"I can't believe its my first day of school!" Vivian exclaimed, bouncing up and down as Rosemary tried to do her hair. "I'm so excited!"

"I'm excited too, but you need to try and stay still or else this braid is going to be crooked." Rosemary said, even though she chuckled. Finally, she finished the braid and then stepped back to take a look at her not-so-little girl. Vivian was wearing a brand-new pink dress that Rosemary had made for her, and her hair was tied back in a little French braid. Rosemary's eyes teared up just looking at her.

"Why are you crying?" Vivian asked. "Are you sad?"

"No, honey, I'm really happy." Rosemary smiled as she wiped her eyes. "Why don't we go downstairs and get some breakfast?"

"Alright." Vivian nodded happily. She ran out of the room and down the stairs.

Rosemary walked over to the crib and picked up Aaron. "Hey little guy. Can you believe your sister is getting so big? One day it'll be you too," she said softly as she walked downstairs with him. Vivian and Lee were already eating at the table, so she sat down. She didn't really feel like eating since she was so concentrated on Vivian, but she picked at her food. When it was time for Vivian to go, Rosemary stuck Aaron in the carrier that Elizabeth had given her, and then they were ready. "Do you have everything you need?" She asked Vivian.

"Yes."

"You have your lunch? Your pencil? Your paper? And you know that you can ask Mrs. Thornton anything, right?"

"Yes." Vivian nodded.

"Alright. Let's go then."

The family of four walked along the path; Aaron sleeping, and Vivian excitedly talking to Lee and Rosemary. The walk to school was short, and before they knew it the schoolhouse was in view. "You have everything you need, right?" Rosemary asked again when they reached the school yard. At Vivian's nod, she continued. "And you know that we'll pick you up from school too, right?"

"She'll be fine." Lee interjected. He gave Vivian a big hug. "You'll be fine, sweetheart. I'm so proud of you."

Rosemary gave Vivian a hug too. "I love you. Pay attention and behave."

Allie walked up to them. "Hi, Mr. and Mrs. Coulter, hey Vivian. Do you want to come with me?"

Vivian looked back at Rosemary and Lee, silently asking for their permission.

"Go." Lee said.

"Yeah." Vivian nodded and put her hand in Allie's. The two of them walked up the steps of the school together.

"Come on, let's go," Lee said, putting his arm around Rosemary and leading her in the other direction.

"Lee, our little girl is growing up." Rosemary said sadly as she pushed Aaron towards the town.

"I know, Rosie, but that's a good thing. We wouldn't want her to stay little forever." Lee assured her.

"I guess not. I hope she'll be okay."

"I know she'll be just fine. You prepared her well."

"You're right I guess." Rosemary sighed, but then smiled. "Are we going to look over the plans for our new house now?"

"Absolutely. I have a couple sitting in my office."

"Alright." Rosemary nodded.

Lee helped her bring the stroller into his office so they wouldn't disrupt Aaron's sleep, then he laid out a few plans. "What do you think about this one?" He asked, gesturing to one with three bedrooms and big windows.

Rosemary studied them intently. "Lee Coulter, we need more than three bedrooms! And we need a porch at least." She pointed to the final one. "What about this one?"

Lee gulped. "That's the biggest one." It was a huge plan, with five bedrooms, a wrap-around porch, and three bathrooms.

"Well, we need a big house. Then we can host people, your family, my family, others. Plus, we need a big porch so we can enjoy the view and, if we're having a lot of people, bathrooms are important. And of course, you're going to put in indoor plumbing, right?"

Lee sighed. "Yes, I will put in indoor plumbing. And I suppose you're right. So what about this one?" He drew one out from his desk.

Rosemary looked it over and her face broke into a huge smile. "It's perfect!" The plan that Lee had given her had four bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a beautiful porch. "I like it." She declared.

"Good. I think we can start working on it just as soon as possible. My men will be busy, working for me and working for Nathan."

"That's wonderful! I'll make sure to stop by as often as I can to make sure that your men are doing it right. When is Nathan starting?"

"Now Rosie, they know what they're doing. Otherwise, I wouldn't have hired them. They don't need people getting in their way." Lee cautioned. "Oh, they started yesterday."

"Yesterday? And Elizabeth didn't tell me?"

"Maybe she forgot. She's been really busy getting ready for school."

"Oh." Rosemary leaned against the desk. "I suppose that's true." She looked down again at the plans, then smiled up at Lee. "Thank you for building me this house. I think it's going to be wonderful."

"You're welcome." Lee gave her a hug. "I just hope I can get it done by Christmas."

Rosemary drew back. "Christmas? Don't remind me – it's far enough away yet."

Lee chuckled. "You love Christmas."

"It's true." Rosemary nodded. "But it's so much work and I just want to enjoy this time now."

"I agree, sweetheart. Don't worry, we'll make the most out of it."

"I know. Speaking of which, you're still able to get off work and pick up Vivian with me?"

"Absolutely."

"Good. Well, maybe I'll get some work done while Aaron is sleeping, and then when school is done, we can go."

"Sounds like a plan. I'm going to go talk to Bill at the Café. Do you want me to bring back some food?"

