CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

Lee had decided to take the day off. They were having a baby!

"Rosie, we're going to be parents!" he practically shouted.

"There's no way I'm going to get any work done today, that's for sure! Let's go home, Sweetheart!"

It was for sure, their excitement individually and as a couple could not be contained!

And the more it sank in that their baby was real, the more excited they became!

The two couples were riding back to their rowhouses together.

The chatter was so lively from the front seat between Lee and Rosemary, that Nathan and Elizabeth just sat in the back seat smiling from ear to ear!

Again, no one noticed Lucas standing in the doorway of his Oil Office, intently watching the two couples drive by.

He returned to his desk and quickly scribbled a note: Purchase the most expensive car on the market for my Darling Elizabeth.

And in his thoughts, he added 'Just as soon as things are better.'

He then remembered to call his Mother.

"No, Mother, the two of us won't be coming to New York as I planned, but I'm sure we'll arrange it at a later date. I know you're disappointed to not meet Elizabeth, but I promise we'll reschedule soon. She's dying to meet you, too! And Mother, thanks for sending Grandmama's engagement ring. I'm giving it to her for Christmas! Yes, we'll talk soon. Oh, and Mother, I think she's going to write you a note, and she may say something, thanking you for helping to publish her book. Just tell her she's welcome and play along with it. I don't want her to think it was all me. Talk soon!"

What Lucas didn't know was that Judge Bill Avery was outside his office, on his way to see Carson, and he had heard every single word Lucas had just said.

Instead of continuing his walk toward the Infirmary, Bill retreated quickly to Nathan's office to write down every one of the words he had just heard Lucas say, while it was still fresh in his mind.

"Mr. Bouchard, or whoever you are, you just crossed the wrong person," Bill muttered under his breath.

Lee lifted Rosemary out of the car and carried her up the steps and through their front door.

Nathan and Elizabeth let themselves out and gave the Coulters the privacy they so badly needed.

"Darling, want to take a walk around the pond, then grab some lunch before you go back to school?"

"Sounds wonderful! Let's do it!"

Nathan took Elizabeth's arm and led her in the direction of the pond, but the cold wind was piercing through them.

As they got closer, he gathered Elizabeth to him as tightly as he could to protect her from the winds, "Elizabeth, this is much too cold and piercing. It's even freezing closer to the pond. Let's turn and head back."

They passed her house, then the Coulters', and they couldn't help but smile knowing the happiness that was inside that little rowhouse!

They couldn't resist a quick kiss either, but their lips were like ice!

They finally reached Nathan's rowhouse.

"Please, please let's go in for just a moment before we head to the Cafe. I'm frozen," begged Elizabeth.

"How can I resist that adorable look, especially when it's frozen?" he teased.

"You better not be able to resist, frozen, or unfrozen!"

He closed the door behind them and leaned his tall, lanky frame against the back of his door.

"Whatever do you have on your mind that privacy was so important, Mrs. Thornton?"

"Just this, Constable…"

She turned toward him and stood on her toes to reach his lips.

"I love you, Nathan, and I'm ready for you to read my book."

"You are?" he asked, pleased, but also a little surprised.

"I am."

"I would be honored to read your book, truly honored, my Love. I've just been patiently waiting for you to ask."

"Promise me you won't be too critical, and I'll give it to you tonight after our dinner."

"Me, critical? Never! Hey, you want me to fix us something for lunch instead of going to the Cafe?"

"Yes, please, pretty please."

"Well, that's pretty definitive!"

"That's me, the definitive school teacher," not being able to resist the pun.

He gave her a look of mock exasperation, just like when she had first put icing down his nose.

"Elizabeth, maybe I'm just being too much of a Mountie, but did it strike you as odd that Lucas had no come back about the Book Tour? He just accepted your refusal without question. At first, I thought it was just because you were so forceful. But, Darling, looking back on it, his response just didn't seem a normal one for him. I've never known him to give in to anything that easily. I mean, he could have said 'I'll have them cut it down to a doable time frame for you,' but there was no rebuttal. I just find that extremely odd."

"Truthfully, I hadn't thought about it. But now that you mention it, it was a little odd. And I did notice, he couldn't wait to leave, which was fine by me."

"Well, don't worry about it. I'll keep a watch out. Now, back to lunch with my Beautiful Elizabeth. We have Bacon, and we have Bacon, and we have Bacon."

