A month later….

Elizabeth and Autumn were visiting Clara and Sophia for a few hours while Jack and Jesse finished up the master bedroom and what would be Autumn's bedroom. In the past month she had stayed with them twice in the fifth wheel for a weekend and each time, they had all had a hard time separating. Autumn became quiet and clingy, holding tight to Jack as soon as she knew it was time to go. She didn't cry but she was not happy like usual.

It hurt Elizabeth to see her that way. She couldn't wait until she never had to leave again.

Autumn watched as Elizabeth held Sophia. She moved as close as she could and seemed entranced by the little person in her arms.

"Do you want to hold her?" Clara asked.

Autumn nodded. Elizabeth gently placed Sophia in her arms. Autumn gently kissed Sophia's nose and watched her even more intently. Elizabeth took a picture. She never tired of seeing how she reacted to doing new things. It was always with a positive outlook and a smile.

"Baby."

"Yes. That's right. You were a baby like her."

"Autumn big."

"Yes, you are a big girl. But a few years ago, you used to be little like her."

"Autumn big." Elizabeth smiled.

"Yes, you are."

"How is the house coming along?" Clara asked.

"Doing well. Jack and Jesse are working on two of the bedrooms upstairs and then they will finish the master bath. That way, we can be living there so when the adoption goes through, we will have a comfy place to be. Then they will work on the kitchen."

"Autumn room….pink," Autumn said proudly.

"That's right, sweetie. Lots of pink."

"Yeah."

….

At the house, Jack put the white trim up around the closet, windows, and doorway in Autumn's room. It really looked good against the pink walls and light wood floors.

"Jack, trim and outlet covers done in the master," Jesse called from across the hall.

"Great! Thanks, Jess!"

"I'm going to start demo on the bathroom," Jesse told him.

"Great. I'll help. I'm done in here."

They worked for a couple hours and removed the tile, tub, vanity, and toilet to get it ready for everything to be new.

"Uh oh," Jesse mumbled. He pushed bounced on the floor where the tub and toilet had been and it bounced pretty easily. "The floors need to be replaced."

"And I see some mold on the wall there," Jack pointed. He made a phone call to Manny. He was an electrician but he knew a lot of people and Jack figured he would know someone that could help with the mold.

Jack made arrangements for someone to come the next day so they headed down to work on the fireplace and the kitchen.

"Jack!"

Jack smiled and scooped her up. "Hi, Pumpkin."

"Autumn…Autumn hold….baby," she told him.

"You held Sophie?"

She nodded. "Autumn big."

"Yes, you are a big girl, pumpkin."

"Jack, my mom called. She wants to come for a visit tomorrow. Is that alright with you?"

"Of course. It will be good to see her."

"I thought we could let her sleep on our second bed and I'll take her to Haven to meet Autumn."

"Sure. What do you think, pumpkin? Do you want to meet Beth's Mama?"

"Meet," she said with a nod.

"Great," Elizabeth told her. "Now let's go pack your bag. Time to take you to Haven."

"Stay," she said, gripping Jack's neck tighter, hiding her eyes in his neck.

As usual, he held her tighter for a few moments to remind her that he was there and then he gently unwrapped her arms from his neck and put her down. "I'll see you soon, pumpkin. Promise."

"Stay," she told him, holding onto his hand.

It was killing him to not give her what she wanted. Tears filled his eyes as he knelt down to eye level with her. "I love you, pumpkin. But you need to go now."

She nodded and gave him another hug. "Love Jack," she told him before letting go.

Elizabeth gave him a kiss goodbye and led Autumn out the door.

Jack composed himself and headed into the kitchen area where Jesse worked.

"I'm sorry, Jack. That had to be hard."

"Yeah. Gets harder every time."

"Let's get this house done so you can have your daughter," Jesse told him, patting him on the back.

"Yeah. Let's do that."

…..

The next day, after her morning coffee, Grace Thatcher packed up the car and headed to Riverton. It was only a three hour drive, most of which was spent listening to her favorite audiobook.

It had been almost two months since she'd seen her daughter and son-in-law. Even though Elizabeth had been great about calling often, Grace still missed them dearly.

As she got closer, Grace turned on her GPS and followed it all the way down a dusty dirt road to the most adorable old farm house. It was clear Jack had put a lot of hard work into it since the picture Elizabeth had sent her was taken.

Elizabeth spotted her mom from her perch on the front steps of the new house. Grace honked the car horn twice to say hi and parked behind Elizabeth's car.

"Mom!" Elizabeth rushed over to give Grace a hug. "So, what do you think?"

Grace stood back and looked at her daughter. "I think marriage suits you."

"I meant the house," Elizabeth blushed. "But yes, it does."

"The house looks lovely. Still a bit rough around the edges but I bet Jack will have this beautiful in no time."

"He's been working very hard. Shall we take your bags to the fifth wheel?"

"No dear. I reserved a room at the local hotel."

"Mom, you didn't have to. You're welcome here."

"I know but, sweetie, you're still newlyweds. And if things go the way you're hoping, you won't be alone for much longer."

"I suppose that's true. I can't wait for you to meet Autumn."

