Summary:  This story is a modern day story with Adam as the featured character.  It is a prequel to “Weekend Dad.”

PG-13:  Very mild language and implied sexual situations  (113,407 words)

Thank you, Sherriboo, for your pre-read and comments which gave inspiration within some of the chapters.  Your feedback was invaluable!

Weekend Dad Series:

Weekend Dad
Seasons of Change
When They were Young – a prequel to Weekend Dad

 

 

This story begins as Adam prepares to leave The Ponderosa for the first time as a student at Harvard University where he’ll meet his future wife, Jessica Bradley.  The story continues with the couple’s romance and eventual marriage after graduation from college to settling as newlyweds in Carson City, where Adam assumes the role of Vice President of Cartwright, Inc., his father’s highly successful timber and cattle company.  The newest power couple appears to have it all:  Adam as the officer of a large successful company, Jessica, a registered nurse at a nearby hospital, two beautiful children, a gorgeous home in Carson City, loyal friends, and families who love them.  There’s just one thorn — Adam’s inability to balance work and family life which leads to fractures in his and Jessica’s young marriage.  When They  Were Young chronicles Adam’s and Jessica’s meeting at Harvard, falling in love, marriage, the couple’s struggles within their marriage, to their emotional divorce which leads Adam to be the weekend dad to his and Jessica’s two children, Jason and Emily.  The divorce situation is fictitious to this story and does not insinuate they are the actual divorce laws or proceedings for the state of Nevada.

When They Were Young ~ Chapter 1

Adam Cartwright’s dream had come true.  The oldest, and probably the most influential school in the world had accepted his application for admission; Harvard University.

In Adam’s mind, there was no other university he wanted to attend so when he received his acceptance letter from Harvard; the subdued Adam was jubilant with excitement.

It was the spring of his senior year, and he was wrapping up high school and was excited about moving back east, to the place of his birth, his mother’s burial, and where his grandfather Stoddard lived.  Adam was looking forward to graduating and becoming more independent living on his own for the first time.  He knew it would be an adjustment for himself, but especially for his youngest brother, Joe, who looked up to his big brother almost like a second father when his mother, Adam’s second step-mother, Marie, passed away.

Adam’s girlfriend, Dana Bellows, whom he dated since they were juniors in high school had made plans to keep in touch once they were in college.  Adam and Dana talked about his application to Harvard and her’s to Georgetown.  They planned to stay in touch and meet up together on long weekends and through the summers.  Dana’s father promoted to Colonel and transferred to Germany.  Since Dana was in her senior year of high school, her best friend’s parents allowed Dana to live with them so she could finish school and she would then go to Germany to be with her family for the summer before coming back to Georgetown in the fall.

High school graduation had finally arrived.  Adam was valedictorian of his high school class.  Shortly after graduation, Adam and Ben flew back east to find an apartment for Adam to live while attending school.  He thought about living on campus, but he’d heard from his advisor he might want to consider living off campus if he could since the dorms were small and there were always a lot of late night parties and students drinking.  Ben was not fond of Adam getting mixed up in getting drunk and partying all the time instead of getting his degree so Ben opted to find an apartment near campus where Adam could have a quiet place to call his own and concentrate on his studies.  Ben and Adam found a two bedroom apartment which was fully furnished and sold by a student who graduated from Harvard the spring of the same year Adam started in the fall.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Well here we are, home sweet home for the next four years,” Adam said smiling at his well-appointed apartment.

“Son, I’m very proud of you.  You’ve worked very hard to get where you are today, and I know you’ll fit in well here.  It was unfortunate your grandfather couldn’t make it today, and he sends his best wishes to you.  He was called out for work but said he’d check in on you upon his return.”

Adam and Ben had brought in the last of the moving boxes and suitcases Adam had packed his clothes and belongings in.  Joe was heartbroken when Adam was packing to move to Cambridge.  Joe was afraid his big brother, once gone, would never return home again.  It broke Adam’s heart to see his youngest brother feeling as if he was abandoning him, but he assured him he would be coming home at Thanksgiving and then again at Christmas and spring break.  He also told him he would keep in contact with him through phone calls, email, as well as written letters.

The hour came for Adam to drive Ben back to Boston’s Logan airport for the flight back home to Nevada.  Ben and Adam had made the trip east in the new Porsche Cayenne SUV he had purchased for Adam to drive while in Cambridge and once back home in Nevada; he would have a good utility vehicle he could use living at the Ponderosa.

Once he had seen Ben through security, Adam came back to his apartment where he sat in the living room and stared at the many boxes he would spend the next several days going through, putting things away and setting up the pictures of his family on the fireplace mantle and side table next to his bed.  It would only be a week before the first day of school would start. 

As Adam started opening boxes, he thought about his life, his family, and the future which lay ahead of him.  He thought about Dana, and how he was looking forward to speaking with and seeing her again.  She had not called or written since she left for Germany only a few days after graduation.  Adam had gone with Dana to the airport, and through their tearful goodbye, she promised once she settled in Germany, she would call and write, but he had not heard from her since the emotional farewell at Reno airport at the beginning of June.  Adam figured the adjustment to life in Germany was huge, and he felt her summer was full of traveling Europe before she would find herself back in the States again for school at Georgetown.  Adam thought she would call his family home in Nevada, and they would give her his phone number in Cambridge.  Adam smiled at the thought of a reunion between the two of them.  New York in the fall, he thought to himself, what a reunion it would be, he chuckled thinking of seeing his drill team captain girlfriend dressed in black jeans, black leather ankle boots, and a matching leather jacket.

The first day of school came.  Dana had not attempted to reach out to Adam, and he didn’t know how to touch base with her at Georgetown.  He didn’t know why Dana had not tried to call him, and he was devastated to think this was her way of breaking up with him and starting a new life, but he tried to put their relationship aside, and he looked forward to his first day as a Harvard student.

The commute to campus had not been as hectic as he thought it might be and he arrived at his freshman English class early.  When he came to the classroom door, it was open, and there were about a dozen students already seated.  The classroom was large, stadium seating, so he scanned the room to see whom he would be sharing his first class of the day with when he saw a beautiful young blonde reading a book and writing notes on a notepad.  She looked up at one point, and it was when Adam first saw her piercing blue eyes.  All thoughts of Dana left after being mesmerized by those eyes.

  

Adam shook himself back into reality and decided he would sit right behind her in one of the empty seats which were now quickly filling up with students as they paraded into class around him.

He sat directly behind her, and he could smell the cleanliness of her hair and body.  Adam knew he had to meet this girl and find out more about her.  He was quickly shaken back into reality when he heard the professor enter the room reciting a famous scene from Hamlet Act III Scene 1:

“To be, or not to be–that is the question:  Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune or to take arms against a sea of troubles and by opposing end them. To die, to sleep–no more–and by a sleep to say we end the heartache, and the thousand natural shocks that flesh is heir to. ‘Tis a consummation devoutly to be wished. To die, to sleep–to sleep–perchance to dream: ay, there’s the rub, for in that sleep of death what dreams may come

when we have shuffled off this mortal coil, must give us pause. There’s the respect that makes calamity of so long life.  For who would bear the whips and scorns of time, Th’ oppressor’s wrong, the proud man’s contumely the pangs of despised love, the law’s delay, the insolence of office, and the spurns that patient merit of Th’ unworthy takes, when he himself might his quietus make with a bare bodkin? Who would fardels bear, to grunt and sweat under a weary life, but that the dread of something after death, the undiscovered country, from whose bourn no traveler returns, puzzles the will, and makes us rather bear those ills we have than fly to others that we know not of? Thus conscience does make cowards of us all, and thus the native hue of resolution

is sicklied O’er with the pale cast of thought, and enterprise of great pitch and moment with this regard their currents turn awry and lose the name of action. — Soft you now, the fair Ophelia! — Nymph, in thy orisons, be all my sins remembered.”

All the students who were standing or turned around in their seats getting to know their classmates and future friends quickly took their seats or turned around to draw their attention to the magnificent voice eloquently reciting, effortlessly, the very famous soliloquy.   

Adam found it hard to concentrate on his new professor because he kept studying the form of his lady who was sitting in front of him.  His concentration bounced back into focus when the teacher suggested each of the students turn to those around them and introduce themselves to their fellow students and form small study groups.  In the study groups, the professor explained, would discuss the light and dark imagery of all the William Shakespeare plays they would study during the semester, climaxing with one of the most famous, Romeo and Juliet. 

The students started turning to each other and introducing themselves to those around them they had not yet met.  Adam stood stoic as he watched his woman turn to each girl next to her, introducing herself to them and asking if they would like to create a small study group together.  She then turned around and for the first time, Jessica and Adam locked eyes.  Jessica’s breath was taken away momentarily by the rugged, handsome eldest Cartwright son.   She bowed her head and tried to hide her blushing cheeks.  She rolled up her eyes as she extended her right hand.

“Hi, I’m Jessica Bradley, and you are?” she asked with a sweet melodic tone in her voice.

“Adam, Adam Cartwright,” he tried to reply with a very sure answer but was mesmerized by the pastel pallets of blue staring back at him.

Jessica went on to introduce the two girls beside her, Stephanie, and Julie, whom she had just joined a group with and then invited Adam into their group as they wanted a male perspective to their discussions.  Adam quickly accepted, and the foursome added another female and a male student to their group.

Once all of the students had made their small study groups, the professor passed the semester’s syllabus around to the class and quickly got to the business of discussing his expectations of the class and students for the year and the required materials they would need to purchase at the Harvard Coop before their next class.

When class ended, the group Adam and Jessica were part of stood in the hall just outside the classroom and exchanged contact information and decided to meet that evening at the Au Bon Pan restaurant just off Harvard Square for their first meeting to get to know one another better and go over the syllabus together.

Adam completed his first day at Harvard and after returning home from school, and the very busy Harvard Coop, he put his backpack down, went into his bedroom, and sat on the bed.  He looked at the family picture of Ben, and his boys on their mounts taken on the Ponderosa.  Adam smiled thinking back to the day when the photograph of the four of them lined up in the meadow was taken and the fun they had with the photographer.  As he placed the family portrait back on his night table, he picked up the picture of him and Dana at their senior prom.  They both looked incredible in their formal dress.  He got warm inside thinking about her soft tender lips on his and their arms caressing each other’s bodies.  Dana was the woman he thought he would have one day married after that evening, but that all changed when he met Jessica Bradley.  He knew she was someone special and someone he desired to get to know better.

A few months had passed, and the study group met once during the week and always on either Saturday or Sunday, depending on everybody’s schedule.  Just before Halloween the group was wrapping up another successful evening at the Au Bon Pan and were saying their goodnights to each other.  On their way out, Adam asked Jessica if he could walk her back to her dorm.  She smiled at him and accepted his invitation.

They walked along the streets back toward Harvard Yard and Weld, Jessica’s dorm building.  As they approached the entrance to the building, Adam asked Jessica on their first date.

“I’ve been invited to a Halloween party by a friend of mine, Steve.  Steve’s studying pre-law here, and he’s a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity who’s hosting the party,”  Adam swallowed hard as he then asked Jessica on their first date, hoping she would not turn him down, “would you do me the honor of being my date?”

Jessica smiled largely.  She, too, had been enchanted with Adam but kept her desire to know him better under wraps as she, too, had a previous relationship with a boy before coming to Harvard.

“I would love to be your date, Adam.  What costumes should we wear?”

“At first, I thought we could rent some costumes of a Greek god and goddess, but we can do something simple like a nurse and doctor if you prefer.”

“I like that idea, Mr. Cartwright, Jessica winked.  I have a nurses costume in mind, what about you?”

“I have another friend, Brian, in my biology class who is pre-med.  I figure I’ll get a pair of scrubs, borrow his lab jacket and stethoscope.”

“It’s a date, then!  When’s the party?” Jessica inquired.

“It’s this coming Saturday night; it starts at 7:00 P.M. I know it’s not a lot of time to get a costume…”

“No worries, Adam, you’ll see what I’m wearing, and I’ll have it by Saturday night,” Jessica winked and had a devilish grin on her face.

Adam was starting to develop feelings for Jessica and her accepting his invitation to the Halloween party was exciting for him, and he wanted to kiss her but felt they should leave each other’s company the way they always did, with a warm hug goodnight.

After seeing Jessica safely into her dorm building, Adam walked back to the Au Bon Pan and picked up his SUV and drove back to his apartment.  His thoughts about Dana were now a distant memory, and he could only think about Jessica and hoping their date would be the first of many.

The night of the Halloween party arrived, and Adam got dressed in his scrubs and lab coat and left to pick Jessica up at her dorm.  The New England evenings had become quite chilly, and Jessica was waiting in the front lobby for Adam in her coat.  She wanted to surprise him with her costume when he arrived.

When he walked in, Jessica greeted him with a warm smile and hug.

“I have a surprise for you,” she grinned as she opened her coat and dropped it to the sofa behind her.  She twirled around revealing her very sexy nurse’s costume.  The white dress with red trim and petticoat was short, just barely covering her bum.  The dress had a plunging sweetheart neckline and cap short sleeves.  There was a wide red sash with an accompanying short apron with a red heart and white cross in the middle with a matching nurses cap.  The costume completed with thigh high fishnet stockings, red heart and white cross on the top of each stocking.  Jessica wore a pair of white stiletto heels to finish the costume.  “What do you think? Is it too much? Is it too revealing?” She asked, scrunching her nose, hoping the sexy nurse outfit was not a turn off to Adam.

“Um, no!” Adam swallowed hard as he took in how perfectly Jessica had filled out the short dress.  He had never noticed how fit she was because he had only seen her in jeans and a jacket or sweatshirt since they had only known each other since school started and the weather in New England had turned chilly earlier than normal that year.  “You look…Wow,”  Adam smiled broadly, trying to hide the excitement filling his body.  “You look incredible, Jess, and I’m glad you’re my date and not someone else’s,” Adam winked as he picked up her coat from the sofa and held it out so she could slip it back on before they headed into the cold night air.

After returning home from the successful party, they reached the entrance to Jessica’s dorm.  The couple had been laughing non-stop all night.  Adam introduced Jessica to Steve, and his date, Amanda, and the four of them became inseparable the entire evening and had made plans to go out to dinner the following weekend as a foursome.

“I had a great time tonight, Adam, thank you for inviting me,” she said looking up at Adam and taking him into her embrace with a smile on her face.  “I like Steve and Amanda.  I look forward to getting to know them better next weekend.”

Adam wrapped his arms around Jessica for the first time and held her form in his embrace and placed his face in her hair, smelling its freshness.

“Thank you for going. I could tell Steve liked you as well, and Amanda is a great girl.  She and Steve have been dating since high school, he said.  They were both fortunate to be accepted to schools here in the Boston area.”

“Yeah, she was telling me she attends Boston College, which is also a very prestigious school.”

“Steve and I had the two most beautiful girls at the party tonight,” Adam smiled looking down at Jessica’s face in the moonlight.

“Don’t make me blush, Mr. Adam, you’re very kind.  I feel Amanda, and I had two of the most handsome gentlemen on our arm tonight as well!”

  

They stood silent for a few moments.  Adam was mesmerized by Jessica’s beauty in the light of the full moon.  He decided if he was going to kiss her, this was the time to show her his desire to move their friendship on to the next phase, so he moved in and gently kissed her lips.  His body tingled from head to toe as he felt the gentleness of their lips touch for the first time.  After moving their lips together a few times more, with her eyes closed, Jessica replied breathlessly, “Oh Adam…” 

Adam could feel his heart racing.  He knew his feelings were already getting heavy for the blonde bombshell he had met in Freshman English class their first day at school, and he wanted to show her how much she meant to him. 

“Jessica,” Adam’s voice was velocious when he moved in and separated her lips with his tongue, and they kissed passionately.

Adam could feel the tension rising in his body.  Only Dana had ever brought these passionate feelings out in him before, and he knew he better leave before doing something he might later regret.

“I gotta go, but thank you for tonight.  I’ll give you a call tomorrow,” Adam said as he cleared their embrace.

Jessica walked into the building.  As she opened the door, she turned her head and paused as she enveloped Adam in her sight one last time, placing his image in her memory.

She winked at him and said, “I look forward to hearing your voice,” and she walked in and slowly shut the door.

As soon as Adam knew she was safely inside, he pulled his wool coat closed tighter and walked back to the street where he had parked his car.  The passionate kiss he had just shared with Jessica was still front and center in his sight.  Adam thought about the sweetness of her lips and the tenderness of their tongues intertwined with each other.  Adam could feel the warmth of the blood rushing between his legs and wanted to get back to his apartment as quickly as he could to relieve his excitement.

Jessica went back to her dorm room where she found her friend and dorm mate, Belinda, studying for an upcoming exam.  When Jessica entered the room, she closed the door and fell into it with her eyes closed and a huge grin on her face.  Belinda looked up and smiled at her friend and dorm mate, “I guess you and Adam had a good time tonight?” she asked.

Jessica took off her coat and threw it on her bed.  She came over to Belinda’s bed, plopped down, and looked at Belinda with just a huge grin on her face.

“I would say it did, judging by the smile on your face.  Did Adam ask you out again?”

Jessica came out of her euphoric state and kicked off her shoes and began taking off her stockings.

“Yes! Adam’s friend, Steve, and his girlfriend, Amanda and I are all going out for dinner next weekend.  Belinda, she’s great and Steve, he’s a hottie!”

Belinda had first met Adam one night after their small study group had ended and she met up with Jessica at the Au Bon Pan for coffee and danish after their meeting.  She found Adam very handsome and could see he only had eyes for Jessica, which delighted her.  Belinda, a strikingly beautiful girl, stood 5’7″ with long flowing reddish-brown hair, crystal green eyes, and light pouty lips.  Many of her classmates asked her out and wanted to get to know her more, but she had lost her high school sweetheart in a car wreck over the summer, and she was still suffering from his loss and didn’t want to entertain dating other guys at this time in her life.  Belinda was content with throwing concentration into her school work instead.  She was pre-med and wanted to become a doctor one day to save lives of car crash victims so other parents and loved ones of the injured would not have to suffer the loss she and her boyfriend, Ryan’s parents had experienced.

Belinda closed her anatomy book and turned her full attention to Jessica as she turned and pulled her hair to the side so Belinda could unzip her dress.  Jessica stood up and let the dress puddle to the floor.  She leaned against the desk chair and filled Belinda in on the details of the party.  Belinda laid stomach down on her bed and listened to Jessica’s happy voice tell of the date she had been hoping for since meeting Adam on the first day of school.

“Belinda, Adam might be the one!” Jessica flopped back on Belinda’s bed in just her bra and underwear.  “He’s amazing and man can he kiss!”

“You two kissed tonight? Wow, I know you’ve been hoping he would make the first move on you soon,”  she said as she swiveled around and sat up on the side of her bed.

Jessica laughed.  “I had told myself before he got here tonight if he didn’t kiss me tonight, I was going to, but we weren’t leaving each other until our lips locked, I can tell you that!”

“Jess, that’s what I love about you.  You’re not afraid to put it out there on the line and let your feelings be known.  Nobody could ever call you a wallflower.”

“Oh, Belinda, I hope you can find peace in your heart and love again some day.  I can only imagine the pain you still have in your heart from losing Ryan to death.  It would be one thing if you’d broken up as Denny and I did.  While it hurt for me to break up with him, even though I caught him cheating on me, I know he’s alive and well.  For you, though, Ryan was the love of your life.  You had been dating him since you were both freshman in high school.  He had even told you he wanted to marry you after you two had graduated college.  To never know if that would have come full circle, and that has got to weigh heavy on your heart.”

“Yeah,” Belinda bowed her head and looked at the floor and then at Jessica, “not having closure is what is the hardest hurdle to come over.  I mean I know in my heart Ryan would want me to date or fall in love again; he would have wanted that for me.  It’s just too soon right now and besides; pre-med is kicking my butt!”

“Tell me about it.  It’s the same for me, too, but I know it’s not as intense to become a nurse as it is a doctor…”

“Hey,” Belinda interrupted, “A nurse’s role is vital to the success of any doctor in my opinion.  I’ll always have tremendous respect for nurses.  I know so many doctors think they’re better than nurses, and while their training might be more intense in certain areas, and their schooling longer, they would be lost without them by their side.  I’m a true believer in that.”

Jessica smiled at Belinda and leaned over to give her a hug.  “That’s why I love you so much, Belinda, and I’m glad Harvard placed us as roommates together.  Love will come your way again; I just know it will.  You’re a very special woman, and I’m proud to call you friend.”

Belinda embraced Jessica and thanked her for her friendship as well, telling her she was blessed to have such a happy person to help her through her sad time. 

The time was going on 3:00 A.M. and they both had early church service to attend so they each put on their pajamas and went to bed.

Hamlet’s Soliloquy: http://www.monologuearchive.com/s/shakespeare 

 

When They Were Young ~ Chapter 2

Since their first date to the annual fraternity costume party, Adam and Jessica were inseparable.  They would meet every day after school, and Jessica would come to Adam’s apartment and cook dinner for the two of them and then they would sometimes study until the early hours of the morning.  In the many conversations they had, Adam learned Jessica was a virgin and was saving herself for her honeymoon with her new husband.  Adam respected her decision and never tried to go beyond anything Jessica was not comfortable in doing.

As the holidays approached, Jessica’s demeanor was growing sad at not being able to spend the time with Adam.  She was falling in love with him and wanted to be with him but for the first time in her life didn’t look forward to the holiday season.  During her many phone calls home to her parents, she would always update them on the new wonderful man she had met at Harvard and looked forward to the day she could introduce him to them.  Glenn, Jessica’s father, had attended Yale as a young man and had hoped his eldest daughter would follow in his footsteps.  Her ex-boyfriend, Denny, had been accepted and was attending Yale, and while he was happy his daughter was accepted to the school she had applied to, his hope was always she would one day attend his alma mater.

Jessica was in the kitchen making dinner for her and Adam while Adam took a shower after a long day on the Freedom Trail in Boston.  When Adam came out of the bedroom, he had his jeans with a shirt unbuttoned and untucked.  He came up behind Jessica and wrapped his arms around her waist and started kissing her neck.  She continued to attend to the food cooking on the stove top without paying any mind to the nibbles Adam was giving her on her neck.  He stopped and looked at her face and noticed she had been crying.

“Jessica? What is it? Is everything okay?” Adam’s voice was concerned.

“Oh, Adam, I don’t want you to go home to Nevada for Thanksgiving.  Why can’t we live closer together to where we can spend the holidays together?”

Adam took his newly beloved into his arms.  “I don’t want you to be sad, Babe.  The week will fly by, and we’ll be back together again.”

Jessica pushed Adam away and went back to her cooking. 

“Don’t be that way, Jessica, I can’t help my family lives in Nevada, and yours lives in Connecticut.”

“Oh, I know, Adam, I don’t blame you.  My mother wants you to come home with me for the holidays, but I told her you to have a family, too, and they want to see you as much as they want to see me!”

“What are you asking, Jessica, for me to spend the holidays in Connecticut with you?” Adam turned Jessica around and asked with a serious soft tone to his voice.

“Don’t be silly, Adam, of course, I want us to be together on Thanksgiving, but I know it’s impossible.”

“Is it?” Adam’s voice was still serious and soft.

Jessica turned off the gas to the stovetop cooking the vegetables for their dinner and looked up at Adam with a questioning look.

“You know how much you mean to me.  I’ve grown to love you more every day….” Adam’s voice remained soft.

“Yes, but…” Jessica argued.

“Shhhh, Jess, no buts.  What do you want? Would you like me to come to Connecticut with you for Thanksgiving?”

Jessica’s blue eyes opened wide, and tidal waves of tears fell from her eyes.

“Don’t be silly, Adam, I can’t take you away from your father and brothers.  They’d hate me forever!”

“I’ve told my father and brothers all about you.  They can’t wait to meet you.”

“Yes, but what about your grandfather? The two of you were supposed to fly to Nevada together for Thanksgiving.”

“My grandfather is a grown man; I think he can fly on an airplane by himself,” Adam winked.

Jessica beat Adam in the chest at his silly remark.

“You’d do this for me?”  Jessica’s voice was meek.

“Babe, I’d do this for us because you’re that important to me.”

“But what about your Dad? Won’t he be disappointed?”

“How about you let me handle Dad, okay?  Now, I’m hungry, what’s for dinner?” Adam asked as he started to button his shirt.

“It’s a new recipe I found in a magazine.  I hope you like it.”

“Jess, anything you cook, I’m happy to consume,” Adam said as he kissed Jessica on her cheek.

After dinner, and a few hours of studying, Adam took Jessica back to her dorm and came back to his apartment to call his father and let him know about his decision to stay back east for the first holiday since he’d been away at school.  The call was hard, and a painful call to make but the more time he spent with Jessica, the more Adam knew this was the woman he was meant to marry one day, and he wanted to show her what she meant to him.

Since there was a three-hour difference in time, it was a late evening in Nevada.  He knew his brothers were probably already in bed, and he would just have to break the news to his father…on this call, this time.

“Cartwright residence, Hop Sing speaking,” was the cheerful Chinese voice he heard every time he would call to speak to his family.

“Hop Sing, it’s Adam, how are you?”

“Oh, hello, Mr. Adam, Hop Sing is well thank you.  How is Harvard?”

“It’s tough, but I’m managing.  We finished up mid-terms a few weeks ago and before we know it, the end of the semester will be here.  Is Dad still awake? Can I speak to him?”

“He is, Mr. Adam, let me get him for you.”

Adam heard the phone being placed gently on the table while Hop Sing went to get Ben.  A few minutes later, the voice Adam had admired all his life came on the line.

“Adam? How are you, son!  It’s so good to hear your voice.  How’s your grandfather? Are you calling with reservation information for your trip home this Thanksgiving?”

Adam sat on the edge of his couch.  He pinched the bridge of his nose and then wiped his face with the inside palm of his hand.

“Well, Dad, that’s what I was calling you about tonight.  I’ll be making reservations for Grandfather, but I won’t be coming home to Nevada this Thanksgiving.  Remember me telling you about the girl I met in English, Jessica Bradley? She’s asked me to spend Thanksgiving with her in Connecticut and, well, I’m falling in love with her, Dad, and I think she might be the woman I’m going to marry one day.”

There was an awkward silence on the phone.  Adam feared his father was ramping up for a talk about respect for his elders as well as disappointing his brothers, but the lecture he feared most was letting down his family.

“Dad, are you going to say anything?” Adam finally broke the silence.

“Adam, I know you care deeply for this girl, what is her name, Jessica? but how can you put her ahead of your family?”

“Dad, Jessica is more than a girl, she’s a woman, and she’s the woman I’m falling in love with…”

“Oh come on, Adam,” Ben interrupted, “you hardly know her.  How can you say you’re in love with her?  You’ve known Dana much longer than this Jessica, and you swore she was the girl you would marry one day, but you didn’t say it after knowing her for only a couple of months.”

“Dad, I’ve never disrespected you, and I don’t plan to start now, however, I will not allow you to be so dismissive of my feelings for Jessica.  As for Dana, she has not reached out to me since I left her a Reno Airport in June.  I don’t even know how to get in touch with her, and maybe that was all part of her design to let me and that part of her life go.  She broke my heart when she left and didn’t keep in touch but I’ve moved on, and Jessica is who is now the first person I think about when I wake up and the last person I think about when I close my eyes.  Dad, when I saw the tears in her eyes tonight at the thought of not being with me this Thanksgiving, it broke my heart.  I know Hoss, and Joe will be upset, but you’ve always taught me while we’ll always be family, we will grow up and start family’s of our own.”

“Adam, you barely know this girl,” Ben protested. 

“Dad! You hardly knew Marie when you married her!” Adam retorted.

“Do not use the name of your beloved step-mother as a pawn in this argument, Adam.  I won’t stand for it!”  Ben’s voice got stronger with his eldest son.

“Then don’t disrespect the feelings I have for Jessica, Dad.  She’s an amazing woman, and when you and my brothers meet her, you’ll understand why I’ve loved her since the day I laid eyes on her.”

“Have you told her that you love her yet, Adam?”

“No, not in so many ways.  I mean, I tell Jessica I love her more every day, but have I told her I’m in love with her? No, not yet.”

“Well, are you in love with her, Adam?”  Ben asked in another way.

There was silence for a few moments.  Adam had often thought about how much his love for Jessica was growing.  He would smile when he thought about her laughing or how she would look at him and blush.

“Yes, Dad, I’m in love with her.  I want her to be my wife, but not until after we’re out of school.”

“Okay, Adam, you can stay back east for Thanksgiving, but you’re going to be the one who has to break your brother’s hearts, I won’t do it, I just won’t.  Joe has been crossing off the days on the calendar until you come back home; this will devastate him.”

“I know, Dad, and I’ll make him somehow understand and assure him I will be home for Christmas.  Dad, I love Jessica.  I want to bring her back to Nevada to meet you.  Grandfather has met her, and he likes her a lot.”

