December 27, 1915

Elizabeth swallowed hard. "What?"

Jesse hid his face in his hands and sobbed. "I killed a man."

Elizabeth surely thought it was some horrible mistake. "Jesse,"

He shook his head. "Three years ago I fired my gun at someone. I had no idea…" his sobs continued.

Tears filled Elizabeth's eyes.

"I have to go to jail." He sobbed.

Elizabeth cried with him.

"This is so unfair to Clara. I have no idea how I'm going to tell her!"

Elizabeth cried even more when she realized that he wasn't half as concerned about himself as he was about his girlfriend.

"Jesse, Clara will understand. She loves you. She knows you're not the same person you were three years ago."

"I have to go do this but I hate to leave her here by herself."

"Jesse, you know how this town is. We will wrap our arms around her like never before while you are gone. We will all look out for her." Elizabeth placed a finger under Jesse's chin so he would like right at her. "Clara will be even more convinced of the good man you are by you doing this, serving your time and taking responsibility for what you did."

"I wanted to be a good boyfriend for her. I failed."

"You didn't fail Jesse. You have done so much good for her and she for you. You were on the wrong side of the law for a few years and now it's caught up to you. You have to go take care of some unfinished business, but you'll be back."

"I just don't want to get back and Clara to be wearing another man's ring." His voice broke, thinking of this option.

"Clara won't do that to you. She loves you for who you are now, not who you were then."

Jesse nodded. "I have to go tell her."

Jesse thanked Elizabeth for listening to him.

"Jesse, I'll say a prayer for strength for the both of you."

"Thank you so much." He answered, heading for the café.

That evening, at the Coulter house, Lee and Rosemary sat on the couch.

"How was your appointment today Sweetheart?"

"It was great, Dr. Carson says he is doing well."

"He?"

"Yes, our son."

"And what happens if we don't have a son?"

Rosemary gave him a look.

"We are going to have a beautiful baby girl, who is as wonderful and beautiful and unique as her mama."

"Well I am going with my woman's intuition that we are going to have a sweet little boy."

"Yes, but father knows best. I'm holding to my side, we are going to have a sweet beautiful little girl who is as amazing as her mother."