After dropping Bethanie off at Jack and Elizabeth's for a few hours, Dani and Trace drove to Haven House to meet Gabriel.

They said a quick prayer before going inside and then he took her hand and they went up to the porch.

They could hear noises through the door. Talking, laughing, footsteps and a baby crying.

Mrs. Blakely opened the door, a fussy Gabriel in her arms. "Hi, Dani?"

"Yes. Hi. This is my husband, Trace. May I take him?"

Florence handed the fussy little guy over to Dani. "Hi, Gabe. Shhhh….its okay." Gabe chewed on his chubby fingers and stared up at her, tears on his face. He reached up and touched her face and grinned. "Why were you upset, huh, buddy?"

"He is a fussy, clingy baby," Florence told them, an overwhelmed sound to her tone.

"Well, I'm happy to hold him as long as he wants."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course. You go do what you need to do. We will be just fine."

Trace saw Dani falling in love with Gabe right away. Trace was a bit more skeptical, not knowing as much about Downs kid's needs or issues. He wondered if Gabe was healthy. Was that why he was fussy?

Gabe settled, resting his head on her shoulder. "Trace…"

"I know, Dani, but I'm scared."

"Of what?"

"The unknown. Is he healthy? What issues does he have? Why is he fussy a lot and clingy?"

"All babies have challenges, Trace. We could have our own biological child and they could be born with hearing loss or health problems."

"I know."

"Gabe needs a family. I'm willing to go down to part time at work to care for him. Then we will only need a sitter a couple times a week."

"Let's pray about it tonight, okay?"

"Yeah." She wanted him to be as excited as she was, but he wasn't. It hurt to know that they weren't in the same place.

After picking up Bethanie from Jack and Elizabeth's and dropping Dani and her at home, Trace headed into Portland for a meeting.

Dani and Bethanie made sure the guest room was all set up for Penny the next evening. According to Fiona, poor Penny had nightmares regularly and was afraid to sleep in the dark. Therefore, Dani put two nightlights and a cute little lamp in the room for extra light. Bethanie also put her very favorite stuffed bear on Penny's bed so she wouldn't be scared.

Because her only parent, her Mom, was stuck in a drug and alcohol rehab center for the foreseeable future, Penny was with her foster parents. They needed a break though, so that's where Dani and Trace came in.

Dani was quiet the rest of the afternoon and Bethanie noticed. "Mama? What's wrong?"

"Nothing, babe. I'm just thinking." About Gabe and his cute little face and chubby fingers and bright eyes.

"Bout what?"

"Just adult stuff." And how Trace might not go for adopting Gabe right now. And how her heart was already involved.

"Okay." Bethanie gave her a big hug. "Can we make cookies when Penny comes?"

"Sure. Let's go grocery shopping. Wanna help me make a list?"

"Yep!"

That evening was the big addition reveal. Elizabeth, Julie, Dani and Grace had worked together to decorate Autumn's and Mercy's new rooms. They loved them.

Jack started helping move their belongings right after the reveal.

Mercy was in awe of her room. She loved the bluish green walls and the new flowery quilt. It felt like she for sure belonged in the family. She just hoped Jack and Elizabeth were going to be her parents forever. She loved everyone.

Elizabeth walked in with Erik. "Mememe," he said, reaching for Mercy.

"Erik wanted to say goodnight to you."

Mercy took him and gave him a big hug. "Night night, Erik."

"Ni ni," he said, still resting his head on her shoulder. "Sis," he told her, kissing her cheek.

"I love you too." And she did. It didn't matter that their skin wasn't the same color or that their birth parents weren't the same or that her last name was Phillips and not Thornton. He was her baby brother.

On the other side of the bathroom, Jack brought in one more load of Autumn's things. "You like your new room, pumpkin?"

"Yes. I...love it."

"Why so serious?" he wondered, touching her cheek. "Where's your smile?"

"Dad? Is...it true?"

"What?"

"That I won't...have babies?"

"I don't know. I don't see why you can't once you're older and married."

"Jillian told me….that Downs people can't...have babies. I want a baby...of my very own."

"Sweetheart, from what I've read, sometimes men with Downs have trouble having children. Women, not as much. When its time for Mom to take you to the doctor again, why don't you ask her?"

"Okay."

Jack gave her a hug and kissed her forehead. "Pumpkin, you don't need to worry. I think you can do anything you set your mind to. Including, having babies someday."

Mid-June

Brayla walked into Vera's, looking around for a place to sit and for Brady. He was waiting tables apparently.

She sat down in the area near where he was working and hoped to catch his eye. He kept moving around and didn't see her at first though. Finally, he did. "Hey. What can I get you?"