"Mmm, that'd be wonderful."

"Alright then." Lee gave her a quick kiss and then headed out.

Rosemary settled herself down in her chair and got to work, writing out her next article for the Valley Voice. And she knew what she was going to write about too.

The day passed by quickly, and before either Rosemary or Lee knew it, it was time for them to leave to pick Vivian up. On the way there, Lee pushed Aaron. Aaron was still little, so he was sleeping again. When they came into the school yard, they could see Vivian playing with Opal. But when Vivian saw them, she began running towards them, right into Lee's arms. "Hey sweetheart," he said as he gave her a big hug. "How was your first day at school?"

"Good!" Vivian exclaimed as she gave Rosemary a hug too. "Mrs. Thornton is a good teacher and I got to learn some of the alphabet. I even know how to print my name now, and write numbers too." She leaned over to see Aaron. "Is he still sleeping?"

"Well, he woke up a couple times." Rosemary chuckled.

"Can I push him?"

"Absolutely." Lee took his hands off the stroller and Vivian wheeled it around.

"So you had a good day, then?" Rosemary asked as they began walking back to the rowhouse.

"It was fun, and Opal and Allie let me sit with them for lunch."

"Good. I'm glad." Rosemary nodded. She smiled at Lee. As they walked along, Vivian chattered to Aaron, talking on and on to the sleeping boy about her day at school. Rosemary and Lee walked together, smiling at their little girl. Well, maybe not so little anymore.

Vivian took to school right away, and under Elizabeth's teaching and Lee and Rosemary's help, she flourished. Rosemary picked her up every day, and Lee tried to come along at least twice a week, but he was busy with his house and Nathan's, as well as being mayor. The house was beginning to take shape too. It had a floor, all four walls, and a roof the week before Thanksgiving.

One day, the week before Thanksgiving, Rosemary burst into Lee's office. Abigail was watching Aaron, and Rosemary was on a mission. "Lee," she breathed heavily as she entered the office. "I have an idea."

Lee looked up from his lumber estimates. "Oh?"

"I was thinking that we should host a huge Thanksgiving dinner." Rosemary leaned against the desk. "What do you think?"

"Well…" Lee began, but she cut him off.

"We could invite Elizabeth and Nathan, and Abigail, Bill, and all our friends too, and of course I'd get help with cooking and it'd be great, and…" She stopped when she saw Lee raise his hands.

"Whoa, just a second, sweetheart. You have to make sure that people can actually come first."

"They can." Rosemary assured him. "I asked them all already."

"You did?"

"Well, I wanted to make sure it would before I asked you."

"Oh really." He fought to hide his smile. "And you assumed that I'd say yes?" Rosemary smiled and nodded. "It's a great idea. Go ahead, sweetheart."

"Wonderful! But there's one more thing…"

"What?" Lee had a feeling where this was going.

"Do you think we could have it at our new house? The roof is on, and there's a floor. I know it's not done yet, but it'd be more than big enough and it will be heated. It'd be fun. Please."

"Well…" Lee drew out the word and then didn't say anything for a while. "I suppose that'd be okay."

"Thank you!" Rosemary bounced over to him and gave him a kiss. "I knew you'd say yes."

"I have to make sure it'll be safe before everyone comes though."

"Oh, I already talked to your men. They agreed to take all their stuff out. I'd better go talk to Abigail and fill her in on all our plans. See you tonight, sweetheart," Rosemary waved and then left the office.

Lee looked at the door and chuckled. He knew she had been planning the whole thing without asking him first.

Rosemary went back to Abigail's and together, she and Abigail planned the whole menu. "Well, I'd better take Aaron home," she said, standing up. "Thanks for watching him, and helping me."

"Not a problem. He's adorable. He just slept, got hungry, and slept again."

"I know." Rosemary looked down at the little boy. "And to think I was so nervous. He's a very good baby, and Vivian has been a wonderful help too."

"I always knew you and Lee would make good parents." Abigail nodded.

"Thanks. I feel like this whole parenting thing is coming on quite well." Rosemary smiled. "Anyways, I should go. Have a good day!" A wave and she was gone again, walking hurriedly down the street.

When she got home, she fed Aaron and then laid him in his crib on the main level so she could watch him while she wrote. After a while, he started crying, so she walked over to the crib. "Hey little guy," she said as she picked him up. "What's wrong? Are you hungry? Sleepy?" She gently patted his back and began walking around to calm him down, but he wouldn't stop crying, so she sat down on the couch and looked at him. His little face was red from crying and he was waving his arms and legs. Rosemary tried feeding him again, but he wasn't hungry. She touched his cheeks and forehead; they were hot to her hand.

Now she was worried. She leaned over to the phone. "Florence, can you connect me with Lee?" As she waited, she looked back at Aaron. A cool cloth might help, she thought. She put the phone down and carried Aaron over to the sink.

"Lee, Rosemary's on the line for you." Florence said when Lee picked up the phone.

"Thanks." He replied. "Rosie?" There was no answer. "Rosie? Are you there?" Still no answer. All he could hear was crying in the background. He hung up the phone and dashed out of the office. Something was wrong.