AN: So I had a different plan for chapter 21. That plan is now chapter 22 as heather4cu wanted to see the guys with the kids. I am kind of glad she said something because section 1 was fun to write. The conversation in the second section was going to happen but I think it fit well here. Hope you all enjoy!


That tea party can't get over with soon enough, Bill thought to himself as he supervised Paul and Cody releasing the frogs they had spent ten minutes chasing Bridget, Opal, Autumn and Ivy around with. Cody had attempted to scare Ally with a snake that had already been released. When Ally just reached out and took the garter snake from him, Cody realized she was not going to be a fun target. Lee was back at the house trying to calm his four girls down. Bill wondered how Nathan was faring with Jack and Margaret. The two younger kids had requested a story and given the energy level of the other five kids, Bill wondered how successful that was.

"All done, Judge Avery," Paul announced as he and Cody stepped away from the bank of the pond where they had released the frogs in a shady, vegetated area.

"Turn out all pockets," Bill instructed.

"What do you think we are? Criminals?" Cody asked.

"Boys who chase little girls with reptiles to make them cry are only a notch above a criminal in mind," Bill replied. "Turn your pockets out," he instructed again.

"We just wanted to make them scream and run away," Paul said defensively.

"I did not realize Ivy would huddle in a ball and start crying so much," Cody said. Despite the defensive tone in the words, Bill also heard a tad of remorse.

"If you had not tried to scare them, it would not have happened," Bill replied evenly, as the two boys turned out their pockets.

The action revealed a cricket that Paul had been trying to keep and sneak back to the house. Bill told him to release the cricket and then pointed the boys in the direction of the Grant home where he, Lee and Nathan were watching the children while the ladies had their tea party.

"I would rather be at the tea party at this point," Bill muttered as he walked directly behind the two boys. Cody went to put his hands in his pocket. "Keep your hands where I can see them," Bill instructed.

Cody's response was to hold his hands up in the air. "Is this good enough?" the boy asked.

"Works for me," Bill replied. He tapped Paul on the shoulder. "Hands up from you too."

Paul cast Cody an annoyed look but did as instructed.

Hands in the air, walking directly in front of Bill was how the two boys entered the Grant's yard. Bridget, Ally, Autumn and Opal were all sitting in the grass in front of the porch playing cat's cradle. Though Ellen had been running late, she had still headed over to Rachel's house in the hope of catching most of the tea party. Lee was sitting on the porch steps keeping an eye on them. Autumn took one look at the two boys coming in their direction and got up to hide behind Ally, who had protected her from the boys' reptiles earlier.

"Judge Avery made us get rid of everything," Paul said, observing the reaction.

"And now they are going to have a ten minute time out for their behavior," Bill added.

"Are you this mean to criminals?" Paul asked.

"I can be worse," Bill replied. "Would you like it to be twenty minutes?"

"No, sir," Paul answered quickly.

"Then inside with the two of you," Bill instructed. The boys headed up the porch steps, with Bill following them. The judge paused beside Lee to ask, "where is Ivy?"

"I got her calm down and then she went inside to listen to Nathan read a story."

Bill nodded as he continued inside. Paul and Cody were waiting for him just inside the doorway. Nathan's voice could be heard coming from the direction of the living room as he read one of Jack's stories to the younger kids. Bill shook his head at the voices Nathan made as different characters spoke in the story.

"Diningroom with you two," Bill instructed, pointing a finger in that direction.

The two boys did as instructed, walking to the diningroom where Bill took two of the chairs from the table and placed them in two different corners of the room. The chairs were facing toward the wall. Bill had Cody sit in one of them and Paul in the other.

"I do not want to hear a sound from either one of you for the next ten minutes. You can use the time to think about why chasing girls with reptiles is not proper behavior," Bill told them, as he pulled out his pocket watch to time the punishment.

Neither boy made a comment to acknowledge the last instruction which was fine with Bill. As far aw he was concerned that showed they were listening to him. With the boys serving their time out, Bill wandered back to the foyer and stood in the doorway to the livingroom. Nathan was sitting on the floor, back against the settee with the kids around him. The judge stood quietly as Nathan finished the story, noting that both Jack and Ivy had fallen asleep. Neither were disturbed by Margaret who clapped her hands in appreciation of the finished story.

"So how did you get the easy part of this job?" Bill asked, gaining Nathan's attention.

"Uncle Nate has to stay with me," Margaret replied for her Uncle. "Mommy said so."

Nathan smiled, placing a kiss on the top of his niece's head. "I did promise Viola to keep a close eye on Margaret," Nathan agreed, looking up at Bill. "I thought you and Lee said the other children would be no problem?"

Bill snorted. "Apparently I am older than I thought because I forgot that little boys find it fun to torment little girls with critters," Bill told him.

"That is why it is easier just not to be afraid of the critters," Ally supplied coming up along side Bill. "Dad, we're thirsty. Can we have the lemonade Mama and I made this morning now."

Bridget, Autumn and Opal were behind her.

"Lem'nade!" Margaret said happily.

"Yes," Nathan said. "Go ahead but take Margaret with you." Nathan looked down at the two kids currently using him for a pillow. "I am otherwise occupied right now."

"Is it all right?" Margaret said, looking up at Nathan worriedly.

Nathan nodded to her. "You will be in the next room. It will be fine," he assured her.