As promised, Adam called the next day to break the news to Hoss, and Joe he would not be home for Thanksgiving.  Jessica sat quietly by Adam’s side while he made the difficult phone call.  She could hear the screams from Joe’s voice when Adam told him of his decision and his father’s agreement to allow him to stay back east with his new girlfriend. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I hate her!” screamed Joe as he dropped the phone after being levied the devastating news from his eldest brother.

“Joseph Francis Cartwright, you apologize at once!” Adam heard Ben’s voice in the background, but all he heard were a light set of footsteps up the staircase followed by a heavier set.

Adam sat unable to move on the couch.  Jessica knew this was difficult for Adam and hearing his youngest brother say he hated her sent shivers down her spine.  She got up and went out into the cold evening air without a jacket.

“Adam, don’t you worry, I’ll make Joe understand.  You be with your new Philly, ya hear?”

“Thanks, Hoss.  Jessica heard Joe, and she ran out onto the balcony.  It’s cold, and she doesn’t have her jacket.  I need to go to her.”

“I understand, Adam, but you must know I’m disappointed, too.”

“I know, Hoss, and I’m sorry, but you’ll get it in a few years, I promise, now I have to go.”

“Bye, older brother,”  Hoss said with sadness in his voice.

“Goodbye, Hoss, I love you,” Adam said.  After hanging up the phone, he grabbed a blanket from the back of the couch, brought it outside, wrapped it around Jessica and pulled her into his embrace.

“Your brother hates me, and he doesn’t even know me yet,” Jessica placed her arms around Adam’s waist and looked up at him with tear-filled eyes.

“He’s eight, Jessica; he’s had a lot of tragedy in his young life.  First, his mother died, and just a few years later his big brother left him, too.  He doesn’t hate you; it’s the anger, disappointment, and pain talking, not my brother, Joe.  When you meet him, you’ll love him as much as I do.”

“I think I’m ready to go back to my dorm now, Adam.  I need to be alone, and I think you do, too.”

Adam didn’t protest Jessica’s wish.  On the one hand, he wanted her to stay with him, and they console each other.  Adam’s heart was hurting as he replayed the cries of desperation in his brother’s voice when he broke the news to him he would not be home to celebrate Thanksgiving with him, his other brother, and father.

After Adam had dropped off his Grandfather at Logan Airport for his journey out west, he returned to his apartment where he packed his clothes for the trip to Connecticut with Jessica.  As the hours ticked down, his nerves grew stronger.  Unbeknownst to Jessica or her family, they would be meeting their future son-in-law.

After the four-plus hour drive, which usually only took just under three hours from Boston to Jessica’s hometown in Connecticut, Adam and Jessica settled in Adam’s hotel room near where Jessica lived.  They stayed at Adam’s hotel until it was time for them to meet up with her parents about 6:30 P.M. Jessica could see the angst building in Adam, and she tried to make light conversation and tell him everything would work out, and her parents would love him.

Tired from the exhausting drive due to the heavy holiday traffic, Adam decided to lay down and rest before it was time to get up and get ready to drive over to Jessica’s house.  She laid down with him and rubbed his back until she saw him drift off into a light sleep.  She, too, had not had much sleep from the night before so she set her clock and drifted off to sleep next to Adam.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Jessie!” Jessica’s father said when he came around the corner after hearing his daughter’s voice call for her parents who were in the kitchen finishing up the pre-dinner snacks they would all enjoy with a glass of wine.

“Daddy! It’s so good to see you; I’ve missed you and Mommy!”

“We’ve missed you, too, baby girl, how’s school? You know it’s not too late to transfer to Yale if you want to.  You can live here at home and go to school.”

“Daddy, I know there’s nothing more than you want me going to Yale, but I love Harvard and besides,” she said as she took Adam’s arm, “this man right here is who I want to be with at Harvard.  Daddy, this is Adam Cartwright.  We met in English class, and we’ve become steady boyfriend and girlfriend,” she said smiling up at Adam.

Adam extended his hand and said, “Hello, Mr. Bradley.  It’s good to meet you finally; Jessica’s told me so many good things about you.”

“She did, did she?” Glenn, Jessica’s father asked.  “Did she tell you I went to Yale, and I wanted her to go to Yale with her boyfriend, Denny?”

“Oh, Daddy, please!” Jessica wanted to crawl in a hole at her father’s aggressive behavior, “You know Denny is not my boyfriend anymore.  He cheated on me, so even if I’d gone to Yale, I wouldn’t be with him!”

“Sweetie, do I hear your voice?” Charlotte Bradley, Jessica’s mother, came around the corner.

“Hello, I’m Charlotte Bradley, you must be Adam.  Jessica’s told us a lot about you.”

“Yes, Mommy, this is Adam Cartwright.  He’s the man I’ve told you and Daddy about.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Mrs. Bradley; Jessica’s told me a lot about you and Mr. Bradley, too.” Adam extended his hand to shake Charlotte’s hand.

“My, Glenn, Jessica was right, Adam is a handsome fellow,” Charlotte said smiling at her daughter’s choice in her new boyfriend.

“Denny wasn’t an eyesore either, Charlotte, and he certainly was smart by going to Yale,” Glenn replied.

“Daddy, please!  You’re not making a good first impression on my boyfriend.”

“Boyfriend, Jessie? When did this happen, sweetheart?” Charlotte inquired of her daughter.

“Mommy, I wanted to introduce you to Adam first before announcing we were a steady couple, I hope you understand,”  Jessica answered.

“Oh, sweetie, of course, we do, don’t we Glenn?” Charlotte asked as she placed her hand around her husband’s waist.

“I preferred her with a Yale man.  First, she goes to Harvard instead of Yale and then she falls in love with a man from Harvard, too!”

“Mr. Bradley, I’m sorry I’m not the Yale man you’d like me to be. However, I assure you, I do care for your daughter very much, and I would never allow any harm to come to her.”

Jessica could see Adam was uncomfortable but putting a brave face on for his woman.  She excused herself and took Adam out to the backyard to show him the tree house she and her father had made when she was ten years old.

“Oh, Adam, I’m so sorry Daddy is acting the way he is.  He’s such a proud Yale man.  You probably wish you had gone out west with your grandfather and been with your family.”

Adam took Jessica into his arms and held her tight in his embrace. “Jess, it’s okay.  Your dad just wants to make sure the man who’s stolen his daughter’s heart is a good person.  I’ll be the same way if we have a girl.”

Jessica looked up at Adam. “If we have a girl? What do you mean by that, Adam?”

“Why do you act so surprised, Jess.  We’ve talked about one day when we both have children of our own.  Why do you act as if we’ve never discussed it?”

“Oh, Adam, we spoke about having children in generalities, never about the two of us having children together.”

“Well now you know, if I have a daughter, I’ll be just as protective of her as your father is of you,” he said as he gave her a kiss on her forehead.  “Let’s go back inside; it’s getting cold.”

The rest of the evening, Adam was put to the test with Glenn as he insinuated Jessica had made the mistake of going to Harvard as well as breaking up with Denny.  Adam took Glenn in stride and remained cool, calm, and collected.  Adam knew his heart was with Jessica, and her father’s desire to make him uncomfortable would not make his feelings waiver for the woman he was falling in love with, and that was Glenn’s daughter, Jessica.

When Adam returned to his hotel, he called Jessica to wish her a good night and discuss what time to be back at their house the next day.  Jessica had been crying and all Adam wanted was to be there holding his woman and console her tears.

“Adam, I was afraid you’d drive away and never want to see me again.  I’m sorry for the way my father treated you tonight.  I had words with him after you left,” Jessica said through her tears.

Adam tried to hold back his laughter when he thought about the rough ride he had just been through with the meeting of Jessica’s parents.  He chuckled and said, “Jess, it is very evident your father loves and adores you.  I was not affected by his statements about Yale or Denny.  I know what we have, and that’s all that matters to me.  Once your dad gets to know me, he’ll be less judgmental as he’ll see my feelings for you are genuine and my respect for you, immense.  Please stop crying.  Your tears are breaking my heart, and I can’t be there to hold and console you.”

“I heard my mom having words with my dad after you left.  She wasn’t happy with how he treated you either.  I could hear her telling him what a good guy you seem to be, and she looked forward to getting to know you better.”

“See? Your mom is on our side, and your dad will come around, it’ll take time.  You’re his only daughter.  Naturally, he’s a little cautious of any man whom her interest in is strong enough to bring him home from school to meet them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thanksgiving was much more pleasurable for Adam and Jessica.  Adam met Jessica’s brother, Austin, who had been at a friend’s house the night before.  Glenn allowed himself to open up and see the relationship develop between his daughter and the man she brought home for him and Charlotte to meet.  They watched the Thanksgiving football games, enjoyed a feast Jessica, and her mother had prepared for the five of them.  After a long day of enjoying each other’s company and feasting on holiday food, Adam said his goodnight to Jessica’s family and headed back to the hotel he was staying at near Jessica’s home.  He called her when he returned, and the two made plans to drive back to Cambridge the next day as they had a study group on Sunday night and Monday would be the start of their study of Romeo and Juliet in Freshman English.

Upon their return to Cambridge, they met up with Steve and his girlfriend for dinner at Legal Seafood later that evening.  Adam and Jessica told their friends of the memorable holiday at Jessica’s house, with Adam meeting her parents and brother for the first time.  Adam explained Wednesday was a bit intense, but Thanksgiving day he met Jessica’s brother, and her father and mother were a great family, and he saw where Jessica got her beautiful looks.  Jessica, on the other hand, explained Wednesday’s meeting as a disaster with Adam and her father.  She spelled out how her father had brought up her ex-boyfriend the entire night and how he’d wished she’d gone to Yale over Harvard.  Adam placed his arm around Jessica and drew her into his embrace and told her he survived, and in time her father would get to know him better, and be more accepting of him.

During dinner, Steve spoke about how dorm life for him was getting unbearable and how his roommate was coming home drunk late at night, trying to sneak girls into their room and wanting to have parties all of the time. 

“I’m taking some pretty intense courses as well as studying for the LSAT to get into law school.  I may have to find a job which will allow me to rent a room at someone’s house.  I just can’t take it any longer with this guy.  If he wants to flunk out of Harvard, so be it, but I’ve worked too hard to get here, and I can’t afford to let my grades fall or not be ready for the LSAT when I take it next year.”

“Why don’t you move in with me? I know Dad wouldn’t have a problem with it.  He told me when we bought the place if I ever had someone who needed a place to stay, he trusted me to allow them to come live there.  You’re more than welcome.  I hate for you to have to get a job and juggle work and school just to get away from a bad roommate.”

“Adam, that’d be great, thank you.  Tell your father thank you, as well.”

The foursome talked about Steve moving out of the dorm and into Adam’s apartment.  He told Steve to gather up what he needed for the week, and he could move in immediately, and they would get the rest the following weekend.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As the end of the semester was coming to a close, Adam prepared to head home for the semester break.  Jessica planned to spend the holidays with her family and fly out to Nevada to meet Adam’s family just before the new year, and they would fly back to Cambridge together.

Their English class was finishing up Romeo and Juliet, and they would soon have a test on the famous play followed by their final semester exam. 

The day had turned cold and blustery.  Steve told Adam he was going to study with some friends at their dorm for the LSAT test, and he would be home late.  Jessica arrived to study Romeo and Juliet with Adam.  With the temperature being near zero, Adam built a fire to help keep the apartment warm while they studied.  Jessica arrived, and they decided to order a pizza and drink beer while they studied by the fireplace.  Jessica and Adam discussed Shakespeare’s use of his poetic and dramatic structure, especially the effects such as switching between comedy and tragedy to heighten tension, his expansion of minor characters, and his use of sub-plots to embellish the story. 

As they were reading about the star-crossed lovers, they decided to take on the roles of Romeo and Juliet.  A blizzard appeared out of nowhere, and the roads became impassable quickly.  Steve called to tell Adam he was crashing with his friends until the storm moved through and would be home the next day. 

After having a few slices of pizza and each starting on their second bottle of beer, they began reading the lines of the play, and they transformed into Shakespeare’s characters.  The intensity of their love became evident between Adam and Jessica, and they fell into each other’s arms and then fell to the floor in front of the fireplace with the passion of love exploding between them.  Adam tried to remain respectful of Jessica, but she had begun unbuttoning Adam’s shirt and took Adam’s hand to her breast.  Adam looked at her and asked her if she was sure this was what she wanted.  She looked deep into his eyes and said, “I’ve never been sure of anything, but I didn’t come prepared for this.”

Adam laid next to Jessica on the rug next to the fireplace, stroking her chest and circling her breast she had invited him to.  “I love you, Jessica Bradley.  Not just because of this, but I’m truly in love with you,” Adam said as he laid gentle kisses on her lips and neck.

“I love you, too, Adam, and I want to show you how much I love you tonight.”

Adam got up and went to his room where he kept protection for times just like this.  When he came back, he found Jessica lying next to the fireplace in just her panties and bra.  Adam stopped in his footsteps and swallowed hard.  His shoes were off, his shirt and top of his jeans, unbuttoned. 

“Won’t you join me?” Jessica’s voice was sultry.

Adam undressed to join his lover on the floor and laid next to her with one arm up to prop himself up.  He took her into his arms, and they kissed passionately.  Adam prepared himself and laid back next to Jessica, caressing her soft skin below his hands.  He took her face in his hands and asked her one final time if she was ready for him, and she just nodded, with a smile on her face.  Adam continued to undress her, and they fell into a night of passion as the storm raged outside.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Christmas had come, and past and Adam prepared to welcome Jessica to the Ponderosa.  The house was small so Adam put Jessica up at a local Lodge in Incline Village not far from their home.   He picked her up at the Reno Airport and the two drove up to the small house Ben had built to house him and his three sons. Upon their arrival, Ben met his eldest son and his girlfriend at the door.

“Welcome to the Ponderosa, Jessica, I’m glad you could join us!” Ben said as he shook Jessica’s hand.

“Thank you, Mr. Cartwright, it’s very kind of you and Adam to invite me here.  You have such a lovely property.”

“Oh, Jessica, please, call me Ben.  We’re very casual in these parts,” Ben said, continuing to smile as he looked at the beautiful girl Adam had brought home.

“Dad, where’s Hoss and Joe, I want them to meet Jess.”

“They’re upstairs; I’ll get them.  I’ll have Hop Sing bring in tea and coffee.  Adam told me you’re more of a tea drinker than coffee, right?”

Jessica blushed, “Yes, Mr. Cartwright, I’ve never been fond of coffee, but I’ll drink tea pretty much any way it’s made, thank you.”

“Alright then,” Ben smiled as he patted Jessica on the shoulder.  “Hop Sing! Bring some hot tea, coffee, and some of your wonderful molasses cookies you made this afternoon for Ms. Jessica’s visit.  I’m headed upstairs to get the boys.”

Adam guided Jessica to the settee, and they sat down.  He put his arm around his girl and looked around the small frame house.

“Well, this is it, it’s not much, but we’re comfortable here.  When I graduate from college, my father and I plan to build a sprawling main house.  My dad has been saving a long time to buy the materials.  We plan to start building as soon as I come home after I graduate.”

“It’s very cozy.  Is it large enough for everyone?” Jessica asked sipping the tea Hop Sing had brought in and served.

“It’s been good enough for us.  It’s probably better now that I’m away at school.  I told Hoss he could sleep in my room to give him more privacy.  He’s thirteen now, so he doesn’t want our younger brother in the middle of his things.”

“Hoss?” Jessica asked with confusion.

Adam laughed.  “I’m sorry, Babe, I’ve been so careful always to call him Eric when we talk about my family.  Hoss is a nickname we gave him when he was a baby.  He was a big boy from birth, and I named him that when he was born and, well, it just stuck.  He’s a big guy already.  He’s already 5’11” and he’s just thirteen!”

“Oh, I see,” Jessica said with large round blue eyes smiling back at her man.

The thunder of pounding footsteps drew the couple’s attention to the stairs where she saw Adam’s two younger brothers running down the stairs.

“Hoss, Little Joe, must I remind you of your manners? We have a lady present with us today,” boomed Ben, who descended the staircase behind his two younger sons.

When Adam saw his brothers running down the stairs, he put his mug of coffee on the table in front of the settee, stood, and welcomed both of them into his arms.  Jessica was smiling at the love Adam was showing for his two brothers; she knew he would make an excellent father for the children she hoped to have with him one day.  She stood quietly and waited for the Cartwright reunion to finish.

Adam broke the embrace with his two brothers and took Jessica into his arms to introduce the new woman in his life.

“Hoss, Joe, I want you to meet Jessica.  She’s the girl I met in English class at Harvard, and I’ve told you and Dad about on calls and letters.  Jessica, this is my brother, Eric, but you now know we call him Hoss, and you can see why,” Adam chuckled, “and this is our youngest brother, Joe; sometimes we call him Little Joe.”

Hoss smiled and blushed, “You’re purtier than Adam described you, Miss Jessica.”

“Why thank you, Hoss, is it?” Jessica smiled at the sweet, lovable bear that was Adam’s eldest brother.

“Yes’m, my name is Eric, but they call me Hoss.  I kinda like it, and the girls at school do, too,” Hoss grinned.

“Is there something you need to tell your older brother then, Hoss?”

“Well,” Hoss bowed his head and got all nervous, “there is this girl named Jenny, and she’s pretty sweet on me.”

“Yeah, and I’ve heard him on the phone with Jenny, and he liiiiiikes her,” Joe interrupted.

“You better take that back, Little Joe!  Why are you eavesdropping on my conversations!” Hoss punched Joe in the arm.”

“Hey, that hurt!” replied Joe, rubbing his arm.

“Okay, you, two, that’s not a way to represent yourselves in front of a lady, much less a guest to our home,” Adam put a hand on each of his brothers before the argument between the two brothers could escalate.

Ben stayed back at the bottom of the stairs and leaned against the banister.  He felt Adam was handling his brother’s just fine, and he could see Jessica was watching intently the interaction Adam had with his two younger brothers.

Hop Sing broke Ben’s concentration on the brothers and Jessica, “Mr. Cartwright, dinner is served.”

Ben walked over to where his sons and Jessica were standing.  “So these are my boys, Jessica, and we welcome you to The Ponderosa, and we look forward to getting to know you better.”

“Thank you, Mr. Cartwright,” she said through her laughter, “I’m looking forward to getting to know all of you as well.”

Ben and his two younger sons headed to the table while Adam put his arm around Jessica and followed behind.  Adam pulled out the extra chair placed next to Hoss, just to the right of the head of the table.  Joe took his seat at the other side of the table and Ben at the other end of the table near a small window.

As the night drew to a close, the Cartwrights said their goodbyes to Jessica and Adam as they left and Adam took Jessica to the lodge Adam had set up for her to stay at during their stay in Nevada.

On the way to Incline Village, Adam and Jessica spoke about his family and how much she enjoyed meeting them.  She commented Joe was a little more reserve than Adam had talked about him before her meeting him.

“He’s not shy, believe me.  I think he’s happy I’m home but still a little sore I didn’t come back at Thanksgiving.”

“I hope he doesn’t blame me for your decision.  I want him to like me and not look at me as a threat.”

Adam tried to put Jessica’s fears at ease, “I don’t think that’s the case at all, Babe.  Joe’s a sensitive boy; he always has been.  He’ll warm up to you.  He’s eight, and probably pre-pubescent.  I think he likes you just fine,”

Adam grabbed his woman’s hands and squeezed with a gentle reassurance.  Adam continued their conversation telling her he wished they had room in their current home for her but with only the three bedrooms and a sleeping quarters for Hop Sing, the only place for Jessica to sleep would be with Adam in his king size bed, and he didn’t think his father would approve.  Jessica laughed and agreed her parents wouldn’t have approved either.

Once back at Jessica’s hotel, Adam brought her suitcase in and placed it on the luggage stand.  Jessica looked around at the beautiful appointments of the room.

Adam took Jessica into his arms and dropped a tender kiss on her lips.

Jessica wrapped her hands around Adam’s neck and kissed him passionately.  Adam was at first taken by surprise of the forwardness of Jessica as he had not seen her react this way since the night they made love at his apartment.  Adam placed his hands on Jessica’s cheeks, and they fell into a smooth, passionate kiss.

When they parted, Jessica moved her arms around Adam’s waist and put her head to his chest.  Her emotions from not seeing Adam for a week overtook her, and she blurted out, “Oh, Adam, I’m so in love with you.  I never want to let you go!”

Adam continued to hold Jessica in his embrace, not saying anything, allowing the words sink in.  When Adam didn’t respond right away, Jessica worried she might have been to outward with her emotions to quickly but decided to remain calm because she had made her feelings known for better or worse.

After what seemed like an agonizing lifetime, Adam finally broke their embrace and stared into Jessica’s eyes.  She looked back into his, trying to figure out what the windows to his mind were saying.

“Jessica Bradley, I’m falling in love with you, too,” was his reply and he gently kissed her lips again.

“Let’s get you ready for bed; I need to get going before we do something we shouldn’t be.” 

Jessica agreed, and the two lovers went to each side of the bed and took down the bed covers before Adam departed back to the Ponderosa.

Adam and Jessica did not regret the night they allowed their emotions to become physical back at Cambridge, but both agreed they didn’t want their relationship to evolve into sex every time they were together because they still had so much to learn about each other. 

After Jessica’s bed was ready for sleep, Adam kissed Jessica goodnight and headed out the door. He had to keep his focus on heading home because turning around would allow his weakness to take over and returning to Jessica’s room, he didn’t think he’d be able to control the physical desires he was feeling for his woman.

When Adam returned home to the Ponderosa, Ben was still awake waiting, with a cup of coffee and sitting in his overstuffed leather chair.

“Jessica get settled in okay, son?” Ben asked as Adam hung up his jacket on the coat tree near the front door.

“Yes, I brought her luggage in and helped her take down the bed covers, and she saw me to the door.”  Adam didn’t elaborate on his desire to turn around, but instead took a long way home so he could calm his physical excitement before returning to The Ponderosa.

“I like Jessica, Adam, she’s simply gorgeous, and she seems to like you, A lot!” Ben said with his eyebrows raised.

“Dad, I know it seems fast, but I am falling in love with her, and she told me tonight she’s in love with me.  Dad, I think she’s the one,” he said as he poured himself a cup of coffee and sat on the settee across from his father.

“Don’t you think it’s a bit soon, Adam? What about Dana?”

“Dad quit bringing up Dana. She hasn’t attempted to contact me in months.  She’s never called here; I don’t even know how to reach her.  She’s my past, but Jessica is my present and future,” his voice annoyed.

“Alright, son, I won’t bring up Dana anymore….”

“I don’t want to talk about her again, Dad,” Adam demanded.  “I thought I loved her, but now that Jessica’s in my life, what I feel for her is pure love, a deeper love.  I’m learning with the love I have for Jessica is real and pure, the love I had for Dana was a puppy love; it was not lasting. She probably realized that in Germany over the summer and that’s why she decided not to get back in touch with me when she returned.  We were high school sweethearts, and that’s how I want to leave it.”

“I understand, Adam.  I do like Jessica, and I think she’s right for you.  I just want you to be sure that’s all.”

“Dad, I’ve never been more certain than when I applied to Harvard.  I knew the day I laid eyes on her; she would be the woman I would one day marry.  I know it sounds cliche,” Adam said as he got up and started to head toward the stairs to go to bed.  He turned around and looked at his father intently;

“I don’t plan to get married until I’m out of college.  I’m pretty sure Jess feels the same way.  Goodnight, Dad.”

Adam and Jessica spent the rest of their holiday break in and around the Tahoe area, and Jessica got to know the Cartwrights better.  They traveled back to Cambridge a week before school started to get ready for their spring semester.  Adam told Jessica he planned to return to Nevada for the summer.  He took a course in structural engineering and worked with an architect and his father on plans they drew up for the new dream home Adam and his father planned to build for the two of them, Hoss and Joe. 

Adam invited Jessica to spend the summer with him and told her she was welcome as long as she wanted to stay.  Jessica knew Adam was the man she saw herself spending the rest of her life with, and she wanted to continue to get to know him and his family better and spent most of the summers of their college years with him in Nevada.  Since Jessica’s home was closer to Harvard, they would travel there and spend long weekends with Jessica’s family, and they grew to accept and love Adam as they saw their relationship blooming into love.

 

When They Were Young ~ Chapter 3

Adam and Jessica’s college years flew by, and they found themselves getting ready the for the final semester of their senior year. 

Since they had been splitting their time between Connecticut and Nevada during the holidays, Adam and Jessica decided to spend their last new years in Cambridge together and celebrate the 1st Night celebrations in Boston.  Adam had a big night planned for him and Jessica and booked a hotel room for the couple at the Copley Plaza Hotel at Copley Place.

The couple checked in early so they could get dressed warmly for the annual parade down Boylston St.  The night air was cold, brisk, and a gentle snow was falling on the festivities.  It didn’t hinder the hearts and minds of everyone who was celebrating the end of one year and the beginning of the next.

After the parade, Adam and Jessica jumped on the MTA back to the hotel to get dressed for their dinner reservations at 9:00 P.M at the Top of the Hub restaurant at the top of Prudential Center.  Once seated at the cozy table for two overlooking the city lights of Boston, Adam ordered a bottle of champagne.  With the champagne, the sommelier delivered a bouquet of fresh long stem red roses as well.  Jessica was all smiles at the romantic date Adam had planned for their last new years as college students.  The couple enjoyed a pleasant conversation over champagne and a deluxe four-course dinner for two.  When both Adam and Jessica had finished their entree, the pastry chef delivered a beautiful dessert presentation Adam had pre-arranged.  Adam had worked with the pastry chef to create a very special dessert to celebrate the very particular occasion he’d planned.  The pastry chef created a made from scratch cake designed like a quilted ring box opened.  Inside the ring box, Adam had provided the engagement ring the previous day to the restaurant manager and the pastry chef inserted the ring inside the culinary masterpiece.  The cake arrived at the table, and he put the cake in front of Jessica.  At first, Jessica was admiring the incredible detail of the cake and didn’t realize the one item in the middle of the cake was indeed a real ring and not edible until she saw the sparkle of the diamond from the dimly lit lights above the table.   Once she realized what was happening, she gasped and covered her mouth.  She looked up at Adam, who was getting up from his seat to come next to her.  As the guest around the couple saw what was happening, they all stopped and watched the very romantic scene unfolding in front of them.  Even the very attentive wait staff had stopped and watched the couple with smiles filling their faces.

“Adam?”  Jessica said as her eyes filled will with happy tears.

“Yes, Jessica!” Adam’s voice shook as he took the Tacori Classic Crescent Halo engagement ring from the center of the cake, as he got down on one knee and took Jessica’s shaking left hand into his.

“Babe, I love you.  I’ve loved you from the first day I saw you in Freshman English.  Today is the day I ask you, Jessica, will you marry me?”

“Adam, yes! Yes, I’ll marry you!” Jessica said as Adam placed the ring on her left ring finger. 

The couple stood up and took each other into their arms and gave each other a passionate kiss as the patrons and staff in the dining room where Jessica and Adam sat, applauded.  When they broke their kiss, they turned to the guests in the dining room, and Adam shouted, “She said yes!” and held up Jessica’s left hand, and the patrons applauded louder, and some even whistled.

When Adam and Jessica finally sat back down, their waiter came and took the cake away for cutting as it was their dessert.  The wine steward came back and poured two more glasses of champagne so Adam and Jessica could toast their new engagement.  As they were enjoying their final course, the guests around them who were leaving stopped by their table, shook each of their hands and congratulated the couple on their engagement and thanked them for allowing them to share in their happy moment.

After leaving Top of the Hub restaurant, the couple headed back to their suite at the Copley Place Hotel to get dressed in more casual, but warm clothes and they headed down to the banks of the Charles River, where they would bring in the new year and watch the magnificent firework display shortly after midnight.

When the couple arrived shortly after 11:00 P.M., the banks of the river were already crowded with revelers ready countdown to the new year.

There was a band playing on a stage nearby, and vendors were set up along the banks of the river selling the new year and 1st Night memorabilia.  The newly engaged couple stopped, and Adam bought glow necklaces and placed them around Jessica’s neck.  He also purchased a new year’s hat for himself and tiara for Jessica to wear.  Adam and Jessica joined in the dancing and fun with the other visitors and Boston residences who were enjoying the last hour of the current year.

As the clock drew close to midnight, the emcee of the evening got on stage and thanked everyone who had made Boston’s annual 1st Night celebrations a success and mentioned all of the major sponsors of 1st Night and the spectacular fireworks display just after midnight.  As the final ten seconds counted down and the clock struck twelve, the band on stage started singing, Auld Lang Syne, and many of the couples held their partners and kissed them into the new year.

“Happy new year, my beloved fiancee,” Adam said as he took Jessica into his arms, and kissed her passionately on her lips.

The sound of the boom signaled the first of the fireworks which broke their kiss, and they both watched the spectacular non-stop display of fireworks for the first twenty minutes of the new year.

