Chapter 37

"We're home." Max set Holden on his feet and Hannah squeezed by him into the house.

"Hey." Liz greeted him. "How'd your day go?"

"Good." He pulled her close until Holden's insistent pounding on her leg led her attention to him.

"Hi, baby." Liz picked him up. "How were you?"

"Not a baby, Mommy." He wrinkled his face. "Love you." He hugged her.

"I love you, too." She hugged him tight loving his childish smell. There was something sticky on his cheek but she didn't want to fight him to clean it up. Undoubtedly Amy hadn't been able to get within a few feet of him with a washcloth. "What's on your cheek?"

"Popsicle." He said. "I was good boy."

"That makes Mommy so happy when you're a good boy, Holden." Liz complimented him. They were having a problem with him sharing the toys. Liz had taken him one morning and had to drag him off another poor kid who he had tackled to the floor.

"Down, please?" He asked.

Liz set him on his feet again and he ran off to pull out his blocks.

"How's Kailyn doing today?" Max asked.

"She slept most of the day. The pain killers they give her knock her out. I think that is the best. She'd never sleep otherwise. I think she has a hard time believing she's safe here." Liz told him.

"I think it's best if you stayed out of there for a while. She's terrified of men. Jim came by earlier and she shook so bad I thought she was going to lose the little bit of broth I could get in her. It took a lot out of her yesterday to let you carry her in."

"I brought her something." Max opened his briefcase. A doll with its head coming off on one side, in a lavender dress lay on top. It matched the one Hannah had on her bed perfectly. "They found this at the house they figured she'd want it."

"Yes, she would. I should fix the head." Liz took it gently in her hands. It was a lot dirtier than Hannah's. "I'll do that now. Dinner's on the stove, simmering this will only take a second." She went to get her sewing kit and set it out on the table. Ten minutes later the head on the doll was firmly in place. "Should I clean it?"

"No, give it to her now, and if she wants it cleaned later we'll do it." Liz got up to take it to her. "No, wait a minute."

He walked to the sewing basket. "Could you put a neck collar on her like she's getting better too?"

"That's a good idea. Could you get me the craft sticks that are in the same closet as my sewing kit?" Liz sat down to examine the work.

Fifteen minutes later the doll was splinted and put together exactly same way Kailyn was. "Look good?" Liz held the now stiff doll up.

"Yes." He said. "Go before dinner's ready. Then I want you to take a nap."

"Max." She glared up at him. She couldn't be mad because he understood his uneasiness about her carrying. She had miscarried a baby a year before she had Holden and she was having difficulties with this pregnancy. "I'm almost there, nothing's going to happen."

"Please, Liz?" Max pleaded.

"Alright." She nodded. "I'll just give this to her, then I'll lay down."

"Kailyn?" Liz opened the door. Hannah was sitting in the chair beside the bed talking softly to her. "Hi, Hannah bean." Hannah was showing Kailyn Monsieur Cuddles III. The original Monsieur and Madame Cuddles had died ten years earlier and they had steadily replaced them over time.

Hi, Mom." Hannah looked up. When she came closer she placed her hand on Liz's belly and received a kick from her sibling. Her face split into a smile. "Hi, baby. Here Kailyn, you want to try it?" Hannah turned to her.

Kailyn usually refrained from touching people unnecessarily but her face was eager. "Yes, please."

Hannah gently took her hand and placed it on Liz's stomach. When Kailyn felt the kick she gave a smile.

"Say hi to the baby. Then next time he'll kick again." Hannah told her. "That's what I always do."

"Hi, baby." She said quietly. "Do it again, please." She whispered.

The baby answered with a kick. "See he likes you." Liz smiled. "Max brought you something home from work." Liz sat down on the side of the bed.

"What?" Kailyn asked. No one ever brought her anything.

"This." Liz handed her the doll.

Her one eye widened and her face lit up for a second. "She's getting better like me?"

