Carson watched while Elizabeth nibbled at her food. He was halfway through his own meal, while she had barely made a dent in hers. He'd always had a hard time turning off the doctor part of his brain, and since Elizabeth was in a delicate situation, he spoke up.

"Do you normally eat like this?"

Cheeks reddening, Elizabeth glanced at him sheepishly. "No," she admitted. "I usually eat a healthy amount fairly quickly. It's a hazard of being a teacher – you have to eat when you can." She took another bite of her chicken pot pie. "I am hungry. However, I've noticed with this pregnancy that my stomach will be rumbling, begging for food, but when I actually sit down to eat, it revolts at the idea of eating fast. I have to go slowly or I risk losing the food."

"Ah." Carson leaned back in his seat. "I've heard of that happening a few times with other patients. That can't be a fun experience."

Elizabeth grimaced. "No, it isn't. It's really weird, to be honest." She gave him a wry smile. "So this isn't common?"

He shook his head. "The last time I saw it was when Amber…" He cut himself off suddenly, aware of what he'd been about to reveal. He hadn't spoken of it to anyone. Elizabeth, though, clearly knew where he'd been going with that statement.

"Your wife was pregnant?" she asked softly. "What happened to the child?"

"The first time, it was a miscarriage," Carson replied. "We were so excited to become parents." He could still see the glow in Amber's dark brown eyes as she told him he was going to be a father. It had been one of the happiest days of his life. "Amber started having complications when she was five months along," he said, letting out a small sigh. "She lost the baby a week later."

Elizabeth's hand went to her stomach. "But five months is so late for a miscarriage, isn't it?" she asked. There was a slight panic in her eyes. Carson knew it was because she was at the five month mark herself. He hurried to assuage her fear.

"It is late," he responded. "It's not common for miscarriages to happen in the second trimester. We don't know what triggered Amber's, but I suspect it was connected to a fall she sustained." He closed his eyes, throat working. "My guess is that fall came from her brain tumor. We just didn't know what it was yet."

Elizabeth regarded him with her deep blue eyes. They were filled with sadness as they frequently had been over the past months, but this time Carson knew it was for his loss that she experienced the emotion. "What about the other time?" she asked, her voice quiet.

Throat tightening, he looked down. "How do you know there was another one?" he asked.

Her voice was gentle. "You said 'the first time' before telling me about the miscarriage. That means there was another."

He hadn't realized he said that. Carson looked up, feeling the old grief well up inside. "Amber found out she was pregnant again right before her scheduled surgery. She didn't tell me until the day of the operation." Even two years later, the knowledge stung. "She was afraid I wouldn't perform the surgery if I knew she was pregnant."

Elizabeth studied him. "Would you have?"

It was a question he'd asked himself time and again. There was no easy answer. "I think so," he said slowly. "Amber and I both knew if there was no operation, she wasn't likely to survive another year. She wanted the best chance of survival for herself and our baby." He stared out the window. "But when I lost her on that operating table, our child died too." A wave of emotion consumed him. There were tears pricking his eyes when he looked back at Elizabeth. "I felt so guilty after that. Not only did I fail my wife, I failed the baby. The guilt still overwhelms me at times."

Elizabeth reached out, placing a hand over his. "It wasn't your fault, Carson," she told him gently. "You did what you could to save them. Sometimes, despite our best efforts, things don't go according to plan."

He found a smile. "I know that most days. It's been a process coming to terms with losing my wife and two children. Sometimes I even feel like there's more I should have done for the first pregnancy, even though I know there was nothing to be done."

"It sounds like a difficult experience," Elizabeth said, her eyes shining with empathy. "Losing loved ones is always hard."

"Yes," he agreed.

They ate for a time in silence. Elizabeth slowly made progress on her meal. When she spoke again, the subject surprised Carson.

"Do you still hope to have children someday?"

He blinked. "I don't know. I hadn't really thought about it." A wry smile curved his lips. "Besides, before I can think about children, I'd have to think about finding a wife." He shrugged. "And the simple fact is, I'm not getting any younger. Children might not be part of God's plan for me."

Elizabeth raised a brow. "You aren't that old," she protested.

He chuckled. "I appreciate the sentiment, but I'm in my forties. Not many men my age have newborn children."

Elizabeth laughed as she tapped her fingers on the table. "Men can have children into their sixties, which you, as a doctor, know perfectly well." She smiled at him. "If you find the opportunity to love again, Carson, you should take it. You're a good man. You would make a wonderful husband and father."

