Chapter 23 – A Christmas Eve to Remember
Faith reaches her hand out to Rosemary, reassuring her, "I have seen this happen before. Once the pressure is off, surprises tend to pop up. Now, I need to ask you some more questions so we can figure out when this baby will arrive." Rosemary tries to stop the tears, but she cannot.
Rosemary mentions, "That is another thing. I have been so emotional lately. I cry at the drop of a hat."
"Everything you have described is normal for early pregnancy," reveals Faith as she takes Rosemary behind the curtain to do a more thorough examination.
Fifteen minutes later, Rosemary changes back into her clothes, emerging from behind the curtains with a feeling of happiness until the uncertainty takes over. She inquires, "You two are sure? There really is a baby growing inside of me?"
Carson chimes in, "Everything we've talked about and seen points to exactly that. Do you have any other questions for Faith or myself?"
Rosemary grins with her whole face. She questions, "When do you think the baby will arrive? Is there anything I should avoid doing or eating? Will I be tired, nauseous, dizzy the whole pregnancy?" She pauses for a moment, adding, "When is it safe to tell people?" Rosemary takes a deep breath before continuing, "I know bad things can happen early on."
Faith answers, "We think he or she will be here middle to late July. As far as things to avoid doing, I would avoid any kind of over-exertion. It is okay to walk. Actually, we advise you to try walking every day of the pregnancy. I would maybe stay off of horses, motorcycles, and bicycles. Try to stay away from too many sweets. Eat a balanced diet if you can. The baby needs you to eat healthy to grow big and strong. No, those symptoms won't be around the whole pregnancy. In the next few weeks, you will get more energy and not be so nauseous or dizzy. Headaches will probably subside soon as well."
Carson adds, "As far as things happening during pregnancy, it is more likely at the beginning, yes. But things can happen all the way until the end, but those are rarer. If you are nervous about people knowing, maybe wait until you start to show and cannot hide it anymore."
"When will I start to show?" questions Rosemary.
"Probably in the next month. Every woman is different, though. We would like to see you once a month to track your progress," reveals Carson. Rosemary acknowledges.
Faith inquires, "Any other questions, Rosemary?"
"Okay, thanks, Carson, Faith. Is there anything I can do to help with the morning sickness? Oh, and if you don't mind, please keep this to yourself. I'm not ready for the whole town to know just yet."
"If you're nauseous when you wake up in the morning, try eating a couple of crackers and drink some chamomile, ginger, or peppermint tea. That will hopefully calm your stomach down. Don't worry, our lips are sealed," responds Faith.
Rosemary nods, saying goodbye and walking next door to Dottie's. She unlocks the door and goes into the back. Rosemary sits down and finally lets all of her emotions out, a mixture of happiness, elation, unbelief, and nervousness. She puts her hand on her belly, gently rubbing the home of their tiny miracle. Rosemary wipes her eyes, trying to compose herself. She looks at the time and realizes she better get home. Rosemary finds a mirror and checks her face. She laughs, getting some water to dab around her eyes. Rosemary asks herself, "How will I explain these puffy eyes?" She tries her best to conceal the puffiness, but no matter how hard she tries, Lee will still notice she's been crying. Rosemary looks at herself in the mirror one more time and decides this is the best she can do.
Rosemary stops in the mercantile to get some crackers and tea. She has a feeling she'll need plenty of those in the coming days and weeks. Rosemary takes her purchases, hurrying home as fast as she can. She racks her brain for how and when to tell Lee. She can't wait to see his face when she tells him he will be a Papa again. Rosemary is not sure who will be more emotional, but the one thing she does know is he will be over the moon happy. She wants it to be something special they will remember for the rest of their lives. Suddenly, Rosemary remembers the baby blanket she made a while back. She secretly worked on it when she was home alone, dreaming about the baby she and Lee prayed for every night. They have been so happy with Patrick that having a baby was the last thing on their minds. Rosemary thought Patrick was the answer to their prayers. And now this incredible surprise? Rosemary prays to herself, "Thank you so much, Lord, for this unexpected blessing! We couldn't be happier with Patrick and now this new little one. Amen." Rosemary steps onto her porch, quietly opening the front door. She smiles when she sees the whole family eating pancakes.
