Six months later, end of June

Elizabeth was so very sick of living at the Estate while renovations were going on. Shortly after Christmas, they had decided to stay in Charlotte.

Lee and Rosie and their four kids had moved from Jacksonville up to Southport which was under four hours away. She almost decided to drive over there with the kids just to get out of the loud….

Elizabeth gasped at a crash. "Lucas! What was that?"

"Well, it was sort of the mirror in the hallway."

"Oh no." That was certainly an antique.

"I'm sorry, Beth," Martin said from down the hall. He was helping Lucas remodel to keep himself busy. Helen often came to watch the kids so Beth could rest.

At seven and a half months pregnant, she felt relatively good but a nap was appreciated. Plus, now that Mattie was on summer vacation, all three kids needed looking after.

Speaking of, Elizabeth took off her slippers and got under the light blanket on the bed when the saw started. Tile saw. So very loud.

She moaned in annoyance. "Lucas!"

It was doubtful he could hear her so she rolled out of bed, literally, and waddled toward the bathroom where they were working.

"Hey, love," he said, kissing her cheek when he noticed her standing there.

"Babe, I need to sleep. Is there any way you could maybe be a little quieter?"

"Sure. Sorry." He stepped a bit closer and gave her a kiss, a smile on his face.

"What?"

"I love you. You are so beautiful when you are carrying my baby."

She blushed and reached up to kiss him in return. "Thank you."

"Why don't we call it a day, son?" Martin suggested. "We can start again tomorrow."

Lucas nodded. "Sure, Dad. Thanks for your help today."

"Happy to do my part. I'm going to spend time with your mom and my grandbabies."

Lucas knew it was helping his dad deal with his grief to improve the house he grew up in, that his parents lived in for so long. Plus, since Beth was unable to do a lot of things at this point in her pregnancy, he was so grateful for an extra hand.

"How's Baby Bouchard?" Lucas asked, curling up behind her, his hand on her belly.

"Sleeping, I think, but good." They had decided to be surprised with this one. They didn't want to know the gender so it was Baby Bouchard, not Baby Girl or Baby Boy.

"Mama?" a little voice said from the doorway.

"Ethan? What is it, baby?" Elizabeth asked, not even opening her eyes. She knew her twin's voices.

"I seep with you? Pease?"

Lucas reached over her and picked him up, settling him between them. "Hi, bud. You tired?"

He nodded and put his thumb in his mouth. That habit had started after the pacifiers had been taken away.

"Night Night, Daddy," Ethan mumbled around his thumb and closed his eyes.

A few minutes later, he noticed Elizabeth and Ethan were asleep but he felt another little human pulling herself up on the bed. She crawled over their legs and waved at Lucas, a lovely smile on her face.

"Hey, Lilly bug," he whispered. "Tired?"

She nodded and laid down, so he moved over just a bit. Thank goodness for king size beds.

…..

Downstairs, Living room

"Can I spend the night at your house?" Mattie asked her grandparents.

"If your mom and dad say yes, sure," Helen told her.

"Cool."

"Aren't you all supposed to be going to the waterpark tomorrow?" Martin asked. Lucas had told him that upstairs.

Mattie shrugged. "Yeah. I'd rather be with you."

"Mattie? What's going on?" Helen asked. "You love the water park." What seven year old didn't?

"I don't want to." Mattie was self-conscious. The girls at school in her gym class called her fat. She noticed she was a little bigger than other girls but she didn't think she was fat. Mommy said it was just baby fat and she'd grow taller and it would even out. She wasn't a baby! She was seven!

"Honey, you can tell me."

"I'm fat, Grandma. The girls at school make fun of me. I don't want to wear a bathing suit."

"Oh, sweet girl. I'm sorry the girls make fun of you."

"Am I fat?"

"I think you are lovely."

"You have to say that! Am I fat?" The tears were falling now.

"You are the right size for you. Girls sometimes change around your age or a little older. Sometimes they just need to get taller and it will even out."

"That's what Mommy said."

Helen kissed the top of her head and just held her. She wasn't sure what to say. She thought it might help her to feel beautiful though. "You know what, Mattie?"