Her compliment warmed him. "Thank you, Elizabeth."

She shrugged lightly. "It's the truth."

He wasn't sure about that, but her words had the surprising effect of giving him hope.

A few days later, Elizabeth sat with Rosemary and Abigail in the former's home for tea. Rosemary brewed the tea while Abigail arranged scones on a platter. Both insisted Elizabeth remain sitting. She smiled, amused at their concern.

"I'm pregnant, not an invalid," she commented, eying her friends.

Rosemary tutted. "Be that as it may, we want you to be comfortable," she said.

Elizabeth shifted in her seat. "Comfortable" was something that was slowly becoming more elusive as her body expanded. Still, her friends were being sweet. She could accept their fussing.

When all three women were gathered around the table with their scones and tea, Abigail fixed Elizabeth in her gaze. "How are you doing, my friend?" she asked. Her voice was warm and motherly, full of concern. It touched Elizabeth's heart.

She smiled. "I'm healing, Abigail. It's a slow but sure process. I miss Jack every single day, but making visits to his grave has helped tremendously. I've lost track of how many hours I've talked with him there. And I have the love and support of wonderful friends." She included Rosemary in her gaze. "It's getting better. The grief lingers, but it's not all-encompassing. I'm making peace with the fact that Jack is gone." Her throat tightened slightly as she said the words. One hand went to her stomach. "But I'm beyond grateful to have a piece of him still with me." She sighed softly. "I just wish I wasn't going to raise this child alone. I never thought I would be a single mother."

Rosemary took her hand, giving it a light squeeze. Abigail gave her a sympathetic look. "That's understandable," she said. "No one pictures raising a child by themselves." She leaned forward. "I know it won't be the same as having a husband by your side, but you will have your friends to help you through."

"Yes," Rosemary agreed, nodding. She smiled. "You know if you ever need anything, Lee and I are literally next door. We'll be happy to support you however you need it."

Their love wrapped around Elizabeth like a blanket. She smiled through the tears in her eyes. "You two are the best friends a girl could ask for," she said. "Thank you for everything."

Rosemary hugged her. "We love you," she said. "There is a bond between us like that of sisters. We'll be there for each other. It's what we do."

Surrounded by her friends, Elizabeth felt a surety inside that everything was going to be alright, despite the unknown ahead.

As she passed the six-month mark of her pregnancy, Elizabeth began to experience pains in her abdomen. At first, they were random and rare. But as the weeks went on, they became more and more frequent. By the time she was close to seven months along, she decided it was time to pay Carson a visit. She'd scheduled an appointment for after school, but on the day of that appointment, she was seized with labor pains in the middle of a lesson. As she bent double in her chair, her concerned students huddled around her, talking all at once, their fear as palpable as hers. Elizabeth's eyes locked with Philip's.

"Get your mother and Dr. Shepherd," she gasped, clutching her stomach. "Hurry!"

Philip nodded, dashing out the door toward town. After what felt like an eternity, Carson ran into the schoolhouse, followed closely by Faith. "Move aside!" Carson said, his voice ringing with authority. The students parted immediately, giving him access to Elizabeth. He fell to his knees beside her, concern heavy in his blue eyes. "What's going on?" he asked, gripping her hand in his.

Faith rounded up the children and took them outside, giving Elizabeth and Carson some privacy. Between gasps, Elizabeth managed to speak.

"It feels…like I'm…in labor," she panted. Another pain took hold. She cried out, her grasp tightening on Carson's hand as she bent in half.

Carson placed a hand on her stomach, waiting until her contraction eased. Sweat beads dotted Elizabeth's forehead. "It's too early, Carson," she whispered. "I can't be in labor."

He shook his head. "It is too early," he agreed. "This could be false labor. Have you been doing any strenuous activity lately?"

Elizabeth shook her head.

"Eating any spicy food?"

Again, she shook her head. Cramps seized her belly, less intense than the contractions, but still painful. She caught her breath.

Carson stood. "May I lift you?" he asked.

She blinked up at him. "Lift me?"

He nodded. "I mean to carry you to the infirmary where I can monitor you and see if we can stop these contractions."

"Oh. Alright." She allowed him to hoist her into his arms. He held her firmly against his chest, his arms strong yet gentle. He walked from the schoolhouse, pausing only to ask Faith to send the children home for the day, then headed purposefully for the infirmary. With no pains to plague her, Elizabeth relaxed in Carson's arms. There was something strangely comforting about being with him, knowing he was going to help her and her baby. She rested her head against his shoulder, but the calm didn't last long. Another contraction took hold, making her cry out in pain. Carson hurried his pace.