Once the fireworks were over, and only the smoke from the pyrotechnics display was left, the couple made their way back to Copley Plaza Hotel and went to their suite where they had found rose petals scattered on the top of the bed.

Adam took Jessica’s coat, scarf, and gloves from her and hung them in the closet with his winter coverings.  Adam rejoined his new fiancee and corked the bottle of champagne the housekeeping staff had left next to the bed.  He poured each of them a glass of bubbly, and they again toasted in the new year, and Adam took his bride-to-be’s glass from her and pulled her into his embrace. 

“Join me for a shower?” he whispered as he nibbled on Jessica’s ear.

Jessica felt her body come alive as she felt Adam’s excitement pressed against her.

The couple undressed each other, and they headed to the bathroom where Adam turned on the shower.  They stepped in and warmed their chilled bodies from spending a long time in the bitterly cold new year’s eve air.  Once they had warmed themselves, they stepped out of the shower and dried each other off.  Adam carried Jessica into the bedroom and placed her on the bed, where they shared their first night together as future bride and groom.

The morning rays showed through the curtains which woke Adam from his sleep.  Adam found Jessica sleeping on her back next to him, her hair sprawled in a tangled mess on the pillow, with the covers down at her waist, and one leg was laying on top of them.  He propped himself up on his arm and watched his love sleeping soundly, studying her well-defined arms, her small but firm breasts with erect nipples, and gently sculpted abs.  Adam drew his finger down her neck and through her cleavage to her bellybutton.  Jessica stirred but didn’t wake up as she was a sound sleeper.  Adam feeling randy, laid down next to Jessica and gently assaulted her neck with his tongue and then moved down her chest filling his mouth with one of her breasts as one of his hands made its way under the covers between her legs.  Jessica, being a hard sleeper, only twisted as her body unconsciously reacted to Adams hand and tongue.  She woke up and found Adam pleasuring her and she closed her eyes and smiled as she could see Adam was clearly enjoying himself.

“Mmmm, now this is the way every man should wake up his woman in the morning,” she said twisting as she felt a slight tingle growing stronger between her legs.

Adam looked up at his woman, smiled, and resumed his loving advancements on her body.  Adam gently kissed down her midsection and moved the covers to expose her body, and his tongue continued until he brought his future wife to a euphoric high.  She then turned over on him and returned the same pleasure to him.

As they laid in bed embraced in each other’s arms, their bodies silken with a mist of sweat; Adam kissed Jessica’s matted hair.

“This morning’s activities have made me hungry, shall I call room service?”

Jessica sighed, she was on the highest cloud possible.  She had expressed her love to her man, body, mind, and spirit.

“Sounds, good, Babe, I’m going to go take a shower.  Order breakfast and then join me, she winked as she got out of bed and headed toward the bathroom. 

Adam watched her walk away and admired the curves of her waist and her small firm buttocks.  Adam shivered as he saw her turn into the bathroom and heard the shower turn on.

Adam grabbed the room service menu from the desk, picked up the phone and placed an order for a breakfast feast for two.  The room service attendant advised Adam they would be up to their room with a table in about 15-20 mins.  Adam quickly got into the shower with Jessica and told her they would be at their suite soon, so they needed to clean themselves as fast as possible.

After the shower, Jessica put on one of the hotel’s robes and was towel drying her hair when she heard a light knock on the door and a muffled voice from the other side say, “room service.”

“Adam, breakfast is here,” she yelled into the bathroom where Adam was finishing shaving his overnight beard.

Adam, who had also put on the other robe the hotel had left for their guests to use, went to the door to let the service butler in with the table.

“Good morning, Ma’am, Sir, happy new year to you both,” he said as he wheeled the well-appointed table dressed in a white linen table cloth with matching napkins, fine bone china, silver flatware and lead crystal. “Where shall I set up your breakfast?” he asked.

“Just over there would be fine,” Adam said as he watched Jessica take her wet towel into the bathroom.

While Adam was taking care of the service Butler, Jessica finished drying her hair with the blowdryer in the bathroom.  After the butler had left, Jessica came back into the main room where Adam was pouring hot water into a teacup with a teabag in it and then himself a cup of coffee.

“This looks so good, thank you,” Jessica said as she took the teacup from Adam’s hand as he pulled out the chair which room service also brought in for the table.

“What can I serve to you, Jess? There is eggs, bacon, sausage, an assortment of pastries and bread…”

“Everything looks fantastic, Adam, and I’m hungry,” she smiled as she took the tea bag from her cup and placed it on the cup’s plate.

Adam dished out eggs onto his plate and put a slice of bacon with a half bagel on the plate.  Jessica put the napkin in her lap and waited for Adam to pour a glass of fresh squeezed orange juice for each of them as well as fill up his plate with eggs, bacon, a sausage patty, and toast.  Once they were both seated, they picked up their orange juice glasses and toasted their first full day as future bride and groom and wished each other for a long happy life and marriage together.

After breakfast, they got dressed, and before calling for the bellman to get their luggage, the couple called Jessica’s parents and shared the news of their engagement. 

“Hi Mommy, is Daddy around? I would like for you to both be on the phone at the same time.  Adam and I have something to tell you.”

“Hi, honey, Adam,” Charlotte said with a happy tone to her voice. “Happy new year to you both, let me get Daddy, just a minute.”

Adam picked up Jessica’s left hand and looked at the sparkling ring which adorned her left ring finger and then lifted it to his lips and laid a gentle kiss on the top of her finger.

“Hey, sweetheart, happy new year to you and Adam,” Glenn, Jessica’s father said as he picked up the phone and placed it between his and Charlotte’s ear so they could each hear the news Jessica and Adam had to share.

After exchanging holiday pleasantries, Jessica broke the happy news of their engagement.

“Mommy, Daddy, Adam asked me to marry him last night, and I said yes!” Jessica’s voice became more excited as she broke the exciting news to her parents.

“Oh, honey, congratulations!  Adam, we’re so happy for you both, welcome to our family,” Charlotte’s voice was filled with joy.

“Daddy’s happy for you both, my darling, congratulations, Jessica, Adam,” Glenn replied with the same amount of pleasure his wife had shared.

“Thank you, Glenn, Charlotte, I planned a romantic evening around popping the question so I hoped she’d say yes,” Adam winked at Jessica.

“Like I would say no? fat chance of that happening,” Jessica laughed and leaned over to give Adam a gentle kiss on his lips.

“She wondered at Thanksgiving if you were ever going to pop the question,” Charlotte commented.  “She said you had talked about a future together many times but wondered what was holding you back,”

“It wasn’t that I had reservations or hesitation, Charlotte.  I had always planned to propose to Jess; I wanted to wait until we were both seniors.  I wanted to make sure we would be in a place to finish college first and not be tempted to get married sooner and delay graduating.”

“I think that’s a smart move on your part, son, even though you’re a Harvard man,” Glenn chuckled.

“Oh, Daddy,” Jessica sighed and laughed.

They enjoyed a few more minutes on the phone with Jessica’s parents, and when her brother came into the room where her parents were, they put him on the phone so Adam and Jessica could share the news with him as well.  Austin was jubilant for his sister and future brother-in-law.  Since it was still too early in Nevada, the couple had to wait a few more hours before Adam and Jessica could inform Ben, Hoss, and Joe, Adam, and Jessica were betrothed to each other.

After checking out of their hotel in Boston, the couple drove home to Adam’s apartment, and they sat down to call Ben in Nevada.

“Cartwright residence, Ben speaking,” was the voice who answered the phone.

“Dad, it’s Adam and Jessica.”

“Hi, Ben, happy new year!” Jessica said with excitement in her voice.

“Well hello there, you, two, did you have a nice new year’s celebration?”

“Dad, we had an awesome time.  I reserved a room in Boston because of the traffic congestion for 1st Night, and I took Jess to Top of the Hub for dinner after the parade on Boylston.  We ended the year down by the banks of the Charles for a big fireworks display at midnight.”

“And, Ben…” Jessica said with excitement, “we’re engaged! Adam asked me to marry him last night!” Jessica couldn’t hold back the excitement any longer.

“Well, you finally did it, didn’t you?  Adam told me he wanted to ask you when you were both seniors, but he didn’t say when.  Congratulations, sweetheart.  I can’t think of a better woman to have as my daughter.”

“Thank you, Ben.” Jessica blushed.

“I suppose congratulations are for you, too, son!” Ben laughed.

“Thanks, Dad, I’m very blessed this amazing woman said yes to me last night.”

Ben got Hoss, and Joe on the phone and Adam shared the couple’s joyful news with them, and they were as exuberant at the news as their father was. 

Before they hung up, Ben said, “Jessica, please call me Dad now.  I can’t tell you how thrilled I am to have a new daughter in my family.  Welcome again, my dear.”

“Thank you, Dad, it would be my honor.”

After hanging up, Jessica curled up in Adam’s arms on his couch.  She looked at him, and they stared into each other’s eyes for a few moments.

“Jessica Cartwright.  It has a fantastic sound,” Adam said as he dropped a kiss on her forehead.

“I can’t wait to become Jessica Cartwright officially, Adam,” she smiled up at her man. “but I agree, we need to finish school first.”

Jessica laid her head back down on Adam’s chest and closed her eyes, but the smile remained as she thought about the day she would make her lifelong vows to the man she loved.

“Jess?” Adam asked softly.

“What is it, babe?” she asked continuing to keep her head on Adam’s chest and her eyes closed.

“I would like to get married as soon as we’re out of school if that’s okay with you.”

Jessica looked up at Adam and studied his face.  She could see he was serious about wanting to get married in about six months.

“Adam?”  Jessica asked, looking straight into Adam’s eyes.

“What?” he replied, not knowing what she might say next.

“Would you be okay getting married in Nevada? It’s so beautiful there.”

Adam pulled back and helped Jessica sit up so they could look at each other as they discussed plans relevant to their life commitment.

“Oh, Jess! Do you want to get married in Nevada?  I thought you always wanted a big formal church wedding at the family church you grew up in?” Adam asked wanting to make sure of what type of wedding his woman wanted.

“Oh Adam, I know a lot of girls dream of the day they’ll have a big white wedding in a church with a lot of guests and a big flowing dress, but for me, it’s about us and our marriage to each other.  I just want to marry you!  I can still have a lovely dress, but I can’t imagine any more beautiful place on earth to vow the rest of my life to you.”

Adam hugged Jessica and thanked her for the wonderful gift she had given him by wanting to have their wedding in Nevada.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just after school had started, Jessica’s father, Glenn, had suffered a mild stroke and landed in the hospital.  Jessica was worried sick for her father’s health.  Charlotte told Jessica to stay in Cambridge at Harvard since her father was in the hospital, and out of danger of dying and there wasn’t anything more she could do.  Jessica was under an enormous amount of stress and would often stay with Adam and Steve because she was so scared of losing her father and found solace with her fiancé.  She and Adam traveled to Connecticut every weekend to see her father and help her mother while her father recovered at the rehab hospital and finally at home.

Jessica was feeling the stress of finals and rotation at Brigham and Women’s Medical Center as a student nurse.  She fainted at the nurse’s station and a young doctor, Joe Gannon, who was going over orders he had just noted in a patient’s chart, caught her as she started to fall.

She woke up on a gurney in one of the exam rooms just off the nurse’s station.  Dr. Gannon was standing over her, as he had just checked her pupils with his pen flashlight.

“You gave us all a scare, young lady.  You need to take it easy.  I want you to go home and rest for the remainder of the day, understood?”

Jessica started to sit up saying, “Dr. Gannon, I can’t…” and she felt the room start to spin again and laid back down on the gurney.

“I can’t nothing, Jessica Bradley.  It’s not a request; it’s an order.  I’m going to have Nicole draw blood.  I want you to lie down until you know you’re safe to get up, understood?” Dr. Gannon patted Jessica’s shoulder.

“You told me your father had a stroke, you’re nearing finals and board exams, so it’s possible the stress has been too much for you.  I’ll check your blood work and prescribe medication if needed, to address any deficiencies.  Is there anyone we can call to come and get you?”

“Thank you, Dr. Gannon, yes, please call my fiancé, Adam Cartwright,” Jessica said as she placed her hand on her forehead, closing her eyes.

Adam arrived at the hospital with his best friend, Steve.  Dr. Gannon showed them into the exam room where Jessica was resting on the gurney.  Adam rushed to Jessica’s side, and once Steve saw Jessica was not in any danger, he motioned to Dr. Gannon he would wait outside so he could speak to Adam about what happened with Jessica and any other pertinent information about precautions she needed to take going forward.

“Babe, Nicole called me; I was having lunch with Steve at the student center, and we were studying.  What happened?”

“I was writing orders in a patient’s chart when I saw her eyes roll into her head, and she started to fall.  I caught her and carried her in here,” Dr. Gannon explained to Adam.

Adam looked down at Jessica, his eyebrows furrowed and his face racked with worry. “What caused her to faint?” Adam looked back up at Dr. Gannon, who was looking down at Jessica, watching her intently.

“It’s probably a combination of things, Adam.  She’s worried about her father’s health, she’s working long hours here at the hospital, studying for finals and nursing board exams, it’s just all caught up with her.  I got the results of your blood work, Jessica.  You’re B12’s low, so I’m going to give you a B12 shot.  I’m also going to prescribe some medication to help with other deficiencies found.  You need to take it easy for a few days.”

“Thank you, Dr. Gannon, I’ll make sure she does,” Adam said, squeezing Jessica’s hand.

Dr. Gannon left, and he told Steve he could come back in.  Jessica was groggy, so Adam filled Steve in on what had happened and that he wanted Jessica to move into their apartment until the end of school so he could watch her and make sure she found a balance between her student nursing and preparing for final exams at school.  Steve agreed with Adam and told Jessica he loved and cared for his best friend’s girl and didn’t want anything else happening to her.

Nicole entered the room with a shot to give Jessica.  Steve motioned he would wait outside, but Jessica told him to stay.  Jessica sat up, and Nicole helped her remove her scrub top and long-sleeve t-shirt underneath.  Steve turned to give her privacy while Nicole administered the B12 injection into her right deltoid muscle. Nicole placed a plaster over the injection site, and Adam helped Jessica get dressed and ordered her to lay back down.

“You should already be feeling better, but Dr. Gannon would like you to rest here for about twenty more minutes before leaving just to make sure you’re strong and steady enough.”

Nicole and Steve smiled and nodded at each other when she inserted the empty syringe into the container for used needles, and she walked out.

Steve smiled, “She’s a looker, is she taken?”

“Yes, unfortunately, she is, Steve, sorry.  She just got married over the holiday break,” Jessica said looking over at her dear friend.

“Sucks to be me sometimes,” Steve laughed as he bent down and dropped a kiss on Jessica’s forehead. 

“I wouldn’t exactly say Amanda’s hard on the eyes, my friend,” Adam laughed.

“No, she’s not, and I am a lucky guy to have such an amazing girlfriend.  It doesn’t hurt to look, as long as I don’t touch, Amanda’s always reminding me,” Steve winked.  “I’m leaving now.  Adam can drive you home in your car, Jess.  I brought him over in mine.  I’ll see you back at the apartment.  Love you both.”

“Thanks for bringing Adam, Steve, love you, too,” Jessica said with a tired voice.

Steve and Adam shook hands and gave each other a light hug.  “Glad she’s okay, man.  Love ya, bro, see you both back at the apartment.”

“Love you, too, man, thanks for bringing me.  We’ll stop at Jessica’s dorm, grab some things, and then we’ll be home shortly afterward.  Thanks again.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As the weeks went by and the cold, harsh winter had started to thaw into spring, Jessica’s father was gaining strength every day and was able to walk again with just the assistance of a cane.  As the end of the semester started to draw to a close, Adam and Jessica saw less of each other as they were both consumed with making sure they had as much time to study as possible.  Steve applied and got accepted to law school in Dallas, Texas at Southern Methodist University.  Once Steve had earned his degree at Harvard, he and Amanda settled into their new apartment in Dallas near SMU; his plans were to move his belongings from the flat he shared with Adam to Dallas.  Because Steve had to enroll in school as well as get himself and Amanda settled, they planned to travel to Reno a few days before the wedding and stay at the hotel of Adam and Jessica’s rehearsal dinner.  Adam had asked Steve to be best man the day he and Jessica announced they were getting married.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After graduation had ended, Jessica postponed her nursing board exams in Nevada so she and Charlotte could concentrate on her wedding to Adam.  Adam had sold his apartment and moved back to Nevada once graduation was over.  Ben drove back from Cambridge with Adam, as well as his and Jessica’s belongings while Hop Sing flew back with the boys.  After a few weeks back home in Connecticut, Charlotte and Jessica traveled to Nevada with Jessica’s brother, Austin, and her father a few weeks later.  Glenn had worked hard in rehabilitation so he would be well enough to escort his only daughter down the aisle on her wedding day.

A week before Jessica and Adam’s wedding, Jessica, her brother Austin, and their parents, Charlotte and Glenn, checked in at the Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe resort.  After the nuptial rehearsal aboard the Tahoe Paradise, the evening before the sunset wedding aboard the luxurious yacht, Ben hosted the rehearsal dinner.  The rehearsal dinner included the bride and groom’s families, the attendants and special guests on the Ritz-Carlton’s ballroom terrace which overlooked the Martis Valley, with its towering pines and ski lifts which created a magnificent setting for the sunset dinner.  Jessica wore an elegant soft pink short sun dress, and Adam wore white pants with a blue linen shirt. Hotel staff passed hors d’oeuvres for the first hour upon everyone’s arrival.  Soft music played in the background as guests retrieved their choice of beer, wine, or spirits from the hosted bar set up next to the entrance of the grand ballroom.  Adam and Jessica made their way to each of the guests who had made the trip out west to witness their beginning together as husband and wife.  Ben, Glenn, and Charlotte spoke about the future of their children’s lives in Nevada and Ben explained how Adam would be assuming the role of vice president of Cartwright, Inc. upon the return from their honeymoon in Fiji.

“My son has been here with me from the beginning.  He’s sacrificed blood sweat and tears with me as I began this new business, sometimes losing everything for the greater good.  I want to reward him with this position.  I’ve groomed him for this day.  He’s now educated and ready to assume his role in the company.  I know one day I’ll be able to leave it in good hands with him leading the way,” Ben said proudly.

“Jessie has decided she would like to be a nurse for a few years before they have a family,” Charlotte spoke about her daughter.  “She already has a job lined up at the hospital pending her passing the Nevada state nursing board exams.  She says she’s nervous but feels she’s ready.”

“Yes, I know.  Adam and Jessica purchased a home in Carson City so they can both be closer to their jobs,” Ben replied sadly.  “I’ve bought the land now known as  The Ponderosa as a legacy for my children so they can build and live on the land I worked hard to provide for them, their children, and their children’s children.  I guess I can’t be too sad, though.  I am blessed they are living close by.”

Charlotte leaned on her husband.  “Ben, it’s been an adjustment for Glenn and I.  We’ve known one day our beautiful girl would marry and start her family.  Of course, we’d hoped it would be in Connecticut, but we’re so happy with Adam as our new son-in-law, and besides, that’s what planes were invented for,”  Charlotte smiled.

After about an hour, the DJ who was leading the evening’s musical entertainment called everyone to the beautifully decorated tables on the other side of the deck for dinner.  As everyone seated themselves at the assigned seats with their name cards in front of the plates, the hotel staff came around with bottles of white and red wine, pouring the guest’s selection into the glass; the water glasses had already been pre-filled before their arrival.  Ben took his seat at the head of the main table with Adam and Jessica to his right and Charlotte and Glenn to his left and the wedding party seated after the siblings in order of their importance.

After a dinner of filet mignon, roasted tender baby carrots, and fingerling potatoes, the guests enjoyed vanilla crème brulée with chocolate madeleines and fresh berries which finished off the evening.  With dessert served and champagne poured, Steve, Adam’s best man, got up to propose the first toast.

“Good evening, everyone.  For those of you whom I’ve not had the pleasure to meet, my name is Steve, and I’m Adam’s best man.  Adam and I met at Harvard.  We instantly hit it off, and after the first semester, he invited me to move in with him at his apartment as dorm life was not in agreement with me.  I knew I had a friend for life when I met Adam.  When he introduced me to Jessica, I could immediately see the connection these two had with each other and their love showed no boundaries.  Adam and Jessica always tried to set me up with different lady friends of theirs, but it wasn’t until this woman to my right, Amanda,” Steve gestured to his beautiful girlfriend, “who Adam is responsible for bringing us together, I finally had found a keeper.  Adam is like a brother to me.  You see, I lost my only other brother and sibling when I was a young teenager.  I’ll always be there for Adam whenever he needs me, just like my brother Tom would have been for me had he still been alive.  I have no doubt Adam will do the same for me.  So I ask everyone to please raise your glass in a toast to my best friend, Adam, and his bride, Jessica.  May you live many years of love that’s unyielding and be blessed with beautiful children to continue the Cartwright legacy.”

Everyone toasted the young couple as Adam and Jessica stood up and hugged Steve and his girlfriend, Amanda.

Belinda, Jessica’s best friend, was the next to speak.

“Wow, Steve, how do I follow-up after such beautiful words about such an amazing couple?”

The invited guest chuckled, but Belinda soon spoke words from her heart about her lifelong best friend.

“We go back a long way, Jessie, you and I.  Jess and met in grade school, second grade, I think it was.  She always wanted to be a nurse and I a doctor.  We always planned to go to college; she would get her nursing degree, and I would move on to medical school, and one day we planned to join Doctors Without Borders, and we wanted to travel the world, helping those who needed us most.  Neither one of us thought about boys when we were in grade school; Jessie and I just knew we wanted to help heal people and that we would be a great team, just like when we played nurse and doctor with our dolls.  It never entered our minds we would grow up, fall in love, get married, and build new families.  For when you’re eight years old, and you have a dream, the only people in your dreams are those you aspire to help.  When we were both accepted to Harvard, I thought Mr. Bradley would cry crimson tears for the rest of his life,” everyone chuckled again. “Mr. Bradley was like my second father and he preached to Jessie and me daily how we had to study hard, get good grades and we would make it to Yale, little did he know the older we got, the more we realized Harvard was calling both of our names.  When I met Adam for the first time, I saw why Jessica’s dreams had changed.  We often spoke about how she fell in love with Adam after their first date, and while she loved the thought of us always being together, helping others with our medical training, her heart now was leading her in a different direction, and it was to the side of Adam Cartwright.  Like Steve, I could see the amazing connection they both had with each other, and I was so happy for my best friend, too.”  Belinda raised her glass to Adam and Jessica. “Jess and Adam, may you be blessed in your marriage and may you always find happiness and love with each other.”

Once the honored attendants made their toasts, Glenn, Jessica’s father stood up and spoke next. 

“Ben, thank you for hosting this lovely dinner for everyone tonight.  Charlotte, Austin, and I are grateful to you and your family for the wonderful hospitality you’ve shown to us while we’ve been here in Nevada.  I think Belinda said it best when I found out my daughter and her best friend, my second daughter as I always call her, were going to Harvard; I did cry many tears because it was always my dream for Jessie to follow in my footsteps and attend Yale.  But! had she done so, she wouldn’t have ever met Adam, so for that,” Glenn started to choke up, “I’m grateful she followed her dream and went to Harvard.”  Glenn took a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped his eyes and Charlotte rubbed her husband’s arm. “It’s always been a dream of ours,” Glenn composed himself and began again, “to see our daughter grow up into the beautiful, successful, talented, and smart woman she is today.  It’s always been our hope she would then find a good, decent man to fall in love with, marry, and start a family of their own, and the first part has finally come true.  We can’t tell you how lucky we are to have Adam become a member of our family.”

Glenn rose his glass to his daughter and future son-in-law and said,  “Jessie, Adam, may the happiness and love you feel today be with you always.”

When Glenn sat down, Ben stood up.  “I would like to start off by saying all of the words spoken this evening in honor of Jessica and Adam have been words of love, wisdom, and true friendship.  To say our children our blessed would be an understatement, but I’m going to say it anyway because they are.”  Ben looked down at his glass he was holding, trying to say the next words without letting his emotions take over.  “Twenty-two years ago, when Adam’s mother and I brought him into the world and I held him for the first time, I knew he was going to be someone special with a lot to give.  Not just because Adam was our first born, but he was the son of a vivacious woman who was full of life and knew what it took to dream big and see those dreams to fruition.  Elizabeth only enjoyed two weeks with her son before her life ended prematurely, but I vowed to her I would make sure Adam would grow into the man I knew she always dreamed he’d be and is today.  “Elizabeth, my love,” Ben looked up to the heavens and started to cry, “You’d love Jessica.  She loves our son just as much as we love him, and I know you’re looking down on them now and showering them with your heavenly blessings.”  Ben stood for a few more minutes trying to compose himself again. Jessica had tears in her eyes and had wrapped her arm around Adam and placed her head on his arm.  Adam sat still with his head bowed, and eyes closed, trying to imprison the tears which were trying to escape.  Ben cleared his throat and looked around at all of the guests, smiled and said, “Thank you for coming tonight, and may God bless you all.”

After Ben had sat back down and everyone had composed themselves from the very moving tributes to the young couple, they all finished their desserts and after dinner liquor, coffee, or tea.  When the hour arrived for Adam and Jessica to say their goodnights, Charlotte and Glenn walked Ben, Hoss, and Joe to Ben’s car to give Adam some time alone with his bride for the last time before he would see her again walking down the aisle to marry him.

They stood at the railing, looking out into the darkness with only the lights illuminating the deck they were standing on.  Adam took Jessica into his arms, and they stood in each other’s embrace for a few moments without saying anything.

“The next time I see you, you’ll be walking to me to become my wife.”

“I can’t believe this day is finally here.  I’ve been looking forward to this for almost four years now.”

Adam smiled as he looked down at Jessica’s face.  “You ready to become Mrs. Jessica Cartwright tomorrow?”

“I’ve never been more ready for anything, Mr. Cartwright.”

Adam held Jessica tight in his arms one last time.  He then lifted her face and bent down and kissed her tenderly on the lips and whispered, “The next time I kiss these lips, they will be the lips of my wife.”

Jessica stood there with her eyes closed with a smile on those very lips.  They walked arm and arm to Ben’s car where he, Hoss, Joe, Hop Sing, Charlotte, and Glenn were waiting; Austin had already returned to their suite.

“There they are,” Ben smiled as he saw his son and soon to be daughter in law.

Adam gave Jessica one last hug but did not kiss her again.  He wanted his next kiss, as he had told her, to be to his wife after they had committed themselves to each other for life the next day.

Adam and Ben got into Ben’s Escalade while Jessica, Charlotte, and Glenn watched as the red tail lights faded away.

“I can’t believe I’ll be marrying my best friend tomorrow, Daddy,” Jessica said as she wrapped her arms around her father and mother as they walked back to the hotel together.

“Baby girl, we’re so proud of you.  When we get back upstairs, I have something I would like to share with you for tomorrow…something borrowed,” Charlotte said.

“Oh, Mommy, thank you!  I have my something old, the sixpence you had saved from when granny and papa, and you lived in England for a short time in the 60’s, my something new, which is my dress, and something blue, my garter, so all I need is my borrowed.”

When the threesome returned upstairs, they found Austin was already in bed.  He’d had a full day with Adam and Steve boating on Lake Tahoe.  Glenn retired to the other bedroom in their suite to give Charlotte and Jessica some much-needed mother/daughter time alone. 

Jessica sat on the couch in the main living area while Charlotte went into the bedroom she shared with Glenn for a few minutes.  When she returned, she had a box in her hands.  She sat down next to Jessica and opened the box.  Inside was a pearl necklace with a diamond and emerald encrusted clasp with earrings, the same as the clasp with delicate pearls dangling below. 

“Mommy! these were granny’s weren’t they?”

“Yes, granny left them to me when she died.  Papa gave them to her on their wedding day.  I wore them on my wedding day to your father, and I want you to wear them as your something borrowed tomorrow at your wedding,” Charlotte smiled at her daughter.

Jessica leaned over and hugged her mother’s neck.  “I’ll be honored to wear them tomorrow, Mommy.  I’ll feel granny’s spirit with me wearing the jewelry you both wore on your wedding day.”

The hour was growing late, and Charlotte told her daughter they needed to think about getting some sleep as the next day would be a long but happy day.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The morning of Jessica and Adam’s wedding had finally arrived.  Glenn and Charlotte were the first to wake up and ordered room service for the family’s breakfast.  Austin woke up to his parent’s talking in the main living area and went out to wish them a good morning.  Charlotte inquired about Jessica, and he told his parents his sister had a restless night, and they both had woken up around 2:00 A.M. and talked until about 5:00 A.M. Since breakfast would be another half hour, Charlotte allowed her daughter to sleep a little while longer.

“Jessica’s excited but nervous about today, Mom,” Austin told his parents as he was pouring himself a cup of coffee.  Her nerves are getting to her.  Her fears are of being able to be a good wife to Adam and eventual mother their kids.”

