Time passed quickly, as their kids grew their lives got busier. Jack and Elizabeth continued to see their counsellor for several months and eventually tapered their appointments from weekly to fortnightly to monthly to eventually quarterly which it had been for years. They kept the quarterly appointments in commitment to each other. They had experienced first hand how it had helped them especially in the first couple of years in their marriage.
"Logie pleaseeeeeeee…." Annabelle begged as she followed him in from the backyard into the kitchen where Elizabeth was taking cookies out of the oven. Elizabeth chuckled at her now five year old as she whined to her now twelve year old brother. It was a familiar scene between them that always brought a smile to her face. For siblings they were incredibly close and thick as thieves. Logan doted on her from the moment he knew she existed and in return Annabelle Charlotte Thornton thought her big brother hung the moon and the stars.
"What kind of mischief are you trying to get your brother to agree to young lady?" Elizabeth asked. Annabelle looked at her mother,
"I wanted him to take me to the movies with him."
"To his friends birthday party?" Also known as Logan's first unsupervised boy and girl party.
"Yes," Annabelle answered as a matter of fact. Elizabeth stifled a smile and shot Logan an 'I got this' look before tilting her head towards upstairs giving him the go ahead to escape . Logan smiled and gave her a grateful thumbs up.
"Annabelle Sweetheart, come here" she said as she wiped her hands with the tea towel. Annabelle let out a pout as she walked over to her mother who drew her into her lap as she sat down wrapping her arms around Annabelle's little waist.
"Sweetie, Logan can't take you to the movies with him. It's his friends birthday so he's going to celebrate with him and their friends."
"Why can't I come?"
"Because that's Logan's time to be with his friends."
"But Logie is my best friend."
"Wait, I thought Henry was your best friend?" Elizabeth asked.
"They both are." Annabelle replied somewhat exasperated confused as to why she just couldn't go.
"Honey you'll understand better when you're older I promise."
"But I want to go with Logie."
"How about you and Logie and Henry go another day, on me." Elizabeth bargained there was only so much explaining to a stubborn 5 year old she could do.
"I guess so," Annabelle relented,
"And you know it's not because he doesn't want to take you or be with you, but this is a party for his friend and all their friends who are the same age. Logie will take you on his own okay?" Annabelle nodded somewhat appeased.
"Okay Mommy," Elizabeth drooped a kiss on her daughter's temple.
Annabelle reached over the table to grab her reading book and began to read aloud whilst Elizabeth ran her fingers through her little girls long and wildly curly hair as she remained on her lap. As Jack walked through the door he could hear his girls reading in the kitchen. It was a familiar scene in their home. Jack stood watching them as Annabelle read confidently and only pausing at unfamiliar words which is when Elizabeth would sound it out for her. Elizabeth has sensed him first and looked up. Jack brought his finger to his lips not wanting to interrupt Annabelle and enjoying the show. At the end of the book as Annabelle looked up at her mother she noticed her Dad standing there.
"Daddy," she squealed scrambling off her mother's lap and into her fathers outstretched arms. Elizabeth's heart always warmed at the sight of them and the bond that they had. Annabelle Charlotte Thornton was without a doubt, Daddy's little princess. With Annabelle in his arms he walked over to his wife to kiss her hello.
"Where's the little dude?" Jack asked surprised he wasn't in the kitchen doing homework like he normally was.
"He's upstairs doing homework. I'll E-X-P-L-A-I-N later." Jack nodded and chuckled as he watched Annabelle try to figure out what Elizabeth had spelled. They only had a little time left before spelling out loud would no longer be viable at the rate of Annabelle's ability to read.
"Lady bug why don't you get ready for dinner and tell your brother to come down." Annabelle nodded and went upstairs to do as she was told. As she did Jack pulled Elizabeth into his arms and kissed her deeply.
"Hi Baby, did you have a good rest of the afternoon?" She asked.
"Yeah it was good. Glad to be home though. So what's the story?" He asked as she remained enclosed in his arms. Elizabeth relayed am the story and Jack was well amused. He could already tell that their teenage years were going to be interesting.
Elizabeth was in the kitchen getting dinner together when their home phone began to ring. Not wanting to get caught out on a call delaying dinner she ignored it and let the machine pick it up,
"Hey Bea," Rosie's voice filled the kitchen,
"I just wanted to check in to see how you were feeling," and before she could complete her sentence Elizabeth dove for the phone to answer it.
"Hey Rosie," Jack who was coming down the stairs watched Elizabeth's reflex action curiously. Even more so when she took the call out to the backyard,
"Hey Bea, you okay?" Elizabeth sighed she saw Jack at the corner of her eye as she walked out so she knew he witnessed that and would question it.
"Yeah I'm good,"
"Have you made an appointment with Carson?" Rosie pried,
"No, it's nothing Rosie."
"Then I don't see why you won't just see him."
"Because what if it is nothing Rosie,"
"Oh Bea,"
Jack and Elizabeth had been wanting to grow their family but after Annabelle it just wasn't happening. Whilst grateful and content for what they had, they both longed for more children.
"I get that Bea. If it's not that then it's important to know why you've fainted on me twice today. It's not safe Bea." Elizabeth knew she was right.
"I just don't want to be disappointed or disappoint Jack."
"Bea, he'd be more disappointed to hear you haven't been honest with him." Elizabeth knew she was right.
"Okay, I'll talk to him." Elizabeth promised before hanging up.
