A/N: Sorry it took me so long to get this chapter out again. Unfortunately, I had to go out of state for an emergency work trip. And hopefully, with that, work will calm down for at least a little while.
Chapter 50 – Is it Time?
Rosemary hugs her mother once more and then hugs her tall, thin, athletic father with salt and pepper hair. It had been eight years since she hugged him, and she didn't want to let go. He whispers in her ear, "You look beautiful, ma petite étoile."
Rosemary responds, "Thank you, Father," as she hugs him tighter. She finally lets him go and walks over to Lee and Patrick, looping her arms around her two boys, introducing them, "Father, Mother, this is my husband, Lee, and our son, Patrick. Lee, Patrick, my parents, Isaac and Rosalind LeVeaux." Lee shakes his father-in-law's hand, and Isaac brings him in for a hug, patting his back while Patrick holds his sticky hand out to his grandmother.
Rosalind reluctantly shakes his hand and theatrically speaks, "Hello, there, young man. I heard you are quite the performer." Patrick giggles and hugs her waist.
Isaac remarks, "Come here and give Pépé a hug." Patrick happily hugs him, and then Isaac picks him up and spins him around.
Lee politely says, "It is nice to meet you in person, Missus LeVeaux. You raised a beautiful inside and out, smart, passionate, funny, independent, and loving daughter."
Rosalind, who looks much like her daughter, with blonde hair, blue eyes, and a perfect smile, hugs Lee and offers, "You may call me Rosalind, dear," as she regards her son-in-law. "She has written about you and told us what an amazing husband and father you are. And meeting you right now, I can tell you make her very happy."
Lee wraps his arm around her, revealing, "She and Patrick mean everything to me." Rosemary rubs his chest, and he kisses her cheek. "Please have a seat. You must be exhausted from your trip. Is your luggage outside?"
Isaac replies, "Since we sprung this visit on you, we thought we should reserve a room at the Queen of Hearts."
"Nonsense," remarks Rosemary. "Lee can bring you back to the hotel and get your things, Father. You can stay in Patrick's room."
"Are you sure, honey?" inquires Isaac as he wraps his arm around his daughter, and they walk to the settee and sit down. "You want us around when it appears like you are ready to deliver our grandchild any minute." Rosalind sits beside her husband as Laika runs down the stairs and jumps on her lap. She screams, and Laika does her I-don't-like sound and leaps onto Rosemary's lap.
Rosemary pets Laika and answers, "Yes, sir. It will be good to have you here. Besides, I still have a couple of weeks left."
Isaac questions, "Who is the adorable puppy?"
"Oh, this is Laika. And we also have a cat named Nanny. She is upstairs right now."
"A baby, puppy, and a cat? Do you have anything else you need to tell us?" quizzes Rosalind.
Rosemary giggles, "No, ma'am."
Isaac reaches for his daughter's hand, asking, "Why didn't you let us know about the baby?"
"I did. You didn't get my letter?"
Rosalind and Isaac both adamantly reply, "No."
"I'm sorry. I was hesitant to mention our big news at first. I didn't know how you would react since I hadn't seen you in so long. Then it got harder to bring up as the months passed. Lee finally convinced me to write about our wonderful news in a letter after our phone conversation." Rosemary pauses for a moment, thinking. "Wait. If you didn't get my letter, why did you come for a visit?"
"Your mother and I have been wanting to see you. It had been way too long, and your husband had reminded us how precious life was, and we should make it a point to have a better relationship with our only daughter. And since we didn't get to see your play, we thought we would surprise the three of you when we had some free time." Isaac chuckles. "If we only knew, we would be the ones getting the surprise of a lifetime."
Rosemary glances at Lee and then her father, inquiring, "He did? When was this?"
"Yes, he wrote us when you were on the cruise and let us know about your play."
Rosemary reveals, "I had no idea."
"I wrote your parents after you told me about them on the ship, and I thought you deserved to have a better relationship with them. Especially since I couldn't have one with mine."
Rosemary says to Lee, "Thank you, sweetheart," and then turns to her father, squeezing his hand. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you, Mother, Father. I should have when we found out over Christmas." Rosemary grins, taking both of her parent's hands. "In any case, I am delighted you two are here now. I finally have my entire family with me." She takes a moment, inquiring, "So, how long do you think you'll be staying with us?"
"Well, it depends on you, ma chérie. We were planning on staying a week, but if you want us to stay longer, we can," offers Rosalind, with a hint of hesitancy in her voice.
Rosemary smiles and thinks about it, suggesting, "Let's play it by ear. We will see how I am feeling in another week."
