THORNTON RANCH

"I sleep with the boys? Pease, Mama." Charlie looked up at her with his dark eyes, pleading, when in reality it was something she and Jack had wanted but didn't want to push him into.

"So you want to sleep in the room with Jay and Bradley and Davie?"

"Yes, pease?"

"Sure. You can go."

He kissed her cheek and ran out of the room to the boy's room.

"Wow, that's amazing. He's finally ready," she muttered.

Jack walked in the bedroom and sat down on the end of the bed. "Guess what, Jack."

"What?"

"Charlie is sleeping in the boy's room tonight."

"And Lydie in the girl's room?"

"Yep. No kids." He got up and locked the door.

"Whatever should we do?" He smirked and turned out one of the lamps. He unbuttoned his shirt and took it off as he got closer to her.

Her butterflies in her stomach woke up as he got close. To think he still had that affect on her.

At fifty years of age, Jack was still amazingly handsome and in good shape thanks to the hard work on the ranch.

He leaned down and kissed her, unbuttoning her blouse as he moved his lips to her neck and took out the pins holding her hair back. "You're so beautiful."

THE NEXT MORNING

Morning came quick for Jack and Jay. They dressed to go outside and were quickly joined by Nate and Kiki who were going to milk the two cows.

"How did Charlie do last night, Jay?"

"Fine. He slept next to Bradley. He didn't seem scared or anything."

"That's great. I guess he finally was ready."

"Guess so."

"Kiki? How was Lydie?"

"Good. She woke up once crying but I took her to my bed and she fell back to sleep."

The group walked outside into the blustery morning as everyone else started to wake up.

Abbie brought Lydie down and put her in her chair, giving her a cup of milk and a few crackers before starting the biscuits. She counted and realized she needed at least two dozen for everyone to have enough.

"Bebe?" That was what Lydie called Abbie.

"Yes, Lydie."

"Help you?"

"You want to stir?"

"Yes." Abbie turned and picked her up, setting her on the counter, placing a bowl next to her and giving her a spoon.

"Thank you, Lyd."

"Good morning, girls," Elizabeth said, tying on her apron.

"Morning, Mama."

"Hi! Me help!" Lydie told her.

Elizabeth kissed Lydie's forehead and smiled. "Good job, baby."

"Mom, will you make the eggs, please?"

"Of course."

Jack walked in with a pail of milk and a basket of eggs. "Morning everyone."

"Hi, Dada," Lydie greeted, smiling big.

"Hi, love." He kissed her pursed baby lips. Then he moved over and wrapped his arms around Elizabeth. "Morning, beautiful." He whispered in her ear, "Thank you for last night."

She blushed and kissed his cheek. "Love you."

Thirty minutes later, everyone sat down to breakfast and then went about their day. Lee and Em took advantage of the multitude of babysitters and took a walk to Drew and Carrie's house. Nate and Maddie took a wagon into town to go see Carlie's shop and Charlotte and Jake.

Elizabeth, Kiki, and Abbie watched the younger kids as Jay helped Jack shoe a horse and then rode to check the fences.

"I need to chat with Frank and make sure everything is all set for Thursday. I'm so excited to surprise Dad."

Nate smiled as she slipped her arm through his and snuggled in. "Ok, and on our way back through, we should go see my parents."

"Maybe we can take the kids over later."

"Good idea."

CARLIES CONFECTIONS

Carlie made another batch of scones, sausage and egg. Now that she was in her second trimester, she could handle the sausage and they seemed to be everyone's favorites.

"Honey."

"Hi, Ben." She peeked over her shoulder and then kept mixing so they could get in the oven.

"Babe, can we chat a moment?"

She turned and looked at him. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I just want to get your opinion."

"Ok." He brought a catalog to the counter and pointed.

"What do you think of this crib?"

"It's nice but we don't have to buy it. I bet my dad would build us one, or your dad even."

"Oh. Ok." She saw clear disappointment on his face.

"Ben? What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I'll just see you later."

"Ben, wait. You wanted to buy our baby something?" At first she had thought he just wanted her opinion, but really he was telling her that the baby was important to him. It warmed her heart.

"I want to build it."

"I didn't know you had that skill."

"I do. I help my dad all the time, shelves and bookcases. A crib isn't much different."

"It would be wonderful if you built it, sweetie."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course. I just didn't know you knew how." She slipped her arms around his waist and looked up into his eyes. "I love that you want to do that for the baby. That is wonderful."

"I love it. I don't know how it's possible, but I do."

"Oh," she whispered, touching her rounded tummy. "I think I felt it move, Ben."

"You did?"

"I did. It felt like my mom said it would. Like butterflies."

He leaned his forehead against hers and touched her belly that was gently tucked between them. "Its amazing, isn't it?"

"Yeah."

Someone cleared their throat from the doorway. "Sorry to interrupt," Maddie said with a smile.

"Maddie!" She hugged her sister and then Nate. "I'm so glad to see you. You're pregnant too?"

"Yeah, I wanted to surprise everyone."

"When are you due?"

"April 15th."

"I'm due April 5th! This is so great. I wished you still lived here."

"Yes, well, things change. I'm glad we are all here this Christmas. Dad will be so happy to walk Em down the aisle."

A FEW HOURS LATER

Elizabeth looked up when the door opened. All her adult children walked in and sat on the couches by her. "Hey, everyone."

Caleb kissed her cheek. "Hi, Mama. We just wanted to make sure everyone is on the same page in regard to dad's present."

"You're going to actually tell me what it is?"

"Yeah," Em told her. "Lee and I are going to get married again so Dad can give me away."

"Emma Coulter, that is very sweet. He will love that."

