Saturday morning, Elizabeth woke up early and realized she needed to go to the bathroom. Not wanting to wake up her brand-new husband, she slipped carefully out of his arms and into his white button-down shirt that was still on the floor from the night before. After finishing in the bathroom, she paused in the doorway of the smaller room that was one of the only unfurnished places in the entire house. She tilted her head to the side, wondering how they could use the space. Lost in her own thoughts, she gasped when two strong arms came around her waist and a stubbly chin nuzzled her neck.
"So that's where my shirt went," Nathan rasped, his morning voice deep and flirtatious. "It looks much better on you than me."
She turned around and discovered him wearing suit pants and no shirt, his unruly hair going in every direction. "My bladder didn't give me time to find my robe, and I knew it was impractical to try and get back into that fancy dress." She gulped, seeing her husband's bare upper half in full daylight for the first time, in awe of how it showcased results from all of his hard work. She began working her hands up his arms and behind his neck, then pulled his head down for a morning kiss. Just as their lips met, Elizabeth's stomach growled extremely loud, causing them to burst into a fit of giggles.
Taking his wife by the hand, Nathan led her back into the bedroom. "We really didn't eat much for dinner last night other than dessert, but we should probably get dressed before we make breakfast." They changed into some of their casual clothes that hung in the new armoire, then scoured the kitchen for ingredients needed to make a decent meal. Elizabeth started brewing a pot of coffee while Nathan cracked eggs, cut vegetables, and sliced cheese. "It's a good thing someone thought to fill our house with the essentials and a few extras. I'll admit, it didn't really cross my mind to shop for groceries the past few days."
"Rosemary really did think of everything," Elizabeth acknowledged. "My mind has been a little preoccupied." She prepared some fresh fruit to go with the omelets Nathan had cooked for them, then poured steaming mugs of coffee. She set Nathan's down on the table, knowing he preferred it black, then added cream and sugar to her cup.
Nathan brought both plates filled with his culinary creation and encircled his wife from behind as he placed them on the table in front of them. "Breakfast is served," he whispered next to her ear, followed by a kiss to her cheek. Sitting across from her, they took hands and said grace before devouring the first real food they had eaten since their wedding luncheon.
Savoring the last bite, Elizabeth glanced at her husband curiously. "Since when did you become a gourmet chef? You've been holding out on me." She stood to clear their plates, but he insisted on cleaning up. "At least let me dry the dishes," she requested.
"Deal," he agreed, handing her a dish towel. As they worked, Nathan reminisced, "Do you remember when we did this together after our first kiss? We got soaked in the rain, ran back to the row house, then had breakfast together. Did you ever imagine that just a few months later, we would be married and living together in this new home?"
Setting down the plate she had just finished drying, Elizabeth turned to face a much stronger man than the one she had kissed that day at the pond. "How could I forget? You are always the first one to pitch in to help others, especially me. Even though I knew your leg was hurting, you still insisted on completing that task with me. It never goes unnoticed." As she reached up to kiss him, they were startled by a knock at their front door.
They looked at each other puzzled. "Were you expecting company?" Nathan asked. "I thought everyone knew we kind of wanted a few days to ourselves." He suddenly grinned, "But it is a little exciting to have our first official visitor here." Drying off his hands, he walked hand in hand with his new wife to open the front door together. Much to their surprise, Julie and William stood on the front porch.
"Julie!" Elizabeth exclaimed, enveloping her into a tight embrace, then turned to her brother-in-law and did the same. "William, so good to see you. Won't you both come in?"
Nathan shook William's hand and gave Julie a hug. "We thought you would both be gone by now. It meant so much to us for you to be there and participate yesterday. Please, come sit inside with us."
Taking each one of them by the hand Julie explained, "We have to get to the train station, and I debated even stopping by because I know you need time alone," she said with a wink, causing blushes to sneak up on the newlyweds' faces. "I just wanted to say goodbye when things weren't as crazy as they were last night. I just don't know when I'll get to see you again, and being here this past week has been so lovely. Your wedding was beautiful, and I can't wait to hear all about your honeymoon and all that is going on. Call me whenever you can, dear."
A few tears fell down Elizabeth's face and she squeezed Julie's hand. "I promise. We will be praying for you both and the new baby. Keep in touch, and we will try to make it to Montreal in the spring to see our new little niece or nephew. William, take good care of her."
