Grace Thatcher's small home, just outside Fall River

"Mom, I normally wouldn't ask you to come to my wedding alone, but I don't want my wedding to be awkward and that's exactly what it would be if you bring John with you."

"Your father will be fine, Beth."

"No, you will be fine. He will be alone if he even comes at all."

"Bethie, he would not miss your wedding. He would want to walk you down the aisle."

"I'll talk to Dad. Hopefully he will be fine with it."

She called him later that night, sitting next to Lucas on her couch while Aria watched a movie in the master on her "giant bed." Aria thought the king-sized bed was awesome because she could stretch out like a starfish and still not reach the sides. Elizabeth just purchased it, wanting a larger bed since she would be sharing with someone again in a few weeks.

"Dad? Hi."

"Hi, sweetie. How are the plans coming for your wedding?"

"Just fine. I have a question though."

"Alright."

"Would it be awkward for you if Mom brought a date to my wedding?"

"No, Beth. I planned on bringing someone too."

"You did?"

"Yes. She's my assistant and we've been seeing each other for a while."

"How long is a while? What's her name?"

"Suzy. She's very sweet and kind. I think you'll love her. And its been about six months."

"Are you serious? You've been dating someone for six months and are just now telling me? Wow, Dad."

"Honey, you have your life and I hardly see you. It hasn't come up in our conversations."

Lucas squeezed her hand and gave her a kind smile, telling her to give him a break. This was an answer to their problem. No awkwardness. She nodded.

"I look forward to meeting Suzy, Dad."

"Great. She wants to meet you and your sisters too."

When they hung up, Elizabeth leaned her head back against the couch and sighed.

"Honey?"

"Both of them. They are both dating someone. I can't even believe it."

"Why is that?"

"Because marriage is for life. They got divorced, which shocked me anyway. Now, they are throwing away the option of getting back together."

Lucas didn't know what to say. "I'm sorry, Beth."

"Its okay." She pulled his arm around her shoulder and cuddled up. "At least it won't be an awkward day. Everyone will be happy." He kissed her hair and pulled her closer.

"What color suit do you want me to wear, Beth?"

"Navy. That's what Faith is going to wear. I told her to make sure Carson gets a new navy suit."

"Three weeks," he whispered. "Thank goodness for short engagements."

She giggled and touched his chest, resting her head under his chin. "My thoughts exactly."

"I've been thinking," he mentioned, closing his eyes as they relaxed.

"About…"

"This house…its small and mine is even smaller. What if we moved this summer?"

"Moved? I suppose that makes sense if we want to grow our family."

"And we do."

She remembered that conversation in his bedroom in San Diego. "Yes, a baby or two, we said."

"So I was thinking that maybe we can start trying next summer, after we move."

She nodded and snuggled even closer. "Mm. Okay."

She couldn't wait to be pregnant. To feel that life growing deep inside. To feel the first flutters of kicks. To see the inevitable changes in her body. To care for and nurture someone who was part Lucas and part her. It sounded heavenly.

"What if we didn't wait six months?"

"Start right away?"

"Why not?"

"Well, I'd like to enjoy that first phase of our marriage with just you and me."

"Oh believe me, it will be enjoyable."

"I do believe you are flirting with me."

"Smart man," she teased.

He tipped her chin up and looked into her eyes. "You don't want to wait?"

"No but…I can see your point. Six months isn't that long."

"It isn't." He gave her a soft kiss. "But I do know that it might seem like a long time if you really have your heart set on something." He kissed her again.

"I'll wait." She would be fine, she had no doubt. He had hit the nail on the head with the fact that it might seem like a long time.

"Well, we can talk again."

"For now," she whispered, "I'm all out of words anyway."

"Great. What I have in mind doesn't involve words."

"Now who's flirting?"

…..

"Can I stay here with you?" Aria mumbled when Elizabeth went in to get her a bit later. She had fallen asleep.

"You have school tomorrow, bugs, and I have work."

"Please? I need you, Mommy."

