As it grew darker and darker, Jeffrey's lower lip began to quiver. "I'm s-scared," he muttered in a voice so low that Mathias could hardly hear it.
"Aw, don't be a baby," Mathias sneered. Just then an animal howled, and both boys screamed.
Jim-Bob looked at Paul. "Did you hear that?"
"It came from over there." Paul began to walk swiftly toward the source of the screaming, followed by his brother-in-law. Within a few minutes, they'd reached the frightened boys.
"Dad's going to kill you!" Paul growled as he angrily grabbed his younger brother by the arm and pulled him along. "How dare you worry our mother like this!"
"W-we were only looking for the animal that made those footprints," Mathias stammered.
Jim-Bob gave his cousin a look of resignation. "You know your grandma's gonna be real upset at you for wandering off like that."
Jeffrey sighed. "I know," he muttered, trudging behind his cousin.
The group arrived back home about a half hour later. "My baby!" Elsa exclaimed, running to hug and kiss Mathias.
"Where were you?" Rose's eyes narrowed in suspicion as she glared at her grandson.
"We were just following some footprints to see where they led," Jeffrey told his grandmother.
"Do you realize how dangerous that was?" asked Rose. "What if you'd met up with a bear?"
"I know." Jeffrey shuddered. "I'll never do it again."
"See that you don't," Rose said sternly. "Now come have your supper."
Elizabeth was sitting on the sofa, nursing baby Max. Paul lightly ran his hand over his son's fuzzy head and bent to kiss his wife. "Where did you find them?" she asked.
"They'd wandered off a short distance into the woods," Paul replied. "I let Mathias have it good. I don't think they'll be doing it again any time soon."
"I'm just glad the boys are getting along so well," said Elizabeth.
Paul grinned. "I knew they would."
He and his wife and son returned to their own home with his parents and Mathias shortly afterwards, and a few days later, the family drove back to the airport to see the elder Brimmers off. Elizabeth felt unexpectedly emotional as she was bidding her in-laws good-bye. "I hope you have a safe trip home," she told Elsa as she hugged her and kissed her cheek.
"Thank you, darling," Elsa replied. "I've wanted a daughter for so long, and now I finally have one."
For the next few days, Paul seemed unusually moody and temperamental. He'd go to work and hardly say a word when he came home, immediately plopping down on the sofa to read or listen to the radio and acting almost as if Elizabeth wasn't even there. She became concerned that he was angry with her about something but was too afraid to ask him. She was so worried that she went to visit her mother one day.
"I can't think of a thing I've done wrong," she said to Olivia.
"Most likely you haven't done anything wrong at all," Olivia replied. "He probably just misses his family really badly. They were here for a little while, and now they're gone again. He just has to get used to things being the way they are now again."
"That makes sense," said Elizabeth. "What do you think I could do to cheer him up?"
"You might try making him his favorite dessert," Olivia suggested.
Elizabeth knew that her husband's favorite dessert was black forest cake, so on her way home from her parents' house, she stopped by the Godseys' store for cocoa powder and cherries. "He's adorable!" Cora Beth exclaimed when she saw Max. "How old is he now?"
"Not quite three months," Elizabeth told her.
Just then Aimee appeared. "Oh, he's so cute!" she exclaimed. "Can I hold him?"
Elizabeth took her son from his carrier and handed him to her friend, and Max immediately began to cry. Aimee quickly handed him back to his mother.
"I'm sorry," said Elizabeth. "He usually goes to people he doesn't know without any problem. Maybe he'll let you hold him when he's a little bit older."
She continued home, where she settled Max down for a nap and then got all the ingredients for the cake together. While the cake was baking, she prepared dinner, and when it was finished, she set it aside to cool while she set the table.
Paul arrived while she was icing the cake. She was so absorbed in what she was doing that she wasn't even aware that he'd entered the house until she felt his arms around her waist, hugging her from behind. "Is that a black forest cake?" he asked.
"Yes," she told him. "But you have to eat dinner first."
He kissed her cheek. "You really know the way to my heart."
Max awakened and began to cry. Elizabeth nursed him while she and Paul ate, and when they were finished, she cut the cake and served her husband and herself. "This is delicious, hon," he told her as he ate. "It tastes just like my Mom's."
That night she nursed Max and rocked and sang him to sleep as she normally did. Thinking that Paul must already be asleep, she tried to get into bed as quietly as she could, but she'd no sooner lain down than she felt her husband's arms around her, his lips kissing her hair. Startled, she giggled.
"I never told you what an amorous effect black forest cake has on me, did I?" Paul's voice was husky with passion. As she felt herself melt under his caresses, Elizabeth thought about how happy she was that she'd gone to visit her mother that day.
