A few months later...

Sarah was finishing airing out her petticoats during her 'Spring Cleaning; when the mail came. She went to get it and thanked the mail boy who delivered it. He smiled. "I heared about your bundle of joy, congradulations. Take care of yourself!"

"Thank you very much," she answered politely. She took the mail and went inot the living quarters. Sitting on the couch carefully, she opened it. The first one was a letter from her mother:

Dearest Sarah,

Every time I write to you, I still find myself unable to believe it, my little girl is actually carrying a child! I pray that you and the baby are well. It is so hard to believe that I am to become a grandmother. I do feel old sometimes, I cannot believe this moment is about to happen! . If you need help with the baby my Dear, you know I am not that far away. I shall also expect to be present to help you give birth! I am not going to lie to you Dear, I know it will hurt, a lot, but the moment you hold that perfect person it will all be worth it. I know, I still remember when you were born, how perfect a baby you were!

How is James? I am tickled whenever you tell me of his reaction to this. I am sure James brought happiness to his own mother in the short time he had with her.

I know in the last few months of this, you might be bedridden for a long period of time, and I hope you will write more to me when this time comes. How is your paper? I love every edition you and James send to me. I do hope you are both taking care of yourselves. Send my love to James.

I love you always.

Your loving mother.

Sarah had to smile, her mother always seemed to fill her life with joy with each letter she sent to her. She laid the letter next to her and carefully eased herself up off the sofa. The doctor told her to take it easy now that she was carrying another human life within her. She went over to the writing desk to began to write her mother back when James came in. He smiled and kissed his wife tenderly. "Hi, Sarah."

"Hello, Love," she greeted him. "I've recieved a letter from Mother. She sends you her love."

"Thank you, and give mine to her. Sarah, I was at the tavern just now, you know where I go sometimes to have something to drink?"

"Samuel's place? Of course!"

"Well,his wife, Kathy, said she's got some news for us!"

"A story?!"

"I think so, she asked us to come down right away!" Sarah happily put down her pen and , with James's help, eased herself carefully out of the chair. They both went outside and James helped her up onto his horse.

"James," she laughed. "I'm perfectly capable of riding my own horse! The doctor said it's all right, I'm only three months along!"

"I know, but I don't want to take any chances," he explained, kissing her on the cheek."I just want to make sure nothing happens."

"I do not need you to look out for me, James. Thank you," Sarah said.

"Believe me, I know, Sarah, but I love you so much.I just want to make sure nothing happens. You're the most precious thing in the entire world to me, and I cherish every moment I have with you. Now that you're carrying our child, I want to make sure I spend every moment we have together near you as much as possible. Maybe this is a bit over protective..but it's only because I cherish you so much!"

Sarah's heart melted at these romantic words. "Oh, James..I love you too." She smiled slyly. "Don't just stand there, silly, come on up here with me!" James smiled and carefully mounted the horse behind Sarah.

A little while later James and Sarah rode up to the door of the tavern. He carefully helped Sarah off and they both went into the door. James smiled at Sarah and opened the door, holding it open for Sarah. Immidiately a huge chorus of voices yelled 'SURPRISE!'and Sarah held her hands to her mouth. She slowly looked around at the many people that were inside the tavern, the Adam's's, Deborah Sampson, Molly Corbin, John and Martha Jefferson, Joseph Plumb Martin, the Ludingtons, Paul Revere and his wife, even Martha Jefferson. They all surrounded Sarah and began to hug her, kiss her cheek, congradulate her. She stared for a moment while James smiled down upon her happily. The tavern itself was decorated with bright paper decorations and there were plenty of good things to eat by the table where Sam and Katy were standing with huge smiles.

"Wh..what in the world.." Sarah began.

"It's a baby party," Kathy explained, coming over to Sarah and giving her a huge hug. "We've been planning this for days, ever since James came running in here, practically yelling the news."

"A baby party?" Sarah asked curiously.

"Yeah, you know, Honey, a party to celebrate you having your first child!"

"Yeah, we throw them al the time for friend of ours who are having chikdren," Kathy explained. "Just a way for al of us to get together and say 'congradulations' and celebrate this new life you're bringing into the world."

Sarah melted all over again. "Oh, that is just so sweet, you did all this for me?"

James put his arms around her and kissed her on the cheek. "They were working on this ever since I told them our news."

Sam had to laugh. " Told us?! Try yelled it out! You should have seen hum, Sarah, he was bursting into the tavern all jumpy and filled with joy. He practially screamed to anyone who would listen how you were having a child. We had to calm him down he was just to excitied!" James blushed, embarressed as Sarah smiled up at him. He grinned and kised her cheek.

"Hey, it was one of the most important things to ever happen in my life," he explained as the others laughed. Kathy came over to Sarah and hugged her gentily. She took her hands and lead her to the brightly decorated chair that was at the head of a huge table leaden with al kinds of food."

"Hurry, now, you have presents to open!"she said happily.

"Gifts?" Sarah asked excitedly.

"Absolutely," Kathy said as she began to take the gifts from all the guests and began to set them down in front of Sarah.

One by one Sarah eagerly unwrapped each and every nice present. The first one was a beautiful handsewn blanket from Mrs. Adams. "Oh, Mrs. Adams, it's so beautiful! I love it!"