Elizabeth looked up at Lucas and winked. Her heart was telling her she could take Aria to school and make it to work on time.

"What do you think, hon?" Elizabeth asked him.

"Its totally your call. If you have time, she can stay but don't feel bad if she can't."

"I think we can get it done. She doesn't have her backpack though."

"I'll drop it off on the way to work."

Aria softly snored on the bed. It was a comforting feeling to Elizabeth. To have her almost daughter want to stay with her so badly. The love she felt was unreal. She loved the words, "I need you, Mommy."

"You could stay too," Elizabeth said, stretching up to kiss him.

"I could, but I think I better just sleep at home."

She nodded and kissed him again. "I love you. See you in the morning."

"I love you too."

He kissed Aria's forehead. "Night, honey. Love you so much."

"Night, Daddy."

After Lucas left, Aria opened her eyes. "I gotta go pee."

Elizabeth smiled. "Okay, sweetie. Do you want one of my shirts to sleep in?"

Aria got up and yawned. "Yes, please." She walked into the bathroom and then came back and climbed up on the bed.

"Hey, sweetie, do you want me to braid your hair?"

"Sure!"

Once they were all changed, Aria sat with her back to Elizabeth while she braided.

"I'm gonna looooooove having a mommy! Daddy can't braid."

Elizabeth giggled. "I'm going to loooooove having a daughter too."

"Can I have a baby sister? That would be soooooo cool."

"You never know."

"Tia at school got a new mommy and she had two babies at once! Can you do that? I could have a baby sister and a baby brother."

"Well, sweetie, whatever God gives us will be perfect. I can't control how many babies I have at once."

"Oh. Well, I hope he gives us five babies then!"

"You are a silly girl, Aria May."

"I know."

As they lounged in bed a few minutes later, Aria was still chattering. "Can my room be purple? With white curtains?"

"I think that can be arranged."

"Yay and can I have bunkbeds? That way Tia can come spend the night or when my brothers or sisters get big, they can sleep with me."

"We can ask your dad but I think that should be fine."

"Okay. I'm hungry, can I have a snack?"

"You have school early, bugs. You need to sleep. Close your eyes please."

"Okay, Mommy. I love you."

"Love you more." Elizabeth kissed her nose and ran her fingers through Aria's hair until she was very obviously on her way to dreamland once again.

……

Lucas brought Aria's backpack and lunch the next morning early, kissed his girls goodbye and drove to work.

Elizabeth scooted Aria out the door five minutes late but somehow, got her to school and herself to work on time.

The next week was filled with work, keeping Aria overnight a few more times, having dinner with her dad and Suzy, then with her mom and John and then before they new it, it was the week before the wedding.

As she was picking Helen up from the airport, Elizabeth's phone rang. She was driving so she hit the Bluetooth button on her steering wheel.

"Hello?"

"Beth, its me."

"Hi, Nate. How are you?"

"Great! Listen, I heard you are getting married again and I just wanted you to know that I'm really happy for you."

"Thank you. I'm really happy for me too. How are things with Fiona?"

"Great. We are engaged now. In fact, I'm moving in with her this weekend."

"That's great, Nate. I'm happy for you too. I guess we both were able to move forward."

"Yes, we were."

"You have a great weekend and a great Christmas."

"You too, Beth."

Elizabeth was glad she was alone in the car and could let a few tears fall over the change in her friendship with Nathan. She was super happy for him but they had been so close for so long she had gotten attached.

Now, as she had said, they were both moving forward and that is what they both had been itching to do but it sort of felt like the part of her life that connected her to Jack, was finally slipping away. That was emotional, hence the tears.

Her phone rang again, almost if someone knew she needed to talk to her soon-to-be husband at that moment.

She pulled over for a moment and answered.

"Babe?"

"Hi, honey. I wish you were with me right now," she told him.

"What's wrong?"

She stayed silent. She knew she could tell him anything but it made her nervous.

"Beth?"

"I miss Jack and Nathan. Please don't hate me."

