"What's that box in front of the house?" Josie asked, pressing her forehead against the window.

Jack smiled. "It's a present for you. It's an early birthday present, since we wanted you to have it for the summer."

"Oh, what is it? Is it a pony?" Josie asked, jumping up and down.

"It's not a pony," said Jack.

"Then what is it?" Josie asked.

Rose smiled and gave Josie a hug. "What have you been asking us for for a while now?"

Josie gasped. "Is it… a bicycle?" Jack and Rose both smiled and followed Josie as she ran out the door to the box. "Can we open it?"

"Sure, it's already built," said Jack, opening the box and taking it out. It was baby blue (Josie's favorite color), with gold and silver streamers. "Want to learn how to ride?"

"Yes please," said Josie. She sat down on the bike.

Jack held on to the back of the seat. "Okay, so you're going to have one foot on the ground and start pedaling with the other, and then once you have enough speed to balance, you pick up your other foot and bike away. I'm going to hold the bike so you don't fall."

"You won't let go?" Josie asked.

Jack smiled and looked at Rose. "I'll never let go." Rose, who was sitting on the front stoop watching, mouthed I love you back to him. Jack smiled and then looked back at Josie. "You ready?"

"I guess so," said Josie.

"Okay, three… two… one… go!"

Josie started to pedal and Jack ran with her, holding the back of the bike. He was about to let go when he felt the bike drifting and almost fall. He scooped Josie up and lifted her off the bike.

"Are you okay?" Jack asked. "Are you hurt?"

"No, I'm good," said Josie with a smile. "Again!"

Josie biked up and down the street while Jack ran behind her. After an hour, Jack stopped to catch his breath. "How about we take a break?" he asked.

"Okay, do you guys want some water?" Josie asked.

"Yes please, just bring out three bottles," said Jack.

Josie went inside, while Jack sat down next to Rose. Rose wrapped her arms around him and sighed. "I'm so happy she's learning to ride a bicycle. I loved riding mine around when I was younger."

"Same here," said Jack. He looked down at Rose and smiled. "You look beautiful."

Rose smiled, which made her look even more beautiful than before. "Really? I don't think so."

"No, you look absolutely beautiful. But if you don't like that adjective, tons of others come to mind," said Jack. "Let's see, there's pretty, cute, special, sexy, hot, amazing, loving, adorable… the list goes on and on."

"You still think I'm hot?" Rose asked. "I feel huge and disgusting. I bet I barely resemble the girl you fell in love with."

"Well I think you're even more beautiful, both inside and out," said Jack. He kissed Rose and looked at her thoughtfully. "We should take a trip."

"What?" Rose asked, caught off-guard.

"We should take a trip," said Jack. "You, me, the kids, just go somewhere for a few days. Somewhere special."

Rose chucked. "Is this before or after the screaming, the hand-holding, the pushing… and oh yeah, the crying newborn?"

"Crying newborn?" Josie asked.

Jack and Rose looked at each other with panic. "One of my friends from the office's wife is having a baby," said Jack casually.

"Anyone I know?" Josie asked.

"No, it's a new hire," said Jack. "Listen, I think that's enough riding for today. Besides, you have dance in a few minutes. Why don't you go get ready while I put your bike away?"

"Okay," said Josie, and she disappeared into the house.

"We have to be more careful," said Rose, giving him a kiss. "Why don't we bring in dinner tonight? We won't have to cook or clean, and then we can have some time to ourselves."

"Sounds great," said Jack. He leaned over to Rose's ear. "We'll finish our discussion tonight, sweetheart."

•••

It was later that night. The children were asleep, and Jack and Rose were getting ready for bed. Rose was changing her clothes, and she suddenly looked in the mirror and picked up her shirt to reveal a small baby bump. "Wow, I'm really starting to show."

Jack looked over to her and smiled. He loved seeing her in her natural element. He didn't know what it was, but he loved just watching her do plain old everyday activities. Even after twelve years together, he still felt the flutter in his chest when he looked at her.

His stares must have caught Rose's attention, since she looked at him and dropped her shirt. "What, what is it?" she asked.

"Nothing," said Jack. "I just love you."

Rose sat down next to him and smiled. "I love you too. Now talk to me about this trip idea."

"Well, I just thought we could go to Laguna for a few days. There's a school break coming up, you and I can get out of work for a few days."

