything is all right, then?"

"Yeah, it is," she answered, going out to the dock to prepare for her first student of the day.

"I guess everything is all right," shrugged Dennis to Mr. Winkler.

After lunch, John took Izumi to the obstetrician in Chaumont for one of her checkups. Today marked the first of her second trimester, and Izumi was in good spirits.

"Mrs. Johannes, the initial time of danger for your babies is over," declared Dr. Elizabeth Williams, as she scanned the ultrasound monitor. "If you remember, we were concerned that one or more of the babies would be reabsorbed, but you're thirteen weeks along, and that danger is over."

"Thank God for that!" exclaimed John, gratefully.

"I can tell you what sex these babies are," offered Dr. Williams, "that is, if you both want to know. Some couples prefer to wait until birth before finding out."

"We want to know," smiled Izumi, as John took her hand in his.

"Let's see," said the doctor, "this one is a girl, see? Let's see... congratulations, folks! They're all girls!"

"Heaven help us," John laughed happily, kissing his beaming wife. "Three more girls, Little Dove. Do you think we're up to it?"

"Definitely," smiled Izumi.

Abby didn't get home until late that evening, tired from a long day's work at the marina. As she came through her parents' front door to eat dinner, Terry greeted her with all smiles.

"Abby, you're going to have three baby sisters, come next February!" he cried happily.

"Three girls?" laughed Abby, incredulously. "Wow!"

"How was your day?" asked Jake, getting out her dinner from the oven where he had been keeping it warm.

"All right, I guess," she answered, sitting down at the table by herself, for the others had already eaten. To her bewilderment, however, Jake grabbed a plate and joined her.

"Haven't you had dinner, yet?" she asked in surprise, for it was nearly seven o'clock.

"I thought I'd wait for you," he shrugged, helping himself to some leftover lasagna. "You don't mind, do you?"

"I guess not," she replied, puzzled by this gesture.

"Dad eats with Mom whenever he can," reflected Jake. "He said it's important to keep in touch with your 'other half.'"

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