Not even an hour after my parents left, there was a knock at the door. Jack was busy changing the baby's diaper, so I walked across the house to answer it. I opened the door to find Rosemary standing there. "Okay, I know you just got your house back to yourself, but I can't wait any longer. I need to meet your baby girl."

I smiled and rolled my eyes. "I'm honestly surprised you didn't come sooner. Come on in. Jack should be just about finished changing her."

"Can I know her name now?" She had been bugging me about the name every day since Emilia was born, but we had still kept it just between us, our parents, and our siblings.

"Her name is Emilia Elizabeth Thornton." Jack grinned as he walked down the stairs, Emilia cradled against his chest. "Hi, Rosie."

"Oh, that's a lovely name!" She held her arms out. "May I?"

"Okay, Em. Time to meet your Aunt Rosie." Jack carefully passed the baby to her.

"Hello, Emilia. It's nice to finally meet you. You know, I have a little boy who's just a few months older than you. Maybe someday, the two of you can get together."

"And so it begins." Jack chuckled and slipped his arm around me. "You know, Rosie, no one is ever going to be good enough for my girl. Not even Matthias."

"Hey, I thought you and Lee were going to visit his parents for the holidays."

She lifted the baby to her shoulder. "We are. Lee ended up having to work from home today, though, so we can't leave until he's finished."

She stayed for a few more minutes, promising before she left that she would bring Lee and the kids over after the holidays to meet Emilia.

"Well," Jack started after he closed the door behind her, "we're finally alone, just the four of us."

"For a whole day until your mom comes." I laughed. "Don't get me wrong, though. It's so nice to have some extra hands around these first few weeks."

"It is." He kissed me softly. "So, what should we do today?"

...

I watched Teddy run after Jack as he walked over to answer the door.

"Hi, mom." Jack invited Charlotte into the house and wrapped her in a hug.

"Hi, son." She crouched down in front of Teddy. "And hello to you, young man. I think you've gotten even bigger since I saw you at Thanksgiving."

He giggled when she tickled him. "Hi, gamma."

She scooped him up and turned back toward Jack. "I have Christmas presents in my car that need to be brought in. Could you be a dear?"

"Of course, ma." He kissed her cheek. "Elizabeth and the baby are just in the living room."

I glanced up at Charlotte when she came in the room. "Hi, Charlotte."

"Hello, Lizzy."

I peeked under the blanket to check on Emilia. "I'd let you see her, but she just started eating, and she's a pretty distracted eater."

"Oh, that's fine." She smiled. "I can wait." She took a seat and lowered Teddy to the floor in front of her. He immediately wandered over to the coffee table and started playing with the little toy car he had abandoned earlier. "How have you been?"

"Good. Tired. I knew it would be a big change to go from one baby to two, but gosh, I really wasn't prepared."

She chuckled. "I don't think anyone ever is. Just don't be afraid to ask for help."

"Oh, I've gotten so much help already without asking."

"Jack said your parents just left?"

I nodded. "Yesterday morning. My older sister and her family are coming in from London for Christmas, so they needed to get home."

"It's a shame they couldn't stay longer."

I shrugged. "They had already planned to come just before my due date and stay just a few days after she was born. Plus, they knew you'd be eager to meet her, too, and they didn't want it to be too overwhelming here."

"Ah."

Jack came back in the house then, arms full of colorfully wrapped gifts.

"Those can go under the tree, son."

"Got it." He carefully placed the boxes and bags under the tree, trying to find places for everything. "Well," he stood up and rubbed his hands together, "it's safe to say our children are very spoiled."

"I couldn't help it. Your brother isn't going to give me grandkids anytime soon, so I have to spoil the ones you give me. Plus, little Emilia there is a special one."

"Special how?" he questioned, sitting on the floor beside Teddy.

"She's the first girl to be born into the Thornton family in five generations."

"Really?" He took the toy car that Teddy handed to him.

"Yeah. You know your dad was an only child, and his dad had only brothers, and his dad had only brothers, all the cousins were boys, and you get the picture."

"Wow."

"You hear that, Emmy?" I peeked under the blanket again. "You're the first baby girl in your daddy's family in a long time." She peered up at me through her long lashes, her blue eyes wide. "Are you ready to meet grandma now?" I lifted her to my shoulder to burp her before passing her to Charlotte.

"Well, look at you, pretty girl. I'm your grandma Charlotte." She grinned, brushing her finger across Emilia's cheek. "You're just the cutest little thing, aren't you?"

"I think she looks like Elizabeth." Jack smiled as he gazed over at our daughter.

"She has Jack's dimples, though."

"How old is she now?"

"Ten days."

"Ten days already? What a big girl!"

Teddy came over and started to climb onto the sofa. "Mama."

I helped him up, settling him in my lap. "Hi, Teddy Bear." I kissed the top of his head.

"No baby." He furrowed his brow and crossed his arms over his chest.

I had to bite my cheek to keep from laughing; his little angry face was so cute. "Sorry, bud. Your sister's staying."

"Someone's having trouble adjusting?" Charlotte glanced over at Teddy.

Jack nodded. "He's fine with her being here except when she's the center of attention."

Charlotte chuckled. "Sounds familiar."

...

I pulled Emilia's arms through the sleeves of her plaid dress. "You are so cute, Emmy. Did you know your daddy picked this dress for you? Right after we found out we were having a little girl. He's been so excited about you ever since we first found out you were in my belly." She stared up at me as I situated the red bow in her hair. "Okay, I think you're ready to go, baby girl. Let's go see if your daddy has your brother ready." I lifted her to my shoulder and kissed the top of her head.

I traipsed across the hall to the nursery. Teddy was sitting up on the changing table while Jack attached his suspenders to his little khaki pants.

"Mama." Teddy pointed toward me and tried to stand.

