The Christmas season started once again, and Elizabeth's heart rejoiced in the decorations and lights that graced their little town in the days after Thanksgiving. As their anniversary trip approached, she got several little things done that she'd been putting off: deep cleaning the house, going for her annual physical and routine blood work, buying gifts for her family and friends, and dropping off toys for the church gift drive. The one thing that confounded her was trying to figure out what to get Nathan for their first anniversary. She had already bought his Christmas gift, but she was stumped on what to get him as an anniversary gift. He had told her countless times he didn't need anything but her, but she wanted to give him something special. And she had to figure it out by their anniversary. Which was tomorrow. Pursing her lips, she decided to consult an expert in the matter. Within minutes, she was at Colleen's, discussing various ideas. They finally found one that Elizabeth liked, and she thanked her sister-in-law profusely for letting her bounce ideas off her.

As she walked out the door, her phone rang. She pulled it out, glancing at the caller ID. "Hi, Carson," she said easily, rummaging for her keys as she made her way to her car. "What's up?"

"Hi, Elizabeth," Carson said. He paused so long Elizabeth wondered if she had lost the connection.

"Carson?"

"Sorry," he said, sounding like he was shaking himself out of something. "I know you're probably busy, but could you come to the hospital in about an hour?"

Elizabeth stopped looking for her keys and halted. The tone in his voice told her he wasn't telling her something. "What's going on, Carson?" she asked, feeling her stomach drop.

"Nothing necessarily," he said slowly. "But something came up in your blood work that I would like to check on further."

Elizabeth bit her lip. She didn't like the sound of that. "Does it have to be a whole hour?" she asked, looking at her watch. "Can I come now?"

"Sure," Carson replied, his tone gentle. "Come on over now."

Elizabeth said goodbye and hung up. She found her keys and got into the car, but instead of turning it on, she leaned her head against the steering wheel. What if he had found something that explained why she wasn't getting pregnant? Was she ready to face that kind of news? The reality that something might actually be wrong?

She felt tears prick her eyes, but then she squared her shoulders and pushed them away. She was borrowing trouble. Until she had a diagnosis from Carson, there was no use dealing in what ifs. Resolutely, she turned the key in the ignition and pulled out of the drive.


Nathan woke the next morning to find Elizabeth watching him with a little smile. He smiled back at her sleepily, pulling her close for a good morning kiss. "Happy anniversary, love," he said as she settled against his chest.

"Happy anniversary," she replied, pressing a kiss to his jaw. "It's been a whole year." She chuckled lightly. "It's gone by so fast."

"I agree," Nathan said. "Despite everything that has happened, this has been the best year of my life because it was spent with you." He tightened his arms around her. "I love you, Elizabeth."

"I love you too," she said softly. "For the rest of my life."

He smiled, his mind jumping to all the years they would spend together. He chuckled as he imagined them sitting on the front porch swing at eighty, rocking back and forth and more in love than ever. It was a beautiful picture.

Feeling a little more awake, he rolled her gently to her back and leaned down, kissing her softly and tenderly. Elizabeth's arms wrapped around him, pulling him down to her. For several minutes they were focused completely on each other, sharing kisses that spoke of their love. Finally, Nathan pulled back, catching his breath. "I suppose I should be getting ready for work," he said ruefully.

Elizabeth laughed, swinging her feet over the side of the bed. "I suppose so." She eyed him. "So you're still not going to tell me what you have planned for tonight?"

He grinned. "Nope. It's a surprise, sweetheart."

She pouted at him playfully. "You know how I feel about surprises."

Nathan chuckled. "Yes, I do, but this one is staying a surprise. Just be ready to go by 4:00 this afternoon."

Elizabeth gave him a little salute. "Aye, aye, captain!" she said, standing at attention.

Nathan laughed, wrapping his arms around her and getting lost in another kiss. "I really need to be getting ready for work…" he mumbled against her lips.

"Do you?" Elizabeth asked, her voice teasing. "I think Bill would understand if you were a little late this morning."

