Chapter 25

The sound of her phone ringing woke Avery with a shock. Once she realized what the cause of the sudden noise was, she turned over in her bed and looked at the clock: 4:31 a.m. Who on earth would be calling her at this hour?

"Hello," she answered groggily.

"Happy birthday, beautiful," a familiar voice replied on the other end of the line.

"Josh... you've seen me when I wake up. I'm nowhere near beautiful . . . but thank you." Now slightly more alert, "How is it that you are so awake? It's 4:00 a.m."

Josh grinned. She definitely wasn't a morning person. When he would be up and ready to go most mornings, she would be peering over a cup of coffee as if the strong aroma would be the only thing keeping her from passing out right into it. It was one of her cuter quirks, he thought.

"Didn't you notice the time?" he asked teasingly. "Twenty-two years ago today, at this time, you made your debut into the world and made me the luckiest man alive."

Avery smiled and laid back, sighing happily against the pillows. "You're a hopeless romantic. You know that?"

"That I am, darlin'," he replied in a corny southern accent. "And aren't you glad I use all my hopeless romancing on you?"

"Yes," she laughed, "very glad. It's very sweet of you to get up this early just to call me."

"Well, I have to be at work in an hour . . . so it's not entirely about you," he teased.

Avery shook her head smiling ear to ear. He was truly unbelievable and she loved every bit of it. "What a way to lose some points there, baby...And you were doing so well."

Josh, again grinned. "I'm sure I can make up for it."

"Really?" she asked amused. "And how do you plan on doing that?"

"When you wake up later this morning . . . " he paused momentarily allowing his mind to get off track. "Because I know as soon as you put, the phone down you will be fast asleep again." His tone was serious but he was speaking light heartedly.

Getting back to the point he said, "You will have a few surprises in store throughout the day."

"Surprises?" This caused her to perk- up. "What kind of surprises?"

"You'll just have to wait and see." He smiled. "Now I'll let you go back to bed and I'll see you later tonight . . . I love you."

"Love you, too . . . "

Avery put the phone down and settled herself back in bed. How, she wondered, was she going to get any sleep now, wondering exactly what Joshua had in store for her that day. Then she thought of something: what if Rebecca was right? What if he was going to propose? It would be the next step in their relationship...

Avery shook her head. "Don't get your hopes up," she quietly said to herself.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Mac kept her eye on Rod as he finished getting dressed. He was unusually quiet and he'd been withdrawn for the past few days.

Mac slipped on her shoes and walked over to their dresser. He was just finishing putting on his watch.

"I should be done by five today if nothing comes up," Mac said casually while putting on her earring.

Not really paying much attention to her, Rod just nodded and said, "Sounds good."

Noticing his lack of interest, she continued sarcastically. "Yeah... you know unless someone declares war or Nathan's captured by aliens and dressed in drag."

"Sure . . . " He looked up realizing just what she said. "I'm sorry, Mac." He was apologetic..

Mac joined him, standing in front of him. She tilted her head slightly. "Want to tell me what's got you so preoccupied?"

Rod gave her a weak smile and shook his head. "It's nothing, honey."

"You've been acting weird since Christmas . . . " Suddenly something clicked. "Did something happen between you and Josh?"

"What would make you think that?" he asked surprised.

Realizing that she hit the nail on the head, she told him, "I thought you two were doing better. Rod, don't tell me you're still having issues with him . . . and if you are, don't let them be known, not today of all days."

"That's just it, Mac . . . I have been preoccupied lately, but not for the reasons you think."

Taking a seat next to him on the bed. "Mind filling me in?" she asked hopefully.

Seeing Rod's hesitation, she took his hand in hers.

"I don't have any issues with Josh, Mac. I'm actually a little nervous for him."

Mac was confused. "Nervous for him? What for?"

Rod hesitated for a moment, looking down at his hands and then back up at Mac. "He's planning on proposing to Avery today."

Mac wasn't entirely surprised. She knew it would happen eventually. However, she was surprised that her husband–given his history with Joshua–seemed to have the inside information. "How do you know that?"

