Three weeks later

Elizabeth was healing pretty well from her c-section. Her heart though…it was at that hospital with Vince. Thankfully he was doing very well and growing but he still needed some help keeping his temp up. He was over 5 pounds now though. The doctors thought that he'd be able to come home in the next week or so.

The doorbell rang and Elizabeth checked her phone app to see who was there. "Mattie, Nana is at the door. Can you please let her in?"

"Nana and Auntie Vi!" Mattie yelled as she opened the door.

That was good. Someone would need to drive her to the hospital and someone would need to stay with the kids.

"Lunch, kids," Elizabeth called, loud enough for the twins in the playroom down the hall.

It didn't take long and the twins pounding footsteps carried them towards the kitchen.

"Hey, Mom," Elizabeth said, giving Lynn a hug. "Vi. Its so good to see you. How are the wedding plans coming along?"

"Oh…stressful. It would be less stressful if Chad were just in town half the time."

"Aww. I'm sorry. If I had more time, I'd help you more."

Vi hugged her little sister. "No problem. You have a lot on your plate. As long as you are still good with being my bridesmaid, I am good."

"No one could stop me." Plus, in six months, hopefully she would fit into that dress.

"I'll stay with the kids if you want to take Beth to the hospital," Vi told Lynn.

"Alright. That sounds good."

Elizabeth went over and kissed all the kids' heads and smiled, telling them to behave for Auntie Vi.

"Bye Bye," Ethan said, waving.

"Bye, Mama," Lilly said, joining in. "Bring back baby Vince?"

"Not today, buggy. Soon though."

"How are you really?" Lynn asked as they drove to the hospital.

"I feel lost. It doesn't feel right without him with us."

"Understandable."

"Have you been sleeping well?"

"No. I keep looking at the empty crib. I'm so emotional and grumpy. Poor Lucas is all I have to say."

"My dear, have you and Lucas taken the time to talk and maybe even go out on a date since you had Vince?"

"No. I'm just starting to heal so I haven't felt very well."

"Don't forget to talk. That's all I'm talking about. Maybe he's feeling just as lost as you."

"He seems fine." But she really didn't know. "Oh wow." She pulled out her phone and texted him. "Babe, you and me. Tonight. Date on the couch."

"Count me in," he responded back with a kissy face emoji. "Love u Beth."

"Love you, Luke."

"My mind has been with Vince, Mom. I'm not trying to make excuses but yeah…Lucas has been working hard on a new project and I've been with the kids or at the hospital."

Lynn patted her knee and gave her a smile. "The important thing is you are doing something about it. You both need each other right now."

She was right. She was missing Luke and sadly, she hadn't noticed until right now.

Lucas' mind was on Beth for the rest of the day. He had been missing her a lot. They had unfortunately let life get in the way of simply communicating. They couldn't do that.

On his way home from work, he stopped and picked up dinner, which he had been doing since Beth was usually at the hospital until dinnertime. He didn't want her to have to cook.

Then he grabbed a bouquet of flowers and headed home to relieve whomever was taking care of the kiddos.

Hospital, nursery

"So, Mr. Vincent should be good to go home tomorrow," the nurse said, putting him in his isolette. "He's doing so well."

"Really? That's wonderful."

"I bet you are missing him, aren't you, Mrs. Bouchard?"

"So much. Are you sure about tomorrow?" Elizabeth could hardly believe it. All her babies would finally be at home with her and Lucas.

"That's what his doctor mentioned. He should be in here shortly and you can ask him yourself."

…..

Lucas picked up his phone as it rang on the counter. "Hey, love."

"Babe! They said we can bring Vince home with us tomorrow!"

"That's amazing! I am going to let the guys know I won't be at work tomorrow."

"You don't have to do that. I'm sure my parents can take me."

"Yes I do, Beth. I need to be there. Look, I'm sorry I've neglected you lately."

"What? No, you haven't."

"We don't talk much and I take responsibility…"

"No, its no one's fault. We both haven't been trying real hard."

"That stops tonight. I think we need to make the effort to talk every night before bed."

"That's a good idea. I'll be home in about ten minutes. I miss you, Luke."

"I miss you too."

When she walked in, she found him on the couch, all three kids around him, listening to a story he was reading.

"Anyone home?" she asked quietly.

"Hi, Mama!" they all yelled, coming around and gently hugging her tummy.

"Hi, guys. Guess what."

"What?"

"We are bringing Vince home tomorrow!"

"YAY!" they all yelled.

"Can I hold him, Mommy?" Lilly asked, jumping up and down.

"Well, he's awfully little but maybe if Daddy has you on his lap."

"Okay."

"Then me, Mommy?" Mattie wondered. "I'm bigger and I'll be really careful."

"Sure, sweets."

