"Hello, Mom. Glad you called." Danielle had somehow reached her hotel room after driving from the University with whirling images of Stewart reeling through her mind.

"Dani, you know what I want to hear from you. Tell me you thanked Stewart Bryant for saving you from that mama bear."

"Well, no. Not again. You did when you sent him a card and your fudge. I did thank him in June when that happened. Remember? I told you I was in his plane, right next to him, and...." Danielle stopped an uncontrolled chatter, mystified by her floundering mind.

"Well Dear, now that you are back in Alaska in August, be sure to tell that handsome man, your mother loved hearing from him. You will see him before you fly back here, won't you."

"Of course." Taking a deep breath, she sounded determined. "I'm attending a wedding at his place tomorrow."

"Oh, someone you know getting married?"

"Yes, it's a young bride with a newborn baby girl. I bought her a pair of fur booties." She gazed at the gift bag laying on her dresser.

"Exciting. Promise to take professional pictures of her."

"That is something I can do. A good reason to go to the wedding. Photographs of the baby. A good idea."

"Dani, are you nervous? You sound so..."

"I'm fine, Mom. Thanks for calling."

A buzz began on her cell phone again. "Rhonda, you promised a call when you got me at the airport. What's up?"

"Want to hear Ivar sing tonight? His group is jamming out at the Fox Grill. Meeting with Gabe and Ron out there."

"Nothing I want more."

"Good. Oh, neither Curtiss nor Dixie can go. They're helping set up a wedding tomorrow. I'll come pick you up."

"Where is this place?"

"It's fifteen miles out. Bring your camera for photos of the pipeline if you want."

Danielle quickly changed from her business-like slack outfit to Levi's, bright blue tee shirt and a casual vest. As she brushed her blond hair into a straight fall, she thought of the many fun times she had shared with these friends. Together they had been boating, seeing shows, hiked and picnicked. She got to the parking lot as Rhonda drove up.

Driving north of town gave Danielle distractions she sought. Rhonda pulled off at a hilltop so a photo of the city below could be snapped. Next stop was in front of an oil pipeline that extended from the north coast for eight-hundred miles south to the seaport of Valdez. At Fox, a very small community, they parked in front of the Grill.

With Gabe and Ron, they had dinner. Together they cheered Ivar as he played guitar with the band and was their lead singer. Each shared what they planned for jobs or classes at the University this Fall. But Danielle fell short of telling her plans.

"I haven't decided. But one thing is likely. It's not going to be the same." She ignored offering details. Instead, she lifted her glass to them. A brewery there produced a beer that Danielle developed a great taste for. Each refill brought her more laughter.

As the hours passed, they repeatedly danced to the music. Finally in a melody that reminisced Ron's life in Mexico, he whirled her until she was dizzy.

Rhonda grabbed her arm. "Never saw you so carried away, Danielle. I better get you back to town."

Without a reply, Danielle accepted their assistance to the car where she snuggled onto the back seat. Rhonda drove to the hotel and managed to wake her up enough to get her to the room. Danielle flooded her with words of gratitude before collapsing in bed.

The party night had led to a long and greatly needed sleep.

In late morning, Danielle lounged in a prolonged bath to hopefully clear fog from her mind. After hair drying, she steamed in waves and then she clipped in a red barrette to match her high-heels and casual handbag for the camera. Since she had few choices to wear, she slipped into the only dress. It was pale pink with white roses loosely covering the bustline and short skirt revealing her slim, tan legs.

Checking the time on the note from Stewart, she guessed to get there right before the wedding began. On the highway, Danielle thought of how her first drive there two months ago had oddly changed her life. It began with rejection of affection from Curtiss, an attraction to Stewart, then refusing Kevin's command to marry.

Scenery along the road sparked wonderment she remembered. She looked down on a river, at massive mountains looming over valleys, at wildflowers and thick forests. She noticed yellow leaves had begun showing an early Fall.

Entering Stewart's ranch, she had to park in a long line of cars. A crowd was definitely there for the wedding. Danielle took a deep breath then walked before an open front door. A nicely dressed native woman with black grey-streaked hair greeted her.

"Are you Dani?" A broad grin spread across her older face. "I know you are. Stewart told me all about you. I'm Mary Frost, mother of the bride."