"Ha! Bill?" Nathan shook his head. "That'll be the day!"

Elizabeth gave him a sassy smile, then chewed on her bottom lip as her expression changed. "Nathan, there's something we need to talk about."

He looked at her as he got dressed. "What's that?"

She shook her head. "Not now. After our anniversary celebration."

Nathan paused, studying his wife. "Is everything alright?"

She nodded. "Everything's fine. We just need to talk."

Her eyes were wide and guileless, and Nathan knew she was telling the truth. He relaxed slightly, not realizing he'd become tense with worry. "Okay, sweetheart. Then we'll talk when we get back home tonight."

She smiled, reaching up on tiptoe to give him another kiss. "Good." She tied her robe over her pajamas. "Now let me make you breakfast."

The day passed slowly for Nathan. He kept looking at the clock, longing to be home with his wife. He had thought about taking the day off, but since they were going to be on vacation for over a week, Elizabeth had insisted that he go to work as usual and then they could celebrate in the evening. By the time 3:50 rolled around, Nathan packed his things and hurried home. Elizabeth was waiting for him, wearing a beautiful new dress. Nathan stopped in his tracks when he saw her on the porch swing, the skirt of her dress blowing in the breeze. The outfit was the exact color of her eyes, and she had braided her hair into a crown around her head. Diamonds adorned her earlobes, and she was wearing light makeup that enhanced her beauty.

Nathan fumbled for words, amazed that she could still render him speechless. "You look...incredible," he said, awed.

She smiled sweetly as he sat next to her. "Thank you." She met him with a kiss, then tilted her head. "So...about what we're doing this evening…"

Nathan laughed, putting an arm around her. "You don't want to just sit here and swing for a bit?"

She pursed her lips, looking at him with a raised brow. He laughed again and held up his hands. "Okay, okay. We'll get to the surprise." He placed his things inside, then offered her his arm. "Your chariot awaits, m'lady," he said with a gallant bow as they reached the car. He held the door for her, and then they drove the short distance to Bella Vida.

Elizabeth placed a hand over her heart with a little gasp. "The place we had our first date!"

Nathan smiled as they walked to the doors. "I thought it would be appropriate to go back to the place it all started."

Elizabeth leaned her head on his shoulder briefly. "This is perfect. And we haven't been here nearly enough!"

They were seated in the same booth they'd been in on their first date, with the incredible view of the ocean meeting them. Elizabeth sighed happily. "This is so thoughtful, sweetheart. Thank you."

Nathan reached across the table, taking her hand in his. "My pleasure."

The waiter brought their drinks, and Elizabeth laughed. "Henry! Good to see you again."

Henry smiled at them. "Always a pleasure to welcome you two," he said warmly "I understand it's your anniversary."

Nathan nodded. "One year."

"Congratulations!" Henry said. "It's wonderful watching a married couple celebrate their love." He winked. "Enjoy the food."

Elizabeth looked at the drink in the champagne glass in front of her and laughed. "Sparkling grape juice?" she asked, her eyes twinkling.

Nathan smiled. "Well, you said a while back you weren't drinking alcohol just in case you got pregnant, so I figured grape juice was a good choice."

Elizabeth held up her glass, and he clinked his against hers. "Good choice," she said warmly, taking a sip. "I've always loved sparkling grape juice."

Henry reappeared with bruschetta as an appetizer, and Elizabeth's mouth dropped as she looked at Nathan. "You're recreating our first date, aren't you?" she asked, her eyes sparkling.

Shrugging, Nathan grinned. "Guilty as charged," he admitted. "I thought it would be fun."

Elizabeth giggled like a schoolgirl. "This is absolutely perfect! Does that mean I'm getting the tortellini and you're getting the lasagna?"

Nathan nodded. "I ordered ahead."

Elizabeth's eyes turned soft. "You have no idea how much it means to me that you remember all that," she said. "All these little details, when added up, are big."