"Yeah." Liz said. Hesitantly she reached out to brush her brown hair out of her face. "How are you feeling, sweetheart?"

"Ok. My head hurts."

"I'm sure it does, honey." Liz comforted. "It's going to hurt for a few days but in a few days you'll start feeling better."

"I don't want it to hurt, Liz."

"I know, and I don't want you to hurt." Liz told her sadly. "You'll feel better soon. If you want I can have Max come and to bring you out to the couch."

Kailyn froze and shook her head. "No."

"That's ok, Hannah will you stay in here with her while I go rest for a little while?"

"Yes." Hannah nodded. "I'll stay here, where's the dog?"

"In the backyard, please leave her there." Liz stood and made her way to the door. Maybe laying down was a good idea. "Tell Daddy to keep an eye on Holden, please?"

Liz woke up and was surprised to find it was dark outside.

She checked in on Kailyn who was asleep and continued downstairs. "Hi, Mommy!" Holden said sliding from his father's lap.

"Hi." She smiled at her family. Hannah was also on the couch next to them resting her head on his shoulder. "No one woke me."

"You were tired." Max shrugged and pulled Holden back into his lap. He didn't like it when Liz carried him and this was the only way to make sure she didn't.

"Did you guys eat dinner?"

"Yeah, are you hungry, you want me to get you anything?" He stood and plopped Holden into his sister's lap. "I left a plate for you."

"I can get it." Liz smiled at her husband's attentiveness. She let him dote because she knew he was still feeling bad about not being there for Hannah twelve years earlier. Had it really been twelve years?

"I'll get it, go ahead and sit down." He directed her to the kitchen table.

"Ouch!" The cry came from Hannah in the other room. "Holden, let go!"

Max went to retrieve him from Hannah and sat him in a chair at the table. "Stay there." Max said sternly. He had taken to pulling Hannah's hair, and only Hannah's hair.

"You're mean, Daddy." He crossed his arms in a pout.

Liz tried not to smile. Max went about the kitchen putting things together and setting it in front of Liz sat down with her.

"How was your day at the office, were there a lot of reporters? That Taylor case is really making it big all over the state." Liz said after taking a bite. "Do they know about Hannah yet?" Max had gotten an assignment dealing with a major television star and a custody battle. Television crews had parked their car outside of his office and awaited every detail.

"Yes. They refuse to settle it outside of court." He said. He liked going to court once in a while. It kept things interesting. "Trial is set for Monday. And no, they don't know about her. Yet."

"You'll do great." She encouraged. "Don't worry about Kailyn."

Hannah decided to join them in the kitchen. "Mom, can Natalie spend the night tomorrow, please?"

"I don't know sweetheart." Liz answered honestly. "With Kailyn here I don't think that would be wise."

"Would you like some ice cream?" Max asked.

"Please?" Holden called. He was a sucker for ice cream.

"Yes, Daddy." Hannah answered. Max set the bowls in front of both of them. He pressed the suction down on Holden's bowl so he couldn't chuck it somewhere.

"Please, Mom, we won't make noise, I promise. Natalie said she could help me rehearse my lines."

"We'll see." Natalie and Hannah were active in a local county chapter playhouse. Both loved acting and had decided they would go to Hollywood together. Natalie seemed to be leaning more towards wardrobe and make-up where Hannah loved acting.

She gave Liz an unhappy look. She knew what that meant. Shifting so she was cross-legged in the chair, she looked at Liz.

"Mom, can I get a bra?"

Max turned bright red and his mouth hung open. The question had startled Liz also. She looked at her daughter for a second before her mouth started moving.

"Hannah..." She didn't know what to say.

"All the girls at Junior High will be wearing them, please Mom?" She pleaded.

She really didn't have anything to put in a bra. "Well, Hannah you really don't have a need for one yet." She said carefully so she wouldn't hurt her little girl's feelings.

