Chapter 1 of 2 today ...

Sorry for the delay … I'm on holidays and have been off the grid for a bit. Thanks for your patience. I'm going to try really hard to get this story finished by Christmas so get ready for an influx of chapters!

(7/11/2018)

CHAPTER 57

Recap …

They rose from the picnic blanket and picked up their things and headed back to the car. Once Elizabeth shut the boot, Jack held her hand, walking her to her door. Before she reached it though, he turned her and his hands grasped her hips gently.

"I just can't believe it. We're having another baby" he said as his hands ran over her skin.

"It came as quite the shock didn't it?"

He leant in to kiss her gently before helping her into the car. She drove him back to the base and he leant over and kissed her on the cheek before returning to his own vehicle and while Elizabeth went to pick up their daughters, Jack headed home with one thing on his mind – to spoil his wife.

Continued …

When Elizabeth walked in the door of the house an hour later with their three daughters, she was met by Jack who ushered her straight upstairs.

"Keep your eyes closed" he said guiding her toward the stairs.

"Why? What's going on?"

"I have a surprise for you. I need you to have a rest until I'm ready for you though."

"Okay …"

"Have a nap or take a bath. Whatever you want but no peaking!" he said giving her a quick kiss on the lips and disappearing back downstairs.

Elizabeth smiled and did as she was told. She had a bubble bath and then went into their bedroom and read a book. It had been a long time since she had done either of those things or really taken more than ten minutes for herself.

Halley eventually came to her door.

"Mommy, you can come downstairs now" she said grinning.

"Oh, can I? Are you going to give me a hint about what's going on?"

"Nope. You will have to just come down and see."

"Alright then. Lead the way."

Halley took her hand and pulled her downstairs but instead of going to the kitchen and dining table, Halley turned and took her outside instead. When Halley opened the door, Elizabeth couldn't help but gasp at what she saw.

The big tree in the backyard was strung with hundreds of fairy lights. Jack had moved their outdoor table to underneath the tree. There were large kerosene lamps leading a path toward the table and on it was a bunch of candles flickering on top of a white table cloth. A big bunch of peonies sat on one end.

Eve and Gracie were both sitting there waiting with broad smiles on their faces. Halley led Elizabeth toward the table and showed her where to sit.

"Wow. This is beautiful. Did you girls help?"

"Yes" they all nodded eagerly.

"You did a fantastic job!"

Just then the back door swung open and Jack emerged with a salad bowl and a plate of grilled meat.

"Here we go!" he called out, as he walked toward them.

He placed the food on the table, kissed Elizabeth on the cheek and headed back into the house. He returned with a potato bake and a bottle of wine.

Elizabeth watched as he sat down opposite her.

"Jack, this is …" she trailed off, not knowing what to say.

Jack squeezed her hand on top of the table. He pulled away, helping to serve the food for the girls and herself.

"Care for a glass of sparkling apple juice?" he asked, wiggling his eyebrows, as he unscrewed the bottle.

Elizabeth giggled, holding out her glass. He poured her drink and a small one for himself. He lifted his glass, holding it in the air toward her.

"To family. May everyone stay happy and healthy."

Elizabeth beamed at him, clinking her glass against his. The girls eagerly raised their glasses of water to join in.

Elizabeth watched them, how happy they were. She stared up at the fairy lights in the trees above them and the time seemed right.

"Everything okay?" Jack asked, his fork in his hand ready to start eating.

"Yes. I want to tell them" she said quietly.

"Now? Are you sure?"

"Yes. It feels right."

"Okay."

Elizabeth stood up and came around the table to Jack's side, leaning down to kiss him gently, before she took his hand.

"Girls?"

"Mmm" Halley said looking up at her. Gracie and Eve both turned toward her. Jack wrapped his arm around Elizabeth's waist.

"Your Daddy and I have something to tell you." Elizabeth paused for a moment, making sure she had their full attention. "Next year, you're going to be getting a baby brother or sister."

Halley's eyes went wide. "Really? You're having a baby like Aunt Vi?"

"Yes."

"Wow. I hope it's a boy. I've always wanted a brother."

Gracie looked at Elizabeth. "You have a baby inside you?"

"Yes."

Elizabeth felt Jack squeeze her against him.

"In your tummy?"

"Yes."

"Do you want a little brother or sister, Gracie?" Jack asked her.

"Yes, but I don't know which one. A little brother might be nice but not if he's annoying like Oscar."

Elizabeth smiled. "Fair enough but we can't choose what it is. We have to take what we get."

"But Aunt Vi is having a girl."

"Yes, because she found out but we won't find out until the baby is born. It will be a big surprise then, won't it?" Elizabeth said, trying to convey the excitement to her daughters.

Halley and Gracie both seemed excited but Eve just sat there next to Jack not saying anything. Jack pulled his arm away from Elizabeth and turned toward her.

"Eve, baby, are you okay? Do you understand what Mommy told you?"

"Kind of. I won't be the baby anymore."

"Well, not exactly. But you will always be my little girl as long as you want to be. Do you want to be a big sister?" Jack asked, putting his arm around her shoulder and giving her a hug.

"Yes."

Jack looked back at Elizabeth, unsure of what else to say. Elizabeth went and crouched down next to her chair.

"What's wrong Eve?"

"How did the baby know to come here?"

"What do you mean?"

"Where does the baby come from?"

"Oh well …"

"When a Mommy and Daddy love each other they have babies" Halley answered, knowingly.

"But you have me. I'm your baby. That's what you call me."

Elizabeth nodded. "Yes, well we didn't expect to have any more babies. We thought you would be our last one but we have been lucky enough to have another baby come into our family."

"So it's in there right now?" Eve said pointing.

"Yes. It will get bigger and bigger and then when he or she is big enough, I will go to hospital and have the baby and then we can bring them home."