Lee and Patrick get up to greet her. Rosemary kneels down, giving Patrick the biggest hug she can muster and lots of kisses. Patrick whines and squirms out of her arms. He goes back to the table to finish his pancakes while Lee kisses her on the cheek. Rosemary embraces Lee like she hasn't seen him in a month. She wants to scream at the top of her lungs she's pregnant, but now is not the time and place to share such fantastic news. Lee chuckles at her exuberance, whispering, "Where were you? I have been worried sick. I didn't want to scare anyone else, so I just said you were helping a friend."
"What do you mean? I left you a note." Rosemary and Lee excuse themselves and go upstairs to their room to finish the conversation.
"What note, sweetheart?" She goes over to his bedside table, and sure enough, there was no note. Rosemary looks around, trying to figure out what happened. She finally sees it on the floor, so she picks it up and gives it to Lee. He reads out loud, "Good morning, my love."
Rosemary takes the note, reading it for herself, "I guess I forgot to finish writing the note when I blew out the candle. You turned over, and I thought I had woken you up. I am so sorry."
"So, are you going to tell me where you went?"
"Oh, I went to see Carson and Faith. After falling asleep during the Nutcracker, I thought I should pay them a visit."
"And?"
"Things are fine. I just need to take it easy for a few days," not letting Lee in on the whole truth.
Lee mentions, "I saved some pancakes for you. How many do you want?"
"I am actually starved. Can I have three?" inquires Rosemary.
Lee and Rosemary head back downstairs and take their seats at the table. He brings the warm tray of pancakes over to Rosemary and scoops three onto her plate. She spreads butter and puts syrup on top. Lee watches as Rosemary does actually eat all three pancakes.
Rosemary inquires, "When do you want to check out the festival? It starts at noon."
"Can we go at noon, Mama?" questions Patrick.
"You got it, Patrick!" Patrick jumps up and down. Rosemary gets up, instructing Patrick to help her with the dishes. Susannah and Catherine offer their help, but she insists she and Patrick have everything covered.
When they get to the festival, they decide to split up. Lee, Patrick, Jake, and Pat hit most of the games while Rosemary, Susannah, and Catherine do some shopping. Rosemary keeps seeing baby clothes, rattles, and toys she wants to purchase but then stops herself. It is too early, and she can't expect to keep her secret if she starts buying those kinds of things. Instead, Rosemary picks out a couple of toys for Patrick and Jack. As they walk over to a table, she sees Elizabeth, Allie, Jack, and Nathan. Rosemary remarks, "Fancy meeting you here. When is the party?"
"Come over around 5:30 pm. That should give us enough time before we need to be at the church for the concert." Elizabeth looks around, asking, "Where is Patrick? Is he nervous about his solo?"
Rosemary wants to tell her best friend the fantastic news but stops herself before it came spilling out. She replies, "He is with Lee, Jake, and Pat. Actually, he is not scared at all. I am impressed."
"Good. Well, we won't keep you. We'll see you tonight," mentions Elizabeth. Susannah, Catherine, and Rosemary find a table and sit down. Rosemary is exhausted, but she is trying not to let on.
"Are you feeling okay, Rosemary? You look pale."
Rosemary feels her cheeks blush. She reveals, "I am feeling a little tired. Maybe I'll go home and rest. We still have a long day to go. You are welcome to stay here if you would like."
Susannah replies, "I think we'll stay. Will you be okay walking home by yourself?"
"Oh, yes," remarks Rosemary. Susannah and Catherine go find Florence and Molly while Rosemary goes home for some rest. Rosemary walks up to her room, takes her jacket and boots off, and sits on the bed. She notices the items she brought home earlier sitting on her vanity. Rosemary puts the crackers on her bedside table and takes the tea downstairs. Rosemary boils some water and rummages through some drawers looking for the blanket she made. She finally finds it in the last drawer she checks, the blanket she hoped to one day swaddle her own bundle of joy in. Rosemary can't stop the tears falling down her face again. Rosemary wipes them away and goes into the kitchen to pour herself a cup of peppermint tea. She carefully climbs the stairs, trying not to spill the tea on the blanket. Rosemary takes a sip and lays the cup and saucer on her nightstand. She folds up the blanket and places it inside the perfect box she found in her room. Rosemary wraps a ribbon around the box, addresses it to her loving husband, and hides it under her bed. She lays down, grabbing the quilt she keeps at the foot of her bed. Rosemary immediately falls asleep with her hand, subconsciously protecting her unborn child.
