Six weeks later, Beesands
It was February 14th and Elizabeth and Nathan were going out alone. She wrapped her deep red dress around herself and smiled. She added a pair of black heels and the diamond necklace that Nathan had bought her for Christmas. Next she ran her fingers through her curls but left them loose, knowing he loved her curls that way.
She couldn't believe they had known each other for seven months. She couldn't believe she had fallen in love with him and Kingston so fast. She couldn't believe that they were her whole heart. They had dreams and they were going to make sure they came true, together.
Her mind and heart did bring up Jack at this point, but she just smiled, wiped a few tears and grabbed her purse. Jack was an amazingly wonderful husband and father but he wasn't here anymore. She had moved forward and she had a really good man and his son that were her future.
The doorbell rang and her heart did a little jump. She walked down as he walked in the door. "Hey, love," she said, giving him a big smile. "You look so handsome," she told him, kissing his cheek.
"You are stunning," he said, returning the compliment. "Boy, am I lucky," he thought to himself.
"Thank you."
He took her coat from the closet and held it out, sliding it over her shoulders. "Believe it or not, it's snowing out there."
"It is?"
"Yeah. So instead of walking, I thought we'd drive."
"Okay."
He noticed her eyes were red. "You okay?"
"Yes," she assured him. Then she walked into his arms. "I'm perfect."
"You sure? Your eyes are red."
"Just memories," she admitted. "But tonight, I'm all yours. Let's go have dinner."
He nodded and held out his hand, smiling when she took his hand immediately. Would he always compete with Jack? He wasn't sure he measured up. She felt his hand stiffen around hers.
"Nathan, I love you. Do you trust me?"
"Of course."
"I need you to know that I do. I am really looking forward to our future."
She saw a moment of uncertainty pass over his face.
"I'm not living in the past. I know that you may think that I'm comparing you to Jack, but I'm not."
"Alright."
"May I ask you something?"
"Of course."
"Do things in life bring Faith back to your mind?"
"Yes. Less than before but just having King…it's hard sometimes."
"Then you understand."
"Of course I do." When they got in his car, he decided that at some point he would tell her that he did struggle a bit with being jealous of Jack but tonight wasn't about Jack. It was about them and their future. "I love you so very much, Bess."
She cupped his cheek and received his kiss. "I love you too."
Their dinner was really good but he didn't concentrate much on that. His mind was on his plans for the rest of the night.
Instead of heading to his car, he offered his hand and led her down to the bench where they shared their first kiss. It was a perfect memory and he wanted another perfect memory to take place there too.
The snow still fell in big, fluffy flakes and the bench was wet so he just led her to that vicinity so they could listen to the waves of the water nearby.
"Happy Valentine's Day," he whispered, tucking her hair behind her ears.
"Happy Valentine's Day," she whispered back.
"I'm glad we are together tonight."
"Me too."
"I want to be together every night, Bess. Forever." He leaned down and softly teased her lips. "Marry me," he said between kisses.
"Okay."
He pulled back and smiled. "Okay?"
"Yes, I mean yes."
"Soon?"
"You read my mind, Nate."
They wandered into the inn a bit later and Kingston stood there in his rumpled pajamas and bare feet. "So?" he asked, barely able to contain himself.
"So, what?" Nathan teased.
"Did you do it?"
Elizabeth held up her hand, showing her diamond ring that matched her necklace perfectly. "Do this?"
"Yes!" he cheered, rushing forward to hug her. "I'm going to have a mum!"
She felt tears coming as she rubbed his back. "I take it you're ok with that, King?"
"Yes. I need a mum and I'm really glad it's you."
"I'm glad it's me too."
Nathan stepped close to her and looked down at his son. "Alright, Kingston, bed."
"Come on, Dad. Let's celebrate."
"Nice try. We can celebrate at breakfast. It's late."
"Elizabeth, can we make waffles? With lots of syrup and whipped cream?"
"You bet."
He hugged her again and then ran upstairs like any eleven year old boy could.
Henderson, Jake and Tara's
Tara could no longer buckle her bullet proof vest. She was about 28 weeks along and her belly was very pronounced. You couldn't tell from behind that she was pregnant, only from the side and front.
Jake stepped up behind her in the mirror, resting his hands on her belly as he kissed her creamy neck.
"Morning, my love," she said, shivering.
"Hey," he said, smiling. "You're so beautiful, babe."
He chuckled when he got rewarded with a swift kick on his hands. "Hi, Jess. Daddy loves you."
They had decided to name their son Jack Jesse and call him Jesse. Both liked that they were including both grandfather's in his name.
Around that same time, Clara and Gracie came over to the house and helped paint the nursery in grays and blues.
"Ow," she blurted, bending over in pain.
"Babe? What is it?"
"Ow, I don't know." He helped her to their bed.
"I'm calling the doctor."
"Jake, I'm fine."
"You call pain fine?"
"I meant I'm not sure what's going on and to give me a moment."