Patrick grabs Mémé's hands and drags her to the puppet stage. When he lets go, Rosemary watches as her mother frowns and wipes her hand on her skirt. At that moment, Rosemary realizes where she got the idea all kids were sticky. "Mémé, can you and I do a puppet show for Mama, Papa, and Pépé?" questions Patrick.
"Of course, it will be the best show Hope Valley has ever seen. People will come to see it for miles and miles."
Rosemary explains, "Mother, I think he means here in our living room."
Rosalind thinks a moment and responds, "Ooh. That's fine. We can adjust."
Patrick hugs his grandmother, exclaiming, "Thanks, Mémé!" Rosalind doesn't know what to think about her hugging grandson, but she wraps her arms around him, fully embracing his affection after only a few seconds. When she lets him go, Patrick skips to Rosemary, sitting between her and his grandfather.
"Did we interrupt anything," questions Isaac.
Rosemary replies, "Oh, we were upstairs. Lee is finishing up the crib. I was working on some baby clothes, and Patrick was playing in his room."
Isaac inquires, "Would you like some help with the crib?"
"I would. With your help, it won't be much longer," answers Lee.
The following night, the Grant's come over to Lee and Rosemary's for dinner and an evening of fun. They all gather in the sitting room after eating and cleaning up the delicious meal Rosemary prepared. An exhausted Rosemary is the first to find a seat on the settee, getting as comfortable as Squishy Pumpkin will allow. Elizabeth, Nathan, and the kids are next. They sit on the chairs, and the kids play on the floor with Laika and Nanny. Lastly, Lee and Isaac join Rosemary on the settee, and Rosalind sits at the piano, offering to sing and play for everyone.
After a few songs, Lee can feel Rosemary wince. He doesn't speak up because he is unsure if she is feeling kicks or more practice contractions, so he watches as she continues to fidget and wince every so often. Lee finally says something when Rosemary draws in a sharp breath, asking, "Is it happening again?" Rosemary nods her head. "Do you want to get up and walk? It always seems to help," mentions Lee.
Rosemary reaches for his hand, smiling, "Yes, will you please go with me?"
Lee and Rosemary get up, and Lee announces, "Rosemary needs to go out and walk for a little bit. So please continue, and we will be back shortly."
Isaac inquires, "Are you okay, Rosie?"
"I'm fine, Father. I've been getting these practice contractions, which usually go away when I walk. So, you don't need to worry about anything." Isaac nods, and Lee and Rosemary step outside, and he helps her walk down the street, trying to support her and take the weight off her aching feet and back.
"Thanks, honey. Everything I do hurts, and you know how stubborn I am to ask for help."
"Mmmhmm," remarks Lee.
Rosemary rolls her eyes, revealing, "I don't know how much longer I can do this, Lee. I can only eat so much in one sitting, I can't get comfortable enough to sleep, and I am always running to the outhouse. I don't know how women do this more than once."
"I'm sorry, sweetheart. I cannot imagine what you are going through, but when we hold Isabella in our arms, all of this will be worth it, right?"
Rosemary grins, "I completely agree, but you mean Matthew, right?" They both stop, and Lee wraps his arms around her in an embrace, and they hold each other with Rosemary resting her head on his chest. Eventually, she glances up at her husband, rubbing his chin with her thumb and kissing him on both cheeks and his lips, quietly inquiring, "Shall we go back?"
"I'm not ready to let you go yet," responds Lee.
Rosemary giggles and lightly pats his chest, mentioning, "They will start to worry if we don't get back soon."
"I know, but I love having you in my arms, especially with a rather large Squishy Pumpkin sandwiched between us. Unfortunately, we won't get to experience this for much longer." Lee kisses her, finally letting her go with a grunt and escorting her back to their house. They go inside and see Elizabeth and Jack dancing with Isaac, Nathan with Allie, and Patrick is sitting on the piano bench with his grandmother. Lee whispers, "Are you up to dancing with your handsome husband?"
Rosemary massages her bump, replying, "I think it's over, for now, so yes, I would love to dance with my better half." But before they come together, the song changes to Let Me Call You Sweetheart, and the couples swap partners. Elizabeth dances with Nathan, Isaac is with Allie, and Jack plays with Laika on the floor. Lee smiles at his wife, offers his hand, and Rosemary walks straight into his open arms. They intertwine hands, and Lee places his other arm around her waist. "You have great timing, Mister Coulter."
"I would love to take credit for the timing, Missus Coulter, but I did not plan this out," mentions Lee as he brings her in closer. Their lips meet, and Lee twirls her around, bringing her back close to him. She giggles at the spontaneity of her husband.
When Patrick hears his mother, he hops off the bench, runs over, and questions, "Can I dance with Mama, Papa?"
"Sure, buddy," answers Lee.
