This was the original ending to Newest Addition but decided against posting it because I thought it was too sad. Please let me know what you think.

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She'd been feeling funny all day. It wasn't pain, but Evelyn knew something was different. She was tired, she knew that too. Her life had lost all of its color after Rafe had passed away and she never forgot his visit the day of his funeral. She had wanted so much to go with him and their baby girl, but he'd told her it wasn't her time.

A visit from Barbara lifted her spirits because the two ladies had not seen each other since Rafe's funeral a year before. Arm in arm, they walked the land where Rafe and Evelyn had settled down when they'd returned from Pearl Harbor. They'd raised their three children there and as they had left to make lives of their own, had enjoyed the peace and tranquility of an empty nest.

It was after Rafe had had his first heart attack that their oldest son Danny came home to look after things. He tried to convince his father to slow down and reap the benefits of all of his hard work by retiring, but Rafe would hear none of it. He may have had snow on the roof, but he was still perfectly capable of working his own farm. Evelyn pleaded with him to listen to their son, but Rafe held his ground and would not budge.

It was that stubborn streak that got him back to work much earlier than their doctor wanted and it was that stubborn streak that had him helping Danny in the barn when he suddenly dropped to the dirt in agony.

Danny had come running into the house to grab the phone. Evelyn saw the panic on her son's face and knew her husband was in trouble. As quickly as she was able, she got out to the barn and saw him lying there. His eyes were closed, but he was breathing. She eased herself slowly onto the dirt floor; she wasn't as spry as she used to be. She got Rafe's head in her lap and talked to him. She brushed the gray hair back off of his forehead; it was still as thick as it had been when the color had been a light brown.

He opened his eyes and his normally tanned complexion was pale. "I always love it when you do that." He smiled at her weakly.

"I know, that's why I still do it." Her chest was tight because the one thing she'd been afraid of since his first attack was coming to pass. She was losing her husband, of that she had no doubt. "Rafe don't leave me, please. There are still so many things we need to do. Sarah's going to be a grandmother and we have to help her. Think of it, we're going to be great grandparents."

A tear rolled down his cheek. "No, you are." And he closed his eyes, he was gone.

As they walked, Barbara looked at Evelyn with concern. "You don't look so good sweetie."

"I'm sorry for being so quiet. Every time I pass that barn I remember." And tears came to her eyes.

"Ev, why don't you come live with me? This place seems to make you so unhappy now that maybe it would be good for you to put it behind you."

She patted her friends arm. "Thank you Barbara, but I'm staying right here. Rafe is here and I don't want to leave him. And this is the only place the kids know as home."

"Then give it to Danny. He'll take good care of this place, you know that."

Evelyn shook her head. "I can't leave Rafe." And that was the end of it.

They walked back to the house and Evelyn's three children were standing on the porch. This was unexpected and a nice surprise. She smiled at them. "What's the occasion that I have all of my children here?"

Sarah came down to meet her mother. "We wanted to see you Mama. It's been much too long since we've all been together."

"You are right about that." And she looked around. "Where are the kids?"

Joe joined his sister. "They're home Mama. We decided to make this a small gathering because it hasn't been just us kids in a long time."

Evelyn looked at her oldest son, who was still on the porch and had an uncanny resemblance to his father. "What's this all about Daniel?"

He was in the suds now. He never could fool his mother, even when he was a kid. "We're worried about you Mama. Since Daddy died you haven't been yourself." That got him a look from his sister, which he didn't miss. "What I mean is, you seem to get unhappier everyday."

"You really have a way of puttin' your foot in your mouth Danny." Joe frowned.

Evelyn looked at Barbara. "Which of the kids called you?"

Barbara glanced over at the trio. "Can't I come visit an old friend? You're the only one left Ev because Martha's gone now and Sandra might as well be. I haven't heard a word from her since she brought Danny back here to be buried."

"I know, I haven't either. Danny's death hit her awfully hard, harder than Rafe's did to me I think."

"That's because you were always stronger than she was."

Evelyn looked at her children and smiled. "Well since you're all here, let's have some lunch."

The meal was casual because the kids wanted to go through the old photo albums. There were pictures of their mother in her nurse's uniform and their father in his dress uniform. There were pictures of the squadron he flew with and the airfield where he trained and a group photo of Evelyn and the other nurses in front of the hospital. They looked at the worn photos of the evening in New York at the nightclub. There was even a faded photo of Rafe standing next to his spitfire when he flew with the Eagle Squadron. There were pictures of their house in Hawaii and Sarah expressed regret that she could not remember it.

Their most favorite pictures, though, were from their parents wedding and the yearly photos they had had done in a photographers studio. Evelyn told them about her wedding day and how nervous she was. Barbara remembered when Evelyn had gone into labor with Sarah and what a nervous wreck her father was. She looked at Sarah. "Your father hadn't been able to be there when Danny was born and it was always something he regretted. So he made sure he was there when you were born."

It was then she got up and went to get her purse. She pulled out a photograph and when she came back to the sofa handed it to Danny. It was Rafe with a one year old Danny in his lap, both asleep. "This was taken in the father's waiting room the day your sister was born."

Danny handed the picture to his mother and she smiled. "I don't know how many times I found you asleep in your father's lap. He was the only one who could get you to sleep sometimes."

Danny smiled. "He was always there when I needed him and even when I didn't."

"He loved you kids very much and there isn't anything he wouldn't have done for you."

They were all quiet then because they knew she was right.

Evelyn stood up and told them it was time for her nap. "I'm going to lie down for a little while. Wake me in a half hour and we'll go through more pictures if you like." And she headed to the stairs.

"Ev, would you like me to sit with you?" Barbara asked.

She stopped at the foot and smiled. "What for? I'm just taking a nap." And she went upstairs.

When she reached her room she sat down on the bed and slipped her shoes off, sighed and stretched out. She felt better than she had since Rafe had passed away and it had been a nice afternoon with her children and her friend. She closed her eyes and felt herself falling asleep.

"Hey Evelyn wake up. It's time to go."

When she opened her eyes, Rafe was there. He was dressed for a day at the beach and was holding the daughter they'd lost. She looked to be about a year old and was playing with the dog tags hanging around her father's neck. He was that handsome, cocky pilot she'd fallen for and she sighed.

"Come on honey. The beach is waitin'."

"The beach?"

"I've come to take you to the beach. I told you I'd come get you when it was time to go, so let's go."

"Do you have the basket?" She asked him as she sat up because she suddenly understood what was happening.

"On the porch where you told me to put it."

She smiled at him. "Then we're ready. Let's go Captain McCawley."

She got off the bed and followed Rafe to the door. When he opened it, they were standing on the porch of their house on Pearl Harbor and Evelyn looked at Rafe. "I've been looking forward to this for a long time."

"Me too honey."

Rafe put the little girl on her feet and she toddled ahead of her parents. He took Evelyn's hand and squeezed it. "Welcome home Mrs. McCawley."

Evelyn's dark hair had gotten caught in the tropical breeze and she brushed it off of her face with her free hand before the young McCawley family walked down to the beach.