Catherine was sitting on the couch watching TV when Steve arrived with Don. Steve walked over to her and kissed her forehead. "Hey."

"Hey," Catherine replied.

"Are you feeling better?" Steve asked.

"Yeah, thanks."

"Don's back," Steve pointed to his son.

"Oh, that's great. How was the driving practice?" Catherine asked Don.

"It was fine," Don replied.

"But there's one thing you need to know. With your father at the driving the motto is: do as I say, but don't do as I do."

Steve protested. "Cath..."

Catherine smiled. "It's the truth, Steve. Sorry."

"Okay," Don replied and then went to his room and Steve sat down next to Catherine. "I'm worried about you. Since we've met I've never seen you sick."

"I'm not sick, Steve. I'm pregnant." Catherine lay down on the couch and asked him for a foot massage.

Steve massaged her feet for a few minutes. "Where are the girls?" He found the silence in the house odd.

"Lyla wanted to take a shower and I asked Caroline to bathe her. I still get a little dizzy if I bend down."

"All right. I'll ask Rose to make some coffee," Steve told Catherine.

"Rose finished her work and I told her she could go home,"

Steve smiled. "You're the good boss, right?"

"No. I just try to be fair. She did everything she was supposed to do, there was no sense in making her keep her schedule if I'm home."

"It's okay, Cath. You own the house now."

Carol helped Lyla down the stairs and the little girl ran to Steve. "Daddy, I've showered and I'm scented."

"Oh, really? Let me check that out." Steve hugged her and smiled. "Wow, what a fragrant girl!"

Lyla moved closer to Catherine so that Catherine could check her out as well. "You look beautiful and very fragrant, dear."

Lyla smiled and sat down between Catherine and her father.

"Thanks for giving her a shower, Carol," Catherine said.

"What about you, Carol? It's time to take a shower too. In a little while it's time for dinner." Steve said to his daughter

"It's still three hours till dinner time, Dad," Carol replied.

"That's a mere detail. Just do what I told you to do."

"Okay," Caroline replied not very happily.

At dinner time Catherine took advantage of the family gathering and said that in three days she would go to the appointment and that she might find out if the baby was a boy or a girl, and invited the family to watch the ultrasound. Don didn't answer if he would go, and Carol said she would rather stay home.

Catherine was saddened by Carol's answer. She had expected Don not to go, but she was upset with Caroline's response. It seemed that no one cared about her pregnancy. "It's okay," Catherine replied.

Steve could tell she was sad and stroked her back. "But Layla and I will be there looking forward to finding out who's in there. Right, Lyla?"

"Right, Daddy!" Lyla replied with her mouth full.

"Let's find out if it's Liz or Jake," Steve said.

"I thought you hadn't chosen a name yet in case it's a boy," Catherine said to Steve. She had told him that he could choose the name if it was a boy.

"I've been thinking a lot about it the last few days and have decided that I like the name Jake. But we will put that name on him only if you agree," he replied.

"I agree," Catherine replied.

"But it won't be Jake, it will be Liz," Lyla told them.

"Do you think it's Liz, daughter?" Steve asked Lyla.

"Yes," Lyla replied.

"Well, if you get it right and it really is Liz , you'll get a present. What do you want to win?"

"A lollipop," Lyla told him.

"That's all?" Catherine asked and whispered something in her ear.

"And a bike," Lyla added.

Steve smiled. "Okay. A lollipop and a bike for Lyla if that's Liz in here," Steve stroked Catherine's belly.

Catherine smiled at him thanking him for his support.

Later, after Steve had put Lyla to sleep in her room with Caroline, he went to his room where Catherine was almost asleep. "Sorry, Cath. Lyla took her time to sleep."

"She wanted to sleep here, Steve. You could have allowed it, I felt sorry for her," Catherine told him.

"You're not well and you need peace to sleep."

"But Lyla doesn't take away my peace," Catherine replied.

"But today I want to be very close to you. Just you and me and no one else."

Steve took a shower and then joined her in bed. He chatted with her about Don and why he was teaching his son to drive.

"Your mother-in-law is right, I think it's a good way to approach him."

"She's not my mother-in-law anymore," Steve replied. He stroked her face with his fingertips. "When are we going to get married?"

"When you propose to me," she replied.

Steve pushed a lock of hair away from her face. "Do you want to marry me, Cath Rollins?"

"Yes, but not until after the baby is born."

"I guess I can wait a few more months as long as you are here with me," Steve took her in his arms and kissed her with affection, love and desire.

PS: Thank you for your review in the previous chapter.