Three weeks later…Early May
Beth settled back into the pillows of the bed after her walk to the bathroom.
"Knock knock," Clara said, sticking her head in the doorway.
"Hey! Tell me you have my new beautiful niece with you." She needed a distraction. Badly.
"I do!"
Clara had given birth to tiny Rylie Anne two weeks before on her due date.
Clara handed Rylie to Beth. "Oh, sweetheart. I love you so much." Tears ran down her cheeks for multiple reasons. The least of which was holding her niece.
"You doing okay?" Clara asked, leaning back on Jack's side of the bed.
"Honestly?"
"Of course. You can tell me anything."
"I don't want to be in bed anymore. I'm sick of sitting here, doing nothing. But I feel so selfish and like such a bad mom. I just have to remind myself that I'm doing this to keep my baby safe."
Clara put her arm around her sister-in-law and kissed her temple. "The fact that you are doing this proves you are a wonderful mother. I know bedrest isn't easy. I had my share of moments feeling like you are. But the moment you meet whoever is inside you, you'll forget all about how hard it was. You'll be so grateful."
"Thanks."
"Mama!" Linc yelled, running into the room ahead of Julie and Noelle.
"Hi, sweetheart. Come see your baby cousin, Rylie."
"Baby?" Linc climbed up and walked over. "Aww."
"Isn't she pretty?"
"Linc's baby?"
"Nope. Your baby is still in Mommy's tummy." He gave Rylie a kiss and then sat on Beth's legs.
"Hold Linc?"
"I will in just a minute."
"Pease? Hold Linc now?"
"Remember, sweetie? You need to be patient." She ran her fingers through his blonde hair.
"Yeah. Paycint."
"That's right. You are such a good boy."
She had been working with him in waiting for things, knowing he would be waiting for more things once the baby arrived.
She handed Rylie to Clara and then helped Linc up to her lap for a snuggle.
"Mama?"
"Yes, honey?"
"Love, Mama."
"I love you too."
Bill Avery's office, downtown Maple Hills
"I'm sorry, Bree. There is no way out of going. You'll need to be in Chicago in two weeks."
"I'll be almost eight months pregnant."
"I understand but the law is the law. If you don't show, things won't be so easy when it comes to keeping full custody of the boys."
She nodded. She didn't want things to change. "Thank you, Bill."
"I'll be going with you, of course. I will drive and we will make frequent stops at your convenience."
"Thank you."
Mike took her hand and led her outside to the car. "I'm going too, Bree."
"Babe, you need to be here for the boys."
"You're my wife. I'm not letting you go anywhere near that jerk."
She put her arms around his waist and smiled up at him. "I love you, Michael James Hickam." She stretched up to kiss his lips. "But our boys need you here."
It went against everything he had inside him to let her go without him. He wanted to present a united front. To let Dane Cooper know that he had been an idiot to treat them the way he had.
"I'm going to ask my Mom to come up and watch them. I want us to do this together." He kissed her forehead and opened the passenger door, closing the subject.
After work, Jack drove to the electronics store to pick something up for Beth and then he picked up her favorite Thai takeout. Even Linc liked the noodles.
Finally, around dinnertime, he walked in the door of the cottage. "Anyone home?"
"Dada!" Linc yelled, attacking his knees. His hands were full though so he bent to kiss his soft hair.
"Hi, bud. I got a present for Mommy. Want to help me give it to her?"
"Yay! Pesant fo Mama!"
Jack chuckled as Linc ran off to the master bedroom. "Hey, Julie."
"Hi, Jack." Julie was already packing up Noelle's bag. "I'm not going to be here tomorrow but Mom said she would take care of Beth and Linc."
"Oh, I don't work tomorrow so I'll let her know not to come." He put the food and other stuff down and pulled out his wallet.
"Nope. I'm not taking money from you, Jack. She's my sister and he's my nephew. It's my pleasure."
