The next morning, Kira was doing her best to NOT wake up. She was still too tired to think about getting out of bed. If only there was a way to get to the rest of the day without having to deal with mornings. Kira felt the side of the bed dip as Jebb came back in to sit next to her. Of course he’d already be awake and ready for the day. He’s still living on farm hours.

Jebb had come in since he hadn’t heard his wife get up despite the fact that she turned off the buzzing alarm quite some time ago. Well, he bet he could get her moving. Brushing her hair aside, Jebb started to kiss the side of his wife’s neck.

“Leave me alone. I’m tired,” Kira mumbled as she pulled the pillow over her head causing Jebb to chuckle.

“Kira, you need to get up. Your alarm went off more than twenty minutes ago.”

Kira threw her pillow and blankets off as she practically jumped out of bed. “WHAT?” Kira bolted over to her closet and pulled out an outfit for court.

“When you turned off the alarm I thought you were awake.” Jebb laughed as he watched Kira rush through getting her stuff together. “Need me to help with anything?”

Kira turned as Jebb walked up behind her. “Oh no. I believe it was your Helping last night that is the reason that I didn’t get to sleep until sometime this morning.”

“You weren’t complaining last night.” Grinning like an idiot, Jebb slipped his arm around his wife and gave her a morning kiss.

Kira groaned a bit before pulling away. “No, I guess I wasn’t but if I don’t hurry, I’ll never get to work on time.” Kira quickly gave Jebb a peck before running to the bathroom for a quick shower. Real quick one if she didn’t want to end up being in contempt of court.




News of both, Kira’s marriage and her impending departure spread through the courthouse grape-vine like wild fire. Most congratulated her, many wanted to know everything about the who (for those that hadn’t known she was dating Jebb), the when, and the why. The only one that seemed upset was Tanya since Jebb had been one of the few men on her “To do” list that she hadn’t gotten around to yet. And she won’t ever get that chance now, Kira thought to herself.

Now Kira was at her desk trying to finish up her paperwork only to look up to see Ben’s son Shawn standing in the doorway. Her day was going too well to have to deal with him right now. He’s always let her know just what he thought of her and the fact that his father had taken her in when she was sixteen. When Ben had died and left her the same amount of money as he and his sister had received combined… well that dislike grew to shear hatred. He only came around when he needed her to show up at some fundraiser or political event or another. Her being living proof of the fact his family had always cared for and took care of the less fortunate.

“What are you doing here?” Kira went back to her work hoping that Shawn would say whatever he’d come to say and leave.

“Word has it that you went and got married. I came to see if it’s true. Please tell me that you were smart enough to have had him sign a pre-nup first.”

“No, Shawn. I was smart enough to marry someone that I wouldn’t NEED a pre-nup with,” Kira threw her pen down onto the desk as she spoke. “What’s it to you?”

“What’s it to ME? It’s MY father’s money. That’s what it is to me!” Kira rolled her eyes. Funny how you can be born with access to more money than you can spend on your own and get mad at the way someone else may deal with money for themselves. That included money that Kira hasn’t hardly touched since she passed the bar.

“In case you’ve forgotten, you no longer have any claim to the portion of your father’s estate that he left to me. You lost when you went to court to challenge the will. And I’m tired of the same old argument with you and your sister.”

“I guess I shouldn’t have expected anything less than this from a street urchin.” Kira glared at Shawn. No wonder she’d worried how she’d be able to handle having an instant family after she and Bo finally found out about one another. Not with Shawn as an adoptive brother to serve as an example. “What did you do, let that plow boy knock you up? Is that why you’re planning to leave town so soon? Figure you’d leave before you start to show?”

“Not that it’s any of your business, but NO, I’m NOT pregnant. Though it’s nice to know that so many people seem to believe that the only reason anyone would marry me is if they thought that they had to!” Kira was on her feet by now leaning over her desk.

“Oh that’s not the only reason, I’m sure that this farm boy of yours had his eyes on a few other things too. That is if that pathetic excuse of a ring is any indication of how poor he really is.” Shawn looked down at his Little Sister as his father had tried to get him to think of this whelp. If it wasn’t for her, all of those plans that he’d had wouldn’t have been put on hold for that money that SHOULD have been his.

