Stolen Goods.

Elizabeth was peacefully sleeping when she heard a sound from outside. She leaned up sleepily as the noise, no it was a song, got louder. It was a weird jingle, it was like the lullaby that she has heard many times before, but this time it was creepy and made her blood run cold. She flew to the window with the feeling of premonition. She sat there for a minute just staring into the darkness until her eyes made out colors and then those colors slowly changed into shapes. She scanned her yard for something, anything, that would be making that creepy music. As her eyes focused more she could make out objects: trees, rocks, flowers, her car, a person, the fence, and a... Wait, a person? Elizabeth got chills and was glued to the window as the person sneaked closer and closer to her house... where her children were peacefully sleeping at this very moment. That was all Elizabeth needed to think about and within seconds she was flinging open her bedroom door, running down the stairs, and out into the brisk cold night.

As Elizabeth was sprinting out into the darkness she got goose bumps. She had no clue if it was from the adrenaline pumping through her veins, the chilling fact that she was getting robbed, or maybe it was the simply fact that her thin camisole and pajama pants were no match for the frosty night air. She did know, however, that just as she spotted the burglar they were walking towards Elizabeth's car. As if magically, they swiped the car up and somehow managed to fit it into a little blue bag. "NO!" Elizabeth screamed as she hurled her, now pregnant, self at the burglar.

Elizabeth was sprinting; carrying herself closer and closer to the intruder, and then something caught her attention.  Elizabeth skidded to a halt mere inches from the robber. She snapped her eyes over to what had distracted her from tackling the criminal. It was the flashing of blue and red lights... the police. Elizabeth barely remembered calling them or how on earth she had managed to speak coherently while in her frenzy, but she had and now they were stopping her from making a very bad decision. "Oh great, just great", the intruder mumbled while sneaking away. "No you don't", the police officer said gruffly while running over to the scene of the crime. And within an instant the officer and the burglar were in an all out brawl.

Elizabeth watched this disastrous scene play out. "The burglar was winning... No, now the officer had the upper hand... The criminal was sneaking away... Wait, the officer tackled her. Ouch, that had to hur..." Elizabeth's thoughts were caught off by a sudden wave of nausea. She stood there with her stomach churning and her head spinning trying to hold out until the end of the fight.

Elizabeth stood there about to give into the vile content rising up her throat when the smoke started to clear. As the dust settled and the ruckus died down two forms came into view. The police officer had the criminal in hand cuffs. "Cat Stielburg", the officer said sternly while walking the prisoner to the car, "You are under arrest. Anything you say can and will be used against you in the..." Elizabeth heaved then, blocking out all the sounds around her. "Oh My", Elizabeth thought while covering her mouth weakly with one hand, "I am not going to make it". And then she sprinted to the bathroom.

Elizabeth barely made it into one of the marble stalls in the downstairs restroom when she suddenly started... Well for the lack of a better word, puking. Elizabeth stood weakly from the nasty toilet and wiped the cold sweat from her brow, "This is either my nerves or really bad morning sickness". While Elizabeth wiped her mouth with some toilet paper she heard the bathroom door silently open. "Mrs. Reting?" a voice said from the other side of the stall door. Elizabeth instantly realized it to be the officer from before. Elizabeth flushed the toilet and weakly walked out of the stall only to be met by a very friendly face. The officer was more then five inches shorter than Elizabeth and she had shoulder length dirty blond hair. "You must be Elizabeth Reting", the police officer said with a dimpled grin. Elizabeth noted that the roughness in her voice, from earlier, was gone. "That is me", Elizabeth said quietly while turning on the sink and rinsing out her mouth."Well, Mrs. Reting, all of your stolen objects have been placed into your 'Family's Inventory' and I assure you that nothing will be missing or damaged", the officer said while looking everywhere except at Elizabeth. Elizabeth swooshed water around her mouth and spit it out before replying, "That is great. There is no way I could afford another car. THANK YOU! Thank you! Thank you a million times officer... Oh. I did not catch your name".  The police-wo-man finally met eyes with Elizabeth, smiled once more, and said, "I am sorry. My name is Officer Dee Tex". Elizabeth stepped forward to shake her hand but then thought better of it, considering she had just thrown up, and simply said, "Thank you officer Dee".

