Rose made sure she poured Amelia some tea she prepared on the stove. Amelia drank it slowly. Ethan had seen her to the door and then gone to fix the lock on the backdoor that had been loose.

Right now, choosing not to wait until the morning. Rose shook her head.

"It's good he's fixing it but he's sure determined to prove some kind of point."

Amelia sighed.

"He wants me to marry him…for the baby. But I've been telling him I can't rush into it. I don't know how to be married frankly. Pierce and I…we didn't work."

Rose sat down across from Amelia.

"That was his fault not yours. Some men just never grow up enough to accept the responsibility. I don't think Ethan's like that and you have to worry about him. He loves you, he wants to take care of you and the baby because that's what men like him do."

Amelia nodded.

"I know that part of it but I just…I know Pierce was to blame for a lot of it but not all of it. God, I was so young when I married him, I thought it was one big adventure but it sure wasn't like I thought."

Rose shrugged.

"It's like that for most women I guess. We see it as being one thing, just leaving the families that raised us and it's really something quite different because you're entering another family. In Ethan's case one with four children."

Amelia smiled.

"I love the children. I missed them so much more than I ever thought possible."

"So you're just worried about Ethan?"

Amelia fell silent.

"Not him so much…but marriage itself. Pierce used the legal restrictions on wives including property ownership laws to keep me stuck in it even when he was long gone. It was like being chained to the bank…when I wanted to be free."

"To leave Paradise behind you?"

Amelia shook her head.

"Free to have a choice in it," she said, "whether to stay or go."

"You left and came back?"

Amelia sipped her tea.

"Because I'm with child and I'd never raise him or her away from the father," she said, "I'd never keep Ethan's child away from him. But I just don't know if I'm ready to marry him."

Rose went to pour herself some more tea.

"You know he wants to give his child a name and a home," he said, "Ethan's the kind of man who wants to be there for him or her all the way."

"He will be whatever I decide."

Rose smiled.

"He wants you too…and I don't think he's willing to compromise on that."

Amelia smiled.

"I want him too but I want to be my own person and I couldn't be married to Pierce."

Rose narrowed her eyes.

"Did Ethan put any restrictions on you if you married him?"

"Oh no…not at all," Amelia said, "Ethan's never been that way. He's never wanted to take anything from me."

Rose sighed.

"Well then what's the problem Amelia? He loves you, you love him and you need him especially right now. The town's vilifying you for being an unmarried woman with child and it's not going to get better."

"I know…but the town's gone crazy anyway. I'm more worried about Mr. Lee and his store. Missy and her father are going to try to take it away from him…"

"Not if I can help it."

They looked behind them and saw Ethan. Amelia nodded.

"I won't let anything happen either…"

"Amelia," he said, "You're going to take it easy."

She put a hand on her hip.

"Says who? Ethan I'm perfectly fine and I can help Mr. Lee, I'm going to do it."

"The meeting tired you out. Look at you, you can barely stay awake."

She just looked at him.

"I am perfectly fine," Amelia said, "I can take care of myself."

"You don't have to Amelia…"

She did feel tired and her feet felt sore but she didn't feel like bothering anyone with that.

"I'm heading to bed after my tea I promise."

A smile curved on his mouth hearing her stubbornness.

"You need some sleep. I'll stay here a while longer and make sure you do as you promised."

"Ethan there's no need…"

"I'm staying…"

Rose chuckled.

"I can see that's settled. Amelia you just have to accept that he's going to hold you to it."

Amelia sighed.

"I can see that."

She sipped her tea thinking about what to do to help Mr. Lee. He'd done so much for all of them including Ethan and her. She'd never leave him to fend for himself against the likes of Missy and her father.

"When you're done, off to bed you go."

She sighed, folding her arms.

"I can handle myself….and our baby. You should head on home to the children."

He stood his ground.

"After you head on off to bed…"

She looked at him bemused.

"If we hadn't shared one in Reno…we wouldn't be here right now debating this."

He smiled.

"Don't even complain about one of the most memorable nights of my life."

She pursed her lips.

"Really? I thought it was pretty special too. I really didn't know this would happen."

He looked directly at her unwavering.

"I'm happy it did…"

He glanced at Rose who just arched her brows.

"I seem to recall you were too at the time."

Her cheeks flushed.

"Yes…I was very happy to see you again."

"I know that Amelia…by the way you acted that night."

She felt her skin prickle.

"Oh…that…"

"Yes that…"

Rose watched them amused as the two bantered hoping they'd both figure it out together.