Sue tapped lightly on Leah's door. She was pretty sure both Leah and Jacob would have heard her footsteps on the wooden porch if they were up, so it was more or less a formality. Sure enough, Leah threw open the door with a welcoming smile on her face. The smile grew wider as she inhaled the tantalizing aroma coming from the basket over Sue's arm. "Blueberry muffins?" she asked hopefully.

Sue nodded. "I was hoping to find a cup of coffee to go with the muffins," she said, handing Leah the basket and giving her a quick hug.

"What a nice surprise!" Leah replied, setting the basket on the counter and running fresh water in the coffee pot. She looked over her shoulder as Sue sat down at the table. "Everything okay, Mom?"

Sue laughed. "Everything's fine, Leah. I was just missing my daughter this morning and wanted to have a little visit. I'm glad I caught you at home."

Leah chuckled. "Where else would I be at 7:30 in the morning?" She raised an eyebrow and turned back to the coffee as Jacob walked into the room, ducking under the doorway out of habit. He was dressed for work, in jeans and a black tee, and his hair was still damp from the shower. He walked up behind Leah and reached around her waist to grab a muffin from the basket on the counter. With his other hand he pulled her hair back and kissed her neck.

"Hey, Sue!" Jake mumbled in greeting, his mouth full of muffin. He leaned his lanky body against the counter and reached for another muffin, but Leah caught his hand in mid-strike. "Whoa, big fella! First, a proper greeting for your wife, then you may have another muffin." She grinned at him.

Jacob uttered an exaggerated sigh. He looked into her eyes and breathed, "Good morning, Mrs. Black." He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her soundly, dipping her almost to the floor.

Leah laughed, fanning herself with the dish towel she had draped over her shoulder. "That's better." She handed him a muffin, then wrapped two more in foil. She grabbed an apple from the bowl on the table and popped it and the muffins into his open lunch box, then closed the lid.

Jacob picked up his lunch box and grabbed his keys from the hook by the door. With a quick kiss for Leah and a wave at Sue, he strode out the door and down the driveway to his truck.

Sue smiled at Leah. "I just love the two of you together," she sighed.

"Me too, Mom," Leah agreed with a wistful smile. She poured coffee for both of them and sat down at the table. "Now what's going on?"

Sue laughed softly. "You know me too well, Leah. As a matter of fact, I do have some news. It looks like Seth is finally coming around. He's spending a lot of time with Paris, and he's beginning to show an interest in things again. His truck is immaculate, and his room is a mess!" Her voice cracked, and she seemed to be on the verge of tears. "It's been such a long time."

Leah reached across the table and squeezed Sue's hand. "I knew it would happen eventually, Mom. I think Paris is good for him."

Sue nodded. "That's not the only news I have to share with you." She looked down at her hands. "I just don't know how you're going to take this."

Leah looked at her mother, a mixture of love and concern in her dark eyes. "Whatever it is, Mom, we'll handle it. Please tell me you're not sick…"

Sue laughed nervously. "No, I'm not sick, Leah. I'm pregnant."

The word hung suspended in the air, almost tangible in the silence that followed. Leah set her cup down, splashing coffee on the red and white tablecloth. She opened her mouth, then closed it again. She started to stand, but her legs wouldn't cooperate and she fell back onto the chair.

"Please, Leah, say something!" Sue begged.

Leah tried to find her voice. "I…you…oh my God! How do you feel about this, Mom?"

Sue smiled tentatively. "We're thrilled, Leah. I mean, it never occurred to us. I know I'm 41, but these days it happens all the time. We just never thought…but we're happy, and I hope you'll be happy for us."

Leah finally managed to stand, and she went around the table and wrapped her arms around Sue's shoulders. "Well of course I'm happy for you! I always wanted a baby sister!" She grinned. "Just give me a minute to wrap my head around this, Mom!"

Sue kissed her cheek. "I don't know why I was so nervous about telling you, Leah. I should have known you'd be happy for us."

Leah's smile dimmed slightly. "Mom, there's nothing we can do about my situation. I wouldn't dream of denying you and Charlie this happiness because of my infertility. They're two completely different things, and I really am thrilled for you. Now tell me everything! How are you feeling? When are you due? How often can I babysit?"

