Four months later

"Mom! Let's go!" Catie said, basically trying to drag Randi out the door. "I want to see my new sister."

"Honey, she isn't going anywhere. We will leave soon."

Catie sighed and sat down on the couch with the gift bag that held a teddy bear.

Randi was trying to be more patient with her kids and herself. She was a work in progress but she did feel like she was in fact making progress and so did her therapist.

She saw Catie wiping her cheeks and that hurt her to see. "Cates, give me five minutes and we can go, okay? Your brother is in the bathroom."

Catie nodded and wiped her cheeks again. "Okay."

"Luke, let's go," she said a few minutes later. "Time to get your shoes on and go see your sister."

Luke ran out and put his shoes on. "Ready! Lets go meet Lexie."

As they drove to Hope Valley Hospital, the kids were talking excitedly about their new sibling so she allowed her mind to drift slightly.

For the last six months, she, the kids and Michael had been going to therapy. Dr. Green had been very helpful in providing a safe space for them all to talk about their concerns or issues.

She had come to realize that she wasn't a bad person. She had made poor choices and hurt people but it was okay to forgive herself. It was okay to trust herself and to let others trust her.

Michael trusted her and had never wavered in that. He was a good role model for Catie and Luke and she loved him with all of her heart. She had even told him that on multiple occasions.

Speaking of him, her Bluetooth rang so she hit the button on the steering wheel to answer.

"Hey," she said, allowing herself to smile.

"Hi. Are you all headed to the hospital?"

"We are. I'm making lasagna and breadsticks for dinner," she told him.

"That sounds great."

"You'll be over at 5?"

"I will, yes."

"Great." She meant that and tried to convey it with her words. Dr. Green told her to make it a practice to say what she meant, be truthful. Don't hide behind the past.

"Randi?"

"I'm here."

"I love you, sweetheart."

"I love you too."

She was so impressed with the level of patience that Michael Hickam possessed. They'd been dating for over 18 months, and even with her broken self, he stuck with her. He never left and for that she would always be grateful. That being said, if he had proposed to her before now, she wouldn't have been able to say yes. Now, after so much healing, she would.

"Okay, kiddos. Remember, we need to have inside voices when we go in the hospital. People are trying to rest, including your sister."

"Okay," they whispered in unison. Catie swung the pink flowery gift bag in her hand and held Randi's hand with her free one. Luke skipped and held Randi's opposite hand.

"I love you guys," she told them. "You know that, don't you?"

"Yep!" they said. "We love you too."

That was another thing her therapy had taught her. Showing love, helped make everything better.

…..

Room 211

Lucas burped Lexie while Elizabeth snuggled with Leo. He was just over a year old and he really didn't understand who this other little person was that Mommy was holding.

He wanted to eat but he had just had a bottle so he really just wanted comfort.

"Mommy loves you, Leo. You know that? One day you are going to love hanging out with Lexie. You guys will be best friends."

"Mama," he said, sniffling and rubbing his face on her shoulder, letting out a huge sigh.

"I know."

Lucas chuckled as Lexie let out a big burp. "Good job, Lex. That was a big burp for a tiny girl."

They heard a knock on the door. "Come in," Lucas told whoever it was.

"Daddy!" Luke and Catie said in a loud whisper. Randi hung out by the door as the kids went in further.

"Hi, guys. Come meet Lexie."

"You can come in, Randi," Elizabeth told her as she rocked Leo back and forth.

"No that's okay. I think I'll give you all some time and get some coffee." And call Michael. He calmed her and right now, she was feeling the jealousy of never bearing a never child creep up.

Elizabeth watched her leave and then looked over at the older kids softly touching their sister and still whispering. That was strange. She didn't know they knew how to be so quiet.

Luke walked over and climbed up on the bed next to her. "Hi, Mom."

"Hi. I missed you, Luke."

"When are you coming home?"

"Tomorrow, I think."

"Good. I miss you."

She kissed his brown hair and smiled. She loved this. Two boys, two girls. All her "babies" filling her heart with love.

"Leo is asleep," Luke told her.

"That's good. It will be easier for Bill and Molly if he gets some rest."

"Can I hold Lexie, Dad?" Catie asked. He nodded.

"Here, get up on the chair and I'll put her in your arms." He showed her how to keep her arm under Lexie's neck, although, she knew how since she had loved holding Leo when he was tiny.

Lexie was asleep, Leo was asleep and Luke was almost asleep too. Lucas looked around at everyone and then winked at Elizabeth. "Thank you," he mouthed.

"For what?"

"For this. Our wonderful family. Loving me. Helping me to trust again."

She wiggled her finger at him and he walked over. "Kiss me, Mr. Bouchard."

"Happy to."

……

"She was so cute!" Catie told Michael as they ate dinner. "I got to hold her for a long time and she didn't even cry!"

