Three and a half years later, early December
"Mama mama," Matea called as she played in the living room.
"Yes, Mattie."
"Mama? I have a snack?" she asked, running in the dining room where Elizabeth was working on her final class she needed to complete for her degree in interior design. "Please?"
"Sure, baby girl. Climb up in your booster at the table and I'll give you some fruit."
"Bannas?"
"Sure, bananas and strawberries."
"Yum."
Elizabeth ate a few pieces of fruit too and then called Lucas.
"Hey."
"Hey, handsome? How was your day?"
"I finished the blueprints for the Watson project and then put in my two weeks. I'm officially quitting Collins Architecture and it feels right."
"Hi, Daddy!" Matea yelled.
"I'm putting you on speaker so she can hear you."
"Hi, Mattie! What did you do today?"
"Mmmm, watched movies. Took a nap."
"That sounds perfect, baby."
"Luke, don't forget, Mom is coming to get Mattie so we can have our date. In about an hour."
"Oh that's right."
"You forgot, didn't you?"
"Not exactly."
"Luke, it's been a long time since we've gone out. We need this."
"I know."
"Do you?" she muttered, trying not to sound frustrated, but she was. She missed him and besides that, she wanted another baby. No time together made it impossible to accomplish. "I'm beginning to think…"
"What, babe? Look, I'm sorry. Work has been crazy and trying to balance that with finishing our classes…"
"I think we should cancel for tonight. You sound tired."
Actually, she was tired, not him. Lately, her emotions had been all over the place, exhaustion was always there, but she had to keep moving forward. She was a mom who was trying to get her degree. Her life didn't allow for exhaustion.
"Elizabeth?"
"See you soon, Luke."
"Right."
Lucas sighed as he headed toward home. He hadn't completely forgotten about their date night, but in all fairness, they hadn't talked about it for a few days.
He had been concentrating on building a client base for their new business. He had a few jobs lined up to start in exactly two weeks. Bouchard Interiors was finally happening.
In the meantime, his wife was sitting at home thinking he had forgotten about their night and he had to remedy that somehow.
A bit later, Elizabeth sat down on the couch in her pajamas and ate her cereal. The house was way too quiet with Mattie gone. She hadn't bothered to cancel Lynn coming to get her. Mattie had wanted to go to Nana and Poppy's house so she went. She loved hanging out with her Uncle Abe and Aunt Carrie.
She heard the lock on the door click open and her heart reacted. The same way it had always reacted when Lucas was nearby. She loved him more than ever, even though she was annoyed.
At the same time, her stomach lurched. This cereal…ugh. Maybe she was lactose intolerant.
She put the bowl down and sighed.
"Babe? I brought dinner. Where's Mattie?"
She stood up and took her bowl to the sink. "At Mom and Dad's."
"Right."
"Lucas, I'm just going to go upstairs. I don't feel much like eating."
"Elizabeth, please. We need to talk."
He touched her hands and stopped her momentum. Her tears broke him. He missed her so much. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her hair.
"I'm so sorry. I love you with all of my heart, Elizabeth."
She held on tight around his waist. "I love you too. I'm sorry too. I just don't feel good, Luke. I think I need to see a doctor."
"Okay. I'll take you tomorrow."
"You have to work."
"What are they going to do, fire me? I already quit and I have a lot of paid time off to use."
"Will you just hold me tonight? I miss you so much."
"I'm here."
He led her upstairs and pulled back the covers, climbing in behind her.
"What doesn't feel right, Beth?"
"I'm so tired and emotional and my stomach isn't right."
"How long?"
"A month maybe?"
"Why didn't you say something?"
"I did."
"Oh wow. I can't believe I've been neglecting you this long."
"Not neglecting, honey."
"In my opinion, I have been, now that I look back. Well, no more. We are going to figure this out, together."
She sat up and bolted into the bathroom and it hit him. When was her last period? He didn't remember, not that she expected him to.
"Babe, what if you're pregnant?" he asked, walking into the bathroom.
"No, I don't think so." She brushed her teeth and washed her face.
"Why don't you take a test?"
"Honestly, Lucas. It's been awhile since we've been together."
"It was two weeks ago, my birthday. But, babe, before that…"
"My birthday," she said quietly, remembering. "Oh my goodness. I haven't been paying attention." She walked into the bedroom and pulled her calendar up on her phone. "Three months since my last…Lucas, whoa."
….
The next day, her gynecologist confirmed. She was thirteen weeks pregnant.
It was what she had hoped for for months and yet she hadn't seen the signs. Now, though, was it a good time?
They had put the house up for sale, planning on moving to San Diego. She wanted to be closer to Rosie and Lee and their three kids and the beach rental was still her dream.
Thankfully, Bouchard Interiors could be headquartered anywhere so the business would move with them.
"What if we don't move right now?" she muttered that night as they drifted to sleep.
"Hm?" he asked, barely awake.
"Babe, what if we stay here until after the baby comes?"
"What about San Diego?" he asked, sitting up.
"I think that the timing isn't right, as much as I want to be closer to Rosie and Lee."
"That's fine but the timing may never be right. What if something changes and we can't ever go?"
"Then we don't. I just can't imagine having two kids under five and trying to manage an Airbnb too and help with our new business."