“Do you think she’s feels she’s ready to get married, Austin?” Glenn asked his son.

“No doubt, Dad, she loves Adam, and she can’t wait to marry him, I think it’s just living across the country in a new new area with her husband that’s a bit scary to her.  Jess is tough; she’ll be okay.” Austin said as he sat down on the sofa.

Once room service had arrived, Charlotte went to the bedroom Jessica, and Austin shared.  Jessica was sleeping soundly, and Charlotte decided to let her continue to sleep.  She knew she needed her rest for in a few hours; things would start gearing up in the Bradley suite in anticipation of the upcoming wedding aboard the Tahoe Paradise Yacht.

Several hours later, the time had come to depart for Lake Tahoe.  Charlotte and Austin had headed to the limousine waiting for everyone downstairs.  Glenn was left in the suite waiting for the final touches to be made to Jessica’s hair and makeup before she revealed herself to her father for the first time in her wedding dress. 

Glenn was putting his tuxedo jacket on when he heard, “I’m ready, Daddy,” behind him.  He turned to see his daughter as a bride for the first time; he was speechless.

Jessica’s dress was a full ballgown dress made of white satin silk with a sweetheart neckline.  Silk lace covered the front bodice to the waist and the full length of both arms.  The back of the lace bodice included a dramatic heart cut out with crystals and sequins strategically placed across the entire bodice and sleeves with a matching lace edge across the bottom of the skirt and chapel length train.  A soft up-do with curls falling on each side of her face and a crystal infused fingertip tool veil attached at the back of her hair finished the bridal look.

Glenn caught his breath as he turned to see his daughter for the first time as a bride. 

“Baby, you look gorgeous,” he said as he came to Jessica and gave her a hug.

“Daddy, I don’t want to cry!   Mommy gave me her pearls granny gave to her when she died.  She told me she wore them on your wedding day.”

“Yes she did, and she looked as lovely in them back then as you do today, my baby girl.  By the way, I have your something old.”

Glenn pulled the sixpence from his pocket.  Jessica held onto her father’s shoulder as she slipped off her left shoe and handed it to him to place the old British coin in her shoe. 

“It’s customary for the sixpence to be put in the daughter’s shoe on her wedding day by her father,” Glenn explained to Jessica as he placed the coin in her shoe and put it back on the ground for Jessica to slip back on.  “It’s done as a symbol by me to wish you all the blessings a father can give to his daughter.  It also symbolizes good health for you and Adam as well as great wealth.  Most importantly, though, it is to ensure you great happiness.”

Jessica gave her father a gentle kiss on his cheek, and she thanked him for his blessings and wishes for her and Adam’s marriage.  Glenn handed Jessica her bouquet of stephanotis and soft pink roses.  He placed his arm out for Jessica to hold and the two walked downstairs to the waiting limousine to take the Bradley’s to the shores of Lake Tahoe to board the yacht for Jessica and Adam to be married.

Once the fifty guests took their seats, and the vessel set sail, the ceremony began.  Adam and Jessica vowed their love and promises to each other and were pronounced husband and wife.  As the photographer took pictures of the couple and wedding party off the bow of the yacht with the majestic blue waters of Lake Tahoe, the large pine trees and snow tipped covered mountains were in the background; the guests enjoyed cocktails with quiet jazz music in the background.  After all of the pictures were taken, the new Mr. and Mrs. Cartwright joined the rest of the friends and family who had gathered together with them on their special day.

As the evening came to a close and the yacht returned to the dock, Jessica and Adam changed from their wedding attire into more casual, comfortable clothes.  Jessica wore a blue and white short polka dot sundress, and Adam changed into a pair of blue slacks and white sports shirt.  Steve waited for them in Adam’s SUV and took them to a hotel near the Reno airport where they would spend their wedding night before leaving for their luxurious Turtle Island honeymoon in Fiji.

When They Were Young ~ Chapter 4

After a romantic honeymoon, Adam and Jessica were back home in Carson City at the home they had purchased together during spring break of their senior year at Harvard.  The interior designer Jessica hired was at the house to oversee the delivery of all the furniture the couple had chosen and put each room together to Jessica and Adam’s taste.  All that lacked was the couple to move in.  When Adam and Jessica arrived home, they pulled into the garage.

Adam turned off the engine to his SUV and looked over at Jessica and smiled.  “We’re home, Mrs. Cartwright, are you ready to move in?”

Jessica smiled and looked at Adam. “Oh Adam, do you know how happy it makes me when I hear you call me, Mrs. Cartwright? Sometimes I found myself still getting used to my new name when employees at the resort would call me Mrs. Cartwright.  I’ve been Jessica Bradley for almost 23 years, so it’s an adjustment, but one I’m happy to learn.”

Adam leaned over and kissed his new wife.  I can’t think of a better woman to have taken my name, Jess.  Shall we go in?”

Adam got out of the SUV and walked around to open Jessica’s door and help her out.  They walked to the door, and Adam opened it.  As Jessica started to walk in, Adam grabbed her arm and said, “Wait a minute, where do you think you’re going?”

Jessica turned to him with a befuddled look on her face.  She turned her head and pointed toward the interior of the house and said, “Uh, inside?” she laughed.

Adam picked her up, and she squealed with excitement.    She placed her arms around Adam’s neck, and he kissed her softly. 

“This is our new home, and we’re entering it for the first time as husband and wife.  It’s customary for the man to carry his wife over the threshold of their new home together.

“Oh, Mr. Cartwright, you’re the hopeless romantic, aren’t you? But I love you for it.  I’m the luckiest woman alive.”

“You bring it out in me, Mrs. Cartwright, and I’ll live forever loving you.”

Adam stepped into their new home with his bride and carried her into the house.  They explored each room together and commented how each room’s furniture and window dressing complimented the next.

“Rachel did a fantastic job, didn’t she? Everything looks like a room from Better Homes and Garden magazine!” Jessica commented.

Adam nuzzled Jessica’s neck and growled in her ear, “The only room I care to look at right now is our bedroom.”

“Oh, Adam,”  Jessica giggled, “I swear all men think about is sex sex sex,” she turned into her husband’s embrace.

“When you have a wife as beautiful and sexy as you are, it’s hard not to think about it,” Adam kissed his wife, unbuttoning her blouse.

Jessica stopped Adam’s hands.  “How about this, my beautiful husband.  Let’s check out the rest of the house, and we’ll end in our bedroom and let things happen naturally.”

“Sounds like a plan to me, Babe,”  Adam said as he broke their embrace and they continued to tour their new house.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Six months had passed since Adam, and Jessica had returned from their honeymoon.  Adam grew more comfortable in his role as vice president of Cartwright, Inc.  Jessica had studied and passed the Nevada state board exams and received her license to practice nursing and landed a full-time registered nursing position at the Carson Tahoe Medical Center. 

It was a Friday evening, and Adam had arrived home around his usual 5:30 P.M. time and found Jessica sitting in her blue scrubs on the couch in the living room next to a roaring fire she had made with soft jazz playing in the background.  She had changed her shoes from her sneakers into her pink fluffy slippers.   Winter had set in, and the weatherman predicted snow for the entire weekend.

Adam took off his coat and tossed it over to the wing back chair near the window and removed his loosened tie as he came to sit next to Jessica, who was nursing a hot cup of tea.

“Hey, babe, hard day at the hospital today?” Adam asked as he leaned down to drop a kiss on Jessica’s head before sitting down next to her, taking her cup and taking a drink himself.

Jessica turned to him and smiled.  “Yeah, everything was fine.  I worked a little in the ICU.  Not too many patients in need of the intensive care right now, thank goodness.  How was your day?”

“Intense.  Dad had meetings with some of the timber companies we do business with today, and they’re playing hardball.  The discussions got pretty heated at one point, but I had done my homework, I called their hand, and they backed down.  Dad was proud of me, told me I had been doing an excellent job and knew one day he would feel comfortable to leave me in charge of the company.”

“Adam, that’s fantastic.  I’m happy to hear Dad has a lot of faith in your ability to run Cartwright, Incorporated.”

Jessica put her feet over Adam’s lap and drew into his embrace and laid her head on his chest.  They sat quietly for a few minutes and listened to the smooth jazz playing on the radio.  After a few minutes of silence, Jessica broke the silence.

“Adam?” Jessica’s voice was soft.

“Hmmm,” Adam answered as he had laid his head on top of Jessica’s, his eyes closed relaxing with the woman he loved in his arms.

“Babe, I saw Dr. McIntyre today at the hospital.”

Adam did not have any reason to think something was wrong as Jessica often saw doctors she, Adam, or her family used at the hospital.

“Adam, I’m pregnant,” she said as she continued to lay in her beloved’s arms.

Adam didn’t move for a few moments as he gave the news Jessica announced sink in.  He opened his eyes and placed his fingers under Jessica’s chin to bring her face to his.  When he did, she was smiling, and tears were rolling down her cheeks.

“Did you just say…?” Adam asked, but didn’t finish before his wife excitedly answered.

“Yes, you heard me right, Babe, I’m pregnant with our first child.  Oh my gosh, Adam, I’m pregnant!”

Adam sat stunned, as Jessica had given him no inkling she might be pregnant.  He was in shock, but excited.  Adam didn’t know how to react hearing he was going to be a father for the first time. 

“What, how, when…?”

Jessica laughed at Adam’s shock and amazement.  “Adam, I think you know how,” she winked and laughed.  “Dr. McIntyre predicts based on my last period; I’m about eight weeks pregnant.  I have a sonogram scheduled next Wednesday, and I want you to be there.  Can you clear your calendar for my 2:00 P.M. appointment?”

The realization of becoming a father for the first time finally sunk in and he laid Jessica on the couch and gave her a deep passionate kiss.  When they unlocked their lips, he said, “Of course I’m going to make time.  Nothing would keep me from seeing my son or daughter on ultrasound for the first time.”

The couple sat back up, and Jessica wrapped her legs up on the sofa and cuddled next to Adam.  She took his hand and placed his it inside her pants on her stomach. 

“He or she is here, Adam, our baby is growing inside me.”

Adam’s hand lay still on Jessica’s flat stomach.  He closed his eyes as he imagined the day his hand would feel the baby move for the first time.  He looked forward to watching her stomach grow as her pregnancy progressed.  Adam couldn’t imagine his life could be any more perfect, and now he was having a family of his own soon.

“We need to call your parents, Jess, they’ll be so excited about becoming grandparents,” Adam said still in the same position with his hand gently rubbing Jessica’s stomach under the pants of her scrubs.

“Yes, we do, and we need to tell Dad, Hoss, and Joe as well.”

“How about we take them out to dinner tomorrow night and tell them at dinner?  I can make reservations somewhere intimate.”

Jessica looked up at Adam and said, “No, babe, I want to cook and have them over to our house.  I want it to be private, just us.  I don’t want to tell Dad about his first grandchild at a restaurant.  I hope you understand.”

“Sweetheart, of course, I understand,” Adam replied as he bent down to drop a soft kiss on Jessica’s lips.

“So this explains why you’ve been so tired lately.  Remember when you weren’t feeling good a few weeks ago? Do you think…”

“Yes, Dr. McIntyre doesn’t think I had the flu after all.  He thinks I had morning sickness, although it’s been happening at night, which is why I figured it was the flu.  Exhaustion and feeling nauseated all the time and it being flu season, I just assumed it was the flu until I realized I had missed my period.  When I missed again, I bought a pregnancy test in the hospital’s pharmacy and took it; it immediately showed a definite plus sign.  After calling Dr. McIntyre’s office, they said they could see me if I could come over then.  I went to the head nurse in charge and told her what was happening, and she told me to take the rest of the day off.  I went over to Dr. McIntyre’s office; they ran some blood work, and Dr. McIntrye came in to give me the good news.  He did his first pre-natal exam and told me I was about eight weeks pregnant; that’s when he scheduled me for my first ultrasound next Wednesday.  He said we should be able to hear the heartbeat as well.”

Adam got up to get the phone so Jessica could call her parents in Connecticut.  It was just a little after 9:00 P.M. and she didn’t want to wait any later to call them, but she wanted to wait and let Adam be the first to know about the new addition to their family.

“Hey, Mommy, is Daddy home?” she asked when she heard her mother’s voice on the other line.

“Yes, honey, he is.  We had a major blizzard last night, and Daddy worked from home today since the roads were impassable until the plows came through.  Just a minute and I’ll get him.”

When Jessica’s parents were both on the phone, she broke the news they were soon going to have a new granddaughter or grandson.  They were both overjoyed with the news and asked if Jessica was getting enough rest and eating right. 

“Daddy, I just found out today.  Dr. McIntyre has already prescribed prenatal vitamins for me, and I stopped at the drug store today on my way home to pick them up.  Adam already lectured me on getting enough rest and eating right, too.  He wants me to stop working, but I want to work as long as I can.”

“When do you have your first ultrasound, sweetheart?” Charlotte’s mother asked as Glenn listened intently.

“It’s next Wednesday.  Adam’s coming with me…”

“And I’ll be at all of her prenatal doctor visits,” Adam interrupted.

“I was at all of Jessica’s mother’s appointments, too, Adam, so I’m happy to hear you’ll be with Jessica during her appointments also.”

“Well, sweetheart, we’re very excited for you and Adam.  Please let us know how the ultrasound goes on Wednesday and send pictures if you can, okay?” Charlotte said.

“Thank you, Mommy, I will.  Dr. McIntyre already told me anytime I have an ultrasound done; he’ll be sending me home with pictures to share,” Jessica smiled as she looked up at Adam.

After Jessica had hung up with her parents, Adam called Ben and invited him and his brothers over for dinner the next evening.  He used the excuse Jessica had found a new recipe and wanted to try it out for the family.  Adam had to come up with a valid reason to invite his father and two brothers for dinner without raising any suspicions they had very special news to share with them.  Ben asked if Jessica would be up to having company over for dinner since she had been under the weather but Adam assured his father Jessica was okay and feeling better.

HopSing had learned Jessica was not feeling well and sent homemade chicken soup with Ben to the office to give to Adam to bring home for Jessica.  Adam had placed it in the refrigerator before finding out she didn’t have the flu but was with child.

“Babe, I’m so tired, I know it’s early but I just want to go to bed, it’s been a long week,” Jessica said as she curled back up in Adam’s embrace after they had made their calls to both families.

“Jess, don’t worry about making dinner.  HopSing sent soup with dad today for me to bring home to you.  Since we all thought you were battling the flu, he wanted to send something soothing and comforting to you.  I can heat it up for dinner if you want to go to bed early.”

“That’s so sweet; I do love his homemade soup.  If you don’t mind warming it up, I think I’ll have a small bowl before I go to bed.”

Adam got up and told Jessica to stay laying on the sofa if she wanted while he went and put a couple of servings on the stove to warm up.  While the soup was on the stove, he went and changed into a pair of jeans and t-shirt.  When he came back into the kitchen, he saw Jessica getting bowls and plates out of the cabinets.

“What are you doing, babe? please go sit down and let me finish getting dinner finished.”

“Oh, Adam, I’m not a fragile doll, I’m just tired.  I can help you with the dishes, but I’ll go sit down now.”

Adam ladled the soup into the bowls and brought the dishes to the small table in the kitchen.  Once he set the bowls on the table, he went and poured himself a glass of wine for himself, and brought a bottle of Evian water from the fridge for Jessica.  When Adam sat down with his glass of wine Jessica smiled and said, “I guess I won’t be enjoying any vino for the next several months.”

“No, and I want you to limit the amount of tea you drink as well,” Adam ordered.

“I know, I know, I’ve already had this lecture from Dr. McIntyre.  I’ll promise you as I promised him, I don’t want to do anything to jeopardize the health of our baby.  He told me a cup of tea now and then is okay, but I’ve already changed to herbal tea, which is what I was drinking this afternoon.”

When Jessica was about three quarters finished with her soup, and Adam was telling her more about his day, she suddenly got up and ran out of the room.  Adam came behind her and found her in their main bathroom, kneeling over the toilet throwing up.  Adam bent down and moved the hair which had fallen from her ponytail from her face. When the heaves subsided, she sat back on the ground and leaned against the wall.  Adam got a washrag from the linen closet, wet it down with cold water and cleaned Jessica’s face and mouth.  Jessica felt a wave of nausea come again and immediately leaped on her knees and put her face over the toilet again.  After she had finished, she sat back and leaned against the wall again and began to cry.

“Adam, how am I going to be able to deal with this for the next several months?”

Adam got up, rinsed the rag and came back and wiped Jessica’s face again and dabbed her eyes with the cold rag.  He helped her up off the floor and walked with her in his arms back to their bedroom where he helped her get undressed and into a nightgown.  When Adam saw she was resting comfortably, he went back into the kitchen where he put the remaining soup back in the container and into the refrigerator.   He headed back to their bedroom where he stripped to his boxers and got into bed next to his wife.  She opened her eyes and rolled over next to her husband.

“Did I wake you? I was trying to be quiet,” he said as he brushed the wild strands of hair from her face.

“No, I was just resting with my eyes closed.  I’m sorry about earlier.  I hope this doesn’t continue much longer.  I don’t know how much more of this I can take,” Jessica said rubbing her hands on Adam’s chest.

“Is there anything Dr. McIntyre can give you to help nausea?” Adam asked, stroking Jessica’s arm.

“He offered me something today, but I’m scared to take it.  I just don’t want anything to happen to the pregnancy or hurt the baby.”

“Babe, if the doctor said it’s okay to take something to relieve nausea, you should take it not only for you but for the baby, too.  It can’t be good to get dehydrated.

Jessica laid in Adam’s arms and fell asleep without any further sickness the rest of the night.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Adam came home early from work and found Jessica with her hair in rollers, dress on with an apron over it to keep it clean, and her feet were bare.

“Hey, babe,” she said as she scurried passed him to get fresh carrots from the refrigerator to put in the steam basket.

“Can I help? You look like you need to finish getting ready,” Adam asked, putting his briefcase on the kitchen table.

“I just put the roast on to cook about 30 mins ago so it should be okay for now.  If you could get a fire started in the living room so it’ll roar by the time Dad and the boys get here, it would be a huge help.”

Adam took Jessica into his arms and laid a gentle kiss on her lips.  He moved his hands to her stomach.  “How have you been feeling today? Any sickness? Did you get the medicine for nausea Dr. McIntyre prescribed filled?”

Jessica moved both of her hands to Adam’s five o’clock shadow growing on his face and gave him a light peck on his nose.

“I did.  I double checked with the pharmacist, and she told me it was totally normal to take it, and it would not hurt our child.  She said it is a common question all new mothers ask her, so she always comes to talk with the customer when she’s filling it for them.  She assured me she had taken it when she was pregnant with all three of her kids, and they were born healthy without any complications.  I’ve already taken it this evening so I shouldn’t have any issues tonight while your family is here.”

Adam gave Jessica a light pat on her bum and smiled.  “I’m glad to hear you’re not going to suffer.”

Jessica was coming from the bedroom she shared with Adam when she heard the doorbell ring.  She yelled she would get the door as she was near it.  When Jessica opened the door, she saw Ben with Hoss and Joe.  She welcomed them in and took their coats.  Adam had started a fire while Jessica finished getting ready.

“Can I get you a glass of wine, Dad? Hoss, Joe, would you like some coffee or tea?” She asked as she gave them all a hug and kissed their cheek.

“A glass of wine would be fantastic, Jessica, thank you.  Boys? Do you want anything?”

“No, we’re good, thank you,” Hoss spoke for himself and his brother.

“Well have a seat on the sofa and try to warm up.  I’ll send Adam in with the appetizers I made; he was helping me with the final preparations for dinner.”

Just as the boys and Ben sat down on the sofa, Adam came in with a plate of bruschetta.  Jessica followed behind with a glass of wine for Ben.  Jessica gave her husband a light kiss on the lips and scurried back to the kitchen to put the final touches on the tablescape she had designed for the dinner table.  Once she had everything in place, she joined Adam in the formal living room so they could share the wonderful news about the next generation Cartwright growing inside her womb.

When Jessica returned, she sat on the sofa with Adam and curled her arm in his as she listened to Adam and Ben discuss a new partnership they had developed with a cattle company in Texas.

“I’ll probably need you to travel to Texas in a few weeks, Adam.  Royce wants to have you meet the officers of his company.  He’s going to show you around and talk about the ideas he has for our partnership.”

Adam looked at Jessica.  Of course Ben didn’t know about the news of his daughter-in-law carrying his grandchild.  If Ben had known, he wouldn’t have offered Adam to take the business trip to Texas with Jessica so early in her pregnancy.

“This is as good a time as any,” she whispered to Adam and smiled.

“Dad, Jess and I are happy you and my brothers decided to come tonight.  We have something we would like to share with you.”  Adam looked at Jessica and smiled as he placed his arm around her and brought her in closer.  “Dad, Hoss, Joe, Jessica’s pregnant, with our first child.”

Ben beamed with happiness.  He could hardly speak, but when he was able to muster a few words, he choked saying,  “My first grandchild!” he said as he took a handkerchief from his pocket.

“Well, I’ll be dadburned, older brother, congratulations!” Hoss said as he got up and gave his eldest brother a bear hug. 

“Man, this is great! I’m going to be an uncle.  I kind of like the sound of that!” Joe said with excitement as he got up and joined his brother congratulating Adam, too.

Ben got up and came to Jessica, who was smiling from ear to ear.  “You’re first grandchild, Dad, can you believe it?” she whispered, trying to hold back the tears of excitement as she put her arms around her father-in-law.

“Jessica, I’m over the moon with happiness for you and Adam.  Are you okay? Is there anything we can do to help you?” 

“No, Dad, I’m fine.  Adam has been great so far.  It turns out I didn’t have the flu, after all; it was just morning sickness, only I’m having it at night.”

Ben then realized he had offered his son for the business trip to Texas and looked at Jessica and then said to Adam, “I can’t have you going to Texas with your wife expecting my first grandchild.  She can’t be alone.  What if something was to happen to her?”

“Dad, I’m just having a baby, women do it every day, I’ll be okay.  Besides, I have to work, so it’s okay if Adam’s gone a few days.”

“Are you sure, babe? We can have another officer of the company take my place.”

“Adam, Dad, I’m having a baby, I’ll be okay.  I have my prenatal vitamins and my nausea medicine.  If anything happens and Adam has to get home quickly, he’ll have the corporate jet, and he’ll be home within a few hours.  I’ll be fine.”

“That’s my wife.  Jessica’s more assured of me going on this trip than I am,” Adam said as he took his wife into his embrace.

The Cartwright family headed into the kitchen while Adam and Jessica finished the final touches on dinner.  Ben carved the prime rib roast while Hoss took the dinner rolls from the oven and placed them in the bread basket.  Joe put water into the glasses, and they all sat down to enjoy the feast Jessica had made to celebrate the new life which would soon be joining their family. 

Ben asked if any names had been talked about yet for if it was a boy or girl.

“I would like to name the baby if it’s a boy, Jason Benjamin, Dad,” Adam said as he cut a piece of his meat.  “Jason is Jessica’s grandfather’s name from her mother’s side; she was very close to him growing up, and she wants to honor his memory.  We want our son to have your name as his middle name if that’s okay with you, Dad.”

“I would be honored, son, thank you.”

“What if it’s a girl?” Hoss piped up as he took a roll from the basket and placed butter in the steaming center.

“We want to name her Emily, after my grandmother, Hoss.  I spent my childhood summers at their beach house in Rhode Island.  They were so special to my brother and me, and I want to honor them by naming our child after either of them, depending on what the sex of our child will be of course.  Dad, if we have a girl, we would be honored if we could name her middle name after Adam’s mother, Elizabeth.  Would you be okay with this?”

Ben stopped and laid his fork and knife down.  He could not say a word.  Adam and Jessica looked at each other wondering if they had made a mistake as Ben rarely spoke of Adam’s mother.  Ben still deeply loved Elizabeth and found it hard to talk about her because the pain of her death was still very hard for Ben, even after all of these years and two other wives later.

“I would be honored…” Ben broke down in tears, thinking of the beautiful gift his son and daughter-in-law wanted to do to honor her memory by naming their daughter after his beloved wife, and Adam’s late mother.

“I know she would be honored, too, Dad,” Adam got up from his seat and went across to the other head of the table and bent down to hug his father.

“Are you going to find out the sex, Adam?” Joe asked, trying to lighten the mood around the table.

“I have my first ultrasound next week.  I think it’s still too early to find out the sex,” Jessica answered.  “We haven’t discussed if we wanted to know the sex of the baby.  What do you think, Adam?”

“The surprise of finding out the sex of your child when he or she is first born is one of the best surprises you can still get in life,” Adam said as he sat back down and picked up his glass of wine to take a drink.  “I would prefer to wait if it’s okay with you, Jess.”

“While I’m tempted to find out for nursery decorations, clothes, names, etc.,  I think the finding out ahead of time spoils part of the fun, so I’m happy to wait, too!”

The evening ended with dessert served in the living room next to the fire.  Jessica started to fatigue from working a half day at the hospital and then coming home to get dinner ready for the family celebration so Ben decided it was time to take his boys back to The Ponderosa so Adam could tend to the health and well-being of his daughter-in-law and grandchild.  He hugged Jessica and thanked her again for sharing the happy news with him and his two sons but most importantly, thanked her for honoring his late wife’s legacy as well as his with wanting to name their children with his and Elizabeth’s namesake.

Jessica excused herself and headed back to the bedroom she shared with Adam while he walked his father and two brothers out to Ben’s Escalade.  When Adam came back to the bedroom he shared with Jessica, he found her in her bra and panties, hovering over the toilet heaving her dinner into the porcelain thrown. 

Adam came to his wife’s side and helped her off the floor.  He had her lay down on the bed while he went back to the bathroom to wet a washrag with cold water and came back to clean Jessica’s face. 

“I need something to rinse my mouth, Adam, can you bring me some orange juice?”

Adam dropped a kiss on Jessica’s forehead, got up and briskly walked into the kitchen to get a small glass of the requested juice and returned to the bedroom and helped Jessica sit up so she could drink the fruit drink while he got a clean nightgown from the chest for Jessica to wear to bed.

“I thought you told me you took medicine earlier today?” Adam came back and sat next to Jessica on the bed, exchanging the glass with the nightgown with his wife.

“I did.  I was fine when you walked out the door with Dad, Hoss, and Joe.  I came back to the room, took the shams off the bed and was getting ready to pull the quilt to the end of the bed when I felt a wave of nausea overtake me.  I didn’t think I was going to make it to the toilet in time; I barely made it.”

“You need to call Dr. McIntyre on Monday and see if there is anything else you can do, Jess,” Adam said as he got up and went to the closet to take off his dress pants to hang with his jacket and take off dress and undershirts.

“This is the first time I’ve felt nauseated all day, Adam.  The medicine is working but it’s not full proof,” she said as she helped Adam, who had returned in just his boxers, fold the quilt to the foot of the bed. 

The two got into bed and met in the middle.  Jessica cuddled into Adam’s arms and placed her hand on his chest and soon the busy week came to a close as they both drifted to sleep in each other’s arms.

When They Were Young ~ Chapter 5

As Jessica entered the last trimester of her pregnancy, nausea finally subsided all together as well.  Even with the medication, she would at times suffer from severe bouts of nausea which would dehydrate her, almost landing her in the hospital.  She was happy to see the bouts of sickness lessen as the months went by.

As Ben’s eldest son and vice president of Cartwright, Inc. Adam had a huge responsibility to his father and all employees of the company.  He often would bring work home and study contracts regarding acquisitions and partnerships which Cartwright, Inc. had interest. Adam always made sure he would have his admin, Gretchen, block time on his calendar for each prenatal visit with Jessica and meet her at Dr. McIntyre’s office. 

Jessica tendered her resignation with the hospital when nausea was so severe she would be up all night.  Adam finally convinced Jessica to become a stay at home wife for the health of herself and their unborn child were more important.  The hospital hated to see Jessica go and told her she had an open invitation to come back whenever she desired, even if it was only part-time.  She finished out her contract and after retiring her stethoscope, she started putting the nursery together for the new arrival due in a few months.

When Adam would have to be out of town on business, the couple’s neighbors and good friends, Jack and Jaime Fritz, would check in on Jessica several times a day.   Jaime, a stay at home mother of five herself, would invite Jessica over for dinner or just to spend an evening with Jack and Jaime, their two daughters and triplet sons, who were about six months old.  Jessica enjoyed spending time with Jack and Jaime and their family.  She often helped with the triplet boys, feeding them and changing their diapers.  She would tell Jaime it was good practice for her, especially if she were to have a boy.

   

“I don’t know how you have managed to keep such a great figure and look so beautiful and young after having five children!  You look amazing!” Jessica commented as she helped Jaime change the diapers of the triplets after feeding one of them.

Jaime laughed, “I run with my girls when I can.  I work out in our gym we built in the basement when Jack is away on business, and I can’t leave the boys.”