"I will," William promised. "Darling, we better go before we miss our train. Nathan and Elizabeth, thank you for including us yesterday. You are most certainly a couple in love, and deserve all of the happiness in the world. You have such wonderful friends and family here in this beautiful town. In fact, Lee is right over there waiting for us in his car. We will have to vacation together with the Coulters at the coast one day."
Just noticing Lee in the car for the first time, Elizabeth and Nathan waved and stepped onto the porch as William helped Julie down the stairs and to the car. They watched as the car drove toward town; and when they disappeared out of sight, suddenly an idea came to Nathan's mind. "It's a beautiful day. What about a picnic a little ways up the mountain where the leaves have turned bright colors? You go pack up some sandwiches and things left over from lunch yesterday, and some wedding cake. I'll go prepare the horses. Doc Davis has just cleared Gypsy, so we can go riding together on our horses!"
Letting out a squeal, Elizabeth nearly tackled him before he walked to the barn and she went in the kitchen to pack a lunch, jackets, and other essentials they would need for their little outdoor adventure. She met Nathan in the barn where he was just finishing up with Newton; they then worked together to make Gypsy feel comfortable for her first time being ridden postpartum. Zeus acted a little dismayed at the prospect of being left alone, but soon settled down and began eating in his stall. They led the horses out of the barn and both mounted, ready for a romantic ride through the spectacular autumn-colored landscape.
After breakfast with the Coulters, Jack said goodbye to his Aunt Julie and Uncle William. It felt strange to have his Hamilton and Hope Valley worlds collide but having people he loved surround him during a big change in his family life felt comforting. Needing to clear his head, he asked Aunt Rosemary if he could take a walk, promising to be back in time for lunch. Daniel and Daisy had gone to play with their friends next door, so he didn't feel guilty not being with them until later. Breathing in the crisp fall air was somehow therapeutic, and Jack had walked nearly a mile in the direction of Sarah's house before even realizing where he was going.
On her porch shucking the last of their corn crop for the year, Sarah looked up and spotted Jack coming around the bend. Suddenly grateful her mother had gone back inside to start canning the beans they had snapped earlier, she stood and took off her apron before walking out of the gate and onto the road. Farmers were predicting a snow storm moving in, so the Wolf family was spending the weekend making sure their garden vegetables were preserved for winter.
Chiding himself for the overwhelming need he had to spend time with Sarah, Jack was about to turn around when she appeared on the road a few hundred feet in front of him. She smiled and waved, causing butterflies to go wild in his stomach. Get a grip, he scolded himself. She's just a friend, he unsuccessfully tried to convince himself for the thousandth time as he gave her a nod. He couldn't help but smile at how adorable she looked with sun rays shining through her dark curls.
As she reached Jack, Sarah looked back at her house to make sure her parents weren't watching. "Let's go this way," she insisted, grabbing him by the hand and leading him through the trees and away from prying eyes. "I thought you were spending time with the twins today. I can't stay with you long, because we are canning all day."
Realizing he hadn't said a word by the time they reached a clearing where they sat on a large rock, he finally spoke. "Daniel and Daisy are playing with friends until this afternoon. My aunt and uncle just left for Montreal, and I needed to get out of the house. I honestly didn't intend on coming here, but I can't seem to stay away. You are busy though, so maybe I'll just go." He released her hand and stood.
"Wait," she responded, standing to grab his arm before he walked away. "I wasn't trying to get rid of you. Sit and tell me what's going on in that pretty little head of yours."
He turned to face her and smirked, "My pretty little head has a hard time thinking at all when you are this close to me. My brain screams at me: She's just a friend, but the rest of me knows I feel more for you than that." Regretting speaking so openly about his innermost thoughts, Jack cleared his throat and turned around to avoid her seeing embarrassment written all over his face.
Sarah couldn't believe what she was hearing. Jack explained exactly what she had been going through for a while now. Although they were young, she knew what they had was something that didn't come along very often. He briefly turned around, but seconds later caught her eyes with his. Heart nearly pounding out of her chest, she held one of his hands at the same time her other fingers caressed his flushed face. His free hand cupped her face and drew her lips to his before she could react.