“It’s MY ring, and I love it. I’ve never cared for that gaudy crap that your wife and sister seem to adore so much, anyway. Now if this is the only reason you came by here, I suggest you leave. NOW! Before I call security up here to haul you out!”

Shawn took one more look around Kira’s office before slipping back out into the hallway then made his way down to the street since he knew that Kira would do just that if he didn’t comply. Once down on street level he found a pay phone. Waiting for the line to pick up on the other end, Shawn cursed his father for the blasted clause in that blasted will.

“Hello?”

“Hey, it me. I just went by and saw her. Looks like it’s true. She did get married.”

“Is she..?”

“She says she ain’t. But it all looks a bit suspicious to me. After all, she was seen going to her doctor only ONE WEEK before the wedding.”

“What are we going to do?”

“Sit back and wait to see if we have anything to worry about I guess. I’ll call you if I get anything else.” Shawn hung the phone back up and headed to his car. All the while, going through a litany of curses against a long dead man that seemed to enjoy haunting him through a red-headed street urchin.




Kira was seeing red by the time she saw Shawn walking down the street through her window. She had considered going off of the pill now that she and Jebb were married but with so many people ASSUMING that she was already pregnant, she’ll be DAMNED if she’d stop taking it right now. There was no way she was going to let all of these busy bodies think that they are right if she turned up pregnant just now. That she must have trapped Jebb into marriage. Well, it looks like she’ll need to go get a refill on her prescription after all.




It had been a long week and Kira was looking forward to not having to be in court the next morning. She’d been the subject of all of the gossip around the water cooler ever since she’d turned in her notice on Tuesday. If she really thought about it, she guessed that to everyone else, the obvious conclusion that everyone was drawing about her departure made sense, somewhat. But that didn’t mean she had to like it.

Now sitting on the couch with her husband though, she let the gossip of the week go. She had tried to get Jebb to tell her what he’d been doing all week while she was gone but he’d get a mischievous look in his eyes and just tell her to trust him. Call her a fool, but she did. She was curious, but knew he’d tell her when he was ready. She believed that it had to do with the fact that she’d told him that she’d live anywhere he wanted. It looked like he may make her eat those words before everything was said and done. But Kira had the feeling that by the time she’d worked her notice, she’d be more than ready to leave Atlanta behind; even if it meant going to Tranquil in Placid County.

Neither Jebb nor Kira was expecting a call from anyone so they were more than a little surprised when the phone rang. Jebb stretched his long arm to grab the phone from its cradle without getting up.

“Hello?...Yes I’ll accept the charges.” Kira looked up and saw a perplexed look on Jebb’s face. “Emily? What are you doing calling? Does mom know what you’re doin’?”

“Kira said that we could call anytime we wanted and Mom wouldn’t have to know. It’s alright ain’t it?”

Jebb looked down at Kira where she was leaning against him on the couch. “She did huh? Yeh, it’s alright. I just wasn’t expectin’ it is all. Is something wrong?”

“Not really. I was just checking to see if you’re still coming to the dance recital next weekend.”

“Do you want me there?”

“Of course! You PROMISED that you’d be there.”

“And Dukes don’t break promises.” Both siblings said together as if reciting a lesson from school. Kira smiled as the two spoke. At least ONE of the females in Jebb’s family had been listening when she was out at the farm.

“When did you see Kira?” Jebb had a suspicion, himself.

“Monday. When she came to see momma.” So that was her errand that she went on Monday while he was talking to Roy. “Momma didn’t want to talk to her, though. Is she really gonna have a baby?”

“IS SHE WHAT?” Jebb bolted upright on the couch. Not that he’d mind, but he certainly wouldn’t want to learn about it from his little sister. He looked back down at Kira and mouthed the question if she was pregnant. Kira looked just as shocked as Jebb at that point. She’d been accused by a lot of people this week of having a bun in the oven but Emily was the first ten year old so far to say it.

“That’s what momma says.” Kira shook her head to answer Jebb. “Well is she?” Jebb wasn’t sure if he should be relieved or not. He let out a breath that he hadn’t realized he was holding before answering his sister.