"Hi, Teddy Bear. You look so handsome. And look, your bow tie matches Emmy's dress."

He glanced down and tugged on the tie.

"Hey, leave it on, bud." Jack lifted Teddy from the changing table. "Ready to go?"

I nodded. "I just want to get a quick picture of the kids by the tree. Who knows if they'll still be this clean by the time church is over."

He chuckled. "Good point."

Charlotte smiled when we all came down the stairs. "Well, look at those lovely little grandbabies of mine."

We got Teddy situated in front of the tree and helped him hold Emilia. Somehow, we managed to get a picture where Teddy actually looked happy to be so close to his sister—and we managed to get him to look at the camera.

"Let's get one of all four of you." Charlotte reached for my phone.

"Okay, but it has to be quick. We're running late already."

Jack stood next to me, Emilia in his arms and Teddy in mine.

"Well, I might be biased, but you are the cutest little family I've ever seen." Charlotte snapped a few pictures, then passed my phone back to me. "Let's go."

...

I rolled over to find Jack lying awake, his eyes on me. His eyelashes seemed to glow in the early morning light, the corners of his lips just barely turning up into a smile.

"Gosh, you're handsome." I touched his cheek. "Good morning, babe."

"Good morning, beautiful." He kissed me softly. "Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas." I pulled myself over to his chest, tucking my head beneath his chin. "Mm, it's a shame that Emilia's going to be up any minute to eat. I'm so comfortable right now."

"Just make her wait. She can learn to be patient."

I chuckled. "I don't think it works that way, unless you want to deal with a fussy baby for the rest of the day."

"No, thank you."

"Mama!" Teddy called out from the nursery, his little voice clear over the baby monitor.

I groaned. "I didn't expect him to be up before Emilia."

"I'll get him. You stay warm and cozy for a bit longer." He kissed my nose and slipped out of the bed.

I pulled the covers up to my chin after he left, trying to compensate for the loss of his body heat.

Jack returned a few minutes later, Teddy sitting on his shoulders. "Someone had a stinky diaper."

"Teddy Thornton, was it you? Did you have a stinky diaper?"

"No." He giggled as Jack lowered him onto the bed. "Mama." He crawled over to me, planting a slobbery kiss on my cheek.

I wrapped him in my arms, kissing the top of his head. "I love you, Teddy Bear. Merry Christmas."

"How about Teddy and I go get the cinnamon rolls in the oven? You can meet us downstairs after you feed Em."

"Okay. No opening presents until Charlotte and I are down there, though."

"Yes, ma'am." He smiled and took Teddy from me. "Let's go, little man."

...

I sat on the sofa, holding Emilia on my lap. She was staring wide-eyed at her dad while he helped Teddy open the last of his presents.

He squealed with joy when he ripped the paper off a box, revealing a wooden police car. "Dada!"

"That looks a little like my work car, huh?" Jack didn't bring his cruiser home often, but when he did, Teddy was always thrilled.

He tried to lift the lid off the box, struggling for a bit before Jack helped him. He held up his new toy, excitedly showing all of us.

"I see, Teddy Bear. That's so cool."

As he sat in Jack's lap, I was suddenly transported to the previous Christmas. I had watched the two of them interact, just waiting for the moment to reveal to Jack that our family was going to grow.

With tears in my eyes, I passed Emilia to Charlotte and excused myself to go upstairs.

As I curled up in the center of the bed, I could hear the muffled sounds of Jack and Charlotte speaking quietly, followed by the sound of footsteps on the stairs.

I felt the bed shift as Jack sat beside me.

"Elizabeth? What's going on?"

"It's been a year." I brushed a tear from my cheek.

"What?"

I rolled over to face him. "It's been a year since I told you I was pregnant with a baby we never got to meet."

"Oh, Beth." He leaned back against the headboard and pulled me onto his chest.

"And it just hit me. If we hadn't lost him, we wouldn't have Emilia."

"Elizabeth, honey, you're allowed to miss the baby. That doesn't mean you love Em any less."

"I do love her, so, so much. I just can't help but think about what would've been if we hadn't lost Owen. He would've been four months old, just about the same age as Matthias." I fidgeted with his shirt. "I think he would've looked like you."

"I think about him, too." He rubbed my arms gently. "Do you want me to get the box?"

"No." I wiped the rest of the tears from my eyes. "I just needed a minute. I wasn't prepared for that memory to hit me so strongly."

"My mom has everything under control with the kids, so just take whatever time you need."

"Just hold me for a little bit."

"Always." He wrapped his arms around me, brushing his lips against my temple.

We stayed like that for a few minutes, until we heard Emilia start fussing downstairs.

I sighed. "We should go back down there."

"Okay." He kissed me softly before leading me down the stairs.

"Sorry about that," I apologized to Charlotte, taking Emilia back from her.

She looked at me with eyes full of sympathy. "Don't apologize, Lizzy. It's been twenty-six years for me, and I still think about the baby I lost."

I reached for her hand. "I'm so glad you could be here with us today."

...

As the day wound down, Jack lit a fire in the fireplace, and we all snuggled in together. Teddy had fallen asleep in Charlotte's lap, his face sticky with drips of the hot chocolate he had tried—and loved—for the first time earlier in the evening.

Jack had one arm around my shoulders; Emilia was cradled in his other arm, wrapped in her new quilt from Charlotte and nearing sleep herself.

I breathed deeply and smiled.

"What are you thinking about?"

"Just how perfect this moment is. I have you. We have two healthy and beautiful children. They have wonderful grandparents and aunts and uncles."

"I love you, Elizabeth Thornton."

I leaned over and kissed him. "I love you more."

...

A/N Just a heads up: The next chapter of this story (chapter 60) will be the last. Thanks to all of you who have stuck with it all this time!