triggers ..mentions of marital intimacy*

Philadelphia, Thatcher house, Day before Thanksgiving

"Mom? Dad? We're here!" Elizabeth called as they walked in the door to her childhood home.

Grace hurried in the foyer and smiled, putting her hands on Elizabeth's belly. "Look at you! You're glowing."

"Hi, Mom."

"Mark my words, its a girl. You are carrying just like I did with you and your sisters."

"I think it is too, Grace," Lucas told her. In less than three months, Boo would be in their arms and he couldn't wait.

"Babe? I need to pee. Will you take our bags to our room?"

"Of course."

Grace showed him where the guest room was and he took their bags there and started to unpack. They were staying until Sunday morning so why keep everything in a suitcase?

As he unpacked, he found Elizabeth's lacy nightgown and he smirked. She looked so good in that.

"Hey," she said, walking in, making him feel like a kid with his hand in a cookie jar.

"I was just…"

"You were what, husband?"

"I was…um are you going to put this on?"

"Not right now. Later, yes."

"Okay."

She smiled at his pink cheeks. "You're adorable."

"Thanks." He sat down and looked up at her, a certain look in his eye that she recognized very well.

"I have plans, babe."

"You can be late."

"I can't. I really want to see Molly and Flo. It's been a long time. Besides, you set up the lunch, not me."

"I guess."

"No, you did. Because you're wonderful and thoughtful and knew that I would love to see them."

He stood up, gave her a hug and a kiss and smiled. "Then you should go."

"And we'll continue this later?"

"Absolutely."

….

Callie's Cafe

"Oh my gosh!!!" Molly and Flo squealed, seeing Beth's belly.

"Hi! It's so good to see you both."

"You too! Do you know if you're having a boy or a girl?" Flo asked.

"What names have you picked out?" Molly asked.

"We don't know the gender and we aren't telling names until we meet Boo."

"Really? How modern," Flo said.

"I suppose it is but we want it to be a surprise."

Molly grabbed her hand and smiled. "I'm sorry we couldn't come to your wedding, Beth."

"Don't be sorry. I would have loved to have you there but I understand. How did the party go?"

"It was great. We were able to get a few referrals from it that will keep us going for a few more months."

"Are things okay here? I mean, is it hard to stay busy?"

"We are just fine."

"Do you promise?"

"Of course. Now, I have some news," Molly told her.

"What's that?"

"I'm seeing someone. His name is Bill."

"That's wonderful, Molly. Tell me about him."

…..

"His name is Bill," Elizabeth told Lucas later. "He's a retired police officer who now plays golf daily. You should have seen her face light up when she talked about him. It was so sweet."

"That's great."

"It is. Its been a long time since she has opened her heart to anyone. Flo too for that matter."

She climbed under the covers and looked at him. "What?"

"You aren't wearing what I expected you to be, that's all."

"Oh…well, I'm a bit tired. Can we take a rain check?"

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"Sure." He kissed her softly and turned over.

"Babe?"

"Its okay, Beth. Sleep well, hon."

"Luke…"

"No really. You are almost seven months pregnant. Of course you're tired."

"But?"

"But nothing. Everything is fine. I promise."

She scooted up behind him, spooning him for a change. Holding him. "I love you to the moon, Lucas Bouchard."

"I love you too."

……

Lucas brought her breakfast in bed the next morning and that made her love him even more. It had killed her to "take a rain check" the night before. She hated to tell him no when she knew that they both needed the affection, the love, the promises that their time together always cemented. She also really appreciated the extra sleep and now the thoughtfulness of breakfast in bed.

"Hey," she said, sitting up and leaning against the headboard.

"Hi, beautiful. I brought you breakfast."

"I see. That smells amazing."

Waffles, maple syrup and bacon. Not to mention coffee.

He sat down next to her and sipped his coffee, not saying much.

"Thank you, Lucas."

"For…"

"Everything you do for me. For understanding about last night. For breakfast. For this trip. I truly appreciate you." She reached over and touched his face. "You're not mad at me?"

"No. Beth, I told you I was fine."

"You don't seem it. What's going on?"

What was going on wasn't something he looked forward to telling her. It would affect their future.

"Babe, let's talk after we go to the shelter."

"Lucas, please."

"Your dad offered me a job."

"He did?"

"Yeah. And I am thinking about it."

"Doing what?"

"Head of finances. Beth, did you ask him to do that?"

"Of course not. Why would I do that? We just bought a house in Michigan. You are getting in the groove at work. Wait, you're thinking about it?"

"I don't know. I guess not but I guess with what Lee and Rosie are going through, I want to make sure we are stable."

"Did they tell you something at work that makes you think otherwise?"

"I don't know. I just…Boo is going to be here soon…"

"Lucas, we just bought a house. I love our house and I know that we will be fine. I don't want to move back here."

"Okay."

"Why are you so worried?"

"I've never been a husband or a father, Beth. I want to do it right."

"You are, love. You are a wonderful husband and you are already a wonderful father."

She watched him brush away a tear. She never saw him cry. What was happening?

"What else, honey?"