“Adam is gone so much; I hate it.  I know with his position, it comes with the territory, but I still don’t like it.  He’s promised me he’ll be home more since the baby’s due date is getting closer but we’ll see,” Jessica said as she finished putting the pajamas on one of the boys.

“Jess, Jack traveled a lot at the beginning of our marriage, too.  He climbed his way to being president of the bank by working hard and doing what needed to be done to take care of his family.  Don’t be so hard on Adam.  It’s very evident he loves you.  He has to prove himself not only to his father but to the timber and cattle industry, too.  Jack has told me when he and Adam are by themselves; Adam speaks so lovingly of you.  Jack told me how lucky you are to have Adam as your husband.”

Jessica smiled.  “I’m the lucky one, and Adam is the best husband.  I guess it’s just my raging hormones.  It was hard when I was having morning sickness at night all the time, and Adam wasn’t there to help me.”

When all three boys were in bed, Jaime and Jessica headed back to the kitchen.  Jaime’s oldest daughter, Amy, was in the kitchen with her younger sister, Ainsley.  The two girls had just come back from seeing a movie with friends.

“How was the movie, girls?” Jaime asked as she put water on in the kettle for tea.

“I love Hugh Grant.  I could watch anything he’s in,” Ainsley fell against the wall with her head up, daydreaming about her favorite actor.

“She’s a goof,” Amy ruffled her sister’s hair.  Amy, 16, was tall with long sandy blonde hair like her mother.  She was more into sports and found perfecting her serve in volleyball or her free throws in basketball than daydreaming about boys.

Ainsley, 14, thirteen months younger than her older sister, but much more of a romantic.  Like her sister, Ainsley, was tall with brown hair and active in sports.  Boys consumed a lot of her mind, and she always had many male friends who would call on her, but her parents only allowed her to go out on group dates with other friends and only if they have met the boy and approved of him.

“You’re starting to show now, Jessica.  How far along are you?” Amy asked as she handed her a mug of herbal tea.

“I’m 28 weeks on Wednesday.  I see Dr. McIntyre on Friday, and I’ll start seeing him every two weeks now.  Adam promised this business trip he’s on is the last one for awhile.”

“Adam’s so smart and helpful.  I was having a hard time in trig, and he helped me a lot when I had homework I didn’t understand.  I don’t think I would have made it through without his help,” Ainsley commented as she sat down at the breakfast table where Jessica, Jaime, and Amy were sitting.

“Adam’s a good guy, and he loves helping you girls whenever he can,” Jessica smiled.

Jessica’s face turned from a smile to a cringe as she placed her hand on the side of her stomach. 

“Jess, are you alright? Do you need to lay down?” Jaime asked as she stood up and put her arms around Jessica’s shoulders.

“No, I’m all right, I think,” Jessica said as she rubbed her gorging belly.  “I just had a stabbing pain run across the side of my stomach.  The baby probably was moving.  It’s getting tight in there for him or her,” she smiled.

“Are you planning to nurse? I nursed both girls but with the boys, I have to switch them around.  The girls are good about helping with the one who gets bottle fed.”  Jaime smiled and winked at her girls.

“When Mom told us she was pregnant, we were like, what?” Ainsley blushed.  “I didn’t think my parents still did that stuff.”

All the girls laughed in unison.  Jessica went over and kissed the top of Ainsley’s head.  “Sweetheart, you have two parents who love each other very much.  Adam and I have already said we want to be open with our affections with each other.  We don’t want our children to be afraid to hug, kiss, and be affectionate with us or to one another.  We think it’s important for them always to feel safe in our love for them and each other.”

“I talked to Adam about that not too long ago.  I told him we do that with our girls, and we’ll do it with the boys as well,” said the deeper male voice from the front entrance of the kitchen.  The girls turned around and saw Jack had come home from a long day at the office.

“Hi, honey, how was your day?” Jaime asked as she got up and went over to kiss her husband.

“Long and busy, but it’s all good now that I’m home with you and the kids,”  Jack smiled as he headed to the refrigerator to grab a beer.

“Jessica, how are you feeling?  When does Adam get back?”

“Hi Jack, Adam will be back tomorrow afternoon.  I’m doing okay.  I get pains every once in awhile when the baby is moving around.”

Jack excused himself as he left to go upstairs and take off his suit and change into more comfortable clothes.  He had brought work home with him and took the sandwich Jaime had made for him when he called to say he would be late and not hold dinner for him.  After a brief conversation with the girls, he headed to the master bedroom at the top of the stairs.

Jessica looked at her watch and realized it was getting late and decided to get home as Adam would be calling soon for his daily evening phone call.

Jessica had returned home and put her keys on the counter, just as the phone started to ring.

“Hello?”

“Hey, babe, how are you feeling?”

“Hi Adam, I’m good.  Baby is moving a lot, and when it sticks its hand or foot out, it stretches my already stretched skin and it hurts.”

“Are you applying the vitamin E cream daily to your belly?”

“Yes, but it’s better with you here to do it,” Jessica’s voice was sexy.

Adam grunted, “Woman if I was there right now…”

“You’ll be here tomorrow,” she purred.

“Oh, Jess, stop.  You’re making me warm,” Adam laughed.

“I’m sorry, babe, but I can’t help it!  My hormones are always raging, and I need you.  I hate it when you’re not home,” Jessica pouted.

“I’ll make it worth your wait but if you can’t…”

“Same for you, my love,” Jessica’s purr returned.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Adam’s corporate jet landed mid-morning, and the driver took him directly to the office where he spent the remainder of the afternoon in Ben’s office with the chief counsel, going over the new contracts he had signed while away on business.  When the four o’clock hour came, Ben ordered Adam to pack up his work and head home.  He had a car waiting for him downstairs and told him he needed to tend to his wife, and work would be there on Monday.  Adam didn’t give his father any reluctance and headed home to his wife as ordered.  He decided not to give her a call as he wanted to surprise her instead.

When Adam arrived, he found the house dark and quiet.  He headed back to the bedroom where he found Jessica laying on her side, with a pillow between her legs and one under her growing belly.  She was sleeping quietly and didn’t wake up when Adam came and sat down next to her on the bed.

He watched her sleep for a few minutes and then got up and went into the closet to change into more comfortable clothes and empty his suitcase of his dirty clothes into the laundry chute.

When he came out, he saw Jessica had awakened and was watching him.

“Hey, handsome, when did you get home?” Jessica’s groggy voice asked.

Adam, dressed in only his boxers, came over to the bed and dropped a kiss on Jessica’s forehead.

“Not too long ago.  I was getting ready to take a shower.”

“Um, okay, don’t be long,” she said as she closed her eyes again.

Adam dropped another kiss on his wife’s head and headed to the bathroom to shower.

When Adam came from the bathroom with just a towel around his waist, he found Jessica laying on her side; she was naked.

“I need you to rub some vitamin E cream on my belly, Babe,” she purred as she rubbed her stomach.

Adam dropped the towel from his waist to the floor and joined his wife in bed.  He took the jar of cream from her hand and had her adjust herself facing away from him.  He took a large scoop of cream on his fingers and began to rub Jessica’s tight baby bump gently.  Jessica moaned with pleasure as she felt the cream spread across her skin.  Jessica could feel Adam’s erection grow behind her, and she smiled.

As he continued to rub the cream across her stomach, he nibbled on her earlobe and breathed deeply into her ear and the two lovers filled the afternoon with satisfying each other.

After dinner was complete and consumed, they put dishes into the dishwasher.  Adam and Jessica made their way into the den and sat on the overstuffed sofa.  Adam rested his back on one of the arms and spread his legs so Jessica could sit and lean back against his chest.  Once comfortable, she took Adam’s hands and placed them on her belly. 

“Do you feel the baby moving?”  when she stretches, it hurts!”

“You think it’s a girl do you?”  Adam asked smiling, thinking about having a daughter.

“Oh, I don’t know.  Maybe it’s a little of me wanting a girl because I know how much you would love to have a daughter and spoil her rotten.”

“Yeah, I’ll admit having a girl would be great.  Dressing the baby up in cute pink dresses with lace bloomers and beautiful satin hair bands.”

“Adam?”  Jessica’s voice wavered.

“What if it’s a boy? Would you love him just as much?”

“Babe, why would you even ask such a question? Of course, I would love my son as much as if we had a daughter.  I don’t understand why you would question such thing?”

“Oh, I don’t know.  I guess because whenever you refer to the baby, you always say ‘her,’ I just assume if you could choose, you would want it to be a girl.”

Adam lifted Jessica’s face to see his and bent down and kissed her lips gently.  He then placed his hand on her stomach and said,  “This baby is our first child.  All I pray for is he or she be healthy and happy, boy or girl.”

Jessica smiled and then cringed as the baby stretched in her womb, causing her already tight skin to grow even more taught.  She moved her hand across her belly and pressing in on the right side.

“I hate this part of pregnancy.  When the baby stretches out, I have to push her hand or foot gently back in.”

“It’s your skin stretching more to accommodate the baby, Jess,” Adam said as he drew his fingers around the top of her bump.

“I’m already ready to have this baby, and I have another eight weeks!” she laughed.  “My skin’s stretched as tight as a rubber band; my breasts are about to explode, and they’re so sensitive.”

“Dr. McIntyre went over all of this with you at our last appointment, remember?”

“Yes, of course, I do, but until you start to experience it…” Jessica lay limp in Adam’s arms.

“Did I tell you how sexy you looked laying naked on the bed today? What a treat to come out of the shower to after a long business trip.”

“I just want to please you as long as I comfortably can,” Jessica looked up at Adam and winked.

“I’ve contacted a photographer, Adam.  I would like to take some pictures of us together while I’m pregnant.”

“What kind of photographs are you thinking about, Jess?” Adam was intrigued.

“I thought we could sit on a white background.  You could be shirtless or be wearing a white shirt unbuttoned with jeans.  I would be naked…”

“What? Naked? No, Jessica, I don’t want you naked.  We can get photographs of you, and your baby bump without you being naked.”

“Adam, listen to me.”

“Come on, Jess, what would the photographer think?”

“Adam, would you be more comfortable if the photographer was a female? You don’t seem to have a problem with Dr. McIntyre up in the area meant just for you; a photographer is just as professional, and he won’t be anywhere close where Dr. McIntyre or you go,” Jessica winked.

“Okay, before I fully object, what do you have in mind?”

“Well,” Jessica took Adam’s fingers and led them around her stomach, “I was thinking I would be naked, sitting with my legs folded beneath me.  You would be behind me, our hands covering my breasts and under…you know.  We would be both looking down at my belly…”

“I will admit, it’s sexy, but where do you want to display these photographs?”  Adam’s objective tone was softening.

“Well, I thought we could have a large one framed to hang above the fireplace…”

“Jessica Cartwright!”  Adam interrupted with a protest in his voice.

“What, Adam? Don’t you like the idea?”  Jessica looked back at Adam with innocence on her face.

“Babe, of course, I love the idea, but I can’t imagine how awkward it would be for my father and brothers to spend the evening with us and see their daughter-in-law and sister-in-law naked with our hands strategically placed to cover areas only meant for us in a portrait hanging over the fireplace.  I would not be comfortable with a picture like that hanging for everyone to see.”

“Okay, we would keep that picture for our bedroom, but this wouldn’t be the only picture we would take, we would take others, too.  How about one with me in a soft, flowing skirt, I could wear a strapless top to cover my breast, but my stomach will be exposed, you could be standing behind me, and we could both be holding my belly, and we could be laughing or smiling at each other.”

“Okay, that would be acceptable to hang in the living room.  The other picture, it belongs in our bedroom,” Adam winked and kissed his beloved on her forehead.

“Great! It’s settled then; I’ll contact the photographer tomorrow and schedule something next week.”

“Do we go to the studio or do we do it here at home?” Adam asked rubbing Jessica’s stomach and nibbling her neck.

“I think we can schedule it here as there will be a few wardrobe changes.  I think we’ll all be more comfortable here in the comfort of our home.”

“I think it would be best as well, Babe.”

A few minutes went by, and Jessica felt Adam’s hands limp on her stomach.  She looked up at Adam who had rested his head on the top of the sofa, and had fallen asleep.  It had been a busy business trip with long days in the office and late night dinners and cocktails with perspective clients.  Jessica started to wake Adam so they could head to bed, but he looked so peaceful, she decided to let him sleep a little while longer, she closed her eyes and soon she was sleeping soundly in her beloved’s arms as well. 

Around 2:00 A.M. Adam woke abruptly, looked at his watch, and realized he had fallen asleep with Jessica on the couch.  He looked down at her, and she was sleeping very soundly as well.  Adam kissed her hair and whispered in her ear but being the sound sleeper she was; she didn’t hear him.  He tapped her hip and shook her gently telling her what time it was, and they needed to get to bed.  Jessica groaned as Adam helped her sit up.  He was able to move his legs from around her, got up and put his hands out so he could help his wife stand up.  Adam put his arm around Jessica, and they both headed to the master bedroom.  Jessica had left the quilt on the end of the bed and only straightened the sheets when they had finished their afternoon delight, so when they got to the bedroom, she laid down, put one of the pillows under her belly and went right back to sleep.  Adam had gone into the closet to remove his pants and shirt, and when he came out, he found his wife sleeping soundly with her clothes still on.  He smiled and joined her in bed, snuggling up to her and drifted back to sleep himself.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The final weeks of Jessica’s pregnancy went by quickly.  On the last weekly visit Jessica and Adam had made to Dr. McIntyre, he informed Jessica she had started to dilate and felt the baby moving into birth position and it would be any day when she would be in labor.  Adam and Jessica were excited to think they would soon be parents for the first time. 

Adam took the rest of the day off from the office and chose to work at home.  Jessica was in the nursery folding clothes and getting the crib ready for their new bundle of joy.  As she folded the tiny clothes and prepared burp rags, she thought about becoming a mother and an innocent little life being entirely dependent on her and Adam.  Emotions overwhelmed her, and she sat in the glider and cried.  Adam could hear the weeping coming from the nursery and stopped working to go find out what was wrong. 

Adam entered the room and knelt down in front of Jessica.  He took the soft burp rag from her hands and wiped the tears from her face.

“Jessica, what’s wrong? Are you in labor? Do you have any pain?”

Jessica shook her head no; she was gasping for air and found it hard to speak, but managed words with each gasp.

“I-I-I’m scared, Adam.”

“Scared, scared about what, Babe?” Adam asked as he moved a few strands of loose hair from her face to behind her ear.

Jessica had started to calm herself down, but tears still flowed freely from her eyes.  She looked desperately at Adam.

“What if I’m not a good mother.  This baby depends on us for everything.”

Adam smiled and chuckled.  He didn’t want to make light of Jessica’s fears of being a first-time mom.

“Babe, it’s natural.  Having a baby for the first time is a big change in both our lives, but I’m confident all instincts will kick in, and we’ll know what to do, when and how to do it.  I have complete faith in you that you’ll be the best mommy to our son or daughter.”

“I guess the reality of Dr. McIntyre’s saying I had dilated, and the baby had moved into birth position made it all real, and it overwhelmed me,” Jessica smiled.

“Yeah, it’s getting close, and I’m excited.  We’ll soon know if we have a daughter or a son.”

Adam helped Jessica make the final touches on the nursery, and they then went to the bedroom to pack a few things in a suitcase for Jessica, so when the time came to leave for the hospital, the bag would be ready to go.

A few days after their last appointment, Jessica had felt a few twinges between her legs as she was making breakfast for Adam as he finished getting dressed for work.  When he came into the kitchen, he found Jessica leaning against the island holding her stomach and she was taking deep breaths, and blowing them out.

Adam came over to her and looked at her carefully.

“Jess, are you okay?”

She looked at Adam and said she had been feeling twinges all morning, but they were getting more intense and at times taking her breath away.

“Adam, I think I’m in labor!”

Keeping his usual calm self, He directed Jessica to a chair at the kitchen table.  He helped her sit down and knelt down in front of her.

“How far apart are the contractions?

“I don’t know if they’re real contractions, Adam, they’re like a radiating pain but at times, it’s strong, and takes my breath away.  I remember in childbirth class they said to breathe slowly and blow out the breaths, so that’s what I’ve been doing.”

“They do sound like contractions, Babe, and I think we should go ahead and head to the hospital.”

“Oh gosh, Adam, I’m scared.”

“Don’t be afraid, Jess, I’m here with you.”

“Okay,” Jessica looked at her partner for strength.

Adam walked Jessica to the car and helped her with her seatbelt.  He headed back in the house and grabbed his phone from the island and called Gretchen as he went to the bedroom to get Jessica’s bag. 

“Adam Cartwright’s office, Gretchen speaking,” was the pleasant voice on the other end of the line.

“It’s Adam, Gretchen; Jessica’s in labor, and we’re going to the hospital.  Let my father know I’ll give him a call when the baby’s born.”

“Oh Adam, how exciting.  I’ll be sure and let Mr. Cartwright know and tell Jessica we’re all excited for her and wish her a fast and easy delivery.”

“Thanks, Gretchen, will do.  Speak to you soon.”

Adam placed his phone into the interior pocket of his jacket as he entered the garage.  He put Jessica’s bag in the backseat, and they drove to the hospital.  On the short ride, Jessica felt the contractions getting stronger, so she continued to breathe deeply and blow out the breaths.  Once at the emergency room, the security guard brought a wheelchair out for Jessica and helped her into the chair.  The security guard told Adam he would have a nurse take her to labor and delivery, and he could proceed directly there once he had parked his car.

“Hello, my name is Adam Cartwright, my wife Jessica was brought here while I was parking the car.”

“Yes, sir, she’s in room 302, please follow me,” said the young nurse at the nurse’s station.

When Adam arrived in the room, Jessica had already changed into a hospital gown and her nurse had started an IV and was placing a fetal monitor around her belly to keep track of the contractions.

“Adam!” Jessica said as she held her arms out to him.

“I’m here, Babe, everything’s going to be okay now,” Adam said as he took Jessica’s hands into his.

“Hello, you must be the father.  I’m April, Jessica’s nurse today.  I’ve contacted Dr. McIntyre’s office, and he’ll be coming shortly.  In the meant time, Dr. Dustin Riley who is the OB on staff today will be checking on Jessica until Dr. McIntyre arrives.”

“Hi, April, yes, my name is Adam, Jessica is my wife.  Thank you.”

Jessica was resting comfortably when Dr. Riley came into the room with April following behind. 

“Hello, Dustin Riley,” he said as he extended his hand to Adam and then Jessica.

“It looks like you’re ready to be a mommy today, huh?” Dr. Riley smiled at Jessica.

“A little nervous but I guess I have no choice now do I?” Jessica laughed nervously.

As Dr. Riley was placing exam gloves around his hands, he assured Jessica and Adam everything would be okay, and they had contacted Dr. McIntyre, and he would be coming in time for the delivery.

“I’m going to check the progression of dilation now, Jessica, you might feel a little pressure.”

Once Dr. Riley had finished his examination, he came and checked the fetal monitor for how the baby was handling the contractions.

“Everything is progressing as it should.  You’re defiantly in active labor.  You’ve dilated to 5 centimeters.  When did you start noticing the contractions?”

“I was uncomfortable, so I got up and took a shower.  Adam was still asleep,”  Jessica stopped talking as a contraction had started. 

Adam rubbed her back and told her to focus and breathe through the contraction.  The doctor and nurse monitored the fetal monitor as they watched the contraction peak and fall.

“As I was saying, I didn’t feel any pains; I was just uncomfortable.  I was making breakfast for Adam when the pains started to get stronger, and I had to stop what I was doing.”

“Have you discussed if you’re going to have an epidural today?” Dr. Riley asked.

“Yes, we’ve discussed it, and I do want to proceed with one.”

“I think you’ll find it beneficial to your overall labor and delivery outlook.  I’ll contact the anesthesiologist on call, and she’ll be in shortly to get you situated.”

After about a half hour, Dr. Caitlyn Fisher came in and introduced herself to Adam and Jessica.  She explained the advantages of the epidural and what to expect with the insertion of the needle and how long it would take for the medication to take effect and the typical time frame of when it would probably wear off as well as the side effects there might be.  Once Dr. Fisher had completed the epidural, she had Jessica lay back in her bed and said Dr. Riley and nurse April would be coming in to check on her from time to time.

Once the epidural had taken affect, Jessica told Adam she could only feel a slight tingle with the contractions, but they were not painful. 

As the contractions got closer, Dr. Riley checked Jessica again, and she had dilated to 9 centimeters and was 100 percent effaced.  April called Dr. McIntyre, and he headed to the hospital to prepare for the delivery of Adam and Jessica’s first baby.

After a short delivery cycle, Jessica delivered her and Adam’s first child, Jason Benjamin Cartwright at 11:58 A.M.  He weighed 6lbs 11oz and was 20.5 inches long.  Dr. McIntyre gave Jason to Jessica right after she delivered him, and his cries were healthy and vigorous.  Dr. McIntyre clipped the umbilical cord and prepared it for Adam to cut the cord and Jessica to deliver the placenta.

Once Adam cut the umbilical cord, Jason was cleaned up and swaddled in a blanket.   Dr. McIntyre came and placed Jason in his mother’s arms.  He gave Jessica a kiss on her cheek and Adam a handshake, congratulating the both of them on their new son.  The nurse came and assisted Jessica for nursing Jason as soon as Dr. McIntyre had placed Jason in her arms.

After a short time with their new son, Dr. Brian Hall came in to check out the addition to the Cartwright family with Jessica’s labor and delivery nurse, April.

“Hello, I’m Dr. Hall, I’m the pediatrician on staff here at the hospital.  Congratulations on the birth of your son.  Did you have a name chosen already or are you still in the naming stages?”  Dr. Hall asked standing next to Jessica’s bed.

“His name is Jason Benjamin Cartwright.  Jason, after my grandfather, and, Benjamin, after my husband’s father’s name.

“A great name.  I would like to take Jason for a few minutes to check him out, head to toe, to make sure there are not any immediate medical issues we need to address.  So far, just looking at him, he seems to be in good health.  I shouldn’t be more than about 10 minutes.”

Jessica handed Jason to the nurse, and the doctor and April took Jason into a nearby exam room so he could give him a complete newborn exam so he could give him a clean bill of health.

“Shall I call Dad and your mom and dad to let them know about their new grandson?  Are you up to speaking with them?”  Adam asked.

“Yes! I feel remarkably great.  I had worked myself up over nothing,”  Jessica laughed.

Adam called Glenn and Charlotte back in Connecticut.

“Hello?” Charlotte answered the phone.

“Hi, Mom, it’s Adam.  You have a new grandson!” Adam’s voice cracked with emotion breaking the fantastic news to his beloved mother-in-law.

“Oh, Adam, congratulations!  How’s Jessie, is she too tired to talk to me? Let me get Glenn.”

While Charlotte went to get her husband and give him the good news they had a new grandson, Adam put the phone on speaker so they could both talk to Charlotte and Glenn together.

“Mommy?” Jessica’s voice was jubilant.

“I’m here, Baby, and so is Daddy,” Charlotte said as she held the phone to her and Jessica’s father’s ears.

“Congratulations, sweetheart, how do you feel?” Glenn asked.

“I feel great, Daddy.  Jason’s perfect and so beautiful!  Adam and I are over the moon with happiness.”

After a few minutes, April brought Jason back to Adam and Jessica.  April had put a diaper and cotton t-shirt on his body, as well as a blue cotton cap on his head for warmth.  He had been swaddled back in a blue baby blanket.

“We’ll be taking you to a room shortly.  Do you want Jason to remain in your room or do you want him to be in the nursery?”  April asked.

“I’ll have him in my room, please.”  Jessica smiled at her new son.

“Most mothers want their newborns in their room but should you need to get any rest and want us to take him to the nursery for a few hours, please just let your nurse know.”

“Thanks, April.”

After April had left the room, Adam placed the phone on Jessica’s stomach, and she handed Jason to him so he could hold his son while she spoke to her mother and father, explaining how the morning had unfolded and the birth of their first child.

When Jessica hung up with her parents, she called Ben at work to let him know about his new grandson.

“Ben Cartwright’s office, Lana speaking, how may I help you?” was the friendly voice on the other end of the line.

“Hi, Lana, it’s Jessica Cartwright.”

“Jessica!  Ben told me you were in labor; I take it you have some news to announce.  I’ll get Ben on the phone immediately.  One moment.”

While on hold, Jessica put the phone on speaker so both she and Adam could share the good news with the Cartwright Patriarch.  After a few moments on hold, Ben came to the line. “Do I have a grandson or granddaughter?” boomed the excited voice on the other end.

“Hi Dad,” Adam said holding his son in the chair next to Jessica’s bed.  “I’m holding your grandson, Dad.  Jason Benjamin Cartwright.” Adam smiled and winked at Jessica.

“Well, I’ll be.  A grandson,” Ben choked up.

“Congratulations, my daughter. I can’t tell you how proud I am of you and Adam.”

“Thank you, Dad.  He’s perfect in every way.  I can’t wait for you to meet him!” Jessica said smiling at Adam holding their newborn son.

“I can’t wait either, my dear, and I know Hoss, and Joe will be excited to meet their new nephew, too, but we don’t want to come when you need to be resting.”

“No, Dad, I want you and the boys to come and see Jason.  I’ll be okay.  I’m a bit tired, but I can get some rest this afternoon, so I’ll be well rested when you and the boys come up.”

“Well, I can’t tell you what a proud grandpa I am.  I’m anxious to meet my new grandson.  I’ll let you go for now so you can get some rest.  I’ll let the boys know when they get home from school.”

After they had hung up, Jessica put the phone down on her stomach again and turned her head and watched Adam holding their son. 

“You look like a natural there, Daddy.  Are you happy?”

“I couldn’t be happier than the day you said you’d be my wife, Jess, and now you’ve given me the most extraordinary gift a wife could ever give her husband,” Adam replied not taking his eyes off his son, sleeping in his arms.

Jessica sighed and closed her eyes.  The smile and look of contentment were still on her face as she drifted to sleep.  Adam continued to hold Jason in his arms so Jessica could get the much-needed rest she needed before being transferred to her room.

Forty-five minutes to an hour passed when two nurses from the ward where Jessica would be spending the next few days came to transport her to her room.  Abby, one of the nurses, looked at Jessica’s ID bracelet, and then came to check the bracelet on Jason’s right ankle placed thereupon birth to ensure the right child stayed with the correct mother.  Tina, the other nurse, explained to Adam Jason would need to be put in his bassinet for transport to his and Jessica’s new room.  They spoke quietly not to disturb Jessica from her slumber.

Once Abby and Tina situated Jessica in her new room, the commotion of checking her temperature and vitals woke her up.  Once the baby arrived, Tina had picked up Jason and placed him back in Adam’s arms.

“Hi Mom Jessica, how’s the epidural? Is it starting to wear off yet?  Tell me if you can feel my fingernail on your leg?” Abby asked as she raised the blankets and ran her fingernail down both of Jessica’s legs.

“I can sorta feel it; it’s still tingling.”

“Okay, that’s good.  It wears off differently on every patient.  We’ll check again in a few hours.  We don’t want to get you up too soon, and you fall.  Once you’re able to get up out of bed, we’ll have you try to use the restroom, okay?  Can I get you or your husband anything right now?”

“I could use some ice water, Adam, do you want anything?”

“No, I’m good, thanks,” Adam said as he gently rocked his newborn son in his arms.

When Abby came back with a pitcher of ice water for Jessica, she came over to Adam.  “I know Jason’s comfortable in your arms, but it’s time to eat again.  The goal is to nurse 8-12 times a day.  You might have to wake Jason up to nurse, but you never want him to get to where he’s crying because he’s hungry at that point.”

When Adam handed Jason to the nurse, he got up and took the nursing pillow from Jessica’s suitcase and brought it to her.  Adam and Abby watched as Jessica helped Jason latch on. 

“You and your son are already a pro at this.  We do have lactating consultants on staff should you have any questions, feel free to ring the nurse’s station and we’ll be happy to have her come to your room.”

“Thank you, Abby,” Jessica said as Abby was walking out of the room.

While Jessica was nursing, Adam poured water in the plastic mug with a straw and put it to Jessica’s lips, and she took a drink.

“How are your legs? Is the feeling coming back?” Adam asked as he sat back down in the recliner and watched Jessica, nurse.

“I’m starting to get the feeling back again.  I’m glad we agreed to go this route.  I don’t know if I could have withstood the intense contractions much longer. “

As she watched Jason sucking on her breast, she said to Adam, “We’ll need to let Jason’s pediatrician know we want to have him circumcised tomorrow.  You still want him to be circumcised?”

“I am, and I think our son should be as well, but if you’re not comfortable with it, we won’t do it.  I’ll be okay with your decision if you’re more comfortable with him not being circumcised.”

“No, I’m totally fine with it, as long as I don’t have to be present.  I don’t want to hear Jason cry in pain,” Jessica frowned.

“I think they take him to a sterile environment, and they’ll numb his penis so while there might be some crying from discomfort, I think it’ll just be for a few days.  If we’re going to do it, now is the time.”

