LATE NOVEMBER, HARRIS TOWN

Abbie walked home from the doctor as happy as she had ever been. Doc Beckley had confirmed she was pregnant and she could not wait to tell Harry. She headed to the bank to see if he would join her for lunch. Unfortunately he was in a meeting so she had to have lunch by herself. Thankfully, she had not experienced horrible morning sickness like so many of her sisters and mom so she looked forward to every aspect of being pregnant.

She ate her sandwich and took one down for Harry and then walked to the boarding house.

"There are two new families needing rooms, Abbie."

"Ok, Grandma. When will they be here?"

"Tomorrow. They will be here for about three days."

"Ok."

As they cleaned the rooms, Abbie became exhausted as she had been for months. "Abbie, do you need to rest?"

"Yes. I'm sorry. I'm so tired."

"It's ok. Go ahead and go home. I'll take care of everything here." Abbie initially protested, not wanting to leave a 72 year old woman to do the work of 3 people.
"Holly will be here soon. Now, you need to take care of yourself and that babe."

"How did…?"

"Sweetheart, I have so many grandbabies and great-grandbabies. I know the signs. Go rest. In fact, you should plan on leaving every day at this time. It's very important not to overdo it. Oh, and Holly asked if she can stay here tonight."

Abbie hugged Charlotte and smiled. "I love you. Thank you for helping me."

"Scoot, dear. Go rest."

"Yes, ma'am."

Abbie walked back to the bank and headed upstairs to take a nap. Before sleep though, she prepared a pork roast and put it in the oven. She wanted tonight to be special.

…..

"Mmm, something smells good," Harry said as he walked in the door later.

"It's your favorite. Pork roast, green beans, mashed potatoes, and cherry pie for dessert."

"Wow. What's the occasion?"

"We have the house to ourselves and I wanted to talk to you about something."

He removed his suit jacket and tie and then kissed Abbie hello. "You look lovely, Mrs. Yates."

"Thank you, husband."

Harry leaned against the counter and watched her finish dinner. Oh, how he loved her. She was a wonderful wife and big sister. She cooked very well. She was sweet and kind and beautiful. Honestly, he had yet to find fault with her, except that she worried a lot about him, and that wasn't a fault, it just meant she cared.

She smiled at him as he watched, feeling her cheeks get hot. "You are awfully handsome, Harry. Did you know that?"

"I did but only because you tell me."

Abbie smiled again, knowing that was true. She did tell him and often. He literally made her heart speed up just by walking in the room. She had never known such a feeling until she met him. Why not let him know?

"So what did you want to talk to me about?"

"I'll tell you after dinner in front of the fire."

"Ok. I'm curious."

She put the roast and all the trimmings on the table and sat down. "Dinner is served."

….

Later, by the fire….

"Ok, so I went to see Dr. Beckley today."

"Oh, ok."

"I've been really tired lately. I've been taking a long nap everyday and getting lightheaded once in awhile."

"Honey, you didn't tell me you were lightheaded." He took her hand and squeezed it. "What did he say? Is there something wrong?"

"No, nothing is wrong. Another thing I noticed was that I'm late for my monthly." She watched his face as he thought hard and then he turned pale.

"How late?"

"Well, I haven't had one since the week after we got married."

"Sweetie! That means…we have been married for…so that means…"

"I'm about twelve weeks pregnant."

"WOOHOO!" He jumped up and pulled her into his arms and then apologized for jostling her. "I'm sorry. I need to be careful." He grinned and cupped her face in his hands. "A baby?" She nodded, her eyes filling with tears. "That's wonderful. That's amazing, Abbie Joy. Truly amazing." He kissed her lips softly. "I love you so much."

"I love you too. I hope Kiki won't be too mad. I'm going to be either really pregnant or having the baby when she and Cam get married."

"She'll understand."

The next evening, Jack and Elizabeth invited Harry, Abbie, and Holly over for dinner.

Harry had suggested telling them so that Kiki could get used to the idea of Abbie possibly not being her matron of honor.

As they ate cookies and drank milk for dessert, Abbie squeezed Harry's hand. "Everyone," Abbie said loudly.

They all stopped and looked at her after a moment. "Ab?"

"Harry and I are going to have a baby."

Everyone congratulated them, giving them hugs. The noise was almost deafening but it was comforting to her. It felt like home.

The younger kids were sent upstairs to get ready for bed so the adults could talk. "Kiki? I am due in the middle of June and I don't want you to think I don't want to be in your wedding, but I may not be able to."

"I'm not getting married this summer, so you don't need to worry." She started washing dishes as if she hadn't just dropped something huge on everyone.

Abbie saw Kiki's face as she turned. She got up and stood next to her at the sink. "What happened? Did you breakup?"

"No. I'm just not ready." She washed a dish and handed it to Abbie. "I wish I was."

"Are you ok?"

"Of course. Congratulations, by the way. I'm very happy for you, Ab."

"Thank you."

Jack knew Kiki was hiding her emotions. He figured Abbie knew too. He would chat with her later. For now, he was going to be happy for Abbie and Harry. They were making him a grandfather yet again.

….

HOPE VALLEY

Lee held Rosemary's hand as they walked home from dinner. He had been making an honest effort to court her again after their disagreement a few months before. Her complaint had been that he didn't show her affection very much which made her question how he felt. So now, he held her hand, he hugged and kissed her often, they had dates weekly, and he told her he loved her multiple times a day. She seemed happier which made him happier too.

"Lee, do you think our life is boring?"

"No, sweetheart. Do you?"

"Well, kind of. We eat in the same restaurant many times a week. We wake up and go to bed at the same time every day. I even know exactly what time you are going to kiss me goodbye every morning to get in your car and drive to work. We are in a rut. I think we should travel."