Patrick grabs her left hand and tries to get his other arm around Rosemary's tummy, but he can't reach her waist. So, Rosemary suggests, "Here, take my other hand." Patrick does what she tells him, and they dance the rest of the song together. Rosalind finishes the last note, turns, and sees her daughter dancing with her grandson, the happiest she has seen her in a long time. Rosemary inquires, "Mother, Father, would you like me to play some, and you can dance?"
"Can you still play in your condition, dear?" asks Rosalind.
Rosemary laughs, responding, "Of course I can, Mother. I may be huge, but I still know my way around a piano." She goes over to the piano bench and moves it back a few inches. Rosemary sits down and places her fingers on the keys. "Now, do you want to dance or not?" Isaac pulls his wife away from the piano as Rosemary plays Beautiful Dreamer, one of her parent's favorite songs.
On Monday morning, Isaac and Rosalind offer to watch Patrick for the day while Rosemary and Lee work. He wants to spend some one-on-one time with his grandson, and Lee and Rosemary agree it is a great idea. So, after they leave for town, Rosalind heads upstairs to work on a surprise for Rosemary and the baby, and Isaac and Patrick stay downstairs. "What do you want to do today, Patrick?"
"Can you show me what you did as a Mountie?"
"Do you want to be one someday?"
"No, sir. I thought it would be fun to learn from my grandfather, who was one. I don't remember my first grandparents. My brother said they passed away before I was born, and Papa's parents are gone too."
"Come here, Patrick," suggests Isaac as Patrick jumps into his arms. "I have an idea. Do you know how to ride a horse?"
"Papa and Mama, before the baby was in her tummy, used to take me out riding, but never by myself. I always rode with Papa."
"Well, what if I teach you to ride by yourself?"
"Would you? I would love to learn, Pépé."
"You got it! So, where do you ride horses around here?"
"We borrow Charlie from the Livery. Papa likes him the best, and Mama likes to ride Hermia."
"Your family doesn't have any horses?"
"Papa said maybe we can get one when I get older," reveals Patrick.
Patrick shows Isaac the way to the Livery and Charlie. "Do you know how to tack a horse?" questions Isaac.
"Papa or Mama usually brings me the horse ready to go, and I get on."
"I'll start from the beginning, then," offers Isaac as he talks through each step of the tacking process. Then they lead the horse out in the open, and Isaac holds out his two hands for Patrick to step on, lifting him enough to swing his leg over the horse.
Patrick grabs onto the horn, whining, "Pépé, I'm scared. I feel like I am going to fall off."
"Don't worry. I will be right here and won't let go of the reins." Isaac checks on Patrick's position and tells him, "Lean forward and hold on to the reins and horn tight. We will start with a few steps." Isaac has Charlie walk a few steps and stop, ensuring Patrick feels comfortable. When Patrick is, he has Charlie go a bit farther. They do this a couple more times, and Patrick isn't scared anymore.
"Can we go farther now, Pépé?"
Isaac laughs, asking, "Where do you want to go?" Patrick points to the road leading out of town. "You want to go there? I am not sure riding on a road is a good idea."
"I see people riding out there all the time, Pépé."
"If you're sure, let's give it a try," responds Isaac. So, they walk to the road, and everything seems to be going fine. However, Isaac is nervous about being on the road, so he suggests they follow the first path they see. "Do you know where this goes, Patrick?"
"No, sir."
"If you don't mind, I rather get off the road," mentions Isaac as he leads Patrick and Charlie onto the path. After a few minutes, they hear something rustling in the trees, and out pops a golden retriever barking out of playfulness, causing Charlie to bolt. Isaac loses hold of the reins, and Charlie gallops away with Patrick hanging on.
Isaac hears Patrick screaming, "Pépé, help! How do I stop?"
Isaac runs as fast as his old legs will take him, shouting back, "Hold on tight and pull back on the reins." He can hear Patrick screaming and getting further away from him. Patrick wants to look back for his grandfather, but he is too scared to move. He keeps his eyes forward and tries his best to hold on tight, panicking when he sees they are heading straight towards a large log. Suddenly, Patrick remembers something Lee told him. So, he instantly hollers, "Whoa," and pulls back on the reins. However, there is not enough time, and Charlie leaps over the log. Patrick cannot stay on top of the saddle when they land on the other side of the log. He falls to one side of the horse, holding on to whatever he can get his hands on. Luckily, Charlie stops, allowing Patrick to lower himself down since he doesn't have the strength to pull himself up. Unfortunately, his back belt loop gets stuck on a cinch strap, and Patrick has to work at getting it loose. After a minute of trying, his pants rip down the back middle, and he falls to the ground.
