Hey Pat, can we video chat?

Sure thing!

Lee and Rosemary sat on the couch and called Pat on their iPad. They finally connected and Pat popped up on the screen.

"Hey, hey, my brother!" Pat said. "And my sister from another mister." Rosemary laughed.

"What's up with the lingo?" Rosemary asked.

Lee eyed Patrick up and down. "And the wife beater?"

"Aw, ya know. Just trying something new. So what's up with you guys?" Patrick leaned forward setting his tablet on the coffee table.

"Are mom and dad home?"

"Yeah?"

"Why don't you call them in."

"'Kay— MOM! DAD!" Patrick yelled. "Lee's on FaceTime! I betcha Rosemary's pregnant!" Patrick winked, not really knowing what he was saying.

"Patrick," Lee said, his voice annoyed. Rosemary facepalmed.

"Dude, chill. I was kidding. MOM!" Patrick yelled again.

"We're here, Patrick. Stop yelling!" Marie Coulter said sitting down next to Patrick. "Hi, you two!"

"What are we doing?" Ken Coulter asked walking into the room.

"FaceTiming with Rosemary and Lee."

"Oh! Well," Ken sat down on the other side of Marie. Patrick shifted the tablet. "If it isn't my favorite son and daughter-in-law." Ken winked, causing Rosemary to laugh again. Lee smirked.

"Hello! I'm right here." Patrick waved at his dad.

"I'm kidding. Calm down. Sheesh. Teenagers. They can run circles on social media, but can't take a joke." Ken shook his head. "How are you two doing? Rosemary, how are the things at the school?"

"Busy, but it's keeping me well-occupied," Rosemary said. "The kids are doing the Wizard of Oz this spring. It'll be a fun one for sure. I can see it now—"

"Let me guess, you're going to string Lee up as one of the flying monkeys?" Patrick snickered.

"Have you always been this obnoxious?" Lee asked, almost teasingly.

"Okay, okay," Marie interjected. She shook her head. "That's great, Rosemary! We're happy to hear everything is going well. How about you, Lee? Your dad told me about the award your firm won."

"Ah, that's nothing." Lee waved his hand. "No big deal."

"It kind of is a big deal! We are so excited to see where this opportunity will take you." They talked some more about other things going on and Rosemary started to get anxious with anticipation.

"So, Mom and Dad," Lee started off. "You guys haven't been to Hope Valley in a while. Maybe you should plan to visit us. Maybe end of the summer?"

"Why? Why can't the two of you come up to us? It's so much nicer here in Virginia."

"Well, we can, but you'll have to make room for the three of us," Rosemary added.

"The three of you—OH MY GOODNESS." Marie's hand flew to her mouth. Ken let out a whoop and started clapping.

"Best news I've received all day!" He exclaimed. Rosemary laughed. She loved Ken and Marie. They were so relaxed and life seemed to be a party for the Coulters. She watched Patrick look at them in disbelief.

"Oh no, you guys got a dog, didn't you." Patrick shook his head. "Lee, you barely kept your fish alive. And remember how you almost killed our cat, Wally?"

"Patrick, you fool—" Lee started to say.

"Wait. Why is mom crying?" Patrick looked at his mother who was shaking from laughter and tears and his dad started laughing hysterically.

"I'm so sorry! But I'm so excited!" Marie was hysterical, both laughing and crying and shaking from all the excitement. Ken was laughing at his younger son's confusion.

"I'm confused."

"They didn't get a dog! They're having a baby!" Ken exclaimed.

"Ohhh! Wait— So I was right!" Patrick said, looking back at the camera. "Wow! This is insane!"

"Yeah, thanks for almost blowing it!" Lee said to Patrick, speaking of his remark from earlier.

"Hey, man. It was bound to happen."

"Oh, Lord. We aren't going into this are we?" Rosemary asked.

"Oh! Oh! Can I not be called grandma?" Marie raised her hand excitedly.

"What else would you be called?" Lee replied.

"Maybe Memaw? Or Mimi! Or Mammy? Oh my goodness! When did you find out?"

"Well, Rosie told me yesterday. I guess she was going to tell me before I left for the conference."

"How are you feeling? Have you gotten your ultrasound done?"

"Mom, don't go all Nurse Marie on us." Lee warned.