"I'm so glad, Dear. Nappy and I had fun making it for you. I remember when I made my very first one for MY very first!"

"Unwrap mine next!" Kathy said, handing Sarah a small, rectangular box. Smiling, she took off the paper and grinned when she saw the lovely little outfit that was sitting there.

"Oh, it's perfect, oh thank you!"

"Here's a little gift from Thomas and me," Martha Jefferson said, handing Sarah a pretty package. She unwrapped it reveal diapers and many other diaper nessesities. She couldn't help but laugh hysterically.

"Thank you so much!"

"You're going to need every one of them, darling," Martha said.

"Mine is next," Joseph said, as he lifted up a enormous package. She raied her eyebrows as she saw the sight of the gift. She reached over and took it happily. She had to set it on the ground, with James's help. She laughed all the while.

"Goodness, whatever could THIS be?!"she asked hapily.

Sarah eagerly unwrapped the huge gift,and found a homemade rocking chair! She had to gasp. " Joseph, you made this?" she asked.

He nodded. "It was fun, actually. But I can't take all the credit, actually Mrs. Adams helped give me the idea. She was teling me how babies do tend to cry a lot in the nighttime.."

"So be sure you get a LOT of sleep right now!" Kathy teased, making all the women in the room laugh.

"Anyway," he said in a loud, exaggerated way. "I thought you might like something that would help you get the baby to sleep faster so YOU can sleep!" Everyone really laughed at that. "Come on, sit down," Joseph said happily. "Try it out." Sarah, with the help of James, managed to sit down upon the chair and carefully began to rock slowly back and forth. "I love it, I love it," she said happily, laughing and enjoying it. "Oh, thank you, Joseph!"

"You're welcome," he said happily.

"Speaking of making things," John Adams said, coming forward with another huge gift, "Here's something from the boys and me,"

"Oh my, thank you, Mr. Adams," Sarah said, taking it and, with James's help, got up out of the rocking chair and unwrapping the next gift, a wooden rocking horse.

"For when the child is a bit older," he smiled. Sraah went to him and kissed him on the cheek, hugging him happily. "Oh thank you! It's beautiful!"

"Wow,I hope we can fit all this in the baby's rom," James said happily.

"Now here's a little something from me," Molly Corbin said, handing her a small gift. Sarah unwrapped a homemade blanket in many colors.. "Oh, Molly, this is so lovely, oh thank you!"

"You're welcome, Dear. I worked on it ever since I found out the news!"

"This is just something a bit silly," Sybil Ludington said, handing her another package. Sarah opened it up, inside was a small pairof shoes. Sarah couldn't help laughing. Sybil smiled. "Father and my brothers found them."

"They're so cute, thank you," Sarah said happily. Deborah Sampson then dragged in a huge present.

"Mine next," she said. Sarah laughed.

"Oh my," she said. James helped her unwrap it to reveal a cradle. "Oh, thank you, Molly!"

"You're welcome, Sarah. I got that from my Mama, that was my old cradle, take care of it, Honey!"

"I will," she said, hugging Deborah. Thank you."

"Now open mine," Abigail Adams said, dragging ut another gift that was covered in wrapping paper. Sarah gasped and unwrapped it happily to reveal a wooden crib set allover with white felt. White felt was even covering the bottom of the crib so no one could see underneath it.

"Oh, Mrs. Adams," Sarah said, gasping at the beauty of it.

"Do you like it?"

"Oh, I love it!"

Kathy cleared her throat and approached the crib. "And now. Ladies and gentilemen, Mr and Mrs. Hiller..for the biggest surprise of all!" She then removed the felt underneath the crib to reveal....Henri squatted down. He stood up happily. Sarah gasped.

"HENRI!" she cried as he ran to James and Sarah, embraced then and kissed both of them on their cheeks.

"Surprise!" he cried out.

"But..when.."James said.

"When James wrote to me about the baby, I decided to sail over and surprise you! I would not want two of my dearest friends to do something like this without ME there!"

"Oh, Henri , it's so wonderful to see you!" Sarah said.

"It sure is, how is France?" James asked.

"Oh, I cannot wait to tell you all that is going on there.." he began.

"But before you start, can we have something to eat now?" Joseph asked, making everyone laugh.

"Mon a mi, I thought you would never ask!" Henri said, practically running over to the food table as everyone laughed, James siled and put his arm around Sarah.

"Same old Henri," he whispered to her.

"Yes," she agreed. "But I have missed him."

"I have as well," James agreed. "And with him being here he can tell us all about France for the paper!" Everyone moved over to the main table as a huge spread was set up. Sarah immidiately recognised the spread before her.

"How beautiful," Sarah said with tears in her eyes. "It's a full tea party!"

"That it is," Deborah Samson said. "We wanted to do something that would make you feel more at home. We have cucumber sandwiches, egg salad, watercress, scones, cake, caramel sweets...."

"Oh, it's so lovely," Sarah praised. "Oh I haven't had a tea party in such a long time!"

Molly Corbin then sat Sarah down at the head of the table, handing her a cup. "Than sit down, honey, this is all for you!"

"Thank you, you're all so kind," Sarah said. "I shall never forget this day!"