Monday was so different at work for Lucas. His coworkers talked to him and that in itself was a relief. In addition, the ones who agreed to help him paint his house ate with him at lunch instead of avoiding him. Instead of feeling awkward like high school, it felt like he actually belonged.

As they walked out that afternoon, they agreed to meet at his house the next day at 10am. It was very convenient that the bank was closed for Veterans Day and his whole department could be gone.

Lucas woke up early Tuesday and rolled over. His beautiful Beth was sleeping so peacefully and facing him so he softly pressed his lips to hers, making her stir.

"Hi," she whispered.

He put his hands on Boo and slipped his hands under her tank top, bringing his mouth to hers again.

"Babe, we don't have time."

"Sure we do."

He kissed her again, trying to change her mind.

"Mm, I'm sorry we don't." She gave him a kiss to his jaw and forced herself to get up and move away from her beyond sexy husband. "I need to shower and get dressed and I'm meeting Rosie for coffee before…"

"Rosie? Babe, you're turning me down for Rosemary Coulter?

"I'm pressing the pause button, lover. Just until tonight."

He sighed. "Fine. I suppose I have stuff to do too."

He watched as she twisted her curls up into a messy ponytail, reaching up and causing her belly to become visible as her tank top lifted a few inches.

"Good grief, you are stunning."

She snorted and looked at him, laying in bed all shirtless and tall and…"I…um…maybe we have time."

He raised his eyebrows and smirked. "What about Rosie?"

"I'll just let her know I'm running late."

She walked back over to him and sat down. He reached up and took the clip out of her hair before gently pulling her down next to him.

…..

"Sorry sorry," Elizabeth said, sliding into the booth at the coffee shop downtown.

"That's fine. It is a little odd for you though."

"I would have been on time but my husband is too hot for his own good."

"And yours?" Rosie laughed.

"Oh no, his hotness is good for me."

They both laughed at that one.

"I miss having the energy for that. Plus, its not as if I feel sexy myself and I doubt Lee…"

"Stop, you're so gorgeous. If Lee is anything like Luke, he probably thinks you carrying his babies is beyond sexy."

"I wouldn't know."

"Rosie? You don't have to tell me but is something wrong between you and Lee?"

"He doesn't touch me or talk much. Everything changed when he was let go from the Bank. He's not my same 'Honeybunny'."

"Have you asked him? I know that I'm new to the marriage scene but communication is so important and so is affection. What if Luke and I watched Juju overnight once we are in our new house? You and Lee can take some time for yourselves."

Beth saw a tear run down her friend's cheek and that hurt. She reached for her hand and squeezed.

"I'm not asking, Rosie. That's what we will do. You need to figure this out before the babies come so they will have strong parental guidance."

"Thank you, Beth. I think that's a good idea."

…..

Lucas stood in their living room in the new house, a smile on his face.

"Thanks for coming, everyone. I've got brushes and rollers here. Please use the drop cloths too. The colors for each room are in the room. Pizza and beer will be served later. Thanks again!"

"Mama? I have beer?" Julian asked, making everyone laugh.

"Sorry, Juju. No beer but you can have leche or kool-aid."

"Oooo I want kool-aid!" the Anders boys yelled.

Elizabeth walked over to the cooler and handed out juice boxes and then they all had snacks.

"I'm bored!" one of the boys said. "Do you have a tv?"

"Nope, we haven't moved in yet."

"Boyd, the toys we brought are in the car," Kendra told her oldest son.

Elizabeth heard a knock on the door. "Come in!"

It was Mike, Mei and Kasey Hickam. "Sorry we're late," Mei told her. "Had a flat tire."

"That's okay. Glad you got here safely," Beth told her.

Up in the nursery, the room that Beth and Luke wanted to paint themselves, Lee and Lucas were putting the first coat of Soft Cream on the walls. Lee didn't see the difference between the white primer and the cream but it wasn't his room.

"You're quiet today, Bro," Lucas said, looking at his friend.

"Ever feel like a failure?"

Lucas put his roller down and looked at Lee. Yeah, he was struggling and Lucas wanted to help.

"I have, yes. Before the barbecue, I didn't understand how I could have messed up so badly at work that no one talked to me, just about me."

"Right yeah."

"Lee?"

"We are running out of money, Lucas. We have two kids on the way and Juju who eats more than any three year old I've ever seen. We need to buy two of everything. We need to make house payments and we need a bigger car. No one is hiring and I am at a loss. I feel like Rosie is pulling away. Lucas, I'm losing everything. I can feel it."

