Elizabeth Bourchard sat at her desk looking out the window at the fresh spring morning. Most of the snow had melted, making way for the flower buds to poke out of the squishy soil. Early spring, or mud season as most Vermonters called it, brought Elizabeth so much joy. It meant the long, dark, and cold winter was finally over.
Her office, which was located on the third floor of the new downtown Burlington Department of Children and Families office, gave her a fantastic view of Lake Champlain and the waterfront park and boardwalk. This view gave her a sense of calm in her otherwise crazy work days.
Elizabeth worked as a social worker and resource coordinator for the Burlington District DCF office. Lately her days were filled more with resource coordination responsibilities and less direct casework. When she had received the promotion back in the fall of the previous year, it was important to her to see her current cases through to the end.
Today, if all went well, she'd be closing out her last of those cases. An 8 year old boy and 5 year old girl were going home to live with their father!
Elizabeth loved cases like this. So many times the ending was sad or left her feeling uneasy. Not this one. The children had been taken out of their mother and step-father's custody and placed in DCF's care nearly two years ago. One year ago, they were able to get in touch with the children's biological father, and since then he had moved heaven and earth to get the children safely home. Today was their court date.
"Hey," Faith Carter, Elizabeth's co-worker and friend popped her head into the office. "We should leave in about 10 minutes if we're walking to the court house. It's beautiful out, so I assume we're walking."
"Oh, we're walking!" Elizabeth smiled. "Let me make a quick phone call and I'll meet you down in the lobby."
"Uh huh," Faith let out a slight giggle. "Say hi to Lucas for me."
Elizabeth blushed. "Will do."
She grabbed her cell and called her husband as she finished gathering her things.
"Why hello, Beautiful," Lucas answered. The couple had been married for two years, but still had that newlywed zing about them.
"Hey. I'm nervous. I want this hearing to go well."
"Which judge did you get?"
"Avery."
"Stern but fair, right? It will be okay."
"Wish me luck?"
"I gave you many good luck kisses this morning, did I not?"
"Yes, you did." She could feel her cheeks burning. "Still, you're my good luck charm."
"You don't need luck when you're good at what you do, and you're phenomenal, Elizabeth. Trust yourself."
She sighed, and he laughed.
"Fine. Good luck, my beautiful wife. You're amazing."
They said their I love you's and hung up just as Elizabeth was exiting the stairwell into the lobby. Faith waved.
"How's the handsome English Teacher this morning?"
"Great!" She smiled.
Lucas was an English teacher at a local high school and even taught English as a Second Language as part of the Refugee Resettlement Program. The only thing Lucas loved more than the written word was his wife. He'd known the moment he laid eyes on her that she was something special. Even so, it took him a year to officially ask her out. He was in awe of her, and couldn't imagine her feeling the same way about him, but she did.
It was a 12 minute walk, mostly uphill, to the white, brick courthouse. The two women walked up the stone steps and into the building. Before entering the courtroom, Elizabeth made her way to the coat room to switch off her walking shoes for the black dress heels. She smoothed out her navy blue skirt and cream blouse, making sure she appeared professional and then headed to the assigned court room.
The room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop as they awaited the judge. Elizabeth and Faith sat in the row behind the father. His right leg shook with nervous energy.
"It's almost over, Mr. Walker," Faith whispered.
"Let's hope so," he said, turning back slightly.
As the start time drew near, more people entered the room. Most sat on the side behind Mr. Walker.
"Do you know if their mother is coming?" Elizabeth whispered. Mr. Walker was busy talking to his lawyer but could hear her.
"Last I knew, no. She's pretty much walked out of the picture. Thinks we're all out to get her anyway."
Elizabeth sighed. "I guess it does seem like that, but when she wouldn't take the steps to get better…"
"I know. You did what you could. She just couldn't let herself see the hurt she was causing."
The bailiff moved to the front and called the room to rise as Judge Avery entered the room.
Elizabeth could feel her heart thundering in her chest. She's been with this case from the night she showed up with police at the mother's home to take the kids to a safe place. She took the scared children in her car and drove them to a gentle couple two towns over. She was there when the boy's aggressive behavior caused by his trauma became too much for the family and he needed a more suitable house. She found that home and took him there herself. Thankfully, that was the only time she had to move them. Not all kids in foster care are so lucky.