When they reached the infirmary, he settled her on a bed. "Hopefully laying down will help your body relax," he said. "It might ease these pains." He set about making a tea blend, explaining what each ingredient was meant to help with. When he brought it to Elizabeth, she obediently took a sip, then nearly spit it out. With a grimace, she swallowed, looking up at Carson wryly. "This is disgusting."

His lips quirked in a half-smile. "I know. But it will help. Drink it all."

She did. As she sipped the bitter liquid, Carson asked her a series of questions. Elizabeth answered as best she could. By the time he had finished, she was done with the tea. He took the cup from her, placing it in the sink, then made some notes on his clipboard.

"What's wrong with my baby?" Elizabeth asked, unable to hold the question in any longer.

Carson sat in the chair beside her bed. He placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Nothing that suggests imminent danger," he said. That made Elizabeth relax slightly, but his next words put her on edge again. "However, your baby has an elevated heart rate. So do you. That is not good for either of you. These contractions are very strong, which worries me, since you still have two months for your little one to grow." He looked her in the eyes. "I have a prescription for you, but I don't think you're going to like it."

Elizabeth steeled herself. "Anything for my baby," she told him, squaring her shoulders. "I'm sure I can handle it."

He smiled. "Atta girl. That's a good attitude."

When he didn't continue, Elizabeth raised a brow. "And this prescription is…?" Her eyes widened. "Please tell me it doesn't involve that horrible tea!"

Carson laughed. "It does involve that horrible tea, I'm sorry to say," he replied. "I will mix up a blend and provide you with enough to consume two cups a day, one in the morning and one in the evening."

Elizabeth winced. Carson patted her shoulder. "You'll get used to it. If you add some honey, it's not so bad."

She eyed him. "I notice you didn't say it would taste good."

He laughed again. "No, I didn't. I wouldn't lie to you." The teasing note in his voice made her smile back. "Well, that doesn't seem so bad," she said, smoothing the material of her shirt over her stomach. "I can handle two cups of tea a day."

Carson shook his head. "That was only part of it," he said. "The easy part, in fact."

"What's the hard part?"

"I'm putting you on bedrest."

"What?!" Elizabeth stared at him in shock. "Carson, I can't be on bedrest! I have to work! I have to continue getting ready for this baby's birth! I can't lay in bed all day!"

His face took on a doctor's resolve. "Elizabeth, you need to rest for the sake of your baby. Nothing else is nearly as important. I will talk to the school board about finding a substitute for the remainder of the school year." She started to protest, but he held up a hand. "Your baby will be coming sometime in December. You'll want to be with the child for the first few months of its life. I'm afraid teaching is out of the question until next school year."

Elizabeth sank against the pillows. "But…my students…" she said weakly. "Who will replace me?"

"It will be someone well qualified for the job," Carson assured her. "Your students will be fine. Right now, you need to focus on yourself and the baby." He pinned her with a stare. "This is not optional, Elizabeth. If you don't rest, your baby will come much sooner than it should. That could mean your child wouldn't survive."

Stricken, Elizabeth stared at him. "Is it truly that serious?"

He nodded. "It is."

She swallowed, tears springing to her eyes. "I can't lose Jack's baby, Carson. It's all I have left of my husband."

Carson reached out to take her hand. "I know," he said gently. "And if you rest, you will be fine. Your baby will be fine."

She sighed, resigning herself to the thought. "So I can't leave my bed?"

He smiled. "Not exactly. When I say bedrest, I simply mean you can't be doing anything more than light work. Preparing food, walking from the upstairs to the downstairs, writing – all of that is fine. You can spend your days in bed, on the sofa, at your desk or table; it's up to you. The key is that you aren't working your body more than necessary. No walks, no lifting anything, no shopping for groceries. I will let Abigail know what's going on. You can be sure she will arrange for your care." He smiled again, pressing her hand. "Your friends will help you, Elizabeth. And I will come by at least twice a week to check on you and make sure everything is going smoothly."

"I might talk your ear off when you come," Elizabeth warned him. "I'm not used to being alone all that often. These days are going to be long while my friends are at work. I'm sure I'll have company in the evenings, but it will be a struggle being on my own during the day."

Carson laughed and offered her a wink. "Maybe I'll come three times a week."

She grinned. "That would be great. Thank you, Carson."

He smiled. "My pleasure."