Beth pushed the voicemail button on her phone and listened again. "Hey, sweetie. I got a phone call and I'm headed to Philly. I'll call you when I get to my gate."

Such a vague message and it was driving her crazy. Why on earth was he flying off to Philly thirteen days before their wedding, when he hadn't quite finished her remodel?

She heard a knock on the door so she went to retrieve yet another package of supplies to put in her unfinished closet.

As she was stacking toiletries and supplies, her phone rang but it wasn't Jack.

"Aggie's House Bed and Breakfast. This is Beth, how may I help you?"

"Yes. My wife and I are wanting to make a reservation for August 20th."

"Great. Hold on one moment, please." Her first reservation! She was so excited. She headed to her laptop and opened her scheduling program. "Alright. August 20th. Just the one night, sir?"

"No, actually for that weekend. 20th and 21st."

"Great. Is it a special occasion?"

"Its our 40th wedding anniversary."

"Congratulations, sir! Now if I can get your name and a credit card to reserve the room."

After that was done, she asked if either of them had any preferences for breakfast or allergies and then they both hung up.

She filled in the notes about the reservation, stating 40th wedding anniversary and no allergies and prefers pancakes over waffles and wants fresh fruit.

The moment she saved and closed her laptop, her phone rang again.

"Jack?"

"Hi, sweetie."

"What's going on? Why are you leaving thirteen days before our wedding?"

"I will only be gone about a week, Beth."

"A week? Why?"

"Do you remember Gabe Montgomery?"

"Yeah. He used to hang out with you and Jesse, right?"

"Yeah. We went to the Academy together and he was my roommate."

"What does that have to do with Philly?"

"That's where he and his wife and son moved a couple years ago."

"You're going to visit him? Jack, why?"

"No, Beth. The phone call I got was to tell me that Gabe and his wife were killed in a car accident."

"Oh no!"

"Yeah. Back when Lincoln, their son, was born, they named me his guardian in case anything happened. Of course, I said yes but never thought it would actually happen."

"Oh wow. So you are going to Philly to see Lincoln?"

"They had no parents alive or siblings so I'm all Lincoln has left. He needs me, Beth."

"When does your plane leave?"

"About ninety minutes, why?"

"I love you, babe."

Beth hung up and quickly packed a suitcase and logged on to Burlington International Airport website, doing a search for flights to Philadelphia. She found the one that left at the correct time and there was one seat left.

After booking it, she called Bree and hopped in her car. "Hey, Beth."

"Hey. I'm heading to the airport. Can you please feed and water Bella and Ginger for me? I'll be gone about a week."

"Where are you going? Are you eloping?"

"Nope. I'll call you later with more details."

"Alright. I'll take care of the animals."

"Thanks, I owe you."

"No, you don't. Travel safe."

"I will."

She arrived and got through security, just as the plane was boarding. "Jack!" she yelled above the crowd of people lined up.

"Beth? What are you doing?" He got out of line and walked back to her.

"I'm going too."

"What? No, you don't need to do that. This isn't something you need to worry about."

She held up her left hand. "In case you forgot, Jack Thornton, this ring says that it is. We are in this life together, no matter what."

"Sir? Are you boarding?" the flight attendant asked from the doorway.

"Yes, we both are," Beth told her, taking Jack's hand and leading him to the door.

The woman checked their ID and tickets and told them to hurry.

Beth's seat was four rows behind Jack's on the opposite side so they didn't see each other until the flight landed two hours later.

As they got in their rental car an hour after that and put an address in their GPS, Jack was silent.

"Are you mad at me?" Beth asked quietly.

"No. I'm grateful you're here. I'm just nervous."

"Me too. But you are going to be a great dad to him, Jack. You are so patient and kind and the very fact that you are rushing to get him shows how responsible you are. I'm so proud of you."

"Thanks but are you sure this is what you want, Beth?"

She squeezed his hand and smiled. "I want you, Jack, and anything or anyone that comes with you. So yes, I'm sure. We are a team."

"Beth, this isn't how we planned to start our lives."

"I'm not giving up on us, Jack. I'm here with you because I want to be and I'm not running."

"Alright." He put the car in drive and sighed. "Let's go see Lincoln then."

Once they arrived, the words, "Your destination is on the left" from the GPS made Jack's stomach fall to his shoes.

Beth squeezed his hand again and as soon as he parked she prayed.

"Dear, God. Please give us strength and wisdom when starting this new season in our lives. Help us to remember to rely on you and each other and to help little Lincoln make it through this tragedy, knowing he is not alone. Through Jesus name we pray, Amen."

"Amen," Jack whispered. He pulled her into a hug and held on for a long moment. "Thank you, Beth. I love you."

"I love you too."

They walked up the brick paved walk to the front door and they could hear a child crying on the inside.

After knocking and ringing the bell, a small gray haired woman came to the door, obviously overwhelmed and distraught.

"What can I do for you?" she asked.

"I'm Jack Thornton. I'm Lincoln's guardian."