"Sweetheart, I would never hate you for being honest with me. I understand missing a spouse and missing a best friend."

"Yeah. Nathan and Fiona are engaged now too and he's moving in."

"That's great, right?"

"Absolutely. I just realized that we both moved on. Which of course is what we wanted for ourselves and each other. But that means that Jack is slipping further away. I guess that still affects me."

"Oh hon. I wish I could hug you."

"Me too." She sighed, took a deep breath and wiped her cheeks. "I need to get going to the airport so I can get back to pick up Aria."

"Okay. I love you. See you later, right?"

"You better come over. I need that hug."

"I will."

…..

Elizabeth hugged her soon-to-be mother-in-law after she pulled up to the curb at the airport. She was grateful they had mended their differences and started building a relationship. She had been calling Helen weekly since she had returned to Fall River and she felt it was going well.

"Hi, dear," Helen said, squeezing her hand.

"Hi. Was your flight okay?"

"It was long, but just fine." Elizabeth opened the back of her vehicle and put Helen's suitcases in. Three of them barely fit.

"That's a lot of suitcases, if you don't mind me saying so."

"One has Christmas gifts, and the other two are my things. I figured that if I am staying for a few weeks to watch Aria when you and Lucas are on your trip, I might as well be comfortable."

"Of course. That makes sense."

Lucas was taking her to Maine to stay in an Air B B cabin for a week. She always thought they were romantic and charming, so she was excited. Plus, she'd never been to Maine. She was secretly hoping they would get snowed in. There was a good chance considering it was winter and all.

She could imagine them sitting on the couch by the fireplace, sipping coffee, or tea for Lucas, dreaming about their future. It was going to be perfect.

"What are you thinking about over there, Elizabeth?"

Elizabeth knew her face was red. Lucas brought that out in her for sure. She couldn't help it. He was amazing. "Lucas," she admitted.

"As it should be, dear. Martin made me feel much the same."

Elizabeth was silent for a moment and then she decided to ask a question. "May I ask you something personal?"

"I suppose that would be fine."

"I'm struggling with my parents dating other people. They got divorced a little over three years ago and now they are both dating again. Have you ever thought about dating since Martin passed away?"

Helen thought silently for a moment, her eyes on the scenery outside. "I feel lonely sometimes, in that big house. I truly believe that Martin was my one true love. However, sometimes I do miss having a kind man as a companion."

"It took quite a few years for me to move on after losing Jack."

"But remember, dear, you and I lost our husbands in death. That's different from choosing to live separate lives."

"Right. Yes."

Nothing more was said on the subject right then. They just drove to Laura's to pick up Aria and headed to Lucas' house to eat dinner.

"I want you to know, Helen," Elizabeth said a bit later as they were cleaning the kitchen. "I'm grateful to have you in my life. I look forward to being your daughter-in-law."

"I feel the same way, Elizabeth."

Aria skipped into the room with wet hair and bare feet. "Mommy? Will you braid my hair again, please?"

Helen tried not to hide her surprise when hearing Aria refer to Elizabeth that way. Lucas had mentioned it but to hear it, made her sad but grateful at the same time.

Helen blinked her eyes to clear away her tears and started the dishwasher.

"Of course I will, bugs."

"Thanks!"

"And while I do that, why don't you read to Nana and me for a change?"

"Amelia Bedelia?" she asked.

"Sure. I think we are on the second book, right?"

"Yup!"

"Well, go get under your covers and we will be up in a minute, alright?"

"Okay, Mommy."

Elizabeth walked closer to Helen and gave her a side hug. "I'm sorry if it's hard to hear her call me that."

Helen nodded and wiped a tear. "Its quite alright. Just something new to get used to. I suppose it made me think of all that Clara is missing."

"I didn't know Clara but I firmly believe she would be so very proud of that girl up there. And happy for Lucas. Don't you agree?"

Helen took a quick breath and nodded. "Yes, Elizabeth. I do believe she would."

"What do you say we go listen to her read and then we can have some tea while we wait for Lucas?"

"Sounds good."

.