"It's fine, Lee. No, we haven't gotten the ultrasound done yet. My appointment is for next week."

"Oh. But you've told people?"

"Mo-om." Lee interjected.

"Well, a few of our best friends."

"I'm sure everything's fine." Ken said to Marie. He seemed to give her a warning look over his glasses.

"What do you mean?" Rosemary asked. She instinctively put her hand over her stomach.

"Well, it's early... anything can happen."

"Marie."

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. It's just the nurse in me. And well—"

"I'm sure everything will be fine." Lee squeezed Rosemary's hand. Before Rosemary could think about what Marie said, Patrick spoke up.

"So, Rosemary. Patrick is a GREAT name to use."

"Veto." Lee and Rosemary said simultaneously, then laughed.

Later that evening, Rosemary grabbed her newest book What to Expect and fumbled through it furiously.

"Whatcha looking for?" Lee asked peering over her shoulder.

"I'm just reading about week 8-10." Rosemary said. But then she closed the book. "Lee. This is terrifying!"

"Not this again—" Lee leaned his head back, then sat back up. "You'll be a wonderful mother!"

"Not that. I just don't— your mother said— I'm terrified of miscarrying." Rosemary whispered the word "miscarrying."

"Sweetheart. Don't let my mother scare you. I don't think she meant to—"

"I know."

"She's a nurse. She just worries." Lee tried to shrug it off.

"Well," Rosemary snuggled next to Lee. "I'll be glad when we see Dr. Thomas."

Lee nodded. "Hey, did you hear back from your mom?"

"She sends her congrats," Rosemary said bluntly, with a lack of emotion.

"Do you think she'll want to be involved with the baby?"

"Hah." Rosemary snorted. "Honestly, I don't know. She was never involved with me."

"Are you sure you have the whole story?"

"Lee." Rosemary sat up. This topic used to bother her, but Rosemary had become so numb to the facts of her past. "I know you think I exaggerate this, but after my dad passed, my mom just went crazy. Finding your mom half passed out on the couch at ten years old is not exactly "involved." Plus, you know why I have all those DVDs and VHS tapes? Because I hoped maybe just once my mother would watch the replay since she missed all my plays and recitals." Rosemary huffed. She crossed her arms and sat back. "You know, it's like when my dad died, my mom did too." There she said it. She had never said those words out loud to anyone. Lee put his arm around her a pulled her close.

"I know it's hard for you to talk about, Rosie. I just hate seeing you and your mom like this."

"I've told you before, it's nothing new. Not everyone was blessed to have a stable family." Rosemary looked up at Lee. "I wish my family was more like yours."

"They're your family too now."

"That's comforting," Rosemary said with a yawn. She closed her eyes. She hated thinking about her childhood, especially after her father's passing. It was nothing short of traumatizing.

The principal walked into the classroom.

"Oooooh…." The kids snickered. Usually, that meant that someone was in huge trouble. Rosemary laughed along with her classmates. Her teacher silenced them and turned to the principal who stood in the doorway. The principal beckoned the teacher and they stepped into the hallway. The students whispered among themselves. Jack poked Rosemary in the back with his pencil.

"OW! Jack Thornton! You're so annoying." Rosemary hissed.

"Hey! I'm just trying to get your attention. Do you know the answer to number 1?"

"It's A."

"Thanks. What about 2?"

"It's C."

"3?"

"Metamorphosis—" Rosemary turned around. Jack was furiously scribbling down the answers to his homework. "Seriously, Jack!"
"I forgot to do my homework last night. What's number 4?"

"I'm not telling you!"

The teacher walked in, her face slightly worried. "All right, class. Let's line up for a quick recess." The class quickly grabbed their coats and assembled into line. The teacher led them into the hallway and stood as the students passed her.

"Rosemary." Her teacher pulled her out of line. "Keep going, class— walk to the next pillar."

Rosemary looked up expectantly at her teacher. Sometimes the teachers pulled students to run quick and important errands. As the class passed them, her teacher put her hand on Rosemary's shoulder. "Jack." Jack came running out of line. "Walk, Jack."

Jack and Rosemary looked at each other uneasily. It was frowned upon for students to share homework answers.

