AT THE BOARDING HOUSE

Caleb and Amy returned to the boarding house after the family dinner. Caleb made hot chocolate for them again and Amy said she was headed upstairs to change. He walked in the room and she was still in the bathroom so he changed as well.

A few moments later, the door opened and then shut. "Happy Anniversary, Caleb," Amy said quietly.

He turned and his jaw dropped. "You look….I mean. Amazing." He could only stare.

"This is what I was working on with Clara. Do you like it, honey?"

He nodded and stared again and then grabbed her hands. "Anniversary?"

"Yeah. It's July 15th. We've been married a month today."

"Its been a great month."

"It has." She dropped his hands and wrapped her arms around his waist. "I love you, sweetie."

He bent down and kissed her forehead. "I love you." His hands cradled her face as he kissed her lips. "You look so beautiful." He kissed her again and again, making it hard for her to catch her breath, but she didn't care. Not even breathing would get in the way of showing her husband how much she loved him.

THE THORNTONS

"Jack? What's going on? You haven't said a word since dinner."

"Maddie."

"What about her?"

"Did you see Nate? He was holding her hand!"

"I know."

"It doesn't bother you?"

"No, not really. They have a crush on each other. I knew it was only a matter of time."

"She's too young."

"To have a crush? My first crush, I was ten I believe. How old were you?"

"Ten."

"Honey, she's thirteen."

"I know how old she is. I don't like it." He rolled away from her, his back toward her.

Elizabeth decided to let it go. They would talk more in the morning. She kissed Abbie's head and got up to put her in her cradle. "Can you give her to me, please? I need her with me."

His baby girl, Maddie, wasn't a baby anymore but Abbie was, and he wanted to hold on as long as possible.

Elizabeth brought Abbie over and handed her to Jack. She sat on the side of the bed next to him.

He looked up at Elizabeth. "Its all your fault, you know."

"What is?"

"Its your fault she's so beautiful. Of course Nate likes her."

She smiled at him. "I'm pretty sure, Maddie being beautiful is your fault too. You're kinda cute yourself."

"Just kinda cute?"

"Well, no, but I don't want you to get a big head." She stood up and kissed him and then returned to her side of the bed.

"I feel like I'm losing her, Elizabeth." He said it so quietly she almost didn't hear him.

She moved up close to him and kissed his cheek. "I love you, Sweetheart."

"You're supposed to say, "No, Jack. You are not losing her. She'll always live with us.""

"I don't think lying to you is what you want. You aren't losing her, but she is growing up. Sooner or later, we have to let that happen."

He looked at his sleeping Abbie and kissed her cheek, making her smile in her sleep. "I just love them so much. They fill my heart."

"I know, mine too. They'll always be in our hearts, babe, no matter who they marry or where they go."

THE NEXT DAY

The next day, Maddie went to work at the boarding house again. She was hoping Nate would stop by but he didn't. In fact, she didn't see him until Saturday when he stopped by her house to take her fishing.

"Hi, Maddie."

"Hi," she said, smiling.

"Wanna go fishing?"

"I can't. I'm watching the babies while Mama's at the store."

"Oh, ok." He was disappointed. "Maddie, can we go tomorrow?"

"You can come with us on our picnic after church. We can fish then." He nodded. As he was leaving, she grabbed his fingers. "Nate? I'm sorry I can't go."

"Its ok. I just…." He wanted to spend time with just her.

"Just what?"

"Nothing. I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Yeah. Tomorrow." He squeezed her fingers and smiled.

"Bye."

"Bye, Nate."

She watched him go, her fingers still feeling the warmth of his hand. She couldn't wait for the picnic.

THE AVERY HOUSE

Mike Richards ran through the door and into the kitchen at the boarding house that afternoon. "Constable? What is it?" Charlotte asked.

"Penny, she's in labor. I heard there was a midwife staying here. The doctor's out of town."

"Yes, my granddaughter, Amy. I'll get her for you."

"Granddaughter? How old is she? Does she know how to do this?"

"Constable, forgive me for saying so, but aren't you also trained to birth babies? And yes, she's a midwife. She's personally delivered my grandson and her own sister, and assisted in a few others. She can do this."