Isaac finally sees Patrick standing and wiping his hands on his pants. "Patrick, are you okay?" as he continues to run towards his grandson.
Patrick shouts back, "Pépé!"
When Isaac gets to him, he falls to his knees, panting, bringing a tearful Patrick in for a hug, questioning, "Are you hurt anywhere?"
"No, sir, but I was so scared," says a sniffling Patrick.
"How did you get Charlie to stop?"
"I remembered what Papa told me. To yell, whoa, and pull on the reins."
"Your Papa told you good advice. Here, let me get a good look at you." Patrick turns around, and Isaac laughs.
"What's funny, Pépé?"
"Your Mama is not going to be happy with me. You are filthy, and you have a rip in the back of your pants." Patrick puts his hand at his back and feels his underclothes through the large rip. "Why don't you untuck your shirt and let it hang over your pants? That way, no one will see the rip," suggests Isaac.
"Except Mama," adds Patrick as he wipes the last tear from his dirty face.
"Are you ready to go back? We can ride together this time."
Patrick whines, "Do I have to get back on him now?"
"Yes, you do. I want you always to remember to face your fears. You got it, little man?"
"Okay. Pépé. Are you going to tell Mama and Papa?"
"Now might not be the best time for them to know." Isaac and Patrick chuckle as he lifts Patrick onto the horse and gets right up behind him. Isaac gets Charlie trotting but can feel Patrick tense up and cling to the horn. "Patrick, you are fine. I won't let anything bad happen to you. Charlie got spooked by the barking dog, and I hadn't taught you how to handle a runaway horse. But you did well. I am so proud of you."
Patrick looks back at Isaac, inquiring, "I did? You are?"
"Of course. You got Charlie to stop. You remembered what your Papa taught you, and you did it even when you were scared. I can't say all grown-ups could do what you did."
"Really?"
"Really," responds Isaac as he feels Patrick relax.
After returning Charlie to the Livery, Patrick and Isaac go to Lee and Rosemary's office and open the door. Patrick sees his mother sitting at her desk and all the emotions he was feeling earlier come crashing down on him, and he runs to her, hugging her and not letting her go. Rosemary glances at her father in confusion and then Patrick, asking, "What is wrong, bud?"
"I was so scared, Mama."
"Scared of what?" screeches Rosemary as she watches her father, who appears guilty of something. She has him step back, and she sees his soiled clothes and ripped pants. Rosemary touches his dirty face, using the end of her sleeve to wipe the dirt off his cheek. "Are you okay?" Lee joins his wife and son, dragging his chair next to Rosemary and Patrick jumps in his lap. Finally, she demands, "Someone better tell me what happened to my little boy. NOW!"
"Pépé offered to teach me how to ride a horse by myself."
Lee interrupts, "Patrick, you know better than that. We told you we didn't want you riding by yourself until you were older."
"I know, Papa, but Pépé was standing right next to me, holding an extra pair of reins. And I was so excited to learn from my grandfather, the Mountie."
"We can talk about it some more later, Patrick. Please go on."
"Pépé and I were walking the horse over by the Livery, and we followed the road to Benson Hills but then took a path into the woods. Suddenly, Charlie got spooked by a dog and took off running. Pépé couldn't hold onto the reins, so I held on tight and tried to stay on the horse. I could hear Pépé shouting something, but I couldn't understand." Rosemary's eyes are as wide as can be. "I suddenly remembered what Papa told me when I saw a log in front of us. I yelled whoa and pulled as hard as I could on the reins, but Charlie still jumped the log. It felt like we were flying in the air." Rosemary gasps. "And when we landed, I fell to the side. I tried grabbing the saddle, but I couldn't grip on."
"Oh, no, Patrick," squeals Rosemary in a high-pitched voice.
"My pants got stuck on something and were the only thing keeping me from falling off the horse. Then Charlie finally slowed down and came to a complete stop. I held onto the reins until my pants ripped, and I fell the rest of the way to the ground. But I'm not hurt. Pépé said I was brave and did a good job."
"Did he now?" questioned Rosemary, giving her father her she's-not-happy expression.
"I'm sorry, Rosie, Lee. I had no idea I wasn't supposed to let him ride by himself. But he is fine, and he did handle himself very well. You should be proud of him."
Rosemary feels her stomach tighten again, but she doesn't want anyone to worry. She counts to thirty, and it goes away. "Father, it's alright. You didn't know." Rosemary signals to Patrick, saying, "Come here and sit with me."
Patrick sits down at the edge of Rosemary's chair because there is hardly any room on her lap anymore. "I'm sorry, Mama," offers Patrick.