After a few hours, Lee decides it's time to go home when Patrick starts to whine. The guys find Susannah and Catherine talking to Florence and Molly. He questions, "Where's Rosemary?"
"Rosemary went home a few hours ago. She was tired and pale. I think she just needed some rest." Susannah inquires, "Is she okay, Leland?"
"She says she is. Rosemary tends to get involved in too much at one time and has been running herself ragged." Lee quickly changes the subject.
"Is everyone ready to go home? I think Patrick needs a nap. He is getting a little cranky."
Patrick whines, "No, Papa. I don't need a nap." He can't help but yawn, causing Lee to laugh.
"Come on, Patrick. You want to be awake for your solo tonight, right?"
"Yes, sir," reluctantly responds Patrick.
They all walk in the door around 4:00 pm. Lee takes Patrick upstairs, quietly going into their room. Lee points for Patrick to lay on the bed and take a nap next to Rosemary. He puts his finger over his mouth, mouthing, "Be quiet." Patrick is asleep as soon as Lee covers him up with a blanket. Lee sits on the chair, thanking God for his wonderful family. Rosemary opens her eyes, first noticing Patrick sleeping next to her and then Lee watching her from his chair.
Rosemary whispers, "What time is it?"
"It is about 4:15 pm. Go back to sleep, honey. I have everything under control. I'll wake you up thirty minutes before we need to go. Does that give you enough time to get ready?" Rosemary acknowledges with a smile, closing her eyes and dozing off again. Lee stays for a few minutes before tip-toeing out of the room.
Right around 5:00 pm, Lee wakes Rosemary up with a kiss. She sits up with a grin, softly saying, "Thanks, honey."
"You better get up, sweetheart. We are all ready to go."
Rosemary asks, "Where's Patrick?"
"Oh, he came downstairs about ten minutes ago. He didn't sleep long," mentions Lee.
"Just give me fifteen minutes, and I should be ready to go." Lee nods, grabbing his coat and walking out the door. Rosemary gets up and searches for the perfect outfit. She knows none of these clothes will fit her much longer. Rosemary is soon distracted with thoughts of, "How will I get through this party and concert without blurting it out to Lee and Elizabeth?" Rosemary is confident in her choice of not telling the whole town just yet, but she knows it will be extremely tough not to share the news with the love of her life and her dearest friend. God has answered her and Lee's prayers for the second time. Rosemary quickly gets ready and meets everyone downstairs.
Jack's second birthday party is quite bigger than last year with the addition of Nathan, Allie, and of course, Susannah and her family. Jack is a little more interested in the attention, the presents, and the birthday cake this time around. Elizabeth serves Shepherd's Pie, Jack's favorite meal, with peas and homemade bread. Rosemary splits her time between watching Patrick and Jack eat, imagining what their future will be like with Patrick and a new little one. She thinks to herself, "I wonder if we will have a little girl or a little boy. Will he or she have blond hair like me or dark like Lee's? Will he or she have a zest for life or be patient and kind?" She hopes the baby will be a combination of both of them, but mostly she hopes the baby will be healthy. And it can't hurt if he or she inherits Lee's ocean blue eyes and his adorable smile. Lee senses Rosemary is off in her own world again, so he reaches for her hand under the table. She snaps out of it, mouthing, "Thank you."
Rosemary is relieved when Elizabeth announces, "It's time for cake and presents." Everyone sings Happy Birthday to Jack, and he blows out the candles on the second try. Immediately, Jack stuffs the piece of cake straight into his mouth, much to the chagrin of his mother. Elizabeth inquires, "Did you learn that from Patrick?" Jack and Patrick look at each other and at Elizabeth, giggling. Rosemary joins them, messing with Patrick's bouncy curls. In the hopes of keeping her mind busy, Rosemary doesn't realize she eats two big pieces of cake, which doesn't go unnoticed by Lee. He's not sure what to think about her dessert kick, but he's glad she's eating more.
