MID-DECEMBER

Maddie was done with being pregnant. She knew she had about three weeks left but she was done. She ached, her hips, her back, her knees. Honestly, she missed being able to see her feet.

"Mama!" Luke bellowed as he ran into the house leaving the door wide open and a trail of snow on her clean floors. Thankfully, his older siblings were right behind him.

"Yes, Luke?"

"Teacher said I'm ana…ami..imag..I don't know how to say it."

"She said imaginative," Leah told him, obviously thinking her brother was a bother.

"Yeah! That's it. What does it mean, Mama?" he asked as he attempted to climb up on her lap.

"It means you're creative."

"What's cre…a…tive?"

"Um…it means you have lots of interesting ideas. Why did she say you were imaginative, Luke?"

"I drawed a good picture."

"You drew a good picture?"

"That's what I said." She kissed his cold rosy cheeks and smiled. She loved the little guy to pieces. What a joy he was.

"I'm proud of you. Why don't you go take your boots and coat off?"

"K. Love you, Mama."

"Rachel, Leah?" Maddie called as she waddled into the kitchen.

"Yes, Mama?"

"We need to start dinner in ten minutes."

"Ok," Rachel agreed. Rachel had just turned twelve the past summer and she was a beauty. Her exotic looks made Maddie think she was part Indian. Dark skin, darker brown eyes and black hair made her stand out but thankfully no one in town had a problem with that.

Leah, who was about to turn twelve on Christmas, resembled Maddie with her dark brown curls and hazel eyes. The girls were best friends much like she and Em were and they both enjoyed cooking, but Leah wanted to run the ranch with Nate. She was a tomboy through and through and wore knickers to prove it.

"Ma, can't I go help dad and Danny with chores? Please?"

"Alright. Go help your dad. It's your night for dishes though." Leah kissed Maddie's cheek and smiled.

"Thanks, Ma."

…..

Nate looked up as Leah walked in the barn. "Hey, baby girl."

"I'm almost twelve, Dad."

"You'll always be my baby girl, even when you're fifty and a grandmother."

"I'm never having babies, Dad. I'm just going to run the ranch. With you."

Nate watched her walk over and pick up a bucket to milk the goat. He'd never known a girl who'd rather do chores than cook and learn how to be a wife and mother. But here she was, his own beautiful daughter, wearing knickers and a flannel shirt and milking a goat.

He didn't care either way, as long as she was happy.

….

The next day, Jack and Elizabeth arrived in town with their four youngest in tow. They headed over to Maddie and Nate's house to stay this time.

"Papa and Gamma are here!" Luke yelled, charging out the door.

"Lucas! Get your boots on and your coat!" Maddie yelled out the door.

He stood on the porch, jumping up and down. "Papa! Gamma! Happy Christmas!"

Jack smiled and walked up the steps. "Get inside, bud, before you freeze!"

As Jack walked in he smiled even bigger as he caught sight of his firstborn. "Well, Bug. Look at you."

"Yeah, look at me. I'm huge."

"You're beautiful." He hugged her and kissed her forehead.

"I tell her that all the time, Dad. She doesn't believe me," Nate said as he walked over to shake his hand. "Glad you're here." He kissed Maddie's temple and smiled.

"Me too, son."

Elizabeth walked in with Lydie. "Maddie!"

"Hi, Lydie. How are you?"

"Good. Mama said your baby is coming soon."

"Hopefully," she said, rubbing her tummy.

Elizabeth gave her a hug. "You look wonderful, Bug. I'm so grateful I'm going to be here."

"Me too. Em really wants you to be at her birth too."

"That's the plan."

…..

Well, the next day, Em's baby decided to make an appearance. She was home alone with Nick and her water broke. It was about noon so she knew that no one would be coming for at least another three hours.

"Let's go for a walk, ok Nicky?"

"Ya. Walk." She bundled him up in his winter clothes and slipped one of Lee's coats on over her belly and they walked. She was grateful they were really close to town but even then, in between contractions, it took fifteen minutes instead of only five.

She headed to the library, hoping Livy could watch him for a bit.

"Em?" Max said as she walked in.

"Mama owie," Nick said, looking concerned.

"Max….is….Liv here?"

"Yes. Are you in labor?"

She nodded as he led her to sit down. "I'll take Nick to Livy. Give Mama kisses, buddy."

"Bye, Mama."

Em kissed his cheeks. "I'll see you later. Be a good boy."

"Be good," he repeated with a nod.

"Good job." She waved at him and then quietly moaned when another contraction hit.

Max rushed back out and helped her to her feet. "Which order do you want me to do this? Take you home and then get Lee…."

"Yes. Take me home, please."

Max left Em with instructions to get Lee and her mother and to send Kiki to pick up Nick and take him and her other boys to Will and Ashley's.

Em moaned and walked through her labor. The thirty minutes it took for Lee and her mother to get there were the longest of her life.

When she learned from Elizabeth that the doc was out of town for the holidays, she wanted to strangle him. "Are you serious? He knows how close Maddie and I are to birth!"

"Hon, please be calm. Let's get you upstairs."

"I want to keep walking, Lee. Ma, will you deliver the baby?"

"I've helped before but maybe your father should help me. What do you think?"

Em thought for a moment and then nodded. "Ok. Please go get him."

"I'll get him," Lee offered. "I can't deliver a baby so it's better if Mom stays here." He kissed Em and rushed out of the house.

Another thirty minutes passed and Lee and Jack walked in. "Its been quite a few years, Em. Are you sure?"

"We don't have much of a choice. Will you help me, Dad?"

"Of course. We need to sterilize some scissors and we need string and towels."

Another hour later, Lee Sr. and Rosie showed up too, along with Maddie.