"I don't know, Jack-" Rose began.

"I just think… we're about to have another baby, so we'll have our hands full. Plus, we have all of this money now. We used the money from your father to pay off the house and set enough money aside for each child to go to college and have enough money to live afterward. We have the money that you and I have made."

"That is true," said Rose, and she smiled. "Let's do it."

Jack kissed her lovingly and then looked down at her small belly. He placed a hand against it and smiled. "Hold on a minute," he said, running out of the room. He returned only a minute later with something Rose hadn't thought about in years.

The paper towel roll. Jack smiled walked back over to the bed. He lay down on his stomach and slowly lifted her shirt. "What're you doing?" Rose asked.

"Oh come on, you know what I'm about to do," said Jack. He put the paper towel roll against Rose's belly and against his ear. "Hi, little baby," said Jack. "This is your daddy. Your mommy and I are so excited to meet you." Jack kissed Rose's belly and then moved up to her lips.

"I love you," said Rose. She looked at him and smiled.

"You know, when I was on Titanic, looking into your eyes and hearing you tell me you would get off with me, I thought I would be as in love with you now as I was then."

"And let me guess," said Rose with a smile, "you were right."

"No, I was wrong," said Jack. "Everything we've been through together has made my love for you grow. We survived so much together, and it only brought us closer. It showed me that you're the most important person in my life. I love you so much, Rose. I feel like I love you as much as I possibly could, and then I fall even more in love with you the next moment."

"I love you too, Jack," said Rose, interlocking her fingers in his. "And I feel the same way. You know, when I first got pregnant with Josie, I thought that having children would change our relationship. I thought it would pull us apart, and we would have less time to spend with each other. But it's the opposite. Seeing a child, or children, that are the product of the love we share… it's incredible. Watching you interact with the children, even when they do something little, like putting their head on your shoulder, it makes me so happy."

"I love you so incredibly much," said Jack.

"I love you too," said Rose, kissing him lovingly. "Good night, darling."

They both put their heads down on their pillows and fell asleep immediately. While asleep, Rose could hear a light pitter-patter outside her room. She tried to ignore it, but then opened her eyes.

"Maddie?" Rose said, nearly jumping out of her skin.

"Mommy?" Maddie said, taking Rose's hand.

"Come here, darling. Let's go outside," said Rose, standing up and taking Maddie's little hand. They went outside and sat in Jack and Rose's sitting room. "What's wrong, darling? I thought you were asleep," said Rose, holding Maddie in her arms, and Maddie started to cry. "Maddie?"

"I had a bad dream," said Madeline.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Rose asked, and Maddie shook her head. "Is this the first time?"

"No, but I've always been able to go back to sleep," said Maddie. "Today I can't."

Rose frowned and kissed her daughter's cheek. "You know I used to have nightmares too?"

"Really?" Maddie asked.

"Yes," said Rose. "And you know what? I know what helps."

"What is it?" Maddie asked, and Rose picked her up. She carried her little girl downstairs to the kitchen and placed her in a sitting position atop the counter.

"When I used to have bad dreams, my daddy used to sit up with me and eat chocolate chip cookies and milk. And you know what? It helped," said Rose, taking out the cookies and milk. "And I bet it'll make you feel better, too."

Maddie looked at her mother and smiled. "Thanks, Mommy," she said. "But what if it doesn't work? What if I still have bad dreams?"

"Well, as scary as they are, they're not real. You'll always wake up from them, and then you can find me, and we can eat cookies and drink milk. I promise," said Rose. "And if you want to wake up, just give yourself a little pinch." She leaned over and pinched Maddie lightly.

"Ow," said Maddie with a giggle.

"Come here, darling," said Rose. "How about we try to go back to sleep?"

"Can you walk me back to bed?" Maddie asked, reaching her arms out for Rose.

Rose smiled. "Of course." She lifted Maddie into her arms and carried her up to bed.

Rose put her down in the bed and pulled the blanket over her. "Can you lay with me?" Maddie asked, looking up at Rose.

Rose sighed. "Of course, darling." She lay down next to Maddie, who put her head down on her mother's shoulder. Rose wrapped her arms around Maddie and kissed the top of her head. "I love you, my sweet girl."

"I love you too, Mommy," said Maddie. She was gripping Rose tightly, and Rose knew she wasn't going to go back to bed that night. Her baby needed her.