Shutting his brain off, Jack let his instincts take over. Kissing Sarah felt like the most natural thing in the world. Without the nerves from a first kiss hindering them, they both let themselves get a little lost in the moment as Jack moved his hands into Sarah's hair and she moved close with her arms around his neck. As things heated up, an alarm went off in his head and he jerked away, breathing hard and shaking himself out of a hormonal stupor. "You better get home," he blurted, trying to regain control of his senses.
Eyes wide, Sarah was a little stunned at how easy it had been to deepen a kiss without any experience to guide them. Her mother's warnings about being alone with a boy suddenly made more sense. They needed to set boundaries in a place out in the open later, but she had no desire to send him away before they could spend time together talking. "Jack, do you want to come to my house and help us can? We are friends after all, and I want my parents to get to know you."
"I'm not sure they would want me spending time with you if they knew we were hiding in the woods kissing," he scoffed.
Taking a deep breath, Sarah felt her heart slowing to a normal rhythm. "You are my best friend, and they need to know you. We can talk about rules for our relationship later. Plus, many hands make light work. Oh, and my parents were talking about how you are basically family now since you are now Allie's brother."
He grumbled, "Great, so they think we're like brother and sister now? I'm sure that really helps with this whole situation we've created for ourselves."
"Come on," she encouraged, pulling him along. "Allie and Robert are bringing Colleen over for lunch and staying to help, so they can take some of the food home with them for the winter. No one will think anything of it, I promise." Finally giving in, Jack walked with her to the house while keeping a healthy distance.
Gypsy hadn't missed a beat since before being pregnant, and was pleased to have Elizabeth finally on her back. Riding together was something they longed to do, and Nathan felt comfortable in a gallop as they raced through the meadow before ascending up the mountain. Admiring the fall colors as the horses went at a slower pace, they talked so easily with each other that it seemed barely any time had passed when they reached their destination. A hidden lake was surrounded by trees; a place Nathan had taken Allie fishing on occasion when they had previously lived in Hope Valley.
Gasping at the beauty surrounding them, Elizabeth allowed Nathan to hold her waist as she dismounted Gypsy. "How is it that you know all of the most beautiful places in the area?"
"You just happened to marry one of the best trackers the Mounties have ever known," he declared, with an impish grin. "I loved finding little spots like this when I was working." He led the horses to a stream coming off the lake so they could drink, but nearly stumbled as he was taking the picnic items to a grassy area.
Elizabeth rushed to steady him, taking many of the items into her own arms as they walked. "Is it your leg? You shouldn't push yourself so hard, my love," she scolded.
Doing his best to suppress a limp, he scowled. "I'm fine. Don't ruin this by worrying about me."
A little hurt by the way he snapped at her, Elizabeth stayed silent as she pulled the sandwiches and salad out of the basket with the plates, cups, and drinks. She noticed Nathan slowly rubbing his previously injured leg, a wince creasing his forehead. "When did it start hurting again," she questioned softly as she touched his shoulder.
"When we were moving all the furniture into the house, I tweaked it and have had pain on and off ever since. I wanted to make it through the wedding before I went to see a doctor. I ran out of medicated tea yesterday." He grabbed her hand and pulled her onto his lap. "Sorry about getting short with you. Forgive me?"
She nodded, her heart pounding at his nearness. Memories of their wedding night began flooding her mind. As she looked into his eyes, she wondered if he could read her mind by the expression on her face. She could feel his heart racing as her hand sat on his chest. Slowly they closed the gap between them and their lips communicated everything they had been feeling. Their jackets quickly came off as passion began heating them thoroughly. Nathan gently laid them both on the blanket, their bodies intertwined as they kissed one another's lips, necks and lower as they undid several buttons of each other's shirts. After a few minutes, an arctic gust of wind nearly took their breath and lunch away, putting an end to their spontaneous outburst of physical desire. They quickly buttoned their shirts back up and slipped their jackets back on, attempting to slow their pulses back to normal.
"We better eat and get back home," Nathan admonished, grabbing a second blanket for them to snuggle under while they ate. He leaned closer and whispered, "We can build a fire in our bedroom and continue what we started here in the comfort of our bed."
Goosebumps spread over Elizabeth that had nothing to do with the cold air. "Sounds nice," she murmured, then tried to remain calm by changing the subject. "I can't believe the weather turned so quickly."
