Claire put the plates of food on the table for her brothers who attacked them hungrily and for Ethan who ate more slowly. She didn't know what was on his mind but she served herself and sat at the table.

"I'll take the boys to fix the fence after school today," Claire said, "They should be done by supper time."

George scowled.

"Ben broke it not me."

His brother objected.

"Ge…George….he hit the ball too hard."

They'd been playing with two other boys who'd be joining them in doing some penance by repairing the damage to the satisfaction of Applegate who owned the property. He'd accused Ethan of not being a good father to the boys letting them run wild like hooligans.

Claire looked at both of them sternly.

"You'll have to make amends," she said, "you know better than that…now finish eating your breakfast."

Ethan watched his niece who acted more like the boys' mother than their sister. He supposed that was his fault for not providing them with a maternal figure but maybe he'd finally met the woman who'd fit that role in Missy. She seemed to get along with the children well enough though she didn't spend a lot of time with them. She had a full load on her plate after all spending a lot of time planning the future of Paradise.

Joseph sighed.

"Ben and Joseph have been acting up a lot lately," he said, "When I was their age, I never got away with anything."

Claire looked at her brother.

"Joseph…things were different then."

Ethan knew the truth behind that. But he'd done the best he could considering he had to work long hours in town and around the county as the marshal. Even with two deputies, he still had a lot of land to cover. Some nights he had to stay in town, too tired to get on his horse and head back home. Lately it'd been quieter, most of the time in the late afternoons, spent at meetings with Ivan and Missy.

Claire looked over at Ethan.

"So you staying in town again?"

Ethan ate a bite of eggs.

"I don't plan on it," he said, "Haven't needed to lately."

She looked at him more pointedly.

"Well doesn't Missy want to have supper with you?"

He wiped his mouth with his napkin.

"She might be busy tonight with her father," he said, "and I'll probably be home early."

Claire shrugged and went back to eating. The boys finished their meal more quietly than when they'd started, duly chastised.

Amelia rose and after dealing with an upset stomach she drank some weak tea and dry toast while Rose dined on eggs and ham. Even the smell made her stomach roil up so she sat in the sun room trying to get her bearings.

"It'll pass I promise you."

Meaning the morning malaise as she called it and Amelia figured it would at some point but each day just made it seem longer.

"I'm feeling better now."

Rose arched a brow.

"Really…well you look good this morning…"

Amelia smiled at her friend.

"Thank you but I must look a mess," she said, "I was going to go pick up some things at the mercantile. I might do some decorating."

"That sounds…useful," she said, "Any plans to run into Ethan?"

Amelia pursed her lips.

"I plan to tell him yes…but he's engaged to marry this woman. So I'm not certain what to do now."

Rose clucked her tongue.

"You need to tell him anyway," she said, "Even if he's getting married to someone else he still needs to know about his own child."

Amelia knew that but she'd been thrown through a loop with what she learned last night. Obviously Ethan had moved on with his life and now she'd figured out why he'd left her that morning in Reno. He must have at least been seeing Missy when he'd been…well with her and the morning after, he'd regretted what had happened and so left without waking her.

"I know…but I have to pick my words carefully and my timing…now that another person's involved."

Rose smiled.

"I'm sure this Missy person can take care of herself," she said, "and Ethan wouldn't get engaged to her unless he loved her."

"You don't know that…"

"He loved me…I know that and even if it didn't last, at the time…"

Rose sighed.

"The two of you got in your own way that's all," she said, "You got scared and ran off to avoid the possibility of getting hurt."

Amelia felt her hackled rise.

"It's more than that…I thought he might die and leave me alone…to raise his family and I didn't know if I could do that…I guess I don't know what kind of mother I will be."

"You'll be just fine. It's natural to be nervous about taking care of a child but Amelia, you're a very smart, capable woman and you've got a lot of love inside of you. Your child will be in very good hands."

Amelia had to smile at that but her doubts remain.

"I know being unmarried with my husband long gone…people will talk if I stay here."

Rose sighed.

"They'll talk anywhere Amelia," she said, "but you've done nothing to be ashamed of…and your child won't bear the cost of that if you don't take it on yourself."

Amelia sipped her tea.

"I wish I wasn't alone…I don't know if Ethan and I could ever work things out or go back…but for a few hours it's like we did and everything else that seemed so important faded away…but it comes back doesn't it in the reality of day."

"I still think he'll want to be a father to your child," Rose said, "You needed to give him that chance and allow him to make that choice."

Amelia paused.

"I know you're right…I guess I just am nervous about his reaction…that he won't want his child unless he can take it away from me."

Rose leaned forward.

"Do you really think Ethan would do that?"

Amelia fingered her cup.

"No…no I don't…but what if he wants to go on with his marriage? And wants to be a father? How is that going to work out?"

Rose smiled again.

"Amelia…you two can work it out and both be parents to your child. You'll find away together if you come from a place of love for what you created together and it'll work…you'll see."

Amelia took heart in her friend's words but her own heart harbored doubts.