“Yeah, okay, I want to do it.  I think when Jason gets older, it’ll be better for him hygienically and peer wise.  He’ll be more comfortable when he’s showering in the locker room also. He’ll probably appreciate it when he’s intimate as well.  Oh, gosh, I can’t even think about my baby boy being intimate with another woman,”  Jessica leaned her head back and put her hand over face.

Adam laughed, and came and dropped a kiss on Jessica’s head and a tender kiss on Jason’s as he continued to nurse.  He removed Jessica’s hand from her eyes and she looked up at him.  “I don’t think you have to worry about that for some time, Babe.  How about we get him on solids and potty trained first,” he winked.

“I’m a worry wart aren’t I?” Jessica scrunched her nose.

“No, Jess, you’re just a first-time mom, that’s all, and I love you for it.”

“Thanks, Babe!”  Jessica said as she picked up Jason and laid him on her shoulder and gently rubbed his back to burp him.

Jessica slept a few hours during the late afternoon while Jason slept in his bassinet.  Adam took the down time for his wife and son to go to the hospital cafe and get a bite to eat since he had to turn off the stove mid-breakfast when he realized it was time to leave for the hospital.  He had not eaten all day and was hungry.  When he returned, Jessica and Jason were sleeping soundly still. 

Jessica woke up when they brought a dinner tray in for her to eat.  Adam came over and removed the cover from the entree plate and exposed pot roast, mashed potatoes, and green beans.  There was also a glass of tea, a carton of milk and a small slice of apple pie.

“I know this is not your culinary taste but you need to eat to keep your milk coming in and your strength up,”  Adam said as he took the utensils from the napkin and handed them to Jessica and then uncovered the tea.

Jessica picked up the fork and took a small piece of the pot roast.  “Hm, this isn’t that bad, actually, or maybe I’m just hungry,” She smiled.

“Are you hungry? Do you want to share this with me, Babe?”

“No, I’m good.  While you and Jason were sleeping, I went to the cafe and had a burger and fries.”

“Oh, Adam, that’s not very healthy,” Jessica frowned.

“It’s all they were serving at that time of the day.  They were in between lunch and dinner.  It’s okay; it did the job.  I was starving.”

As Jessica finished her dinner, there was a slight knock on the door, and it opened slightly.  Ben poked his head in slightly to see if it was okay for them to enter.

“Hi, Dad, come on in, I’m just finishing dinner,” Jessica motioned to come into the room.

Adam stood up and welcomed his father and brothers with a kiss on the cheek and hug as they congratulated him on becoming a father.  All three Cartwright men went over to kiss Jessica before meeting Jason for the first time.  Hoss gave a card to Jessica and sat the large bouquet of white roses on the side table of Jessica’s bed next to the large bouquet of red roses which had been delivered earlier from Adam’s order at the floral shop.

“Well hello there, Jason! I’m your grandfather,”  Ben said as he leaned down toward the sleeping infant swaddled in a blanket with his blue cap on his head.

“Dad, please sit in the rocker.  Adam, pick up Jason and hand him to Dad,” Jessica said.

“Thanks, I would love to hold my grandson!” Ben said as he pressed on the antibacterial can and washed his hands as he sat on the recliner. 

Adam picked up the baby and brought him over to Ben and placed him in his hands.  Joe and Hoss went over behind their father and looked down at Jason sleeping soundly in his grandfather’s arms.

Ben choked back tears as he held his new grandson for the first time.

“It’s been awhile since I held you three boys in my arms.  You tend to forget how small they are when they’re first born.”

Jason wiggled a little and made a few grunts and furrowed his brows.  Adam, his father, and brothers laughed. 

“He’s got that same furrowed brow you have, older brother,” Joe laughed.

Adam came over and was looking down at his son in his father’s arms.

“He’s probably getting hungry; he does have a hearty appetite for such a little guy.”

“That’s my grandson.  All of you boys were big eaters when you were babies.”

“One of us still is,” Adam gave his middle brother a pat on the back.

Adam took Jason, and each of the boys took their turn sitting in the chair and holding Jason while Adam took pictures of his father and his two brothers holding Jason for the first time.

When Jason started to get cranky, Adam changed Jason’s diaper while Ben, Hoss, and Joe said their goodbyes to Jessica so she could feed Jason.  Once Adam had Jason’s diaper changed, he handed the infant to Jessica, and she covered up and began nursing him while Adam saw his father and brother to the elevator.

“When do you get to bring Jason home, Adam?” Joe asked as they waited for the elevator car to arrive.

“He’ll be circumcised tomorrow morning, and we’ll probably be able to go home tomorrow afternoon or Sunday morning.  We’re excited to have him home sleeping in his bed. However, we do have a cradle, and we’ll probably have him sleep in our room for the first several weeks since Jessica will have to get up several times a night to feed him.

“We’re certainly proud of you, son.  Congratulations again to you and Jessica on the birth of your beautiful boy,” Ben said as he took Adam into his arms to give him a hug.

“Thanks, Dad, we’re very blessed.”

When the elevator car arrived, Adam gave his two brothers a hug as well, and when the elevator doors closed, he returned to Jessica’s room where she was holding Jason on her shoulder, and she was rubbing his back and supporting his head.

On Sunday, Dr. McIntyre stopped by to check on Jessica, and she was healing well. 

Dr. Hall had cleared Jason to go home, and once Dr. McIntyre signed Jessica’s release paperwork, Adam gathered all the flowers and balloons brought and delivered to Jessica’s room from family members, friends, and Adam’s office.  Adam placed Jason securely in the new car seat he had brought with him from home, and the nurse pushed Jessica in her wheelchair while Adam carried Jason.  Once Adam had Jason secured in the back seat, Adam helped Jessica into the car next to Jason, and they headed home.

The couple sat in the garage for a few minutes and pondered how their lives had changed in the past few days.

“We left here as a couple, we return as a family,” Adam smiled at Jessica in the rearview mirror.

Jessica looked at her’s and Adam’s newborn son, “I know, I can’t believe it.  I was pregnant just a few days ago and today, I have a son; I’m a mommy.”

“And the best mommy you’ll be,” Adam said as he grabbed Jessica’s hand.

“Thanks, babe.  You’re an amazing daddy.”

Jason started to grunt and stir in his car seat.  “I think someone’s getting hungry or needs a diaper change,” Adam smiled.

“Probably both!”  Jessica laughed.  “At the rate, he poops his diapers; we’re going to need a warehouse full of them!”

“That’s my boy!” Adam laughed.

Jessica smiled and rolled her eyes.  “Boys!”  All you think about is grunting, eating, pooping, and sex.”

“Jason’s thinking about sex as a newborn? Wow, we have an advanced child, don’t we, Jess?”

“Oh, Adam! You’re insufferable,” Jessica laughed uncontrollably.

“Come on, let’s take our boy into his new home,” Adam said as he got out of the car.

He came around and helped Jessica out and then unhooked Jason’s car seat from the safety belt.  Adam set Jason’s car seat on the island and took him out and handed him to Jessica who went to the nursery to change Jason’s diaper and nurse him while Adam got Jessica’s suitcase and all the flowers from the car and brought them into the house.

Once Adam had brought in the flowers, cards, and balloons, he took Jessica’s suitcase to their room and emptied the clothes into the laundry chute.  He went to the nursery and leaned against the door jam and watched Jessica look lovingly at Jason as she nursed and glided back and forth on the glider chair.

“You’re a natural; you know that?”  Adam smiled as he stood with his arms wrapped around his chest.

Jessica looked up at Adam and smiled.  “Thanks, babe, I have to pinch myself sometimes and say, I’m a mother, I can’t believe I’m a mother.”

“It’s evident it’s natural for you.  I’ve watched you, and you take care of Jason so beautifully.”

“Adam, I’ve watched you as you’ve held our son, and I love how you look at him, coo at him, and smile at him.  I know he can’t see much right now, but the way he looks at you, studies your face, it’s like he knows you’re his father, his hero, and protector.”

Adam smiled and came over and dropped a kiss on Jessica’s head.  He then stroked Jason’s small cheek as he laid asleep latched on to Jessica’s breast.  “I can’t imagine my life without my wife or son,”  Adam said.

“Okay, little buddy, I guess you’re done.  I’ve woken you up a couple of times, but you keep falling back asleep.  Time to burp you and let you sleep in your crib,”  Jessica said as she put Jason on her shoulder and begun to rub his back.

“You hungry? I can go get some lunch ready while you’re taking care of Jason,” Adam said as he started toward the door.

“How about this, babe, how about you spend some father/son time with Jason and I’ll go make some sandwiches?”

Adam grinned, “You don’t have to ask me twice,” as he came back and took Jason from Jessica’s arms.

Jessica hooked her nursing bra and closed her shirt.  She got up and came over and put her arms around Adam’s waist and put her head on his arm.  “My two good-looking boys.  I’m such a lucky woman.”

Adam looked down at his son and then at his wife, “We’re the lucky ones.”

Jessica left the room and headed to the kitchen to make sandwiches for her and Adam.  Adam sat down on the glider and began to glide back and forth gently as Jason laid sleeping in his father’s arms.

Adam looked adoringly at his son as he grunted and moved around.  He then opened his eyes and looked up at his father.

“Well hello there, Tiger, did you decide to wake-up finally?” Adam said with a sweet child-like tone in his voice.  “Your mommy went to make some lunch for her and Daddy.  She wanted us to spend a little guy time together, what do you think?”

Jason continued to stare at Adam, studying his father’s face, even though his eyesight was still developing in his newborn blue eyes.

Jason wiggled a bit in Adam’s arms, his brows furrowed and gas escaped from Jason’s backside.

Adam gasped and then smiled and chuckled as he looked adoringly at his son.  “What was that? Did you toot or did you dirty your diaper?  We’ll have to make sure we change your diaper just to be sure won’t we?”

Adam continued to talk to Jason so he could begin to recognize his voice, “My best friend, Steve, is coming to town in a few weeks.  He’s excited to meet you.  He’s a good guy; I know you’ll like him.”

Jason continued to stare at Adam as he spoke to him like he understood every word Adam was saying.  He would open his mouth, and his soft tongue would go in and out as if he were trying to suck in the air as he suckles on his mother’s breast.

“Are you hungry again, my sweet boy? Unfortunately, I can’t help you in that area; that’s your mom’s expertise, but you fell asleep before on her, so she thought you were done.”

Jessica walked up the hallway to let Adam know lunch was ready, but she stopped short of the nursery’s doorway and listened to Adam talk to their son.

“You know how lucky we are, Tiger? You have the best mom in the world.  She’s kind, compassionate, and she loves both of us more than life itself.  We’re two lucky guys aren’t we?”

Jason continued to look up at Adam, and his tongue continued to move in and out of his mouth.  More gas exited Jason’s backside.

“Jason!” Adam laughed.  “Don’t let Mommy hear you; she’ll think I taught you that move.  She’s always smiling at Daddy.  She tells us we’re true guys with our guy moves, but we know Mommy has gas, too, don’t we?”

“Yes, we do,” Jessica was laughing as she entered the nursery, “but we know how to toot ladylike, don’t we, Sweetheart?” she said as she bent down and kissed her son’s forehead and then Adam’s cheek.

“Lunch is ready, are you hungry?” She asked Adam as she bent down to take Jason from his arms.

“I am, what are we having?”  Adam asked as he got up from the glider.

“There was not a lot in the fridge since I was planning to go grocery shopping the day I went into labor but we had some roasted chicken breast left over from dinner Thursday night.  I cut the chicken into chunks and added shallots, celery, red grapes, pickles, and poppyseed dressing, and I put on the seven grains bread we had in the pantry.  I hope that’s okay with you,” Jessica said as she placed Jason in his crib.

“Babe,” Adam said as he took Jessica into his arms, “anything you make is okay with me.  You put so much love into all your cooking, how can it not taste good.”

The new parents walked arm and arm out of Jason’s nursery and headed to the kitchen.  On their way, Jessica confessed she had eavesdropped on Adam talking to their son.

“So, Jason’s already picking up Daddy’s moves huh?” Jessica winked up at Adam.

“What?” Adam laughed as he kissed the side of Jessica’s hair.  It’s a normal human bodily function, one which our son seems to have already mastered.  Besides, I know a beautiful blonde woman who is not immune,” Adam winked back.

The couple laughed as they entered the kitchen and Jessica went to where the finished sandwiches were sitting on the island, and Adam went to the cabinet to get plates down.

Adam handed the plates to Jessica and then went to get a couple of glasses down.  “What would you like to drink, Babe?”  Adam asked.

“I’ll take a glass of cold milk, please,” eating a chunk of chicken which fell out of the sandwiches as she placed them on the plates.

The couple moved the food and drinks to the kitchen table and began to eat.

“These are great, Jess, thanks for making them.”

“You’re welcome!  You told me on the way home from the hospital Steve is coming for a visit?  It’ll be good to see him.  I haven’t seen him since the wedding.”

“Me either.  Steve and I talk quite a bit on the phone or via email, but it’ll be good to see him.”

“How’s law school going for him?” Jessica asked as she took a bite of her sandwich.

“Good!  He has a job clerking at one of the local law firms there in Dallas, and they like his work so much, they told him when he graduates and passes the bar; they would like him to come on as an associate attorney.”

“I know that had to disappoint you some as you were hoping he might consider moving to Nevada to work at Cartwright, Incorporated.”

“Yeah, I won’t lie and say I’m not a little bummed about it, but he loves Texas and Dallas and has made it his home.  He told me he’s excited and feels this would be a good move for him and maybe one day he’ll make partner, so I’m happy if he’s happy.”

“Spoken like a true friend,” Jessica leaned over and rubbed her husband’s arm.  How’s Amanda getting along?”

The couple continued to eat lunch.  Adam told Jessica things were good with Steve and Amanda.  They had talked about marriage when they returned to Dallas after their wedding but decided it wasn’t time for them yet with Steve still in school.  They also talked about how exciting it was becoming new parents, and they looked forward to what the future brought for their family.

Jessica and Adam finished lunch and continued to talk when they thought they heard a cry come from the nursery.  Jessica hopped up and went to the nursery to check on Jason who was crying in his bed.  Adam followed behind and found Jessica picking up Jason and putting him on her shoulder trying to console him.

“Are you hungry, my sweet boy?” She asked in a loving tone, patting his back, trying to quiet his infant cry.

She laid him on the changing table and unswaddled him so she could change his diaper.

Adam grabbed a diaper from the diaper hanger on the end of Jason’s crib and brought it over to Jessica who was taking off the soiled diaper from Jason.  When she removed the diaper, as with every newborn boy when the parent is not careful, he showered his mother.

“Oh, Jason!” Jessica cried with laughter.  “Mommy needs to be more careful, doesn’t she?”

Adam started to laugh hysterically, as he handed a burp pad to Jessica. “I’ll take over, why don’t you go wash yourself up.”

After Jessica had wiped her face, she threw the rag back at Adam laughing, “You just wait, buster; he’ll shower you one of these days when you’re not careful, too!”

Jessica went to the master bedroom to change her clothes and wash up while Adam changed Jason’s diaper.  He continued to cry as Adam tried to hold and rock him in his arms.  Jason kept trying to nurse on Adam, so he knew he was hungry.  Adam went to the door and yelled down the hall, “Jess, hurry, the baby’s trying to nurse on me!”

Jessica came as quickly as she could, sat in the glider, and prepared herself for Jason to nurse.  As soon as she was ready, Adam handed the baby to her, and he latched on and ate like he had never eaten before.

“He’s going to town isn’t he?” Adam commented as he watched Jason suckle as quickly as he could.

“He’s a growing boy.  He’s going to be tall, dark, and handsome, just like his daddy,”  Jessica looked lovingly at her son and stroked his cheek.

“His tummy’s getting full because he’s slowing down and falling asleep again,” Jessica smiled up at Adam.

As the first day Adam, Jessica, and Jason arrived home as a family came to a close, Jessica put Jason to sleep for the evening and joined her husband in the den to watch a DVD.  They didn’t get a quarter of the way through the movie before Jessica fell asleep on Adam’s shoulder.  He realized how tired Jessica was, and decided to turn the television off and have Jessica head to their bedroom and get ready for bed as he knew Jason would be waking them both up hungry in a few hours for feeding and a diaper change.  Jessica headed to the bedroom, and Adam got Jason from his crib in his nursery.  He brought him to their room and put him in the cradle they had in their room so when he woke up, Jessica would be there to change him and feed him.

After laying him down and he was sleeping peacefully, Adam joined Jessica in the middle of their bed.  Jessica cuddled into Adam’s arms and sighed.

“It’s been a fabulous first day of the rest of our lives as a family with our son.”

Adam closed his eyes and smiled, and only replied with a “hmmm,” and they were soon both sleeping peacefully.

When They Were Young ~ Chapter 6

Seven months passed, and the young Cartwright family had settled into daily life.  Jason enjoyed playing on the activity mat Jessica had bought for him when he began to sit up.  She noticed in the last few weeks when she would put Jason on the floor, on his tummy, he would try and lift himself up on his hands and knees and start to rock back and forth before falling on his belly again.  He would get frustrated and start to cry.  If Jessica were on the floor playing with him, she would pick him up and console him, telling him he would get strong enough eventually, but was so proud of him that he was in the beginning stages of learning to crawl.  Adam had begun to travel a lot for business again, and Jessica found herself at home with their baby alone more than she preferred.

Jack Fritz had been offered a promotion to Senior Vice President in the corporate offices of his bank, and he and his family had moved to North Carolina a few months after Jason was born.  Jaime was happy for her husband’s promotion but had come to enjoy living out west and moving to the east coast was an adjustment for her and their family.  The bank had a lavish farewell party for the Fritz’s, which Adam and Jessica attended.   A neighbor from up the street came and stayed with Jason so the couple could enjoy an evening out together which they had not enjoyed since Jason had been born.

As Jessica was lying on the floor playing with Jason, she began to talk to him as if he understood every word she said.  With Jaime gone, Jessica found herself at home alone a lot with Jason and felt he was the only one she could talk to at times.

“Daddy comes home tonight.  Mommy’s very excited, and I know Daddy will be happy to see you, too, my baby boy.”

Jason shot a toothless grin at his mother.  She knew his smile was reflective of her pleasant tone in her voice, but she didn’t care, she liked to think it was because he was just as excited to see his daddy as it was for her to see her husband.

Jessica would listen to Jason’s babbling and respond to him as if she understood every word he was saying.  She would pick up a toy and show it to Jason, telling him what it was to help him start learning words and associating them with the object to which she called it.  She would also lay on the floor with him and point to his arms, legs, ears, etc. and explain to him what they were. 

Jessica had made an early dinner for Jason and was nursing him in his nursery when Adam arrived home.  He found the house dark and on his way to the master bedroom, he found the lamp light on in Jason’s room and came to the doorway where he saw Jessica cuddling her son as she watched him, nurse.

Jessica had given Jason a bath between his dinner and nursing before bed. The busy day she had with him followed by a warm bath made Jason sleepy and Jessica had to continue nudging him to get him to finish nursing so he would not wake up in the middle of the night hungry.

“Hey, sweetheart, how’s my boy?”  Adam asked as he leaned against the door frame with his jacket tossed over his shoulder.

Jessica looked up at Adam and smiled.  “He’s great.  We had a big day today.  We took a walk around the park and stopped to watch the kids play.  When we got home, we had some mat time; he’s trying to get up and crawl, Adam, I wished you were home more, I hate you’re missing out on so many milestones in your son’s life,” Jessica complained.

Adam sighed.  He knew the role of vice president at Cartwright, Inc. was demanding and took him away from home more often than he preferred.  All Adam could do was apologize to Jessica and tell her he was home now, that he loved and missed her and Jason when he was gone and he counted the hours until they would be together as a family again.

“While you’re finishing with Jason, I’m going to go change.  Do you have anything for dinner?” Adam asked as he started toward the master bedroom.

“I have a chicken and roasted veggies in the oven on warm.  Meet me in the kitchen when you finish changing clothes,” Jessica shouted so Adam could hear her down the hall.

Jessica looked down at Jason who had fallen asleep again and had lost his latch on her nipple.  “Okay, my little boy, you’re more interested in sleeping than eating, so up you go,” she said as she put him on her shoulder to burp him before laying him down in his crib for the night.

After she had finished putting Jason to bed, she headed back to the kitchen and was putting the chicken and veggies on a platter when Adam came into the kitchen.  He came and put his arms around Jessica and began to nibble on her neck.

“Mmm, how I’ve missed you,” he said between the kisses Adam assaulted Jessica’s neck with.

Jessica twisted in Adam’s arms and kissed him passionately.  “I’ve missed you, too.  You were gone way too long, my love.”

Adam pulled away and grabbed the platter from the island and somberly said, “I know, Babe, and I’m sorry.  We’re in a transitional phase right now at the office.  Dad and I are trying to grow the company, and there is only so much I can do here in Nevada. I have to travel sometimes.  I’m sorry.”

Jessica sighed as she brought the glasses with ice in them to the table.  She went back into the kitchen and grabbed the pitcher of tea from the island and went back to the table where Adam had lit the candles Jessica had placed on the table.  As Jessica was filling the glasses with tea, she casually talked to Adam about spending more time at home.

“Babe, I know I sound like a broken record all the time, telling you Jason, and I need you home more than you are, but it’s not just Jason, and I who need you home; our children need you at home,” she said as she filled the glasses.

“I want to try…” Adam began to tell Jessica he’d work on scheduling more time at home when he then realized Jessica had said children and not just her and Jason.

“Wait, what did you just say?” Adam’s brow raised, and he stopped carving the chicken.

Jessica was standing opposite of Adam, and she smiled and then began to cry.  “Yes, Adam, I’m pregnant!”

“Oh, babe, this is fantastic news! When did you find out? Did you go see Dr. McIntyre to confirm?” Adam asked as he walked around the table and picked Jessica up off her feet and swung her around in his arms.

“Yes!”  Jessica said jubilantly.  I found out yesterday.  I didn’t want to tell you over the phone last night; I felt it was more important to share with you in person.  We’re having another baby!”

“Details, I need details!” Adam asked as he sat down and patted his lap for Jessica to sit.

Jessica sat on Adam’s lap, and he put his arms around his wife and she around his neck.

“I missed my last period the last time you were gone away on business.  I wondered then if I might be but it took a few more weeks for my breast to get tender, which was one of the signs with Jason, I was pregnant.  At times it almost hurts to nurse Jason, but I carry on.  As soon as you left, I started having morning sickness, but not as bad as it was with Jason, thank goodness.  I went to see Dr. McIntyre at his office, and he confirmed it.  I’m seven weeks pregnant.  Oh, Adam, we’re going to have another baby!”

“Jess, I wished I could have been here for the good news.  I wished you would have told me you thought you might be pregnant.  I would have tried to be home for your first appointment.”

Jessica bowed her head in sorrow.  “I’m sorry, Adam, I didn’t realize it would be so important for you to be with me at the appointment to find out if I was pregnant or not.  I mean, what if I wasn’t?”

Adam lifted Jessica’s face to look at his.  He studied her face, her eyes. “Why wouldn’t I want to be, either way, Babe?”

“I’m sorry, Adam, I didn’t realize, I’m sorry.”

“Jess, I’m so excited, we’re having another baby!” Adam kissed his wife.

Jessica got up and took her seat.  The couple ate their dinner and talked about what they might name their child if they had another boy and how the couple would want to keep the same name they had chosen if Jason had been a girl.

Adam had arranged his business trips to be less so he could be home to help Jessica with Jason as well and be home and available for Jessica’s prenatal visits.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was Tuesday afternoon, and Jessica was a week from completing her first trimester of pregnancy with her’s and Adam’s second child.  She was in the kitchen making lunch for Jason when she heard him crying in the living room.  He had been advancing in learning to crawl but still at times would get stuck and frustrated when he would get tired and fall.  She could tell Jason’s cry was a little more urgent than his typical frustrated cry, so she rushed into the room and found Jason near the lamp table.  He had worked his way off his activity mat, and while crawling, he’d hit his head when he ran into the furniture.  Jessica panicked and ran into the room and didn’t see the truck which had rolled off the mat and she tripped and fell hitting her head on the marble fireplace surround.  She landed on her stomach and was dazed and confused for a few moments as she could hear Jason’s cry louder.  Jessica was able to sit up and clear her head and then crawled to where Jason was, picked him up and sat him on her lap.  She didn’t see any immediate signs of trauma or cuts on his face; she knew he probably had just been frightened from hitting the furniture.

“It’s okay, my sweet boy, Mommy’s here, she’ll protect you,” she said as she rocked him in her arms.

Jason soon settled down, and she sat him on the floor as she got up, steadied herself and then bent down to pick Jason up and take him into the kitchen to feed him his lunch.  After his lunch and nursing time, she put him down in his crib for an afternoon nap.

After she had made a cup of herbal tea, she curled up on the couch to call Adam to let him know what had happened.  Jessica knew she could not wait to tell Adam about what had happened for if she did, she knew he would have been furious with her for keeping such an incident away from him until he got home.

“Adam Cartwright’s office, Gretchen speaking,” was the friendly voice on the other end of the line.

“Hi, Gretchen, it’s Jessica, Adam’s personal line went to voicemail, is he out of the office?”

“Hi Jessica, yes, he’s in with his father at the moment, you want me to have him call you when he comes back?”

“Yes, please tell him to call me.  I’m going to lay down, but tell him to call anyway.”

“I will, Jessica.  How is Jason?” Gretchen asked.

“He’s great.  He took a little spill today learning to crawl, but he’s okay.  He’s my tough little boy.”

“I can’t believe he’s already learning to crawl.  I remember when he was born!”

“I know, we can’t believe how time’s flown either.  Jason’s getting so big, just like his daddy, he looks like him, too!  Thanks for passing along the message for me, Gretchen, I’ll talk to you soon.”

After Jessica had hung up the phone, she took a few drinks of her tea and laid down on the couch and drifted to sleep.  She was startled awake with the phone ringing.

“Hello?” said Jessica’s groggy voice.

“Hey, Babe, Gretchen told me you called? I’m sorry I wasn’t here, I was down at Dad’s office, we were talking about cattle contracts.

“It’s okay, Adam, I just needed to let you know both Jason, and I took a fall today, but we’re both okay.”

“What? What happened! Are you two okay? Were you carrying Jason when you fell?” Adam kept asking in a frantic tone.

“We’re both okay, Babe,” Jessica tried to calm her husband.  I was in the kitchen making Jason’s lunch.  He decided he wanted to crawl and got a little too close to the end table and fell hitting his head.  I think he was more scared than hurt.”

“You said you both fell, what happened to you? What about the baby?”

“We’re both okay, Adam.  In my panic to get to Jason, I wasn’t careful, and I tripped and fell over one of his toys and fell, hitting my head on the fireplace, but I’m okay, just a small bump on my head.”

“I’ll be leaving the office in about an hour.  I want you to rest until I get home, do I make myself clear?” Adam ordered.

“Yes, sir,”  Jessica laid back down and put her hand over her eyes.  She then heard Jason crying and told Adam she had to go; the baby was crying, and she would talk to him when he got home.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Jess, I’m home,” was the quiet voice Jessica heard when she woke up.  When she opened her eyes, Adam was squatting down next to the glider, moving the fallen strands of hair from Jessica’s ponytail.

Jessica smiled when she saw the love of her life smiling back at her.

“Hey,” she said with a groggy voice, “you could use a shave,” she smiled.

“Well, it’s five o’clock somewhere,” he leaned over and kissed Jessica’s cheek.  “How are you feeling?”

“I’m all right, what time is it?” she asked as she readjusted herself on the glider in Jason’s nursery.

“It’s a little after seven; I got hung up at the office, sorry I’m late.” Adam kept stroking Jessica’s hair, trying to keep it out of her face.

“Why are you so late? You said you would be coming home in about an hour? That was at two!” Jessica’s voice moaned.

“I’m sorry, Babe, I was getting ready to leave the office when Lana came running to my office to get me.  Dad was on a call with Bob Beckel, and he was having a fit about contracts his son had signed with us.  Dad and I had to smooth his ruffled feathers.  He’s one of Dad’s biggest clients.”

“Why couldn’t Dad handle it on his own? Why did he need you?  Why can’t Jason and I count on your word to be home when you say you will?”  Jessica’s voice filled with hurt.

Adam sighed and looked down for a moment.  He got up and headed toward the door.  “I’m going to change my clothes.  We’ll talk after dinner.”

Jessica got up and went over to Jason’s crib.  He was laying on his back, and when he saw his mother, he grinned at her.

“Shewee, Jason!  I think someone needs his diaper changed,” Jessica’s voice was sweet as she spoke to her son and he grinned at her again.

After changing Jason’s diaper, she brought him in the front room and placed him in his exersaucer so he would not fall and hurt himself again if he started to crawl and fell.

