Pete and Clara arrived to Jack and Elizabeth's house to pick up Zane who had spent the last two days with them while Clara was giving birth.

"Pete! Come in," Elizabeth told him.

"Thanks. Clara said you should go out to the car if you want to meet Brody."

"I do!" She rushed out the door, forgetting her shoes. It didn't matter, it was almost June. "Hi!"

Clara smiled through the window. "Hi."

"How are you feeling?"

"Like I was run over by a truck but otherwise good."

Elizabeth opened her door and hugged her gently. "Congratulations, Clara."

"Thank you, Beth."

"Can I take a peek?" Clara nodded and Elizabeth quietly opened the passenger door. "Oh my. He's adorable, Clara. He looks just like Zane."

"He does."

"Mama!" Zane cried as Pete carried him to the car.

Clara reached for him. "Hi, baby. I missed you so much."

Zane snuggled against Clara and she ignored the muscle pain it caused. A moment later, she asked, " Z, can Daddy put you in your seat so we can go home?"

Pete took him from Clara and walked to the other side of the car.

"Thank you for watching him. We really appreciate it."

"Of course. He was very good and Fin liked having him to play with."

"That's good. Next week, Mommy and Me at my house. Mike is bringing the twins."

Elizabeth waved and walked back in the house.

Her phone rang as she walked in. "Hello?"

"Hey, Beth."

"Hey, Pop. How are you?"

"Good. I have some news."

"What's that?"

"There is a position we need to fill for summer school. You interested?"

"What subject?"

"Multiple. Its third graders. There are four. It would only be Wednesday and Thursday mornings for three hours each day during July and August."

"Let me talk with Jack and I'll call you back, ok?"

"Sure, sweetie. Talk to you soon."

"Thanks, Pop."

She found them in the kitchen. Jack was making dinner, Fin was in her chair eating eggs, and Joey was in his bouncy seat on the counter. "Mmm whatcha makin', cowboy?"

"Breakfast for dinner. Chocolate chip pancakes with sausage."

"Oh wow. Sounds like dessert."

"Breakfast, dessert, dinner…whatever. If you don't want any…" he teased.

"Oh, I want some." She walked up behind him and rubbed her hands up his chest. "Whipped cream and syrup too."

"Please don't say pickles."

"Um no. Not pregnant so no pickles and sausage."

"Yeah, I guess we couldn't be pregnant without actually…"

"So, on that subject, I went to the doc and he gave me the go ahead so maybe later…"

"You kept this a secret? Babe, it's been almost twelve weeks." He could be a patient guy but he knew if Joey hadn't interrupted their anatomy lesson awhile back, something may have happened. She was so hard to resist...

"I think you're ok," she said breaking into his thoughts. "Plus, I only saw him two days ago. But no matter what, we need to be super duper careful, babe. No babies for at least two years, remember?"

"Oh, I remember."

She smiled and kissed his cheek. "So Pop just called."

"Oh, how's he doing?"

"Good. There's a summer school position open in July and August. It's Wednesday and Thursdays for only three hours. It would give us about 800 bucks a month. That would be very helpful."

"I think you should see if Mom can watch the kids."

"Really? Are you sure?"

"Yes. I'll be at dispatch so I can't watch them and Fin isn't old enough to babysit." He winked at her and ladled the last of the batter into the pan.

"Alright, smartie. I meant, are you sure you're ok with me taking it?"

"I knew what you meant. Of course I'm ok with it. I know how bad you want to teach and it's good money."

"Thank you! I'll call Pop after dinner."

….

Elizabeth sat against the headboard after the kids were in bed and called Bill.

"Hey, sweetie."

"Hey, Pop. I hope it's not too late."

"No. Still up."

"Well, Jack and I talked and we decided I could take the summer school job."

"That's great. We could really use you."

"Do you think Mom would be able to watch the kids those days?"

"Yes!" Charlotte called from the background.

"Sorry, you're on speaker," Bill said with a laugh. "Plus, I already told her you would probably need someone to watch them."

"Thanks, guys. I'm excited."

Jack slid into bed after his shower. She kept chatting as he tried to get her attention. He kissed her shoulder and up to her neck, his hands roaming. She had to stifle a giggle at one point.