Rubbing her shoulders to keep them warm, Nathan cautioned, "Farmers were predicting a change in weather soon. I wouldn't be surprised if we see snow tonight." He said a quick prayer on the food and for their safety, then they ate while reminiscing about their wedding day. "Elizabeth, I never did get a chance to tell you how much it meant to have Marshall and Reynolds there. Thank you for knowing I needed some of my brothers in arms with me." He kissed her head and quickly finished his sandwich.
"I'm just happy they could make it on short notice," she replied. "I hope you know that Julie coming was the very best gift. Everything about our wedding day will stay with me for the rest of my life. I never knew I could feel this way, especially at my age."
Chuckling, Nathan tickled her sides. "You are soooo old," he mocked. "Now old lady, feed me some of our wedding cake."
She stuck her finger in the frosting, but before she could smear it on his nose, he caught her finger in his mouth, licking the frosting seductively from her finger then kissing her lips with frosting still on his. She licked the remaining frosting from her lips, driving Nathan absolutely mad. "I think we better pack up and get the horses back before it gets any colder," she proposed. Dark clouds were rolling in quickly as they finished loading the horses and began their descent. Once they reached the meadow near the church the sun was once again shining, but the temperature had dropped drastically. Challenging her husband to a low-intensity race, they cantered all the way home, with Gypsy barely edging out Newton.
Once the animals were settled comfortably in their stalls, Nathan and Elizabeth walked back to the house quickly to avoid the bone-chilling wind blowing in thick gray clouds. Safely inside the house, he suggested she run a bath while he started fires in both the living room and their bedroom fireplaces. Removing her dusty clothes and sinking into the large tub full of hot water, Elizabeth closed her eyes and let her sore muscles relax. She was pleased to see her scented soaps had been moved in the bathroom where she could reach them while bathing.
After both fires were finally warming the rooms of the house, Nathan found clean undergarments and a robe to wrap around him once he had cleaned up. He knocked on the bathroom door, and walked in as soon as his wife responded. "I, uh, just thought I would start getting cleaned up. I can shave at the sink, then get in the bath when you are finished," he stammered, trying not to stare at her.
"Sure," she answered, picking up her soap and washing any remaining dirt off her body. "But you might smell like me after I scrub with this."
He nearly nicked himself shaving as he struggled to focus when she stood and wrapped a towel around herself. She slipped into a form-fitting silk nightgown, then placed a silk robe over that. "Where did THAT come from?" he asked, intrigued.
She felt a bit flustered by his attention, but answered, "My bridal shower gift from Julie. I never got a chance to change into it last night."
"Ooooooh," he groaned, remembering every detail of their first time together as husband and wife the night before. He washed the rest of the shaving cream from his face then began to shed his own dirty clothes and put them in a pile next to hers. He lowered his body into the water, as Elizabeth looked away, brushing her hair before leaving to put the kettle on for tea. Letting his leg soak in the nearly hot water, along with riding muscles he hadn't used that much in recent weeks, Nathan finally started to feel stronger. He used his own soap, but could smell Elizabeth's scent still lingering in the water. He joined Elizabeth in the living room where she had a tray of scones to eat with their tea. When he took a sip, Nathan had a surprised look on his face. "Where did you get more of this?"
She touched his knee. "Allie asked the doctor for an extra box of medicated tea just in case you ran out and were too stubborn to ask for more. When we were preparing to move last week, she brought it over and told me to make sure you took some when your leg hurt. But, you still have to go see Dr. Burton after Thanksgiving." They quickly washed the dishes and went to rest in their room. As they passed the small empty room, Elizabeth stopped and looked up at Nathan standing next to her. "It's a nursery, isn't it? You are hoping there might be some glimmer of hope?"
Putting his arm around her shoulders, Nathan slowly nodded. "I hope that doesn't upset you. We could also use it as an office or a playroom for the grandkids. But it would be a blessing to have our own baby."
Slipping out of his arms, Elizabeth rushed into their room and got into bed where she pulled the covers over her head and cried. Nathan slipped in bed and pulled her into his arms, speaking words of love and acceptance, whatever their fate. "You don't understand," she cried. After calming down a bit, she wiped her eyes and sat up to face him. "About a year ago, I was having some medical issues with my cycle. I went to see a specialist, and he told me the change of life was imminent for me. I've had several things happen that make me believe he was right, but not all the signs have shown up yet. I'm so sorry, Nathan. I should have told you about this sooner; but I figured the chances of conceiving are pretty slim at our age anyway, so it wouldn't have made much of a difference. I just know how much you deserve a biological child of your own."