"Lee, help me to lay down, please?" she said as she panted.

Jack gave her a moment to change into a nightgown and get on the bed before he walked in. He never thought he would deliver his own grandchild. "I'm going to have you check her progress, Elizabeth."

"Um, ok. I'll need you to tell me what I need to do."

"I will." He sat patiently talking Elizabeth through the process. At her description, she seemed to be about ready to push.

A short time later, Em said that she was ready to push so Jack took the spot Elizabeth had been in. "Ok, babe. Next contraction, go ahead." Em nodded and accepted Lee's gentle kiss and encouragement.

"You can do this, sweetheart."

An hour later, their daughter Lauren Rosemary Coulter was born. "A girl. She's amazing," Lee told her. "I'm so proud of you, Em."

Jack cleaned up after a bit and then took Elizabeth into the other room.

"Is it a girl?" Lee asked, standing up from the couch.

"We will let the kids tell you in a few minutes."

Maddie groaned from the chair. "Bug?" She rubbed her tummy as a shooting pain moved from her tummy to her back. "A kick?" Jack asked.

"No. Probably nothing." That nothing, however, turned into something quickly. Her water broke a few moments later and then contractions started coming rapidly. "Um, I think someone needs to get Nate, please."

Lee Sr. rode off to send Nate and to stay with their kids for awhile.

Jack helped Maddie up from the chair and Elizabeth helped her walk to the guest room. "Two grandbabies in one day. Such a blessing."

"Ow!" Maddie yelled out, bending and clutching her stomach.

"Breathe slowly, Bug. You can do this."

Maddie did as she was told, breathing until the pain stopped. Elizabeth helped her change into one of Em's nightgowns.

Maddie's baby arrived shortly before midnight, a girl, Genevieve Diana Carlin. They were going to call her Genna.

…..

BUXTON, THE NEXT DAY

Amy was six weeks away from having her baby and she felt good, even though tired. She cleaned the kitchen, humming as she moved around. She didn't hear the door open.

"Mama?"

She turned and a huge smile appeared on her face. "Meri!"

"Hi, Mama." They two women embraced. "I missed you."

"I missed you too. Now let me look at you." Amy gazed at her daughter. "You look wonderful and happy."

"I am but it's great to be home. Where's everyone?"

"Logan and Joe are in their room and Lily is playing at Rose's house next door. She knows you are coming so…."

"Meri!"

"So she should be home soon," Amy finished with a laugh as Lily rushed toward Meri.

Meri scooped up her six year old sister and hugged her tight. Lily started crying and that brought the tears for Meri and Amy too.

"Ok, why are all my girls crying?" Caleb asked as he lugged in two bags that Meri had left on the porch.

Meri, still carrying Lily, walked into Caleb's open arms. "Hi, Dad."

"Meri. You're home."

"For a few weeks anyway."

"You could just quit and stay home with me forever."

"Yeah!" Lily said happily.

"Not an option, but thank you for making me feel loved, you two." She set Lily down and picked up a suitcase. "Want to help me unpack, Lil?"

"Sure. Got any presents in there for me?"

"Let's go see!"

Caleb watched his girls rush off. "I'm glad she's here."

"Me too."

"Ames, I got a telegram."

"I thought we were here for another two years."

"No, this isn't from the Mounties. It's from Mason."

"Oh! Thank goodness. When are they coming? I can't wait to see them."

"They aren't. They decided to stay in Hope Valley this Christmas. I'm sorry, babe." He wrapped her in his arms as she cried softly. He knew she had wanted all her babies home. "It will be ok."

"I know. Maybe I can go when it gets closer to her due date. In April. Would that be ok with you?"

"Anything that wipes the sadness off your face is fine with me."

She smiled up at him. "I love you, Caleb."

"I love you too."

…..

HOPE VALLEY, MASON AND MARIE'S HOUSE

Mason figured his mom would be upset when they didn't show up for Christmas but he wanted to spend his and Marie's first Christmas as a married couple together, alone. He wanted to create good memories with her and new traditions that they could pass on to their children.

Mason walked home from the store, where he went once a week for groceries, making good on his promise that she wouldn't have to see her father. He never asked about Marie and for all Mason knew, he had no idea she was back in town or that she was married and pregnant. The man lived above the store and Mason had never seen him anywhere else.

"Marie?" he called as he walked in the house. He didn't receive a response so he figured she was probably asleep.

He walked to the kitchen and put the groceries away and then started dinner.

Marie walked in the kitchen as he was putting the small chicken in the oven. "Hey, Mase. I'm sorry, I fell asleep."

He walked over and kissed her. "Don't be sorry. You and the baby need your rest." He sat down at the table and pulled her to his lap. "How was your day?"

"Good. I went to visit with your grandma at Maddie and Nate's. I saw the new baby. She is so beautiful."

"That's good. Did you hold her?"

"No. I didn't."

"Babe, you should start practicing, especially with a newborn. That will help you get ready for ours."

"I know. Maybe next time."

"Did you talk to Liv about helping her?"

"No. I will go tomorrow."

He rubbed her back with one hand and her tummy with the other. "Nervous?"

"What if I'm not good at it?"

"Practice will help, but I know you. You are so loving and you will be a wonderful mother."

"I'm glad you think so."

She felt a flutter and touched her tummy. She had felt it before but it had been doing it more often lately. "What's going on? Are you in pain?"

"No, I felt something. Like a flutter."

"I think the baby moved, Marie. That's what my mom says it feels like."

"Really? It moved?" She put his hand there on her tummy and waited, tears rolling down her cheeks. "I can't believe it moved."

"Those tears, sweetheart, show me that you love this baby. I have absolutely no doubt that you will be a great mother."