"Good morning, everyone," Avery began. "My name is Bill Avery and I'll be preceding today's hearing. If you've never been in my courtroom before, know this, I'm a straight shooter. You mess with the proceedings here and I will not hesitate to have my officer friends here escort you out. So let's get to it. From the looks of things, we may have something to celebrate at the end."
"Stern but fair," Elizabeth whispered to herself. Feeling calming again. When she'd first met Judge Bill Avery he unnerved her to her core, but having now done a few cases with the man, she could trust he'd make the best call for all involved.
An hour later, the gavel slammed and there were cheers in the courtroom. Mr. Walker was granted full custody of both children on a probationary basis for three months. After that, if all went well, they would be able to put it all behind them.
"Congratulations!" Elizabeth said to Mr. Walker.
"I don't know how to thank you guys."
"You did the hard work. Need me to arrange transportation for the kids to you?"
"No, I've been talking with their foster parents. We have it set for them to come home tomorrow."
"I'm glad you guys have a good relationship built."
"Yeah. They're good people."
Elizabeth spent the next hour at the office writing up reports. During the lunch hour, her cell rang with Lucas' ringtone. It was their wedding song.
"Hi, babe," she smiled brightly. "How are your classes?"
"It's hard to get a bunch of 15 year olds interested in Shakespeare, but I love a challenge. My AP English class is after lunch, and they're pretty excited about their current assignments. How did court go?"
"Great. They're going home. I pray for the foster parents though. They've been so good for these kids. Loved them completely."
"I'll join you in that. Hard stuff. What time will you be home tonight? I miss you."
Lately Elizabeth had been pulling long hours at the office. Sometimes not even making it home for dinner. Lucas had been understanding, knowing that the demands of her work came as the price for aiding children in need.
"I miss you too, babe. I don't know when I'll be home yet."
"Tell you what, I'd love to cook you dinner, maybe steak and veggies. Maybe Creme brulee for dessert..."
"Fancy," she giggled.
"So you do your superhero thing, and come home as soon as you can, okay? I love you."
"I love you too, Lucas."
There was a longing, and sadness to her husband's voice. He gave her one last upbeat encouraging pep talk before hanging up, making her feel a little better.
The next few hours were spent doing paperwork and meetings and then more paperwork. It was after three when Faith knocked on the open door to her office.
"Have you eaten?" She asked.
"No, and I don't think I will. I absolutely have to get my work done and go home at a reasonable hour today. I think the state of my marriage may depend on it."
"Uh oh, what's going on? You too are nauseatingly happy, right?"
"Mostly, yes. Lucas is a wonderful husband. He is romantic and thoughtful and present."
"All wonderful things."
"Problem is, I don't know the last time we ate dinner together. As in at the same table, at the same time."
"Ouch. I've been telling you, this job will eat you alive if you let it."
"Yeah, I'm starting to think you're right."
"Here, eat this bagel. I got it from the Bagel Market, it's Asiago, your favorite. While you do that, give me some of the paperwork that I can do."
"I can't do that to you. Carson wouldn't be happy if I kept you here late."
"He'll deal. Taste of his own medicine."
Faith avoided Elizabeth's questioning gaze. Carson was a doctor at the University of Vermont Medical Center. His hours were long and it seemed like he worked all the time. Lately things seemed to be less fairytale and more soapy.
"Do you want to talk about it?"
"Nope."
"Okay."
The two friends stared at each other before they both broke into a laugh.
"Oh Beth, remember when we would be whining about being single?"
"Yes," Elizabeth laughed. "Little did we know how complicated relationships really were."
"If you could go back would you change anything? Not say yes to that first date and everything after."
"Never. Lucas is who made my heart whole again."
"True. You were a mess before him."
"Hey now!"
"Joking! I swear." Faith laughed. "Come on now, tell me what work I help with so we get you home to the King of Hearts in time for dinner."
"Are you sure?" Faith nodded. "Thank you."
Even the traffic seemed to work in Elizabeth's favor as she drove out of the little city and out to her country home. Their house was a cozy cottage surrounded by trees up on a hill. No neighbors in sight.
It was a quarter after six when she put her little blue SUV up to their garage. The house was dimly lit but it was clear Lucas was home waiting as he'd promised.
