"When do you have the biopsy, Mom?" Elizabeth asked, trying not to panic at her mother's news.

Jack grabbed her hand and intertwined their fingers, squeezing gently. He could see her getting upset.

"December 28th."

Elizabeth nodded and stared down at Fin and back at Jack. "You already knew, didn't you?" Jack looked at her and nodded.

"Don't be angry at Jack, dear. I asked him not to say anything. He noticed I was upset on the way back from the airport yesterday and well, I told him."

Elizabeth stood up and handed Fin to William and then walked off to the kitchen to gather her thoughts.

Jack followed her a moment later. "Elizabeth."

"Jack, I just need a moment."

"You're mad at me for not breaking her confidence?"

She turned to him, tears threatening. "No. I am not angry with you. I'm angry that I might lose my mother." He walked over and wrapped her in his arms just as she gave in. "It's not fair, Jack."

"No, it's certainly not. However, it may not be cancer."

Julie walked in, no tears in sight. "Beth?"

Elizabeth lifted her head and looked at her sister. "Jules, you need to stay calm."

"Says the girl crying into her husband's chest."

"Julie, I know what you're doing. You're denying anything is wrong. You're keeping it inside and that's not good either."

"What makes you the expert?" Julie put her hands on her hips. Jack saw her wavering as Elizabeth called her out.

"Because I'm your sister. That makes me the expert."

"No, it doesn't!" she yelled. "You don't know."

Elizabeth looked up at Jack. "Get Mike. Hurry." Elizabeth pulled out a chair and guided Julie to sit so that she wouldn't fall when her emotions finally bubbled out of her.

Mike walked in as Julie broke down. He knelt down in front of her and held her as she cried. "Its ok, babe."

Elizabeth moved back to Jack's side and hugged him tight and then they left the kitchen.

Elizabeth went to the couch and helped her mother up so she could hug her.
"Mom, we are going to beat this thing."

"We are going to beat it. I'm not going anywhere for a good long while, if I have anything to say about it."

"I wish I could be with you that day."

"Its best if you don't fly. I will call you right after, ok?"

Elizabeth nodded. Julie walked in and joined their hug. Regardless of the tears, Jack saw unbelievable strength in the three women embracing in front of him. Somehow he had a feeling that Fin was going to be just as strong.

Mike, on the other hand, was not feeling strong in the kitchen. He remembered all too well the tests that preceded treatment. Renee had a biopsy first and then two hours later, they had called her in for a mastectomy. Then chemo and radiation, trying to kill the evil cancer lurking inside of her. But it had been too late. They didn't save her. They couldn't.

Jack walked in, knowing Mike was likely struggling. "Does it make me a terrible person that I feel immense relief that it isn't Julie? Am I horribly selfish that I'm happy that she and my babies are safe and healthy?"

"No on both accounts."

"Are you sure?"

Jack walked over and gave him a hug. "I'm sure." He stepped back and squeezed his shoulder. "I feel the same relief."

Now it was Grace's turn to give a pep talk. She walked into the kitchen. "Hey."

They turned and looked at her. "Hey," they said in unison.

She walked over and hugged Mike and then opened her arms for Jack. "You boys are a Godsend, you know? I can't be here all the time so I'm grateful my girls have the both of you to handle things for me." She touched Mike's cheek. "Mike, I'm going to be ok. If this is cancer, I will fight hard. I caught it early and I have every reason to hope that a mastectomy will get rid of it."

"I know you will."

"I love both of you boys. Thank you for making my girls happy."

…..

For the next week, through Christmas, the group decided to make the best of every situation. To spend time together and enjoy every moment. When it came time for William and Grace to leave, it was bittersweet for all involved. Jack and Elizabeth promised to fly to Madison as soon as they could to visit and Grace promised to keep them informed on her treatment if she needed any.

