Hey Folks! Here is the last chapter in Frightened. Eliza and William can't agree on a name for their newborn son. Ivy finishes the story of her life before she became Eliza's surrogate mom. I hope you enjoyed this little story. Love -Carebearmaxi

Frightened

Chapter 13

A few days later William and Eliza lay side by side in their large bed. Between them being cuddled was William J. Wellington, Jr. Both spoke in quiet tones as the babe lie in the crook of William's arm. Eliza smoothed back his smattering of dark curling hair so much like her husband's.

"I don't understand, William," Eliza said laying a gentle kiss on her son's tiny head.

"What don't you understand?" William said watching the gentleness of his wife's lips on their son's head. It took William's breath away. Once he thought he would never see maternal tenderness from this woman let alone he share a son with her. It was a surreal feeling.

"Why do you want to name him after my father? He looks like just his father," Eliza commented looking up at her husband. She gently lifted the baby's hand and let him grasp her fore finger in his tiny fist. She murmured to the little baby boy in soft tones and kissed his little fingers.

William lowered his head and gently kissed the baby on the other side of his head and the baby jumped at the touch. Then he seemed to smile.

"Because we both loved your father, and I thought naming his first grandchild after him would be in honor of him."

"Well we have to agree on his name since the birth certificate needs to be printed soon. Dr. Bradley was being generous in waiting this long for our answer."

After a minute where they both just gazed at the round cherubic face, Eliza just realized what William had said regarding 'first' grandchild.

"Did I hear you say right that you want another child?"

William nonchalantly nodded and kissed his son again and said, "Yes in a year or two."

"William, do you mind if we don't plan on one just yet. I haven't properly recovered from this one."

William looked up at Eliza. "Are you saying you don't want any more children?"

"No. I said let's not talk about it now since the thought of being pregnant and giving birth again does not appeal to me right now. I'm not saying no, but let's get some routine constructed where I can work with you again. Would that be all right if we table the discussion until I'm more ready."

William had a momentary lack of understanding and almost leaped down Eliza's throat with a resentful remark about being selfish. However, in light of seeing his wife suffering during hard labor after enduring months of being uncomfortable, William smiled and said in understanding.

"Of course. I won't hold you to any promises and we'll just enjoy this little bairn in the meantime."

Eliza took the sleeping baby from William and laid him in his cradle next to her side and the crawled over into William's arms. She loved feeling his arms surround and hold her.

"I missed being able to put my arms around you," William said kissing the top of his wife's head.

"I missed you, William. I'm glad how things turned out. I'm also glad I will have no more death threats in the mail."

"You don't know how many there were, do you?" William asked curiously, as the danger presently resided in jail awaiting trial.

"I counted 55 in the past nine months," Eliza said stroking William's chest in the opening of his nightshirt.

"I counted 59. I stopped you from receiving a few."

"Well, I do not want to go through that again while pregnant. I was so scared for the little Will while I was carrying him."

"Will? You're determined that he will be named after me then?" William asked enjoying Eliza's gentle fingers on his chest. Her stroking was lulling him into a peaceful slumber.

William was sleeping peacefully as Eliza stopped her stroking. She slid up closer to his ear and whispered. "Thank you for little Will, William."

Ivy sat in the kitchen enjoying a cup of tea. She was surprised to see Eliza still awake.

"Lizzie, what are you doing out of bed? I would have thought William would put you back in that bed by force if he had to. Has the baby been fed?"

"No both my men are sleeping. I thought I come find you, so you can finish telling me what happened to your husband and daughter."

Ivy rolled her eyes. "Do you really need to know?"

"Yes, Ivy, I do. Now spill," Eliza said helping herself to a cup of tea and putting a dash of cream and then stirring.

"No, you don't-" Ivy protested.

"While I have a few minutes between little Will's feedings, I want to hear all about it and thank you for being here and helping me."

Ivy laid a hand on her arm. "Of course, you're what I had hoped my own daughter would have been like. Though a little more traditional."

Eliza smiled and said, "I think I am a bit more traditional now. I have a husband and a baby."

"Will William return to your agency?"

"Yes, once a new Chief has been sworn in. He really wants to spend some time with us. He's thinking of having another child next year…already!"

Ivy smiled and chuckled. "Of course he does. What about you?"

"I was able to stave him off for right now. I want to see how this one goes before I have any inclination of having another!"

"Of course you do, Lizzie."

"Now stop that and get on with your life before me," Eliza said laying her hand on top of Ivy's.

"Well, after I had my little girl, Katie Marie, I lived with my husband, and I was a housewife and I was very happy. I would meet my husband at the bank and sometimes we would walk home together with Katie Marie in the pram. "

"Was your daughter's full name Katherine Marie? That's a beautiful name," said Eliza smiling. "What happened to them?"

"One day I went to the bank to have lunch with my husband and some robbers came in and held everyone hostage. My husband tried to protect me and our daughter who was in my arms and crying."

"Oh no, Ivy, I'm so sorry."

"Well, it was quick and both of them died instantly. One man fired off his gun and the bullet went through my husband's chest and into my daughter's taking her life while I held her in my arms. For some reason I was left unhurt," Ivy had recounted with faraway look in her eyes as if she was reliving the horrible experience almost 35 years later.

Eliza rose and put her arms around Ivy and hugged her.

"You never married again until Mr. Potts."

"No, never wanted to and I never wanted to have another baby. That's why you are so special to me. I did not want to replace your mother, but I promised her that I would treat you like my own."

Eliza sat back down and wiped a tear away from Ivy's cheek.

"So is that how and why you learned to hold and shoot a gun? To protect you?"

"No. Not to protect me, but to protect you. You're father was a police officer. He dealt with horrible people like William has. There were many times when you were small that your father received death threats much like you have recently. Did you realize that?"

Eliza shook her head. "No. Never. I guess that was one reason why he always wanted me to be at school. For safety."

Ivy nodded. "You're learning now that you have your own baby. I know childbirth is one of those experiences that when you look at your baby you think it was all worth it and you would do anything to protect that little one. That's what you learned now, right?"

Eliza nodded silently.

Ivy and Eliza shared a few more minutes of conversation until they both decided they should go to bed. Ivy would be returning to England in a couple of days, so Eliza wanted to have Ivy spend as much time with them as possible.

Eventually, Eliza made her way back to the bedroom. She checked the cradle and found the baby not there. She looked up and there was William just sitting on the bed gently rocking his son and speaking softly telling him all about how he met his mother.

Eliza carefully got back into bed eyeing William as she lay down. She fell asleep listening to the sound of his voice.