Chapter 69 Overwhelming Exhaustion

It had been four days since then babies were born and both Lucas and Elizabeth thought maybe between the both of them they had gotten one hour of sleep. The babies were crying.

"Elizabeth, I don't have any energy to drag myself out of this bed. If I do not get a chance to sleep I am going to be of no use to anyone." Lucas said looking at his wife with pleading eyes.

"Darling, you rest. I will see if Gladys and Julie will help out today. Maybe I will call Laura and see if she can come and help as well. Your parents will be here tomorrow and mine next week. Hang in there love." Elizabeth assured him.

Elizabeth went to the nursery to tend to the babies. As soon as she had them all settled she went to ask Gladys and Julie if they could keep an eye on things for a few hours so they could rest. They were happy to oblige. Elizabeth was so grateful to have both of them around. Gladys had decided to stay in Hope Valley and was helping Faith part time in the infirmary. She was staying with the Bouchard's for the moment at their insistence. She had proven to be quite handy, especially since she could drive a car.

Elizabeth went back upstairs and crawled up next to her husband who didn't even stir and fell right asleep. Neither one of them had been out of the house since the babies arrived. It was clearly evident to them that they were going to have to hire a nanny. They could not keep going at this pace. Lucas had not even been into town to check on all his businesses. He had spent only a few minutes on the phone checking on things.

Several hours had gone by when Lucas finally woke up. He rolled over to study his beautiful wife. Draping his arm over her, he pulled her as close as he could. "I miss this." He whispered in her ear while placing sweet kisses on her neck.

"Me too." She replied with a smile as she was enjoying the feel of his lips caressing her neck. She finally turned to run her fingers through his gorgeous soft hair, brushing the locks from his face.

"I can't wait until you are healed. My desire for you is becoming overwhelmingly strong and if it weren't for the fact that we now have four children taking up so much of my time I don't know what I would do to get through it." He told her while kissing her passionately pulling back enough just to take a breath in between each kiss.

"Lucas are you going to have that vasectomy?" Elizabeth asked concerned.

"Darling, I just saw your struggle with this pregnancy and I was afraid for us. What if you get pregnant with triplets again?" He asked in return.

"Lucas do you know the odds of that happening?" She teased.

He had to chuckle at that. "Elizabeth I am a gambler if anyone knows about defying the odds it's me."

"I don't want you to have it done." She said firmly. "I love you and you told me we could have as many kids as I wished."

"Then I won't and I did say that. I must admit that was my complete inexperience and incompetence talking." He teased.

"We have a beautiful family Lucas and I love the fact that we can bring life into this world together." She said adoringly as she returned his passionate kisses.

"As you wish my love! We should probably go relieve Gladys and your sister." He told her helping her out of bed.

Lucas and Elizabeth went downstairs to find Julie, Gladys, and Jack sitting in the family room with the babies, cuddled up beside took Julie's place on the couch holding Amelia while Lucas took Adelaide from Gladys. Caleb was positioned on Jacks lap next to Lucas with a pillow propping him up and Jack was holding his little hands in his.

"This is truly a blessing." Elizabeth said while admiring her family.

"Yes it is." Lucas said.

"Momma, Daddy I like being a big brother. Caleb is so cute."

"You know Sweet boy, your sisters are cute too." Elizabeth said adoringly.

"I know but I like holding Caleb."

"Lucas, darling is the room already for your parents arrival tomorrow?"

"Almost I have to go dust and it should be ready." He replied while shifting Adelaide to the other arm.

"How is the diaper factory coming along Mr. Bouchard?" She winked.

"Always the tease! You knew it would be like this didn't you. It took me one hour to sew one diaper. I haven't had time to breathe more or less sew diapers. Cleaning them isn't much better. "He laughed while placing Adelaide in Elizabeth's other arm, so he could start the wash. "Let's hire a nanny."

"Lucas you don't think we will manage on our own!"

"Elizabeth we have barely slept and between diapers, feedings, and baths we are not going to be able to get things done around here." He explained.

"Okay!" She said hesitantly.

Elizabeth took Caleb upstairs to feed him and get him cleaned up while Lucas and Jack watched the girls. Lucas warmed a bottle for Adelaide who was getting quite fussy and then sat back down and let Jack feed her the bottle.

"Look Daddy I'm doing it. She likes me." Jack said excitedly.

"Yes you are doing wonderful son." Lucas reassured him.

Elizabeth has finished with Caleb and put him in his bassinet and then came to get Adelaide. She took her upstairs and fed her just a bit. She did not eat much since Lucas and Jack gave her a bottle and then proceeded with the same routine for Amelia. After all of them were resting comfortably in their beds, Lucas switched the laundry and took Jack outside to play on the swing set for an hour.

Gladys and Julie had taken the car into town to pickup dinner from Gustave. Gladys checked in with Faith to see if she needed her to make any house calls. Julie and Gladys stopped two times to do routine exams. Then they got dinner and headed back home.

They all sat down to have dinner and then Lucas and Elizabeth got Jack cleaned up and read him a bedtime story. Then they kissed him goodnight, shut out his light and shut the door.

"We love you son!" They said simultaneously always so in sync with each other.

Then making their way to their bedroom knowing all to well that it would be less than an hour before they would be up again, they lay down in each other's arms and just enjoyed the security and love they felt there.