Disclaimer: These characters belong to S. Meyer; I just use them for my vivid imagination on the short bus.

All chapters are pre-written, so there are no edits done by a beta. All errors are my own.

I'm keeping things short and sweet, so thank you for all the kind words…

On we go…

-Leslie

March 12, 1997

Dear Abby Bean;

Seven months have passed by seemingly like a lifetime has gone by. All the swift kicks are happy reminders for me, erasing all the years of disappointment I felt when each pregnancy test was negative. Your kicks are also reminders of what will be the greatest years of your proud momma's life, sweet child. Those soccer kicks you enjoy unleashing on my bladder are well worth the moment's in which I have an accident in my panties. Not one time has those moments caused me to be upset, just know that sweet child.

Everything about this pregnancy has been a happy reminder to your father and me, for all the years of heartache we had to endure to get this point in life. But through all that heartache weathered, we survived on faith alone; faith that the greatest gift in life would come.

I'm sure there are things that I have been repeatedly written in this journal, but please know that these things are worth mentioning each time. You must realize that not all people are lucky enough to get the happily-ever-after they have dreamed of all their lives right away. Some people, even in their faith, will never get it, sadly. Dear child, my wish for you is that you never have to know that heartache in your lifetime.

Okay, on with a funny little story involving your father and a duck. I'm almost positive that he would never repeat this story to another, even if it is our child, because he was completely embarrassed afterwards. I do know that he hasn't breathed a word about this event to anyone besides me. If I hadn't been with him that day, I'm not sure he would have even told me.

The two of us had had a very stressful case we had been working on for a few months. It was taking every ounce of life in us to help this woman. In a short version, we had been fighting for this company to pay all doctor bills for this woman's child due to their company's involvement with a certain toxin in their products. This woman was the first to step forward and bring attention to the toxin. Needless to say, trying to find other's out there, who had been exposed to this certain toxin and made ill, we had our hands tied. We did later win this case, so know there are no more threats of anyone getting sick, so back to the story.

So, it was a stressful time for the both of us, but your father was far worse. I had gotten to my breaking point, a point where I knew I needed to just step back and relax for at least a day. Your father was stubborn, and just pushed it away instead of snapping. If I hadn't intervened, he would've made himself sick and ended up in the hospital, I have no doubt. I'm just thankful that I did intervene; I could never live a life without your father in it.

I had called one of your father's friends and convinced him to kidnap your dad. Okay, so I really just had to bribe him with some homemade brownies. He's definitely a big push-over when it comes to his stomach.

I had lied to your father, all in good reason of course, but I had told him that I was a little weak in the stomach that morning, so he went into the office by himself. Or so he thought that was where he was going. Emmett was waiting outside the front door that morning, and he immediately wrestled your dad into his vehicle, dragging him to the local golf course.

Upon their arrival there, Emmett forced your father to realize that he needed a day for himself, one without any stress in it. He had reminded him that if the both of us got sick from all the stress we were under, who would help Adam beat the big bad wolf?

This woke your father up quickly, making him realize that we both needed to take a day or two each week and just relax for ourselves. So with that realization, they enjoyed a round of golf. By afternoon, my part of the plan had begun, as Emmett dropped him off at the local park.

He was pointed in my direction, down by the water. I had planned a nice picnic there in the park that afternoon, a place where we could just kick back and relax. The sun was shining brilliantly in the sky as the park came alive with the noon chatter of kids playing, dogs barking, and the ducks quacking. It truly was relaxing. We are simple people, even if we did come from old money.

After lying around for a bit, enjoying the sounds of the park, we decided to join a round of volleyball with the other park goers. By the time we had finished playing and made it back to our blanket, the ducks had got nosey and ventured up towards our blanket. They had ransacked our picnic basket of the extra bread; I had laughed when I caught sight of the mess, but your father thought he needed to chase them away.

Things happened quickly from then on out. As I made it to the blanket and began to set, your father was already down by the water. I suppose the ducks didn't like being chased away, so it was as if they plotted to get back at your father.

Like I said, it happened so quickly. Three ducks launched themselves from the ground, all directly aimed at your father's head. He threw his arms up; trying to protect his face, but instead, he ended face down in the water.

When he emerged from the water, he was spluttering and trying to free himself of the algae. It was sight and made the day that more special because of the laughter we endured.

Words of Wisdom: Never wind yourself to tight; it's never healthy for you and those you love. Live for the laughter in life.

Love,

Momma

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