Present Day

The next morning, Jack sat up slowly in bed as he always did, his aged, creaky bones protesting. He stood up and put his feet in his slippers and grabbed his cane, which he always used in the mornings. Once he was less stiff, he didn't need it.

He headed into the bathroom and then down the stairs to the kitchen to start the coffee for him and Bee. It was seven am, the time they always woke up. As the warm scent of coffee filled the room, he heard Bee shuffling around upstairs.

He had about ten minutes before she would descend the stairs and start their breakfast of turkey bacon and eggs. He had learned how to make breakfast over the years but she enjoyed doing it for him so he didn't bother taking that from her.

As he stared out the window toward the lake, he saw the family of geese and ducks floating by as the sun came up over the water.

"Jack?"

"In here, Bee." She walked over to him and gave him a hug. "Morning, love."

"Morning," she said, holding on a bit longer.

"How are you doing this morning?"

"Just fine. I'm going to go make breakfast."

He stopped her and gave her a kiss. "I have a thought."

"Only one?"

He chuckled. "Well, I wouldn't want to wear myself out."

"What's on your mind?"

"I was thinking that we should get away. Just us."

"A trip?"

"Yes. It's been way too long since we have seen some hairy palm trees."

"Okay. I'm up for it. When do we leave?"

...

Back to the story…

Jack recovered from his flu after a week but in the meantime, Charlotte contracted it. She and Tom went home but Elizabeth wanted to wait another week just to make sure that the boys didn't catch anything.

Jack spent a whole day disinfecting everything in the bathrooms, kitchen, living room and bedrooms so that when she did come home, it was safe for her.

The next Monday, he took her to her therapy appointment and then out to lunch. After their lunch, he took her to the jewelry store. "Why are we here, Jack?"

"Our wedding rings are ready. I thought you might want to go inside with me."

"Great!" She was excited. They had each picked out a ring for the other and had it engraved without telling the other what it said.

When the jeweler pulled out the rings and set them under the lights, they looked brilliant. Hers was rose gold and his was tungsten with rose gold edges.

She picked hers up and smiled. "It's beautiful, Jack."

"Read what it says."

"Love is patient." She laughed and shook her head.

"Why is that funny? I thought it was romantic."

"Read yours." He picked it up and chuckled.

"Love is kind."

She gave him a kiss. "If that isn't proof that we belong together, I don't know what is."

"Of course we do, love."

She loved it when he called her that. It made her feel special and cherished.

They paid for the rings and headed back to Rosie's. "Do you want to come in for a while?" she asked. "I can make us some coffee."

"Sure. I don't need to get the boys for another hour or so."

They sat on the couch, warmly snuggled up under a blanket, drinking their coffee. "I have a doctor appointment on Monday. Hopefully he will clear me to go back to work."

"Are you sure you are ready?"

"Absolutely. I'm going crazy staying at home and doing nothing."

"I wouldn't call keeping house and cooking for us nothing."

"Well, no, of course it isn't. That's important. I just feel like maybe I'm needed more at work."

"I can tell you, Bee, I need you and the boys need you too. But I understand that this isn't what you are used to."

"No, it isn't." She took his hand and threaded her fingers between his. "I need you too, Jack. It was so hard not seeing you at all for the last week."

"Thirty four days until we get married."

"I love that you know that," she told him, kissing his cheek.

"I'm surprised you didn't bring it up, being a numbers girl."

"I'm out of practice."

He touched her chin and guided her lips to his. Her hands slipped up his chest and settled on his shoulders as the kisses grew more intense. "Well, you're not out of practice there," he told her, making her blush. His lips found hers again, this time his hands slipping under the hem of her shirt.

"Mmm. Jack."

"Yeah?" he mumbled, his lips now on her chin, moving up her jaw to her ear.

"Nevermind." She moved to his lap and removed his shirt.

"Whoa, um, excuse me guys!" Rosie said with a laugh. "I just forgot something."

Elizabeth moved back to the couch and covered her face with a pillow. "Bee? You okay?" he asked with a chuckle.

"Um, yeah. Just embarrassed."

He put his shirt back on and tugged at the pillow. "Its okay."

"I'm not sure what I was thinking."

"I'm pretty sure I know what you were thinking," he teased.

She smacked him with the pillow. "Jack."

"Am I wrong?"

"Well, no, but we still have a month before our wedding."

"So that means we can't kiss a little?"

"That was more than that, Jack."

He smirked at her. "You're pretty cute when you're embarrassed."

"Shush."

"Okay, I'm leaving now. Carry on," Rosie told them, keeping her eyes averted.

Elizabeth groaned and covered her face again. "Bye, Rosie."

At the end of the week, Elizabeth came home and Isaac was able to get a splint put on his arm instead of the cast.

Then Monday, Elizabeth was cleared to go back to work with strict instructions to pay attention to germs and sick coworkers.

The plan was to start work two days later, but she still didn't have a car. And she still hadn't tried to sit in the driver's seat again yet.

"Jack?"

"Yeah, sweetie?"

"I think I'm ready to try to sit in the driver's seat again."

"Alright. If you're ready, we can try it."

She put her shoes and coat on and followed Jack out to his truck. She took a few deep breaths and thought only of Jack. Her therapist told her to think of something or someone who made her happy. Something calm. So, Jack was it.

Her mind took her back to the week before on Rosie's couch. That meant her cheeks grew hot.

