The next morning…

Drew helped Cole put on his little dress shirt, pants and clip on tie. Then he slipped his matching vest over his shirt. "You look pretty handsome there, bud."

"I do?"

"Yep. Mom is going to love this."

"I match you."

"Yes, you do." Drew kissed his forehead. "How's your head? Do you need some medicine?"

"No, I'm okay."

"You sure?"

"Yeah."

"Ready to become a Shepherd?"

"Yep!" Cole grinned and that made Drew so happy.

Kayla and Harlow walked in. "Wow. My girls are beautiful!" Drew gushed.

"And my boys look so handsome in their dressy clothes. How'd I get so lucky?" Kayla told them, kissing both of them. "Let's go make Cole a Shepherd."

The adoption hearing went well, but Drew noticed Cole drifting toward the end. "Your head?" he whispered. Cole nodded. "We are almost done and then we can give you some medicine."

"Congratulations, Shepherd family!" the judge told them, coming down to shake everyone's hand.

"Thank you," Cole said when the judge shook his.

"You're very welcome, young man."

When Drew turned, he saw someone sitting toward the back. A group of someones that he hadn't expected to see. "Mom? Dad? Soph! What are you all doing here?"

"A little birdie told us when and where, so we came to meet our newest grandbaby and surprise you," his mom Faith said, giving him a hug.

"Papa!" Harlow said, running over to Carson. "Coley is my brudder now!"

"I know. Are you excited?"

"Yeah and Mama said he can get a dog!"

"Is that right?"

Faith knelt down in front of Cole. "Hi, Cole. I'm Grammy Faith."

"Hi," he said shyly.

"Are you feeling okay?" she asked, her nurse instincts kicking in. She felt his forehead and cheeks.

"My head hurts," he told her, leaning against Drew's leg.

"Yeah, Kay, Cole needs some Motrin."

"Poor Cole," Faith said, kissing his cheek. "I was hoping we could go to the zoo this afternoon but I don't know if Cole is up for it."

"Yes! I want to go to the zoo. I want to see the elephants!" he told her. "Dad bought me sunglasses. It will help. You'll see, Grammy."

The medicine and sunglasses did help and they were able to enjoy the zoo together.

Later Kayla watched Cole sleep in the bed next to theirs. The poor little guy still had a headache. The Motrin had helped for a few hours but it came back.

"I think we should take him to the eye doc when we get home," Drew whispered.

"He gets headaches. That's in his records."

"What if there's something wrong? What if his cancer is back?"

"Babe, I think he's fine but I will make an appointment when we get back."

"Thank you."

"He's ours, Drew. I almost can't believe it."

Drew watched him sleep too. He couldn't help but be worried. His son wasn't feeling well and until the doctor told him what it was, it was a mystery.

Ava and Ben's house

Ava and Ben sat in their darkened living room, a bowl of popcorn with parmesan cheese between them. As they watched Casablanca, one of their favorites, Ava's mind wandered.

"Ben?"

"Yeah?"

"Aren't you attracted to me anymore?"

"Huh?" he asked, pausing the movie.

"You used to think I was pretty."

"You were. Are! You are gorgeous, babe."

"Then why won't you touch me?"

"What?"

"It's been awhile since we've made love and….you barely touch me."

"It hasn't been that long." Had it?

"Three weeks. You give me a quick little kiss before you leave for work and when you get home. With school, sometimes it's just the morning. What is happening, Ben?"

"Nothing. You've been so self-conscious and I didn't want to push you. I figured you didn't want me to touch you."

She looked at him closely. Had that been it or was he hiding his real feelings? She took the popcorn bowl and put it on the table and then moved over closer to him, threading their fingers together. "Is that all, Ben? I think there's more."

He looked at her and couldn't keep it inside anymore. "You don't seem to have time for me, or at least that's how it feels. You're always holding Kinze or feeding Kinze or playing with her. I feel left out sometimes."

"So we've been ignoring each other?"

"Something like that."

"Well, I can't stop paying attention to our daughter, she needs me."

"So that answers that, then." He stood and started to walk away.

"No, Ben. Nothing is answered. We still need to figure out how to make each other a priority."

"How do we do that?"

"I don't know but...well, right now, she's asleep and probably will be for the next few hours. So we could…."

"Finish the movie?"

"Uh, no. What I'm thinking involves bubbles and candles." She started walking toward the stairs and turned back to look at him. "You coming, babe?"

"I thought...I mean, we made popcorn…."

"Ben, we have time to be alone. I think the first step in solving our little issue is to use that time, don't you?"

A bit later

Ben smiled and gazed at Ava as she lay facing him. "I hope you never think I'm not attracted to you again. You're beautiful and adorable and such a great mom to Kinsey. Nothing will ever change how I feel about you."

"It's just been so hard to lose the weight."

"You've lost most of it, Ava. Honestly, it only bothers you."

"Even my jiggly stomach?"

"Stop. It's not jiggly. I love your curves. Every one of them." He kissed her lips and lingered there for a long moment.