"Travel? Sure. Where to?"

"Toronto. Then maybe Boston and over to Chicago."

"That's a pretty long trip, sweetheart. I can't leave the mill for that long."

"Lee has been majority owner for years now. Honestly we both wonder why you still go in every day."

"Honestly, I'd be bored if I didn't work. It's been a part of my life for so long."

"You'd have more time to be with me. Do I bore you?"

"Boring is definitely not a word that goes with Rosemary Coulter."

She giggled and took his hand again. "I should hope not. I don't want to be boring old Nana."

"You're not my Nana. You're my gorgeous, talented, unboring Rosie."

"Unboring is not a word, dear. Maybe I should buy you a dictionary."

"Yes, maybe and maybe we should plan a trip after our newest grandchild is born."

"Really? Oh Lee! This will be wonderful. I know exactly what I want to do first!"

….

HARRIS TOWN

Jack knocked on the girls room door.

"Come in."

"Hey, Kylie. Can I talk with you?"

"Sure. Lydie? Can you go see Mama for a few minutes?"

"But you were going to braid my hair."

"Mama can or I will in a little bit."

"Ok." She walked out and shut the door.

"May I sit?" Jack asked, gesturing to the bed across from hers.

"Sure." Jack gazed at his beautiful blonde daughter. She was certainly different in looks than all of the kids. She did have his lips though. "Dad?"

"Sorry. Um, I just…I was surprised when you said earlier that you were waiting to get married. I thought that's what you wanted."

"So did I."

"What changed your mind, sweetheart?"

"Nothing in particular."

He knew she was holding back something. "Kylie, I'm not going to force you to tell me, but I think maybe it has something to do with me or Mom and you're afraid of what we might think."

"I'm just not ready to be without you and Mom. I don't know how to be a wife and if I am a wife, then I will be a mother. I'm only fifteen. I'm not ready for someone to call me Mama yet."

"So in the summer, you're going to move to Hope Valley with us and Cam will head to Alberta? Without you?"

"Yes. It's better that way."

"Kylie, do you love him?"

"Yes. I love him enough not to marry him when it's not what I want right now."

"Ok. I support that."

"Thank you."

He walked over and kissed her forehead. "I'm very proud of you, Kylie."

She stood up and hugged him. "I love you, Daddy. Thank you for supporting me."

He wrapped her tight in his arms. "I love you too, baby."

…..

The next afternoon, Jack wandered down to the kitchen. "Hey, babe."

"Hey. You need a haircut," she blurted.

"I suppose but I thought you liked my hair longer."

"I do but I just cut Bradley and Charlie's hair so I thought I'd do yours too."

He looked down at the piles of light brown and black hair on the floor. "That's a lot of hair."

"I may have trimmed Kiki's too."

"Kiki's? You never did that before."

"She wanted a change and I think it looks nice."

Kiki walked in and his jaw dropped. "What do you think?"

"It's short…." was all he could squeak out.

Her hair had been almost to her waist just that morning. Now, it was shoulder length. "Dad?"

He wasn't mad he just….he liked long hair on his girls. He knew once they were a certain age, he had very little say but….Kiki's hair was short.

"Daddy?"

He turned. She was gorgeous, even with short hair. "Yes?"

"Daddy, are you mad? Do I look horrible?"

He opened his arms and smiled as she walked in. "No, I'm not mad, and I think it would be impossible for you to look anything but absolutely beautiful. It just surprised me, that's all."

"Ok. I decided something. "

"What's that?"

"One year."

"One year what?"

"One year and I will be Mrs. Cameron Beckley. I'm telling him that today. I'm going to learn everything I can from watching Mom and Abbie and Carrie and Carlie. I'm going to be ready to be his wife."

"That's great, sweetie. I know you can do it."

"That means, I want us to be married next Christmas in Hope Valley when he's on winter break."

"Ok. We will make sure it happens."

"Thank you." She stood on her toes and kissed his cheek. "I'm going to go see him."

….

Kiki walked up to the Beckley house just outside town and knocked on their door.

"Kiki!"

"Hi, Jilly. Is Cam here?"

"Yeah. Come in. He's in the kitchen." Jillian looked up at Kiki's hair. "You look real pretty."

"Thanks!"

As they entered the kitchen, Kiki stopped and stared. Cam was cooking. She had never seen him do that before. "Cam? I didn't know you knew how to cook."

He looked over at her and froze and then yelped, "Ouch!"

He quickly rushed over to the sink and pumped cold water onto his hand where his burn was. "Are you ok?"

"You cut your hair."

"I did. I needed a change."

He pumped a bit more and held his fingers there. "Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why cut your hair? It was beautiful."

"It still is." She could see his jaw clenching. "You're mad."

"No, I just don't understand why you didn't talk to me first."

"About my hair? It's on MY head, Cam. Why do I need to ask your permission?"

"Not permission. That's not what I meant."

"That's what it sounded like."

"Look Kiki. All I meant was…"

"What you meant was you would have told me not to do it and expected me to listen." She was standing there, hands on her hips, looking entirely adorable, and he loved it. He loved her hair and the woman who's head it was on.

He couldn't stop himself from walking over and planting a kiss on her that made them both breathless. He didn't care one bit that Jillian was in the room.

"Gross!" she said and ran out of the room.

The couple pulled back slightly and held each other. "Cameron Beckley, who knew you could kiss like that?"

"I…I mean…you looked so cute and beautiful….I couldn't help myself." He kissed her again, slowly this time. "I love you." His fingers stroked her now short blonde hair. "I love your hair and your strong personality. I love everything about you."

She smiled. "Next Christmas, Cam. I'll be ready to be your wife."

"Thank goodness."