"It's because I love you," Nathan said simply. The look in Elizabeth's eyes made his heart pump double time. He wanted nothing more than to hold her in his arms, but their food arrived, turning their attention to eating. Their conversation was both stimulating and light hearted, and by the time they were finished, a couple of hours had passed.

Henry came up with a smile to clear their plates. "Was everything to your liking?" he asked.

"Yes, indeed," Nathan said. "Delicious." He glanced at Henry's pocket, which didn't contain the check. "Do we pay at the counter now?" he asked.

Henry shook his head, a little smile playing on his lips. "We don't advertise this fact, but couples who eat here on their anniversary eat for free," he said. "Your dinner is on the house."

Nathan and Elizabeth's mouths dropped in unison. "Are you serious?" Nathan asked incredulously.

Henry nodded. "Most certainly." He grinned. "Enjoy your anniversary!"

"Wow," Elizabeth said as they walked out of the restaurant. "That was an unexpected surprise."

"It sure was," Nathan agreed. He tucked her arm in his, motioning to the beach. "Shall we walk?"

She smiled. "Like the first time we came here? Absolutely."

They made their way to the firm sand near the water, walking down the uncrowded beach. Elizabeth looked up at Nathan. "This was where you told me you had never been in love," she said softly, looking lost in the memory. "Where you said there was only one woman you could ever see yourself pursuing a relationship with."

Nathan stopped, pulling her into his arms. "And you told me about Jack, about what had happened and how you hadn't been open to dating for a long time. Until we met." He pressed a kiss to her forehead.

She smiled sheepishly. "And then I cried all over you."

He chuckled. "The way I see it, I got to hold you for the very first time. It was a bittersweet moment, but I knew even then that I wanted you in my life forever."

He could feel Elizabeth smiling against his chest as the waves danced against their feet. "I'm so glad we're together," she whispered. "You are my life, Nathan. I didn't think I could love someone this much, but you have proven just how deep love can be."

Nathan held her close, love for her filling his heart to overflowing. They stood for several long moments just holding each other, and finally Nathan pulled away reluctantly. "Should we head back?" he asked. "I have a few more surprises for you at home."

She chuckled. "I have one for you too."

His brows rose. "Really? You...the one who hates surprises?"

She laughed. "I like being the one doing the surprising."

Nathan grinned. "I can't wait to see what it is."

They got back to the house, and Nathan pushed open the door. Elizabeth gasped as she took in the bouquets of carnations sitting in pretty vases all over the living room. She looked at Nathan, eyes wide. He smiled. "Rosemary helped me while we were at Bella Vida."

"Oh, Nathan," she said, eyes welling with tears. "These are beautiful."

He led her to the couch, seating her on it. "I'll be right back," he said. "Let me get your gift."

By the time he returned, Elizabeth was holding a wrapped package on her lap too. Nathan cocked an eyebrow at her. "I thought I said you didn't have to get me anything."

Elizabeth rolled her eyes and gave him a teasing look. "What, and let you be the only one giving a gift? I don't think so." She held it out to him, and Nathan took it with a tender smile. "Thank you, sweetheart," he said.

She laughed. "Open it first, silly."

Nathan did, and his mouth dropped as he took in the gift Elizabeth had found. "Tickets to a football game?" he asked, completely surprised.

Elizabeth nodded, her grin widening. "I know you're a Tigers fan when it comes to baseball, but Colleen informed me of just how into sports you were as a child. Apparently you were a huge Broncos fan?"

Nathan nodded, still speechless. Elizabeth laughed and continued. "I just knew I had to see if the Broncos had a home game while we were in Colorado, and it turns out they do! We're going to it."

Wordlessly, Nathan wrapped his arms around his wife. "Thank you!" he said, unable to find anything else to say. "This means so much to me."

She smiled, patting his cheek gently. "You're welcome."

Nathan recovered his composure and smiled, handing her his gift. "For you."