She hung her bag on the banister in their entry way before heading to the dining room. The table was set with a tablecloth, napkins, and the wine glasses from their trip to Italy. It was a gift from their parents on their first anniversary. Everything looked perfect.
"Good evening," Lucas smiled brightly as he entered the room from the kitchen. He was still in his brown dress pants with his shirt tucked in, sleeves rolled up, but the tie had long since been discarded. His dark hair gave him that very handsome look.
"What? No candles?" she teased.
"No, not after the engagement fire of 2012."
"That was a doozy."
"Yeah, best not to repeat that." His eyes scanned her slowly from her long lashes to her bare toes. "You are breathtaking."
"You're joking. It's been a long tiring day."
"Well, you wear it well." He wrapped his arms around her finding her lips with his own. "Are you on call tonight?"
"Nope, Faith is taking it for me."
"Remind me to thank her."
"I will, but how about you kiss me some more now?"
"Genius idea."
Hours later with the empty crème brûlée dish off to the side, Elizabeth laid under the stars in her husband's arms on an old comforter blanket. They set up this romantic site up on a hill on their land. They were completely private, not another house for at least a mile, surrounded by tall pines and maples.
"I want us to always be just like this."
"Just like this?" She could feel him smirk as his face laid against hers. "Is there nothing you'd change?"
"I don't know. Seems perfect to me."
"Me too. Though I have been thinking. Remember that talk we had before we got married? The one about taking time to just be us for a while before…"
"Before having a baby."
"Yup, that's the one."
Elizabeth moved slightly out of his embrace to lay on her side, looking down at Lucas. "I know this is the time we said we'd start trying but…"
"Hey," he stopped her, capturing her lips in a passionate kiss. "I love you. You are my world. If you need more time, I'll give it to you."
"I don't need more time. I thought you might."
"Sweetheart," he chuckled. "I'm the one that brought the subject up, remember? I just don't want to rush you. I know you're just taking off with the new promotion and work has been crazy. I've got my classes. I don't want you to feel any pressure."
Elizabeth smiled. This man had been doing all he could to put her first since the night they first met.
He was a bartender at a fancy restaurant downtown off Church Street. She was there for a bachelorette party but after a few of the girls were well into their third drink, she excused herself to the bar. She could still hear his deep rich voice in her memory.
"Hello there," the bartender who'd been taking care of their party all night said with a smile. "Quite the party you're with."
"My friend, Rosie, it's her big night. She's a naturally over-the-top person but tonight she seems to be even more so."
"I get it. Love can make a person feel light and energetic. As though they could take on the world."
"Voice of experience?" A giggle escaped her lips as she spoke. It was then she noticed the sexy twinkle in the man's eyes.
"No, though I'm hopeful that one day I'll experience that rush." They held each other's gaze for longer than what would normally be considered polite, neither seemed able or willing to turn away. Finally Lucas did. "Would you like another drink?"
"No thanks. I want to keep my wits about me tonight. With this group, someone needs to be sober." She already felt as though she'd had enough. Why on earth was she talking so much to this man?
"Understood," he laughed.
Rosie called her back over and demanded she get a drink. Lucas gave Elizabeth a wink and handed her what appeared to a mixed drink.
"You're safe," he said. "The only thing with a kick in there is lemon juice. Sip it slowly and they'll never know any different."
So with a drink in hand, Elizabeth went back to their table. She could feel his eyes burn through her as she walked.
Every time someone at the table needed something, Elizabeth would jump to place the order with the bartender. In that time, they'd exchanged names, careers and even a few hobbies. When she was paying their tab at the end of the night, she knew it was now or never if she was going to give him her number. Her mother's voice was in her head telling her never to give her information to strangers. Technically Lucas wasn't a stranger, was he?
Nevertheless, she chickened out at the last second and simply said thank you and goodnight. As the group made their way to the car, Elizabeth felt a hole in her stomach grow deeper and deeper with each step.
"Please tell me you gave that hunky bartender your number?" Faith asked.
"No, I couldn't do that."
"You could have," Faith said. "He was hot."
"And not a stranger," Rosie said with a bit of a slur. "That was Lucas! Lucas Bouchard."
"Wait, you know him?" Elizabeth asked, nearly jumping out of her seat. "How?"
"He just started a teaching job, right? He's friends with Lee. They're in the same poker group or whatever. Lee thinks he's a great guy."