"What?" he asked with a chuckle.

"Nothing."

"What are you thinking about, Bee?"

"The other day. On Rosie's couch."

"Oh." He stepped closer, backing her up against the side of his truck. "That was fun."

"Yeah."

He placed both hands on the edge of the truck and leaned his forehead against hers, their frosty breaths mingling. "I'm so proud of you, Bee."

"Why? I haven't even gotten in yet."

"But you're trying." He touched his lips to hers. "To me, that takes so much courage."

"Janice told me to focus on something good that makes me happy. So I chose you." She got up on her toes and kissed him this time. "You make me happier than anything else." Her lips met his again. "You give me courage."

After a few more kisses she unlocked the door and got in. He went around and got in the passenger side. "How are you feeling?" he asked.

Her eyes were closed, a bright blush on her cheeks which he saw even in the relative darkness. "Good. Imagining Key West with you."

He smirked and took her hand, unclenching her fingers. "What do you see?"

"Waking up next to you in a big, comfy, feather bed."

"That does sound good."

"Perfect, it sounds perfect." She let go of his hand and started the truck.

"Breakfast in bed? Jacuzzi baths. Sunbathing on our private beach by our cottage."

She turned toward him. "We have a private beach?"

"Yeah. No one around."

"Perfect." She took a deep breath and backed the truck out of the driveway. She headed into town, toward the grocery store. She needed to get to the intersection where everything happened. That would be the real test.

"Bee, we don't have to go there."

"I do, Jack. I need to or I won't know if I can."

"Alright."

As she approached the intersection, her heart rate increased but she did her deep breathing and that helped. Red light. "I need to find a swimsuit for the trip," she blurted. "What's your favorite color?"

"Are we talking bikinis here?"

"No, I have this scar. I'm thinking one piece."

"Bee, I assure you, the scar is not what I or anyone else will be focusing on. I mean, look at you."

The light turned green. She hesitated. Long enough to receive a horn toot from behind them.

"There's no one coming, Bee. You can go."

She slowly crept forward, checking the traffic four times before driving through and pulling into the grocery store parking lot.

"You did it! Great job, sweetheart."

"Favorite color, Jack?" she asked again, eyes closed, hands on the wheel.

"Blue, like your eyes."

"I want two babies," she said quietly. "At least one girl."

"Two? Alright. I'm good with two."

"The girl, her name will be Hope Thornton."

"Hope is a good name."

At the beginning of March, Lee came to Hidden Lake as planned to start building their house. The surprise came when he told Jack he was moving back for good.

"You are? That's great, bro!"

"I think so too. I'm sure my company will do well here, just like in Madison. Plus, my parents are nearby and they're getting older."

"Good point."

"Dad!" Jonah yelled, running in the house after school.

"Yeah, bud. What's wrong? Is it Gramps?"

"No. Ray's dad...he had a heart attack."

"Noah? Is he alright?"

"I don't know. I need to be with her, Dad."

"Of course you do. The only issue is Bee has the truck."

"You can take my car," Lee offered. "I'll stay here and play with Duke and Paris and then Isaac and I will make dinner."

"Thanks, Uncle Lee. They are at the U of M."

"Alright. Let's go."

Jack grabbed Lee's keys and they headed up to the hospital. "You okay?" Jack asked him.

"I don't know. I think so. It just brings back memories I didn't think I had anymore. And then with the accident with Isaac and Mom...I was so scared. I know what she's going through."

Jonah texted Ray. "On my way."

Jack said a prayer for Ray, Becky, Cody, their brother, and Abigail and Noah. At this time, they needed the peace and support that only He provided.

Jonah hopped out at the entrance of the hospital about twenty minutes later. "Call me when you need a ride home, bud."

"Okay. Thanks."

He watched Jonah walk in and had the urge to call Bee. He touched her face on the screen as he pulled into a parking space.

"Hey, sweetie," she answered.

"Hi."

"What's wrong?"

"Noah."

"Ray's dad?"

"Yeah. He had a heart attack."

"Oh no. Is he okay?"

"I don't know. I just dropped Jonah at the hospital. Do you get off soon?"

"Twenty minutes, but I can leave now too."

"I just thought...would you go with me to the hospital? I think we need to be there too."

"Yeah. I'll leave now and be there in fifteen."

"Thanks. I love you."

"I love you too. Drive safe."

"I will."

Jonah found Ray, Cody, Becky and her husband Ryan in the Cardiac ICU waiting room.

Cody was distracting himself with his cell phone like any thirteen year old would do in this situation.

Ray looked up and saw him, her eyes filling with tears. He opened his arms and she immediately walked right in, tightly holding on to him. "I'm so glad you're here."

"Of course I am. Any word?"

"He's too unstable for surgery right now but he needs a double bypass as soon as possible."

He kissed her forehead and just held her, rubbing her back to keep her as relaxed as possible.

About forty minutes later, they were still waiting. Jack and Elizabeth walked in the room. "Hey everyone," Jack said quietly. "Is anyone hungry? We brought coffee and pastries."

Ryan got up and grabbed a coffee. "Thanks, Jack."

"You're welcome. News yet?"

Just then Abigail walked in the room. Her eyes bloodshot. Her arms wrapped around her waist.

"Mom?" Becky rushed toward her, afraid she was going to fall on the floor. "Are you okay?"

She shook her head and fell to her knees, as if she couldn't hold up her own weight any longer. "He's gone."