A week later
"Remember jeans, babe," Lucas told Julie.
"I still don't get how we are going to take enough stuff for a weekend on the bike."
"I guess you're right. I can if it's just me. Hmm. Okay, well, we can take your car, I guess."
She wrapped her arms around his waist and stared up at his handsome face. "Sorry to disappoint you."
"Its fine."
She tipped up on her toes and kissed him twice. "I'm just happy we'll be together." One more kiss. "And I can't wait to meet Brandy." She loved Lucas so she had no doubt she'd love his sister and her family too.
"You'll get along great. She's sweet, inside and out. She's gracious and a wonderful mother to Dewey and Paul and…."
"And you're a proud big brother." He shrugged, blushing a bit. "And you're sweet, inside and out and gracious too and you'll be an amazing father to our kids and you were an amazing father to Olivia."
He wrapped his arms around her and held her tight, so grateful to have her. "I love you, Julie Thatcher."
She smiled as his lips met hers over and over. "I love you too, Luc Bouchard."
"You should get packed," he mumbled, as their lips continued their mesmerizing dance.
"Wanna come help?"
"You need help packing?" he asked, laughing.
"No, I just want you with me." She smiled and walked away, hoping he would follow her.
He did. He sat on the bed as she pulled out her suitcase from the closet.
"Julie? Babe, a weekend is only two days. That's a pretty big suitcase."
"Something you should know about me, Luc. I'm a smidge high maintenance. I definitely need this for two days. Shoes, underwear, pajamas, toiletries, nice dressy clothes in case we go out to dinner, or to church…"
"Yeah, well...we definitely need to take your car then. This thing would throw the balance off for sure."
"Funny." She grabbed some items from her dresser and slipped them discreetly into her bag. "Um, Luc?"
"Yeah."
"Um, so we haven't really talked about...I mean...at your sister's house, are we going to be sleeping in separate rooms?"
"I'll sleep on the pullout sofa bed."
She blushed, relieved but curious too.
"There's no pressure here, babe."
Julie nodded. "The whole moving slow thing."
"Yeah. That's an area that we absolutely should talk about though."
She sat down next to him and took his hand. "I think you should know that I've dated a fair amount of guys…."
"Babe, did you forget that I watched you date those guys at the pub?"
"Oh...right. Well, my point was...I've dated them but its been ten years since I've been intimate with anyone."
"So...college boyfriend?" he guessed.
"Yeah. Once we were together, I felt guilty. I mean, I didn't love him. We broke up and I made a vow to myself that I wouldn't be intimate with another man unless we were married."
Lucas nodded and kissed her knuckles. "That's a huge thing, babe. Thank you for telling me."
"So you're okay with it?"
"Who am I to judge?"
"Was...Georgia the last woman you were with?"
"Yeah. Losing Olivia broke me. I haven't dated much since."
Julie touched her lips to his, softly. "So, we're good with waiting?"
"Yep. We're good."
Jack and Elizabeth's apartment
Elizabeth winced as she adjusted her position on the bed, swinging her legs over. Holland was about to start screaming. That seemed to be all she did...when she wasn't eating or sleeping.
"Hon, I got her," Jack said, walking in the master.
"I….fine," she said with a sigh. "I'm going to make some tea then."
"I can do that," he offered.
"I can do it too, Jack," she told him, hearing the irritation in her own voice. "She is going to be hungry soon."
"Do you want to nurse her?"
"No. You can give her a bottle. I just pumped."
Elizabeth was struggling. She was struggling with many things. She missed having Holland moving and kicking inside her. She felt like Holland didn't even like her. Not to mention, she couldn't have more children.
All those things...they made her feel inadequate and lost and that translated to tears running down her face constantly and unwarranted anger towards Jack.
Jack knew what was going on and he was worried. He had three days left before his two weeks of paternity leave were up and then he couldn't assist her as much.
Thankfully his mom was still here but she was moving to Tom's very soon. Then what?
Holland started whimpering after her diaper was changed which quickly changed to a very loud cry.
"Shhhhh, Hollie. Daddy's got you." Though he figured only Mommy would do.
"Beth, honey, will you please feed her?"
"Jack….I'm making tea."
"You are her mother."
"Yeah well…"
"What does that mean?"
"It means...I don't know."
"Beth…."
"Fine." Elizabeth sat down at the bar and reached for Holland. She lifted her loose, large t-shirt and adjusted herself so Holland could latch on.
Jack rubbed Elizabeth's back as she cried. Holland was at least quieting down.
"Sweetheart, I think you need to talk with your doctor."
Elizabeth nodded, leaning toward Jack, accepting his comfort. "I don't know why I feel this way."
"Babe, its a form of depression. It happens to a lot of women but you're also dealing with the surgery you had."
Holland lost her latch and started crying again. "Baby, shhhh. I'll help you."
Jack helped her stand and led her to the couch, placing pillows around her to support Holland and make her more comfortable.
