"James MacArthur's Honeymoon House for Four (and more?)"

When James MacArthur and Melody Patterson were married this past summer in a storybook Hawaiian ceremony, his two children by his first marriage, Charles, 9, and Mary, 5, both played important parts in that big event. Just as they do now that Jim and Melody are happy honeymooners. Although the kids live with their mother, actress Joyce Boulifant, in California, they still see a lot of their father. Melody and Jim dated for two years before they married, and Melody got to know the children well. So, it was only natural that when the newlyweds went to spend their honeymoon at their house in Beverly Hills, that the children should come and stay with them there -- and make Jim’s and Melody’s newfound happiness even greater. For his children will always be a vital part of Jim’s and Melody’s marriage. They’d both waited a long time before they finally decided to make the big step. Jim had to be sure that his second wife would love and accept his children, and, although Melody already knew that she loved Charles and Mary, she had to make sure that she was ready to accept this ready-made family. She’s never been married before, she didn’t know what it was like to have a husband -- let alone kids. All the questions were answered last July when Jim and Melody were reunited after a painful separation. He sent her a round-trip ticket to Hawaii, but she never got to use the return half because he asked her to marry him the very night she arrived! Charles and Mary were so pleased. Their mother had remarried, and they were hoping their would, too. Jim and Melody plan to wait to have their own kids. In the meantime, they’ve got a whole, wonderful, loving family already.