Two weeks later….
"Anyone home?" Jack called as they walked in the door. Dash ran in and barked happily.
"Dash! Hi, buddy! Boy, you got so big!" Sawyer told him as Dash kissed their faces.
Jack rolled his suitcase into the master hoping to find Elizabeth but she wasn't there. He grabbed his dirty laundry and threw it in the washer along with the boy's too. "Bren, can you take your suitcase and put it in your closet, please? Sawyer, you too."
"Ok, Dad."
Elizabeth walked in an hour later. She smiled as she heard the voices she had missed so very much. "Hi, guys."
"Mom!" the boys yelled, abandoning their Legos to give her big hugs.
"I missed you both so much. Did you have fun?"
"Yeah!" Brennan told her. "Grandpa Ned is really cool. He said you should come next time. Will you, Mom?"
"I'll plan that, yes."
"Great!"
Sawyer gave her a hug around the waist. "Hey, did you grow? You seem taller," she said to him. "My lips reach you so much easier now," she teased as she picked him up and held him tight.
"Hi, Mama."
"Hi. I'm glad you're home."
"Me too." He kissed her cheek and then she put him down and he ran back to his Legos.
Elizabeth walked down the hall and found Jack in the library which was now full of books. "Hey," she whispered.
"Hi," he stared at her for a moment from the love seat and then closed the book and stood up. He opened his arms and she walked in immediately. "My goodness, you are even more beautiful than I remember," he said before kissing her slowly, relishing the feel and taste of her lips on his. "I don't ever want to be away for that long again."
"I agree. Please don't." She took his hand and followed him to the loveseat, sitting as close to him as possible. "I need to talk to you about something."
"What's that?"
"Don and my mom came to see my bookstore."
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah and Don was impressed. He said that bookstores are a rarity now with all the e-readers and electronic devices. He asked how business was and I told him it was ok. Business isnt booming really but we are making a profit."
Jack was listening but she was completely distracting him so he leaned in and kissed her again. "Sorry, go on."
She smiled and continued. "He said that I should hire a marketing person to make a website and that if at any point I don't want to be such a presence at the bookstore, like if we had a baby, that he would manage it for me."
"From New Haven?"
"No, he and Mom are moving here."
"To Portland?"
"Yes. Julie, Vi, and I are here and Vi's baby and our kids. He said it was her idea. She wants to be close to us and her grandkids."
"Wow."
"Right? I mean, its huge. First they drop the bomb that they eloped and now, they are moving here and he wants to manage the store for me."
"Are you fine with all of it?"
"Yeah. I don't want to sell the store but having him manage it would great. It would be so helpful."
"It would."
Later after getting the boys to bed a whole thirty minutes early, Jack entered the bedroom and locked the door. "So, I was thinking maybe we could take a Jacuzzi bath. What do you say?"
"Sure. Or we could skip it," she told him, dropping her robe on the foot of the bed. His jaw nearly hit the floor. She wore a new black nightie, made completely of lace that left little to the imagination.
"We can take a bath tomorrow."
….
School started two weeks later and the boys were ready for first grade. Joe was in their class so they were happy that they knew someone.
Elizabeth put out an advertisement for morning part time help since Becky had decided to concentrate more on her final year in college.
"Good morning, my lovely wife," Jack said walking in the door at precisely ten am as always.
"Hey there." She watched him closely as he made his coffee. Even in something as seemingly mundane as a pair of khakis and a black polo, the man made her heart skip a beat. Then she blushed and he of course noticed.
"You're pretty cute today, Jack."
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah. Those khakis are….nice."
"Is there anyone in here?" he asked looking around.
"No." He set his cup down and walked behind the counter.
"Uh, Jack, this area is for employees only," she said with a laugh as he backed her up against it.
"That's ok, I happen to know the owner. I'm pretty sure she's going to be ok with it." She laughed and welcomed his warm lips as they settled on hers.
He felt her sigh as he held her even closer. "Jack." She pulled back and rested her head on his chest. "I have a doctor's appointment this afternoon. Could you watch the kids, please?"
"Are you sick?"
"No, I just want to make sure that nothing is wrong. I want to have a baby and it's been almost three months so I want to make sure he thinks it will happen."
"Maybe I should go with you. Maybe Vi and Steve can keep the boys for a bit."
She kissed his cheek and walked over to the pile of books she needed to put away. "You want to come?"
"Yeah. This is important to both of us. I'd like to be there too."
"Ok. I'll call Vi."
…
The doctor had good news. No, they weren't pregnant yet, but she was a healthy thirty year old woman. He did an exam and didn't have any concerns that she wouldn't be able to get pregnant. He said to just be patient and not stress about it. So they did what he asked.
By Thanksgiving, Elizabeth was a little less optimistic but she refused to worry. She was more concerned about Vi who was a week overdue. Her doctor told her that he would induce her after the holiday if she didn't end up going into labor.
As Grace, Charlotte, Annie, Julie, and Elizabeth cooked in Elizabeth and Jack's kitchen, Vi sat at the island chopping vegetables.
The guys were all watching football, including the Sawyer and Brennan.
"How are you feeling, Vi?" Annie asked.
"Ready to not be pregnant anymore. I feel so huge and I miss being able to see my feet."
The women all laughed. "Blake seems to be having fun with the men," Elizabeth mentioned to Julie.
"Yeah. He's a big football fan."
"I heard my name," Blake said, coming in the kitchen. He kissed Julie on the cheek. "Were you talking about me?"
