August

Beth set their table, lighting candles and moving things to just the right position. Her parents were coming to visit and spend the night and she wanted it to look perfect.

Jack had a rare night off so he was there too. He walked out as she moved the plates for the fifth time.

"Beth, why are you nervous? They've been here before."

"I know. I'm not sure why." She looked at him and frowned. "Um, maybe no tie."

"This is the one you picked out for me."

"I know. I don't want it to seem like we are trying too hard."

"Babe, you're fussing with the table and your dress is brand new and you've fixed your hair a bunch of times. We are trying too hard." He untied his tie and took it back in the bedroom.

When he walked back out, he helped her make a salad and tried to distract her. He moved up behind her and kissed her neck, giving her goosebumps.

"Jack, we need to concentrate."

"On what? This cucumber? Or the onion?"

She sighed and checked on the chicken that she had roasted. It smelled amazing.

Then the doorbell rang. "I'll get it, Beth."

When he opened the door, he was greeted warmly. "Jack," Grace said, hugging him. "Its so good to see you." It had been since the wedding since they had seen each other. His schedule didn't allow for him to be three hours from home since he was on call so he hadn't visited. He missed his own parents immensely too.

"You too, Grace. Come in. Beth is in the kitchen."

He stuck out his hand for William to shake. "William. Good to see you, sir."

"You too, Jack."

"Beth?"

Beth turned and plastered on a smile. "Hi, Mom."

"What's wrong, dear?"

"Nothing."

"You've been worrying, haven't you?"

"No, I just want things to be…"

"Perfect? Nothing is ever perfect. What I can tell you is this home is lovely and you did a wonderful job with the table out there and dinner smells great." Grace gave her a hug. "Relax, Beth. There's nothing to be nervous about."

Jack held her hand throughout dinner, trying to reassure her that it was going well.

"How is work going, Jack?"

"Pretty well. After eight months of working through the night, twelve hour shifts, not to mention trying to balance it with being newly married…let's just say, I'll be glad when January hits."

"What happens then?" Grace asked.

"It will be my one year mark. I won't be considered a rookie anymore so I'll get more control over my schedule. Maybe even move to a different precinct."

Beth met his eyes. "Like move out of LA?"

"Maybe. I don't know yet."

"You haven't mentioned anything about moving, Jack."

"Its only an option, hon. Nothing has been decided."

"Where would we go? I mean, this is where our home is."

"Beth, I don't have a plan to go somewhere else. I was just throwing it out there. If it becomes a possibility, I will discuss it with you."

She stood and took her plate to the kitchen, washing it off and putting it in the dishwasher.

"Beth?"

"Jack, I really don't want to discuss this now."

"Discuss what? You're overreacting for no reason."

"I have my reasons!" she shook her head and headed down the hall, shutting the door to their room.

Jack waited before rejoining his in-laws at the table. He would do the dishes and make sure they were settled in the guest room before he talked to Beth. She rarely raised her voice at him so this was something he wasn't sure how to handle. He did know her well though and if she got upset, there must be a very good reason.

"Everything ok, Jack?" Grace asked, concern on her face.

"Yeah. I'll give her a few moments to cool down."

After dishes were in the dishwasher and washing, he fed the cats and said goodnight to William and Grace.

He stepped into his and Beth's bedroom quietly. His eyes adjusted to the darkness after a moment so he walked over and sat next to her on the bed. He heard a sniffle so she was awake. "What happened out there, Beth?"

"Nothing." She sat up and crawled out of bed, wrapping a thin robe around her body.

He followed her into the bathroom and brushed his teeth. Then his eye caught on a pregnancy test on the counter. "Beth? What's going on?" He held up the sealed box.

"Nothing. Nothing at all. I'm on my period and I'm not pregnant." She washed her face with cold water and patted it dry with a towel.

"You've been on the pill," knowing it, but looking for confirmation.

"Yes, Jack and I've never missed one. There is no logical reason at all that I thought I could be pregnant but for some reason, maybe because I wanted it so badly, I hoped. So I bought a test and waited for it."

She took the test and put it in the drawer, knowing she would need it eventually.