"Rosemary, you're needed at the front office. And Jack, please deliver this to the school secretary." The teacher handed him a manila envelope. "No cutting up!" The two skipped off through the halls of the elementary school.

As Rosemary and Jack reached the front office, the secretary smiled at them. "Thanks, Jack. Take a seat. I need to give this back to you when I'm done. Rosemary LeVeaux? Come with me, dear." The secretary stood and led Rosemary down a hallway. Rosemary looked over her shoulder and Jack shrugged. The secretary led Rosemary into the principal's office. Her mother stood there, and she looked like she was crying. Principal Smith looked sad. There were two other people Rosemary recognized as Chief of Police Bill Avery and Miss Carlisle, the school counselor.

"Um." Rosemary looked around the room uneasily. She had a bad feeling about this. "Am I in trouble?"

"No." Principal Smith said. He stood and walked around his desk. "Please. Have a seat." Rosemary sat on the couch next to her mom. Her mother held Rosemary's hand. Her mother took a deep breath.

"Rosie, sweetheart. You know how daddy is a police officer here in the city?"

Rosemary nodded.

"There are sometimes where people hurt other people. And sometimes—" her mom stopped.

"What's going on?" Rosemary asked. She looked back and forth among the adults in the room. There was one person who was missing from the room. "Where's my dad?" Bill Avery looked down, unable to look at the young girl. Her mother gained her composure.

"He was hurt on the job early this morning. And—" her mother's voice shook. Rosemary's hands started to grow cold. "he didn't make it."

"What— what do you mean, he didn't make it?" Rosemary asked. She knew what it meant. But she couldn't understand— did he not just tuck her in the night before, kissing her forehead, calling her his little Rosie Roo, before leaving for the night shift?

"Your father is with God and the angels now." Her mom whispered. Rosemary, who usually had a lot to say, had nothing to say. Her mom held her and she cried. Rosemary couldn't cry. She couldn't comprehend the news she was just told. The school counselor said a few words. Principal Smith said something. Rosemary heard nothing of it. Bill Avery, who escorted Valerie LeVeaux to school, led them out of the office. Rosemary felt numb.

"Hey, Rosie! What'd ya get in trouble for this time?" Jack teased as he was walking out of the office.

"I didn't get in trouble," Rosemary said, almost robotically. Jack stopped walking. Something was dreadfully wrong. Rosemary's eyes were wide in disbelief. "My daddy. He died." And as soon as she said those words, she passed out.

"Rosie. Rosie."

Rosemary blinked. She looked at the clock. It was only 1:36 in the morning.

"You were crying in your sleep. Are you okay?"

"Lee?" Rosemary sat up to face him. She touched his face, his shoulders, then arms. "Oh good. You're still here."

"What do you mean?"

"I dreamt about the day my dad passed," Rosemary said. "Maybe triggered from our conversation earlier. And seeing the old pictures."

"I'm sorry Rosie."

"Please, Lee. Hold me." Rosemary laid back down. Lee wrapped his arms around her. "It felt so real. All over again. And I felt like I had lost everything—everyone important in my life."

"If you need to talk about it, I'm here," Lee said quietly. "I'm not going anywhere."

"I know." Rosemary starred at the ceiling. "As much as you want to mask the pain, the pain of losing a parent never goes away. It's been fifteen years, Lee. I just wish I could have one more day with him. Ask him about his childhood. About how he and mom met. And what was mom like, really like, before he passed." She sighed. "That's another can of worms I don't know if I want to open right now."

"I think your mom truly regrets… the past." Lee said, not knowing exactly how to put it.

"I know she does. But one doesn't just wake up one day and pretend everything is honky doory." Rosemary turned on her side to face Lee. He stroked her hair, so it was out of her face. Her fears of having children were coming to the surface. "I-I don't know how to have a relationship with my mom." She paused. "And what if I won't know how to have a relationship with my own child?" There. She said it.

"You're past does not define you, Rosie. You know that." Lee sat up a little. "And you are not your mother. No, don't say "what if." I know you're not terribly fond of children, but believe it or not, you do a lot better than you think you do."

"It's hard being vulnerable."

Lee smiled ever so slightly. He kissed her forehead. "I know, sweetheart." He yawned. "Come here." Rosemary laid down and Lee put his arms around her. She felt safe. She always felt safe with Lee and she thanked God for it.