Elizabeth joins Nathan and Jack on the settee, asking, "Are you ready to open presents, my sweet boy?"
Jack yells, "Yes!"
Patrick happily brings the presents over to Jack and goes to sit with Rosemary. She bounces him up and down, making him giggle. Rosemary gets him to stop when Elizabeth helps Jack open his gifts one by one. He receives a wooden Mountie and horse from Nathan and Allie, Lincoln logs from Bill, a Hobby horse from Lee and Rosemary, a stuffed puppy from Patrick, homemade pair of overalls from Laura, and a wooden train car from the Thoms. Elizabeth offers, "Thank you, everyone, for coming over and celebrating with us."
Rosemary looks at the time, mentioning, "We need to freshen up before we go to the church. Thanks for tonight, Elizabeth." Rosemary hugs her a little longer than usual before walking out with the rest of her family. Elizabeth can't help but notice there is something Rosemary is not telling her. She watches as her dearest friend leaves, hoping she will confide in her soon.
Everyone goes up to their rooms to get ready for the Christmas Eve Concert. Lee and Patrick are the last ones upstairs. As soon as Lee shuts their door, Rosemary instructs her boys to turn around. She grabs their new outfits, proudly announcing, "Ta-da!" Lee and Patrick turn around with shock written all over their faces. "I made you matching outfits again. What do you think?" Lee forces a smile, taking the matching red tartan plaid pants and vests from her."
Patrick whines, "Do I have to wear a bowtie again?"
"No, Patrick. No bowtie's this time," replies Rosemary. She walks up to Lee, giddily wrapping her arms around him. Rosemary innocently inquires, "Do you like them?"
Lee knows how much this means to her, so he gives her his best grin, responding, "Of course. When did you find the time to make these?"
"Oh, I made these a few weeks ago when I wasn't so busy. Now, go get changed." Rosemary picks out a dress she bought in New York City, one she's been saving since their anniversary trip. Rosemary thinks she should probably wear it now since she is unsure if she will ever fit into the fitted dress again. It is a forest green satin dress with long sleeves and a straight skirt. Rosemary is doing her hair when Patrick calls her name. She turns around and sees Lee and Patrick. They both look adorable in their matching outfits. Rosemary tries not to cry yet again. She helps Patrick button up his vest and suggests he go downstairs and wait for them. Lee finds his dad's cuff links and sits down on the settee to fasten them. Rosemary continues fixing her hair and applying her makeup when she sees Lee just watching her. Rosemary laughs, questioning, "Why are you watching me, sweetie?"
"Can't a guy spend time with his wife and watch her get ready?"
Rosemary smirks, responding, "I guess so." She finishes her makeup and then puts on her dress and the fancy black peau de soie pumps she also bought on their trip. Rosemary looks at herself in the mirror and is happy with what she sees. She turns to Lee with a curtsy, asking, "How do I look, Mister Coulter?"
Lee brings her in close, whispering, "You look breathtaking, Rosie."
"Why are you whispering?"
"I have no idea," answers Lee. He briefly looks down at the floor. "I hope you know how much I love you."
Rosemary whispers back, "I do. You make me feel loved every day we are together." She cups his face with her hands, and then their lips met passionately.
Lee unwillingly steps back, speaking, "It is almost time. We need to get to the church." He offers his arm, and they walk down the stairs together.
Jake is the first to ask, "What time does the concert start?"
Lee announces, "It starts around 7:00 pm, so we actually need to leave now. "It's pretty cold tonight, so I'll go ahead and drive everyone up to the church. Rosie, why don't you, Patrick, and Catherine come first. I bet Elizabeth will want a ride as well. I'll run over to check. Lee comes back in, telling Rosemary, "Let's go." Rosemary helps Patrick put on his jacket and then shrugs into hers. Elizabeth, Jack, and Allie are already in the car, trying to keep warm. Lee parks in front of the church, and Elizabeth, Jack, Allie, and Catherine quickly go inside. He kisses Rosemary and Patrick goodbye, letting them know, "I'll be back with Jake, Susannah, Pat, and Nathan." Rosemary nods, and she and Patrick get out of the car, waving as Lee drives away. Elizabeth and Rosemary set the church up, and before they know it, Lee is back with the last four. They take their places and wait for the rest of Hope Valley to file into the church.
