Carefully, Mr. Bates laid out a blanket with a Teddy bear print while Anna cuddled her little boy. Mr. Bates was struggling, because of his bad knee, so Anna gave John Junior to Bates and finished setting up.

Mrs. Patmore made four chicken sandwiches and a few different assortments of fruit. Anna packed scrambled eggs for John Jr. This would be the first picnic with John Jr.

As they rested by the creek, Mr. Bates chomped on his sandwich and intently watched Anna feed their son. After every bite, she kissed his little head. John Jr. was smiling and giggling.

"How to you make our son laugh like that?" Bates inquired.

"I think he's a lot like me in that way. We constantly are smiling and laughing and we don't even know why."

"I think John looks like me, though."

"Well he has brown hair and brown eyes like you. He's also chubby like you," Anna teased.

"Hey!" Mr Bates pouted.

"I'm only joking!"

Mr. Bates crawled over to her and tickled Anna's stomach and then John Jr.'s. Both giggled and chuckled.

"But he's ticklish like you," Mr. Bates laughed.

Suddenly, Anna's face grew sad and dreary. Mr. Bates noticed this abrupt change.

"Honey, are you all right?"

"Well, I'm just being silly."

"No tell me what's wrong. It can't be anything I said."

John Junior looked keenly at his parents. Mr. Bates snatched his wife in his arms and held her.

"I never get to spend any time with John. We work over sixteen hours a day and he's always in that nursery and never with me. I can't tell you how many times I've made an excuse to go past the nursery just for a glimpse of him. This is the only time I get to spend with him."

"Maybe it's time we start investing in that hotel we've been dreaming about. Then you can see John all the time. I've been wanting to start a hotel for ages with you. I mean, Mrs. Patmore is living our dream with her bed and breakfast or more commonly know to us as 'Mrs. Patmore's house of ill repute'."

"Maybe we should wait until af-. Nevermind."

"Anna, wait until what?"

"Well I wasn't going to tell you until later, but I suppose I'll tell you now. I'm three months pregnant. We're going to have a second child."

"Anna, that is just wonderful! I'm so happy."

Mr. Bates kissed his wife. And picked up his son and threw him in the air.

"You're going to be a brother, John! A brother!"

Anna giggled and laughed. Then she began packing up the picnic and their little family strolled back to the cottage. They held hands as the walked.

"Are you sure you don't want to buy a hotel now? Think of all the time we could spend with our children."

"Let's do it, Mr. Bates. Let's go live our dream."

"When can we turn in our notice?" Mr. Bates teased.

"In time, Mr. Bates." Anna chuckled.