"Wow. That's great, Catie."

She nodded and took another bite of her lasagna.

Michael reached for Randi's hand. She slipped her fingers into his without hesitation. That was a big change from just six months ago.

"What did you think about Lexie?" he wondered.

"I didn't stay. I actually went to get coffee and tried calling you. You didn't answer though."

"I was running an errand. Why didn't you stay to meet her?"

He knew why but he also thought that she had been gradually moving past her feelings of inadequacy for not being able to have another child.

"You know why," she said, pulling her hand away.

"Randi, tell me. Don't push me away." He said the words with as much patience and gentleness as possible.

"I felt jealous." She wiped a tear after her admission. "I want that."

"A baby or a family? Because you have a family, sweetheart."

"Do I? Of course I have the kids, but what's happening with us?"

"You and me?"

"Yes, Michael. You and me. What's happening? I'm ready to move forward and I want to know what you are ready for."

"One moment." He got up and left the room for just a short minute and then he came back with a pink rose, her favorite, and a small black box and an envelope in his hand.

He knelt in front of her and smiled at the shock on her face. "Are you really that shocked, sweetheart?"

"Yes."

"You know I love you and the kids. So much. You said you want to know what I'm ready for?"

She nodded, falling deeper into his blue eyes. Those eyes.

"I'm ready for everything. To be the kid's second father. To be your husband. I'm ready for all of it."

"Me too," she told him, cupping his face in her hands and kissing him.

"Marry me, Randi?"

"I will."

He kissed her back and opened the black box. A perfect, princess cut diamond sat there, waiting to be placed on her finger. After placing it on her finger, he handed her the envelope and then sat back in his chair next to her.

"What is it?"

"Open it and see," he prompted.

She gasped. "What….an adoption application?"

"Yes. I made us an appointment with an agency in Nashville. We can request a baby, sweetheart."

"We can?"

"Yes. It may take a while to find exactly the right birth mother, but it is possible."

The doorbell rang so Randi got up, but not before kissing her fiancé again.

"Molly?" Randi said, confused as she handed Leo over to her. "Why are you giving him to me?"

Randi didn't know what to do with the boy. She had never held him. Honestly, it felt strange to be holding the child of her ex-husband and his new wife.

"My mom was in an accident in California and we need to leave. I need you to watch Leo. Just overnight. Lucas said he will come get him in the morning."

"I…I'm not sure this is a good idea."

Michael stepped up behind her and put his hand on her back. "It's a great idea. I'll sleep here on the couch and we can do it together."

"Thank you, Mike," Molly said, giving him the baby bag. "He has formula and bottles in there. Diapers and his favorite stuffed dog. You will be fine. I really appreciate it."

The second Molly was out of his sight, Leo started screaming. Thankfully, Catie walked up.

"Hi, Leo! You don't need to cry. Lukie and Cates are here and we are going to have so much fun!"

"Mamamama," he mumbled, putting his fingers in his mouth.

"We'll see her tomorrow."

Leo squirmed to get down so Randi set him on his feet. He walked over to Catie and grinned, his face still wet with tears.

"He's stinky. We need to change his diaper," Catie told Randi.

So, they did that, got him in his pajamas and fixed him a bottle. Then they all sat down on the couch to read books for bedtime.

Surprisingly, Leo reached for Randi instead of Catie. He laid down in her arms and drank his formula and smiled up at her.

Michael put his arm around her shoulder and smiled. She looked good holding a baby. "You're beautiful, Randi."

"Thank you."

He leaned down and gave her a long, slow kiss. "I promise we are going to have a wonderful life. You, me and our family. We are going to face everything, good or bad, together."

She nodded. "I trust you."

"And I trust you."

….

Six months later, Lucas and Elizabeth's house

"And my first Mommy just married my second Daddy," Catie told Leo and Lexie. She liked telling them stories and they sat there and listened as they played.

"I was the flower girl and Lukie was the ring bearer. Now they went on their wedding trip to Florida. I think that's where Disney World is. Which is I think where Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck live. Maybe Mommy and Daddy can take us there to meet them."

Leo got up and toddled over to the book shelf and brought her a book. "Book?"

"Want me to read it?"

"Book," he said, clapping his hands and parking his bum in her lap.

Lexie crawled over, a new trick for her, and smiled.

Elizabeth smiled as she listened in the hallway. Lucas stepped up behind her and kissed her cheek. "What are we doing?"

"Nothing. I'm just listening to our kids. Catie's so good with them."

He nodded and kissed her again. "I'm off to take Luke and get some groceries."

"Thank you, honey."

They had a great life. They did ordinary things and that was fine. The most important part was they had deep, long-lasting love and trust. It was magical and perfect.

Complete! I hope you all enjoyed this story!*