"Oh, my beautiful Elizabeth," he soothed. "Don't you know me at all? I have Allie, and now Jack. We have beautiful Colleen, our granddaughter. I have you. My life is so full! I am not going to ever resent our inability to have a child of our own; plus, that is all in God's hands. I love you so much."
Gratitude washed over Elizabeth as she was once again reminded of the reasons she loved Nathan Grant. He wiped her tears away while she played with the curls on the back of his head, pulling him down so he could kiss away her pain. They quickly discarded their robes, and Nathan admired her in the nightgown that showed every curve of her feminine body. He let his hands wander over the smooth silk as he kissed her with a hunger even more intense than the night before. She unbuttoned his Henley and slipped it over his head, exploring the wonder of his strong physique. Both found it more enjoyable than their first night, becoming more familiar with one another and how best to love and be loved. Cradled in Nathan's arms, Elizabeth finally felt peace. As the storm howled outside, they felt safe inside their home, kept warm by more than one fire burning.
Hope Valley was covered in several inches of snow when they woke up Sunday morning, and it was still falling fast. Jack looked out the window, thinking about a certain girl he now wouldn't get to see all day. Church had been canceled since it was difficult for people to travel with a blizzard raging. Thumbing through his sketchbook, Jack tried to put finishing touches on some drawings from the wedding he had started working on the past couple of nights. He was going to give his mom and Nathan one of the two of them; and he was working on one with the blended family, adding himself, Allie, Robert, and Colleen to another picture of Nathan and Elizabeth. But the sketch he had almost completed was Sarah in her red dress. She had never been more beautiful, and the memory of her head on his shoulder as they danced was forever etched in his memory.
Their kiss in the woods near her house was a completely different matter, that had him perplexed. Jack was beginning to understand why Nathan had cautioned him about self control, something he knew would be needed if he really forged ahead to become a Mountie. It scared him that he so quickly allowed himself to shut off his brain and act on just his feelings and desire. He knew there were times that instinct was important, but not at the expense of being careless or compromising someone else. Sarah promised they would talk about it later, but he first wanted to have a follow-up discussion with his new father, who was quickly becoming a confidant he trusted. He turned to an empty page and began outlining a sketch of Sarah filling bottles with the remnants of their garden before the winter storm hit. He ended up calling Rosemary and staying until dinnertime with the Wolf family. Sarah's parents seemed to have warmed up to him, and his bond with Allie and Robert got stronger every time they spent time together. While waiting for a batch to finish on the stove, the two teenagers held and played with Colleen. Jack had no doubt Sarah would make an amazing midwife someday, and a mother.
Daniel burst into the guest room to let him know it was time for breakfast. Jack slammed his pad shut, embarrassed for others to see what he was creating. He helped the twins wash dishes when the meal was over, then they spent the day playing indoor games and reading books. Lee led a bible study discussion in place of church services, and when the storm let up they all bundled up and went outside to play in the snow. Daisy clung to Jack more than usual; and he worried she was developing a crush on him, even though they had grown up more like siblings or cousins and she was five years his junior. He now had an older sibling in Allie, and by default Robert came as a packaged deal. Colleen was now his little niece that he shared with Sarah, but the ache for a baby brother or sister still lingered with him. He tried not to dwell on the past and what could have been, but being an only child was never his preference. At least he had others to fill the hole in his life now. He hoped the adjustment to living with Nathan being married to his mom would go smoothly, but something told him there would be bumps along the way.
Getting snowed in was just fine with the Grants. It was one of the most romantic days of their pseudo honeymoon at home. Nathan read some bible verses that they discussed at length while sitting on their new sofa in front of the fireplace where they exchanged vows. After eating lunch, Elizabeth baked cinnamon rolls, which she always liked to do on snowy days. When the storm died down, they bundled up to go feed the horses in the barn. On their way back to the house, Nathan dropped back and threw a small snowball, hitting Elizabeth in the back. She turned and gave him a surprised look before immediately throwing one at him, starting a snowball fight like ones he had participated in as a youth. Eventually, Nathan tackled her and they fell into a large snowdrift next to the house. He leaned in to kiss her, but their lips felt so frozen they could barely move them.
