July 23rd, 1927 ~

What a beautiful, sunny morning! I just popped out back to see how Mr. Grant was coming along with the gazebo. He believes he can have it done before next weekend, and honestly, he's been working on it for two days now and it's already taking shape. From what I can see I am sure it will turn out beautifully. I can picture the happiness on Anna's face when we have our first family picnic in it.

Business is beginning to pick up again. We'll be having one departure, Mr. Fielding, who has spent a week with us. But two businessmen are booked to arrive on the afternoon train. I think William will be able to stay here with me after lunch again. Tomorrow though he should probably stay home as we tend to get busier toward the weekend. He probably won't be happy about that as Anna tells me he thinks it's his 'job' to come to the hotel. I can only hope he's that willing to work here when he's sixteen. Will and I will surprise Anna for tea later this afternoon.

Right now though I need to go into the pub and apologize to Sam. I'm ashamed to say I spoke rather harshly to him earlier. I always strive to never raise my voice to…anyone, really, but Sam can be trying. Still, that's no excuse. You see, I haven't been sleeping well at all lately. And that's no excuse either, but it's the truth.

Let me explain…

Every night, after I tell William his story I always put him to sleep in his own bed. Not that we mind the lad sleeping with us now and then, but it's not very comfortable with Anna being so heavily pregnant. She gets too hot and she spends the night tossing and turning, and well, she takes up a bit more space than is normal for her to. Anyway, after I put him to sleep, I go back to bed and Anna will usually roll over against me, flop her leg over my hip, and spoon me, as she calls it, which is lovely. But lately, the last two weeks or so, whenever she settles in that position I feel the babies kicking me in the back. At first, I must confess, it was an odd feeling, but now I'm always waiting for it to happen. It's almost a reassurance… I mean, until I can't sleep and I have to tell her to turn around…which I almost never do because I don't want to bother her once she's finally sleeping.

Those two little ones are so energetic, and now I know exactly why Anna can't get comfortable for long in bed. I mean, I only feel them slightly on my back, I can't imagine how it is to feel them moving around inside your own body. It must be a wonderful and strange experience at the same time.

So that's why I'm not sleeping well and it's a very feeble excuse for barking at poor Sam, but there it is.

~ John Bates

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Anna's hand was idly stroking Jack's furry head where it rested on her shade from the big elm tree was so cooling as she waited for John to come from the kitchen with their tea. Seated in her comfy chair she contemplated a solitary bumble bee. Its legs heavily laden with pollen, it was struggling to fly, as it worked its magic on the nearby Rose of Sharon bush.

It was all so relaxing… Toeing her shoes off, Anna ran her bare feet through the soft grass. Her eyelids grew heavy as she watched William pulling a string around the garden, Charlie running after him. Not even the rap..rap..rapping of the hammers coming from the gazebo construction site could lull her from her sense of contentment.

'Here we are,' John announced, carrying the tray to the little side table next to her chair. 'Tea, biscuits, and milk for the boy!' He smiled over at his son.

'You are a darling, my darling,' Anna chuckled, scratching Jack behind his ears.

'Oh well, you know me…' John winked, before leaning down to kiss her cheek.

'What's the matter, Jack?' Anna asked, when Jack began to growl for no apparent reason.

'He's probably jealous of Charlie,' John replied.

'I don't know…It's odd, he's been following me everywhere today, and whenever I sit he does this.' She gestured toward the dog.

'He's soft on you, that's all.' John dragged his chair over and sat down. 'But tell me…how are these little-' before John could rub her belly, Jack barked at him, showing him his teeth as he did so.

'Jack! No. That's not nice!' Anna scolded the dog.

'Whatever is the matter with him?' John asked with wide eyes. 'He almost bit me.'

'He wouldn't do it…' Anna excused Jack. 'He was just trying to scare you off. I told you, he's been acting strange around me.'

'Scare me off? Scare me off from my own wife?' John was not very happy. 'What if he bites you?' When he tried to caress her again, the same thing happened. 'Dammit Jack!'

'Jack!' Anna sat up and pushed the dog's head away from her lap. 'You are being a bad boy.'

'Come here, Jack!' John snapped his fingers and demanded the dog walk over to him, which he did, with his tail between his legs. He sat down, leaning against John and licked his hands as if apologizing. 'You are a strange fellow, you know?' John said, rubbing Jack's back, with an uneasy look on his face.

'I think…you know, I heard something the other day and I didn't really believe it but…apparently they say dogs feel when the baby is close to coming, and that they get overly protective when that happens.'

'Do you think that's it?'

'Maybe…'

'So…does this mean the babies are coming soon? I mean, sooner than what we think?'

'I don't know but, maybe…maybe Jack knows more than we do.' Jack barked happily at her before returning to his former spot. 'Now you be nice to Mr Bates…he is the father after all!'

John chuckled at her words, and called William to drink his milk. Jack wouldn't scare off John again that afternoon, but then, he didn't venture to touch his wife while the dog was present either…better be safe than sorry.

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I am now waiting for John and William to come home. Dinner is ready and the pets are fed, so I'm having a little quiet moment.

Jack has been sticking to me like glue all day. He really didn't want John to touch me when he came home for tea. I wonder if what the midwife told me is true, that dogs feel when babies are coming and that they try to protect the mother from people…but then, John's my husband, he wouldn't do anything bad to me. I think Jack doesn't understand that, maybe. Anyway, if that's really true, that's so amazing! And how sweet of Jack wanting to protect me, even though it was not nice what he did…

I wonder if the babies will arrive sooner than expected? Doctor Clarkson said that I would deliver in early August, but I know that we can never be sure…and my mother always said that in the two weeks before or after anything was possible. July is coming to an end… I am getting rather anxious about it now. I can't wait for my babies to be here with us but having twins is scary, and I want to have them here in the cottage. I really hope Doctor Clarkson will be able to come, because I would hate to go to the hospital. It's all in God's hands really, all we have to do now is wait and pray.

And John, it's sweet that you can share the movements of our babies within me …you shouldn't complain about it, you silly beggar. And you're a fussy sleeper anyway. You know what? You do deserve sleepless nights as well…after all, I didn't make these babies all by myself. Fortunately.

~Anna Bates.