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Jake had been called to the hospital to assist with an organ harvest as soon as they got back to her place, and Meghan tried to tamper down Joci’s enthusiasm about standing under the chuppah with her and Doctor Jake. “It may not happen that way, sweetie,” she told her, explaining that she and Jake would be just as married if they had a civil ceremony.

Still Joci wanted to see what the wedding party might look like, so Meghan  picked up a sketchpad and charcoal and drew a simple chuppah, with  silhouettes of a wedding party, including a little girl standing by her grandparents. Frowning, because she had no idea if any members of Jake’s family would even attend, she added several more silhouettes, trying not to worry that the man she loved might be permanently alienating himself from his loved ones by marrying her.

Finally she distracted her daughter by telling her they were all going to Grandpa’s on Tuesday, and Joci went to bed happy. Patches curled up at her feet while Tigerlily did her nightly patrol of the house, ending up purring on Meghan’s lap. As she stroked the cat’s soft fur, she let her mind wander...to Jake and their future. She wouldn’t see him again until he picked them up early Tuesday to go to her dad’s place.

But time moved quickly.