Inside, they set out their wet clothing by the fireplace after changing into warm pajamas. Elizabeth made hot chocolate to go with the cinnamon rolls she had left warming on the stove. Nathan was amazed how they never ran out of things to talk about, even being together all day and all night. Adding the physical aspect of their marriage relationship only strengthened their connection with one another, creating an unexpected closeness after only a few days of marriage. Although they had appreciated their alone time, they looked forward to a big dinner with Jack and the Coulters on Monday afternoon.
Thanksgiving dawned with blue skies and sunshine. Snow began melting, but a lot still remained. Nathan went to the barn to set up a few things in his workshop, and to make sure the horses were fed and comfortable. Elizabeth worked on baking rolls and pies to contribute to the family feast. While they were baking in the oven, she graded some school assignments and began preparing her lessons for the shortened week beginning on Wednesday.
When all of the baked goods were out of the oven and cooling, Elizabeth missed her husband and decided to venture out to the barn in search of him. After showing all three horses some love, she peered into Nathan's new workshop. She caught her breath, watching him carve into the wood he worked with absolute precision. His muscles tightened as he labored, sweat dripping down his face and onto his unbuttoned Henley. He had ditched his jacket, and a single curl fell over his forehead, causing her to giggle and blow her cover.
Nathan heard the glorious sound of his wife's laughter and turned around to see her standing in the doorway of his new shop. He ran his fingers through his damp hair and stepped closer to her. "Did I lose track of time out here? Sometimes I get too caught up in what I'm doing."
"I just missed you," she confessed, wrapping her arms around him.
He pulled her back with a worried look. "I'm really sweaty and probably smell bad, so you might want to wait until I get cleaned up for that."
Elizabeth breathed in the musk of wood mingling with Nathan's familiar scent. His curl had slipped back over his forehead and she ran her fingers through it. "Do you even know how attracted I am to you right now?" she wondered out loud, taking charge and closing her mouth over his as she pressed up against his strong body. They moved to the makeshift bed he had made when they were staying with the horses, and got lost in one another as everything else faded around them.
Jack was surprised at how excited the prospect of seeing his newlywed parents made him. He worried they would be unable to drive over with the roads still not completely cleared from the heavy snowstorm; but when he heard horses come over the ridge, he was reminded that his mom would find a way to be there for him on one of their favorite holidays. He met them out front as they tied up Gypsy and Newton, and offered to help carry the food inside that they had carefully transported while riding.
Enveloping her son in a bear hug, Elizabeth felt tears welling up in her eyes. "I've missed you, son. How was your weekend?" She looked him over and wondered if it were possible that he had grown up even more somehow in the past few days since she saw him at the wedding. Something in his countenance told her he was becoming a man even faster than she had anticipated.
"It's been fun, mom. I spent Saturday canning food with the Wolfs, and of course Uncle Lee and Aunt Rosemary always treat me like a son. Daniel and Daisy are giving me a run for my money in chess now, and I got some drawing and reading done when we got snowed in yesterday." He turned his attention to the horses. "Gypsy looks great and happy to be ridden!" he asserted, excitedly.
Scratching her horse's neck, Elizabeth smiled. "Nathan and I took her and Newton for a ride to see the fall leaves on Saturday before the storm moved in, and she did great! I'm so glad you've had fun, but we can't wait to have you home. We'll pick you up tomorrow afternoon before dinner."
Nathan packed the food in the house with Jack, and Elizabeth joined Rosemary in the kitchen to help put the finishing touches on dinner. When they were alone for a few minutes, the two friends chatted like school girls about the joys of married life, causing Elizabeth to blush and not stop smiling. "You are absolutely glowing with happiness, my friend," Rosemary confirmed.
"I didn't know it could be this wonderful," Elizabeth admitted. "Thank you for taking care of Jack and giving us these days together. Although it has been amazing, it will be nice to settle back into a normal routine as a family."
It was the first Thanksgiving in Nathan's life where he felt complete. Gratitude oozed from him as he looked around the table. He had a wife he loved more than life itself, a new son who was growing into a man before their very eyes, and the Coulters had now become his very own family as well. Allie, Robert, and Colleen took their turn spending the holiday with the Wolfs; but Nathan and Elizabeth had invited them over the next night once Jack was back, for dinner to celebrate their blended family in their new home. Nathan leaned over and whispered in his wife's ear, "Thank you for giving me the family I dreamed of my entire life." He grabbed her hand beneath the table and gave it a squeeze, feeling like a man on top of the world.