A/N – Hello everyone. Thank you for being patient with me the last few months while I took a screenwriting class. I am back, and I hope to start providing updates every one to two weeks. I hope you enjoy reading this next chapter with Lee, Rosemary, Patrick, and Pumpkin, and I look forward to your comments and/or reviews.

Chapter 38 – Exploring Chicago

Lee, Rosemary, and Patrick get off the train at Union Depot in Chicago around 5:00 pm. Patrick's eyes widen as he takes in the big city. Then, he gets quiet, not knowing what to think. Rosemary squeezes his shoulders, questioning, "Are you okay, bud? Have you ever been to a big city before?"

"No, ma'am," answers Patrick with a smile. "Is it always this loud?"

Rosemary chuckles, "It is. The people who live here love hearing all the sounds."

"Did you like all the noise when you lived in New York City, Mama?"

"I did. I came to find it comforting after a while. But now, I cannot imagine living anywhere else than Hope Valley. It's my home, our home, and I love being there."

Patrick asks, "Have you ever lived in a big city, Papa?"

"No, I have not, but I would follow your Mama anywhere she wanted to live. You, pumpkin, and Mama are my home."

"Papa, that is silly. We can't be a home. You can't live in us."

"Oh, it means no matter where we are, if we are together, then we are home. So, for example, I can say we are home here in Chicago because we are together."

"I don't get what you mean."

Rosemary chimes in, "You will understand when you get older."

Patrick nods and inquires, "What is there to do here?"

Rosemary responds, "Lots of things. First, we will check into our hotel so we can store all our things in our room. Then, maybe we can do some exploring. I don't know about you two, but I need to stretch and get some fresh air. Three days on a train is much harder this time around. Baby Coulter did not like me sitting around so much."

"Sounds good," remarks Lee when a trolley zooms past them with a ding.

"Can we ride in a trolley while we are here?" questions Patrick.

Rosemary answers, "Of course."

"What else are we doing?"

"We are going to a couple of baseball games, Lincoln Park Zoo, the Field Museum, and Riverview Park. Oh, and we have the play Wednesday night. I'm so excited you and Papa get to wear your matching navy plaid suits I made you for your adoption celebration."

"Okay, Mama!"

Lee flags down a porter to help them get their luggage to the street, where Rosemary hails them a cab to the Palmer House. They check into the hotel and walk into their first-class room. It has one ornate bed with gold head and footboards, a fancy settee, a coffee table, lamps, and a couple of chairs. Rosemary is relieved there is an en suite, especially since she'll probably be needing it in the middle of the night. Patrick runs and jumps on the bed, asking, "Where do I sleep, Papa?"

"Oh no, I thought I booked us a room with two beds," states Rosemary in a higher-pitched tone.

Lee grabs the paperwork out of his pocket and reads the reservation. He remarks, "You did." Lee hands her the paper. "It must be a mistake. I'll go down and clear this up."

He exclaims, "It's okay, Mama, Papa. I can sleep with you!"

"I see," chuckles Rosemary.

Lee asks, "Don't you want your own bed?"

"No, sir," responds Patrick.

Rosemary pats Lee's arm, whispering, "You know, he'll probably end up in our bed anyway." They both chuckle at the thought.

"You're probably right, Rosie." Lee rubs his cheek, thinking out loud, "Hmm, maybe we can get him to sleep on the settee."

Rosemary laughs at the thought, mentioning, "Good luck getting him to stay there, sweetie."

Lee ponders a moment and then shakes his head, "I guess we should get unpacked then."

Rosemary and Lee put their things away and take in the view of the city. Lee claps his hands together, inquiring, "Who wants to go to the lake?"

"Me, me, me!" exclaims Patrick. Rosemary giggles when she feels some kicks from the baby.

"I guess pumpkin is excited too," says Rosemary. They head outside together, making their way to the lake, which is less than a mile away.

When they get to the lake, they are in awe of how big it is in real life. They start walking along the shore, breathing in the fresh lake air. Lee questions Patrick, "What Great Lake is this?"

Patrick yells, "Lake Michigan!"

"That's right. What are the other four?"

"Hmm. Lake Ontario, Lake Erie…hmm. I don't know the rest, Papa."

"Lake Superior and Lake Hur…"

"On. Lake Huron."

"You're right."

"Look, Papa, Mama! Can we go over there?" He points off in the distance to a small playground off the path, where lots of children are playing."

"Let's check it out," answers Lee. Patrick runs towards the kids, with Lee and Rosemary trying to keep up.

Patrick jogs back to them with the biggest smile on his face, yelling, "Can I go play?"

Rosemary replies, "Yes, you may. We'll be right here."

"Thanks," responds Patrick as he races towards the small playground. Lee removes his jacket, laying it on the grass for Rosemary to sit on. He offers his hand, which she accepts, and he helps her sit down. Lee joins her on the ground, and she happily loops her arms around his.