"What?"

"I think we need to go to the mall and get our hair and nails done. Maybe tomorrow, we can have a girls day. What do you think?"

"Really? That would be so fun! Can we take Mommy too? She can't reach her toes to paint them."

Helen chuckled. "Its your choice. If you want Mommy to come, we can ask her. Maybe Papa can watch the twins?"

"Sure thing," Martin nodded.

"Awesome. Thanks, Grandma."

"You are very welcome."

…..

Southport, Lee and Rosie's house

"No, Lee. Its over. We…are over!" Rosie shouted, shutting the master door.

He walked right in, making her spin around. "Rosie, you're overreacting." Rosie was the queen of overreacting and drama but he loved her more than anything.

"Am I? Who is Penny?" She had seen a text from a girl/woman named Penny on his phone.

"A friend. She's in the Coast Guard too. We served together. That's all. I would never cheat on you."

"She said and I quote, 'Love you, L. See you soon.''"

"Her husband is Larry. I have to believe she meant to text him. Not me. Rosie, seriously."

Connor started crying in his crib, so Lee went over and picked him up and started changing his diaper. "Do you believe me, sweetheart?"

"I want to, Lee, but…come on."

"You used to trust me."

"Yes I did. You have never given me a reason not to."

"I still haven't."

He had been back for three years. For those three years, he had struggled to return to civilian life, drinking perhaps more than he should when off duty but he had never cheated or abused her. He had maybe worked more than he should have but never cheated.

"Con, we really need to potty train you," Lee said, shaking his head at the unfortunate diaper situation that was happening. "And move you to the boys room." That comment was directed at Rosie.

"Is it because I'm fat?" Rosie asked, tears rolling down her face.

"What?"

"Is Penny thin? Has she had four kids? I had four, Leland Coulter."

Lee picked up the now clean and less smelly Connor and walked over to the bedroom door. "Zane? Can you please come get Connor and play with him for a bit? I need to talk to your mom."

"Sure, Dad."

"Thank you, bud. Why don't you go make some popcorn for a snack and watch a movie?"

"Yay! Poppy!" Connor said, clapping his hand.

Lee sighed and shut the door. "Rosie, sweetheart. I need you to hear me. Alright?"

She wiped her tears but met his eye. "Fine."

"I am going to call Penny in a moment, with you right beside me, so you can hear that she intended to send that text to Larry. But before I do that, I need you to know that I will never look at another woman with affection or desire. Only you. You are my Rosie. My wife that I have loved for so long and will love forever. I said vows to you and I will not break those vows. You are so strong and so beautiful inside and out and I absolutely love and appreciate your curves every moment that I see you and even when I don't."

"Oh, Lee. Thank you. I believe that you didn't cheat."

"I'm still calling Penny."

"You don't have to."

"I feel like I do."

He pushed the dial button by her name and hit the speaker.

"Hi, Coulter."

"Hawkins, did you intend to get me in trouble with my wife?"

"Huh? What are you talking about?"

"You texted me that you love me."

"No, I didn't. Gross. You're like my brother. I mean, you're slightly less annoying but.."

"Look at your texts."

She took a moment and then gasped. "Crap. No, tell your wife that I meant to send that to Larry. My husband. I'm so sorry. I hate technology."

"You just told her. Thank you for confirming. Don't worry, I was just as grossed out by the thought as you were that you sent that to me."

"Ew. Gross. Bye, Coulter."

"Bye."

Rosie burst out laughing and then covered her face. "I'm so embarrassed."

"Don't be, sweetheart. Now, what do you say we ask Gennie next door if she will watch the kids tomorrow night? You and I need a date."

"I don't have any formal clothes that fit. So unless we go somewhere it doesn't matter if I wear sweats and your old t-shirt…"

"Drive through then we can go park by the lake."

"That sounds amazing. I would love that."

"Great." He kissed her softly and then again. "It's a date then."

…..

When Elizabeth woke up later, the twins were in bed jabbering to each other but Lucas had apparently gone downstairs or something.

"Hi, babies."

"Hi, Mama!" they said in unison. "You up."

