Jax walked a few blocks in Soho towards Chloe's bridal shop. When he reached the door and went inside, he saw Chloe jumping up and down excitedly. When Chloe saw him at the door, she ran over to him and kissed him on the lips. "I'm so glad you're here! We're celebrating!"

Jax laughed; Chloe's zealous mood was very contagious. "What are we celebrating?"

"Don't you know?" Zoey called from across the room. "Her wedding gown is going to be in 'The Today Show' Wedding!"

"'The Today Show' Wedding?"

"Yeah!" Chloe said enthusiastically. "You know! Katie Couric? Matt Lauer? 'The Today Show'? It's when they choose a couple and the audience votes for the dress, tux, rings, invitations, honeymoon destination! Well, I just found out this morning, they chose my dress! 'The Today Show' bride is going to wear my latest design!"

"Chloe, that's wonderful!" Jax said and picked her up and twirled her around.

"So, are you here to take me out to lunch so we can celebrate?" Chloe asked hopefully.

"Oh, Chloe, I'd love to, but I can't."

"Oh."

"Hey, no long faces. I was hoping that instead of lunch, you would be free for dinner tonight, if you could get a babysitter for Molly, of course."

Chloe looked over at Zoey hopefully.

"You don't even have to ask, I would be more than happy to."

"Thanks, Zoey. So," Chloe said as she wrapped her arms around his neck, "where are we eating? An intimate dinner for two at Chanterelle perhaps?"

"Um, actually, I should warn you, it's not going to be just us. My parents will be there too. And well, they're dying to meet you to say the least."

"Your parents are in the city?"

"They will be later this afternoon."

"Oh good! I'm looking forward to meeting them too."

"Okay, great. So is 7:30 okay with you?"

"7:30 is fine."

"Great. Well I'll see you then." Jax leaned forward to kiss Chloe goodbye. "Bye."

"Bye."

Before Chloe even turned around, she held up her hand. "Don't say even say it, Zoey," Chloe warned.

"Oooooooo! You're meeting his parents! Ahhhh!" Zoey ran over to her friend. "Now you know it's serious when he wants his parents to meet you!"

Zoey sat with Molly on the couch and watched cartoons.

"Zoey! Could you come here, please?" Chloe called from upstairs.

"Be right back, Molly," Zoey said softly, although she doubted the child really paid attention to her. She was too involved in the cartoon.

"Zoey!" Chloe called again.

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" Zoey said as reached the top of the staircase and headed down the hallway to Chloe's room.

"Okay, honey, what's wrong?"

Chloe turned around to face her. "Does this dress look alright?"

"It looks incredible!"

"'Incredible'? Oh, then I should change it!"

"No, don't, it's just fine!"

"Zoey, I want to look sexy for Jax but not for his parents! I should change." Chloe ran to her closet and frantically began to search for another dress.

Zoey rushed over to her. "Chloe, honey, it looks fine. It's a good dress to wear."

"Really?" Chloe was having serious doubts.

"Yes! Sweetie, my god, you're flushed! What's wrong? It's just a dinner."

Chloe laughed. "'Just a dinner'? Zoey, it is so not 'just a dinner'! I'm meeting his parents! His parents! First impressions are very important."

"Chloe, Jax's parents will love you. I'm sure of it. Come on, everyone loves you!"

Chloe sat down on her bed. Zoey picked up some powder and sat down beside her, putting the powder on Chloe's face.

"I know that, Zoey. I'm sure Jax's parents are wonderful people, I mean they must be to raise such a wonderful son as Jax, but…but I'm still nervous. What if I make a complete fool of myself?"

"You won't. What could you possibly do?"

"What if when I reach out to shake his father's hand I suddenly trip and fall?"

"So don't wear high heels. No big deal."

"Well what if I have this huge piece of spinach in my teeth? And then I'll have it there all through dinner and not know and everyone will be disgusted and afraid to tell me of it in fear of embarrassing me!"

Zoey laughed. "Bring a mirror, sweetie! Is this what you have been doing all afternoon? Thinking of every possible thing that could go wrong? Honey, you have nothing to worry about!"

"Easy for you to say. You're not meeting his parents. Weren't you intimidated when you met Richard's mother for the first time?"

"Um, I'm not so sure I'm a good example for that, Chloe. When I first met Richard's mother, I was…wearing her robe."

Chloe looked at her friend in shock. "Whoa, talk about bad first impressions! Zoey! You were wearing her robe? What on earth were you doing wearing her robe?"

"Don't give me that look! Nothing happened!"

"Mmm-hmm," Chloe hummed.

"Well it's the truth! Honest! I had an accident and I spilled something on my shirt."

"Oh…okay."

"But you're right, it was a bad first impression. That and my nose ring. Yeah, she hates me."

"But, Zoey! You're so nice! How could she hate you?"

"Because, Sydney is rich and snobby, and no girl is good enough for her son, especially a poor one." Chloe gave Zoey a worried look. "Stop worrying! I'm sure Jax's mother is not like that!"

"MOMMY! COME GET THE DOOR!" Molly shouted from downstairs.

"Oh, he's here!"

"Stop worrying! Things will go great!"

"Keep telling me that!" Chloe begged.

"You look wonderful," Jax said to Chloe in the elevator.

Chloe blushed. "Thanks. It took me forever to find something to wear and I considered changing this dress."

"I'm glad you didn't. It's perfect."

"Really? You don't think it's too…flashy?"

"It's perfect," Jax repeated. "Are you nervous about meeting my parents?"

"Is it that obvious?"

"Don't be nervous. I told them you were wonderful."