"You really aren't much of a shopper, are you?" she laughed. "Bacon sounds perfect. I'll have the second version, please!"

"Want some scrambled eggs, too?"

"Oh, yes, please, with toast and jam! Those scones from breakfast haven't lasted through all this freezing cold!"

"And look at this, I've even got Juice. Want to make the Coffee, Mrs. Thornton?"

"Yes, but it will cost you."

"And I'll be more than happy to pay. Name your price."

"Hmmm, I'll have to think about my pricing protocol. Give me a moment...it's fairly steep. The bad part is you've already committed. There's no getting out now, Constable!"

"Oh, I have no doubt about that. I'm hooked, lined, and sunk!"

And there was that handsome smile that lit up his entire face.

But all he could see was the beautiful smile lighting up her face and radiating back to him.

"Nathan, I'm so, so happy and so, so thankful. Rosemary and Lee are having a baby! Carson thinks she's probably about two to three months along. That means a baby in, let's see…May or June. Oh, no! Let's hope May. Rosemary would never forgive me if she weren't in our Wedding! What will we do?"

"Pray, the baby comes in May?" asked Nathan, somewhat doubtfully, knowing full well, babies came when God was good and ready for them to come.

"Yes! We'll have to do just that! Because she'll want to be in on all the planning. Although, I guess it would be more accurate to say, she will want to be in charge of all the planning!"

"I can't imagine Rosemary not being involved, just because she's going to have a baby. Do you think she'll be feeling that poorly by then?"

"Well, I felt fine until the very end. But one never knows with Rosemary!"

"Very true!"

He reached to give her a quick kiss as he started to fry the Bacon.

Lee and Rosemary could barely speak. Their biggest dream was coming true, and now, they were really going to finally be parents.

Lee hadn't let Rosemary do anything but sit on their settee.

He had brought her Tea and Toast and was just gazing at her, unable to take his eyes off her.

Suddenly, their phone rang, and Lee started to let it go, but the ringing persisted. So, he finally tore himself away long enough to take a quick call and get back to his Darling Rosemary.

But that's not at all what this call was. In fact, it was a rather lengthy call, even a complicated call, and Rosemary began to get a little worried.

She watched as her husband's face went through a range of emotions. First frustration that their private moment was being interrupted, then the intent listening that only Lee seemed to have mastered, then she thought she saw fear, definitely followed by concern, and perhaps a bit of dismay. Now, she could tell her husband was definitely in a quandary. One, he preferred very much to not be in. For some reason, he was being torn into pieces right there before her very eyes.

Rosemary waited as long as she could, then finally went to put her arm around him, and then she heard the voice on the other line.

It was Lillian from the Children's Orphanage, but Rosemary couldn't make out what she was saying. She did hear a frantic element to Lillian's voice. Very distraught indeed for Lillian, who was always calm and logical.

Rosemary knew something was very wrong. And although she had no idea what that something was, it had shaken her husband to the core. And Rosemary became very worried, indeed.

When Lee finally placed the phone receiver back in its cradle. He looked at Rosemary, but without speaking, he took her hand and walked her back to the settee. He then sat down beside her and bent his head down toward his knees, covering his anguished face.

She rubbed his back, and although she was afraid, gently asked, "What is it, Lee?"

"It's terrible, Rosemary. Remember, Fred, that darling little boy at the orphanage? The one who wanted to learn to whistle more than anything. A distant relative is coming to claim him next week, and Lillian has had a Private Investigator check into the person. It's not good, it's not good at all. He's been known to do this same thing before with other children, but now they're nowhere to be found. The investigator thinks he sells them into what we don't know."

Rosemary thought she was going to be sick, and this time it wasn't her pregnancy.

"Rosie, if Lillian doesn't find someone to legally adopt him before next week, by law, she has to release him to this so-called 'relative.' She's beside herself. She's called everyone she knows but hasn't gotten a yes yet."

Rosemary took Lee's hand and placed it across her stomach.

She then looked at him with full resolve.

"Lee, God has blessed us with this Little One here. Perhaps He is blessing us with another Little One from Brookfield. Let's go get him, Lee. Let's go get our Son."

Both Lee and Rosemary had tears in their eyes.

All they could do was hold each other.

Finally, Lee was able to speak, "Are you sure, Rosie? If you're sure, I'll make the call. But only if you're sure!"

"I've never been more sure of anything, Leland Coulter."