"I am. Are you hungry? Why don't we go see what Daddy made for dinner?"

"Cancakes?"

"Pancakes, E? Puh puh…"

"Cancakes!" he said, bouncing.

"Eh, close enough."

The twins went down the stairs in front of her and she held onto the railing securely, since she couldn't see her feet anymore.

She looked down and felt a slight pop and then liquid. "Uh…Luke!"

He hurried over and so did Martin and Helen. "What is it?"

"My water…it just broke. I'm way too early, Luke. This can't be happening." She felt herself start to hyperventilate so she sat down on the stairs.

"Babe, breathe….breathe. In and out."

"Ow ow ow…" Contractions started hard. "We need to go to the hospital."

"We got the kids," Helen offered. "I think we will just stay here tonight with them."

"Thank you, Mom." He turned back to Elizabeth. "Can you breathe, babe?"

"I think…so…Luke, I'm so scared. I can't.."

"Shhh…sweetie. This will be fine. Trust me. Do you trust me?"

"Yes."

"I am going to get you to the hospital and we are going to have this baby."

…..

About two hours later…

Lucas couldn't believe it. A boy. Now they had two of each. Despite being about seven weeks early, he was pretty healthy. Very small. 4 pounds 2 ounces, so he would be in the hospital for a while until he could keep his temperature up and gain a little weight.

"Where's Vincent?" Elizabeth mumbled as she opened her eyes. "I want him please."

"He's in the nursery, babe. He needs oxygen right now, just a little, remember? He has to keep his temperature up so he's in an isolette. We can go down to see him once you eat dinner."

"I don't want to eat. Lucas, I need him to be okay. If something happens to him, I don't want him to be alone."

"He's doing just fine. All the nurses are keeping a good eye on him."

"He was so early." That medicine they gave her during the c-section was making her loopy. And grumpy.

"He was but the surgery went fine."

"How's Mommy doing?" the nurse asked, walking in the room, way too chipper.

"She's waking up."

"She's right here and can speak for herself," Elizabeth said, giving Lucas a look.

"And she's grumpy apparently," Lucas said with a smile.

"I would like to see my son, please. I'm not hungry and I'd like to go to the nursery."

"I'll track down a wheelchair."

"Are you angry with me, Beth?" Lucas asked.

"No, of course not. This medicine is making me feel weird."

"We have our boy, Beth. He's beautiful."

"I haven't seen him. Remember?"

She had been completely out because they had to get him out fast and she hadn't had her epidural yet.

"I remember."

She was feeling almost like her baby had been taken from her. The only thing that would help her relax was to see him. Hold him.

"Alright, your ride is here, Mommy," the nurse said. "Now, listen," she told Elizabeth. "You just had major surgery so you need to do this slow and easy. The last thing you want is to pop a stitch or a staple. Got it?"

"Got it."

Lucas let the nurse help her out of bed and into the wheelchair, covering her legs with a blanket.

As they walked hall after hall, Lucas held out his hand and she accepted. Sliding her fingers between his gave him a little assurance that she wasn't truly mad at him.

"Okay, now we need to scrub up," the nurse told them, walking them through the whole process.

Elizabeth was feeling anxious, scared and a whole lot of other emotions all jumbled together. She could hear a little cry and then another, wondering if the cry belonged to their Vincent Lucas.

"Alright, welcome to the preemie nursery."

The nurse rolled her up next to a isolette and Elizabeth gasped. "May I touch him? Please?"

The little guy was asleep but he apparently heard his Mommy's voice because he turned his head.

"Of course. Would you like to hold him?"

"Yes, please. Is he hungry? I would like to feed him."

"He may be. We will use the milk you pumped about thirty minutes ago."

She had needed assistance because the anesthesia she had had her going in and out of consciousness.

About ten minutes later, Elizabeth had her Vince in her arms and was feeding him from a tiny bottle.

Lucas watched from a rocking chair right next to hers. He couldn't believe the amount of relief and love he felt at that moment.

Vince was alive, healthy and eating. Elizabeth was relaxed and obviously enjoying every moment of being a new mother again. Life was good.