Everything started happening fast after that. She kept having quick, sharp pains so Jake called the doctor. Before they knew it, they were on their way to the hospital to get checked out.
Jake saw her wipe her eyes as he drove. "I don't want something to happen to Jesse," she mumbled. "I need him to be okay."
"Baby, we are going to get checked out. The doctors will help us."
"Jake, it's too early. He's too small to survive."
Jake took her hand and threaded their fingers together. "We are going to pray and we will get everyone we know to pray and we are not going to lose him, Tara."
He didn't know that for sure, obviously. Neither did she. But praying was a good idea and she sent a family text to tell everyone else to do the same. That gave her a measure of peace to hold tight to.
Nathan groaned when he heard knocking again. He looked at his clock. 2am? Who was knocking at 2am?
He sighed, put his t-shirt on, stepped into his slippers and walked out to the entry way as the knocking persisted.
"I'm coming," he said quietly.
He opened the door and his jaw dropped. "Allie?"
"Uncle Nathan, can I stay with you?"
"Of course. What's going on? Is your mom with you?"
It had been a few years since he'd laid eyes on his baby sister Colleen. They were both at fault for that.
"No." She shivered, not dressed warm enough.
He opened the door wider and let her inside, leading her to the living room where he turned on the fireplace.
"Allie…"
"Do you have any tea, Uncle Nathan?"
"Yes. I'll bring you some."
Allie's phone buzzed in her pocket again. She knew exactly who it was, which was why she reached in and turned it off. Robert could just wonder where she was for a bit.
"Allie? Here's your tea," Nathan said a few minutes later.
"Thank you."
Nathan watched his twenty five year old niece sip her tea and stare at the fire.
"Its been a long time, Al."
"Yeah. Someone lives thousands of miles away," she said with a teasing smile.
"Which begs the question…"
"I needed to get away," she interrupted.
"From what exactly?"
Allie stood and stretched. "Can we talk about it tomorrow? I need to get some sleep."
"It is tomorrow, Al." He picked up her bag. "But sure. Your room is right this way. Follow me."
"I'll pay you for it."
"No way. Family doesn't pay."
Allie looked down at the ring on her left hand. Robert. He was her family.
"Al?"
She looked up. Uncle Nathan had stopped at a door and she was still on the stairs, staring at her ring.
She shook her head and followed her uncle into a lovely gray and blue room, complete with a canopy bed and gauzy curtains.
He put her bag on the bed and opened his arms to hug her. "Its good to see you."
"But…"
"But whomever or whatever you're running from...I can see it has a hold on you."
Her tears started. She really didn't want to talk about him tonight. "His name is Robert."
"When's the wedding?"
"Never."
"This ring tells a different story, Al."
"We are taking a break, Uncle Nathan."
"Okay." He kissed the top of her head. "I love you."
"I love you too."
Elizabeth showed up a few hours later to start coffee. As far as she knew, there weren't any guests, which was okay with her. She'd get to spend time with her new fiancé and her soon-to-be son.
She walked over to the coffee pot and started the machine, waiting for that lovely aroma to waft upward toward her nose. She looked out the window as she waited, wondering if they'd live at the Inn or all three would move to her cottage.
There would be more privacy from guests at her cottage and there were three bedrooms.
"Mum?" Kingston said, walking over to her. "Is it okay if I call you that?"
"If you want to, bud."
"I do."
"Then mum it is." She smiled and tied on her apron. "Waffles?"
"Yeah. That sounds like a good celebration breakfast," he told her.
As they cooked, Elizabeth realized she hadn't heard from the kids in awhile. "Oh no!"
"Mum?" Kingston looked up from the fresh fruit he was chopping.
"I'll be right back. I forgot to plug in my phone."
"Okay."
She rushed back home and up the stairs to her room, grabbing her phone and the charger. Yeah, it was dead. After talking to Nathan the night before until about 1am, she had fallen asleep without plugging it in.
She sat down on the bed and waited as electricity flowed into the device before turning it on.
Finally it worked. She had four missed calls? Ten text messages?
She hurried to listen to the voicemail. "Mom, Tara is having some pain," Jake said, a tremor in his voice. "We are at the hospital. Please call."
Her heart ached for her son. He sounded scared and lost and it hurt that she could do nothing.
Next message was from Jake again. "Mom, I'm so scared. The doctors said she's in preterm labor. She's only twenty eight weeks." A tear fell down her cheek as his voice cracked.
She really just wanted to hold him and tell him that everything was okay. Would be okay.
The next message was Gracie asking where she was and that she was heading to the hospital to be with Jake.
The last message was Rosie assuring her that she and Lee would be with the kids and that she didn't need to worry but to call as soon as she could.
Her fingers shook as she found Jake in her list. "Please be okay," she whispered as she waited for him to pick up.
"Mom?"
"Oh, honey, my phone had run down. I'm so sorry."
"Mom, I know it's a lot to ask but...will you please come?"