Jessica was busy making meatballs for the spaghetti sauce she had made earlier in the day and was now simmering on the stove when Adam came into the kitchen dressed in jeans and a Harvard t-shirt. 

He came up behind Jessica and put his arms around her and whispered in her ear, “Mommy still upset with Daddy?”

“Daddy needs to call Mommy if he’s going to be late.  Mommy doesn’t ask for much, but a little respect from Daddy when he’s going to be late would be appreciated,” she said as she continued to roll the meatballs without looking at Adam.

“Daddy’s sorry, can he make it up to Mommy tonight in bed,” Adam turned on his sexy voice and kissed Jessica’s ear.

“Is Daddy going to bring his third person as he is now?” Jessica asked without any emotion in her voice.

Adam stopped Jessica’s hands, took the meat and placed it in the bowl, and turned her around to look at him.

“No, your husband, Adam, is coming as himself, humbled.  I love you, Jessica Cartwright.  I want to show you how much I love you and how much you mean to me.”

A tear escaped Jessica’s eye and fell off her cheek.  Adam wiped the tear away.  “I’m very sorry, will you forgive me?”

“Adam, I love you more than anything.  I just want you to let me know when you’re going to be late; that’s all.  Yes, I forgive you.

Adam put his hands down Jessica’s pink lounge pants she was wearing.  “Mm, you’re freshly waxed, I see.”

Jessica took Adam’s hands from her pants and told him she needed to finish making dinner; she also confirmed she had been to the salon that morning for a touch-up.

Friday afternoon, Jessica had not been feeling well.  She had been having abdominal pains throughout the night and into the morning.  Since the pains were very light, Jessica didn’t want to alarm Adam; she felt it was probably just her uterus growing to make way for the growing life inside of her.  After putting Jason down for a nap, Jessica felt moisture in her panties, so she went to the bathroom and found she had discharged a large blood clot.  She screamed and panicked.  She ran to her phone and dialed Adam’s private line.

“Adam Cartwright,” was the serious voice on the other end of the line.

“Adam…!” screamed Jessica, the rest of her words were incoherent as she was sobbing trying to tell Adam about the clot she’d found.

“Jessica?” Adam said as he stood up, his voice was frantic.  “Jessica, what’s wrong? I can’t understand you!”

“Adam, I’m bleeding! Oh my god, the baby, Adam, I’m bleeding!”

“Jessica, don’t panic, I’m on my way home to get you.  I’ll call Dr. McIntyre’s office to see if he can meet us at the hospital.  Try to calm down, though.”

“Adam, I can’t, what if I’ loose the baby!” Jessica’s sobs were not consolable.

“Don’t panic, babe, we don’t know if that will happened.  Let’s get you to the hospital first.”

As Adam was talking to his wife, Ben walked into his office with a folder for Beckel Meats.  When he saw Adam’s face, he knew something was wrong and came over to his son’s side of his desk. 

“Dad’s with me; I’ll bring him with me so he can stay with Jason while I take you to the hospital.  Try to calm yourself, Jess.  I love you.  I’m going to hang up now so we can get home.  Lay down until I can get there.”

When Adam hung up the phone, he quickly told his father what had happened as he grabbed his suit jacket from the hanger on the coat tree near his office door.  As father and son rushed from Adam’s office, Ben ordered Gretchen there was an emergency, and he and Adam had to leave and would not return and to call Lana to cancel the rest of his afternoon appointments.

Adam didn’t stop and wait for the elevator, and he immediately went to the stairwell and headed down the flights of stairs.  He yelled back to his father he would get the car and meet him at the front door as Adam knew his father was not as agile as he was anymore and had to take the elevator.

When Adam and Ben reached Adam’s and Jessica’s home, they found Jessica laying on the bed curled in a ball.  She had managed to quit crying and was laying still on the bed.

Ben went to Jason’s nursery where he found him sleeping peacefully.  Adam had continued to the master bedroom where he found his wife. 

“Jess, I’ve called Dr. McIntyre’s office.  They told me to take you to the emergency room, and he’ll meet us there.  Can you get up and walk or do you want me to carry you?”

“I can walk,” was Jessica’s sorrowed response.

When Jessica got out of bed, and Adam wrapped his arms around his wife, and they began to walk toward the garage, Jessica saw her father-in-law at the door to their room.  When she saw him, she started to cry again.

“Don’t worry, my dear, I’m going to take good care of Jason, you go to the hospital to see what’s going on.”

“I’ll call you, Dad, when I know anything,” Adam said as they walked by Ben.

Once they arrived at the hospital, the nurse took Jessica back to an exam room in the ER, and had her undress and gave her a gown to put on.

“Dr. McIntyre just arrived, he’ll be in with you shortly,” she said as she walked out of the room.

A few minutes after Jessica had changed into the gown and lied down on the table, Dr. McIntyre came in.  He shook Adam’s hand and came over and patted Jessica’s shoulder and asked her to tell him what was going on from the beginning.

After a brief pelvic exam, Dr. McIntyre scheduled an ultrasound to determine if Jessica had passed the fetus.

After the ultrasound was complete a few hours later, Dr. McIntyre advised Jessica she had indeed passed the fetus and had miscarried.  He was very somber in his news, news he never wanted to have to share with his patients or their partner. 

As a nurse, Jessica knew the fall she had sustained a few days prior had nothing to do with the miscarriage of their child.  Dr. McIntyre confirmed nothing she had done could have stopped this from happening; it was a problem with the egg or sperm, or the fetus just was not forming correctly.  Dr. McIntyre told Adam to schedule an appointment for Jessica to see him in a week and that most likely this was an isolated incident, and she would be able to conceive again and probably have a healthy pregnancy without complications.

After a few hours of observation in the hospital, the OB had determined her bleeding had diminished enough to where she could go home.  The nurse brought in a prescription for pain medication for Jessica to take if she needed it and advised her the doctor had released her and Dr. McIntyre wanted to see her in his office in a week.

Jessica leaned her head against the door of the car and didn’t speak the entire way home.  Adam glanced over at her several times, but she sat stoically in her seat and stared out the window.

Upon their return from the hospital, Jessica walked passed Ben and Jason, who were on the floor playing together; she didn’t greet either her father-in-law or her son.  Adam came in behind Jessica and stopped to talk to his father and confirmed the loss of their second child.  Ben’s heart was crushed and took his son into his arms.  Adam could no longer hold back the tears.

“How could this happen, Dad? We were so excited about having another baby!” Adam cried into his father’s shoulder.

“I’m so sorry for your loss, Adam.  We don’t know why God creates a life and then takes it away before we have a chance to hold his creation in our hands.  We can only trust in his plans he has for us.”

Adam pulled away and wiped his tears.  “I can only imagine how hard it was to lose my mother after I was born.  I know this can’t compare.”

“Every loss is different, Son, but like with Elizabeth’s passing, you’ll never get over the loss of your child, even though you never met him or her, you’ll learn to move on and try again.  I’ll go now.  Gretchen followed Lana with my car and took her back to the office to get hers.  Take the weekend to be with your wife and son.  If you need to take Monday off, don’t worry, I’ll handle things with Leslie and Mark.”

“Thanks, Dad, I appreciate you staying with Jason,” Adam said as he walked his father to the front door.

“Take care of Jessica and tell her we all love her and are praying for her.”

Ben gave his son a hug and walked out the door to his car.  He turned and waved at Adam a final time before getting into his vehicle and heading back to the Ponderosa to break the news to Hoss and Joe.

Adam closed the front door and locked it behind him.  He brought Jason with him to the master bedroom and found Jessica laying down.  Adam came over with Jason in his arms and sat him down next to Jessica.  She took his little hand into hers, and he grinned at her.

“You know how to pull at Mommy’s heart strings don’t you my little man?  I wished I could be like you, full of innocence, love, and not a care in the world.”

“This little tiger loves you, Jess, he needs you,”  Adam said as he patted his son’s shoulder gently.

“We both need you, Adam,” Jessica said as she continued to look at her son.

“He’s probably hungry; I’ll take him to the nursery and feed him if you get him some food ready in the kitchen.”

Adam picked Jason up so Jessica could get out of bed.  She took Jason into her arms and held him tight as she walked back to his nursery.  Adam continued to the kitchen where he fixed his baby food while Jessica changed Jason’s diaper and nursed him.  After she had finished, she came into the kitchen where she found Adam had Jason’s food ready, and he was pouring Jessica a cup of tea.

“Come here, my boy, and I’ll feed you.  Mommy needs to rest.”

Jessica grabbed Jason’s bowl of baby food and brought it to the table with her mug of tea.  She handed the spoon to Adam, and he began to feed Jason, and she sat quietly and drank her tea and watched Adam try and feed their son, who was getting more food on his face than in his mouth.

“You have to give it to him in small spoonfuls,” she smiled as she wiped her son’s face.  Jason grinned and laughed.

“You think that’s funny, do you? Daddy’s making a big mess on your face.”

After Adam had finished feeding Jason, his bib was full of food, and it had bled onto his pajamas, so Jessica took their son into his room and changed him into a clean pair of pajamas.  Once he was down for the night, Jessica came and joined Adam on the couch.  She leaned into his chest and curled her legs under on the sofa.  Adam stroked Jessica’s hair, and they sat for a few minutes without any words.  Adam finally spoke up.

“Dr. McIntyre wants to see you in a week.  He also told me he didn’t understand why we couldn’t start trying to get pregnant again after your next period.”

“Adam, I can’t think about having another child right now.  I just lost this one.  How can you even think about having another baby when we haven’t had a chance to mourn the loss of the one we had?”

“Jess, I’m not saying we need to try immediately again, I’m just sharing what Dr. McIntyre told me.”

Jessica didn’t respond any further to what Adam had told her.  She was hurt to think he could just forget about the child she was carrying and replace him or her with another.  Adam decided not to upset Jessica any further.  After about a half hour, Adam told Jessica it had been an emotionally draining day for the both of them, and they should go on to bed and get some sleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jessica’s appointment with Dr. McIntyre went well, and he told her she was physically okay to get pregnant again.  Even though there were no medical studies to show she couldn’t get pregnant right away again, and not carry to full term, and deliver a healthy baby, he always felt it was best to wait until after the first menstrual cycle post miscarriage before trying again.  He liked to ensure the uterus had returned to its normal size before trying to get pregnant again.

Jessica’s cycle returned on schedule as normal, and once it had concluded, Adam told Jessica he wanted to try and get pregnant again.  Jessica said she didn’t feel she was emotionally ready to try again.  Adam understood and didn’t push the issue with her.  He wanted them to both be willing to grow their family again.

After a month, Adam had to line up several business trips again.  He hated leaving Jessica and Jason alone, but there were several deals that were not able to be executed from the offices in Reno.  Jessica expressed her displeasure with Adam, but he promised he would keep them as short as he could, most which were only two to three days at a time. 

As time went by, Adam felt Jessica’s emotional distance.  He would try to make love to his wife at night, in the morning, or when he was not on a business trip, he would call to let her know he had blocked his afternoon off to share in afternoon delight with her, only to be told to stay at work.

Adam tried to understand Jessica’s depression where her miscarriage was concerned but felt she had allowed her depression to spill over into their relationship.  Adam found himself accepting more business trips for longer periods of time to distance himself from the constant rejection he felt from his wife. 

After returning home from a long week in Texas, his desire was his wife.  When he arrived, he heard Jessica in the shower.  He quickly undressed and joined her.  She was surprised to see him home so early. 

“I wasn’t expecting you until late tonight, when did you get in?” She asked with the rain of the shower falling on her head.

“I wrapped up everything last night so I could take the first flight out today.  I dreamed about surprising you, taking you into my arms, and loving you all day today,” Adam said as he took Jessica into his arms.

Jessica pulled away and got out of the shower.  Adam stood looking through the glass walls in shock as Jessica quickly grabbed a towel and went into their bedroom. As she hit the bathroom door threshold, she turned to him and said, “I wished you’d called and told me you were coming home.  I don’t like surprises, Adam.”

Adam quickly soaped his body, rinsed, turned off the shower, and grabbed a towel on his way out of the shower.  He dried his hair and wrapped the towel around his waist and went into the room he shared with his wife.

“Is there something you need to tell me, Jessica?  I understand why you don’t want to try and get pregnant again, but you’re pushing me away, you barely let me touch you anymore and now this? I don’t know how much more of this I can take.”

“You just don’t get it, do you, Adam?” Jessica asked cooly as she dropped her towel and put on a fresh pair of panties.

“What do I not get, Jess?” he went over to her, trying to understand her distance.

“I can’t deal with this, right now, Adam,” she said unable to look at him and walked into the closet to get a pair of jeans.

Adam had exhausted all of his patience with Jessica, and he felt it was time to intervene before she slipped away forever.

“You can’t just walk away from me, Jessica after telling me I don’t get it.  What has gotten into you? I’ve been more than patient with you as you grieve the loss of our child, not your child, Jessica, our child.”

“A child you seem to be able just to forget about, Adam.  You were ready to knock me up as soon as Dr. McIntyre gave us the green light!”

“That’s not fair, Jessica.  I might have not physically had our child growing inside of me, but how dare you insinuate I didn’t feel its loss any more than you did emotionally.”

Jessica laughed, “Well you have a funny way of showing it, Adam,” and she walked away.

Adam followed behind her to the dresser where she got out a blouse to put on.  “And what does that mean? I can’t make love to my wife without her thinking I want to get her pregnant?”

Jessica turned to Adam and glared at him, “That’s all you talk about sometimes! I’m not ready, why can’t you be happy with just having Jason?”

“Because we both wanted to have children, Jess! I love you! I want to be a family, and have babies with you, what’s wrong with that?”

“Nothing, Adam, it’s just I’m not ready!”

“Jess, I’ve been patient, but I think it’s time you get some grief counseling to deal with your loss.”

Jessica laughed and threw up her arms, “So now I’m crazy, Adam. Nice!”

“That’s not what I said, Jessica, and you know it.  I think it’s time to get some counseling to deal with your loss so that we can be a whole family again.”

“Adam, I’m okay, I need to deal with this in my own time.  I don’t understand why if you love me the way you claim you do, you can’t respect my decision not to have another baby right now.  When someone is not ready, it’s not fair their partner try to force them into something they clearly don’t want,” and she started to walk away from him.

Adam grabbed her arm and swung her around.  “Don’t claim I don’t love you, Jessica,” Adam’s voice was low and controlled.

“Well, you sure have a funny way of showing it, don’t you?  First, you try to force me into something I’m not ready for, then when you don’t get your way, you tell me I’m crazy and need counseling.  If that’s what you call love, Adam, I don’t even know you anymore.”  She pulled her arm away and walked out of the room.

Adam took a deep breath; his anger was at the point of boiling over, and he didn’t want to say something he would later regret.  He got dressed and found Jessica in the kitchen fixing Jason’s lunch.

When Jessica saw Adam, she said, “I’m not going to talk about this any further today, Adam.  I need to feed our son.”

“I’m not going to fight with you anymore about this, Jessica.  Regardless of what you believe, I do love you, and I love our son.  I love the family we’ve made.  I just want to expand our love and our family but you keep pushing me away, and I’m frustrated.  I wished you could see through your selfishness how your actions are hurting me.”

“Whatever, Adam; I’m done discussing this with you.”

Adam returned to the master bedroom and cried.  He loved his wife and his son and knew it was depression which was causing this reaction from her.  He had decided it was best if he gave Jessica the space she needed to heal in her time but Adam felt the denial she was in was fracturing the very foundation of their family unit, and it frightened Adam to the core.

As time went on, Adam and Jessica lived in their house almost as strangers.  Adam kept the strain of his marriage with Jessica to himself as he felt it was a temporary situation which would rectify itself in time.

Jessica agreed to come together with Adam to celebrate their son’s first birthday with their families.  Adam and Jessica worked as a unified couple long enough to be hosts to her parents and brother, who had no idea there was strife in their daughter’s and son-in-law’s marriage and the couple preferred it remained that way.

“Mom and Dad arrive tomorrow, Jessica. We don’t need the issues in our marriage to overshadow Jason’s first birthday.  I appreciate us working together as a couple while your parents and brother are here.  We’ll have to put on a facade of happiness, but it’s better we keep our issues with our marriage between us.”

“I know, Adam, and I’ll be on my best behavior.  Believe me; I don’t want anything or anyone to ruin my son’s first birthday.”

Adam and Jessica went with Adam’s father and two brothers to pick up Charlotte, Glenn, and Jessica’s brother, Austin from Reno airport.  Ben hosted the entire group to dinner at Glen Eagles Restaurant before returning to Adam and Jessica’s house.  Upon their return to the house after dinner, Ben spent time with Jessica, Adam, Charlotte, and Glenn in the formal living room while Hoss and Joe went into the den to play video games with Austin. 

“What are the plans for tomorrow, Adam?” Charlotte asked about the plans he and Jessica had for Jason’s first birthday. 

“We’re planning to have a celebration in the afternoon with Jason opening gifts.  Jessica’s planning a dinner with a London Broil and we’ll have Jason’s birthday cake for dessert.  Mom, I can’t tell you how happy Jessica and I are glad you, Dad, and Austin could come for Jason’s birthday.”

“Oh, honey, we’re pleased that we could come, too.  Glenn and I can’t believe how fast Jason is growing.  He grins at everyone and everything doesn’t he?”

“He’s a happy boy, Mommy.  Both his parents love him very much,” Jessica joined in the conversation and looked over at Adam smiling.

Jason’s first birthday arrived the next day, and Adam was the first to wake up.  Jessica had stayed up late talking with her parents and brother, so he decided to allow her to sleep in.  He had fallen asleep in Jason’s nursery the night before.  When Adam woke up around midnight and could hear his in-laws and wife still talking in the living room, he decided to head to the master bedroom, take a shower and go to bed.  As he was putting on his boxer shorts after taking a shower, he thought about happier times when he would have waited in bed naked for his wife to retire and assault her body with love and would have celebrated their son’s birthday as his parents.  Right now, however, he and Jessica were sleeping on their side of the bed and not even giving as much as a kiss goodnight to each other.

Adam went into Jason’s room and found him laying in his crib on his back playing with his feet.  When he saw his father, he grinned at him and said, “Dada” for the first time.

“Oh my gosh, you said Dada, that’s me! I’m Dada.”

Jason grinned again and said, “Dada” again.  Adam wanted nothing more than to pick up Jason and go into the master bedroom, wake up Jessica and share the news their son had called him Dada for the first time. 

Adam picked Jason up from his crib and took him over to the changing table, changed his diaper and put on a new outfit his grandparents had brought to him.  He picked him up and went back to the master bedroom and sat down on the bed gently and sat Jason up in the middle. 

Jason’s babble woke up Jessica, and she smiled at her birthday boy.

“I hope I didn’t wake you up when I came to bed last night,” Jessica said as she sat up in bed.

“I didn’t feel you get in bed.  I hope you slept despite everything.”

“I slept good, Adam, thank you for thinking about me,” Jessica smiled as she cooed back at Jason.

Adam watched Jessica smiling and making faces with their birthday boy.

“He said Dada today, Jess,” Adam said very casually.

It took a few moments for Jessica to realize what Adam had just said.  When it did, Jessica stopped and looked at Adam.

“He said, Dada?”  She then looked at Jason and said, “You said, Dada?”

Jason grinned at his mother because he knew by the tone of her voice, it was something good.

Jessica then looked at Adam, “He said, Dada!”

Adam wanted to feel euphoric about his son’s first words, but it was overshadowed with the current state of his relationship with the woman he loved and the mother of his only child.

Jessica could see Adam was smiling and proud, but she saw the sadness behind his eyes.  She didn’t want to say she could see Adam was putting on a brave face because she didn’t want him feeling sorry that he wasn’t hiding it like he thought he was.

“I’m really happy for you and Jason, Adam.  I am,” She smiled at her husband.

“Thanks, Jess,” was Adam’s only response.

Jessica could feel the heaviness in the air and wanted to try and lift spirits as it was their son’s birthday and didn’t want anything to spoil things, so she took Adam’s hand and said, “Let’s get up and make breakfast for everyone.  If they’re not up, the smell of bacon and sausage will wake them up.  You want to go to the garage and get some of Hop Sing’s wonderful biscuits out so they can thaw out and we can bake them for my family? I know they would love some of his cooking.”

“Yes, if the smell of your tasty food doesn’t wake them up, Hop Sing’s biscuits will.  We might have more company for breakfast, though.”

Jessica looked at Adam with a quizzical look on her face because she couldn’t imagine who else would be coming to eat.

“My brother, Hoss.  He can smell Hop Sing’s biscuits from miles away and the next thing you know, he’s knocking at your door.”

“Oh, Adam, you’re so silly,” Jessica laughed, as she got out of bed and took off her pajamas and changed into a Harvard t-shirt and pair of lounging pants.

Adam picked Jason up and walked to the dining room where Jason’s exersaucer was at and put him into it so he wouldn’t get hurt.  He went out to the garage and got a dozen biscuit dough pucks and sat them on the island in the airtight package to thaw.  He was getting the package of bacon and sausage out as well as the carton of eggs when Jessica came into the kitchen.  She got a jelly roll pan and silicone liner out to cook the bacon on and then set the Viking range oven to pre-heat for the bacon.  Adam put a pot of coffee on to brew and kettle of water for tea.

“Good morning, everyone,” Charlotte said as she came into the kitchen.  She saw her grandson in his exersaucer as he had made his way into boy!”

Jason grinned at his grandmother.  “He’s such a happy boy, isn’t he? I guess it’s because he feels love from his mom and dad in this house.

Adam and Jessica looked at each other and smiled.  “Yeah, Mommy, I guess he does,” she quietly said.

“Can I help you with anything, Jessie? Adam shouldn’t have to cook; I don’t mind helping.”

“No, Mom, Jess and I have it under control.  You, Dad, and Austin are our guests, and we can’t let you work while you’re our guests,” Adam smiled at his mother-in-law.

“Okay, Adam, but I’m happy to help, just let me know.”

“Thanks, Mom, we appreciate it.”

“Can I get you some orange juice or tea, Mommy?” Jessica said after she finished putting the bacon on the pan and then into the oven.

“Thanks, Jessie, I would love a cup of tea, please,” Charlotte said as she sat at the kitchen table enjoying her time with her children and grandson.

“I smell some joe brewing.  Got a cup ready, Adam?”  Glenn asked as he came into to the kitchen.

Jessica went over and hugged her father good morning.

“Daddy, have a seat at the table with Mommy, the coffee’s almost finished and Adam can get you a cup.  Do you still use sugar and half and half?”

“Still use the half and half, Jessie, but I use Stevia now instead of sugar.  If you don’t have any Stevia, I’m sure Charlotte will be okay if I use sugar this time,” he said winking at his wife.

“We use Stevia, too, Daddy, so we have some.  I’m sure Mommy will be happy you won’t have to use sugar,”  Jessica smiled at her mother.

“Glenn needs to watch how much sugar he has.   He’ll be having some cake tonight so the less sugar he has before this evening, the better,” Charlotte interjected.

“Since Daddy’s stroke, he doesn’t process sugar very well anymore,” Jessica explained to Adam.  “His doctor wants him to avoid it as much as possible, but Daddy told me last night he told his doctor the last time he saw him that he was going to have some cake at his grandson’s first birthday.  I said he could have a piece, but it would be small.”

“I’m glad we had the Stevia for you, Dad.  Jess and I try not to eat sugar if we can get away from it.  Of course, we’ll have it in the cake tonight, but even when we celebrate our birthday’s, we don’t get a cake unless it’s something truly special like Jason’s birthday.”

Adam stopped short of including his engagement surprise to Jessica at the Top of the Hub restaurant when he proposed and had the pastry chef create a unique cake in the shape of a ring box which held her engagement ring.  He didn’t want Jessica to feel uneasy as they had promised each other this was Jason’s special day and they would come together as a couple for the sake of their son as well as Adam’s and Jessica’s families.

When the bacon started to cook, the aroma permeated the entire house and Austin soon joined the family as everything was coming together, so Austin offered to help Adam put the dishes on the table and then worked with Jessica to finish getting the food from the kitchen to the table in the dining room.

Jessica fed Jason some soft scrambled eggs and broke up a biscuit into tiny pieces and gave it to him to eat after eating the eggs.  He had never had anything with a stiff texture such as the biscuit so when Jessica first put it into his mouth, his brows furrowed, and his face soured but then when the taste registered on his taste buds, his eyebrows soften, and he grinned.  Everybody laughed at his changing expressions.

“Mommy, Daddy, Austin, I forgot to tell you.  Jason called Adam Dada for the first time today.  His first words!”

Adam sat and listened to Jessica’s sweet tone as she talked about the gift their son had given to him earlier in the day.

“How wonderful, Adam, and on Jason’s first birthday!” Charlotte looked over at her son-in-law.

“Thanks, Mom, it was very special for Jessica and me,” Adam said with a hint of sadness in his tone that only Jessica could hear.  She and Adam shared a knowing glance with each other.

Jason started to get cranky, and Jessica knew it was time for her to excuse herself and Jason so she could nurse him, change his diaper, and put him down for his late morning nap.

“I’ll help you clean the kitchen and get the dishes in the dishwasher, Adam,” Austin said as he got up and picked up the dishes from the table.

“Thanks, Austin,” Adam said as he got up.  “More coffee, Dad, tea, Mom?”

“Yes, please, would you mind refreshing both our cups?” Charlotte asked.

“Coming right up.  Why don’t you and Dad go get ready for the party after I warm up your mugs?”

“Sounds like a good idea, Adam.  Glenn, why don’t you go get in the shower and I’ll bring your coffee to you.”

Glenn headed to the guest room he was sharing with Charlotte and took a shower in the ensuite of the bedroom.

When Charlotte came back to the room after Adam filled their cups, she found Glenn laying on the bed.  Charlotte came over to the bed and sat down.

“Glenn, are you feeling okay? Do I need to have Adam take us to the emergency room?”

“No, dear, I’m fine.  I just don’t have the same stamina I used to have.  I’m just tired, that’s all.  I guess all of the travels and time change have caught up to me.  I just need to rest a little while, okay?”

“You gave me a scare, Sweetheart.  I’m glad you’re just tired,” Charlotte bent down and gave her husband a light kiss on his forehead.

“Jason’s so handsome, don’t you think? I can see Jessie in him but he looks a lot like Adam as well,” Glenn commented.

“I see a lot of Jessie in him, especially when he smiles,” Charlotte replied.  “Do you want your coffee, Glenn?”

“I think I’m going to pass right now, Charlotte.  I just need to lay down for a little while.  I might have some after awhile, though.”

Charlotte bent down and gave a lite kiss on Glenn’s lips and told him to stay in bed until he felt strong enough to get up.  “It’s okay to stay in bed until the party, Glenn.”  She knew Jessica and Adam would want him well rested for his grandson’s first birthday party.

On her way back to the kitchen to put Glenn’s mug in the dishwasher, she stopped at the nursery to see her daughter and grandson.  Jessica was just finishing nursing Jason and as rubbing his back to burp before laying him down for his morning nap.

“Is it okay to come in, Jessie?”  Charlotte asked as she lightly rapped on the door and opened it slightly.

“Come on in, Mommy, you’re welcome into Jason’s nursery any time.”

“Sweetie, Daddy’s going to take a nap for a little while.  He’s okay; there’s nothing to worry about, but this is just the second time he’s traveled since his stroke, and it was harder on him than he thought it would be, and he’s tired.  He wants to be feeling good for Jason’s birthday.”

“Mommy, you don’t think he’s sick ER?”

“No, Jessie, I don’t think so, he gets tired easily at home, too, so I’m sure he just needs to rest awhile.  I think Daddy would tell me if he needed medical attention.”

“Okay, I just want to make sure he hasn’t overdone it by coming on this trip.  I would be devastated if it made things worse.”

Charlotte put her arms out for Jessica to give her Jason so she could put him in his crib as he was sleeping soundly in Jessica’s arms.

After Jason was secure in his crib sleeping, mother and daughter went to bring Glenn’s mug to the kitchen where they found Adam and Austin finishing up the dishes.

“Daddy’s resting.  I’m sure he’s tired because of the travel, and time change,  and he needed to rest, so he’s going to stay in his and Mommy’s room for a little while.”

“Is he okay, Mom?” Austin asked.

“Yes, Austin, he’s okay.  He just needed to rest.”

“I’m going to go ahead and start getting dinner prepped for later this afternoon.  Mommy, you want to help?”

“I’d love to.  Adam, you play chess, why don’t you and Austin play a couple of games.  He never gets to play because Glenn’s not a chess player.”

“Sounds good to me.  My dad is a chess player, but my brothers are more into checkers.  How bout a game, brother?”

“You don’t have to ask me twice, Adam, let’s go!”  Austin grinned.

Jessica and Charlotte stayed in the kitchen and after stopping the dishwasher long enough to put Glenn’s mug in,  Jessica started it back again after putting the cup on the top rack.   She then got the London Broil out and seasoned it with salt, pepper, and garlic, and put in an airtight container and placed back in the refrigerator for the seasonings to infuse into the meat.