"He told me that's what he was planning to do when we talked on Christmas eve." He shrugged. "You know, when we had that chat in the kitchen... just the two of us."

Mac grinned slightly. "And you're nervous for him?"

"Well, yeah . . . he's not my favorite person, but I can relate to what's probably going through his head right now... It's not easy planning and then wondering if it will turn out like you hoped."

"Do you think she'll say no?"

"That's what I've been worried about. I really can't tell . . . Do you think she's ready, Mac?"

Mac thought for a minute. "I think she's smart, and she obviously loves him . . . but only she knows for sure if she's ready."

Rod stood up with a sigh. "A month ago I would have been worried she would say 'yes,' but now I'm actually more worried she'll say 'no.'"

Mac grinned and likewise stood up. "Have you become attached to Joshua, Rod?" she asked amused.

Rod shrugged. "He's not so bad. He plays a good game of golf, and the kids are already attached to him . . . she could do worse."

Mac reaches up and kisses him softly on the lips.

"What's that for?"

"I'm proud of you. You've come a long way, honey."

"Let's just keep that between us, okay?" He winked. "Besides, I told him I'd kill him if he ever hurt her."

Mac laughed and nodded. "Now, there's the man I love... Come on, I want to see the kids before they leave for school."

Mac and Rod walked out of their room and in the direction of the kitchen. As they passed the foyer they saw Avery and Rebecca huddled together around the table.

"That's so sweet! He put so much thought into it," Rebecca was saying.

"Good morning, girls." Mac and Rod both greeted their daughters.

"Happy birthday, baby," Mac said, hugging Avery.

Rod hugged her next. "Happy birthday, honey."

"Thank you." She smiled.

"What's all of this?" Rod asked looking at a vase full of lavender roses with a single pink rose in the middle of the bunch.

"It's one of her surprises from Josh," Rebecca mischievously announced.

Mac arched her brow. "One of your surprises?"

Avery's cheeks turned a slight shade of pink. "He called me earlier this morning and said I would be getting a few surprises throughout the day . . . and then my real gift after we all come back from dinner tonight."

She dreamily touched one of the roses and said, "Twenty-two lavender roses and there is a pink one, for good luck. In his card he said this would be the theme for the day."

Without missing a beat Rebecca teased, "Yeah... and we all know what his big gift is going to be."

Avery rolled her eyes. "Don't start with that again, will you."

"I'm just guessing, but from all the thought he's put into this: from the phone call, to the flowers, and a whole day of surprises . . . he's working up to something big."

"And what exactly do you think he's working up too?" Mac asked her middle daughter.

"I think Josh is going to propose tonight," Rebecca said confidently.

Rod nudged his wife discretely.

"He's not going to ask me to marry him. I've told you a hundred times already, Becca. He's just not ready." Avery shrugged, hoping to disguise her own uncertainty of what she thought his feelings may be.

"What if he is?" she kept pressing on.

"I'm not talking about this anymore, okay?" Trying to change the subject she said, "I need some coffee. Are you coming, Becca?"

Rebecca nodded and followed her into the other room.

Mac turned to her husband and said. "I don't think you have to worry anymore. It looks like she wants him to ask, and just doesn't want to get her hopes up . . . She just has no idea it's coming."

"She's in for a surprise tonight," Rod quipped meeting his head with his wife's.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The entire day had been filled with small surprises for Avery. On her way back from class, her secret service agent, Tony, handed her a CD in the limo as he was instructed to do so by Josh. Avery put the CD into the player and heard the first song on the disc was "Sweet Caroline." Instantly she began to laugh and thought back to a night back in England soon after Josh had become her doctor and he was slowly becoming her closest friend. They had spent the evening talking about names for her baby. When Josh asked her how her parents had come up with hers:

"Avery was just a name my mom loved. She read it in a baby name book and said it just felt right. Dad agreed to use it if he could use his mother's name as my middle name." Avery explained as they finished their desert.

"What's your middle name?" Josh asked very much interested. Avery hesitated and he tilted his head. "Come on it can't be that bad. I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours," he playfully pouted.

Avery rolled her eyes and caved. "It's Caroline," she said quietly.