"I'm sorry you feel left out, Ben. I didn't realize you felt that way." She touched his cheek and sighed. "Please tell me if you feel that way again, okay?"

"Yeah. I will and you need to tell me if I'm neglecting you at all."

"Deal."

Kinsey started waking up to eat. "I'll get her," Ben said, slipping his pajama pants on and picking her up. "Hi, sweet Kinsey. How's my honey bee?"

When Drew and his family got home the next afternoon, Harlow and Cole had become fast friends. She had told him all about his room and he couldn't wait to see it.

So she took him down the hall and showed him.

Drew and Kayla brought in their luggage and took them to the laundry room. Kayla started a load while Drew answered his cell.

"Hey, Elizabeth."

"Hi, dear. Did you make it home safe and sound?"

"Yeah, just walked in the door."

"I can't wait to meet him!"

"Well, we could have a family dinner here on Sunday night if you want."

"A whole week?"

Drew laughed. "Yeah, we need to get him settled a little first."

"Okay. Well, tell him Grammy loves…"

"And Papa!" Jack yelled from the background.

"Yes, dear. Tell Cole that Grammy and Papa love him and we will see him soon."

"I will. Love you."

"Love you too."

When Kayla wheeled Cole's suitcase into his room for storage, she found him lying on his bed with the lights off. "Hey, sweetheart. What are you doing?"

"Looking at the stars." He was referring to the glow-in-the-dark ones on his ceiling.

She put his bag in his closet and sat on the floor beside his bed. "Can you see those alright?"

"Kinda."

"Do you like your room?"

"Yeah."

"That's good. Are you hungry? I can make us a snack if you want."

"Cheerios?"

"Sure, let's have Cheerios."

As they walked out, he took her hand. "When can we get my dog? I want a little one."

"A little dog, huh?"

"Yeah. I'm going to name him Jupiter."

"Okay. Why?"

"Like the planet," he told her, as if it were obvious.

"Of course. That's a good name."

The next few days were busy for Kayla and the kids. Drew went off to work and Kayla made an eye doctor appointment for Cole, took him shopping for clothes and talked to the Elementary school about teaching him at home for the year.

However, Cole wanted to go to kindergarten. He wanted to make friends and ride the big yellow school bus. So after talking to Drew, she enrolled him and after a general physical to make sure he was healthy, he would start the next week.

On Saturday, they had found a kennel with Cavalier King Charles Spaniels up for adoption. The four of them went there and Cole picked out one that was brown and white. "He looks like a Jupiter, Mom," he told her.

"Okay. That's the one."

They had a crate and food and water bowls all ready for him at home. Cole had picked out a blue harness style leash for him at the store and a blue blanket with stars and planets for him to sleep on.

When they got home, Drew helped Cole put the harness on and then he and the kids took Jupiter into the backyard to sniff around.

She smiled as she watched from the kitchen window. This was her life and it couldn't be better in her opinion.

The next night, Up North, Livy and Matt's cabin

"The three cribs will fit end to end against the wall with the window, Matt. I measured."

"Okay, I guess I better start putting them together."

"I can help you."

"Actually, I'd rather you sit and put your feet up. They are pretty swollen."

He had moved a soft rocker/recliner into the room so she sat down and raised the foot rest.

"Okay. I'm sitting."

"Thank you."

She turned on her phone and went to the baby name site. She was in the W's now.

"Wayne."

"No."

"Waylon. Wade? William. That's my grandpa's name."

"Maybe for a middle name."

"Watson?"

"Like Sherlock? Uh no."

"Picky picky. Oooo. Honey, Wesley."

"Wesley Flynn? That's not bad. So Amber Joy, Beckett Matthew and Wesley Jack?"

"Perfect! Our babies have names!"

Matt chuckled. "Yeah. That's pretty cool."

"Now they just need beds," she teased.

"I'm working on it, Liv."

Her phone buzzed. "Kay! How are you? How's my niece and nephew?"

"I'm good. Cole is ready to start school on Monday. I think Lolo might be a little jealous but she will probably be distracted by Jupiter."

"Uh, who's Jupiter?"

"Our new puppy. I'll send you a picture but he is really adorable."

"Awww. Babe, a dog!" she told Matt. "We need a dog."

"Uh, nope. That was when we were going to have one baby. I don't think three babies and a dog are a good combo for anyone."

"He might have a point," Kayla giggled.

"Yeah. I guess. Oh, guess what, Kay. We named all three babies."

"Why do you tell me that if you aren't going to actually tell the names? That's just mean."

"Sorry. I think you'll like the names though."

"I'm sure I will. Just don't use Jupiter. That one is taken."

"Haha. Very funny."

"I thought so. I guess I better go. Everyone is here for dinner. I love you, Liv. Take care of those babies for me."

"Roger Dodger. Oooo Roger! Matt."

"No."

Livy hung up and laughed. She may be tired all the time and have heartburn every night, but she couldn't be happier.