At 7:00 pm sharp, Elizabeth begins, "Welcome everyone to our Second Annual Christmas Eve Concert. This year I am happy to announce we have Missus Rosemary Coulter on the piano and Constable Nathan Grant on the guitar. Thank you, Rosemary, Nathan. We have a full program, so let's get started. Up first is the group song. Please welcome to the stage: Robert, Timmy, Harper, Patrick, Vincent, Dominic, Anna, Emily, Allie, Opal, and Maggie." All the children take the stage and sing their rendition of Oh Come All Ye Faithful. The crowd applauds as they all take a group bow at the end of the song. The children take their seats with their families, much more relaxed than before. Next, Elizabeth introduces Patrick, "He will be singing Silent Night accompanied by Constable Grant." Patrick comes up to the front, looking at Rosemary for encouragement. Rosemary forms a heart with her hands. Patrick smiles, turning to look at the audience. He takes a deep breath and begins singing his song. Lee notices how much Patrick is improving at his singing. Rosemary has been working with him as much as she can between all her other responsibilities.
Lee thinks to himself, "She never ceases to amaze me." When Patrick is done, the whole room applauds. Patrick runs over to his overjoyed mother and hugs her. This time, Rosemary cannot stop the tears that seem to occur at a moment's notice. She motions to Patrick to go sit with Papa because she is playing the next song. Patrick skips over to Lee and hops on his lap. Lee reveals, "You did great, buddy. I am so proud of you." Patrick giggles.
Elizabeth announces, "Our next performer is Allie. She will be singing Coventry Carol and will be accompanied by Missus Coulter." Allie looks over at Rosemary, waiting for her cue. She begins singing and hits every note perfectly. The crowd gives Allie a standing ovation because they know it is a hard song to sing. She gives Nathan a hug and joins her friends. Elizabeth presents the next performer, "Emily will be singing Away in the Manger and be accompanied by both Missus Coulter and Constable Grant." Emily gets her cue from Rosemary and starts singing the song familiar to most people. Elizabeth can't help but remember when Emily first sang this song back during their first Christmas pageant. She cannot believe how much Emily and all the other children have grown since she started teaching them. Emily takes her bow at the end of the song to the loud applause of the crowd. Elizabeth thanks Emily, and she joins her family.
Elizabeth divulges, "We only have two more performances left. Give it up for Robert, Timmy, and Harper. They will be singing God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen and Constable Grant will accompany them. Nathan begins the song, and the boys start singing the first stanza. Everything is going well until the fifth stanza when they forget the words. Elizabeth suggests they use the papers they have in their pockets. Robert, Timmy, and Harper look at each other, nodding and grabbing the lyrics out of their pockets. Nathan picks up the music where he left off, and the boys start with the fifth stanza. The audience applauds as they finish up the song. Instead of being embarrassed, they took their bows and sat with their families. Elizabeth remarks, "Good job, boys. Now, for the last song of the night. Please welcome back to the stage, Allie, Emily, Opal, and Anna. They will be singing O Little Town of Bethlehem a cappella." The girls get up and sing the song beautifully. They each sing a stanza solo, and then the rest of the song is done as a group. Another standing ovation is given, and the girls take the last bow of the night. Elizabeth proudly hugs the girls who have grown up right in front of her eyes. Elizabeth ends the concert with the following words, "Great job to all of my students who came up here and sang for us tonight, on Christmas Eve. Thank you to all the families for being here and supporting your children. Thank you to Constable Grant and Missus Coulter for giving their time and support. Lastly, I hope you all enjoy the rest of your Christmas Eve, and I will see you tomorrow. Merry Christmas." Since it is so cold, the town decides to gather in the church instead of outside. They talk about their plans and what they hope to get for Christmas. The families start trickling out until the only people left are the Coulters, Thoms, Thorntons, and Grants.
Lee takes Elizabeth, Jack, Allie, Nathan, and Pat home first. He then comes back for Rosemary, Patrick, Jake, Susannah, and Catherine. Pat starts a fire downstairs, hoping to warm up the house before the rest of them get home. When they all come in the door, they are pleasantly surprised to feel the warmth coming from the fire. Lee pats Pat on the back, offering his thanks.