"I'm looking forward to it too! The pictures you sent were just adorable."

Jack came down from the upstairs bathroom and met them outside and greeted his mother-in-law with a warm hug and kiss on the cheek. Then they gave her a tour of their new home and introduced her to Jesse.

After a mother/daughter lunch at Vera's, Elizabeth took Grace to Haven House to meet her future granddaughter.

"I feel nervous. Is that silly?" Grace asked with a little laugh.

"Not silly at all."

"I bought some gifts for her, but I didn't bring most of them. I figured you could put them up in her room when it's all set up."

"That's fine. What did you bring?"

Grace grabbed her large purse from the back seat and pulled out a cute little doll dressed as a ballerina with a pink tutu. The part that really excited Grace was that this doll looked just like Autumn. She had the characteristics of Down's and that was so amazing.

"Mom! Where did you find this?" Elizabeth gushed.

"On the internet! Can you believe it? You think she'll like it?"

"I think she will love it!"

"Good."

"Let's go see her. It's crazy but I miss her and it's been like eighteen hours."

"You're already thinking like her mother," Grace said with a smile.

"You should see Jack with her. They are so adorable together."

Elizabeth knocked on the door and waited for someone to come. "Who is it?" Carrie's voice asked.

"Its Beth, Carrie."

She opened the door. "Come in, please," she said pleasantly.

"Thank you. Carrie, this is my mom, Grace. Mom, this is Carrie."

"Nice to meet you, sweetie."

"You too, ma'am. Beth, Florence asked me to tell you that Autumn isn't feeling well so she's in her room."

Elizabeth's heart dropped. "Is she alright?"

"She has a fever."

Elizabeth looked at her mom and they both hurried upstairs to see her.

Elizabeth slowly opened the door of the darkened room. They walked in and found Autumn in her toddler bed.

"Autumn?"

Autumn stared back at her, the smile she usually had on her face, gone.

"Sweetie? What's wrong?"

"Ow."

"What hurts, baby?"

She put her hands on her ears. Both of them. Autumn sat up and raised her arms prompting Elizabeth to pick her up immediately. "Let's go find Florence and Molly. She needs a doctor."

She could feel her fever through her own clothes. "Molly?" Elizabeth found her in the living room, a bottle of Tylenol in her hand.

"Hey, Beth. I was just grabbing some children's Tylenol for Miss Autumn here to get that fever down."

"She needs a doctor."

"Yes. We made an appointment for her at four. I assume you'd like to come along?"

"Yes, I would. This is my mom, Grace. Mom, this is Molly."

Elizabeth sat on the couch and rubbed Autumn's back as Molly gave her a dose of Tylenol.

"Good girl, baby."

Grace sat down and watched her daughter comfort Autumn. She could see how much she cared about her and how much Autumn trusted Beth.

"Mom, will you call Jack and tell him about Autumn?"

"Of course."

"It's the pediatrician on South St," Molly told her.

Grace dialed her phone. "Jack?"

"Hi, Grace. Did you two get to Haven alright?"

"Yes, but Elizabeth wanted me to tell you that Autumn is under the weather…"

"I'm on my way."

The phone went dead and Grace chuckled. "He is on his way."

"Jack….see Autumn?"

"Yes, sweetie. He will be here soon."

"Love Jack."

"I know and he loves you back."

Elizabeth grabbed Grace's hand. "Autumn, this is my Mommy. Can you say hello?"

Autumn closed her eyes and then opened them again, a small smile on her lips. "Hi."

"Hi, sweetheart. I'm sorry you're sick."

"Ow," she said, her hand touching her ear that wasn't pressed against Elizabeth's chest.

"I'll be right back." Grace got up and walked into the bathroom, returning a few moments later with a warm damp towel and put it on Autumn's ear.

"Thanks, Mom."

"You're welcome."

Autumn fell asleep as the warm towel combined with the Tylenol relaxed her.

"I thought bringing her back here after being with her all weekend was hard," Elizabeth whispered. "This is so much harder seeing her sick."

"Yes. Watching you and your sisters sick was terribly hard. I completely understand." Grace ran her fingers through her fine, blonde hair. "She's lovely."

"Yes. Inside and out."

Jack walked in about ten minutes later. "What's going on? Is she sick?" he asked, kneeling next to the couch.

"She says her ears hurt and she has a fever."

"Why isn't someone doing something?"

"Hon, we gave her Tylenol and we are taking her to the doctor in an hour."

"I want to go."

"Alright."

He sat on the floor and ran his hands through his hair. "I imagined all sorts of things that could be wrong."

"Well, son, if you had let me finish telling you, that might have helped," Grace told him with a chuckle.

"Sorry. I panicked." He looked at Elizabeth holding Autumn, looking very natural and motherly. "I love her, you know?"

"I know. You're a great dad already," Grace told him. "She's a lucky little girl."

"I didn't think it would happen this fast," Elizabeth admitted. "I thought we would foster a few and then look to adopt. But, the moment I saw her, I knew. She was ours."

She needed them and they needed her. That's what it came down to. And as far as Jack was concerned, no man was luckier than him. He had Beth and Autumn.