"If he's Lee's friend… will he be at the wedding?"
"Of course! Like I said, he's in his poker group!"
Sure enough, while Elizabeth stood next to Rosie as she said her "I do's", who was sitting near the back but the very handsome, Lucas Bouchard? The rest was history.
"Do remember the night we met?" she asked, curling back up in his arms.
"Of course. That was the best night of my life to that point. The next best was seeing you walk down the aisle at the wedding. I felt like I'd been given another chance. I wish I had asked for your number that night, but I was working. Didn't feel appropriate."
"And I almost gave you mine. Then there you were at the wedding."
"How serendipitous." He kissed her forehead. "Thank you for this, Elizabeth. Thank you for making time for us."
"I love you."
"I love you too, forever."
All the memories of their life together went through her mind as she laid there feeling his heartbeat against her chest.
"Let's have a baby?" she whispered, barely loud enough for Lucas to hear.
"What was that?"
"I want us to have a baby."
"You're sure?"
She nodded and before she could say another word Lucas stole her breath away with another kiss, and another and another. Elizabeth had never been more grateful for their secluded little cottage and vast private land.
The next few weeks flew by. Elizabeth set new boundaries at work so that it wasn't infringing on her and Lucas' time. She scheduled on-call hours and long night hours on nights Lucas was teaching extra classes. Things were going so well.
Friday mid-morning, Elizabeth sat in her office anxious for the weekend. She wanted nothing more than a weekend with her husband, and a good book. First, she had a million phone calls and meetings to do.
Faith knocked on her office door with two to-go cups of coffee.
"Hey! You read my mind."
"Sorry, it comes at a price."
"Uh oh, tell me?"
"Jess, one of our social workers just got out of court. She has two kids that she's on her way to pick-up from their home. The boy is four and the girl is thirteen months. I've been calling people all morning, we just knew it was going this way, you know?"
"Yeah," Elizabeth sighed. "Never gets easier."
"No, it doesn't. So far no one is able to take them both. Can you call around and see if you can come up with anything? Even for just the weekend? I really want to keep these two together."
"On it. Text or email any additional information."
"Thanks, Beth."
By 5 o'clock Elizabeth had all her responsibilities squared away for the weekend. Lucas' favorite meal was in the crock pot at home.
As she walked through the lobby to leave, her heart stopped.
Jess was kneeling in front of the two small children Faith had mentioned. The four year old held his little sister tightly.
Faith approached her. "Hey."
"Hey, Beth. I think we found a place for each of them, finally."
"Each? You have to separate them?"
"For now. You know me, I'll fight like heck to get them back together."
Elizabeth just stared at the two children. She knew how this worked. They'd be separated, but it wouldn't be temporary. Siblings were hard to place. Chances were they'd be separated until they could return home. If that couldn't happen, they risked being adopted by two different families. Her heart broke in a million pieces. There were days, like today, she wished her job didn't exist.
….
Lucas was sitting outside on the porch when Elizabeth pulled up to the house. He stood and made his way down the steps towards her.
"You're spoiling me coming home for dinner so much now."
"Yeah… remember that happy feeling once we've talked."
"Okay, why?"
"I know how you hated me bringing my work home with me, but I'm hoping you can forgive me this once."
"Huh?" She gestured to the backseat of her SUV. Looking through the window, Lucas' eyes grew wide, then quickly went back to normal.
"Are you mad?"
Lucas turned to face her. "You know, most people bring home files from the office. Not children."
"Yeah…"
There was a little tap-tap on the window. Lucas turned and opened the door. There looking at him with terrified eyes was a four year old boy, dressed in stained clothes with dark circles under his eyes.
"Hi, bud. My name is Lucas. What's yours?"
"Zander."
"Hi, Zander, is that short for Alexander?"
He nodded. "I don't like my long name."
"Zander it is then," he said with a smile. "And who's this?"
"My sister."
"What's her name?"
"Layna. She's a baby."
"I can see that," Lucas said with a smile. "Are you hungry?"
"Can I have Mac and cheese?"
"You bet you can! Let's get inside and show you around."
"Okay."
Zander hopped out and let Lucas pick him up and carry him inside. Elizabeth was right behind them with a still sleeping Layna.
"Lucas?" Elizabeth said timidly.
He looked back over his shoulder. "We're okay, Babe. I love you."
"I love you too."