……

William and Lynn's house

"Papa…Papa…." Abe said, shaking William's shoulder. He wouldn't wake up and that scared Abe. Alot. At sixteen Abe could typically handle quite a bit, even though he had Down Syndrome. But he couldn't handle his Papa not waking up.

"Ma! MA!" he yelled.

"Abraham, what are you yelling about, child?"

"MA! Papa won't…wake up!"

"What? William! William Thatcher! Wake up please!"

He moaned but he didn't move. "Abe, listen to me. Bring me my cell phone from the counter and then go upstairs and stay with Carrie. Alright?"

"Yes, Ma."

He brought the phone back but she saw the tears on his face. "Sweetheart, I know its scary, but I need you to go upstairs."

"Yes, Ma."

She dialed 911 as soon as Abe turned and left. "Please help my husband. He won't wake up!"

…..

Lucas and Elizabeth sat on the couch in the quiet, leaving their phones in the kitchen so they wouldn't be distracted by anyone but each other. They were unaware of the emergency that was happening. Or the fact that Abraham and Carrie were alone and frightened. Thankfully, Vi and Julie had both received a message from Lynn and took care of them, leaving them with their husbands so they could go to the hospital.

"I can't believe she isn't here," Julie grumbled.

"Be nice, Julie," she said in a very motherly way, even though Julie was not a child. "She and Lucas needed some time to themselves so I'm sure that is why we can't get ahold of them."

"Its Dad, Lynn. We can't lose him too!" Julie sobbed into her shoulder.

"I know. I don't want to lose him either."

Julie sighed. She needed to chill out and just be supportive. "I'm sorry, Lynn. Of course you don't want to lose him."

"I know what you meant, Julie. It's alright. On a lighter note, Beth and Lucas get to bring Vincent home tomorrow."

"That's wonderful."

"Mrs. Thatcher?" a nurse said, walking in the waiting room.

"Yes?"

"You may follow me."

"Can my daughters come?"

"I'm sorry. He's in intensive care. Only one person at a time."

When all was said and done, Vi and Julie were directed to go up to the fifth floor waiting room and Lynn followed the nurse to William's room.

The room was empty. "Where is he?" Lynn asked, panicked. "Please tell me he's still alive!"

"Yes, ma'am. He is on his way up to the cath lab. I need you to sign a consent form so they can treat him."

"What are they treating?"

"He had a heart attack, Mrs. Thatcher. A serious one. He has some serious blockages and he needs to have this procedure to place some stents in his arteries to prevent further attacks."

"Yes, please. Fix him!" She signed the form and wiped away her tears. "I can't believe this is happening. He eats better than I do! Veggies all the time, rarely red meat. He doesn't drink caffeine. I don't understand."

"Ma'am. Please take a deep breath and try to be calm." She directed her to a chair in the room. "Sometimes we don't know what causes heart attacks but it could be genetics."

"Right, yes. Genetics."

Lynn closed her eyes and prayed.

"Dear Lord, please guide the doctor's hands as they help my Will…."

…

"What? No!!!" Elizabeth yelled.

"Babe, what?" Lucas asked, putting his hand on her shoulder.

"I missed…no no no," Elizabeth said, sliding down to the floor.

"Babe? Let me see." She handed him the phone and curled into his chest. He held her as he used his thumb to scroll the messages. Once she calmed down, he kissed her forehead and cheeks. "Honey, let's go get dressed and head to the hospital, alright?"

"What about the kids?"

He pulled out his phone and called his parents. "Son, its late. What's wrong?" Martin asked.

"Elizabeth's dad had a heart attack."

"I'll get your mother and we will come watch the kids."

"Thank you, Dad."

"I love you son."

"I love you, Dad."

A bit later, Lucas and Elizabeth parked in the hospital parking lot closest to the Cardiac ICU.

"Babe, let's pray, alright?" Lucas said, taking her hands. They pressed their foreheads together and shut their eyes. Elizabeth just let the tears flow as he spoke.

"Dear, Lord. Please help us as we navigate the emotions and stresses of William's illness. Help the doctors and nurses that are assigned to him to keep him comfortable and in as little pain as possible. Be with all of us as we help each other and thank you for helping us bring our Vince home tomorrow where he belongs. Through Jesus' name we pray, Amen."

"Amen."

"Please don't leave me, Lucas. I need you."

"I'm here. I'm not going anywhere."

Elizabeth took his hand and he led her inside, giving his strength to her, as much as she needed. He'd hold her hand all night. When they married, he promised to carry her load when she needed him to, to dry her tears, to hold her when she's sad. He felt like this situation called for those things and that was his honor as a husband to fulfill them.

As they rode the elevator up to the fifth floor, he looked down at her and smiled. "I'm here."

He dried her tears and held her tighter. "Thank you. I can't do this without you."

He said a second prayer in his heart, thanking God for the woman he held, for the whole Thatcher family and for his children. He was beyond grateful to spend his time and life with them.