She looked up at him. All she got was a "hey."

"You. I want you to talk to me. We haven't seen each other in weeks, Brady."

"Bray, I can't stop right now. We are super busy."

"So, we are still getting together tonight, though right?"

"I have to do supply orders and get payroll done."

"Great." She stood up, glared at him and walked out. He couldn't do anything but watch her go. It wasn't as if he wanted to cancel on her. And she was aware that he was managing Vera's now.

He'd call her later.

Brayla wiped her tears and then headed home to her Dad's. She was staying there for the summer. Maybe she should have gone to Mom's in West Virginia until fall term. Then she wouldn't have to try to fight for Brady's attention. It wasn't too late.

She picked up her phone and dialed the moment she was in the driveway.

"Hi, sweetheart."

"Hi, Mom." The tears came out then. "Mom, I miss you. Can I come stay with you?"

"I miss you too, dear. What about Brady? I thought you were going to spend time with him this summer."

"He doesn't have time for me right now. I'd rather stay with you."

"Brayla Marie, are you running from your problems? Don't do that. Take it from me."

"I'm….maybe. At least can I come visit?"

"Of course you can. I will get you a ticket and email you the information, okay?"

"I'll just drive."

"All the way from Riverton? Sweetie, I don't like that idea. You being alone for hundreds of miles. I will get you a plane ticket."

"Alright, Mom. Thank you. See you soon."

"Very soon."

Brayla ignored Brady's call that night and then the next day too. It was Saturday, which was supposed to be his day off, so it was possible he had time to spend together. She was packing to leave on Sunday morning to go south though.

Once she printed out her boarding pass, she shut off her phone. She didn't want to have him give her a guilt trip because she wasn't making time for him this time. No, it was better to just leave.

"I don't understand why you don't want to be here this summer, with me," John, her dad said from the doorway early Sunday morning.

"I need to see Mom. I haven't seen her since Christmas."

"When are you coming back?"

"August 8th is my return flight."

"So I'll see you for what, two weeks and then you'll be back at school?"

She turned and kissed his cheek. "I love you, Dad. Have a great summer."

Her Uber showed up Sunday morning at 7am. She kissed her Dad's cheek one more time and then headed to the airport. Missing Brady the whole way and maybe regretting leaving just a little bit.

Brady drove to her Dad's house Sunday afternoon, after church. She had been ignoring his calls so he was going to show up. She couldn't turn him away in person, could she?

"What do you mean she's gone?" he asked her Dad.

"She went to visit her mother in Huntington."

"West Virginia?"

"Yes. What happened between you two?"

"Nothing, sir. Thank you." He turned around and got back in his car. So much for having a good summer.

He called her as he drove, breaking his own rule of not using his cell in the car. "I can't believe you left without telling me. Is this the way it's going to be? You knew I'm managing Vera's. Now you get mad because I'm managing Vera's. How fair is that?"

He hung up and threw his phone in the back of his car and then drove to Vera's. Might as well go to work. What else was there to do?

Little Penny had been so cute and so untrusting, which Dani and Trace had expected. It had been cute seeing her and Bethanie play together though. She had trusted Bethanie and had bugged her to sleep in her room with her, which of course, Bethanie jumped at the chance to do. She loved slumber parties.

Now, the house was big and empty besides the three of them. Two of the five bedrooms were being used. She knew she needed to be patient to adopt and to have a baby with Trace but it sure was hard.

"Trace?" she said, sitting down with him on the couch as he worked on his laptop.

"Yeah."

"Can I talk to you a minute?"

He shut his laptop and looked at her. "Sure, honey. What's on your mind?"

"I'm thinking we should get a dog."

"Are you serious?"

"Yes."

He saw her look at the house and he knew what she was thinking.

"Babe, we will get more placements and you will have a baby. We just have to be patient. When that happens, do you really want to be worrying about a dog too?"

She stood up and looked at him. He knew her very well. "I guess not."

"Dad!" Bethanie yelled running in the room. "Mimi is taking us to the water park! Tomorrow!"

"Oh yeah? That sounds fun."

"Yeah. Mercy and Carter and Autumn and Erik and me!"

"You'll be on your best behavior, right bugs?" Dani asked. "Stay with Mimi and do what she says."

"Yes!" she said with a smile, running off.

Trace stood up and gathered his beautiful wife in his arms. "So, tomorrow, you and I are both off work. What shall we do?"

"I can think of a few things. Like…" she trailed off, whispering in his ear. "How does that sound?"

"Like heaven."

"It's a date." She kissed him and smiled. "So, no dog?"

"No dog."

However, as happened most times things were planned, a wrench got thrown in the Thornton and Worthington households. They handled it with grace, though.