"What does Rosie think?"

"Things are quiet between us right now."

"What does that mean?"

"It means we don't talk much or anything else. I miss my wife. I miss the way things used to be."

"Talk to her, Lee. Leave Juju with me and Beth for a night or two. Reconnect. Brainstorm about what you can do about everything. Don't lose each other because you don't talk. Take it from me. That's what happened with Janette and I'm determined not to make that mistake again. Spend time together. You need to before the babies come."

"I don't want you to feel obligated to watch…"

"Stop. Juju loves Beth and it will be good practice for us. Lee, you and Rosie need time together. Stop putting it off. Trust me."

"Okay, yeah. That's a good idea."

"Great. Now lets paint this nursery."

"Yeah, lets do it." Lee was beyond grateful for Lucas. His concern now was how to even start a conversation with Rosie after so long of not talking about anything real or deep.

….

Elizabeth, Rosie, and Kendra watched the plethora of kiddos so that everyone else could paint. Rosie wiped her eyes but tried to keep a smile on her face so no one else would notice the pain she was feeling in her heart.

As the day went by, Rosie was able to concentrate and put a plan into action about how to get Lee to open up. Elizabeth was pleased about the progress of the painting around dinner time. Pizza was delivered and everyone was sitting around the living room on the floor, talking and telling stories to the kids and laughing.

Elizabeth wandered into the kitchen and Lucas followed her. "Babe, we need to help Rosie and Lee," he mentioned quietly.

"I know. Let's take Juju this coming weekend." She had originally thought to wait until they were moved in but this needed to happen as soon as possible.

"Perfect. I'll let Lee know."

Beth stepped into Lucas' space and hugged his waist. "Babe, promise me you'll always talk to me? I see the pain they are in and if they'd just talk to each other…"

"I promise, love."

"So do I."

By the end of the day, all the rooms were painted and it looked amazing. Elizabeth's favorite rooms were the living room and the nursery. Not that the rest of them didn't look amazing but those caught her eye for sure. Though once the wallpaper was up on the accent wall in the master, she was sure that would become her favorite.

"Let's go home, Beth," Lucas told her, taking her hand.

"Alright." She couldn't wait until this was their home. They were going to move in as soon as they got home from Philly. "We need to pack a bit more. I think I'll work on the living room bookshelves."

"Let's get dessert and then talk a bit. We can pack later. I want to nail down a name for Boo. It needs to be beautiful and lovely and feminine just like she will be."

She loved Theo Martin for a boy but yeah, a girl name was harder. Maybe because he was so dead set that Boo was a girl that it had to be perfect.

Lee and Rosie's house

"Lee, Beth and Luke offered to watch Julian soon. I think we should take them up on it."

Rosie sat down on the couch while Julian climbed up beside her with a handful of books.

"Okay."

She looked up at him. He was sitting on the dark leather recliner across the room, not looking at her.

"Lee?"

"Rosie."

"We need help." She brushed away her tears and tried to concentrate on starting to read to Juju but she couldn't. "I miss you. So much. I feel like I'm losing you."

Lee looked at her, tears on his face too. He walked over and knelt in front of her, drying her tears. "I miss you too and yes, Lucas offered to watch Juju and I agreed."

"Good."

He looked at her, his gorgeous Rosie. The love of his life. How had they gotten to this point?

"You are so stunning, sweetheart."

"Are you serious? Look at me. I'm fat and I live in sweats and oversized t-shirts. My hair is always up in a ponytail and…" He put a finger over her soft, full lips.

"You are not fat. You are perfect and you are carrying my children." He reached up and pulled on the ponytail holder so her beautiful blonde hair would fall to her shoulders. "You are the best Mama to Juju and I am so proud of you."

"You are?"

"Yes and I am very sorry that I have been pulling away and that I haven't been here for you like I should have been. I feel like a failure for losing my job and not finding another one and that you deserve someone who…"

"Leland Coulter, you take that back. You are NOT a failure and I want you. No one else. Got that?"

He laughed and this time she wiped his tears. "Yes, ma'am."

"Mama? Book, please?"

Rosie pulled Lee closer, so that he was within kissing range. "We need to talk more, Lee. We need to do other things too….when a certain three year old is not awake. We need to do better. We need to be strong for these two here and for Juju."

He nodded, gave her a long, sweet kiss and smiled. "I'm going to go get things ready for Juju's bath. Maybe early bedtime is the key for him and us."

"Perfect. I love you, Lee."

"I love you more, sweetheart."