Lizzy woke, William's soft snore filling her ears. She snuggled down for a few more minutes before the urge to use the bathroom forced her to rise. She contemplated climbing back into bed but decided to take advantage of the energy she had this morning instead. What a difference two weeks could make! She was feeling quite good as her first trimester exhaustion had subsided. The hours she'd spent on the exercise bike and on floor exercises left her legs feeling quite strong. Added to her physical wellbeing, her life was back on track. The arrival of her green card and the successful meeting in New York for her summer internship couldn't help the feeling that life was really good. Lizzy felt a strong urge to find some wood to knock on, worried that something would go amiss.

She was halfway through her planned hour on the exercise bike when William stumbled out of their bedroom; sleep still in evidence on his face, hair pushed straight up on one side and a day's beard growth on his face. He looked rumpled, and it was one of her favorite ways to see him. He was usually so perfectly turned out and she was one of the few who got to see him this way.

"Sleep well?"

"MmmHmm." That was really all the reply she could expect until he'd had his coffee. Accepting his bristled kiss she watched him as he made his way to the kitchen. A few minutes later he reappeared, two mugs, one each of coffee and tea, and sat down in a nearby love seat.

"Is that mint tea for me?"

"Yes. I thought you might be almost done and could join me for a few minutes before we re-enter life."

Lizzy hit the cool down button on her stationary bike and took a long swig of water before toweling off and joining William. "So I guess this is it, the downward slide towards graduation. Do not pass go. Do not collect $200."

"I have a lot to get done between now and graduation so no disturbing me from my work Mrs. Darcy."

"Ha! I've been dutifully working away all semester. You've got yourself to blame if you're behind. You're the one who took a two week spring break."

William groaned. He'd been lying in bed ever since Lizzy had left the room trying to wrap his mind around it all. "Don't remind me. Between school, PE and that meeting with Nicole Baker, I'm going to be hiding away with work the next few weeks. Just make sure that any important appointments for the baby are highlighted on my calendar. I don't want to miss any of those."

"They're already on your calendar. If you're going to be so stretched, I'm going to make some plans with my friends to give you uninterrupted work time. I know Jane will want to tell me all about her trip to Paris and I think there's a show Charlotte had mentioned wanting to see on Thursday."

William wasn't thrilled that Lizzy would be busy without him but acknowledged it was probably a good idea. This was her last semester too with all of her closest friends. When she returned to finish her senior year they will have graduated. With that thought in mind, William smiled encouragingly, "You should definitely make plans with the girls. They certainly will be far more entertaining then me and my research paper. Can you reserve Saturday night though? I want to take you somewhere special."

"Lucky me. Saturday night is yours. I'm going to hit the shower and start to get myself ready." Leaning over Lizzy gave William a sweet kiss before heading to the bathroom.

William sat for a few more minutes, checked a few emails on his phone while Lizzy got ready for the day. Pulling on her new black maternity jeggings and the forest green sweater she'd acquired in New York, Lizzy ran her hands over her belly as she looked at her reflection in the mirror. She'd be making a statement with this outfit. Her new clothes seemed to accentuate the baby and she braced herself for the likely questions that would pour forth. Well it was bound to happen sooner or later. Might as well deal with it now. She was feeling good - energized - and ready to deal with nosy classmates and the like. William's continued enthusiasm for all things baby certainly contributed to her feeling of wellbeing but it was the recent flutters she felt that had made it exciting and real and just a bit overwhelming. She was carrying a life within her. A true miracle and every time she felt his presence she simply could not contain her smile. Yes, she was ready.

Stepping into the kitchen Lizzy spotted the breakfast awaiting her. "What do we have here?"

William looked over and placed a kiss on her lips before returning to the stove. "You two need a hearty breakfast to get you through the day. Grab the juice and I'll be ready to serve in a few minutes."

Lizzy poured out two glasses of juice and quickly set up the breakfast bar. After washing the mixing bowls and setting them in the rack, everything was ready. William had picked up some basic cooking skills living with Elizabeth and was rather proud of the simple dishes he could now create. He'd purchased a pregnancy cook book and found a sweet potato and egg hash topped with avocado filled with all sorts of essential nutrients for a growing baby. Lizzy's pregnancy vitamin was set near her juice glass, a silent reminder that William would worry over every detail.

"Are you nervous about your meeting with Nicole Baker today?"