Josh smiled. "Avery Caroline Calloway, huh?"

Avery smacked him playfully.

"I'm not making fun. It's a beautiful name and you have your own song," he pointed out. "I like it."

"Don't try and flatter me into forgetting that you still haven't told me your middle name."

"I did say I would, didn't I?"

She nodded.

"It's Nathaniel, after my father. Although now I think he would have rather name the dog after him instead of me. I haven't lived up to the expectations he had for me."

In a friendly manner, Avery placed her hand over his comfortingly. "You're not supposed to live your life to make him happy, you're doing what you love, you do it well... and I'm grateful to have you looking after me. There is no one I'd trust more."

They both smiled at one another. Avery glad to have him as her friend and confidant, a relationship she never really had with anyone else... and Josh slowly realizing his growing feelings for the young woman before him.

Avery was brought out of her memories as the limo came to a stop in front of the door. She looked at her watch and realized that she needed to hurry and get changed to go out to dinner with her family. She rushed up to her room and opened the door to reveal a ceiling full of balloons each with a number on them. Amy popped her head into the room.

"Josh dropped those off. I'm supposed to give you this," the little girl said handing her an envelope. "What's it say?"

Avery began to read it and smiled. "It says: 'This is your last surprise before I see you. There are twenty-two balloons and each has a card attached to the string. Each card has written on it one of the many reason I love you. Read each one according to the number on the balloon. Love Josh"

Curious she found the balloon marked #1 and read the card out loud.

"I love the way you think you look awful when you first wake up when it is actually then I find you the most beautiful."

The second card read: "I love the way we glance at each other across the room and know what each other is thinking."

One by one she read each card, melting at his words. She finally reached the last one read it out loud to Amy just as she had done with the others. "Just because this is the last card doesn't mean I've run out of reasons why I love you. It just means I'm saving the rest for next year... so to conclude this years list of the things that has made me love you is... " Amy rolled her eyes as a very different reaction came from her sister whose eyes began to well up in tears as she continued. " How much I love the way you love"

Amy stood up and said, "You guys are too mushy. You're worse than mom and dad."

Avery laughed and wiped the tear rolling down her cheek. " I can only wish to have what they've had," she said to her little sister. "Come on we're going to be late if we don't get dressed.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Rod and Mac had sat anxiously during dinner watching the interaction between the two. Rod noticed a calm over Josh which was strange considering the fact that he had been so nervous just a few weeks before. He gave him a friendly pat against the back as he handed him a after dinner drink back at the residence.

Josh gave Rod a nod to say "thanks."

"What time does your flight leave tomorrow?" Avery asked Josh. He was headed to a medical conference for a week in San Diego.

"Seven ...and I'll be back before you know it." He squeezed her hand gently. Avery looked down at their hands saddened by the prospect of an entire week without him.

Josh decided to salvage the good mood everyone was in and changed the subject. "So your highness , did you get everything you wanted?" he asked playfully.

"Considering I would have been happy with just spending time with all of you today... I think I made out great this year. The flowers and balloons were amazing, thank you." She kissed his cheek.

"Well, I still owe you one more gift." He reached into his coat pocket that was laid over the arm of the sofa.

Everyone including Avery held their breath in anticipation.

Josh pulled out an envelope and gave it to her. "Look inside."

Avery arched her brow and opened the envelope pulling out a brochure. " It's a brochure," she said looking up perplexed.

Josh looked over to Rod, who looked even more confused than his daughter, then back to Avery. "It's a brochure of where we will be staying in Hawaii next month while you're off from school... I thought you could use a break after the semester you've had."

"You and I are going to Hawaii next month?" Avery smiled feeling guilty to have been disappointed when she saw the envelope.

"We can cancel it if you want or do something else?" he asked unsure of her reaction.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek. "Are you kidding? This is the best present I could have asked for, thank you."

"Who's ready for cake?" Kate asked coming out of the kitchen with the cake.

Everyone gathered around and sang "Happy Birthday." Even if Rebecca's suspicions didn't prove to be true, Avery knew it was still a birthday she would never forget.