Pat responds, "It's the least I could do. It's a cold night, so I thought I would get the fire going. Who wants something warm to drink?" he asks. Everyone raises their hand. Pat takes down the orders, and Lee offers to help him make the coffee, peppermint tea, and hot chocolate. They bring the tray over to the coffee table, and each person grabs their drink.
Lee joins Rosemary, Patrick, and Catherine on the settee, while Pat takes a seat on the floor between his parents. Lee can't help but smile seeing his whole family sitting in his house, happily chatting away. He counts his blessings, as Rosemary would say. Lee inquires, "So, who wants to play cards? It was our family tradition growing up to play cards on Christmas Eve. Susannah and I always had a competition on who would win each year. If I remember correctly, the score is seven to five. Is that right?" Susannah laughs, agreeing with Lee. "I think it is your turn to pick the game, sis."
Susannah listens to all the suggestions, finally picking the game of hearts. She asks, "Does everyone know how to play?"
Rosemary chimes in, "Patrick doesn't, but he can be my partner. Right, Patrick?"
"Yes, Mama!" Patrick jumps on Rosemary's lap like he always does.
"Hey, bud. Can you be a little more careful when jumping on me?"
"I'm sorry. Did I hurt you?"
"Oh, no. Just be careful next time."
"Okay," responds Patrick softly.
Lee looks at Rosemary in concern. He whispers, "Are you in some kind of pain?"
Rosemary takes his hand, whispering back, "No, I am not in any pain. I'll explain later." Lee acknowledges.
Susannah reveals, "I think this game works better with four players. How about we have teams? We can pair up Rosemary and Patrick, Lee can be on his own, Catherine and I can pair up, and Jake, you and Pat can be a team."
Lee agrees, "Fair enough. Do you want to play to one hundred points?"
Susannah deals thirteen cards to the four teams. She suggests, "How about we play for an hour or until someone scores one hundred points, whichever comes first?" They all agree. "Lee, you go first." The score stays pretty even amongst the teams for the first hour, with no one reaching one hundred points. They decide to keep playing even though Rosemary and Patrick fell asleep. Pat takes over for them, and they continue playing. After another hour and a half, Susannah suggests, "Why don't we call it a night? It is almost midnight, and I think Patrick needs to be in bed before Santa gets here." She looks over at Patrick, thinking he would stir at the mention of Santa, but he doesn't move. In the end, Jake ends up winning with the lowest score of seventy-five points. Susannah is happy her husband won instead of Lee this time. She, Jake, and Catherine say good night and go upstairs to their room while Lee carries up Patrick, laying him on the settee in their room. Lee kisses him on the forehead and covers him up with a blanket. He comes back down to get Rosemary.
She is on her way up, softly asking, "Were you coming to carry me up?"
"Maybe," answers Lee.
Rosemary whispers, "How sweet, honey. I don't want you to hurt your back again, though." Lee smiles, offering his arm while they walk upstairs together. They both change into their nightclothes, turn out the lights, and crawl into bed. Rosemary snuggles up to Lee while he wraps his arm around her shoulder. She rests her head on his chest, whispering, "I love you, Lee Coulter. Merry Christmas."
Lee responds, "I love you, too. Merry Christmas to the love of my life." Barely keeping her eyes open, she leans in, brushing his lips with hers.
Rosemary lays her head back down on his chest, mumbling under her breath, "I can't wait to tell you," and she is out within seconds. Lee doesn't catch what she says, but he continues to watch his gorgeous wife until sleep overcomes him.
Rosemary is actually the first one to wake up on Christmas morning. She feels a little queasy, so she sneaks a couple of crackers before trying to sit up. Rosemary is relieved when her stomach settles down. She lays back down when Lee brings her in closer, wrapping his arms around her. They both fall back to sleep until Patrick wakes up thirty minutes later. Patrick jumps in their bed, loudly saying, "Merry Christmas, Mama, Papa! Can we go open our presents?"
Lee whispers, "Ssshhh, Patrick. Everyone is still sleeping." Patrick pouts. "Ssshhh, wait, do I hear something?"
"I think Uncle Jake and Aunt Susannah are talking to each other," states Patrick. "Can we go downstairs now?"