"A bit. But I'm really looking forward to finally meeting her and having the conversation. I'm anxious for answers. I'm meeting with Matthew beforehand to strategize."

"This is really good by the way. Can I expect a breakfast this good every morning?" Lizzy teased.

"You do the baby growing and I'll do the cooking. At least until we move to New York."

Their agreement was ratified with a few kisses before Lizzy realized she really needed to get going. Putting on her coat, Lizzy and Will agreed to meet up later on campus. She would want a download on the meeting before he went off to class.

Will and Matthew had arrived early at The Palm, a restaurant located in Boston's Financial District whose dark mahogany covered walls, white tablecloths, cartoon-like paintings of local politicians and business people painted on the walls, blended well with the business and legal crowd out for a casual business lunch. They'd chosen the restaurant because of its proximity to Ms. Baker's office and had arrived a bit early to strategize the conversation that was to come. Matthew's assistant had pulled together a brief bio and photos of the young woman. "You can really find anything on the internet, can't you." Will was impressed by what he read. Princeton undergrad, stints in New York and Boston at Goldman Sachs - she was no slouch. They had just put the dossier away when she arrived at the restaurant. Matthew recognized her from her LinkedIn profile picture and waved. The two men stood as she approached the table.

"I'm so glad to have the chance to meet you both," Ms. Baker gushed as the men stood, even before William or Matthew had a moment to open their mouths. "You can't imagine how much of an impact the gift your firm had on my life at a very difficult time. I've wanted to say thank you and was never quite sure who to direct my appreciation towards. So, thank you."

William began to squirm a bit; guilt overwhelming him. "Umm, Ms. Baker..."

"Please, call me Nicole."

"Uh, right, Nicole, we really appreciate you taking the time to meet with us today. And you did thank the firm, with your note. There was really no more necessary than that." William wanted to stop her from thanking them anymore given the difficult questioning they needed to pursue over lunch.

"Your father I believe, he was the one in the hospital at the same time as my mother. Is that right?" Nicole directed her gaze at William but wasn't certain.

"Oh, no. That was my dad," Matthew interrupted, directing Nicole's attention to him. "It was so kind of your mom to visit him. Could you tell us a bit about her? I didn't really know her and we'd love to learn more, if you're comfortable talking about her," Matthew added quickly.

It was Nicole's turn to look uncomfortable. She was trying to figure out the best way to discuss her mother.

"If its too painful still you don't have to. I mean, we are virtual strangers." Will suggested sensing her discomfort.

"No. It's not that. It's kind of you to ask. Perhaps we can order first, and you can tell me a little more about what you hope to learn. I'll know best then how to answer." The men looked at one another and silently agreed. In their prior discussion, they'd decided Matthew would take the lead when it came to this part. He was most likely to be clear headed about their inquiries.

Lunch orders taken, Matthew explained how they came across the thank you note when reviewing some files. "FF&D has long had a legacy of charitable support, and of assisting its employees through difficult times, but the gift for your mother was a bit unusual and we were hoping to better understand the circumstances around it better."

Nicole's confusion was evident on her face. "Unusual? How?"

Matthew and William looked at one another and then returned their focus on Ms. Baker. "To begin with, your thank you note is the only record of the firm's gift. We usually document these things. Once we started looking into this there were some other, um, irregularities." This final word certainly got Ms. Baker's attention but the men were reluctant to go into further detail. "I am sure you have questions, but if you could indulge us with any recollections about the gift, or your mother's tenure at FF&D we would really appreciate it."

Nicole looked incredulous. "Are you asking me to pay the money back?" She looked as if she was going to get up and leave as she muttered under her breath. "I can't believe it. Nothing's ever easy with you mom."

"No! No, that is not why we brought you here. We don't want any money. Really, this has become a puzzle for us, that could have some broader implications. We are simply trying to understand the situation better," Matthew implored.

"A puzzle? You're making this sound like an exercise in entertainment but generally irregularities aren't pursued for fun," Ms. Baker retorted.