He leaned down and kissed her softly. "The last thing I want is for you to be stressed and overwhelmed or regret anything. So this is your call. If you say take the house off the market, then we will."
"Are you sure?"
"You and our kids are the most important. I want whatever is best for you."
"Thank you."
When he agreed to postpone the move, it took a huge weight off her shoulders so she was able to sleep.
…..
"I did it, Luke! I got my degree!" Elizabeth cheered when she called him the next day as he drove home. "I'm so relieved."
"That's great, babe. Now you can just relax and focus on all the new stuff happening."
"Relax? What's that?" she asked, laughing.
"Right? Well, you and I are going to celebrate the baby and your degree tomorrow night. You and me. We are going to get all dressed up and Nana Helen and Grandpa Martin will be watching Mattie."
"Really?"
"Yeah. Do you think you'll be up to it?"
"Absolutely. It's a long time coming, sweetheart."
"I talk to Daddy, Mama?" Matea asked, wiggling her fingers.
"I love you, Luke. Mattie wants to talk to you."
"Love you too."
"Hi, Daddy! I so good today," she told him proudly.
"You were? I'm not surprised. You are my little Mattie."
"Yep! When you comin' home?"
"I will be there very soon. I love you, honey."
"Love you, Daddy."
Mattie, being her almost 4 year old self, left the phone on the table and walked away.
"Hello? Beth?"
Elizabeth giggled as she grabbed the phone. "Roast chicken and veggies for dinner, Luke. And I made an apple cobbler for dessert."
"Sounds great."
"I think we should take Gran over some dinner this weekend. Tell her about the baby. Make sure she's doing okay."
Luke knew his parents went daily. The woman was strong and capable but she was also almost 90 years old and a recent widow.
Grandpa Larry had passed in his sleep six months before and as strong as she was, they had feared she would follow him soon after.
"I think so too. Let's do it."
….
The next night
"Crap," Elizabeth grumbled from the closet.
"Crap!" Mattie yelled with a giggle.
"Don't say that, babe. Mommy shouldn't have said it in front of you."
"Why?"
"Because it's a grown up word and you're not a grown up."
"I big!"
Elizabeth wiped the frustrated look off her face and picked her daughter up. "You're right, honey. You're big but that word is not nice. Okay?"
"Love, you ready?" Lucas asked, walking into the master.
"No. Nothing fits. Everything is so tight."
Lucas held out a bag to her from the maternity store downtown.
"Sweetheart, what did you do?"
"Open it." He grinned and took Mattie from her, giving her loud kisses all over her face.
Mattie squealed and laughed. "Daddy!"
"Hi, baby girl. Were you good today?"
"Yep. I'm yo Mattie."
"So very true."
Elizabeth wiped the tears from her face and looked up at Luke. "Happy tears, love?"
"Its beautiful. Thank you so much."
It was a simple ivory dress with tan flowers but it had a forgiving elastic waist and she'd be able to wear it for a lot of her pregnancy.
"You're welcome. Now, Mattie, are you ready to see Nana Helen and Grandpa Martin? They are waiting downstairs."
"Yay! I go see them."
He put her down and chuckled as she ran off.
Elizabeth walked up close to her husband, stood on her toes, slipping her fingers behind his neck to bring his lips within kissing range. "How did you know?"
"Because I know you, love. You're hard on yourself when you are overwhelmed and you mentioned that your jeans were tight the other day. Now personally, I love your tight jeans…"
She smiled and kissed him again. "I love you, husband. Now scoot so I can finish getting ready."
"Can I watch?" he flirted, giving his sexy smirk.
"If you want but we are not staying here. No funny business."
He put his hands on her baby bump and smiled. "I wonder if it's a boy this time."
"I don't know. It could be a sister for Mattie. She'd love that. You'd love another girl."
"It honestly doesn't matter to me which gender. Our babies and you fill my heart."
….
About fifteen minutes later, they head downstairs, kiss Mattie goodbye, grab their light jackets and leave.
Elizabeth's phone rang as they headed toward Charlotte . "Its Rosie."
"Go ahead."
"Are you sure?"
"Of course."
She smiled and pushed the speaker button. "Hi, Rosie!"
"Hi, Beth! What are you up to?"
"Date night. A celebration of sorts." She looked at Lucas and he nodded.
"Ooo what are you celebrating?"
"I finished my degree for one."
"That's awesome! Congratulations."
"And…we're pregnant." She moved her phone further away knowing the squealing was coming.
"Eeeeee! I knew it!"
Elizabeth laughed. "I wish someone had told me."
"So that's amazing!"
Things were quiet for a moment. "Rosie?"
"We have news too."
"You're pregnant too?" Elizabeth guessed.
"No. We are waiting a bit for our fourth rugrat. Um…Lee is getting reassigned."
"No more San Diego?"
"Nope. Clearwater, Florida."
"When? January 15th."
"That's what? Five weeks?"
"Yeah."
"Lee says he was told the house on base is at least bigger than this place and has a nice backyard."
"That's a good thing."
"Yeah," Rosie said, her voice cracking. "This was our first house that actually felt like home. And Zane and Zach love going to the zoo."
"Not Betsy?" Elizabeth teased.
"Very funny." Little Elizabeth "Betsy" Coulter was only four months old so that would come in time.
"I miss you, Rosie. I guess we'll have a new place to visit."
"Soon?"
"Soon."