"Ok, well, I guess you should get her then." He nervously paced as she ran upstairs to get Amy.

Not five minutes later, Amy and Mike were on their way down the street to the apartment.

Amy could sense his tension, but she was calm. "Mr. Richards? If you would like someone to help, go get Jack, my father in law. He's delivered babies, even his own twins."

"No, its ok. I trust you." Amy smirked but kept walking up the stairs. She knew he didn't, but she trusted herself.

When they walked in, she could hear Penny moan in the bedroom. "Hi, Penny," she greeted with a smile.

"Amy! I'm glad you're here."

"Me too. Why don't I check you and see where you're at?" Penny nodded. Amy asked Mike to sit by Penny's head and hold her hand. When he did Amy checked.

"Penny, you're almost there. How long have you been in labor?"

"Since this morning. I wasn't sure that's what it was. It wasn't all that painful but then my water broke and I told him to go get you."

She breathed through the next contraction and leaned into Mike's shoulder. "Honey? Are you ok?"

Mike smiled at her. "Sure." He kissed her forehead and held her close.

"I'm going to go sterilize my scissors and get some towels. You both relax for a bit."

"Shouldn't you be in here?" Mike asked.

"I will be but I need to prepare a bit. If something happens, come get me."

Two hours later, Samuel Michael Richards was born, healthy and crying. Amy decided to sleep on their couch so she could check on them periodically throughout the night.

Mike was overwhelmed with emotions. He had been scared and happy and anxious, all in the span of a few hours. Now, he had two sons and it was unbelievable.

THE AVERY HOUSE

Caleb woke up early Sunday and his wife was still gone. He had slept very little, worrying and pacing. You would have thought his wife was the one having the baby. He had gotten used to sleeping with someone next to him and with her gone, he couldn't relax.

He closed his eyes again, hoping she'd be home soon.

A few moments later, she was. She opened the door and walked in, set her bags down, undressed, and slipped into bed.

"You're home. Thank goodness." He moved over in the bed and pulled her to his chest. "How did it go?"

"Just fine. It was a boy, Samuel."

"Oh that's good." He was already dozing again, his chin on her head.

"Caleb?"

"Yeah," he mumbled.

"I want a baby."

His eyes popped open and looked into hers. "It will happen. Don't worry."

"I'm not worried. I just wanted you to know." As he slept, holding her tightly against his chest, she daydreamed. For all she knew, she could be pregnant already. She knew she needed to have patience but after holding Samuel, her need and want for a baby had taken over her thoughts.

She had held him, taking in his soft, soapy smell after she bathed him. Holding his tiny body against her own, had awakened feelings she didn't know she had. Now, motherhood couldn't come fast enough.

AT THE STREAM

Maddie helped Elizabeth set out the food for their picnic, but she was distracted by Nate, sitting not five feet away with her brothers and dad.

"Maddie? Can you get J.T. for me? I hear him crying in the wagon."

She walked over to the wagon to get her brother. "Me Me," he whimpered.

"Hi, buddy. I'm here." She picked him up and cuddled him. "What's wrong?"

"Me Me." He put his head on her shoulder and played with her hair, grasping it in his chubby fingers.

She smiled and walked back to the tree and their food preparation. "Are you hungry, Jay?"

"Ya. Egg."

"No eggs, but we have a biscuit. Do you want a biscuit?"

"Ya." She sat down, with J.T. on her lap, and gave him a biscuit. "Mmmm…num nums." He smiled, bouncing on her lap, watching the kids play around him.

To her delight, Nate sat down next to her and smiled. "Hi," he said quietly.

J.T. turned and waved at him. "Hi."

"Hi Jay." J.T. handed him what was left of his crumbled biscuit. "You want me to have it?"

"Ya. Nums." Maddie chuckled at her brother. He was such a good boy and she loved him very much.

"After lunch, we can go fishing," she suggested.

"Or we could take a walk."

"Yeah, let's do that."

"Do what?" Jack asked as he wedged himself between the two of them.

Nate moved over a bit but didn't act any differently.

"I asked Maddie to go for a walk with me, Mr. Thornton."

"Oh, ok, if Emmy goes with you."