“No, Emily. She’s not.”

“Oh. Well, you ARE coming next week though, right?” Jebb never could understand how kids could jump from one topic to another so fast then back again without skipping a beat.

“If you want me there, I’ll be there.”

“Kira too?” Kira nodded in answer to the question.

“Kira too,” Jebb replied.

“Good. Uh-oh. I’d better go. See ya next weekend!”

“Bye.” Jebb hung up the phone and put it back on the end table. “So you went to talk to my mother? And no blood was shed?”

“I was hoping to talk some sense into her. Instead, she became convinced that the only reason that you married me was that I had to be pregnant.”

“Well, I suppose that with the way we got married so fast, a lot of people WOULD think that.” He pulled Kira into his lap. “Of course, if you’re not, it’s not through lack of trying.” Jebb captured her lips as he allowed his hand to slip beneath the hem of Kira’s shirt.

“No, that would be the use of Birth Control. I guess most people have been stuck in the dark ages and haven’t heard of it. I don’t plan to give anyone a reason to think that you were trapped into marriage.” Kira shifted so that she was straddling Jebb on the couch and deepened the kiss that Jebb had started.

“Trapped or not, I’m here to stay.” Jebb mumbled as began to reach for the clasp of Kira’s bra beneath her shirt. “I guess that even if we ain’t plannin’ to start a family just yet, it wouldn’t hurt to get a little extra practice in.”

“I think I could handle that; if you’re up to the task of keepin’ up with me.” Kira only heard a low growl from Jebb as proved to her that he was more than up to the challenge.




Jebb and Kira slipped into the small community theater just before Emily’s and Emma’s dance recital began. Kira could tell that Jebb was only half paying attention to the young dancers on stage until it was time for his sisters’ class to go on stage. She knew that he could really careless about ballet but he was willing to sit through it since it had meant so much to his sister. After the performance was complete, Kira and Jebb went back stage in search of twin ten year olds with blond hair. With so many other kids around, Kira thought that it would be impossible to find the two that they had come to see. Jebb, however, zeroed in on his sisters with practiced ease. When Emily saw him, she screamed out his name and ran across the crowded space and jumped into his arms. Emma looked glad to see her brother but looked up at her mother and decided that it’d be best to stay where she was.

“What’ya bring me?”

“What makes you think I brought you anything?” Jebb ruffled is sister’s hair.

“You always bring something back from a race, and this time you’ve been gone a lot longer.” Jebb winced a bit at the mention of how long he’d been gone but he gave his sister a grin anyway.

“Well...I wasn’t sure if you’d really want it...” Emily looked up at her brother expectantly. She didn’t see a box or anything but she KNEW that Jebb had SOMETHING for her. Jebb leaned in and whispered to her to go with her sister and they’d find their present in their parent’s car. Emily screamed in delight then ran out to the car grabbing her sister’s hand as she ran by. Jebb laughed as both sisters ran out to find their new dresses. Ordinarily, he’d bring a small toy or something but as Emily stated, he had been gone a lot longer this time. Looking up at his mother, he waited for her to say something since this was the first time he’d seen her since he’d left for Atlanta before Christmas. He didn’t think she’d cause a scene right here in front of nearly the whole town, but he still was nervous standing in front of her all the same. “Hey Mom.”

“Jebb.” Pauline looked at her son then glared at Kira who was standing right behind him.

“I’ll go check on the girls.” Kira then whispered to Jebb that she had promised Pauline that she’d make herself scarce if Pauline wanted to talk to son. “I’ll be right back.” Kira squeezed Jebb’s hand before heading into the direction of where the girls had gone.

“The girls were real good tonight.” Jebb figured that a neutral topic would be best.

“I was surprised that you came.”

Jebb shrugged his shoulders a bit. “I promised I’d be here. I’ve never broke a promise to them before. Didn’t plan on startin’ now.” Jebb stood awkwardly waiting for his mother to say something else. Hoping that the ice was breaking a little.

“Well, I hope that you didn’t spoil them. They don’t need you trying to buy them off with presents since you decided to abandon them.”