"I'm going to make it up to you, Julie. Mark my words."
"Give Uncle Jack a kiss, Nelly. It's time to go see Daddy." Noelle reached for Jack and gave him a wet kiss.
"Bye bye," she said with a smile.
"Bye, sweet pea." He wiped his cheek and pulled paper plates and a bowl from the cupboard.
"Dada!"
"Yeah, bud."
"Mama...Mama say ouch!"
He put the plates down and followed Linc to the bedroom. "Beth? What's wrong?"
"I'm having contractions, Jack."
"You're too early. Crap!"
"Cap!" Linc mimicked.
"Don't say that, bud. It's only a big people word."
Jack stepped into the closet and locked up his gun in the safe. "How many have you had, Beth?"
"Three. About ten minutes apart."
He took off his uniform and put on a t-shirt and a pair of jeans. "I'm grabbing your hospital bag and then I'll go grab Linc's backpack."
"I'll call Dr. Shepherd."
Jack took the bags to the car, called Abigail and Grace and put the takeout in the fridge. Then he ran back to the bedroom.
He helped Beth stand and then walked her to the door to put her shoes on for her. "What did Dr. Shepherd say?"
"To go to the Women's Center, obstetrics."
"Then that's what we will do. Your parents will meet us there to get Linc."
She sighed and grasped his hand, feeling another contraction. "Jack, I'm scared. It's so early. Six weeks!"
He pulled her into his arms and held her a minute. "I know but it's okay. We are going to pray and leave it in His hands."
He kissed her and she gasped. "Jack, I think my water broke."
"Alright then. Its baby time for sure!"
"Baby!" Linc yelled, clapping his hands.
"That's right, bud. Time to meet your baby."
The next hour went by fast. At the hospital, Grace and William met them and took Linc while a nurse took Beth back to get her set up in a Labor Room.
Jack took a minute to call Lee to let him know he wouldn't be in for two weeks because his paternity leave was needed early. Then he called his mom and let her know she was going to be a Nanna again. She immediately booked a flight for the next morning.
When Jack arrived in Labor and Delivery, she was already hooked up to a fetal monitor and an IV.
"Mrs. Thornton, I'm going to get you an ultrasound shortly," the blonde nurse told her.
"Okay."
Dr. Shepherd walked in a half hour later. "Good evening, Thornton family. I heard the baby is coming?"
"Yes," Beth told him, her voice cracking.
"Beth, listen, you're early but we gave your baby medicine to help with lung development. We will make sure that he or she has the best care after delivery. I'm guessing the baby will be four maybe five pounds. Everything should be just fine."
She nodded, Jack rubbing her hand and arm to reassure her.
"Let's see how far along you are." After a brief moment, he smiled. "You're about three centimeters. It's going to be a few hours. How is your pain level?"
"I'm fine."
"I'll check on you in a few hours. Let us know if anything changes."
After the ultrasound showed a head first position, Beth was able to rest a bit.
"Jack? I need a distraction. How was work?"
"I don't want to talk about work. Let's name this baby."
"I thought we were going to wait until we saw what he or she looked like," she mentioned, wincing at another contraction starting.
He took her hand and let her squeeze. "Breathe, babe. Nice and slow," he whispered.
She took a few slow breaths, in and out. In and out. She knew the contractions would get worse so she was just concentrating on one at a time. Each one was bringing her closer to meeting their child.
"Good job, hon," he told her, kissing her knuckles.
"I love you, Jack."
"I love you more."
She moved over on the bed. "Will you hold me?"
"Of course I will."
He sat down next to her, wrapping his arms around her, being mindful of the monitors and IV.
"Names, Beth. Boys first."
"We could go with L names. Like a theme. Liam. Landon."
"Yeah or we could go with a family name."
"I feel like if the first name is a family name, someone is going to feel left out. Owwww ow ow ow," she said, tensing up.
"Breathe, babe. In and out. Nice and slow." He breathed with her, his forehead against her temple, until it passed.