Rosemary glances at the lake, mentioning, "Thank you, my love. This view is exquisite. Don't you think?"

Lee has his eyes on Rosemary instead, grinning, answering, "It is beautiful."

Rosemary says, "Really, Lee. Did you even look?"

"Look at what? I rather watch my gorgeous wife." Rosemary laughs and hits him on the arm.

Lee inquires, "Are you comfortable enough? Do we need to find a better place to sit?"

"No, I am fine for now. Thanks, though."

"I am so glad you thought of this trip. We really did need this time as a family before our lives get a lot more hectic."

"I know. Our lives will definitely change when he gets here." She rubs the spot where pumpkin is kicking.

"Since when did you think we were having a boy?" questions Lee.

"His kicks keep getting stronger, and it makes me think of a boy."

Lee inquires, "Do you think it's time we talk about names?" Rosemary takes a deep breath. "Are you okay?"

Rosemary taps his arm, reassuring, "I'm fine. I'm just thinking of how real this is getting. And picking names means it's getting closer."

"You are still having doubts?"

"No, not those doubts. I am feeling nervous I won't be able to handle this bundle of joy and Patrick. Jack is the only baby I have really been around, and I could always give him back to Elizabeth."

"Rosie, you are going to be a wonderful mother to our little miracle. Look how good you already are with Patrick, and you know Jack adores his Auntie Rosie." Rosemary chuckles nervously when Patrick returns and climbs on Lee's lap.

"That was fun, Papa. Will we have time to play here again?"

"We might. We are pretty busy, though, but we might find some time."

"Yeah!" Patrick gets up, whining, "Is it time to eat now? I am starving."

Rosemary adds, "I am too, honey."

"Okay, where should we eat?"

Rosemary gasps, "I know! Have you ever had pizza, Patrick?"

"No, ma'am."

"I read about this pizza place called Pompei. It is not too far from the hotel. I think we can walk there, but we might want a ride back.

Lee responds, "Let's go!"

The next day, the Coulter's have fun visiting the Lincoln Park Zoo. Patrick is amazed by all the animals, but his favorites are the polar bears and the lions. He is fascinated by how large they are compared to what he always imagined. Patrick tells Lee and Rosemary everything he knows about each of them and asks what he doesn't. Unfortunately, Lee and Rosemary are unable to answer a lot of those questions. They are luckily saved when one of the zookeepers, a middle-aged man named Johnny, walks by them. Patrick calls out to him, asking him question after question. Johnny generously answers everything and even offers some fun things the animals do. At the end of the conversation, Patrick proudly announces, "I want to be a zookeeper when I grow up."

Lee inquires, "You do?"

"Yes, sir!"

"That's great, Patrick. Why don't you let Johnny go? I am sure he has a job to do."

Johnny chuckles, "I do need to be somewhere, but if you have more questions, find me or another zookeeper, and we can answer them for you. So please enjoy the rest of your day."

"Thank you, sir," shouts Patrick. Lee and Rosemary thank him and shake his hand.

During the Trolley ride to Comiskey Park the following day, the home of the Chicago White Sox, Rosemary is having a hard time containing her excitement for the baseball game. She has a surprise for Lee and Patrick, and she can't wait to see their faces. One of her Broadway friends, who lives in Chicago now, set something up with a few players. Rosemary just has to make it through the game without blurting it out. They walk into the redbrick ballpark and are amazed at all the people already sitting in their seats. They hold on tight to Patrick and lead him to their seats near first base. Patrick sits on the edge of his seat the whole time. He's never been to a professional game before.

"Papa, what do those numbers mean on the scoreboard?"

Lee responds, "See how there are nine columns? Those are for each of the nine innings. So, during each inning, when a team scores, they put those numbers in the correct column."

"And what are those numbers under the R, H, and E?"

"Those are total runs, hits, and errors for the game," chimes in Rosemary.

Patrick looks surprised, asking, "You know baseball, Mama?"

Rosemary chuckles, "I know some. Papa taught me when we saw some games in New York City last year."

"Who do we want to win?" inquires Patrick.

Lee replies, "Who do you want to win?"

"I want the Browns to win."

"The Browns? Why?"

"Because you said the White Sox should win. I want the underdog to win."

Lee and Rosemary look at their son and are amazed at what a great kid he is becoming. Not many eight-year-olds would want to root for the underdog. Lee messes with Patrick's hair, suggesting, "Good idea, buddy." They cheer on the Browns for the rest of the game, and they end up winning six to one.

As they are leaving the stands, Rosemary stops them. She giddily announces, "I have a surprise for you two."

"Ha! I knew you were hiding something," mentions Lee.

"Follow me, and you will find out." She reaches for both of their arms and leads them to some offices off to the side. A man greets them, escorting them into a room with a couple of couches, chairs, and a table.