"Maybe," she teased. She turned around and wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a brief kiss on the lips. "Only because you're so cute."
"Thanks, babe." He snagged a bowl of pretzels and a six pack of soda and left the room.
Elizabeth quirked an eyebrow at Julie. "What?"
"Nothing. You guys getting serious?"
"Yeah, I think so. We've talked about the future a little."
"Oh yeah? That's good, Julie."
"I think so too. He's a pretty amazing guy. Handsome, brave, loving. He wants to have kids and he's great with his nephew."
"Do you love him?"
"I do."
Elizabeth gave her a side hug and smiled. "Good. He's a good guy."
Vi winced and adjusted herself on the stool. "Settle down in there, baby." She stood and walked around a bit, waddling and rubbing her tummy.
"You alright?" Grace asked.
"Yeah. Very uncomfortable though. The baby keeps kicking my ribs and my hips hurt and now I have to pee again." She waddled down the hall and went into the guest bathroom.
"It won't be long," Grace mentioned. "I bet she will be in labor in the next twenty four hours."
Grace was right. During dinner, Vi's water broke and then everyone went into action. Julie, Elizabeth, Annie, and Grace went up to wait at the hospital while the men and Charlotte all hung around the house for awhile.
The ladies all stayed for the next six hours, until at about two in the morning, Rylie Grace Raymond was born, healthy and at nine pounds.
"She's beautiful, Jack, and big. She has big eyes and brown hair." He heard her sigh as she thought about her niece.
"Elizabeth, we will have one. Don't worry, you said it took six months with Brennan."
"Yeah, but I was also 23 years old. I'm not a young kid anymore. Its probably going to take longer."
"Maybe, but it will happen." He was so sure but as the months went on, she started losing her hope.
Finally in very early February, she woke up nauseated and it thrilled her. She ran into the bathroom and threw up and then smiled. "Thank you," she said in prayer. "Thank you so much!"
"Babe, you ok?"
"Yeah. I'm nauseated. I threw up! I'm wonderful."
He looked at her like she was crazy. "I've never been that thrilled about vomiting before, but whatever makes you happy, I guess."
"Sweetie. I missed my period a few weeks back and now this. I'm taking a test." She got the test out while he jumped in the shower.
When he got out and wrapped a towel around his waist, it had been ten minutes.
"Babe?" She turned the test around and smiled. "Two pink lines?"
"It means its positive." He opened his arms and hugged her.
"Oh thank goodness." He kissed her twice and smiled. "Its so amazing."
"Yeah it is." She kissed him again. "I'll go get the boys breakfast ready, take them to school, and then I'm meeting Mom and Don at their new house."
"I'll stop by after my phone conference. I love you, sweetheart."
"I love you too."
…
It was a lovely home, three bedrooms, a large kitchen, and a huge yard. It was on the north side of Portland, about twenty minutes from Jack and Elizabeth and about five from Vi and Steven.
"This is so nice, Mom," she said as she looked out the window in the kitchen.
"Thank you, sweetie. How are you feeling?"
"Me? Just fine, why?"
"You look tired and maybe a bit flushed."
"I think I'm pregnant," she whispered, even though Don was in the garage.
"Oh! Beth, I'm so happy for you. I know how much you wanted to be."
"Yeah. It took a long time."
"Is Jack happy?"
"Yeah, although he thought I was weird when I said I was happy that I had thrown up."
"Well, yes." Grace laughed and hugged Elizabeth. "Congratulations, sweetheart."
"What's going on, ladies?" Don asked as he walked in the room.
Elizabeth looked up at her stepfather and smiled. "I'm pregnant."
"That's wonderful, Beth. Congratulations." He wrapped his arms around her and hugged her. "Another grandchild. What a blessing."
"Thanks, Don. It's very early though, so please keep it quiet for a bit, just in case."
"Of course."
….
Elizabeth fought morning sickness for the next few weeks. They went to the doctor and confirmed a due date for early October. They celebrated Valentine's at DiMillo's and just enjoyed the time together.
Don was hired as manager of the store and they hired a website designer as well.
As Elizabeth was fighting exhaustion too, she decided to take a week off and rest, which of course everyone agreed with.
Julie came over one morning during Elizabeth's week off to visit.
"Would you like some coffee, Julie?"
"Yes, please."
"So, what brings you by?"
"I wanted to visit." Elizabeth stared at her, waiting. "And I need advice."
"Happy to help. Let's go sit by the fire," Elizabeth told her as she carried a cup of tea into the living room. "So, it's about Blake."
"Yeah."
After a moment of silence, Julie looked up. "I made a mistake. Well, not really a mistake per se, but I made a choice and I'm…"
"Pregnant?" Elizabeth guessed, trying to keep any trace of judgement out of her voice.
"Yes."
"How far along?"
"I'm due in September. Elizabeth, I'm disappointed in myself. I promised myself I was turning over a new leaf, that I was going to wait…we just got carried away." Julie wiped her cheeks and sighed.
"What does Blake think?"
"He's excited. He wants to be a dad and he proposed. That's where I need advice. I told him that I want to marry him but not because I'm pregnant. Because I love him. I don't want us to be that couple that rushes into marriage to save our reputations."
"Julie, only you know how you feel. Marriage is a lifetime commitment and so is having a baby. Whether or not you get married now or later, he is still the father and he wants to be involved. That's a good thing, for the baby and you. Whatever you choose, I'll support you."
"Thank you. I'm afraid of what reaction I'll get when I tell mom. Will you come with me?"