"Talk to me about what?" A voice said from behind her. Jack walked over to Elizabeth where she sat on the steps and sat beside her. Elizabeth took a deep breath,
"I haven't been feeling very well lately. Nauseous, lightheaded,"
"Wait, are you pregnant sweetheart?" He asked, the hope on his eyes brought tears to hers.
"I don't know. I've been too scared to check. I didn't want to get all of our hopes up only to…" jack wrapped his arms around her,
"How long have you not been feeling well?"
"A few weeks?"
"Baby, you should have told me."
"I know, I just…" Jack understood why she didn't.
After Annabelle turned 3 they started trying for more babies and for a year nothing happened. They had gone down the path of IVF and it had taken, only to have Elizabeth miscarry. They mourned their third child and Elizabeth was heart broken. If it wasn't for Logan and Annabelle she knew it would have been easy to slip into a dark hole. After her miscarriage their quarterly visits to counselling returned to weekly then to monthly and eventually back to quarterly. Jack dropped his lips to her temple,
"Sweetheart, you have to get checked out. Baby or no Baby you feeling unwell is something you need to get checked out." Elizabeth nodded.
"I have a couple of tests upstairs,"
"We can do a test, but I want you to see a doctor. I want you to get a full check up. We're not gambling with your health here Elizabeth." She understood the seriousness of his tone, it was familiar and one that he was usually on the receiving end of.
"If you want to get the kids to set the table, I'll call Carson." She said as he nodded.
"I'm going to your appointment," he stated unnecessarily his brow furrowed with worry. Elizabeth smooth out the corner lines on his forehead gently with her fingers as she stared into his eyes.
"I'm okay," wordlessly he drew her closer to him and hugged her tightly.
They remained that way until Logan had sought them out. He had just finished his homework and was looking to help with dinner. It wasn't unusual to find his parents in the corner of their house somewhere hugging, sitting closely together, talking closely so he wasn't at all surprised to find them on the back porch steps in each other's arms.
"You know Bellie is old enough to be scarred by you two." He teased.
"Watch it Monkey." Elizabeth said raising to her feet as Jack followed closely. Elizabeth wrapped her arms around Logan and began showering his faces with kisses.
"Mom," he protested good naturedly not at all minding as he hugged her back.
"Thanks for your help with Bellie earlier."
"No problem kid. I got your back. I just bought you time. You're going to need to take her to the movies."
"I don't mind taking her to the movies, she's pretty fun." Logan answered and Elizabeth looked at Jack as she kissed the top of Logan's head.
"You're a pretty good kid,"
"So my mother keeps telling me." He answered with a grin.
"Hey bud, can you and your sister set the table and we can eat?"
"Sure Mom," Elizabeth pointed to the phone, Jack nodded and led Logan into the house. Elizabeth called Carson,
"Hey Shep,"
"Bea, you okay?"
"I don't know. Can I come in tomorrow, I think I need a physical?"
"Sure Bea. Call me when you wake up. I'll meet you at the office. Unless you want me to check you over tonight?" Elizabeth considered it for a moment,
"No, tomorrow is okay. Thank you though."
"What's going on Bethie?"
"I haven't been feeling very well."
"In what way?" he asked.
"I feel run down, nauseas on and off. I fainted twice on Rosie this afternoon."
"Okay, do you have a home test?"
"Yeah,"
"Take it tonight and either way I want you in my office the moment you wake up."
"Shep, stop worrying."
"She says calling me to make an appointment out of nowhere for a physical."
"Sorry, I would have been more low key about it but between Rosie and Jack…well if I didn't call you one of them probably would have." Carson laughed,
"Call if you need anything okay?"
"I will Shep thanks!"
Elizabeth joined the rest of her family as soon as she got off the phone. She gave Jack a reassuring smile as she did knowing he was worried. Logan whose instincts were in tune to Elizabeth looked from her to his Dad. Elizabeth caught Logan's look,
"I'm good Monkey." She answered his unasked question. Jack placed a hand on Logan's shoulder. Before he could say anything Annabelle had come bounding down the stairs.
"Mommy, can we go to the park tomorrow after school?"
"Sure Baby, now take a seat."
After dinner Elizabeth and Jack got the kids ready for bed. After many stories with Annabelle she was finally asleep. They said goodnight to Logan before heading to their bedroom. Jack followed her into the bathroom, not realising this when she had stopped, he had walked into her.
"Sorry Sweetheart." Elizabeth chuckled,
"Jack Thornton, you need to relax." She said as she took the test out from her beneath her sink.
"Now as much as I love you, I need a little privacy. I am going to take a shower and then you know."
"What if I want to shower with my wife?" he said taking the test from her hand kissing her.
After their shower Jack let her take the test in private. She emerged from the bathroom a few minutes later in her pyjamas looking apprehensive. Jack walked up to her and cupped her face,
"Hey, whatever the outcome. We'll get through it." Jack promised as she wordlessly wrapped her arms around his waist burying her face into his chest. When the timer went off hand in hand they went into the bathroom. Jack had to laugh that she didn't take one test, she took several.
"I wanted to be sure." She said giving his stomach a gentle elbowing. Jack wrapped his arms from behind her and lay them resting on her stomach.
"We got this." Elizabeth went from one test to another, to another, until she had checked them all. She turned to Jack,
"We're pregnant." Jack's face lit up. He took her in his arms and lifted her from the ground.
"Baby I'm so happy." He murmured in her ear.
"Me too." Elizabeth replied.
"Hey, everything's going to be okay."