Lee replies, "Okay, Patrick, but don't wake up Pat or anyone else who is still sleeping." Patrick jumps off the bed, quickly opening and closing the door. Lee kisses Rosemary on the top of her head, grunts, and rolls out of bed. He puts on his robe and slippers, turning to Rosemary to see if she is getting up.
Rosemary sits up, inquiring, "Can you wait a minute? I have something to give you."
"Now? Aren't we opening presents later? All your gifts are downstairs."
"Lee, please grab that chair and sit down." Rosemary finds the box underneath the bed while Lee pulls up a chair as close as possible to Rosemary. She takes both of Lee's hands and gently rubs his fingers with her thumbs.
"You're worrying me, Rosie. What is going on?" She intertwines their hands.
"I didn't tell you the whole truth about what Carson and Faith said. There is something wrong with me." Lee gulps. "It is something extraordinary, something we have prayed about for some time. Something we thought would never happen for us."
"What are you saying, sweetheart?" She hands him the box, and Lee opens it, taking out a cream blanket. He unfolds it, seeing a heart with the letter "C" inside hand-stitched in sapphire blue. Also, hand-stitched in sapphire blue are two sentences. Above the heart, it reads, "We prayed for you every day…" and below, it reads, "We loved you even before we knew you existed…" Lee inquires, "This is really pretty. Did you make this? Who is it for? I think it's too tiny for Patrick, don't you think?"
Rosemary cups his cheeks with her hands. He wipes a tear trickling down her face. She questions, "You don't know?"
"No, I am confused."
"It is a baby blanket." Rosemary pauses, continuing, "I made this in the hopes we would find out we were expecting one of our very own one day."
Lee's mouth drops open, inquiring, "Are we going to have a baby?" Rosemary giggles while Lee stands up, opening his arms wide. She jumps into them, trying not to scream with joy. He brushes his lips with hers, saying into the kiss, "Are you serious? How can this be? We tried for so long, and now it finally happens without even trying."
"I'm just as surprised as you are, Lee." She looks up at him, and he wipes the tears trickling down her face. Lee embraces her tighter, letting her get her emotions out. He tries to stay strong, but he soon joins her in happy tears.
After a few moments, Lee composes himself, asking, "How far along are you? When will the baby be here?"
Rosemary places her finger on his lips, saying, "Ssshhh, I don't want anyone to hear us."
"Why?" whispers Lee.
"I'm afraid…afraid of something bad happening." She takes a deep breath before continuing, "It is still early, and since it took us so long to conceive, I am scared my body might not be able to handle this pregnancy."
Lee leads her over to the settee, and they sit as close as possible, side by side. Rosemary rests her head on his shoulder. He mentions, "You can't think like that, Rosie. This baby is our little miracle from God. He blessed us with this child, and I fully believe we will be a family of four in no time."
Rosemary leans up, kissing him. She remarks, "I know, I'm still nervous, though. It took us so long to get here, and I am afraid." She intertwines their hand, softly saying, "I'm close to three months. Carson and Faith think he or she will be here middle to late July."
Lee reveals, "I cannot believe we didn't figure this out sooner. We should have known from all of your symptoms."
"I know. I'm almost kind of embarrassed I didn't figure it out. Rosemary taps his chest, "Can we pray?"
"Dear, Lord. Thank you for this bundle of joy. Please keep this baby safe inside Rosie until it's time to make his or her appearance. Please give her the patience and fortitude to handle what is coming for the next seven months. Amen." He softly rubs her belly, speaking, "This is your Papa and Mama. We love you so much and can't wait to meet you." Rosemary kisses him fully and deeply. Lee kisses her back, asking, "When do you want to start telling people?"
"It's still early, so I don't want to tell people just yet. I know it will be impossible not to tell Elizabeth, though. I already wanted to blurt it out to her twice yesterday."
"I think telling Elizabeth is a great idea. She can help you and answer any questions you might have. On top of that, she will be so happy for us," responds Lee. "What about Patrick?"
Rosemary gasps, "Oh, how do you think Patrick will handle being a big brother?"
"I know for a fact; he will be the best big brother we could ever ask for. It will be a change for him to have to share us, but I know he will be enamored with his new baby sister or brother."