"But Dad," Maddie protested. Jack looked at her, silencing her. "Fine, Em can go." She wasn't going to argue with her dad.

Elizabeth watched the interaction quietly. Jack was perhaps overreacting a bit, but he was her father.

THAT AFTERNOON, THORNTON HOUSE

Maddie and Emmy walked in the door at home after their walk with Nate. Emmy stopped in the living room and sat next to Jack on the couch and Maddie kept walking. She walked in to the kitchen and tied an apron around her waist.

"Me Me!" J.T. greeted from his high chair.

"Hi, buddy." She kissed the top of his head and started peeling potatoes for supper.

"You're home, Maddie." Elizabeth walked in the room with Abbie.

"Yes, Mama." She didn't look up, just kept peeling.

"You ok?"

"Sure."

"Did you have a nice time with Nate?"

"Yes." She had had a nice time but Nate seemed different. He didn't hold her hand at all. He just talked to her and Em and then they walked home. "Nate invited me to eat dinner at his house tomorrow night. Would that be ok?"

"Would what be ok?" Jack asked as he wandered in the room with Em.

"Nate invited me to eat dinner at his house tomorrow night."

"If you take Emmy, sure."

"She wasn't invited."

"Maddie, that wasn't kind," Elizabeth said.

"I'm not being unkind. Em was right there when he asked. He only asked me."

"Em goes or you don't," Jack insisted.

"Why? I don't understand."

"Because I said so. That should be enough."

Maddie and Jack stared at each other for a long minute and then Maddie turned and finished the potatoes. She didn't speak again through dinner or as she did the dishes.

Jack walked in the kitchen as she finished. "Maddie?" She turned, but didn't speak. "Thank you for cleaning up."

She nodded, crossing her arms. She stared at him again and started to walk out and then changed her mind. "Why don't you trust me?" she blurted, a little more emotion-filled than she intended.

"I do trust you."

"Do you? Why after years of being friends with Nate and going fishing alone and walking alone do we now need Em with us?"

"I feel better if she's with you."

"Why?"

"I saw the way you looked at him, the way he looked at you." Her cheeks turned pink. "You're thirteen."

"Yes, I am."

"You're too young to be alone with a boy."

"I've been alone with him before now, since we were six years old, Dad."

"Things changed since then."

"I am still Maddie. I've never given you a reason not to trust me, Dad. It hurts that you don't." She turned, hiding her tears.

"I do trust you."

"It feels like you don't." She looked away from him again. "Can I go to bed, please?"

"Of course." He watched her walk away. "I love you, Maddie."

"Night Dad."

He turned out the light in the kitchen and stewed over the fact that his daughter thought he didn't trust her and for the first time since she could speak, she hadn't said, "I love you too, Daddy."

GIRLS ROOM

"What's wrong, Maddie? You're mad at Dad?"

"Not mad."

"I'm sorry he made me go with you."

"I'm not, you're my best friend. I'm sorry if I made you think I don't want you with me. I love you, Em." She scooted over and wrapped her arm through Emmy's.

"I love you too, Maddie." They laid together for awhile, silent, but not sleeping.

"You really like Nate, don't you?"

"Yeah, a lot."

"Has he kissed you?"

"No."

"You want him to, don't you?"

"I wouldn't stop him," she said with a giggle.

"Maddie!" she whispered loudly, giggling too.

"I wouldn't. My heart beats so fast when he holds my hand, I'd probably faint if he kissed me."

They giggled again and then heard a knock on their door. They looked over as Elizabeth walked in.

"Hi, Mama," they said in unison.

"Time to sleep, girls." She kissed their foreheads. "Love you both."

"To the moon and back," they replied.

She put her hand on Maddie's face. "He loves you so much, Maddie. He doesn't want you to grow up and leave him behind." All of the sudden, she understood him.

"I need to see him, is he sleeping?"

"No, he's awake." Maddie crawled out of bed and went to her parents room. She knocked on the door and waited.

He opened the door. "Maddie?"

"Daddy, I love you." She wrapped her arms around his waist and squeezed. He held her tight, kissing the top of her head.

"I love you, baby. So much. I'm sorry that I made you feel like I don't trust you."

"I don't understand why you always let Caleb go with Amy alone but I am not allowed to."