"So, what about my job thing?"

"I don't want to leave LA. I finally feel settled. Hanna is here and my bowling team and I want to work at Diamond Academy and this is our home." Her tears burned her eyes. "I want to raise our baby here. When we have one."

He took her hand and led her into the bedroom. They sat on the bed. "I get that, Beth. But hear me out. What if there is a job opening in a small town or a smaller city? Somewhere less dangerous. Wouldn't it make sense to make that choice when we start our family?"

Of course she wanted him safer but right now, moving seemed like an awful idea. She leaned against his shoulder. "I'm sorry I yelled. You didn't deserve it." She kissed his cheek. "I love you, Jack."

"I love you. Do you want me to draw you a hot bubble bath?"

"Sure. Thank you."

He took his dress shirt off and hung it in the closet and then walked into the bathroom to start the water. He lit a candle and poured bubble bath in. When the water was at the right level, he turned the lights off. "Ok, hon. Bath is ready."

She walked over and hugged him. "Thank you."

"Of course."

While she was relaxing, he went out to the living room and turned on the TV. Nothing was on but he didn't watch anyway. He was thinking about moving. Being an LAPD cop was a good thing for his resume but not for his mind and heart. He felt vulnerable everyday he went to work, wondering if he would make it home to his wife that night. He even took out a life insurance policy on himself just in case. He told himself it was to protect Beth and the family they wanted but it also was because he was scared.

About twenty minutes later, she walked out in her comfy silky pajamas and joined him on the couch.

"Hey," she said quietly. "You coming to bed?"

He was half asleep but he answered. "Yeah."

"It means you actually have to move, babe." She chuckled and stood, grabbing his fingers. He slowly got up and wrapped his arm around her.

"You smell good. I'm glad I used the vanilla bubble bath."

….

Beth was up around six the next morning to make coffee and breakfast. As she waited for her coffee she made Jack a chicken sandwich for lunch.

"Morning, Beth," Grace said as she wandered in.

"Morning. Coffee, Mom?"

"Yes, please." She handed her mom the mug she was going to drink. Grace went to the refrigerator and pulled out the creamer. "How are you this morning, dear?"

"Better. I'm sorry about last night."

"No need to apologize."

"Thanks."

Beth put Jack's sandwich in the refrigerator and pulled out the eggs. "Would you like an omelet?"

"Sure."

Beth grabbed the chicken from the night before, an onion, some peppers and the milk and cheese and began breakfast.

"Morning ladies," Jack said, walking in dressed in his uniform. He bent down and kissed Beth.

He never failed to make her heart race when he dressed in his uniform. He just looked so good.

"I made your lunch, hon."

"Thank you. I need to go. I'll see you tonight." He kissed her again. "Love you."

"Love you too." She stopped him, placing her hand on his arm, and hugged him, just for a moment.

He grabbed his lunch and kissed Grace's cheek. "It was good to see you, Grace."

"You too. Stay safe." He nodded and gave her a hug.

After he left, Grace looked at Beth. "Handsome man in a uniform," she mentioned.

Beth smiled. "Yeah. Takes my breath away sometimes. He's just amazing."

"If you need to talk about anything, I'll listen."

"Thanks, Mom. I was just having a rough night. We got it handled."

"That's good." Elizabeth blurted her next sentence without thinking.

"We decided to wait until our anniversary to start trying for a baby so that I can finish my degree."

Grace nodded.

"I'd do it now if I had my way. Jack said he needs to know that I can support our family if something happens to him." Her voice cracked at the end of her last sentence.

"Honey, he is right. In his line of work he can be careful but there are no guarantees."

"I don't know what I would do without him. I mean, maybe we should move. Somewhere not as dangerous." Maybe Jack was right.

….

When he returned home to the quiet condo, he thought she might be asleep but it was only nine PM.

He headed for the refrigerator, hoping what he was smelling was roast beef. It was. He pulled out the plate and lifted the lid off the container.

"Beth?" he called. He took a plate from the cupboard and put a generous portion of roast beef and onions on the plate. Next, he took the container of potatoes and added those to his plate. His mouth was watering.