"Pop, I need to go. Jack needs something. Talk to you tomorrow?"

"Sure, have a good night." Jack stole her phone and hit the end button, tossing it on the floor.

"Hey!"

"Shhh. You'll wake the babies. I really don't want that to happen and I really don't think you'll need your phone right now."

"What if I want to call…" He captured her lips in a mind-blowing kiss that made her forget everything else.

…..

The next morning….

It was Julie's first day back at work and she was struggling. Spending the last three months with the babies had been wonderful. Now, she dreaded leaving them. Her biggest consolation was they would be with Mike instead of daycare. He was excited about it but she just wanted to stay home.

"Babe, you really need to get up."

"I don't want to go."

Mike sat down next to her on the bed and kissed her good morning. "I wish you could stay home longer too."

She sat up and tucked her hair behind her ears. "I'm going to miss them so much."

"I know, babe. Maybe one of these days, we can come meet you for lunch."

"That would be great. Today?"

"No, I'm heading to Elizabeth's for Mommy and Me. How about tomorrow?"

"Ok. Can you bring them to me so I can feed them, please?"

"Sure." He kissed her softly. "It will be ok." She nodded, blinking back her tears.

"I know. I'll be ok once I'm there." She hoped. Hopefully it would be a busy day and she could be distracted but she had a hunch that no matter how many things were happening, her head and heart would be at home with her babies.

Mike watched her feed them, a wonderful mother from the moment she found out she was pregnant. Those babies were so lucky.

He saw Claire smile up at Julie and Julie stroke her cheek with her thumb. So much love pouring from mother to children.

"You're so beautiful," he whispered before bending down and kissing her. "All three of you."

"Thank you, hon."

An hour later, only ten minutes behind schedule, Julie pulled out of the driveway in Mike's truck and headed to work.

…..

When Julie arrived at work, she was greeted by her coworkers and she showed them some of the hundreds of pictures on her phone. When she finally sat down, someone stepped up to her window.

"Delivery for Julie Hickam," the voice said.

"That's me." She gasped. The man stood there with a bouquet of pink roses.

"Just sign here, ma'am." She signed and accepted them.

"That husband of yours is a sweetheart," Carol, her co-worker, said.

"Yes, he is." She pulled the tiny card out of the envelope and smiled, tears filling her eyes.

TO THE BEST MOM AND WIFE IN THE WORLD

WE LOVE YOU,

MIKE

"I love you too," she whispered, trying really hard to hold it together and ignore the ache that filled her. Thankfully, people walked in and she had to concentrate on them.

….

Mike and the twins joined Elizabeth and her kids for their weekly Mommy and Me time. Mike was grateful even though it was chaotic. Being a full time stay at home dad and only working at night would be a challenge but one he was more than willing to take on.

While Elizabeth fed Joey in the next room, he kept Fin and the twins busy. Or tried. Fin was toddling around and picking up anything she could find. At one point, she found a twist tie. All he could envision was her somehow poking herself in the eye or eating it so he grabbed another toy and tried to trade her, but she wasn't having it. She started crying and gave him a look that conveyed her annoyance and distrust of him.

"Fin, I don't want you to get hurt, sweet pea." He tried to think about what he would do with his own kids but he had no idea. He hadn't had mobile, verbal children with minds of their own yet. They still were good staring up at him and smiling from their car seats.

"Mama!" Fin wailed and ran into the kitchen where Elizabeth had gone.

"Well, that went well," he mumbled to himself.

Ten minutes later, he was holding bottles for his girls and they were perfectly happy. Elizabeth walked in, Fin close to her leg, and put Joey, who was now sleeping in his swing.

"I'm sorry, Beth. She had a twist tie and I didn't want her to get hurt. I tried to trade her for a toy but she didn't like that too much."

"Don't apologize, Mike. As clean as I try to keep this place, she manages to find what I missed. Anyway, she brought it to me." Elizabeth sat down in the rocking recliner and lifted Fin to her lap and ran her fingers through Fin's light brown curls as she drank a bottle of formula. "How did Julie handle heading to work today?"