Ally held her hand out for Margaret to take as she came into the living room. The other three girls were behind her. Together, the girls headed for the kitchen.

"Remind me not to volunteer to babysit ever again," Lee muttered as he walked through the room following the girls to the kitchen. Joining them in the kitchen he became his usual jovial self as he addressed them. "Perhaps we can all play a game together nicely after refreshments."

"We were being nice," Bridget supplied. "It is the boys who were not being nice."

"I think I just want to take a nap with Jack and Ivy," Bill muttered.

"You are not using me as a pillow," Nathan told him with a grin.

"You are probably too bony anyway," Bill retorted, leaving the doorway and heading back to check on the boys. Perhaps it was a good thing he had never had children of his own.


Waking up, Rachel could hear Tyler's voice in the next room though the words were not distinguishable. Still, just the sound, brought a feeling of security to her. She assumed he was talking to Faith who had stayed with her after the tea party. A kick to her ribs reminded Rachel while she had needed the nap in the first place. She instinctively put a hand over the spot.

"Thanks for reminding me you here little one," Rachel said softly. "I am doing my best to take care of the both of us. The man you will know as your father is taking care of both of us. He is a good man."

There was another kick in response to the words. Once the discomfort passed, Rachel spoke again. "You are lucky, just like your sister. Both of you have had two good men as your fathers. You might not meet your birth father, but we all make sure you knew what kind of man he was."

Hearing the soft creak of the door, Rachel looked in that direction to see Tyler peeking his head into the room.

"I am awake," Rachel told him, slowly pushing herself up into a sitting position.

Tyler came all the way into the room. "How are you feeling?"

"Refreshed," Rachel said as she settled with her back against the headboard of the bed. "Thank you for arranging for the tea party. I like that you listen to me."

Tyler smiled. "You are welcome."

Rachel reached for the Bible next to her bed. "Come sit next to me," she invited, patting the bed next to her.

Though he had not yet changed out of his uniform, Tyler moved to the other side of the bed to oblige. Sitting on the edge of the bed, he took a few moments to take off his boots before settling beside his wife on the bed.

With Tyler beside her, Rachel took out the picture from her wedding day to Gilbert and handed it to her new husband.

"That was a happy day," Tyler commented taking the picture. "Gilbert told me he was the luckiest guy alive to be marrying you." He looked from the picture to Rachel. "I know exactly how he felt that day, now."

Rachel felt her cheeks grow warm. "Do you ever feel guilty about having feelings for me given the friendship you had with Gilbert?"

"I did at first," Tyler admitted. "Though it wasn't until you left that I first realized that somewhere in providing you, comfort I had developed feelings for you. I tried to ignore it at first out of guilt. Here I was having feelings for my best friend's widow. I wondered where they came from and if they had always been there. It was why there was a delay in me looking for you. I thought at first it might be better if I just let you go."

"So, why did you start looking for me?"

"Because I had to know you were all right. Not just for Gilbert's sake, but my own as well. Looking back, I realized that when Gilbert was alive, I thought of you as a friend and Gilbert's wife. The only time we spent together was with Gilbert. I cared about you, but only in that context. Had Gilbert lived, I do not think those feelings would have changed because yes, I would have been trying to support the both of you in whatever way I could, but it would have been Gilbert giving you the physical comfort instead. Being that close to you in those days after your assault. Offering you what comfort and strength that I could, that is when my feelings for you developed."

Tyler looked down at the picture he held.

"I would like to think that as he cannot be here, Gilbert would be happy for the two of us if we could find happiness together."

Rachel slipped her arm through Tyler's and leaned against him, her head resting against his shoulder. "I think we have," she said. "I know Autumn is happy with you as a part of her life. I feel loved, protected and like a huge weight has been lifted from my shoulders. I feel like I can do what I need to do to look out for this little one because I have you at my side. I even have experienced feelings for you, but then I feel guilty. Like it is too soon to feel anything for another man."

Tyler put down the picture and placed that hand on Rachel's cheek as she clung to his other arm, struggling with her feelings.

"Take as much time to work through your grief as you need. I am not going anywhere. Know that I also realize a part of your heart will always be Gilbert's. I will never be upset if you start missing him no matter if it is tomorrow or ten years ago. I will always miss him too."

"Thank you," Rachel said looking up at him.

They were close, but as she looked into Tyler's eyes, she felt him leaning in closer. She did not try to move away. Rachel knew she wanted to feel his lips on hers. Then they were there, soft and gentle. Soft and tender. Giving and asking but not demanding. Closing her eyes, Rachel returned the gentle kiss, Tyler's words about knowing they would have never been close enough to allow these feelings to develop if Gilbert were still alive helping her push the guilt aside. Gilbert was gone but Tyler was here with her.

Then Tyler was pulling back. "Each kiss gets better and better," he told her softly.

Rachel smiled.

"Autumn is eating dinner with the Coulters tonight," Tyler told her. "Lee said he will drop her off afterwards. So, let me go see what I can rustle up for the two of us. I know it is usually breakfast in bed people enjoy, but I am thinking a dinner for two in bed sounds good right about now."

Rachel smiled. "That it does," she told him as Tyler got up from the bed.

One of the first things she planned to do when she was allowed to resume normal activities was to have the Coulters watch Autumn for an evening so she could cook Tyler a special dinner for two. After all he had already done, he deserved to feel special for one night.