Chapter 36

"Hey!" Elizabeth said into her phone.

"Hey." Jason said back.

"I hate waking up to a note… notes don't keep me warm. I must have woken up right after you left." Elizabeth pouted.

Jason smiled and Elizabeth could sense that he was smiling even though they were on the phone, "I know, but you looked so peaceful. I figured that you needed your sleep. Uh… how is everything going?"

"Fine, just getting the boys ready for Monica to get here."

"Oh, I almost forgot that she was coming over today." Jason mumbled.

"I'm glad she is, I want her to know the boys." Elizabeth added.

"Me too." Jason wasn't sure where he stood in his relationship with Monica but whatever happened in the past between the two of them has nothing to do with Jake and Cameron and they should know their grandmother. He cherished his relationship with Lila and hope that the boys do the same with Monica. "I have a question."

"Uh oh." Elizabeth joked.

"Carly called me…"

Elizabeth interrupted, "I don't like questions that start like that." She warned.

He chuckled. "Well apparently there is a big party at the Metrocourt on New Years Eve and she wants us to attend."

Elizabeth laughed, "She doesn't want us to attend, she wants you to attend which means that she has to invite me to get you there." He did not disagree. "If you want to go I am okay with it, we could use a nice night out anyway. I will have to see if Grams or Spinelli can baby-sit… oh and I need to get a dress."

"Ok, I will tell her we will be there. I think you should just wear that black dress from the other night." She could tell he was smiling again.

"You have already seen me in that one, I'll get a new one."

"Ok, actually in the first drawer in the kitchen is a card, put the dress on that card and use it for everything… and don't fight me on this." He jokingly warned.

"Yes sir!" she teased.

"I will see what Spinelli is doing that night to see if he can baby-sit before you ask Audrey."

"Sounds good, let me know. Are you going to be late tonight?"

"I'm not sure yet. I will call you in a few hours once I get a better grasp on things around here."

She nodded and said "Ok then, I'll talk to you later… love you."

"I love you too, bye."

No sooner did Elizabeth place her phone on the table that she heard a knock on the door.

Elizabeth opened the front door with Jake in her arms. "Hi Monica, come on in." Cameron was sitting on the floor playing with some toy cars and a little motorcycle.

"Cameron, do you know who this is?" Elizabeth asked.

He looked up and stared at Monica for a minute but did not answer. "Cam, this is daddy's mommy." She turned to face Monica and whispered, "What do you want him to call you? Mom mom, grandma, Monica? It is up to you Monica."

Monica knelt down beside Cameron and offered her hand to him. "Hi Cameron, I am your grandma." Saying that brought a huge grin to her face and though she did not see it from her position, it brought a smile to Liz's as well.

Cameron gave Elizabeth a questioning look and Elizabeth nodded. He extended his hand and shook Monica's hand. "Hi." He said bashfully.

Monica decided not to push and stood back up as Elizabeth offered Jake to her. Monica reached out and took him from her then moved over to the couch. "Hey there Jake, I'm your grandma. Aren't you the most adorable little baby." Monica sat on the couch and examined her grandson. She looked at his hands and feet, tickling him on his side. "You are just like your father, ticklish in all the same spots he was." Elizabeth thought to herself that he still was. "My goodness Elizabeth, he looks so much like Jason did when he was a baby."

"He looks a lot like him even has his calmness. I have never seen a baby picture of Jason but I am sure he looks like Jason did as a baby. I think Jason wonders that sometimes but I don't push the subject." Elizabeth said.

Monica sighed, "I'll bring over some pictures next time, maybe you can even show them to Jason. I don't want to push him either though."

"I'd like that." Elizabeth stood and grabbed the bottle she had been feeding him and handed it to Monica. "He may take some more of this. He pretty much holds it and feeds himself now so he will throw it if he doesn't want it."

Monica smiled, "Just like your father." Jake took the bottle and started sucking it down. "Is he a good eater? Jason was, he loved the vegetables, any kind."

"Yep… squash, carrots, anything." Elizabeth added.

After a few minutes of silence and watching Jake Monica spoke again. "So do you have any plans for a wedding yet, any ideas?"

"Yea, we have talked about it. Something small, maybe in the back yard in the spring or early summer… just a few family and friends."

"That sounds nice. Your house is beautiful, I heard about the trick of Em finding the house for you, her and Jason can be pretty sneaky but I am so happy for the relationship that they have." Monica lifted Jake to her shoulder and patted his back to which he responded with a loud burp.

"They are both great, you raised two of the most amazing people I know. I don't know what I would do without either of them."

Monica flashed Elizabeth a smile and was about to speak but Cameron walked over to the couch where they were sitting. "Grandma, wanna see my room?"

Monica was shocked that Cameron was comfortable enough to ask her that, "I would love to Cameron." Cameron held out his hand for Monica to grab it and led her up the stairs to his room leaving Elizabeth on the couch with Jake. "Wow Cameron, this is a great room… you have a train bed, you are one lucky boy."

"Mommy says that all the time." Cameron sat on the floor and pulled a bin from under his bed. "Want to play with my trains with me?" he asked.

"You know what Cameron, I love trains." Monica said sitting herself on the floor next to him. She helped him hook the track together in a big circle and picked her train. For the next fifteen minutes they sat and played with the trains talking about the toys Cameron likes to play with, movies he likes to watch, and how much he likes playing with his brother.

Elizabeth appeared in the doorway, "Cameron it is time for lunch. Would you like to eat with us Monica or did you already eat lunch?"

"I did eat already and I don't want to overstay my welcome on my first visit." She turned to Cameron, "But I want to come back and play trains with you again, is that ok?"

Cameron nodded. They stood from the floor and made their way back to the Livingroom. "Maybe you can come over for dinner one night, when Jason is home."

Monica smiled, "That would be nice but you may want to talk to Jason before you commit to it. I don't want to push him too much."

"He will be fine, he loves you Monica."

She nodded the kneeled down next to Cameron, "I had fun playing with you, I'll see you later."

"Ok, bye grandma." Cameron said and gave her a hug. Elizabeth could tell that Monica was truly enjoying spending time with the boys.

"Thank you again Elizabeth, you have no idea how much this means to me… I wish Alan were here for this." Monica bent her head and gave Jake a kiss on his forehead. "Bye Jake."

"See you later Monica, we'll set up dinner for one night soon." Elizabeth said to Monica as she turned for the door.

"Ok, I will see you at work." Monica said then left.