The microwave beeped, signaling her water for tea was ready. "I'll get your tea."
He sat with her as Holland ate. He burped her so Elizabeth could drink her tea with two hands.
"Jack would you mind giving her a bottle? I don't have much for her right now."
Jack kissed her soft lips, lingering there. "I love you, Beth."
"I know." She did know and she was grateful.
"Of course I'll give her a bottle. And after that, we will call your OB, alright?"
"Yeah."
The doctor's suggestion was to do things for herself. Take a long bath. Get her nails done if she was feeling well enough. Let people help her with the baby.
She doubted those things would help the tears and depression but she would try and Jack promised to make sure to help her.
He called his boss and arranged for another week off and then headed to the florist to get flowers for Beth.
Then he went to the grocery and picked up her favorite lobster bisque from the deli and some fried chicken too, knowing Seth would love it.
When he walked back in the apartment, after only being gone forty five minutes, he heard crying. Seth, Hollie and Beth.
He put everything down and went to pick up Hollie. "Okay, what's going on? Seth? Why are you crying?"
"Mommy yelled at me."
"Why, bud?"
"I don't know. And then she started crying and so did Hollie. Why is everybody sad?"
Beth looked up at him. "Please don't leave me tomorrow, Jack. I can't do this alone."
"I'm not. I am taking another week. And I'll take another after that if I need to. Is Mom here?"
"No. She said she'd be right back but…"
He kissed Elizabeth's forehead. "Have you eaten?"
"No."
"I'll be right back." He dialed his mom as he went in to get her soup.
"Jack?"
"Mom, where are you? I walked back in the house and all three of them were crying. Please, if you can't stay with her and I'm gone, ask Grace."
"Alright, son. I'm sorry. Maybe I should wait to move in with Tommy."
"No, he needs you worse than us. I'm taking more time off work until she's better."
Seth ran into the kitchen and hugged his waist. "Seth?"
"I'm hungry, Dad."
Jack said goodbye to his mom and plopped Seth on the counter. "Its a good thing I brought you…..fried chicken!"
"Yum!"
"Wanna take Mommy these flowers while I get her soup?"
"Okay." Seth hopped down and took them into the living room. "Mommy? Look. These are for you."
Elizabeth wiped her eyes and put on a smile. "Oh! Thank you, baby. I'm so sorry I yelled. I'm not feeling great right now. Sometimes I say things I don't mean."
Seth hugged her and kissed her cheek. "That's okay. You'll feel better soon."
"I hope so."
Evergreen, Colorado
Julie smiled as Dewey and Paul snuggled up to her on the couch, after knowing her not even twenty four hours.
They begged her to watch movies with them so she of course agreed. Lucas joined them and sat on the other side of Dewey.
Lucas couldn't help watching Julie and falling more in love with her, like the boys.
Brandy walked up and touched his shoulder. "Luc? Can you help me with something in the kitchen?"
He knew she didn't need help. His baby sister was just as accomplished as he was in the kitchen, without going to culinary school. He assumed she was about to question him about Julie.
"Okay, she is awesome!" she whispered loudly.
He chuckled and crossed his arms. "I agree."
"Look, I know you always said you'd never want to get married because of Georgia…"
"Brandy! Say it a little louder. If she heard you…"
"Oh, she didn't hear me."
Julie, however, was standing in the doorway with two sippy cups. "Sorry but the boys would like juice," she mentioned, going to the fridge.
"Julie…" he pleaded, his hand on her back. She had heard.
"Luc, please. Not now. I want to enjoy the rest of today."
"That's not how I feel."
She looked at him, pain in her eyes. "Luc."
"Julie, I have a huge mouth," Brandy told her. "I was talking about the past. He doesn't feel that way anymore."
Julie nodded and walked away with the two cups of juice.
"Great." Luc shook his head and walked into the living room.
When he sat down, both boys were laying down, drinking. "I need to talk to you," he whispered.
She looked at the boys and then him. "Fine," she whispered back.
"Privately," he told her, holding out his hand. She waited a moment and then took it, following him to the guest room.
She shut the door and crossed her arms. He gently uncrossed them and took her hands.
"Babe…"
"Luc, you never want to get married?"
"That's how I used to feel."
"What changed? And don't say because you met me."
"Its true but...I think I finally healed enough for my heart to change."
"How do I know if you're going to change now? What if you get scared when I get pregnant?"
"Julie…"
"No, Luc. You should have told me. We talked about Georgia and we talked about what you went through losing Olivia. Why didn't you tell me you never wanted to get married?"
"Because by the time I met you and felt comfortable about telling you about Olivia and Georgia, I wasn't opposed anymore. Julie, the way I used to feel doesn't matter."
He pulled her into his arms and held her tight. "I love you and we are going to get married someday. You're just going to have to trust me on this."
"And you won't change your mind?"
"No. I want those five gorgeous, red-headed babies and that great dane."