"I understand you want to learn from Pépé, but there are reasons why we didn't want you to ride by yourself yet. Do you understand why now?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"We are proud of you, and we love you to the moon and back two times," remarks Rosemary as she taps him on the nose.
Lee adds, "I agree with Mama, but she forgot one thing."
"What, Papa?" questions Patrick.
"We are thrilled you are ours, forever and ever."
Rosemary nods and squeezes Patrick, causing him to giggle before she stands up and mentions, "It is time for me to head home." She pauses when the discomfort comes back and silently counts until the tightening goes away, thirty seconds later. "Care to join me, you two?"
"I'll go with you, Mama."
"If you don't mind, Lee. Could I stick around here, and you show me what you do?" inquires Isaac.
Lee replies, "I would be honored, sir."
Rosemary smiles at the thought of the two most important men in her life bonding. Something she has wanted to see since she married Lee. Rosemary taps Patrick on the shoulder, mentioning, "Let's go."
"Okay, Mama," answers Patrick as they leave the guys behind.
Rosalind is downstairs working on a christening gown for the baby and is startled when Rosemary and Patrick burst through the door. She hides the gown behind her as Rosemary waddles to the chair, slumps down, and puts her throbbing feet on the coffee table. Patrick hugs his grandmother and gets on the floor to play with Laika. Rosalind watches Patrick, asking, "Why are you so filthy?"
Rosemary finally looks up at her mother, speaking before Patrick can get a word out, "Father…decided to teach MY little boy to ride a horse…BY HIMSELF…and the horse got spooked and took off…WITH MY PRECIOUS BOY SCREAMING." Rosemary's higher-pitched voice continues, "Lee and I were right to think he is too young to ride by himself. WHAT WAS FATHER THINKING?"
Rosalind quietly remarks, "I happened to hear them talking after you left, and maybe, he wanted to spend time with his grandson. Perhaps, he wanted to share something he loves with your boy."
"Oh," responds Rosemary feeling guilty. "I'm sorry. I haven't been able to control my emotions in the last nine months." Rosalind nods in understanding and glances over at her daughter, who is happily watching her son, unconsciously rubbing circles around her belly.
Back at the office, Lee questions, "Mister LeVeaux, can I show you something I've been working on for Rosemary and the baby?"
"First off. It's Isaac, Dad, or Father. Secondly, of course. Anything for my Rosie."
"It is a surprise, so we'll need to go for a walk." Isaac nods, and they both head over to the church. Lee explains along the way, "Elizabeth and Joseph are letting me work on this in the church's front room. They both know how much Rosemary likes to snoop, so it was the only place we thought would be safe." Lee and Isaac go inside the church, where Lee opens the door to the front room for his father-in-law. Isaac and Lee step inside, and Lee removes a blanket covering a half-built cradle.
Isaac admires what his son-in-law built for his grandchild, smoothing his fingers over the raw oak, offering, "You've done a great job, son. She will adore this. I didn't know you were a woodworker."
"Thank you, sir. It is only something I recently rediscovered. I used to help my grandfather build things when I was a kid, and now that I have Patrick and a little one on the way, I feel the need to create again. Did you see The Valley Voice sign on our building? Well, with the help of Nathan, I built the sign for Rosemary, which I guess gave her the idea of giving me the woodworking tools and the beginnings of a backyard workshop for Father's Day."
"Ah, that explains the backyard." Isaac clears his throat and offers, "If you don't mind, I would be honored to help you finish the cradle."
"I would love your help."
"Where does it go? You already have a crib and bassinet at home."
"Oh, this will be for our office. I'm confident Rosemary will always want the baby by her side, so I thought I would have something for her here. And when Squishy Pumpkin outgrows the cradle, I can build a playpen. I just hope I can keep this a secret until I finish."
"I am glad you are thinking ahead. You and Rosie will be great parents to this baby and Patrick, from what I can see. I can tell he loves you both more than anything else in the world."
Lee chuckles, placing his hands in his pockets, revealing, "If I am being honest, sometimes I don't feel like a good father. Since Patrick came to live with us, I've tried to be more conscious of my work hours, and it has been working for the most part, but now that I am mayor, my workload has doubled. I feel like I never get to spend time with them anymore, even with them being in the office with me. I know I need to make some changes, and I have even discussed them with Rosie. The first being I need to take a smaller role with the sawmill. Jesse, my manager, is more than capable of running everything without me. I've been leery of letting go because I've worked in sawmills my whole career, and L. Coulter Enterprises has been my most treasured venture. It brought me to Hope Valley and your daughter." Lee clears his throat and checks his pocket watch. "Speaking of which, I told Jesse I wanted to talk to him when he got back from Mount Follet. I plan on letting him know the sawmill is his from now until the baby is at least one month old and possibly longer. I don't want to miss out on the first month or any firsts, for that matter."