When everything was quiet again in the house, Elizabeth let herself be sad for a moment and then she cleaned. She cleaned everything, telling herself it was nesting, which it very well could have been. Fin just played in whatever room she was cleaning and then slept. By the end of the day, Jack came home from work and she was exhausted.

He found her asleep with Fin right next to her around dinner time. He decided to make dinner for them and eat with her once she woke up.

Around seven o'clock, Elizabeth woke up to Fin patting her face. "Mama."

"Hey there, sweet pea. Did you take a good nap too?" She heard Jack playing his guitar downstairs. "Let's change you and go see, Daddy. Ok, little one?"

A few moments later, they met him in the living room by the fire. "There's my girls." He stopped playing and watched as they joined him on the floor. "Did you sleep well?"

"Yeah."

"Looks like you cleaned a lot today."

"I did."

"Nesting or trying to forget about things?" He knew her very well.

"Both, I guess."

"I made dinner. Spaghetti and garlic bread. I can get you a plate."

"No, I really just want to be right here."

He set his guitar against the couch and then helped her move between his legs so she could lean against him. "Better?"

"Yeah." Fin stood up and walked over to them, crawling up on her lap to get to Jack. They sat quietly for a few moments and then Jack spoke.

"She's probably hungry. I'll go fix a bottle," Jack told her, slipping out from behind her. "I'll be right back."

Of course, being the loving husband and father, he returned with a plate of spaghetti and garlic bread and a bottle for Fin.

"Thank you, Jack." He sat next to her and handed the bottle to Fin and then picked up his guitar.

"Any requests?"

"Wonderful Tonight?" He moved so he was facing her.

"You got it." She watched him start playing. He stared into her eyes and held her gaze through the whole song. She had never felt more loved in her whole life.

When he was finished, she shook her head. "Good grief, Jack. If I wasn't eight months pregnant, I'd take you upstairs right now."

"I wouldn't complain, that's for sure."

…..

The next morning, Mike woke early and made his famous spinach feta omelet with crisp, thick cut bacon. Then he took the plate in to Julie along with a glass of milk.

"Jules?" he said quietly as he sat on the bed next to her.

"Mm. What smells so good?" she mumbled, her eyes still closed.

"I made you breakfast, sweetie."

"I don't want to wake up."

"I know, but you need to go to work and so do I."

"You're working at the store today, right?" she asked as she slowly sat up.

"Yeah and then tonight, I'm at dispatch."

She nodded and took a sip of milk before setting it on the table next to the bed and accepting the plate. "Thank you for breakfast, hon."

"Of course," he said, kissing her forehead. "I need to get going. I love you." He kissed her belly twice. "And you too, girls." He stood and took one last look in the mirror. "I'll see you in the morning. Doc appointment at noon?"

"Yep."

"Ok, see you there, babe."

Julie finished her breakfast and hopped in the shower thinking about Mike. She hated that she didn't see him very much on the days he worked both jobs, but she would never ask him to quit the grocery store. It made him feel like he was taking care of her and he never complained about it.

She decided that she would take him a scone and some coffee around midnight just for an excuse to see him.

Feeling good about her decision for that night, she bundled up against the frigid Montana weather and got in her car to head to work. She put the key in the ignition and turned but it didn't do anything. That wasn't entirely abnormal for Bertha. She was an old girl but usually reliable. She tried again, but nothing.

"Come on, Bertha. Mama needs to get to work." She rubbed the dash and turned the key again. "Grrr."

Julie walked back in the house because she was freezing by that point and called Elizabeth.

"Jules?"

Elizabeth sounded tired but she was eight months pregnant. "Hey, Beth. I need a favor."

"What's that?"

"Bertha died and now I can't get to work."

"Jules, that car….I'm honestly shocked she hasn't stranded you on the side of the road before this. Wait! You're not are you?"

"Not what?"

"Stranded on the side of the road? It's 2 degrees!"

"No, Beth. I'm safe and warm in the house but I need a ride to work."