Elizabeth tore open the paper to reveal a photo board. Nathan had spent hours creating the wooden picture holder, and he'd carved different flowers into the wood. Elizabeth gasped and ran her hands over the gift, looking awed. "You made this, didn't you?" she said, looking at him. He nodded. Elizabeth looked back at the board, taking in the craftsmanship and the pictures he had chosen to place inside. It was a large board and held ten pictures. Nathan had put in pictures of the two of them, but he had also added pictures of their family and friends. A large photo of the two of them was in the middle, and next to it was a smaller picture that Carson had taken on Thanksgiving Day. "This is perfect," Elizabeth said, leaning over to give Nathan a kiss. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," he said. Leaning back, he studied his wife. "You said earlier you had something you wanted to talk to me about."

Elizabeth nodded. "I do." She picked up another wrapped box off the floor and handed it to him.

Nathan's brow furrowed. "Another gift? This is what you wanted to talk to me about?"

She smiled lightly. "It'll make more sense when you open it. But yes, that is what I want to talk to you about."

Nathan opened the small package. He pulled out the white cloth laying inside and held it up. It was a tiny onesie with the words "I LOVE MY DADDY" written in green. Nathan stared for a moment, slow comprehension spreading over him. "Elizabeth…" he whispered, his gaze going from her to the onesie and back again. "Are we…?"

She nodded, tears in her eyes. "We are," she said, joy shining through her tears.

Nathan felt waves of emotion roll over him. After a year of marriage, after months of trying and the heartache of possible infertility, they were going to be parents. He laughed suddenly, total happiness sweeping over him. He pulled Elizabeth into his arms, holding her tightly. "We're having a baby!"

Elizabeth laughed, sharing in his joy. "There's more," she said, her eyes twinkling brightly. "In the box."

Nathan reached in and pulled out another onesie. This one felt thicker, and on closer inspection he realized he was holding two of them. He looked at the wording on the first. PRAYED FOR ONE. He smiled, knowing truer words couldn't have been found. Looking at the second onesie, he read BLESSED WITH TWO. It took a minute for the significance to sink in, and he gasped out loud. "Two? Two?!" His mouth dropped as he stared at Elizabeth. "You're pregnant with twins?"

She was laughing so hard, tears were streaming from her eyes. "Yes! We're having twins! Can you believe it?" She threw her arms around his neck. "All this time we've been hoping and praying for a baby, and now we're getting two at once!" She pulled back, drying her eyes and still chuckling. "I still can't quite believe it myself."

Wonder swept over Nathan. "It's a total miracle," he whispered. "Our babies...plural."

Elizabeth nodded. "Isn't it something?"

"It is," Nathan said, pulling her close once more. "This is the best anniversary gift ever." He looked into her eyes. "So how did you realize you were pregnant?"

She beamed. "Carson called yesterday, saying there was something in my blood work he wanted to check on. Turns out, he wanted to check by doing an ultrasound, but he was so worried about getting my hopes up for nothing that he was hesitant to tell me. I was worried something bad was going on, but it turned out to be the best news ever." She chuckled. "Though I will admit I was shocked speechless when he said there were two heartbeats. It took me awhile to process the fact that not only are we having a baby, we're having two babies."

Nathan's hand went to her stomach, resting gently over the spot their unborn children were growing. "When are you due?" he asked.

"Sometime in the beginning of August," Elizabeth said. "Right now I'm about seven weeks along." She grinned. "Which means we created these babies right around Halloween."

Nathan chuckled, remembering full well their time together that day. "Finally," he said, rubbing his hand back and forth across her belly. "We're going to be parents."

Elizabeth smiled, leaning back as his hand continued moving over their children. "Finally," she echoed softly, placing her hand over his as pure happiness lit her eyes. In that moment, Nathan didn't think she had ever looked more beautiful. They were celebrating a year of marriage, and now they were celebrating the fact that their little family would be expanding.

Their first year of marriage had been full of trials and unexpected turns, but it had been good. Nathan couldn't wait to see what their second year together would be like.

He had a feeling it was going to be better than either of them expected.