"I think you are right, Lee. Hmm. I'm afraid he will accidentally let it slip. Maybe we wait and tell him when I can't hide it anymore. We can find a memorable way to tell Patrick before the whole town figures it out."
Lee replies, "I am kind of liking the idea of just us and Elizabeth knowing about our little miracle for right now. We can just play it by ear and see when you start to show. There is no hurry. We can let people know when we are good and ready."
"Thanks, honey."
Lee gets up really quick, grabbing the baby blanket and sitting back down next to Rosemary. He admires what his wife created, inquiring, "When did you make this? I think it sums up baby Coulter perfectly."
"I started working on it not long after I confided in you that I didn't think I could give you a child. I was really struggling, but you helped me see you loved me no matter what and that we can get through anything together. I was working through it being just us, but I still had the strong desire to become a mother. Deep inside me, I felt the need to work on the baby blanket each day when you were at work. It was surprisingly comforting even though my heart yearned to be carrying a child. I finished it right before Christmas last year. I planned on showing it to you, but after Jack's first birthday, I couldn't bring myself to start that conversation. Instead, I hid it in a drawer downstairs. I only remembered it yesterday morning after leaving the infirmary."
Lee takes Rosemary's hand, tenderly kissing her knuckles. "I know the waiting these last couple of years has been hard, but I believe God knew what he was doing. He has been preparing our hearts and minds for this next journey, welcoming this little one into our family." Rosemary squeezes his hand. Lee chuckles, "You sure have come a long way from your days of thinking children are sticky."
Rosemary chuckles back, "I have, haven't I?" Lee nods. "Well, that shift came entirely because of you and God. After seeing Jack being born and how much joy he brings to Elizabeth, God put just the small inkling in me that I wanted to be a mother. That inkling grew the more I saw Jack interacting with Elizabeth. I wanted to experience for myself the bond between a mother and her child. I would constantly daydream about our future children and what they would be like. Up until that point, I had no idea being a mother was something I truly desired. I guess it takes something not happening to realize what is deep in your heart. Motherhood soon became something I wanted more than anything else I had ever wanted in my life."
"I know, sweetheart."
"We continued to pray together every night for God to bless us with a child. And each month, our hearts broke when it didn't happen. Then God brought Diogo, Alexio, and Matheus into our lives and prompted us to finally have the life-changing discussion about adoption. We may not have known then, but God had so expertly placed that seed into our hearts and minds. So, when Patrick came into our lives, we knew he was the answer to our prayers. We both knew right away he was meant to be our son. When he came to live with us, our nightly prayers then became about asking God for help raising this incredible child He brought into our lives. Patrick brought us so much joy and happiness that we didn't really think about much else. God, however, never forgot about our longing to experience parenthood from the very beginning, watching the baby grow for nine months inside of me, bringing him or her into the world, and then raising the child to make a difference in the world."
"I guess you can say God orchestrated our path to becoming a family in His perfect timing," remarked Lee.
Rosemary pats his cheek, kissing him on the lips. She whispers, "You're right. I love you, Lee Coulter."
Lee replies, "Not as much as I love you." He nuzzles her nose and then leans back. "Are you ready to go downstairs? Patrick is probably chomping at the bit."
"Not really. Can we just hold each other for now? I don't want this moment to end." Lee wraps her in his arms, holding her as tight as he can, resting his head on hers. Rosemary whispers, "Please tell me this is not a dream, Lee."
Patrick runs into their room, yelling, "It's snowing! It's snowing! When are you coming downstairs? We are waiting for you." Rosemary gets up, looking out the window, seeing the snow coming down. She gives Patrick a big bear hug and kisses him on the forehead.
Rosemary ruffles his hair, saying, "Give us a few minutes, and we be will right down."
"Okay, Mama," as he runs out of the room. Lee reluctantly gets up, helping Rosemary with her robe and slippers. He embraces her from behind one more time.
Rosemary whispers, "I guess Patrick running in here answered my question. I am not dreaming." Her face lights up. "I can't believe a baby is growing inside of me right now. Our baby! How is that possible?" They both silently giggle while Lee spins her around. He puts her back down, twirling her once more. Lee takes her hand, inquiring, "Are you ready to go downstairs, sweetheart?" Rosemary kisses him one more time and opens the door. They slowly walk downstairs hand-in-hand.