"I've wanted to bring this up to you since we've been here. So here it goes. I know we didn't make an effort to get to know or support you since you and my daughter got married. I regret it very much, especially missing my only daughter's wedding. But from the few days we have been here, Lee, you are who I want to care for Rosie and my grandchildren. You are there for her, support her, put up with her larger-than-life personality, and love her fully despite it all. Those are all the things a father wants for their daughter in a marriage." Isaac clears his throat before continuing, "As I see it, you are a lot like me, but more honorable than I ever was. It takes a unique person to love someone like Rosemary or her mother."
"How am I more honorable than you, sir? I could never be a lawman or protector like yourself."
"You may not be on the line to serve and protect Canada, but you care for my daughter, my grandchildren, the sawmill, and now this town, as mayor. You are more honorable than any Mountie I have ever known because you are there for your family and always put them first." Isaac pats Lee on the back.
"Thank you, Isaac. That means more than you can possibly know."
Tuesday afternoon, Rosemary, Rosalind, Isaac, and Patrick are at home while Lee is at the office. Rosalind and Patrick are working on their puppet show in the sitting room. Isaac looks through Rosemary's pictures at the kitchen table, and Rosemary is busy nesting upstairs. She is cleaning her and Lee's room, organizing their closet, putting the linens on the crib and bassinet, including the quilt from Hazel's family and the blanket she made. Rosemary plops down on her bed when Patrick runs into the room and jumps next to her. He sobs, "Mama, Mama!" and wraps his arms around her bump as much as he can.
Rosemary rubs his back up and down, asking, "What is wrong, Patrick? Why are you crying?"
Between shuddering breaths, Patrick reveals, "Mémé keeps telling me I am saying a line wrong, or not doing the right expression or gesture. She's making it not fun, and I don't want to do the puppet show anymore."
Rosemary wipes the tears off her son's face, saying, "I know what you mean. She's done that my entire life. Did you try mentioning it's not fun anymore?"
"No, ma'am. I didn't want to hurt her feelings."
"Mémé doesn't always know she's not being nice unless someone tells her."
"Mama, I don't think she likes me very much."
"Why do you think she doesn't like you? Everybody loves you."
"Because she is so hard on me, and she doesn't like to hug or cuddle like you, Papa, or even Pépé. Is it because I am adopted?"
"Oh, Patrick. No. Please don't take it personally. She's always been that way, especially around little kids. She doesn't know how to act around children, but Mémé loves you." Patrick looks up at his mother. "Here, why don't you and Pépé go play catch in the backyard, and I will go talk to Mémé."
"Okay, Mama."
Rosemary forces herself up and waddles down the stairs with Patrick. Isaac immediately notices Patrick's puffy eyes and Rosemary's pained expression, suggesting, "Let's go play out back, Patrick."
"Okay, Pépé," responds Patrick as Rosemary mouths, "Thank you, Father."
After they leave, Rosemary's pent-up emotions bubble to the surface. She can't decide whether to scold her mother or nicely tell her Patrick doesn't think she likes him. Rosemary is about to open her mouth, but Rosalind speaks first, mentioning, "You need to work with Patrick more. He doesn't know what he is doing."
Rosemary is unsure what comes over her, but she shouts, "Do you realize you made your grandson cry over a puppet show? He usually loves acting, but now he is doubting himself and not having fun anymore. Why are you so critical towards him?" Rosemary sits down on the settee, massaging her tummy, which has come alive with movement. She whispers to her unborn child, "Everything is alright, Pumpkin. Mama is just defending your big brother."
Rosalind watches the emotions pass over her daughter's face, thinking it might be more than Patrick. "Is this about more than your son?" quietly inquires Rosalind.
"No, this is entirely about my son. You cannot treat him like that. He is a little boy with confidence issues who just wants to be loved by you. He told me he thinks you don't like him because he is adopted."
Rosalind walks over to the settee and sits next to her daughter. She folds Rosemary's hand into hers and starts talking, "I am sorry, ma chérie. I never meant to hurt his feelings or yours. I only wanted the best for you and the best for him. I honestly don't know how else to be, and I certainly don't have experience with children." Rosalind squeezes Rosemary's hand softly, asking, "He really thinks I don't like him?" Rosemary nods. "Because that is farther from the truth. He is an amazing kid, considering all he has been through," remarks Rosalind as she tucks a curl behind Rosemary's ear. "You are doing such a good job. How did you learn to be so compassionate with him? I know you used to be like me, so what changed in your heart, my darling?"