Sue laughed, relaxing, as Leah refilled their cups and sat down. "I feel great, no morning sickness at all. The baby is due in February, and I'll pencil you in for Fridays."

Leah calculated in her head. "You're in your fifth month? Why did you wait so long to tell me?"

Sue turned serious. "It's a little risky at my age, Leah. We wanted to wait until the most dangerous time was past before we told anyone. I haven't even told Seth yet. I wanted you to be the first to know."

Leah took her hand and kissed it. "You'll be fine, Mom. I'll be around to help with anything you need." She smiled again. "Wow! You and Charlie – parents! That is kind of awesome."

Sue was walking up her driveway, empty basket in hand, when she heard the crunch of gravel behind her. She turned and saw Charlie's patrol car rolling to a stop, so she walked back to the car. She leaned in the open window and kissed him softly, then smiled. "What's the occasion? Did you forget something?"

Charlie grinned. "I was in the neighborhood, and I just wondered how it went with Leah." He opened his door and stepped out, then leaned down and kissed Sue's flat stomach before wrapping his arms around her waist. She leaned her head against his chest and sighed.

"Leah's fine. I should have known she would be. Oh, and she'll be babysitting on Fridays." He smiled and stroked her hair. "It's hard," Sue continued, looking up into his face, "knowing Leah probably won't be able to have a child of her own. But she says one has nothing to do with the other, and she's happy for us."

Charlie hugged her close. "Of course she is. I should be getting back. You take it easy, and remember your promise." Sue said the familiar words along with him, "Nap or rest for at least two hours every day."

She laughed and waved, then walked slowly up the stairs and into the kitchen. Seth looked up from his cereal, concern in his eyes. "Hey, Mom. What's all this napping about? Are you okay?"

She smiled and kissed his cheek. "I'm fine, honey. It's just what pregnant ladies do, especially more mature pregnant ladies."

Seth dropped his spoon, and Sue thought, There goes another tablecloth into the laundry.

His eyes narrowed, and he spoke softly. "You wouldn't joke about something like that, right? But how? I mean…isn't there a risk to you? I thought…wow. Let me start over."

He cleared his throat and shook his head. "Okay. Sorry. Congratulations, Mom. You seem to be happy, so this was planned?"

Sue sat down next to him. "No, Seth. People don't usually plan to have their children 18 years apart. It's not something we even thought about. I mean, I didn't think I could get pregnant at my age! But Charlie and I are very happy, and my obstetrician says the baby and I are both healthy. I hope you'll be happy too, once you've had time to digest the news." She smiled softly at him and patted his hand.

Seth took her hand in his and squeezed it. He was silent for a moment, then spoke quietly. "With all the craziness in this family, it might be your only chance to ever have a grandchild. Even though you'll be like 100 years old." She saw the familiar twinkle in his eye and leaned over and hugged him.

Jacob tossed his empty lunch box on the counter and went looking for Leah. He found her folding laundry in the bedroom, humming along with the radio. Her face lit up when she saw him. "I thought you'd never get home," she said with a smile. "What an endless day!"

He draped his arms over her shoulders and kissed her. "I missed you too. How was your day…besides long?"

She sat on the edge of the bed and pulled him down beside her. "I have amazing news!" He sat quietly while she recounted her conversation with Sue. Then he lifted her chin so he could look into her eyes.

"Are you okay, Leah? I know you're happy for your mom, but that must have been tough on you."

The tears that she had held back all day started to fall, and she leaned into his chest. His arms pulled her close and he kissed her hair, quietly letting her get it out of her system. When she had recovered enough to speak, she said softly, "I feel so selfish, thinking of myself at a time like this. I knew you'd understand."

Jake reached over to the dresser and handed her a tissue, gently kissing her tear-stained face. "It's not selfish, Leah. It's perfectly natural for you to want a child of your own. I'd give anything I own if I could give you a baby, and I'm so sorry it's beyond my power. I love you so much, and your pain is my pain." He pulled her onto his lap and rocked her gently.

After a few minutes, Leah stood up. "Okay, the pity party is over. I'm going to concentrate on helping Mom all I can. And I do know how lucky I am. I have the most handsome, loving, and understanding husband in the world." She managed to smile.

"Well, there's that…" Jacob's smile was radiant, but her pain lingered in his eyes.