"We think so too. The wedding will be Christmas at the church but we will need you to get him there at noon."

"Ok, no problem." She looked around at all of them and they stared back. "Something on your minds?"

"Yeah," Maddie admitted.

"We just want to tell you that we love you, Mom." Drew spoke up.

"You've been the best mom our whole lives," Will contributed.

"We wish there was something that we could do to show you how much you mean to us," Carlie said.

"Just by being here and telling me, that's all I need." She grabbed Caleb's hand. "All of you make me so proud because you all work hard and all of you are wonderful parents, or will be soon," she said taking Carlie's hand. "You are also good examples to your younger siblings and that is so important."

"We learned from the best," Em told her.

CHRISTMAS DAY

"A Noon Christmas service? Usually it's earlier," Jack mentioned.

"That's the time the kids told me. Everyone is going to be there, I guess."

"Ok, then. I will go help Jay with chores and then I can make breakfast if you want."

"Actually, we've got breakfast covered."

He kissed her cheek as he left the room. She finished braiding her hair and fastening it into a bun. When it was loose, it reached the middle of her back and she felt it was inconvenient to wear it that way. Obviously Jack loved it down, but it got tangled and she felt like she was too old to wear it that way very often anyway.

She went to the closet to try to find the dress she wanted to wear to the wedding. It was one Jack had paid Penny to make for her. It made her feel beautiful and young again and any help with that at this point in her life was wonderful.

"Here it is," she whispered to herself.

"Grandma?"

"Is that Leah I hear?"

"Yep!"

Elizabeth turned and walked out of the closet. "Good morning, sweetheart."

"Rock me, please?"

"Sure, come over here." Elizabeth sat down in her almost twenty five year old rocking chair and held out her arms. All those years before when Jack made it, she had never imagined rocking her grandchildren in it.

Leah crawled up, her dark curls falling in her eyes. She inherited those curls from her.

"You're so beautiful, Leah. Just like your Mama."

"You're pretty, Grandma."

"Thank you, love." Leah cuddled close and shut her eyes, apparently tired.

Rachel wandered in too, climbing up carefully onto Elizabeth's lap and snuggling in. It reminded Elizabeth of Maddie and Em as little girls.

"Mama!" Lydie called in the hallway, looking for her then she walked in and ran over to her. "Hold me?"

"I don't have any more space, sweetie. You'll need to be patient."

"Pease," she whined. "Want you."

"Lydie, where's Abbie?"

"Cook."

"She's making breakfast?"

"Yes."

Maddie walked by the room and then came back. "There they are. I'm sorry, Ma."

"Don't be sorry. I want to hold them. Lydie needs some attention though."

"Want Mama," she insisted.

Maddie knelt down next to Lydie. "Hi, sweetie. I can hold you while Mama is busy."

Maddie sat down with her back against the bed and rubbed her tummy. "Lydie, want to feel the baby?"

"Baby?" Lydie looked around, expecting a baby to appear.

"Right here, in my tummy." Maddie rubbed her tummy. She gently took Lydie's hand and held it on her tummy. "See, there's a baby in here."

"Baby?" Lydie finally sat down on Maddie's lap, interested.

"Where's Danny?" Elizabeth asked.

"Downstairs with Nate. He was hungry."

"Are you still nursing?"

"Yeah, just a few times a day and at night. He likes eggs and Nate mentioned them so he took him down."

"Are you happy, Maddie?"

"Yes. I can't imagine being any more happy than I am."

"I'm glad. That's all I want for my children. And my children's children," she whispered, placing a kiss on Leah and Rachel's heads.

NOON, AT THE CHURCH

"He's coming!" Davie told his mom. "Papa is coming!"

"Ok, thank you, sweetie. Get ready."

Jack and Elizabeth walked through the door. "Em?" He looked at her dress, clearly a wedding dress. Then he looked at her bouquet of dried flowers in her hand and the veil on her head.

"Ready to give me away, Daddy?" She smiled sweetly, causing his resolve to weaken.

"What? You and Lee already…I mean, I thought.." He couldn't put a coherent thought together.

"Daddy, Merry Christmas." She kissed his cheek and slipped her arm into his. "Its time."

Elizabeth smiled as she stepped away from them, walking into the main part of the church to find everyone else.

"Emmy," he whispered, pulling her into arms. "I love you, so so much. Thank you." The tears flowed down his cheeks as he held her.

After holding her a moment he loosened his hold and wiped his cheeks. Taking a deep breath, he led her inside as the music played.

The church was filled with family and extended family. His children and grandchildren present and best friends who were now relations.

When Frank asked, "Who gives this woman to marry this man?" Jack proudly stood holding Elizabeth's hand and said, "Her mother and I do."

As hard as it had been to give away three daughters over the years, it was something he needed, to be able to accept them living separate from him. He had three more daughters to go and was extremely grateful Lydie was only two because he could keep her close for many more years.

When it came time to return home, Davie went with Jack and Elizabeth and Lee took Em to the house that Maddie and Nate had lived in.

"We're staying here? We could have stayed with Mom and Dad."

"On our wedding night? I'd rather it just be us," Lee said with a smile as he flipped on a lamp.

"Good point."

"And my parents are staying at the bed and breakfast so I didn't want to stay there." He went to the fireplace and built a fire.

"Lee, thank you for marrying me."

"I think it was important to your father for us to do this."

"I meant the first time, actually."

"Oh. I loved you. It was that simple."

She walked over and turned around. "Can you get my buttons?"

He sighed and swept her long dark curls to one side, bringing his lips to her neck, giving her goosebumps. He stepped closer, wrapping his arms around her rounded tummy.

"I love you, Emma Coulter."

"I love you too, Lee."