"It was God, coming here to Hope Valley and meeting and falling in love with the best man I have ever known. He made me realize what is important in life, and I found I wanted to have a family with him more than anything else I have ever wanted. Then Patrick came into our lives, and we both immediately knew he should be ours, and we would love him and raise him as our own. He brings us so much joy, and I love being his mother. And now, our surprise will be here soon. We couldn't be happier with what God has given us."
"Well, I, for one, am so proud of who you have become. I am truly sorry I made Patrick feel that way. I promise I will make it up to him."
"You can start by hugging him. In his mind, hugs go a long way in letting him know how you feel."
Rosalind smiles, stating, "A hug is something I can do. In fact, come here ma chérie." Rosalind embraces her daughter, revealing, "I know I don't say this much, but I love you and miss you every day. I am sorry I was ever hard on you. I'm sorry I didn't support you when you went to New York City. I'm sorry I missed your wedding and only now met your husband. I am sorry we missed out on so much mother-daughter time. I hope you can forgive me."
Rosemary squeezes her mother, responding, "I love you too, Mother. Don't worry. There is nothing to forgive. I could have made more of an effort to see you and Father. But I am so glad you are here now, especially when it is my time. I am so nervous, and it would mean a lot to me if you were here when it happens."
"I would be honored." Rosemary hugs her mother with tears streaming down her face.
"I'll go outside and apologize to Patrick, and he and I will make the show fun together.
Lee is the first to wake up the following morning. He chuckles when he sees Patrick asleep in between him and Rosemary again. He's been clingy and sleeping in their bed the last couple of nights. Lee tries to sneak out of bed, but Patrick wakes up, asking, "When are we leaving on our camping trip today? I am so excited."
Lee quietly replies, 'Ssshhh, Mama is still sleeping. We'll leave in a couple of hours."
Rosemary groans, saying, "I am not anymore." She slowly opens her eyes, inquiring, "Did you sleep with us again, bud?"
"Yes, ma'am," Patrick timidly answers.
"Do you want to tell us what is wrong?" questions Rosemary.
"I don't know, Mama. I guess I'm scared that everything will change when my little brother or sister gets here, and you won't have time for me anymore."
"If I am being completely honest, when the baby gets here, he or she will need a lot of our attention. But we will always make time for you. And if you think we aren't, please let us know right away."
"Yes, ma'am."
Lee adds, "Plus, there will be many things you and I or Mama and you can do without the baby. Like this camping trip with Pépé and me."
"You'll be able to go camping, Mama?"
Rosemary chuckles, "It will probably be a while before I want to go camping, but I'll go with you some time."
"Have you ever been camping, Mama?"
"I had a long time ago. I would go with Pépé when I was your age. And friends when I was older."
"Mama, can you make pancakes for breakfast?"
Rosemary groggily replies, "Sure if you let me sleep for ten more minutes."
Patrick yells, "Yeah," and jumps off the bed, getting dressed. "Should I go wake up Mémé and Pépé?"
Lee mentions, "Maybe you should let them sleep for now. It is early still." Patrick sadly sighs. "Why don't you feed and let out Laika and Nanny, and we should be down there soon."
"Okay, Papa," answers Patrick as he skips out of the room. Lee and Rosemary shut their eyes again, trying to fall back to sleep.
Unfortunately for Rosemary, the baby has better ideas. She tries to sit up, but she can't, no matter how hard she tries.
Lee glances over at his wife, asking, "Is something wrong, honey?"
Rosemary whines, "Yes…no," as she tries to get up again and falls back down. Finally, she rolls onto her other side, facing Lee, and tearfully reveals, "I'm too huge. I can't get up."
"You can't get up?"
Rosemary annoyingly answers, "No, Lee Coulter. Are you going to help me or not?" Lee gets out of bed, chuckling at Rosemary, who has her famous pout on full display. "It is not funny. This is your fault," exclaims Rosemary.
"My fault?" he inquires.
"Yeah, your fault."
"I seem to recall we both prayed for this miracle," mentions Lee with a mischievous grin.
"Can you just help me up, please?"
"Of course, my love." She rolls to her back, and he gently pulls her up. Then he moves her legs over the side of the bed. "Wait there. I'll get your robe and slippers." Rosemary smiles, and he sets her slippers down for her, and she slides them on her feet. He helps her stand up and wraps the robe around her.
"Thanks, sweetheart. But what will I do tomorrow morning when you are gone?"
"I'm sure you'll manage to get up, or maybe your mother can help? Are you sure you are good with me leaving for the night?"
Rosemary pats his cheek, responding, "Yes, you go have fun with my father and our son. You deserve a break for a night. You have been working so hard."
"I am going to miss you and Squishy so much." Lee kisses Rosemary's belly and talks to their unborn child, "Now don't get any ideas on coming until I get back. And be nice to Mama."