He sighed and took her into the bedroom. They walked to the rocking chair and he pulled her onto his lap. "Boys are different, Sweetheart."

"Yes, I know how it works."

"No, what I mean is, in my heart, you will always be my Bug. My baby girl that I want to protect from anything bad and keep with me forever. Boys don't need their fathers protection as much."

"You think I'm leaving you behind," she said quietly.

He stared at her and smiled. "In a way, you are."

"No, Daddy. I'm always going to be with you, in your heart, no matter where I go." He knew that was true.

"You really like Nate?"

She nodded, not ready to say the words out loud to her father.

"Listen, things can happen fast, between boys and girls."

"I know, Mama talked to me. I know I'm not ready for those things yet."

"Even though you aren't ready…"

"Daddy, you can trust me. I don't want to do anything but hold his hand and be with him."

She sat up and looked at him. "No kissing?" he asked.

"No, Dad."

"You don't want to take your sister?"

"No. We'll be with his parents. Em doesn't need to come."

"Ok, but you need to be home by eight o'clock."

She wrapped her arms around his neck, cutting off his air, but he didn't care. "Thank you."

She jumped off his lap and ran out of the room, happy as can be. That's what he wanted anyway.

THE BOARDING HOUSE

Amy was downstairs making tea, to hopefully settle her stomach. Ever since dinner, she hadn't felt well. As she sipped the steaming liquid, she sat on the sofa in the parlor. She was glad they were the only guests in the place because she was dressed in her new robe from Clara which wasn't exactly modest enough for others to see.

"Honey? Can't you sleep?" Caleb sat down next to her.

"I don't feel well. I'm hoping the tea will help." He nodded, wrapping his arm around her.

She handed him the cup and ran to the bathroom to empty her stomach. He waited a moment and went to find her. She sat on the edge of the tub, looking sicker than before.

"Should I get a doctor?"

"He's out of town. Besides, I'm sure it's just something I ate."

"I would be sick too, though." He had a point.

"What's going on?" Charlotte asked from the doorway. "Amy, sweetie, are you sick?"

"Yeah. My stomach is upset."

"You've been married a month now, yes?"

"Yes, why?"

"When are you due for your monthly?"

"I'm a couple days late but that's normal for me."

"You know as well as I do, Amy, you could be late for another reason."

"I don't know, Grandma." She knew it was possible, but she almost didn't believe it.

"Time will tell."

THE NEXT MORNING

Amy felt better so she decided it must have been related to food or something. She was a bit disappointed but she would accept it and move on. She sat up and stretched.

"Ames, you should rest. Come back to bed." He grabbed her hand and gently tugged.

"I can't. I'm going to my parents, remember? I'm going to ride Cherry for a bit. Are you sure you don't want to go too? We could ride the property and maybe take a swim. There's a pond, you know."

"That's true. Right by where my dad is building their house."

"Yeah. Wanna go? It could be like a date." She smiled at him, hoping he would go.

"Sure. We can take a picnic."

"Don't forget swimming clothes."

"What time do we need to be there?"

"We have a while."

"Good." He pulled her down on the bed. "Come back to bed."

"I don't want to be late, Caleb Thornton," she said, her hand on his chest. She tried to stay serious but she couldn't do it when he was laying there all kissable and cute. "Maybe a little late is ok."

THE BOARDING HOUSE

Maddie finished cleaning the kitchen and started out the door to the cellar to get vegetables for soup when Nate walked in.

"Hey, Maddie."

"Hi. Dad said I can go tonight but I need to be home by eight."

"Ok, good."

They stared at each other for a moment and then she smiled. "I need to get vegetables from the cellar."

"I can help."

"Ok, sure." He walked over and held the door for her and then followed her downstairs.

"Can you get that box for me, Nate?"

He walked over and grabbed the small box and then held it as she filled it with jars of tomatoes, beans, and corn.

He then followed her back upstairs and put the box on the counter. "Hi, you two," Charlotte said as she put the big soup pot on the stove.

"Hi, Grandma."

"Hi, Mrs. Avery," Nate said politely. "I'm gonna go. Dinner is at six, Maddie."

"Ok, I'll see you then."

.