"... And then I was like 'No Way.'", a voice drifted through the walls and into Elizabeth's thoughts. She shot out of bed so quickly it made her head spin. She looked around waiting for the gray spots to leave her vision, but after two minutes gave up and sat back down on the edge of her bed. Finally, after a lot of deep breathing, Elizabeth could see and so she looked at her clock... "6:30 a.m.". No wonder she could hear people talking... The kids were up. "I overslept", Elizabeth said aloud as if to clarify her thoughts. "I cannot believe I overslept. I have never overslept before. It is probably just because of the pregnancy... or maybe it was because of the break in", Elizabeth reasoned in her head.

"Or maybe", Elizabeth continued prodding deeper and deeper into the depths of her mind, "I am just worn out emotionally and physically. I am exhausted! I love my children, of course I do, but it is hard work taking care of all of them. I also feel so numb. I need Daniel and, as if to make things worse, I cannot even remember going back to sleep last night. How did I even make it back to my bed?" Elizabeth stoically sat staring at the wall as she listened to her own thoughts going deeper and deeper into her head. After a while her thoughts were just depressing. She stayed sitting absolutely still on her bed until she realized that it was "7:04 a.m." and that the kids would be leaving soon. So she heaved herself off of the bed, composed herself as best as she could, and got ready for the day.

"Kids?" Elizabeth asked while walking into the kitchen. She looked around the room but then stopped dead in her tracks. The kitchen was deserted. She stood there inspecting the table desperately as if to make her kids appear out of thin air. She was still in a fog from earlier, so she could have stood there all morning if not for the noises coming from the living room. As Elizabeth's feet brought her closer and closer to the sounds she started to realize that it was the television she was hearing; and that Jenna, Ian, and Calista had their eyes glued to it. "Jenna? Calista? Ian? Have you all ate breakfast this morning?" Elizabeth asked curiously and then, since she got no answer, she added, "Hello? It is rude, you know, not to answer me". "Yes. They have already eaten", a familiar voice said from behind Elizabeth. Elizabeth spun around a full 180 degrees to meet the eyes of... Ryan. "Goodness!" Elizabeth said when she had finally calmed down, "For a second I actually thought you were Daniel". Ryan just looked at his mother with what she thought of as a look of sadness,  but he quickly wiped away before she could be too sure. Then he calmly responded, "I made sure to feed them breakfast and now they are watching t.v." Elizabeth wondered what the that look had been for but instead she just asked, "Why did you let me sleep in?" "I know you are tired and that you deserve it", Ryan answered with a look off astonishment, like what his mother had just asked was pure stupidity. 

After the children had left Elizabeth was left with her own thoughts... And a list of chores. So she went on to do the first chore: the clothes. While she was doing that she started on her first thought: who had been watching her? "Obviously it had been Cat who was watching me, right? No, it definitely was I do not feel those bone-chilling eyes burning into my head, so that means that it had to have been her! She was just scoping out the house", Elizabeth thought with a smile while she started the washing machine. As she moved on and finished all her chores she just could not stop smiling. She felt like a huge weight had rolled off of her shoulders, leaving her to float in her own joy.

 By the time Elizabeth had finished mopping up a mess of spilled water in the kitchen Mica had woken up. Elizabeth was feeding Mica breakfast when she suddenly seemed to snap out of a depressed daze that she had not known she was in. "What would you like to do today Mica?" Elizabeth asked while wiping some apple sauce off of Mica's rosy cheeks. Mica always seemed to always somehow bathe in her food. "Karden", Mica said finally learning how to sound out words. "You are right my little angel", Elizabeth smiled while gazing out the back window, "Today is a perfect day for gardening". However, once the two finally got outside all Elizabeth wanted to do was to sit down. "Mica taking care of kids is very hard work", Elizabeth stated while watching Mica play in the sandbox. Elizabeth sat in silence for a while before finally letting her thoughts sink in. At the moment she had just been thinking about how pretty everything about that day was. The lush green grass was blowing calmly in the breeze, the water in the pond was shimmering in the mid-morning sun, and most importantly was adorable little Mica... Who at the moment had just tried to eat sand. Elizabeth stood up to stop Mica, but luckily Mica promptly spit out the gritty substance and made a funny face. Elizabeth chuckled while replaying the scene over and over in her head, just as she usually did. Elizabeth wanted to scan every special moment into her head so that she would not forget a thing. While Elizabeth was still watching the scene on repeat it slowly faded into a different one. Elizabeth did not stop it and decided to watch as the scene changed into another one. It was much like watching a movie that was playing only for her; one that was replaying a scene from earlier this morning.   