He put the plate in the microwave and headed down the hall to change and hopefully find Beth.

"Honey?" he said again.

She looked up from her laptop. "You're home. Good. I think we should move."

"What?"

"Move. After January. Somewhere safer. Now there is a town about an hour east of Hope Valley…"

"Wait," he interrupted. "Just last night you said you didn't want to move. Hanna and bowling and Diamond. You said this is home."

"Babe, I was emotional and hormonal. Not a good combo."

"No. No, its not. I don't understand what changed your mind." He took his gun out of his holster and placed it in the safe. Then unbuttoned his shirt.

"You were right. Safer is better and honestly, anything that will help keep you with me and our kids for the next fifty years, we should do."

"Beth…"

"I know. Life is fragile and nothing is guaranteed. But without you, I'd have nothing. I want to try to keep you with me as long as possible." She shut the laptop and grabbed a tissue to wipe her eyes. "You mean everything to me."

He pulled her into his arms and held her for a few moments. "I love you."

"I love you."

"Ok, so we will move. What's the name of that town?"

"Silver Pines. I looked up the law enforcement possibilities and the job for Deputy Sherriff is up for grabs. The town is about the size of Hope Valley."

"And the school district?"

"Um, I compared it to Hope Valley and it gets high marks. I'm not that concerned with that since I want to stay home and be with our children."

"They'll eventually go to school."

"True." His stomach growled loudly making her laugh. "Go eat, hon."

"Keep me company?"

…

"Dadada," Lane babbled at his toy. He had learned his first word in the last week or so and he apparently loved hearing his own voice because he babbled a lot now.

Tom loved that his first word would eventually be associated with him, even if now it was just a sound to Lane.

Tom had the day off work but Julie was at the store so he had stayed at the house to care for him. All was great until Tom's phone rang and he was called into work. There was an issue with the project he had been working on and his boss said he had to come in. The problem was, there was no one else to watch Lane. Julie was working, Vi had taken Collin somewhere, William and Grace were away for the day and Tom's own parents were out of town.

So Tom had no choice but to pack up a bag for Lane and take him with him to his office.

He walked in thirty minutes later with him and the office manager, his boss, gave him a curious look but said nothing. Tom just hoped that Lane stayed asleep for a bit longer and wasn't overly loud.

He was able to get a bit of work done and then Lane decided that he was going to be cranky and cry the rest of the time unless Tom held him.

"Come on, buddy. Please be good for Daddy."

He tried a bottle, changed his diaper, and gave him a toy to play with and nothing worked. So Tom, out of desperation, put the baby wrap on and slipped Lane into it and then walked around. It worked.

Then his boss walked in.

"Hi, John."

"Tom. So, what's going on?"

"I have no one else to watch him until his mom gets out of work at four. I had to bring him. I'm sorry for the disruption but he seems to be falling asleep now so it should be quiet."

"So, how old is he?"

"Six months."

"I remember when my kids were that little. It seems like forever ago."

"How many kids do you have?" Tom had not spent a lot of time getting to know his boss but he took advantage of the quiet.

"Three. Two girls and a boy. My son always did what your boy is doing. He needed to be held or he wasn't happy."

"How did you deal with it? I mean it's almost impossible to get anything done if you have to hold him."

"Well, I never had to bring him in to work because thankfully my wife stayed at home with the kids."

"Yeah. I wish that was an option with us, but right now, we just have to juggle things."

"It will work out. And if you need to bring your son to work, that's fine. I understand how things need to be sometimes."

"Thanks, John. I really appreciate that."

Julie arrived at Tom's work around 4:30. She knocked on his door. "Hey, babe. Sorry I'm late. I grabbed diapers and formula after work and that took longer than I meant for it to."

"That's ok."

"Did you get in trouble for having him here?"

"No. John was very understanding."

"That's good." Julie took him from Tom and smiled. "Hi, sweet pea. Mommy missed you today." Lane smiled at her, kicking his legs and waving his arms.

Tom stood and turned off his computer. "I'm done. Let's go say bye to John and then we are going out to eat. I need family time."