"She had a rough time but she said it would be ok once she got into the swing of things." Elizabeth could see he had some sort of feeling on the subject.

"Mike, what is it?"

"I just wish I was the one that had a full time job with good insurance so she could be with them. It's not that I don't want to be with them. I do, more than anything, but I hate to see her struggling."

Elizabeth watched as he picked up a twin with each arm expertly and sat back so he could burp each of them, the cloth diapers there to catch any spit up. "You're a good Dad, Mike. If she can't be, then you should be with them. They are lucky girls."

"Thank you." He was the lucky one though. To change the subject, he spoke again, "Jack seems excited about nursing school."

"Yes, he is."

"You're ok with it? The hours and all?"

"It will be good for all if us in the long run." She knew she hadn't answered his question per se but it was how she felt. Honestly, she missed him already and he wouldn't start his demanding schedule for another couple days.

"You should tell him how you're feeling. He deserves to know."

Elizabeth looked at her brother-in-law and friend. "Only if you tell Julie that you'll enroll in nursing school too." He shifted, laying Claire down and then Kendall, sticking the bottles back in their mouths. "I can see how much you want to be the one supporting your girls and there is nothing wrong with that. This would give you that chance."

"I'll think about it."

….

Mike did think about it. He thought about it as the girls slept in their crib and he cleaned the kitchen. He thought about it as he did three loads of endless laundry they seemed to have. He thought as he told the twins a story and as he slid a chicken pot pie into the oven and set the timer.

Then Julie walked in the door. "I'm home," she told him as she walked into his arms. "I missed you."

He kissed her hello and held her tightly. "We missed you too."

"Thank you for the flowers, babe. They're beautiful."

"You deserve them." He sighed and touched her cheek. "You also deserve to be able to stay home with them."

"Mike, you know we can't do that." She picked up her cooler and bags and headed to the kitchen. She unzipped her cooler and took out four bags of breast milk and put them in the freezer.

"Not now, but I want to become a nurse. I want to do this for our family. It will take about two years but I think it will be good for all of us," he told her, using Elizabeth's logic.

"Good. I think you should."

"After the girls baths, we need to talk and see if it's even possible."

She nodded and kissed his cheek. "We will make it work. I'll go change and feed the girls and then we can have dinner?"

"Ok."

…..

Back at Jack and Elizabeth's …

Jack walked in around dinner time. "Hey there."

"Hey. How's Pop and Mom?"

"Good. They poured the foundation for the house and barn today."

"Oh yeah?" Elizabeth mashed potatoes and stirred gravy simultaneously.

"Yeah. And at the same time, there was an excavator digging the pond."

"Its actually happening."

"Yeah. Mom's excited. She said she wants to come over tomorrow and show you what floors she's picked out."

"Good. I'll take her grocery shopping with me. We need to stock up so I don't have to go for a few weeks." She pulled plates out of the cupboard and started setting the table.

"Why a few weeks?"

"It'll be easier. Without you it would be hard to take both kids alone."

"Where will I be?"

"Jack, with school and work, I know you'll be busy."

He could hear tension in her voice and she wasn't turning to look at him. "I am going to be busy but I'm not going anywhere. I'll still help you and spend time with all three of you."

"Ok." He placed his hand on her lower back and peeked at her face.

"Honey, look at me." She turned and met his eyes. "What is it?"

"I miss you."

"I'm right here."

"You'll be here but you won't. I shouldn't have mentioned anything." She shook her head at herself. He sat and took her hand then he pulled her down on to his lap.

"Yes, you should have. How will I know unless you tell me?" He stroked her soft dark curls and waited for her to speak.

"I'm worried. What if we forget to spend time together? Life happens and before we know it, months go by and we haven't talked or….and the kids need you."

"Do you, Elizabeth?" He knew she was more worried about them than the children. He slipped his fingers gently through her hair, resting his hand on her neck.

"Do I what?"

"Need me?"

"More than anything." He leaned toward her and teased her lips with his, a smile on his face.

"I need you too, sweetheart. This is going to take some effort, but we won't forget about us. I promise."

She nodded and buried her face in his neck, thankful she had listened to Mike and told him.