Once the scenes stop changing Elizabeth instantly knew that one thing was for sure... She had not burned this memory into her head. She could tell because it was blurry, out of focus, and it was very hard to recognize shapes. Elizabeth could pick out one thing, though, and that one thing was Ryan. He looked sad, which was such a disgrace to his handsome face. He looked so much like Daniel that it sometimes hurt and Elizabeth loved it. She liked that it hurt to remember Daniel because it showed her that she still loved him. "Focus Elizabeth", Elizabeth pleaded while trying to focus onto the memory, "Why was Ryan sad? We had been talking about... Oh! I had said that I thought that he was Daniel for a moment." Elizabeth paused while a frown started to creep across her lips. "Why would that make him sad? Is he mad at his father? No, that is not it.", Elizabeth quickly reasoned, "Does he not want to sound or look like him? Nope, not it either. Then what could it be?" Elizabeth questioned while shrugging away from the bench. 

"...that has to be it", Elizabeth whispered to herself. She was still stuck on why Ryan had looked so sad. It was a total of thirty minutes after the memory had flew into her head and now she could not get rid of it. Elizabeth was trying to focus on gardening when suddenly her subconscious threw another idea to the front and center of her mind. "What had I been doing when this all happened?" Elizabeth pondered while the scene became more and more clear. "I had been happy when I thought Daniel was here", Elizabeth thought finally with satisfaction at deciphering the blurred message. Then, suddenly, she dropped the watering can. Cold water splashed up her legs and soaked her pants but she did not care. She did not notice the cold breeze prickling at her skin, or even the goose bumps that were slowly rising on her arms. The only thing that she could think of was, "He is sad that I had only smiled because I thought Daniel had came back. He must have realized just how sad I actually am". Elizabeth was suddenly over took with a wave of grief that left her almost breathless. She had been trying to shield her children from her pain but she all she was doing was causing them some in return. "I am so sorry Ryan", Elizabeth said aloud while clutching at her heart where a familiar pain started to erupt. "Sorry for what?" a concerned voice asked from behind Elizabeth.

Elizabeth did not have to spin around this time to know that it was Ryan standing behind her. "Is it '2:00 p.m.' already?" Elizabeth asked over her shoulder, trying to change the subject. She hated confrontation with a burning passion. "Yes it is. Do not try to change the subject. What are you sorry for?" Elizabeth could tell from the determination and concern that he weaved deep into every word that Ryan was not going to let it go. It was okay, though, because Ryan deserved the truth and Elizabeth knew that. Elizabeth tried to muffle the ache in her chest, but with no avail she just whispered, "I am so sorry that I let you see just how much I miss your father. I should not have caused you that pain". Ryan walked over to his mother then and put a hand on her shoulder. Elizabeth stopped gardening then and looked up at her oldest child. "I love you Mom", Ryan said in a comforting voice. "I love you t...", Elizabeth managed to say before Ryan interrupted, "Which is why you should not have to hide your pain from me. Besides I am your child, part of you, I can tell when you are hurting." Elizabeth just stayed staring at her son for a minute before coolly adding, "Since when did you turn sixty? Oh, wise one." "I got my logic skills from you", Ryan replied with a smirk. "Speaking of logic", Elizabeth interjected quickly, "Have you done your homework?" Elizabeth watched as Ryan's expression changed from calm and fatherly to meek and nervous. Elizabeth could tell from his immediate reaction change that he had indeed not done his homework yet. "I am going. I am going", Ryan muttered under his breath while turning back towards the house. Elizabeth was laughing quietly when her phone suddenly rang in her pocket. 

