Late June….
Beth walked in to their condo, excited for the evening. Jack had the night off and they had planned weeks before to go out to dinner for their six month anniversary.
Unfortunately they hadn't seen very much of each other the past week. He had been working the exact opposite of her schedule so he was gone before she came home and vice versa.
Tonight, hopefully dinner out would be exactly what they needed to connect again.
As she walked in though, she could see that dinner out wasn't going to happen. Jack and Rick Wagner, along with three other guys she didn't know, were watching something on the TV, drinking soda, and eating mountains of pizza.
"Jack?"
He looked over at her. "Hi, babe. You're home."
"Yeah."
She turned and headed into the bedroom forcing herself not to cry. Yes, they had planned it, but that was three weeks before and it hadn't been confirmed in the past week.
It still stung a bit when he hadn't remembered their six month anniversary. Maybe that was a typical guy thing to do.
She decided to take a Jacuzzi bath while he was busy with his friends, trying to ignore the frustration that was like a rock in her stomach.
As soon as she sat in the hot water, bubbles up to her neck, her tears started. She missed him so much.
Before this past week, they had been in a good place, making time for each other, even if in the middle of the night. It had seemed good, normal even.
"Honey?" Jack said, walking in the bathroom. "Are you going to be ready to go soon? Our reservation is at six."
"What?" she sniffled and looked at him. He had black dress pants and his white undershirt on. He was brushing his teeth.
"At Pinks. Our reservation? For our anniversary." He turned and looked at her. "Hey, what's wrong?"
"I came home and you were….all the pizza and…I thought you…"
"Babe, what? You thought I forgot?"
"Yes," she whimpered. "But you didn't?"
"No. I just had the guys over for the game. I told them they needed to leave early because I had an important date with my beautiful wife."
"Oh." He was kneeling by the tub so she reached over and cupped his face with her hands. "You're so wonderful." She kissed him over and over and then laughed at herself. Of course he didn't forget. He was her Jack. He remembered important things.
When she took her hands away, there were suds on his face. He laughed and stood to wipe them away. "Honey, you really need to get ready."
"What if we stayed in?"
"As much as I'd love that, I really want to go out with you on my arm. It's been a long time."
She stood and wrapped her towel around herself before stepping up behind Jack, her arms slipping around his waist. "Are you sure? We could eat dinner right in bed and I could wear this. Or I could not wear this, up to you."
"Woman, what you do to me…"
She laughed and left the room to get ready. The navy flowered sundress she wore on family day at the academy was her dress of choice for the evening. She walked into their generous closet and looked for a purse to match the dress that hung on the door.
"I changed my mind," Jack told her, picking her up in his arms. "I want to stay here."
"I thought you…"
"No."
"What happened to our reservation?"
"Someone else can have it."
He dipped his head and claimed her sweet lips with his, leaving her breathless. "I missed you, Jack," she whispered.
"I missed you too. Happy Anniversary, babe."
"Happy Anniversary."
….
Later…
Jack smirked at her and gestured with his fork. "I'm glad I went with the sheet instead of the towel. It's a much better choice."
"Jack Thornton, the things you say."
"Hey, you're the one who left it up to me."
"Mmhmm." She put a spoonful of tortellini in her mouth and moaned in delight. "Good grief, this is amazing. Who would have thought we could get Pinks to deliver?"
Pinks was short for Pincarelli's, an Italian eatery about five miles from the condo. Apparently almost every restaurant in a ten mile radius delivered.
Jack ate his cannoli first, before his lasagna. He loved cannolis so much. "If I could marry a dessert, this would be it."
"Hey! Don't I get a say in that?"
"Sorry, babe." She nudged him with her foot making him laugh.
"I miss the beach," she told him.
"Hon, there is a beach a few miles from here."
"Its not the same as our beach. Or the lookout."
"I suppose it isn't."
"Six more months and you get a vacation, right?"
"Seven. In January once I hit my one year mark. I think we should go back to Vermont."
"Yes! Perfect place to make a baby!"
"Or we could go somewhere with a beach."
"Like where?"
"Jamaica?"
"What? Don't tease me about going somewhere as amazing as that, Jack."
"I'm not teasing. I'm serious."
"Ok then. Let's go there."
"Done."
"What do you mean?"
"I already booked the tickets. And the hotel, with a private beach."
"This is going to be a great trip!"
….
HOPE VALLEY, the next morning
Tom smiled down at Lane who grinned at him. He had just started doing that. Looking at him now, you wouldn't know he barely weighed five pounds at birth. He was a healthy weight and thriving.
Julie had gone back to work part time at Yost's for the last few weeks and planned to start taking online courses in the evenings to finish up her certification as a pharmacy technician.
Tom finished his freshman year and now worked full time at the web design company he had been working for and would until school resumed.
"Hungry, bud?" Tom asked, slipping a bottle of formula into his mouth
Immediately Lane started drinking and stared up at him, his eyes fixed on Tom.
Tom loved this time in the early morning, spending time with him while Julie showered and made breakfast. After breakfast he would head to work and Julie, if she had to work that day, took Lane to Charlotte and Tom's. They loved watching him, definitely relishing the grandparent role.