"Lee! It's still not my time yet," remarks Rosemary as she feels a couple of kicks. "He promises he won't." Lee and Rosemary laugh as he ties her robe and kisses her one more time, suggesting, "We better get downstairs. I have some pancakes to make!"
Thursday afternoon, Rosemary and her mother decide to fill some time by taking a shopping trip to Benson Hills instead of waiting for their boys to return from their overnight horseback riding camping trip. "Rosie, are you sure it's a good idea to go out of town, especially with Lee being gone?"
"I am feeling great. Faith said everything is fine, and Lee will be home when we get back."
"And you are sure you'll still fit behind the steering wheel?"
"Yes, Mother, I'll still fit. Are you ready to go, or do you have more questions for me?" Rosalind nods, and they go out to the car. "See, I still fit and have an inch to spare." They both laugh. Rosemary drives them to Benson Hills, and they walk up and down Main Street, visiting various shops. Rosemary finds a couple of cute outfits for both a girl and a boy, cloth diapers, and the most adorable little blonde doll. As they walk past the last shop, Rosemary catches some plaid pants in the Chalmer's Men's Clothing Store window. "Mother, can we stop in there? I want to get Lee some pants."
Rosalind replies, "Sure," as they step into the store. Rosemary searches through the racks and gasps when she sees Lee's favorite plaid pants. The exact pair Laika chewed up two months ago. She brings them to the register and buys them before her mother notices. Her mother is not a fan of the plaid pants.
"I am ready, Mother. Do you need to go anywhere else?"
"No, I think you bought out the whole town, dear."
Rosemary thinks about it and agrees, "You might be right. Thanks for coming with me. This has been fun."
"It is my pleasure, ma chérie."
When they get back to the car with all their purchases, Rosemary takes a minute to breathe while Rosalind cranks the engine and gets in the car. Then, Rosemary climbs into the driver's seat and suddenly feels fatigued but doesn't think anything of it because it is a regular occurrence these days. As Rosemary prepares to drive, she feels some movement throughout her belly. So, she takes a deep breath and tries to calm down Pumpkin, who seems to have gotten lower since that morning. "It's okay, sweetie. We are on our way home to rest," whispers Rosemary to her little one. Then Rosemary glances at her mother and puts the car in gear, driving in the direction of Hope Valley.
After a few minutes of companionable silence, Rosalind can't take it anymore and decides to regale her daughter with stories about her theater group to pass the time. When Rosemary doesn't appear to be listening, Rosalind questions, "Is something wrong, honey?"
"No, I am fine. I am ready to get home, though. The drive seems to be taking so much longer today." Then suddenly, Rosemary grimaces in pain, stops the car, and grips the steering wheel until the pain subsides.
"Are you having more of those contractions?"
"No, this felt a lot worse."
"You don't think you are in labor, do you?"
Rosemary nervously giggles, "Let's hope not." She puts the car back in gear and drives until the pain returns ten minutes later and is much stronger. Rosemary brakes and grips the steering wheel again. "Mother, if this keeps happening, I don't think it is safe for me to drive. Please tell me you know how."
Rosalind answers dramatically, "I never had a reason to drive. Your father only learned a few years ago himself."
"Well, you are going to learn now. Can you help me get out of the car?" Rosemary opens the door and waits for her mother. Rosalind nervously hops out of the car and comes to Rosemary's side. She helps her stand up, walk to the other side, and get into the passenger seat. Rosalind jogs back over to the driver's seat and sits down when the pain overtakes Rosemary. This time she grips the seat and balls up her skirt. When the pain stops a minute later, Rosemary points to the levers on the steering wheel. She breathlessly instructs, "The one on the right is the throttle. It is how you make the car accelerate and how you change speeds. The pedals on the floor are gear, reverse, and brake. And over there is the hand brake. Do you think you are ready to try?"
"I don't have a choice, do I?"
"I'm sorry, mother, but you need to get us home just in case this is labor." Rosalind quickly puts it in gear, increases the throttle, and the car goes forward. She has a hard time steering at the beginning but gets the hang of it quickly.
"How much farther?"
"I think we'll be home in another twenty to thirty minutes," remarks Rosemary as the pain radiates from her back to front this time. She remembers to breathe in and out this time, which helps control the pain. When the pain subsides, Rosemary says a prayer, "Please, Lord, let Squishy Pumpkin be fine. And if this is indeed labor, let us get home in time. Amen."
A/N: I apologize for leaving you hanging again. I promise Rosemary will have the baby in the next chapter. What do you think she is having? A boy or a girl? Please leave your guess in the reviews! I'll also post the question on my Instagram account: rosieleecoulterwcth. Thanks for reading!