Elizabeth watched Ryan walk through the threshold of the house before she answered her phone, "Hello?" "Hi. Elizabeth is that you?" the deep voice asked nervously. "Zane?" Elizabeth recognized his deep dreamy voice instantly. "Elizabeth! I have been trying all of the Elizabeth Retings in the yellow book for days. You would be surprised at how many there are... But I finally got a hold of you", Zane had said everything so quickly that it barely made sense. "I am sorry. I guess I forgot to give you my number", Elizabeth said while scratching the back of her neck. It was hard, but she was trying to seem unattached. "It is okay. I just wanted to know how the baby was doing", Zane asked while Elizabeth started to pace the yard. Elizabeth was surprised when she suddenly filled with gratitude for Zane. Elizabeth knew that the gratitude was because Zane was such a kind and, altogether, amazing man. "She/He is doing good. I am not showing yet, but I have had morning sickness. Oh, and I felt a little flutter of movement earlier", Elizabeth said while happily rubbing her still flat belly. "That is great. I am so excited for the baby. I can visit it right?" Zane asked with his voice dripping of curiosity. Elizabeth could detect a few notes of sadness in his question. "I bet that right now his dark brows are arched with sadness and that his 'burnt marshmallow' eyes are filled with a pleading expres...", She stopped herself.  She also knew that he would be heartbroken if she said no, "Yes, you can. There is nothing about you not being able to visit in the challenge rules, and besides I would probably change it if there were. It would be evil for me to keep the children from their fathers." Elizabeth was filled with a small ache that hurt her heart to the point that her face flushed; but still it was only just a mere drip of the ache that Elizabeth had felt when Daniel left. As Elizabeth clenched her chest where the ache was festering she realized why she had gotten it in the first place: She was keeping Daniel from his children.

 Only a minute or two after the pain had begun Elizabeth had already pushed it to the back of her mind. She wanted to wait until she was completely alone to let the hurt lap at her heart like waves, slowly drowning it. So by the time Zane had to go to work Elizabeth had already gotten her breathing back to normal, and she had even managed to laugh. "Thanks for checking up on me. Good bye", Elizabeth said into the phone as she heard footsteps behind her. Elizabeth hit the little red button on her phone and slowly turned toward the noise. Just as she looked Jenna, Calista, Ian, and Ryan all sprinted out of the house. "Last one there is a rotten apple. It is 'rotten egg' silly. That isn't fair... You got a head start. I do not care if I am a 'rotten apple' or 'egg' I am oldest so therefore I win anyways", the chorus of the voices drifted over to meet Elizabeth's ears. She smiled as Calista and Ian jumped onto the swings and Daniel and Jenna turned on the sprinkler. "Are they having fun?" Elizabeth asked while walking towards Mica, who had been watching them like Elizabeth had. Mica did not respond to Elizabeth, instead she just simply hit the xylophone that she was playing with. She did it as if to say, "Yes". 

 After the kids were all tuckered out,and she finally got everyone herded inside, Elizabeth fixed all of the kids dinner. It was an early dinner, but the kids did not mind, and neither did Elizabeth. "Hey mom? Are you okay?", Ryan asked with Jenna echoing his every word, "You do not look so good". Ryan was all the way across the table, but he could see that Elizabeth was pale faced and that her lips were purple. She had been feeling fine all day, but now Elizabeth just felt miserable. "I do not feel so good", Elizabeth whispered while steadying herself as a spell of dizziness hit. "If you all do not mind I am going to go rest on the couch", Elizabeth said as she made her way slowly from the kitchen to the living room. Elizabeth took each step with care, and it seemed like a year before she finally came to rest on the soft upholstery of the couch. Elizabeth fell onto the plush fabric and was instantly asleep.

"Mom?" a voice shot through Elizabeth's mind like a rocket. It did not register to Elizabeth that she should be waking up right now; because she was in a daze and, quite honestly, she liked to sleep. It was comforting to not have any problems, no thoughts; it was just her and the calm darkness. But like before the voice entered Elizabeth's mind, "Mom? I need to talk to you". It was in fact a comforting voice and Elizabeth liked it, she clung to it with her whole being and basked in its feeling. "Mom, I need you", the comfort said once again. Elizabeth's motherly instincts must have recognized the pleading in the voice, because before Elizabeth's mind could catch up with her body she was sitting up and looking at Ryan. "You got some color back in your face. That's good", Ryan said smiling as Elizabeth started to realized where she was and what was happening. "Did you say you 'need' me?" Elizabeth asked as her previous thoughts started to make sense. "Yes, I need to talk to you..." Ryan took a pause and looked at something out the window. Ryan did not look back to his mother to see her reaction as he said, "I need to talk about Dad". Elizabeth was glad that Ryan was not looking at her as he said that... even if it was bad manners for him to do so. She was glad because at that moment it felt like all the air had been punched out of her lungs. As a result to the pain all the air from her body was pushed from Elizabeth's lungs and traveled up her throat. Then as the whoosh of air left Elizabeth's mouth Ryan turned back to look her in the eyes. Lucky for her, Elizabeth was able to pull it off as a sigh, "What about your father?" "I am about to be an adult, and with the challenge in mind that day is even closer than it would originally be. I was just wondering if maybe... Maybe... If maybe Dad could come to my birthday party". As Elizabeth thought about his question she remembered the letter Daniel had written her and her heart suddenly sunk. The word 'No' was dancing up her throat to her lips as her mind skipped to her conversation with Zane. "...It would be evil for me to keep the children from their fathers", the words floated eerily through her head. "Yes, he can come", Elizabeth said while managing a smile.