His mother had never minded the gifts that he’d gotten his sisters over the years when he’d come back from a trip. It looked like she may be changing her mind about them now. Just like she was changing her mind about what she’d always thought about him.

“Mom, I don’t want things to be like this. I miss you.”

“Then why’d you do it? Why didn’t you come home?”

“I love Kira. I wanted to be with her. I have for a long time.” Jebb felt like he and his mother was in a staring contest. Neither of them ready to back down. “She’s my wife Mom. There ain’t nothing that’s gonna change that.”

Pauline had tears in her eyes as she responded to her son, “You deserved someone so much better...”

“Like I told Uncle Jesse when he first talked to me about this, THERE AIN’T NO ONE BETTER.” Jebb was well aware of the fact that some of the parents of the other children had taken an interest in the conversation between mother and son so he guided his mother off to the side so they could speak a bit more privately. “What would you have done if grandma and grandpa had forbade you to marry Pop after you’d already decided to get married?”

Pauline thought about the question. Ironically, that’s exactly what HAD happened. All her folks had seen was a moonshiner when they’d seen John. They had forbidden her to see him anymore once they’d learned how the Duke family earned their money. And she had done exactly what her son had done. She had ran off to Chickamahoney with John and worried about everything else later.

“I’m still not going to like this. I never will.”

“Alright.” Jebb let out a sigh. “So long as we know how the other feels, we won’t have to fight about it no more. And it don’t have to start a war within the family. ‘Cause I don’t want to fight with you.” Pauline thought that Jebb sounded an awful lot like his father right now.

“I still can’t believe that my baby’s married.” Jebb pulled his mother in for a hug. He guessed she’d always think of him as a baby. A thought that made him smirk just a bit.




When Jebb and his mother joined Kira and the twins outside, he noticed that his older sister had timidly joined the others. Karen and Emma were staying off to the side but Emily was chattering up a storm with Kira. He couldn’t really tell what Emily was going on about (wasn’t sure if Kira could either) but it looked like his other two sisters were waiting to see what their mother would do before engaging with their new sister-in-law. They got their answer when Pauline declared that the girls needed to get home since it was getting late. Emily gave enthusiastic hugs to first Jebb and then Kira before jumping into the car while Emma gave a more reserved hug to her brother and waved at Kira before climbing in behind her twin.

When his mother drove off, Kira took Jebb’s hand and waited to hear how things went with her mother in law. It wasn’t until they had climbed into the truck did Jebb begin to fill Kira in on his brief conversation with his mom and told her that he and his mother had reached an uneasy truce. Neither was going to convince the other of their own point of views, but at least they knew where the other stood. He reckoned that only time would tell just where they’d go from here.

Switching gears, Jebb asked one more time if Kira really was willing to leave Atlanta. He had been busy with his own project while she was at work but wanted to check one last time before he went any further with his plans. He’d already made the necessary calls and had enlisted some help with his surprise. He’d already decided where he wanted to live, where he wanted to work the soil, and when the time came, start a family. But Jebb still was a bit apprehensive since it would be such a big change for Kira. He had someone coming into town Monday to close the deal, he just figured that he’d better give Kira one last chance to take back the words that she’d spoken since he knew that she was well aware of the fact that Jebb would want to farm.

Farming was in his blood. Just like racing and moonshine. Now he may not be making moonshine (though every Duke has the old family recipe committed to memory) but the farming ran just as deep as his pull to the clear substance or his love for speed. But Kira had emphatically insisted that when she’d said anywhere, she meant it. From there the two spent the drive back to Atlanta in a type of tug of war. Kira trying her best to pull information of just what Jebb had planned out of him, while he was just as determined not to let any of the secrecy of his surprise slip. She’d just have to wait and see. She’d already waited two weeks, she can wait another two. When he’d told that to Kira, she had just shook her head at the way Jebb was going on. It was like he was a kid with a secret.

Like when a kid comes up full of excitement at knowing something and says, “Do you want to know something?...I can’t tell ya.” Having a secret that they wouldn’t share but wanting you to know that they weren’t sharing all the while.

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