"Mom..." She whined. She didn't want to be reminded of what she didn't have.

"You brought this up yourself, dear."

"Holden, let's go do some manly things." Max scooped him up into his arm letting out a string of giggles. Holden expertly pulled his bowl up and held it to Max.

"I do it!"

"Lovely." Max said to himself.

"I'm eleven, it's time, Mama." Hannah said trying to look grown up. "I even got a real summer this year."

The time between six and seventh grade, elementary and Junior High school, was the first summer the kids got. Elementary had year round where the junior high was traditional.

"Maybe a camisole would do. Not a bra yet, Hannah bean."

"Oh, Mom..."

"You got your answer." Liz finished eating and got up.

Hannah let the conversation drop. She walked to the sliding glass door and let the whimpering dog in. She plopped herself right in the middle of the kitchen. They joked that Ella had become Liz's dog more than anyone else's. She dutifully followed Liz everywhere and when she left she sat in front of the door eagerly awaiting her return.

Liz went upstairs to check on Kailyn and heard the persistent click of paws behind her.

"So is Hannah going to get a bra?" Max asked as Liz puttered around getting ready for bed.

"Maybe." Liz sat down in a chair to brush out her hair.

"But she's just a baby!" Max said incredulously. His baby couldn't need a bra yet. "Why would she want to wear one, don't little girls fight having to wear them? Isabel hated it."

"When they start early they don't, but when they're starting seventh grade and facing the locker room they want to." Liz explained. "It's quite depressing being small when all the other girls are growing and showing off, I would know, Max."

"But you turned out just fine; she doesn't need to wear one yet." Max tried to get her to have common sense.

"Max I'm thirty years old and have had and nursed two babies, soon to be three. It doesn't count for me. She's eleven and telling her that after she has babies she'll grow breasts wouldn't make her very happy." Liz told him and climbed into bed.

"I told her she could wear a camisole. A bra would be too uncomfortable for her."

"But, Liz!"

"Drop it, Max." She closed her eyes.

"Liz..." He didn't want his baby to grow up.

"Max, I'm tired." Liz said with a small whine in her voice. She never whined but he fell for it.

"Sorry, are you feeling ok, you want water or anything?" Liz had to fight to keep the smile off her face.

"I'm fine," she couldn't resist smiling.

"You did that on purpose!" He realized.

"It worked didn't it?" She said and lay against the pillow. "Go to sleep."

He let the matter drop.

iThree weeks Later/i

"Liz!" The scream pierced through Liz's sleep. She sat up awkwardly around her bulging stomach. Her heart beat rapidly when she realized it was Kailyn.

Max was already out of bed and came around to help his wife up. "Come on." He encouraged her.

He could see she wanted to get there faster but the baby was making it difficult. It had been several weeks since Kailyn had moved in with them and getting closer to Liz's due date. Kailyn could now see out of both eyes and would sometimes come down and sit with the family. The bruises had mostly gone away. He could see the toll this was taking on her and wondered if he should call Amy over to help.

She stood and Max handed her the bathrobe and slippers. He knelt down and helped her slip her feet into them. "Are you ok?"

"Yeah." She nodded.

She slipped into the bedroom. "I'm here, Kailyn."

"Liz..." She called again.

"Kailyn, wake up." Liz held the girl against her.

"Liz." She sunk against her.

"You're ok, you're safe." Liz cooed. Kailyn shifted and she let out another whimper when she hit her hurt wrist.

"He came again." Kailyn whispered.

"He won't come here." Liz promised. "He can't, Max and I won't let him."

They didn't understand, Kailyn thought to herself. He would come if he felt like it. No one could stop him. That's why her mother had died. Camilla had kept him from her and now Camilla was dead. He would come and get her; it was only a matter of time. Maybe he would come and get Max and Liz too. Maybe Hannah and Holden. The thought terrified her.

"He'll get you too."

"No, he won't sweetheart." Liz said. "Go back to sleep, honey."