"Yeah….that one hurt a lot."
The contractions worsened as expected. When Dr. Shepherd came back in three hours later, she was at five centimeters. "You're doing great, Beth. Do you want to walk, try to get things moving faster?"
"Yes, let's try that." So they walked the hall for an hour, stopping for contractions, Jack supporting her through each and every one.
The next time the doctor checked, she was at a six. At that point, she didn't think she could take the pain much longer.
"I think I need something," she panted. "Epidural," she told the nurse.
"Okay. We will get an anesthesiologist in here."
Another hour later, she was still at a six but she had no more pain so she slept. Jack texted their family and friends to keep them in the loop.
Mike and Bree's
"She's sleeping now," Bree told Mike. "Those epidurals are magical."
He picked up her legs and laid them across his lap so he could massage her feet. "So I assume you're going to get one with this little guy?"
"Without a doubt." She sighed as he rubbed her sore feet. "You are good at that, sweetheart. Please promise you'll always give me foot rubs. Even when we are eighty."
"Promise," he laughed. "If you can get your legs up here by then."
"Very funny." She watched his gentle, handsome face as he sat with her. "Mike, I'm sorry."
"For what sweetheart?"
"I wasn't terribly appreciative when you offered to come with me to the court date."
"Maybe not, but that's okay. And for the record, it wasn't just an offer. I'm going. I'm supporting my wife and letting that man know he can not win."
"You're unreal sometimes, you know that?"
"Nope. I'm just trying to be the kind of man you deserve."
"You're a wonderful man. The boys and I are so lucky to have you."
"Daddy! I'm ready for my story!" Tate yelled.
"Be there soon, Tater."
Mike stayed a while longer, making sure both feet were equally rubbed and then he headed into the boy's room.
Bree dozed off on the couch and woke up when the doorbell rang.
Being seven months pregnant did not help her in getting up and off the couch. The doorbell rang again as she stood. "I'm coming." Who was ringing the doorbell at nine at night?
She opened the door and gasped. "Dane?"
"Hey, baby. It's good to see you." She attempted to slam the door shut but he caught the door with his hand and stepped inside. "Nice place."
"How did you find this house?"
He grinned. "That was complicated. I thought you were still in Chicago. I had to hire a PI and he led me here. Clever woman, but still… not as smart as me."
"Get out."
"Come on, babe. We're just talking here. Nothing to be afraid of."
And yet, that was one of the emotions running strongly through her. Fear, then anger.
"Where are my boys?"
"In bed, and they're not your boys."
"What? You think they belong to whoever's done that?" He pointed to her belly. "Nice try."
"What do you want, Dane?"
He shrugged and walked further into the house.
"Stop. You are not welcome here."
"Please," he snickered. "We can be adults here can't we?"
"I can. I'm not so sure about you."
"You always liked to take little jabs at me. Really, you should have been grateful I put up with you as long as I did."
"Your version of history may help you live with yourself but it's not true and you know it."
Dane grabbed her arm, holding her so tightly she winced.
"Be careful. You're not in any position to fight me. Now about my boys…"
"Get your hands off my wife!" Mike rushed over. He grabbed Dane by the shirt and yanked him away. "Get out."
"Who's this guy?" Dane smirked. "You her new sucker?"
"I'm her husband and you are not welcome here. Now, you can leave on your own or I'll help. Either way, you're leaving. Now!"
"Fine!" Dane snapped. "I'll go, but this isn't over. Tell my boys, daddy will be back."
He left, Mike locked the door and watched out the window until Dane's vehicle was out of sight.
"Oh, sweetheart," he pulled Bree in his arms as she began to cry. "Did he hurt you?"
"What are we going to do?"
"We'll figure it out. I won't let him hurt our family. I promise."
"You don't know him," she cried. "He's ruthless."
"Maybe, but I will stop at nothing for you and the boys."