Elaina looked at the clock and saw that it was only 3 in the morning. 'Why can't I sleep?' Elaina thought to herself. 'My children are back and I have had a rough day. I should be asleep.' She looked over and Frank was sound asleep. That didn't surprise her he was falling asleep, rocking Sarah earlier.
Elaina got up and put on her robe to walk quietly out of her room down to Sarah's room. She walked in and checked on her. She found her sleeping, peacefully. She walked over to the window and looked out at the dark early morning. She suddenly felt a hand on her shoulder, making her jump and gasp.
"I'm sorry I didn't want to say something and wake Sarah," Sab whispered.
"Instead, you try to give me a heart attack. Good thinking," Elaina joked. "Lets go into the hall."
They walked out in to the hall and sat on the floor. "I thought I heard someone walking around and when I looked out I saw you go in to check on Sarah."
"I can't sleep I guess I'm too keyed up yet," Elaina explained.
"I don't know why you would be. Having your kids taken, held for a ransom, you have a fight with Frank and then you're in a gun battle when you get the kids back. I really don't see why you'd be sleepless," Sab said, giggling.
"Seriously, I don't know what's wrong. I mean normally I can go right to sleep after Frank and I…..Well I guess you really don't want to know that. But that usually works when I can't sleep but this time it didn't."
"Well I know what you're talking about. That's one way to relax but maybe your mind wants you to stay awake for some reason. Is there something you forgot to do tonight?" Sab asked, trying to figure it out.
"I can't think of anything. Why aren't you sleeping?"
"Cody woke me up snoring and I couldn't go back to sleep."
"I don't have that problem with Frank I just lean on him and wake him up if he snores, which is seldom. He does the same with me, which is often." Elaina giggled.
"Elaina, I didn't get a chance to tell you this before. I really like that you think of me as family. There's just one thing about it that bothers me," Sab said, seriously.
"And what would that be?"
"If you're like a mother image for me. Does that make Frank my father image?" Sab started laughing.
Elaina laughed. "Please don't say that to him. He may not think its funny."
"Oh well, I do," Sab said, still laughing.
"I did tell Frank about that conversation and he's worried that I'll be jealous when you do find your mother. I told him that wouldn't happen, because I'm the one trying to get you to look for her."
"That's true. I imagine you and Allison could use the break too. I've been a handful at times."
"You haven't been that bad. Other than you and my cousin having it out and then you thought you were pregnant. You lied to me, to help my husband get me out of town when Maria escaped the hospital. Have I missed anything?"
"That's enough, I think." Sab smiled and then stifled a yawn.
"Ok, you go back to bed. I think I'll go wake up Frank let him know I can't sleep," Elaina said with a giggle.
"Elaina, there's one more thing. I hate to say this, I feel as if I'm squealing on him."
"Don't worry. I know that Becky is in with Derek."
"You do? You're not doing anything about it?" Sab was very surprised and a little confused.
"Of course I'll do something about it. I just want him to think he's getting away with it for now. Besides I don't think he'd do anything with a house full of people."
"You and Frank did." Sab giggled.
"Yeah and if I'm not mistaken I heard you and Cody too," Elaina countered.
"Hey we were quiet. You couldn't have heard….Damn it you got me again, didn't you? You're sneaky and rude to get confessions like that from people," Sab told her.
"I don't force confessions from people. They just tend to trust me with information." Elaina smirked and then laughed. "Good night, Sab. Don't worry about Derek, he'll get what's coming to him."
"Good night, Lainie," Sab said using her nickname for the first time. Elaina smiled at her.
*******
The next morning Frank went downstairs to find Cody and Sab fixing breakfast. "I guess we had the same idea. I was going to fix something for Elaina and take it up to her. She didn't sleep well last night."
"I know, she was up late and we talked for a while," Sab told him.
"Good morning, everyone," Elaina said, very cheerfully as she came in the kitchen.
"Well I can scratch that idea," Frank said. "I was going to serve you in bed."