"No!" Kailyn clung to her.

"Why don't you come to bed with me and Max?" Liz asked. She tried to fight the yawn. She couldn't do this and it flustered her. She was thirty five weeks pregnant. The baby would come anytime now. She needed to sleep, but she wanted to help Kailyn. If only she would trust Max.

"Ok." She said after a minute.

They had offered before but she had always refused. She didn't want to be anywhere near any man. Not Jim, not Max, not Kyle, no males.

Liz helped her out of the bed and Kailyn leaned against her. The cast on her foot made it difficult to walk without assistance.

Max was surprised when he saw Liz and Kailyn enter the bedroom. Kailyn crawled in and Liz got in after her.

She lay there for a few minutes. Kailyn pressed herself against her side. It made Liz unbearably hot in the late July heat but Kailyn didn't seem to notice. Max got back into the bed as well. Kailyn stiffened for a moment and then began to relax. Max sighed and both went to sleep.

Liz sat on the edge of the pool, her feet in the cool water. Max had dragged over a sun umbrella to shield her from the sun. Kailyn's foot cast had come off and her feet were hanging in the water next to her.

Hannah laughed as Max tossed her easily into the water. Liz was hoping Kailyn was taking note of how tender Max was with his children. Natalie was there too and got tossed into the water as well.

"Watch." Holden shouted from across the pool. His swimsuit was a wetsuit with a floatation device built in. He looked like a little body builder with it on.

He jumped into the pool causing a small splash. He came up proud of himself. He had just gotten the concept of holding his breath underwater.

Kailyn let out a little giggle.

"Aunt Liz!" Liz turned to see a five year old version of Isabel running to her.

"Hi, Rachel." Liz greeted her niece. "How are you?"

"Good." She said before running to her mother to help her into her suit.

"Hello, Liz, looking as lovely as ever." Isabel greeted with a cranky six month old in her arms.

"Hardly lovely." Liz glanced down at herself wondering if the baby would ever be born.

"You do." Isabel could see the strain in her eyes and noticed the way Kailyn stayed glued to Liz's side. Kailyn's eyes followed Isabel wearily as she sat down on the other side of her. She let the baby's feet splash in the water and he laughed happily. "How much longer?"

"Any day. Seems to be taking his sweet time." Liz rubbed her belly. Max swam over and tugged on Liz's foot. Kailyn pulled her feet up and sat cross-legged on the towel. Max smiled kindly at her and looked at Liz.

"I tell him to come because we're anxious to meet him, but he doesn't listen, Is. I'm pretty sure if his Aunt Isabel tried he'd listen." Max said. "I learned early enough to obey your every command."

"Oh, be quiet, Max." Isabel splashed water at him.

He laughed and splashed back.

Liz had gone into labor that night and went to the hospital in the middle of the night. Hannah had called her Grandma Amy and she came to the hospital to watch them.

Kailyn was anxious and wouldn't stop moving. She knew hospitals meant something bad. You only came to the hospital when something bad was happening to you.

"What are you doing?" Kailyn looked over Hannah's shoulder. She clutched her doll to her protectively.

"I'm drawing this for the new baby." Hannah explained. "You want to help."

She nodded. She drew a heart and then signed her name haphazardly. "There."

"Very nice, Kailyn." Hannah complimented.

"Thank you." She looked up when Max walked into the waiting room. It had been such a long time. Grandma Amy had brought them breakfast and then later Grandpa Jim had brought lunch.

There were other people here now. She was getting nervous and crowded closer to Hannah. Someone Hannah addressed as Grandma Diane was there. Kailyn hadn't seen her before but she seemed nice enough.

"Daddy!" Hannah hopped down and ran to her father. Holden followed suit.

"You have a new brother." Max beamed down at his children.

"What's his name?" Everyone was crowded around him. Kailyn sat in the chair and drew her legs up. Where was Liz?