The man lets them know they will be there shortly, inquiring, "Can I get you anything?"

Lee looks at Rosemary, trying to figure out what is happening, but she merely looks back at him with a grin on her face. He replies, "No, we are good. Thank you."

After the man leaves, Lee prods Rosemary, "What is happening?"

"You'll see." Just then, the door opens, and in steps Shoeless Joe Jackson, Eddie Collins, and Red Faber. Lee stands up in awe and shakes their hands.

"This is my wife Rosemary and our son, Patrick." Red hands a signed ball to Patrick and a baseball cap. "Thank you so much, guys," offers Lee.

Patrick leaps up and down and exclaims, "Thank you."

Rosemary comes up beside Lee and wraps her arms around his, giggling. Lee inquires, "How did you do this?" She giggles again.

Eddie explains, "My wife is good friends with Cora. So, when I heard you and your son were big baseball fans, I talked two of my teammates into joining me."

"Cora?" questions Lee.

"You remember Cora and Tom. You met them in New York City last year. They moved to Chicago six months ago."

"Of course, thank you so much for doing this. I'm sure Patrick will remember this forever."

Eddie responds, "We have somewhere to be but have a great rest of your trip."

"We will. Thank you. And good luck on Thursday. We will be watching from the stands."

The Coulters spend the subsequent day touring the Field Museum. Patrick is overwhelmed with everything there, asking, "Where did they get all this stuff, Papa?"

"This all came from the 1893 World's Fair held here in Chicago."

"What is the World's Fair?"

"It's a World Exhibition where a Nation will celebrate something from their history."

"Have you been to one, Mama, Papa?"

Lee responds, "Yep. My family and I went to the one here in Chicago."

"No, my family never did," adds Rosemary.

Patrick asks, "Can we go to one?"

"I don't know when the next one is or where. It could be in Europe, Asia, the U.S, or anywhere."

"Okay." Patrick grabs their hands. "What are we doing next?"

Rosemary replies, "Well, tonight is the theatre."

"Are you planning on telling us what we are seeing?" questions Lee.

Rosemary giggles, "Nope. It is another surprise." Lee shakes his head at her. "Don't worry. I promise you will enjoy watching."

Later that night, they get back to the hotel and get ready for the theatre. Lee inquires, "Will you at least tell me which theatre so I know how far we are going?"

"Nice try, Lee. It's not too far from here. I figured we could find a ride since we've been walking all day." She rubs her bump, revealing, "My feet and back are killing me, thanks to this little one." Rosemary chuckles.

"Do you want a foot or back massage?"

"I would absolutely love one, but we don't have time. We need to leave in about thirty minutes."

"Maybe tonight when we get back?" offers Lee. Rosemary kisses him tenderly and heads to her trunk to get her dress. Lee puts on his matching suit and helps Patrick with his while Rosemary gets ready in the bathroom. When she finally comes out twenty minutes later, his breath is taken away. Rosemary is wearing one of her maternity creations. The floor-length empire waist silk dress is dark purple and perfectly accentuates her figure. In addition, she is wearing a black silk shawl covered with lace. He swallows and saunters up to her, whispering, "How do you look more and more gorgeous each day?"

Rosemary giggles innocently, replying, "Who? Me? What do you mean?"

Lee questions Patrick, "Isn't Mama the most beautiful girl you've ever seen?"

"Yes, she is," as he runs into her arms.

Lee clears his throat, inquiring, "Are you ready to leave, sweetheart?"

"I'm ready."

"What are we going to see, Mama?"

"It's a surprise, remember?"

"Papa, do you know?"

"No, Mama didn't tell me either." Rosemary looked at her two boys giggling.

The taxi pulls up in front of the Auditorium Theatre. Patrick reads the marquee, shouting with excitement, "Peter Pan!"

"You are right, buddy. Are you excited?"

"Yes, ma'am."

Rosemary squeezes Lee's hand, "Do you like, sweetie?"

"Of course. This is perfect for us." Lee hops out of the taxi and opens the door for Rosemary and Patrick. He helps them out, and then they walk together inside the theatre and take their seats in the tenth row. "These seats are great, sweetheart. Let me guess. Did Cora help with this as well?"

"Yes, she did. I wish we could have seen her this week, but she is out of town visiting her parents in Denver."

"Well, when you talk to her again, please thank her for everything."

"I will," remarks Rosemary as they lean in for a kiss while Patrick isn't looking. They sit back in their seats, and she admires the theatre shaped like nothing she has seen before. It is trumpet-shaped, and many electric lamps are adorning the ceiling arches and the fronts of the balconies.