"Oh well. I want to go out and check on Sahara. When I finally went to sleep, I had a dream about her and the foal."
"What foal?" Sab asked.
"That's right I haven't told any of you, yet. Sahara is going to be a Momma in a few weeks," Elaina said.
"Just in time for Sarah's birthday," Frank added. "We're going to give the foal to her."
"Awe, that's sweet. She'll love that," Sab said.
"Why is it such a secret, that you never told us?" Cody asked.
"We wanted to make sure she carried it. Didn't want to jinx it," Elaina said. "That and I've been too busy lately to mention it."
"She's being used in the therapy sessions, doesn't that bother her?" Cody asked.
"No she has been ok until a week ago and she quit taking her saddle. She doesn't like it. She bucks, when we try so we let her stop working."
"We put her on maternity leave," Frank said, laughing.
"Please, don't say anything to Sarah ok?" Elaina asked.
"We won't. Wouldn't want to spoil the surprise," Sab said.
"I want to go look her over and make sure she's ok." Elaina went out the back and Frank followed her. "You don't have to come with me stay and have breakfast," Elaina told him.
"I'd rather help you. They do need to be fed. We might as well do it and let Derek sleep in."
"Well, since you brought him into conversation, I have something you need to know."
"What now?" Frank said, opening the gate.
"Becky stayed the night in his room or did you already know that?" Elaina asked.
"How would I've known? I was asleep most of the night?" They walked to Sahara's stall.
"Yeah, I know. I wasn't and I heard her come in. I just haven't figured out what we need to do about it." Elaina went in and started to examine the horse.
"Leave them alone," Frank said, watching her.
"What?!" Elaina was surprised. She came back around the horse.
"You heard me. I don't think we need to do anything. He knows what will happen if he gets her pregnant. He knows how we feel about them being together. Other than breaking them up, we're not going to stop them being together. The more we're against it, the more they'll defy us and find a way to be alone."
"Have you been talking to your Mom or Allison, someone had to tell you that." Elaina leaned against the doorway.
"I didn't talk to either of them. I just decided here and now that we need to quit running his life. Let him make mistakes and deal with them. How's Sahara?" Frank said, trying to change the subject.
"Fine, she's not showing any signs of premature birth. Why are you acting like this? All of a sudden you want to treat Derek as an adult." Elaina wasn't finish with the subject.
"He's an adult in more ways than we've ever gave him credit for. He does have some growing up to do but all of us are still growing up. I think you need to realize, that he isn't your little boy anymore."
"He will always be my little boy. I'm still trying to figure out how you came to this conclusion over night."
"He did everything he could to help us get them back home. He did everything we ever told him to do if it ever happened. He told me last night that he was glad that we didn't figure out the exact location because he believed they would've hurt them if we showed up," Frank explained to her as he leaned on the wall next to her.
"I'm proud of him but this one instance doesn't mean to me, that he grew up totally."
"It isn't just this one instance. He handled himself very well when you had your operation and a few months ago when you were drugged and had the stroke, he handled it better than I did," Frank admitted.
"I guess I just don't want to see it because when I do, I'll have to let go." Elaina had tears in her eyes.
"Lady, you had to know you couldn't baby him forever," Frank hugged her.
"Yeah. I know but I thought I'd give it my best shot." Elaina laughed.
"We better get the horses fed or breakfast will be ate by everyone but us," Frank said as he started to the tack room.
"Frank, I'd like to go back to working assignments again. Would you be angry if I did?" Frank turned back around to face her,
"All depends on the assignment and how dangerous it is," Frank told her.
"I'd be working with you and the team. I wouldn't be working on my own," Elaina explained as she walked up to him.
"You want to work with us, not on your own?"
"Right. You and I working together."
"As equals or as my boss or will I be your boss?" Frank gave an evil grin.
"Equals," Elaina said.
"I didn't think you would let me be your boss." Frank held her close to him.
"So is that a yes, that I can go back to work in the field?" She looked into his beautiful brown eyes.