Ryan had practically smothered Elizabeth in hugs after she agreed to Daniel coming for a visit. Ryan ran up the stairs in a hurry as Elizabeth sat stunned on the couch. She was still in shock by her response to hearing Ryan talking about Daniel. She thought about Daniel constantly and she rarely ever got that terrible ache that she used to. Yet, just hearing Ryan talk about him mad her feel like she had been hit by a car. Not to mention that she was not so sure about seeing Daniel, but that did not matter, she had no choice now; Elizabeth would not go back on her promise with Ryan. Elizabeth was still lost in thought when she suddenly gagged. She ran to the bathroom in shock just before puking once again. 

"Why did I puke again?" Elizabeth wondered as she brushed her teeth. This was the first time ever that Elizabeth had puked twice during a pregnancy. "First collapsing of exhaustion and then puking twice... This pregnancy is not going so well", Elizabeth thought as she swooshed cool water through her teeth. 

That night in bed Elizabeth decided to take it easy. So she lit a candle, burned some incense, and decided to read up on some recipes. She was calm, mellow, and ready for sleep; but still somehow, in the back of her mind, Elizabeth thought herself into a panic attack. All these things were flying through her mind: "Why is this pregnancy so complicated? What will Daniel do when he comes to visit? What will she do? How will the children react?" She started to hyperventilate and then she blacked out. 

When Elizabeth woke in the morning she had only remembered glimpses of the previous night. So, like every day, she tried to put all of her thoughts and worries behind her. As the day went on everybody went on about doing their favorite hobbies. Calista decided to paint and bake to her hearts content. "MOM!", Calista yelled from her easel. Elizabeth sprinted over to her side, thinking that there was something wrong. But as Elizabeth came to rest next to her, Calista declared happily, "I just sold a painting worth $550!" Elizabeth was a little out of breath, but was so happy for her daughter that she swept her off of the stool and gave her a big hug. "What are you going to buy with your earnings, my little artist?", Elizabeth asked while adding a french accent to the word 'artist'. "Nothing Mom, I am going to give the money to you", Calista said with a huge grin. Elizabeth was so moved by her daughter's generosity that she started to cry. 

Mica spent the peaceful day by playing with her favorite hand-me-down toy. "Moo", Mica squealed in laughter. She loved to mimic the toy that Elizabeth had once built for Ian.

Jenna spent her time trying to bake too, but didn't really have much luck and burnt two muffins. She was sad about ruining the muffins, and scared that Elizabeth would be mad and disappointed with her; so she threw out the muffins before anyone could see them. She was so upset, and on the verge of tears, that she decided to spend the rest of the day in the library typing books. Jenna loved to write books; her most recent one sold  for $42. 

Elizabeth spent the first part of her day tending her sadly brown garden. "Tisk, such a shame", Elizabeth said while caressing a dry leaf just before it crumbled in between her long, slender fingers. Finally, after some much needed watering, Elizabeth left her wilting garden to tend to her children. After all the chores were done, and all the kids fed lunch, Elizabeth spent some time with her little koala, Mica.

Elizabeth was in the middle of watching Mica's favorite show, for the millionth time, when she got a very surprising phone call. "Hello?" Elizabeth asked excitedly after looking at the caller i.d. "Elizabeth! I miss you! Please come over!" Victoria said sobbing into her phone a little too loudly. "I am coming right over!" Elizabeth said just before hanging up and wobbling over to Ryan and Ian.

"Ryan! I need you to watch everyone for about an hour", Elizabeth said trying to get Ryan's attention. Like everyone else, the boys were spending their time doing what they loved: playing chess. "Okay Mom", Ryan asked without turning his attention from the game. Elizabeth would have dug further and made sure Ryan had listened to her request, but she was much too excited to really think straight... And she trusted Ryan and knew that he would do just fine when she left.