"Well I've never been described as 'wonderful' before. I feel quite certain that I'll disappoint."

"Oh no, not a chance!" Jax said firmly.

And from the way he was smiling, Chloe knew he truly meant it.

After conferring with the hostess, Jax took Chloe's hand and led her to the back of the restaurant. Once there, Chloe saw two people look up excitedly, and she knew that they had to be his parents.

If Chloe's nervousness was showing, John and Jane didn't notice. Before they had even got to the table, John and Jane stood up to introduce themselves to Chloe.

"Mum, Dad, this is Chloe. Chloe, Mum and Dad."

"Well you're even more lovely than the picture Jax showed us!" Jane exclaimed. Chloe blushed.

"I agree with my wife, and it is wonderful to finally meet you," John said.

"It's so nice to finally meet you, too. Both of you," Chloe said. She shook John's hand, and thankfully, she didn't trip and make a fool of herself.

Jax pulled out Chloe's chair for her and she took her place at the table. Jax sat down beside her and gave her a reassuring smile.

Chloe had been nervous at first, not knowing what to say, not knowing what to do, but then, an incredible relief came upon her. Chloe's nervousness just lifted away, and she couldn't believe how panicky she had been before. Jax's parents were even more wonderful than Jax had said. It was as if the Jacks family possessed some sort of quality that made it easy to talk to them.

"So, Chloe," Jane started, "Jax tells us that you design wedding gowns and have your own bridal shop in Soho?"

Chloe shook her head. "Yes. It's something I'm very proud of and I've worked hard for it."

"In fact," Jax said, "viewers of the 'Today Show' picked her wedding dress out of four others for their annual wedding thing."

Jane lit up. "Oh yes, I saw that on the television this morning! And I called John into the room and we were both hoping they would choose yours and they did! It was the most beautiful gown out of them all and I'm not just saying that."

Chloe shrugged her shoulders. "Thank you. But it was just luck really, that my dress was voted for. I mean, they could have easily gone with the Vera Wang gown…"

"Oh, now she's being modest," Jax said and smiled at her again. Chloe smiled back.

Chloe must have talked about everything; her daughter, her designing, living in New York, even the big monster fiasco from the other night. And when dinner was over, Chloe was a little disappointed, because she had such a wonderful evening getting to know the two people who raised this incredible man that had stumbled into her life.

When Chloe got back home, she found Zoey in the bathroom watching Molly brush her teeth.

"Don't you forget those back teeth now."

"Hey."

Zoey turned around and saw Chloe. "Hey, you're back!"

"Mommy!" Molly said with a mouthful of toothpaste.

"Hi, baby!" Chloe said.

"So, how was it?" Zoey asked impatiently.

"It was great! You were right, I had nothing to worry about. Jax's parents are incredibly nice."

"See, told you!"

Molly finished brushing her teeth and ran to her bedroom. "Somebody come tuck me in!"

"Okay, Molly, just a few minutes," Chloe called to her daughter.

"Sorry that I'm just getting Molly to bed now."

"Oh, that's okay."

"It's just that she insisted on staying up to watch 'The Powerpuff Girls'," Zoey explained.

Chloe laughed. "Oh, say no more!"

"So, will Jax's parents be staying longer?"

"Yeah. Actually tomorrow, Molly and I are going to go over to Jax's place because his mother wants to cook us dinner. And Jax's brother will probably be there too."

"Oh, so it's just one big family reunion and they are including you! Wow, Chloe, I think this is big!"

Chloe laughed

"Mommy!"

"Just a second, baby!"

"Well, I should go, it is late," Zoey announced.

"Alright, thanks for watching Molly."

"You're welcome." Zoey poked her head into the doorway of Molly's room. "Okay, kiddo, I'm heading out now. Sweet dreams and don't let the bed bugs bite!"

"Don't let the bed bugs bite you either!" Molly said.

"Bye," Zoey said.

"See you later," Chloe said.

Chloe walked over to Molly. "Did Zoey get a chance to read you a story?"

"No." Molly got up from the bed and stood in front of her bookshelf. She ran her finger along the spines of each book until she found the one that she wanted. "Read this one, Mommy."

"Okay." Chloe took the book and got on the bed with Molly, holding the book so that they could both see it. "Alright, The Lion King."

"Look, there's baby Simba!" Molly said and pointed to the cover of the book. "Aww, he's a cute baby! And oh, there's the bad lion. Scar. He's scary."

"Yeah, he's pretty bad and up to no good."

"Yeah, he's pretty bad," Molly repeated.

Chloe than began to read the book. "'A prince is born. The hot African sun rose on an amazing sight…'"

When Chloe finished reading the story, it was time for Molly to go to sleep. But first, she said her prayers.

"Dear God," Molly began, "please bless me, and please bless Mommy and Jax and Nana and Zoey and Richard and Ally and Mr. Tony and…and all of Mommy's other friends, and bless all of my friends, Bianca, Charlotte, Will, Haley, Daniella, Mike, Lucy, Shauna, Cayleigh, Jenny, Nicholas, Cassandra, and of course, my boyfriend Tyler, and…oh, I forgot Miss Laurie at school! And all of my stuffed animals, all of my toys, and all of the kitties and bunnies and puppies…and…and all of the good people in the world! Amen!"

Chloe laughed softly. "Good girl. Alright, climb into bed." Molly quickly got under the covers and Chloe tucked her daughter in and kissed her goodnight.

As she turned off the light and left the room, it suddenly dawned on her that Jax had been in Molly's prayers for quite a while now, and that was quite an honor, because to be in Molly's prayers was to be very important to her.

To be continued…