"I can't fail you and Boo. I can't."

She moved her tray to the desk across the room and climbed back into bed, opening her arms. "Come here." He moved into her space and sighed as she ran her fingers through his hair and beard. He loved it when she did that.

This had been building for a while. When she had thought it was just the frustration at work, it had been this too. When Lee lost his job, it made it worse. When they found a house, he wondered if they should just stay in his one bedroom home.

"You are not failing us. I really don't think you are capable of failing. Sweetheart, remember that we are a team. That's what our vows to each other meant for me, among other things." She kissed his forehead and kept stroking his hair." How long have you been feeling this way?"

"I.."

"Please tell me."

"Since I found out you were pregnant," he muttered quietly. Almost too quietly.

"Are you kidding me?"

"No."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I thought I needed to handle it. I didn't want you to worry."

"Six and a half months you have been struggling with this by yourself. You know, I should be mad at you for that."

"Yeah, you should."

"But I don't think that is what you need right now."

"What do I need?"

"Let me show you."

…..

They were a bit late for volunteering but it was worth it in her opinion, especially if he felt heard and loved and safer..

As they stood and scooped and served food, he was once again reminded of how much he loved helping people, making sure they had their next meal. He wanted to do this. He needed to figure out how to get started, but that was his dream, beyond being a husband and father.

"Its good to see you smile, babe," she told him, bumping him with her hip.

"I love you. I love this. I want to do this."

"I remember. We need to figure out how to make that happen."

"Really?"

"Yes. Babe, if this is your dream, we will figure it out."

The next person that stepped up for food caught Beth's eye and made her gasp. "Cammy?"

"Beth?"

Camilla Sentry was an old classmate in Beth's high school.

"Mommy? I'm hungry," a little voice said from behind Cammy.

Beth gave them both a plate of food. "Are you doing okay, Cammy?"

"If I was, would I be here?"

"I'm sorry. Happy Thanksgiving."

Cammy nodded and led her son over to the area where there were tables.

"Wow," she muttered to herself. Cammy was from one of the more affluent families in Philly. The girl had a convertible luxury car at 16.

Later at Thanksgiving Dinner at her parents', Elizabeth was still a bit stunned over seeing her former classmate in need of food. It hurt her heart and put things into perspective for sure. Now she really wanted to find a way to make Lucas' dream come alive and she wanted to help as much as she could.

"You okay?" Lucas asked, kissing her temple.

"Yeah."

He rubbed her back with his fingertips as they went around the table to talk about what they were grateful for.

When it was Beth's turn, he listened intently.

"I'm so grateful for you, Lucas. You're just so perfect for me, so wonderfully gentle and loving. Such a great husband and you never hesitate to care for me or Boo. I'm also grateful for you, Mom and Dad. You have always supported me when it came down to that, even with Lucas and Boo. I love you both so much. And today I realized that I have so much in my life that so many don't. After volunteering and seeing an old friend struggling with just her basic needs, I understand that I don't have anything to complain about and that I want to help you reach your dream, Luke. Any way I can."

Lucas leaned over and gave her a kiss. "I'm grateful for you too and Boo, Beth. Beyond grateful. I love that you comfort me in my struggles and you listen and don't judge. I'm so glad I met you that day in Oahu. I was struggling there too and our friendship that we built as we got to know each other grounded me, gave me that comfort. You're my heart, my home and I can't wait to meet Boo and experience parenthood and all that comes with it. With my partner, my best friend."

Beth felt Boo moving so she put Lucas' hand on her tummy and hers on top of his, both of them connecting with her or him. She couldn't wait to find out.

….

Lucas came out of the shower and found Beth crying on the bed. "Babe? What's wrong?"

"I can't reach them anymore!"

"Can't reach what?" he wondered, joining her on the bed.

"My toes."

He tried not to laugh, that wouldn't help.

"I just wanted to paint them but I can't."

"I can do it," he said with a shrug, moving by her feet. "Did I ever tell you I love your toes?" he asked, picking up the deep purple polish sitting next to her.

She sniffled and giggled at the same time, which came out more like a snort, making them both laugh.

"You love my toes?"

"Always have. They are so cute and perfect."

"If you say so, love."

"Sexy."

"I don't if I would ever think toes are sexy but okay then."

"Well, trust me. The woman that has these long, sexy legs, has perfect, sexy toes along with them."

"If we are talking about sexy things, this beard," she said, raising her toes to touch his cheek. He turned his cheek and kissed her foot. So cute.

"I was thinking of shaving it," he teased.

"Absolutely not, Lucas."

"Just to see what it would be like."

"Please don't. I love it."

"I guess I won't then."

"Thank you."

She watched as he slowly, methodically brushed the deep purple polish on her toes, making sure the polish stayed away from her skin. This man. How lucky was she?

"If we have a daughter, are you going to paint her toes?"

"Absolutely."

"Are you going to let her paint yours?"

"I have a feeling its going to be so very hard to say no to her."

He finished painting her toes and then they snuggled up together and went to sleep, satisfied and loving the first Thanksgiving they had as a couple, married and otherwise. Next year, there would be Boo.