After Elizabeth got to Victoria's house she did not even remember to ring the door bell before walking right into the quiet living room. "Victoria?" Elizabeth asked already teary eyed by just the smell of the house. It smelled exactly like Victoria, a mixture of cotton candy and roses. Then within seconds of the name leaving Elizabeth's mouth Victoria came sprinting around the corner and ran straight into Elizabeth's open arms. Then Victoria and Elizabeth cried.

 

Elizabeth and Victoria stood weeping for a long time before Elizabeth finally spoke. As she was trying very hard not to let her mascara run down her cheeks, she sobbed out, "I missed you so much. Lets never ever be apart for so long ever again. I mean it! Never that long, ever again". Victoria sniffled, but took no hesitation before answering out in a sob, "I cannot argue with that". 

 

When Elizabeth finally hesitantly let go of the hug Victoria looked down at Elizabeth's stomach. "Oh, I was so excited I did not even notice", she said before bending down and reaching for Elizabeth's stomach, "May I?" Elizabeth sniffled and smiled happily before answering, "Of course". "She kicked!" Victoria said moments later while smiling as she was rubbing Elizabeth's belly. "Daniel and you must be so... Oh! I am sorry", Victoria said when she saw Elizabeth's expression change, "Did something I say upset you?" "It is not your fault", Elizabeth laughed when a whole new batch of tears spilled out of her eyes. Elizabeth was laughing because she was embarrassed; embarrassed because she knew that these new tears were not from her being happy and embarrassed because she was letting Victoria see her cry over Daniel. When Elizabeth finally got the tears to stop rolling down her cheeks Victoria finally said, "It is not Daniel's baby. Is it?" Elizabeth looked away embarrassed before whispering, "No..." and then she looked at her friend yearning for understanding and added, "It isn't".

Elizabeth spent hours, three to be exact, talking to Victoria about everything before she decided it was time to head home to her children. "I'm home", Elizabeth said when she crossed the threshold of her house. "Mom", Calista said walking out of the bathroom, "Are you okay? It looks like you have been crying". "Mommy just got to see someone she loves a lot and it made her happy", Elizabeth said while wiping her eyes before turning to her very concerned daughter. 

Calista did not understand why being happy would make someone cry, but she lost her train of thought when she lowered her eyes to Elizabeth's tummy. "Is that my little sibling?", Calista asked while reaching forward to touch the baby. "Yes, it is", Elizabeth smiled when she felt a kick, knowing that Calista had felt it too. 

"I felt it kick!" Calista said excitedly while clapping. "It is because it loves you", Elizabeth said while hugging her, "It knows I love you very much and so it loves you too." "I love you both too Mom". Elizabeth felt like picking up her little baby and dancing with her. Calista had grown so much and Elizabeth loved her more and more each day, which was a feat Elizabeth had thought impossible since the day Calista was born. "Now", Elizabeth said before she could start crying again, "Where are your brothers and sisters?"

"They are over here Mommy", Calista said while taking a seat next to Mica on the floor.  Elizabeth just stood watching her children until it was time for them to go to bed. She did not tell them she was there, instead she just watched her children interact with each other. She watched Mica and Calista hug and play together. She watched Jenna copy Ryan's every move. She also watched Ian making fun of them. It may sound creepy for someone to be watching kids, but to Elizabeth it was not weird. To Elizabeth it was like watching angels pour out the rain. She was in awe that she had brought five beautiful children to the world and that in just one day she would be bringing in another one. 

Elizabeth woke on Sunday and simply decided that it would be a lazy day. Much to Elizabeth's pleasure it in fact turned out to be just that, a lazy day. The boys spent the day being super competitive, as always, by playing video games. "Please let me win this game", Ian begged while Ryan scored another touch down. "That would not be winning then," Ryan explained while going for another throw. The girls, on the other hand, spent the day selling baked goods in the front yard. Elizabeth loved how the girls took turns baking and selling; but what Elizabeth loved even more was the amazing scent that the muffins filled the house with. Mica herself had a sleepy day by sleeping a lot of the morning away.

It was around 11:20 a.m. when Elizabeth got a sharp pain in her lower abdomen. "Ouch", Elizabeth winced while pushing off of the couch. She knew as soon as that same pain hit again that she was having contractions, so she called out to Ryan, "Ryan come here, please". Ryan automatically paused the video game and got worried. He had seen the look on his mother's face before; he, like she was, was very aware that she was in labor. 