"Caleb." Max said proudly. "Caleb James Evans."

They smiled at the proud father.

"Would you like to come meet him now?" Max picked Holden up in his arms.

"Yes!" They chimed in unison. Holden was anxious to see what this thing was.

"Mommy too?" Holden asked.

"Yes. We're going to see Mommy." Max nodded.

Kailyn stayed where she was. Liz was in there. Max looked happy enough and so did Hannah.

"Come on, Kailyn." Max held his hand out to her. Everyone turned to look at her. "Liz wants to see you too."

"Liz?" She stood hesitantly.

"Yeah, we're going to go see her, come on." Amy, Jim, and Diane were going to let the family meet their brother first.

She walked towards him slowly. She swallowed and slipped her hand into his. It was big and warm. She fought the impulse to pull away. She pulled her hand away and he let it slip from his. She felt cold and put it back. She squeezed gently and looked up at him. He squeezed just as gently back and smiled down at her. She smiled a little back at him. He wouldn't hurt her. It suddenly filled her with joy. He was like Liz only a man. He led them back to the room, Kailyn's hand safely tucked in his.

"Mama!" Hannah ran into the room.

Liz turned her face from her newest child to her oldest. "Hi, Hannah bean."

Kailyn slid her hand from Max's and walked next to Liz as well.

"Hi, Kailyn." Liz rubbed her hair, she had seen her holding Max's hand. "I missed you all."

"Can I see the baby?" Hannah asked.

"Yes," Liz held him up, she was exhausted. This was their last one. The doctor had told them it had to be.

"He's so cute." Hannah cooed. "Look, Kailyn."

"I look, please?" Holden asked. Max held him up and looked at his wife. His eyes ran over her body for just one more check. She was tired and Amy had told him she would take the kids home with them for the night, so Max could stay longer.

"You like your new brother?" Max asked.

Hannah nodded. Holden just stared. Kailyn wasn't sure the question was directed at her. He was just so...so...pink, and squishy. She could feel the love radiating off of Liz though. She looked up at Liz and felt the force of that love directed at her for the first time. "How about you, baby, do you like your new brother?"

"Me?" Kailyn asked.

"Yes." Liz nodded.

She looked at the baby again. She loved him. It was a warm feeling inside her chest. She knew that's what it was. She remembered Max and Liz saying it to each other and Hannah and Holden all the time. She had never expressed that emotion out loud before.

"I like him." She nodded smiling. She was included in this family, and that warmth surrounded her, she was safe.

There was a knock on the door and Amy entered. "How are all of you?"

"Good." Kailyn was still staring amazed at the baby.

"Let's get a picture of the new family." Amy said.

They crowded in close around the bed. Surprisingly Kailyn discovered she didn't feel uncomfortable at all. She slid her hand into Max's again. She felt like nothing could hurt her when she held his hand. He squeezed. She stood against the bed and Hannah pressed close behind her. Max was holding a squirming Holden to her other side. Amy smiled and took the picture.

"Perfect."

"Are you sure Kailyn Hamilton is your daughter?" Officer Benson asked the man before him. The man they had picked up as the murderer of Camilla Hamilton.

"Yes." He said. "I think I would know my own daughter."

"You know we have you booked for murder, you're not going to have anything to do with your daughter, if she is indeed your daughter."

"There's no way to prove it was me."

"Kailyn was a witness."

"Kailyn is an eight-year-old brat who will keep her mouth closed. She's too scared to say anything, just like her mother." The man said coldly.

"Don't be too sure. She's in a warm and loving home now, she's not the same Kailyn we picked up two months ago."

"How charming." He said menacingly. He was going to get that little girl. She belonged with her dear old dad.

"Trial is set for the fourth of September. I advise you not to go against the Evans family. It can just be a trial for murder or you can turn it into a custody battle as well." He said.

"A child belongs with its own blood."

"Alright, you asked for it."