"Morning, sweetie," Julie said, walking over and kissing him. "Eggs?"
"Sure."
Julie smiled down at her boys and headed in to make the scrambled eggs that Tom liked. She always added pepper jack to them to give them an extra kick and he thought they were amazing.
Lane gurgled a bit bringing Tom's attention back to him. Usually that meant he was distracted and had stopped drinking or he needed to pull the bottle out and burp him. So that's what he did.
After being rewarded by a hearty burp, Tom repositioned him and gave him a bit more which he accepted with gusto.
He joined Julie at the table just as she brought their food over. "You work today, Julie?"
"No. I was wondering if you minded if I took Lane up to see Beth and Jack? Jack hasn't been able to get away to meet him and Beth is missing him too."
"That's a good idea."
"I'd spend the night and then come back by tomorrow, mid day."
"I'll miss both of you, but I think he needs to see Beth and Jack."
"Ok. Thank you." As soon as she finished her food, Tom kissed her and Lane and left for work.
Julie packed Lane's bag, making sure to have enough formula, diapers, and clothes. Then they went upstairs and Julie packed her own things.
Finally, armed with a pack-n-play for him to sleep in and their other things, Julie and Lane were headed up to LA.
….
Around noon, Julie with Lane and his carseat in hand, knocked on the door of the condo.
"One moment," she heard from deep within.
Beth opened the door, dressed in an LAPD t-shirt and shorts. "Julie! What are you doing here?"
"We came to visit." Beth looked behind her and then back at Julie. "Can we come in? This seat weighs a ton."
"Oh, yeah." She stepped back and took the seat from Julie. "Give me a moment, ok?"
A few moments later, Jack and Beth walked in. Jack was still in his sleep clothes. "I'm sorry to just drop in. I figured Jack would be working. Do you want me to come back?"
"No, of course not," Jack told her. "Do you have things you need me to bring in from your car?"
"Yeah, quite a bit. The heaviest is the pack-n-play. If you bring that up, I can get the rest."
"Got it. And a pack-n-play is what exactly?"
"Its where he will sleep and eventually when he gets bigger, where he will play. It's in a duffel. You'll see it."
He nodded and kissed Julie's cheek. "Good to see you."
Julie raised her eyebrows at Beth. "Did you guys just get out of bed?"
"It was our six month anniversary."
"Congratulations."
"Thanks." Beth squatted and unbuckled Lane. "He's so big, Julie."
"I know. He will be hungry very soon. Want to feed him?"
"Yes!" Julie chuckled and grabbed a bottle and formula from his diaper bag/backpack that still hung on her shoulders. Then she prepared the bottle in the kitchen.
Beth heard a noise outside the door so she opened it and laughed. "Need help?"
"No, but thanks for getting the door." Jack sat the pack-n-play down along with a two suitcases.
"Thanks, Jack. You didn't have to get all of it."
"This is quite a bit of stuff, Julie," he said, eyeing the bags.
"Don't worry. We are only staying overnight."
"You need two suitcases?"
"One for him and one for me. Babies need a lot of things."
He nodded. Then his eye settled on Beth who had sunk into the corner of the couch with Lane. The look on her face was pure joy and contentment. She was stunning.
"You two planning any kids in the future, Jack?" Julie asked when she saw his look.
"Yeah. Pretty soon."
"She looks happy with him," Julie mentioned.
"She does." He headed toward the living room so Julie took her things to the guest room and set up the pack-n-play.
Jack sat next to Beth, slipping his arm around her shoulder. "Hey."
"Hey yourself."
"He's pretty cute."
"He is." Beth removed the bottle from Lane's mouth and put him over her shoulder to burp him.
"You seem comfortable."
"I am. I feel like this is what I'm meant to be," she said, her voice breaking. "I'm sorry. December can't come fast enough."
After a burp, Lane stayed asleep, so she settled him in the crook of her elbow. Jack kissed her temple and smiled. "It'll be here before we know it."
"Yeah."
In all truth, seeing her in this role, as aunt, gave him a clear picture of her as a mother. He wanted that for her, for them. He hoped time flew by too.
"I should go get ready for work. I love you."
She smiled at him and kissed his soft lips. "I love you."
Later after Jack left, Beth and Julie had a nice long chat. They talked a few times a week but it didn't compare to being in the same room.
"Jamaica? That's so cool!"
"I know. I can't wait. Especially since we will be trying to get pregnant by that point. I want it so bad."
"You will have it. You will be a terrific mom, Beth."
"Thank you. I'm going to try my hardest." She kissed her nephew's head and closed her eyes. "He smells so good."
"Nothing like it."
"So how's Tom doing?"
"Good. He's working full time this summer, insisting on helping support me and Lane."
Beth knew Julie had been forced to tap into the Thatcher independence that lies beneath the surface when she learned she was pregnant. "Are you ok with that?"
"Yeah. For all intents and purposes, he is Lane's dad. He is going to be my husband so it makes sense."
"I'm glad you have him, Jules. And Lane. You both deserve someone who will take care of you and love you."
"You and I were very fortunate to find two men like them."
Beth one hundred percent agreed.