"What do you need me to do?" Ryan asked automatically taking over the leader role. "I just need you to watch everyone and feed them lunch", Elizabeth said to her oldest son. "That is it?" Ryan  asked while helping Elizabeth to her car. "Oh, and please call Zane for me", Elizabeth said through the open window. Ryan gave his mom a weird look before asking, "Zane?" Elizabeth realized through the pain that she had never told her son about the father of this child. Elizabeth had to breath her way through a contraction before explaining, "Zane is this baby's father. His number is on the side table in my bed room. Please call him and tell him that I am at the hospital". Elizabeth saw the hurt spark in Ryan's eyes over what she had just told him, but she had no time. Ryan, and all the other kids, had known that this baby was not from their dad, but he had still hoped. Without looking any longer at her son Elizabeth drove out of the drive way and down the road.

By the time Elizabeth got to the hospital she had gotten into "Birth Mode", or at least that was the only way she could explain it. All she could think about was delivering a healthy baby, and nothing else. She did not worry about her and Daniel's relationship, she did not worry about whether or not Zane would come to the hospital in time, and she did not worry about the pain... All she cared about was keeping her and the baby safe. 

It was good that Elizabeth had not wasted time worrying about those things, because back at the house Ryan was doing everything that she had asked him to do. Ryan was not happy that Zane was his newest sibling's dad, but he followed his mother's wish and called him anyways. "Reting. Elizabeth Reting. Where is she? What room is she in?" Zane said in a rush to the brunette nurse at the front desk at the hospital. "First child?" The nurse smiled calmly at Zane, who was sweating and shaking all at once. "Yes", Zane smiled nervously back while trying not to freak out. "Room #272", the nurse pointed down the hall, "Up the elevator and down the hall. Then it is just the second door on the left." Zane walked into the room just in time, because only forty minutes after he arrived his child was born.

Elizabeth was released from the hospital at 1:00 p.m. on the dot. She and the baby had gotten a clean bill of health, so they got to leave almost immediately after the child's birth. When Elizabeth stepped outside the sun was high over head and the temperature was just right. "It is a perfect day to have a perfect baby", Elizabeth thought happily as she walked toward the overly smelly cab.

 Elizabeth settled into the sticky seat while Zane got in and shut the door. Elizabeth looked at the long road ahead of the car before she spoke to Zane, who at the moment looked like a deer  caught in head lights. "Are you okay?" Elizabeth asked while the cab lurched forward in motion. "Am I okay? Elizabeth you are too kind. You just had my child and you are worried if I am okay?" Zane asked in that deep voice that Elizabeth liked so much.

Elizabeth had still not responded to Zane by the time the cab screeched to a halt in front of her house. As Elizabeth turned to the new father she took a deep breath of the cool afternoon air. "I am asking if you are sure you want to be a part of your child's life. You can still leave now if you want", Elizabeth said with a smile. She wanted to make sure that Zane wanted to be apart of his son's life, because the look that he had earlier in the cab had made Elizabeth a little unsure of his intentions.

 

 Zane's dark eyed flicked to his child before meeting Elizabeth's eyes once more. "Of course I want to be a part of his life. I am so proud of you for doing this for me. I was not sure that I wanted a child at first and the idea of this 'challenge' was weird to me", Zane paused to smile at his son, "... But now I know why you are doing this challenge. I also know why you love children so much. I am so happy that you followed me home that day." Elizabeth was listening to Zane with no expression on her face. She was drawing a blank on what to say. "How come this 'stranger' can understand why I did this challenge, but the love of my life cannot stand to look at me because of it?" Elizabeth thought before saying her thank you's and good bye's to Zane.

 Elizabeth went up to her room and set her beautiful little boy into his crib. She hated to put him down, but she had so much that she needed to do.

"Hello, my baby number six: Blake Reting. I love you." Elizabeth cooed while tucking Blake in for a nap. 

 Elizabeth washed up while Blake was napping and was surprised to that he was still asleep when she exited the warmth of her bathroom. She took another moment to watch her little angel hum quietly in his sleep before moving onto work on the never ending list of chores.

While Elizabeth was keeping herself busy by cleaning out the bathtubs in upstairs bathrooms Ryan snuck outside. He ran to the mailbox and quickly addressed a letter, shoved it deep into the mailbox, and ran back inside. The letter was addressed to Daniel Reting.