When the lights dim and the music starts, Patrick climbs into Lee's lap, whispering, "I can't see. Can I sit with you?" Lee nods. Patrick gets comfortable and surprisingly sits still the entire time, except during intermission when they walk around. At the end of the performance, they all stand, giving the cast a standing ovation. Lee lifts Patrick up so he can see over the crowd. Patrick is cheering, and then the next minute, he lays his head on Lee's shoulders and yawns. Lee turns to Rosemary, showing her Patrick is falling asleep. Rosemary motions for them to follow the crowd out of the theatre and onto the street.

Rosemary quietly remarks, "I guess we wore him out today. I was expecting him to be hyper and have lots of questions afterward."

"I did too. What should we do? Did you have anything else planned?

"I thought he might want some dessert, and then we could go back to the hotel. Hmm. Why don't we catch a ride back to the hotel and get him to bed?"

"Sounds good."

Lee is the first to wake up on their last full day in Chicago. He doesn't want to disturb Rosemary and Patrick. She tossed and turned all night, trying to get comfortable between the baby kicking and Patrick rolling all over the bed. Like they predicted, Patrick switched between sleeping on the settee and in their bed every night this week. He thinks to himself, "Next time, Patrick will definitely have his own bed." Right when Lee peels himself out of bed, Rosemary finally stirs. She sits upright quickly and massages her belly, breathing in and out. Lee whispers, "Are you okay?"

"I think so. I dreamed we were at home, and I had just woken up to check on our baby, and the crib was empty. I was about to scream your name when I woke up. Rosemary starts breathing harder. "What if something happens to pumpkin, Lee?"

"Rosie, nothing is going to happen." Lee fingers through his hair, asking, "Have you been having dreams like that?"

Rosemary frowns guiltily, revealing, "Yes, I've been having some vivid dreams lately where something happens to the baby."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't want to worry you."

"You know you can tell me anything, Rosie."

"I know. I will next time."

"Should we wake Patrick up?"

"No. Let's let him sleep. We have another full day today." Rosemary meekly smiles, innocently inquiring, "Could you please get me some tea?"

"As you wish." He slowly and cautiously gets out of bed, changes clothes, and goes downstairs to get some coffee for himself and tea for her.

The Coulter's spend their day at the Riverview Amusement Park. Rosemary watches her boys for most of the rides, only getting on the ones safe for the baby. Patrick's favorite rides were the Witching Waves and the Racetrack, which he insists on repeatedly riding, much to Lee's chagrin. Thanks to Rosemary's constant appetite and sweet tooth, they have hotdogs, candy apples, peanuts, and even ice cream. Lee just laughs and gets her what she wants when she asks. Before they know it, it is already time for their lake tour. They head on over to the dock and board their cruise ship. Patrick is a little nervous getting onboard. So, as soon as they sit down on the top deck, he climbs on Rosemary's lap as much as he can fit with her protruding stomach.

Rosemary looks down at Patrick, asking, "Are you scared?"

"A little. I have never been on a boat before."

Rosemary moves some of his unruly curls behind his ears, reassuring him, "It will be alright. Papa and I will keep you safe. Besides, this is a big ship, and we are staying near the coast."

Patrick hugs Rosemary and says, "Thanks, Mama. I love you."

"I love you to infinity, bud." The horn blows, and the ship sets off to the North.

"Mama, have you picked out a name for my little brother or sister?"

"No, we haven't. What do you think pumpkin's name should be?"

"How about Ozma for a girl or Zeb for a boy?"

"From the Wizard of Oz?"

"Yes, ma'am."

She turns to Lee, "What do you think about those names, honey?"

Lee clears his throat, responding, "How about we keep thinking?"

"Okay, Papa."

"How about Ruby?" inquires Lee.

Rosemary replies, "Ruby is cute. How about Leland Junior for a boy?"

"Thanks, sweetheart, but I want him to have his own name. How about Levi?"

"Levi is nice, but what about Andrew?"

"Or Jacob?" recommends Lee.

Patrick chimed in, "What about Thomas?"

"Hmmm. This is going to be hard deciding on a name."

"You're right. It is a lot of pressure." He wraps his arm around her. "Don't worry. We have some time."

"Thank goodness," responds Rosemary. She lays her head on his shoulder. "I can't believe it is already time to head home tomorrow. This week has gone by so fast."

"I know. It has. But we have lots to look forward to when we get home. Are you excited to work on your play?"

"I am. Patrick, are you excited for you and me to do my play?"

"Yes, ma'am."

Lee suggests, "Should we check out the bow?"

"I'd like that," replies Rosemary. Patrick jumps off her lap, and the three of them walk to the front of the ship and look out at the lake.

Lee offers, "I have an idea. Patrick, get up on the railing, and Rosemary, you stand right behind, holding him. I'll come from behind and support both of you." Rosemary grins, and they take their places. The three of them stand there, taking in the moment and feeling the wind through their hair.

Patrick shouts, "This is so neat. I feel like I am flying on the back of the North Wind with Diamond!"