William sat debating how best to move this conversation forward. He wished Lizzy was with them. She'd know exactly how to pull out the information they were hoping for without disclosing too much. But really, what was the harm in disclosing anything? They'd been waiting for months to have this conversation and it was their best hope to get some clarity. With that final thought, William plowed ahead. Throwing away "the plan", William began to speak. "My apologies for the cloak and dagger stuff. We're asking you personal questions so you deserve to know our reasons." He had her attention now, her look expectant. "Right before your mom went on medical leave, she notarized a document related to my father's last will and testament. The thing is, it was a codicil granting certain rights to my aunt, Catherine DeBourgh, that are surprising to say the least. The irregularities are related to the date of the document. It was supposedly signed by Matthew's dad but its dated after his stroke. We know he wasn't capable of signing anything at that time. Your thank you note specifically mentions my aunt and her generosity to your family along with the firm. It's curious as my aunt has never worked for the firm although given familial ties that would never stop her from getting involved in any situation." This last statement was said with a bit of a smirk on his face relaying some of his longstanding frustration with his overbearing aunt.

Nicole listened closely and was clearly thinking about this new information. She began to speak slowly. "My only experiences with your aunt were different...life-changing. She was a savior for me. Although I never thought about her motivations. I guess I was in need of direction and philanthropy. She provided it. Wait, is there a financial benefit to your aunt, from the document my mom certified?"

Darcy nodded in the affirmative and they all settled into silence. It was Nicole who next spoke. "My mom. She was difficult. For a very long time. It was hard growing up with her. She had her moments - both really great and really not. The loyalty, or at least I saw it as such, from the company where she worked...It meant a lot to me. That she was able to get her life on track and inspire such generosity was...it was really nice. I keep repeating myself but I don't know what other words to use." Nicole shook her head dismissively as she spoke.

William spoke, just above a whisper. "Why? Why was it a surprise?"

His gentleness seemed to meet what Nicole needed and she met his eyes. "My mom was never very stable. She started taking medicine when I was in college. She became more normal. Not totally. We still had our differences but she started making progress in life. She had a steady job. She bought a condo. She'd never managed those things before. When did she certify the codicil?"

Matthew brought forward the document, dated three days after his father's first devastating stroke. Nicole seemed to consult a mental calendar. She shrugged. "I can't comment with certainty. My mom had certainly already received her diagnosis. She was already losing touch with reality at many moments. But she hadn't stopped working yet." Nicole was looking off into the distance, seemingly lost in thought. "She stopped on Valentine's Day. She went to the hospital carrying the red carnation that the office had given out to the women in the office." Cleaning her throat Nicole seemed to refocus on her lunch companions, "It was only ten days after the date of your document, but she was still attempting to put on a brave face and do her job. That's not to say she should have. My mother was very stubborn and even at the end, wouldn't allow friends to visit. She wanted to believe she would get better. Facing pity, especially from coworkers was too much I think."

William took an assessing look at Ms. Baker. She was calm, detached, so hepressed on. "Can you talk about my aunt? What was her presence at this time?"

"It was your aunt who called me. I was at work in New York, pushing towards a deadline as usual. I stayed in the office until 4am to finish up a presentation, went home to shower and was on the 7am shuttle to Boston. Mom was in denial about her illness but your aunt knew what she was about and got me organized, prepared." Nicole looked at the two men. "I'm sorry. I don't know if any of my recollections are helpful to you at all. You aunt wasn't there a lot but she was my advisor. I did tell her about my fears regarding burying my mom. I had no money as I was just out of college loaded down with student loan debt. The funeral home wouldn't accept a credit card and I was searching for a loan so I could pay to bury my mom. A card arrived in the mail with a certified check big enough to pay for the funeral, burial and a small reception at my mom's church. It was a godsend and your Aunt Catherine arranged it I'm sure. I've promised to pay it forward. I will make a donation to a funeral home to pay for someone else's funeral. At least that was my plan. Do you think it was just payment for services rendered? Because my mom notarized that document?"

William began to feel ill. This beautiful gift, this memory was ruined. No. He couldn't do that. He reached out to touch Nicole's hand. "No. I'm sure it was not. I'm sorry if our questions have made you question anything. It was a gift. My aunt is a decent person and I'm sure she was moved to help a person in need. Thank you for sharing your story with us."

Nicole nodded. "Excuse me. I need to use the ladies room." William and Matthew watched her get up from the table and walk towards the back of the restroom.

"Wow. I'm completely drained. That was...it was... I'm sorry I'm at a loss. What do you wan to do?" Matthew asked.

"Nothing. I want to do absolutely nothing. Let's just pay the check. I need to go back to Elizabeth and hold her."

The men sat in silence until Nicole returned. They'd paid the check and thanked her again until they all grabbed their belongings in order to go their separate ways.

I'm sorry I've been absent. I'm still here. I don't know when the next chapter is going to come but I will finish...I promise!