"Oh." Elizabeth sighed. She was still in her comfy PJ's, drinking tea, in front of the fire and Fin was drinking a bottle quietly next to her. This was supposed to be a relaxing morning.

"Yooohoo! Earth to Beth. Where did you go?"

"Do I have to?" she asked with a whine to her voice.

"Yes! I mean…no. I guess I can try Charlotte."

"No, Jules. Wait. I'll do it."

"Thanks! Can you hurry, please?"

"I am not dressed and neither is Fin. I will go as fast as I can." She knew she sounded grumpy but she couldn't help it.

Ten minutes later, the car was warmed and she and Fin were bundled and on their way.

….

Julie texted Mike. "Bertha died."

His response came ten minutes later. "Should we have a service?"

"Haha, husband."

"Where r u?"

"At home. Beth is coming 2 drive me 2 work."

"Ok."

"We need 2 talk about another car 2night."

When she didn't get a response, she figured he was busy and hopefully not stressing because they needed to spend money they really didn't have.

…..

After Elizabeth returned home, she called her dad.

"Hello, baby girl. Is everything ok?"

"Just fine, Dad. I called because…well Julie's car died. Now they only have one."

"Are you asking me to buy her one?"

"No, not exactly. There has to be a way to help them without making it seem like charity."

"I could let her know that I had been meaning to buy them one as a wedding present but I'd gotten distracted or I could say that I noticed her car was on its last legs…"

"No. You know what? I don't want to step on toes here. Forget I said anything, Dad. They will figure it out."

"I can't forget, Bethie. Those are my granddaughters inside her. I need them to be safe."

"Dad, I really think Mike needs to do this for his family. Please try to forget I told you."

Elizabeth was still kicking herself over her meddling when Jack came in for dinner.

"Dada!" Fin said from her high chair as he walked in the kitchen. He walked over and kissed the top of her head.

"Hi, Finny! Elizabeth?" He walked over to the stove and placed his hand on her back.

"Oh! Jack!"

"I'm sorry, babe. I didn't mean to scare you."

"That's ok." She tilted her chin up to receive his kiss. "Your lips are cold."

"Maybe you should warm them up," he flirted.

"Maybe I should." He wrapped his arm securely around her back and dipped her slightly, kissing her as if he hadn't seen her in a week. "Wow."

"I'm going to go shower. I'll be back soon."

She stuck her fingers through his belt loops and held on. "One more," she told him, her eyes gazing at his mouth.

He dipped her again and then winked at her, walking up the stairs.

She felt her cheeks heat. "Good heavens, Finlea Grace. Your Daddy is something else."

….

Julie stared at the piece of paper in front of her. She thought it was doable. It meant doing without cable television and high speed internet, but those weren't necessities. A car was.

She texted Mike. "R U busy?"

"Never 2 busy 4 u." She smiled and pushed the green dial icon.

"Hey," he answered.

"Hi, sweetie. I miss you." She rubbed the spot where both babies seemed to like to kick lately. She was surprised there wasn't a bruise in that spot.

"I miss you too."

"You know, before Bertha bit the dust, I was planning on bringing you coffee and a scone around now."

"That would have been nice."

"Babe, we need to talk about this."

"I know, I just don't know how we can afford another car payment."

"Hang on." She put him on speaker while she snapped a picture of the budget and emailed it to him. "I sent you my idea. Let me know when you get it."

"I got it."

"Ok, so the way I figure it, we pay $130 a month for our satellite and internet. If we got rid of those and leased a car, we would be fine." The silence on the phone was deafening. "Mike?"

"Yeah."

"Did you hear me?"

"Yes, I heard."

"What do you think?"

"I think that we will be spending a lot more time staring at each other."

Julie laughed. "I'm good with that. You're pretty cute."

"Julie, thank you, sweetheart."

"I didn't do anything."

"Yes, you did and you're wonderful. I love you so much."

"I love you too."