"Oh, thank goodness! The poor child is inconsolable and has been since the accident and I'm not doing much better. Please come in."

Jack and Elizabeth walked inside and saw the wailing child in his playpen in the living room. He had blonde, almost white, hair and his cheeks and eyes were red as he continued his crying.

Jack walked over to him slowly, not wanting to bring more distress to him. "Hey, buddy," he said, kneeling down, evening though the child couldn't hear him over his own distress. "Remember me? I'm Jack." Jack smelled a reason why he might be unhappy. "He needs a diaper change."

"Good luck with that," the older woman said. "He won't cooperate with me today. He's needed a diaper change for a few hours."

"Do you have a sippy cup for him?" Beth asked.

"Of course. Right this way."

Beth followed the older woman into the kitchen. "I'm Beth, by the way. I'm Jack's fiancé."

"I'm Doris Rugby. I am a neighbor and friend of the Montgomery's. I was babysitting him when they went out on their date." Doris wiped her eyes with her apron. "Oh dear. I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry, Doris. Losing someone is never easy."

Doris reached into a cupboard and took out a red sippy with a cartoon train on it. She handed it to Beth who took it and went to the refrigerator. She took out some apple juice and poured it into the cup and secured the lid.

"He won't eat, Beth. He won't do anything but cry for his parents."

"I would too, I'd guess. Maybe we need to show him we understand what he's going through."

Doris followed Beth into the living room where Jack held the screaming boy. He rubbed his back and swayed but nothing was working.

Beth gently took Lincoln from Jack and carried him upstairs where she figured his nursery was. When they walked in, she turned the adjustable light on dim and sat down in the rocking chair.

As she moved slowly back and forth, she put the sippy in his mouth. He grabbed the cup with his hand and held it as he gulped.

"Go slow, sweetheart. I don't want you to choke."

Then she sang the first song that came to mind. John Legend's All of Me wasn't exactly a lullaby but it could work.

"What would I do without your smart mouth

Drawing me in, and you kicking me out

Got my head spinning, no kidding, I can't pin you down

What's going on in that beautiful mind

I'm on your magical mystery ride

And I'm so dizzy, don't know what hit me, but I'll be alright

My head's under water

But I'm breathing fine

You're crazy and I'm out of my mind

'Cause all of me

Loves all of you

Love your curves and all your edges

All your perfect imperfections

Give your all to me

I'll give my all to you

You're my end and my beginning

Even when I lose I'm winning

'Cause I give you all, all of me

And you give me all, all of you"

She sang the chorus a few more times and kept rocking him. He was drinking and watching her with his big blue eyes.

"Hi, sweetie. Can I change your diaper now?"

He nodded and touched his diaper. Then he took his cup out of his mouth. "Yucky," he said quietly.

"Yeah, I smell that." She stood and laid him down on the changing table. She ended up needing to change his clothes completely and then planned on a bath shortly.

After he was as clean as wipes would get him, she put him in clean clothes and sat back down, hoping his exhaustion would take over and he would fall asleep.

"Mama?" he asked with a whimper.

"Its okay. Its okay." She felt the tears fill her eyes at the thought he would never see her again.

He started crying again so she joined him, letting him see her tears fall. "Your Mama loved you so much, Lincoln. She couldn't wait to hold you again and give you kisses and rock you."

She moved him to her shoulder and rubbed his back as she told him all the wonderful things his Mama wanted to do with him.

She felt his little fingers grabbing on to her curls and wondered if he had done that with his Mama's hair.

Before long he was breathing evenly, softly snoring in her ear.

Jack appeared in the doorway and then sat down on the floor in front of her. "Hey," he whispered.

"Hi." Her tears continued. She couldn't help it.

"You okay?"

"No." She wiped her cheeks. "I just wish he wasn't alone."

"He's not anymore. He has us."

"He thinks he is. That's what I meant." Jack sat there and watched Beth rock for awhile. "Before bed tonight, we need to give him a bath."

"Okay."

She stood up and slowly laid him down in his crib and put his stuffed penguin next to him. Then she turned on the baby monitor and grabbed the handheld.

Jack grabbed the dirty clothes from his hamper and took them out of the room to wash. Beth waited to make sure he stayed asleep and then walked out of the room.

They met in the kitchen a few minutes later. Jack was checking out the food situation. "It looks like they had just gone shopping," he mentioned. "I don't know how we are going to get everything settled in a week."

"There are charities that will help. They will come in and clear out anything that can be donated. We really just need to pack his things. I absolutely want to take the family pictures. I want him to know who his family was."

"Okay."

Beth noticed a note on the counter from Doris. "She says their lawyer information is on the fridge along with some other important things like Lincoln's pediatrician. She says she remembers Payton saying they had a safe with important documents in it."

"Payton was Gabe's wife."

"I figured. I bet his birth certificate and social security card are in there."

There were so many things that Jack and Beth needed to think about and remember in order to take full control of the situation.

The good thing was, they had each other and that would turn out to be the best thing for all three of them.