"Where will it sleep? Can it sleep in my room? Please!"

Elizabeth glanced at Jack who couldn't help but laugh at the full circle that this conversation was going in.

"We'll talk about that later. How about we eat first before the food gets cold?"

Elizabeth rose and went back to her seat. She thought all of the awkward questions would be done but she was very wrong. Having an eight year old, a six year old and an almost four year old meant that they all had very different understandings of babies and pregnancy. By the time dinner was finished, Jack sat opposite Elizabeth, his eyes twinkling from all the questions she had fielded.

As Halley was about to ask something else, Jack put a stop to it.

"That's enough! Bed time! Let's go! Help me carry everything inside and then its bath time and bed!"

There were groans all around while Elizabeth sighed in relief. The girls carried their plates in and Jack took Elizabeth's as she stood to finish clearing the table.

"I've got this, sweetie. Relax."

"Jack, I'm not an invalid."

"I know but I am taking care of you today while I can. I will clean up."

Elizabeth went and sat down on one of the sun lounges and stared up at all the fairy lights in the trees. Jack had done such an amazing job. He was definitely one of a kind.

Fourty minutes later, he returned with a blanket in hand.

"Wow, I was not prepared for all of those questions" Jack said laughing.

He stepped up to Elizabeth's chair, handed her the blanket before drawing her forward so he could slide in behind her. He pulled her closer between his legs and his hands wrapped around, pulling the blanket up around her before they settled around her stomach. He leant in to kiss her cheek.

"I love you, babe."

"I love you too."

Elizabeth watched the lights twinkling in the tree overhead. Jack's excitement and hope that had come with the knowledge of the new baby was contagious. The anxiety that she had been feeling earlier was all but gone and as her hand covered Jack's, she couldn't wait for the day in just over six months time when she would be holding their baby in her arms.

Jack was gone early again the next morning, leaving Elizabeth to get herself and the girls ready for school. She woke without a headache for the first time in almost a week. As she made breakfast for the girls, she realised that the baby topic had not been remotely forgotten during the night.

"I want to call our baby sister Elsa" Eve said.

"No, it has to be Ana" Gracie said matter-of-factly, each of them picking their favourite Frozen princesses.

"It doesn't matter. It's going to be a boy and I want to call him Kristoff or Chris for short."

"Okay, girls. The baby isn't coming for a long time and I want you to keep it a secret for a little longer. Do you think you can do that?"

"Keep it a secret?" Gracie asked.

"Yes just for a little longer. You can talk about the baby in our house but outside of the house, we're not going to mention the baby until I tell you that you can, okay?"

They all nodded sadly. Elizabeth felt terrible. She knew she wanted to keep it quiet for a little bit longer for a reason and last night had been perfect but maybe she had been too excited and not practical. At least for her daughter's sakes.

"Eve? Can you keep a secret?"

"Yes."

"Gracie and Halley?"

"Yes, Mommy."

"Alright, hurry up and finish your breakfast."

Jack finished his morning training and walked into he mess hall at the same time as Shane.

"What happened to you yesterday, man?"

"Oh, I had to get home. Elizabeth wasn't well."

"Is she okay?"

"Yes, she is now."

Jack grabbed a tray and got some food before walking toward a free table. Shane followed behind him. He could feel Shane watching him.

"Something's up with you."

"Huh?" Jack said looking up from his plate of food.

"I can tell something is going on."

Jack looked at him for a long moment, his toast halfway to his mouth. He watched Shane carefully who was eating his own piece of toast.

"Fine … Elizabeth's pregnant."

Shane's eyes almost fell out of his head and then he began choking on his toast.

Jack grinned at him. "You right, man?"

Shane was drinking his cup of water, his other hand resting on his chest. He took a deep breath when he was finished.

"Why the hell would you say that while I was eating?"

"You asked me. I answered."

"You're serious?"

"Yeah."

"That was the last thing I was expecting you to say."

"Yeah, well it was the last thing I expected to hear from Elizabeth too."

"How far along is she?"

"About ten weeks."

"Man, you didn't waste any time when you got back did you? I thought you had amnesia!" he said laughing.

Jack rolled his eyes. "I do have amnesia. It doesn't mean I've forgotten what to do in the bedroom."

"Apparently not. You weren't supposed to get your wife pregnant again though."

"Believe me, I know. It wasn't only my fault though."

Shane laughed. "Sure. It takes two to tango. As if I can talk. Phillip was a huge mistake."

"Really?"

"Yes, but turned out to be the best mistake I've ever made" he said laughing loudly. "It's so good having a son in a house of women."

"I can understand that."

"You want a boy then?"

"It would be good but I don't really mind. Another daughter would be just as nice."

"Do the girls know yet?"

"Yeah we told them last night. They were all so excited. The questions came flying. I was not expecting that!"

Shane laughed when Jack retold him all of the questions that the girls had fired at them last night.

"When I got around to tucking Halley into bed, it was just her and I and she looked up at me with those big beautiful eyes and said 'But Daddy I don't understand. How does the baby get in there?' Elizabeth had answered most of the questions downstairs and I just didn't know what to say to her."

Shane laughed. "I'm guessing there is more to this. What did you say?"

"I just said something about it being like the seed of a tree that grows inside the mommy. I don't know I fumbled. What age do they learn about that stuff anyway?"

"I don't know. I thought we had a few years left until that though."

"Well then she got confused and started asking about branches. I told her to ask her Mom later."

Shane laughed even harder. "You palmed off your own daughter."

"I don't know what I'm supposed to tell her. I didn't want to scare her."

"What did Elizabeth say when you told her?"

"I didn't. I just hoped she wouldn't find out what an idiot I am."

"Oh, believe me. She already knows!"