"If I say no, it will make you mad at me and I don't want that. Yes, but I choose when you go undercover. Deal?"
"Deal." Elaina kissed him.
"Hello cousins. I see nothing has changed much here."
They looked and saw Maria in the doorway of the stables. "Maria! When did you get released? I thought you were having surgery in a few days?" Elaina walked over and hugged her cousin.
"They said I could go home for a couple of days. I called Jake this morning to pick me up. He told me what happened, so I decided to come here first."
"I didn't realize he had left. They all stayed here to keep from driving back home late last night," Frank explained.
"I wish I could've been here for you," Maria said.
"I made it through. You were where you needed to be. We didn't tell anyone what was going on. We kept it to ourselves and the team of course," Elaina told her, so she wouldn't feel she kept it just from her.
"Why don't you two go back in and talk I'll finish up here?" Frank suggested.
"No, I'd rather talk out here. I don't feel comfortable around Cody and Sab."
"They won't stay anything to you. This is my home and you're family. I've talked to Sab and told her she had to stop with the anger toward you. She just wants you not to bother them."
"I don't plan on ever hurting her again. I ruined a perfectly good friendship. I almost lost you because of my little game. I realized how it hurts others and I'll never do it again. I think I have someone that likes me a lot and we're going to work on our relationship."
"Talking about Jake? I hope you can work it out, he does care about you a lot," Elaina said.
"I know and I'm going to let him be there when I have the surgery, you too if you want."
"I was going to be there whether you liked it or not," Elaina told her.
"I thought you would be." Maria hugged her.
"Let's go in. I'll make sure there's no trouble."
"Unless she starts it," Frank added.
"He's right," Elaina said as they went out.
They went in through the kitchen, Jake was in talking to Sab as she did dishes. "There you are, you should be resting not out walking around," Jake told Maria as he made her sit down.
Elaina noticed that Sab kept her back to Maria. "Maria, I guess you'll be in good hands the next few days. Jake seems to know how to treat you." Elaina leaned against the sink.
"You're not going to force me to talk to her," Sab whispered to her and walked off.
"I know how to clear a room," Maria said.
"Don't worry about her. You and Jake talk stay as long as you like." Elaina walked in the living room.
"I can't believe Elaina wants me to talk to her. I can't do it Cody. I've tried before and I can't," Sab said as Elaina came in the room. Cody turned Sab around to see her.
"I'd never force you to talk to her. We do have a deal though, that we're both going to keep our anger down. I told you holding on to your hatred of her was going to get to you. I want it to stop and stop now. You're my friend and she's my cousin. The two of you, will be seeing one another at work or here. You need to at least tolerate being around her without acting rude and not speaking at all."
"I'll try but don't expect a miracle," Sab said.
"All I ask is that you at least try for me," Elaina told her.
"Lainie, it's ok. She doesn't have to talk to me. I know how she feels toward me and I don't blame her. I was mean and rude to her. I don't expect forgiveness from her or Cody. Like I told you. I screwed up a perfectly good friendship and I have to live with that. Not that it will make any difference but Sabrina, I'm truly sorry for what I put you through and I hope you and Cody have a long and happy life together."
"Thank you Maria," Cody said.
Elaina and Cody looked at Sab. "Thanks."
"See that didn't hurt did it?" Elaina smiled.
"Actually it did. Cody was squeezing my hand and it hurt." Sab laughed. "Hey, how was Sahara? Is she ok?"
"She's fine, seems everything is on schedule for the surprise."
"That's great news," Cody said.
"Oh Sab I have something for you." Elaina walked over to the shelf and picked up a book. "This is everything you will need to plan a wedding. I made it for you last night when I couldn't sleep."
"Congratulations Sab," Maria said. "You'll make a beautiful bride."
"You will too when you get married," Sab told her.
"I don't believe it they're talking," Frank whispered coming up behind her.
"It's a start. I don't see it turning into any more than small talk but it's better than nothing," Elaina said.