Jessica told Charlotte where the cutting boards were, and she got them out so they could start cutting the vegetables they would be using for the birthday dinner.

Ben, Hoss, and Joe showed up in the late afternoon to celebrate with Adam, Jessica, and her family, the first birthday of the new Cartwright generation.  Jessica had decorated the dining room table with balloons and streamers, party hats and horns. When the family was all gathered, Jessica placed Jason in his highchair, and Jessica took pictures with him wearing a party hat.  When she called his name, he looked at her and grinned.

“He’s a real ham isn’t he?” Charlotte asked as she looked on smiling with pride at her only grandson.

“Yes, he is, he takes after his mother.  She likes to take and be in the pictures,” Adam said smiling next to his mother-in-law.

“She was a ham when she was a little girl, too,” Charlotte continued, “Jessica’s been in a lot of pictures as a cheerleader in high school, the homecoming queen, and the numerous sports she participated in.”

“She took a photography class in her junior year of high school and found she loved being behind the camera as much as she loves being in front of it,” Glenn added.

“Why don’t you and Adam get behind Jason and we’ll take a family picture of you three,”  Ben said as he stood to take the camera from Jessica so she and Adam could get a picture with their birthday boy.

Adam and Jessica looked at each other but tried not to show the strain of their relationship.

“Come on, Jess; our son only turns one once,” Adam smiled and winked at his wife.

Jessica hesitated for a moment and then turned her camera over to Ben.  She showed him the camera was on automatic, so he only needed to look through the lens and press the shutter half way for it to lock the focus and then press all the way down.

Adam and Jessica got behind Jason’s highchair, and Adam put his arm around Jessica, and she moved closer to him, and they both smiled.  Just as Jason gave another grin, the flash went off, and Jason began to cry.

Everyone started laughing, and Jessica took Jason from his highchair and held him to her shoulder.

“The flash is starting to bother your eyes, isn’t it? Jessica said in a sweet, tender voice.  “There’s just so many flashes a little guy’s eyes can stand isn’t there?”

Jason pulled off his party hat and threw it on the ground.  Adam took Jason from Jessica’s arms and held him.  “We don’t throw things on the ground, Jason Cartwright; that’s not polite.  Are you ready to open some gifts?  Mommy planned a nice birthday celebration for you today.  Your grandparents came, and your uncles, all here to celebrate with you, Mommy, and me.  Let’s be sure you stay on your best behavior.”

“Come on, Adam, bring him in here so he can open his gifts,” Jessica motioned as the family moved into the living room where Jessica had moved all of Jason’s birthday gifts to the middle of the floor.

The family sat around the gifts, and Adam put Jason on the floor in front of all the pretty wrapped boxes and gift bags. Jessica sat down next to Jason and handed Adam the camera so he could take pictures of Jason opening his presents.  Jessica gave Jason the first gift, tearing the wrapping paper to get it started so he could continue to open the present while she read the birthday card.  Jason looked at the present and then at Jessica. 

“Open the box, my sweet boy, this present is from grandpa and grandma Bailey,” she said in her soft tone.  Jason looked at the gift and then back, and Jessica again and Adam snapped a couple of pictures.  Jason handed the box back to Jessica, and she tore more of the paper, hoping it helped Jason understand he needed to help his mother with the wrapping paper.  Jason then took the box back out of Jessica’s hands and placed it to the side and grabbed another box and gave it to Jessica.  Everybody started laughing, and Jason grinned. 

“Baby, we need to open the first box before we start another one.  Jessica opened the gift from her parents, and it was new clothes and a toy.  Jessica tried to show Jason his gift, but he was not interested, he just wanted to have Jessica help him with the next box. 

Once all of the presents were opened, Jessica thanked everyone for not only coming to celebrate their son’s first year of life but for the wonderful, thoughtful gifts as well.  She invited everyone to sit tight, and Adam would serve some wine while she set the table for dinner.  Charlotte offered to help Jessica with dinner, and she graciously accepted.  After Adam had finished serving wine to everyone, he took the fine china from the china cabinet and set the table with the elegant dinnerware and then set crystal wine glasses and water goblets as well as the sterling silverware.

Once the table was set, he invited Charlotte and the rest of the family to take their places at the dinner table while he went and helped Jessica with the remainder of the meal.

After everyone had eaten and the table cleared, Jessica brought out the cake she had made for Jason’s birthday.  After everyone had sung Happy Birthday to Jason, Adam cut a piece and place it front of Jason to eat.  He sat in his highchair and looked at the cake and then back to Adam. 

“Go ahead, Jason, eat the cake, it’s for you! Today is your special day; Mommy had this cake made especially for you!” Jessica said as he continued to cut the cake.

Adam joined Jessica and dished out ice cream after Jessica put a slice of cake on the plate.

Jason continued to watch Jessica and Adam and then would touch his cake.  He finally put his finger into the icing and put it in his mouth.  Jason liked how it tasted and got more.  He then grabbed a piece of the cake and shoved in his mouth, making a mess and getting icing and cake all over his face. 

“Adam, grab the camera and get a picture of Jason with cake on his face.  I’ll finish with the ice cream.”

Adam got Jason putting the cake in his mouth.  When he saw Adam was taking pictures of him, he grinned with chocolate cake and icing all over his face.

After the family had finished their cake, Adam invited everyone to the front room to enjoy the evening.  Jessica brought a coffee and tea service in to help themselves while she finished rinsing the dishes and placing them on the counter.  She had planned to hand wash them when Ben and the boys had left, and her family had gone to bed.  Adam got Jason’s new toys out of their boxes and off the retail cards.

After a long day, Jason was growing cranky and tired.  Jessica excused herself while she took Jason to his nursery, nursed him and changed him for bed.  The day’s activities had caused Glenn to tire as well, and he excused himself as he needed to get plenty of rest as he, Charlotte, and Austin had a long day’s journey back east the next day.  He stopped at the nursery and gave his daughter a kiss goodnight and told her how proud he was of the life she had made with Adam and their new son.  She smiled at her father and thanked him for coming to be a part of his grandson’s special day and how much she loved him.  He closed the door behind him and retired to the guest bedroom he and Charlotte were sharing while a guest of Adam’s and Jessica’s. 

When the door closed to the nursery, Jessica looked at her little boy sucking away at her bosom.  Tears rolled down her face as she thought of her little boy growing up and the baby she had never got to feel moving inside her or hold.  She thought about how she and Adam had drifted apart and how wonderful he had been the entire weekend, being attentive to her and Jason as well as her family.

After putting Jason to bed, she came out to find Ben, and the boys had left, and Charlotte and Austin had returned to their rooms to get packed for the next day and get some sleep as they had an early flight back to Connecticut via Chicago.

Jessica came to the kitchen and found Adam hand washing and rinsing the china and stacking them to the side for drying.  Jessica picked up the towel and began to dry the dishes.  Adam didn’t say anything to Jessica, and she continued to dry the elegant dishes and stacked them on the island once dry.

“I’m sorry I didn’t get to say my goodbyes to your family before they left, Adam,” Jessica broke the silence between the two.

“Dad was getting tired, so Hoss felt it was about time they get going before it got too much later since they had a drive back home.  They sent their goodnights to you and Jason and thanked you for a delicious dinner, they all had a great time today,” Adam said as he continued to wash and rinse the dishes.

“Oh, okay.  I’m glad everyone enjoyed themselves,” Jessica’s voice was somber.

After Adam finished washing the dishes, he took the ones which were dry and started putting them away in the china cabinet in the formal dining room.  When Jessica finished drying the last piece, she helped bring them into the dining room and helped put the last of the dishes and glasses away as well.

“I’m headed to bed; it’s been a long day.  I’m going to take a shower and get some sleep.  You coming?” Adam said without much emotion in his voice.

“I’ll be along shortly.  I’m going to pick up Jason’s toys and clothes and put them away.  You go on; I’ll come in a little bit.

Without another word, Adam headed to the master bedroom, leaving Jessica alone to turn off the lights throughout the house.  She stopped at the formal living room and picked up the toys and clothes Adam had stacked neatly in the corner.  While Jessica finished drying the dishes, Adam had gotten a recycle bag and placed the wrapping paper, bags and boxes in the bag and put in the garage for the next recycle pick up day. 

Jessica picked up the toys and clothes and quietly walked into Jason’s nursery, turning on only the Noah’s Ark lamp on his dresser.  She placed the toys on the shelf next to the door.  She then looked at each of the clothes, and she folded or hung them on hangers and put each of them neatly in his closet or dresser drawer.  Jessica was exhausted emotionally and physically.  She sat on the glider and watched Jason sleep soundly.  She thanked God for the precious gift he had entrusted to her and prayed he would give her the rest of her life to watch Jason grow into a boy, then man.  She thought about her parents and wondered if they would watched her sleep when she was a baby and wished the same things for her.  She thought about her little boy growing up and having kids of his someday, and she smiled wondering how she would feel being a grandmother.  Jessica smiled and thought to herself,  Jason will always be my baby boy, no matter how old or tall he gets. 

“I just want you to be my baby right now, though, Jason.  I want to relish in this time when you depend 100% on Daddy and me, so don’t grow up too fast okay?” she asked with tears in her eyes.

She got up and placed her hand to her lips and then on her sleeping boy and headed to the door.  She turned one last time and looked at her baby sleeping soundly in his crib, shut off the light, and quietly closed the door behind her. 

She walked to the master bedroom, and when she entered, she found Adam already asleep on his side of the bed.  He had left the lamp on for her on her side of the bed.  She took off her clothes and put them down the laundry chute.  She went to the bathroom and took a shower.  She came out with just a towel around her head.  She got a fresh nightgown from the dresser drawer and put it on.  She gently sat on the bed so she would not wake Adam, sleeping away from her.  Jessica towel dried her hair and tossed the wet towel onto the chaise lounge next to the bed, laid down, pulled the covers over her, switched off the light and went to sleep.

The next morning, Jessica got up early to make a light breakfast for her family before she and Adam would take them to the airport.  She had made a platter with an assortment of fruits, a breakfast bread and pots of coffee and tea.

After everyone had enjoyed their breakfast, Adam loaded up the luggage into the SUV, put Jason in his car seat, and they were off the Reno airport for the Bradley’s trip back east.

Once they arrived, everyone got out of the car and Adam brought the luggage to the curbside check-in while Glenn checked himself, Charlotte, and Austin in for their flight to Chicago with a connection to Connecticut.  Charlotte and Austin stayed at the car giving their daughter and sister a goodbye hug and kiss and giving Jason one last look and kiss as it would be awhile before they would get to see him in person again. 

“Thank you, Jessie, for a wonderful weekend.  Daddy, Austin, and I had a great time, and we appreciate all you and Adam did for us to make us feel welcome in your home.”

“Thanks, Mom, we’re so glad you could come and celebrate Jason’s birthday with us!  It was great to see you again, and Daddy looks really good, despite everything he’s been through.”

Jessica looked at her brother, and he opened his arms to her, and she came into his embrace.

“Thanks for coming, Austin, it was so good to see you again.  I love you, brother.  Take care of Mommy and Daddy for me, okay?”

Austin gave his sister a kiss on her cheek and said, “You know I will, Jessie.  Don’t be such a stranger.  Hopefully, you and Adam will be able to come to my graduation this next spring.”

“We’d love to come!  I’ll talk to Adam about taking some time off, and we can come for a week and make it a family vacation.”

“Jessie, that would be wonderful!” Charlotte said as she took her daughter into her arms again for one last hug.

“Glenn, Jessie said she’ll talk to Adam about coming to Connecticut for Austin’s graduation, and hopefully, they can turn it into a family vacation.

Jessica looked at Adam with pleading eyes.  “We’ll discuss it and let you know,”  Adam responded with a smile.

Once Jessica and Adam saw the Bradley’s walk into the terminal, they got into their SUV and headed back home.  Once on the highway, Jessica broke the silence in the car.

“Thanks for making my family feel welcome this weekend.  Mommy told me what a great time they had.”

“It was good to see them again. We hadn’t seen them since the wedding,” Adam said as he kept his eyes on the road.

“While you were helping Daddy get their luggage checked in, Austin told me he hoped we could come for his graduation this next Spring.  I said we wouldn’t miss it and how I hoped we could make the trip a family vacation,”  Jessica gently broached the subject again.

“I’ll have to look at what’s going on at work, but I don’t see why we couldn’t.  I know Mom and Dad would like to spend time with Jason, too.”

Jessica smiled and didn’t say any more.  She couldn’t tell by Adam’s tone if it was something he wanted to do or was it he was doing it for the sake of Jessica and Jason.  She was just thankful Adam was taking it into consideration to travel as a family.

Once the couple returned home, Jessica told Adam she was going to take Jason into the nursery, change his diaper and nurse him before putting him down for a mid-morning nap.  Adam acknowledged her and headed to the master bedroom.

After Jessica had changed Jason’s diaper, she sat down on the glider and gently glided back and forth as she opened her blouse and nursing bra and guided her nipple into Jason’s mouth where he quickly latched on and began to eat.

“You’re hungry, aren’t you my little man?” she said as she caressed his cheek while he looked up at her as he suckled her breast.

Adam came in a short while later and told Jessica was headed to the office for a few hours and would be home before dark.  Adam didn’t even give Jessica a chance to respond, and he was out and headed to the garage.  Tears fell down her cheek as she watched Jason, nurse.

When Jason was sleeping more than eating, she burped him and laid him down in his crib.  She went to the master bedroom, took a shower and laid down on the bed and took a nap. 

When Jessica woke up, the morning had turned into mid-afternoon.  She checked her phone, and her mother had left her a voicemail they had made it to Chicago and were getting ready to board the plane back to Connecticut, and she would let her know when they had arrived home.

She walked toward the kitchen and saw Adam had returned home and was in the study working.

“You’re home, when did you get back?” She leaned against the door of the office.

Adam looked up and then returned his attention back to the contracts he was studying for a conference call he had Monday morning with Ben.

“Not too long ago, I decided just to bring my work home where  I would be more comfortable.”

“Can I make you some lunch? a sandwich?”  Jessica was timid as she could tell Adam didn’t want any distractions.

“Not right now, but thank you,” he said not lifting his eyes from the papers he was studying.

Jessica left Adam and went to the kitchen and made a light sandwich for her and put a load of laundry on to wash.  While she was waiting for the load to finish, she had sat down to read a book and dozed off on the sofa.  It was late afternoon, and the phone ringing awakened Jessica, it was Charlotte.

“Hi Jessie, I just wanted to call and let you know we made it home.  Daddy has already gone to bed; he was quite tired.  Austin went to his room to study for a test he has tomorrow, but I wanted to call and tell you to thank you again for having us out for Jason’s birthday, we had a great time.”

“Thank you for calling, Mommy, I’m glad you all made it home safely.  Give Daddy a kiss for me and tell Austin good luck on his test.”

“I will, Jessie, you take care of yourself, I love you!”

“I love you, too, Mommy, goodnight.”

When Jessica hung up the phone, she went to the study to tell Adam her parents had made it home, but she found the room was empty, and only the desk lamp was on with a note leaning up against the base.

Jess, I left some important documents at the office, don’t make any dinner for me, I made a sandwich on the way out the door.  I’ll be back in a little bit.

Adam

Jessica sighed and pulled the chain on the lamp to turn out the light and headed to the nursery where she found Jason had rolled over and was standing at the railing.  When he saw his mother walk in, she noticed a big wet spot in the middle of his bed. 

“Baby boy!  Did you soak your diaper? Why didn’t you cry for mommy to come and get you?” she asked as she took her son from the crib and felt his diaper was heavy.  She changed him and sat down to feed him.

“You must be starving; she said as she opened her blouse and nursing bra.  As soon as she laid Jason down, he latched on and began to eat like hadn’t eaten in days.

“Slow down there, baby, I don’t want you to eat so fast and then throw it all back up,” but Jason continued to suckle as quickly as he could but did eventually slow down as his tummy filled up.

Just as she was opening the other side of her nursing bra to have Jason change breasts, Adam walked in.  He stopped and told Jessica he was back and was headed back to the study to work if she needed him.

“Okay, I’m going to finish feeding Jason, get his dinner made and give him a bath.  I have to change his sheets, too.  His diaper was soaked.  Was he awake before you left?”

“Yes, you were sleeping pretty soundly, so I changed his diaper and fed him lunch.  We played on the floor in his room for a little while until he got cranky so I put him in his crib, and he laid right down and closed his eyes.  I wrote the note for you and left.”

“Okay,” Jessica said as she sat Jason in her lap and gently pat him on his back to loosen any air bubbles from him sucking so fast.

After Jessica had fed Jason his baby food, she placed him in his exersaucer while she did more laundry.  She noticed Adam had put the towels in the dryer and folded them while she was sleeping.

When Jason started to get cranky, she took him to his nursery, changed his diaper, put his pajamas on him and put him in his crib.  He cried a little bit, but it was not long before he quieted down and went to sleep.

When Jessica had passed by the study, she saw Adam was still working, so she didn’t disturb him and went on to the master bedroom.

Jessica finished the laundry, put it all away and went in to ask Adam if she could get him anything to eat or drink.  Without looking up, he said no, and thanked her.  She went into the bedroom and went to bed.  Adam followed around midnight.

When Adam woke up around 5:00 A.M., he got up, took a shower and headed to the office.  He looked in on Jason after he grabbed his briefcase from his office across from his nursery.  He wrote a quick note to Jessica and left it on the counter telling her he had a full day and would be working late to try and get things caught up and not to make dinner for him or wait up.  He told her if there was an emergency, she knew how to contact him.

When Jessica woke up around 7:00 A.M., she saw Adam’s side was empty, and she figured he’d once again was already at the office before she or their son was awake.  She sighed and got out of bed and started another day as a lonely homemaker and mother.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As the winter’s thaw melted into spring, Adam and Jessica had continued to live almost separate lives.  When Adam wasn’t away on business, he was spending many evenings at work at the offices of Cartwright, Inc. or in his office at home.  Jessica had made plans for the couple to visit Connecticut for her brother’s graduation.  All the plans were set for a family vacation when an emergency at work dared to interrupt the family plans, and Adam had to back out at the last minute leaving Jessica to travel to Connecticut with Jason alone.  Jessica’s anger at Adam’s job once again disrupting their family life had brought her to her breaking point to where she could no longer sit by and allow Adam not to hear her frustrations of his job taking precedence over his family.

When Adam arrived home after a long week at the office, Jessica was waiting in the living room, sitting on the couch, legs crossed and as the minutes ticked away, Jessica’s anger grew.

The sun had started to set as she heard the door to the garage open and then shut.  Adam made his way to the front of the house on his way back to the master bedroom.  He saw Jessica sitting on the couch.  Adam didn’t stop, he only said with a tired voice, “Hey,” as he passed by.

“Is that all you have to say to me, Adam? Hey?  Is that how you greet your wife?” her tone was angry.

Adam stopped, but he did not turn around.  He closed his eyes and breathed deeply before responding to her accusations.

“What now, Jessica?  You get angry if I’m late at the office, you’re upset if I don’t get home before dark.  Now you’re mad at how I greet you.  What is it? What do you want me to say or do that’ll make you happy?”

“Oh, I don’t know, Adam, don’t you feel I have a right to be upset? How do you think it makes me feel when my husband agrees to take a vacation, a first vacation mind you since our honeymoon to go to a family event in Connecticut for my brother? Oh, but no!  Cartwright, Incorporated strikes again and ruins it all! How am I supposed to feel, Adam?”

Adam stood and thought about responding, but he knew anything he would say would only dissolve into an argument, an argument he was too tired to have.  He was aware it wouldn’t resolve any of the issues which were at the heart of their problems, so he turned around, looked at Jessica and responded, “Jess, I’m tired, it’s been a long week, I just walked in the door.  I’m not talking about this tonight,” and he walked away.

Jessica leaped from the couch and started to follow Adam to the bedroom, but decided to bite her tongue and headed to the kitchen instead and finished dinner.

When Adam walked over to the table, where Jason was sitting in his highchair eating his dinner while Jessica was finishing up dinner for her and Adam.

“Hey, Tiger, how’s my boy today?  You and Mommy miss me as much as I missed you?”

“Daddy!” Jason grinned when he saw his father sit down next to him.

“Yes, it’s me, Jason.  Who’s that over there?” he pointed to Jessica, and she smiled at her son and husband as she continued to prepare dinner.

“Momma,” Jason responded as he pointed to Jessica.

“Yes, I’m Mommy aren’t I?” she said in a loving response.

Jason pointed back to Adam and said, “Daddy.”

“Yes, I’m Daddy and Daddy’s hungry.  Mommy’s food sure smells good; I can’t wait to eat.”

“Dinner’s ready, Adam, why don’t you set the table please; we can eat in here if you like,”  Jessica’s voice was casual and non-combative.

Once Jessica sat down with the last of the meal, Adam took her plate and placed food on it and then served himself.

“Thank you,” Jessica said as she put a napkin in her lap.

After Adam had said the blessing, they each started to eat, and Jessica shared a few of the soft noodles with Jason to give him a new taste of food flavors and textures, to which he enjoyed.

“Delicious as always, Jess, thanks.  Now that it’s warming up, I’m going to start jogging in the morning before I head to the office.”

“Adam, you look great.  I’m the one who needs to get out and jog.  It’s been hard for me to exercise too much with you working so much and not having someone who can watch Jason while I workout.”

“Do you still do your yoga during Jason’s nap time?” Adam asked as he took a bite of his beef stroganoff.

“I try to, but it’s hard because while he’s napping is the only time I can seem to get any housework done.  The older Jason gets, the more mess he makes and I always have to watch him so he doesn’t fall or get into something he shouldn’t get into.”

“So what are the plans for your trip back east?” Adam broached the delicate subject with his wife about the trip they were to have taken as a family.

“We’re all packed for the most part.  I just need to pack some Cheerios to carry on the plane for Jason and my toiletries, and I’ll be done.  I’ll do that on Sunday night.  Are you still going to be able to take us Monday on your way to work? What about picking us up next Friday night?”

Adam continued to eat and answered, “Yes, I’ll take you and Jason on my way into the office.  I have already cleared my calendar for Friday so I can leave the office in time to be at the airport to pick you up, you don’t need to worry, Jess, I’ll be there.”

“Adam, it’s not that I worry about you being there, it still hurts you’re not going with us, that’s all.”

“Jessica, I’m disappointed, too.  I wanted to take the week off and go back east to see Austin graduate and see Mom and Dad, but it’s just a bad time right now.  Lot’s going on at the office, the architect designing our new home at the Ponderosa is coming to show me the designs for our new house, I just can’t get away.  I talked to Austin the other day, he understood.  I wished his sister understood as much as he did.”

Jessica didn’t respond.  She put her fork down and bowed her head for a moment and then excused herself and ran out of the kitchen.  Adam stopped eating and looked over at his son who was looking out to where he saw his mother run out of the room.  He then looked over at Adam and began to cry. 

Adam got up and picked up Jason out of his highchair and held him in his arms trying to console his tears. 

“I’m sorry Mommy’s crying, Tiger.  Mommy’s upset Daddy can’t go with you and her to see Grandpa, Grandma, and Uncle Austin next week.  Daddy will miss you and Mommy very much while you’re gone, though.  I love you both very much.

Adam was able to get Jason to stop crying and sat him on the floor and took the dishes to the sink and placed the leftovers in containers and then proceeded to rinse the dirty dishes and began to load them into the dishwasher.

Jessica came back in the kitchen and told Adam she would finish up and to go spend time with his son, whom he hadn’t spent any time with since he’d been working so much.  Adam found Jason, in the cabinet which had the plastic containers and had started to pull them out and play with them.  He picked up the containers and placed them back in the cabinet and helped Jason stand up and held his hand so the two Cartwright boys could walk to Jason’s room.  Adam dressed him for bed, and he then picked him up and put him on his lap and read him a bedtime story.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Monday morning came, and Jessica finished packing her last minute essentials and told Adam the bags were ready to be closed and put into the car.  She put Jason’s shoes on him and they headed to the car for their journey to Reno Airport.  Adam dropped off Jessica with the luggage, stroller, and car seat at the main entrance and then went and parked in short term parking.  Adam met his family and proceeded to check in the car seat and luggage at curbside check-in.  After the luggage had been checked, Adam walked Jessica and Jason into the terminal to the main entrance for security.  Adam picked up Jason from the stroller and held him tight in his arms.  He held back the tears as this would be Jason’s first airplane trip, and he wouldn’t be with him to experience it.  The reality of the things Adam was missing in his son’s life weighed heavy on him.  He just continued to hold Jason and tell him how much he loved him and that he would miss him.  When he put Jason back in his stroller, he looked at Jessica who had wiped away a few tears of her own. 

“Can I have a hug, Babe?” Adam asked holding out his arms.

Jessica opened her arms, and the couple embraced.  Adam held his wife tight.  His heart was breaking because he could feel the tension in Jessica’s body and he knew she was sad they were not taking Jason’s first trip outside Nevada as a family.

“Babe, I’m sorry I continue to disappoint you.  I do love you, and I will miss you.  Please forgive me.”

Jessica pulled away and wiped her tear stained cheeks.  “There’s nothing to forgive, Adam.  You’re doing what you feel must be done to support your family.  Isn’t that what you always tell me?”

Adam pulled Jessica back into his embrace, and she lightly placed her arms around him.

“I love you, Babe, don’t you ever forget that,” Adam whispered in her ear.

“I love you, too, Adam, now we need to get going.  We don’t want to be late getting to the gate.

Adam leaned down and gave Jessica a light kiss on her lips, and she responded in kind.  Adam then bent down to kiss his son and tell him he’d miss him and was counting the days until he would see him again on Friday.  He told him to behave on the plane and mind his mommy and the people who were there to help on the plane.

Once Adam saw his wife and son through security, he turned and left the airport and headed to the office.

Adam spent the next several days coming in early to the office and leaving late into the evening.  Alan, the architect Adam had hired to build his and Jessica’s new home at the Ponderosa, came to the office and Alan, Adam, and Ben met in Adam’s office to go over the plans of Adam’s new house.  Alan also brought along the general contractor, Kelly, who would oversee the entire project, and hire all of the trades during the construction phase.  Kelly explained the house would take approximately six months to build and about half way through the building, Dina, the interior designer, and Kelly would meet with Adam again to go over cabinet designs, countertops, appliance choices, etc.  Adam and Jessica had already discussed their desires for their new home and Dina was to meet with them to show them her designs based on the consultation she’d had with them as well as samples of all the choices she’d made to go along with the plans for the house.

After the meeting, Ben invited Adam to come up to the Ponderosa for dinner with him and his brothers and Adam gladly accepted. 

When Ben came to Adam’s office to let him know he was leaving for the day, Adam told his father he was wrapping up a few contracts for a meeting he had Friday morning and would be about another hour but should arrive before Hop Sing had dinner ready.  Ben told his son not to work too late as he expected to have dinner on time.

Adam arrived at the Ponderosa around 7:00 P.M. His brother, Joe greeted him at the circle drive.  He came, from feeding and bedding down his horse, Cochise for the night.

“Hey, older brother, how are you? Just came from the stable.  It was such a gorgeous afternoon; I took Cochise for a long ride down by the lake.  Hoss was going to come, but he was studying for finals next week at school.”

“Shouldn’t you be doing the same?” he asked as he put his arm around his youngest brother’s shoulders and they walked into the house together.

“I’m good, Adam, I took my books with me when I rode Co…” Joe stopped mid sentence realizing he’d left his book bag in the stable when he returned to put Cochise in his stall for the night.

“I, I got to go, Adam.  Tell Dad I’ll be just a few minutes late for dinner, and I’m sorry, but I’ve got to get my book bag! It has my books I need to study for my history final tomorrow!”

Adam laughed as he saw his brother’s nervous run to get his books and be back before he was too late for dinner.  One thing Ben had always taught his boys growing up is never to be late for dinner as it was the one time they could always count on to be together each day, no matter what was going on.  Adam thought and chuckled to himself, If only I could…he shook his head and entered the house.

After dinner, Hop Sing cleared the table and told Ben he would bring a pot of coffee into the great room for he and Adam.  Hoss and Joe excused themselves and went upstairs to continue to study while Adam and Ben retired to the great room; Ben in his overstuffed leather chair and Adam on the settee.

“Everything okay with you and Jessica, Adam?” Ben asked as he poured two cups of coffee, handing one of them to Adam.

“Why do you ask, Dad?” Adam questioned his father’s interesting question.

“I’ve noticed you’re spending more and more time at the office lately, coming in early, leaving later.  Is everything okay at home? I mean, if you don’t want to tell me about it, just say it’s none of my business, but I love you and Jessica, and if there is anything I can do to help, I want to be there for you as your father.”

Adam sighed deeply.  It seemed the facade he was trying to keep up was failing miserably, and his father could see there were issues within his marriage.

“I love Jessica, Dad, but since the miscarriage…I don’t know; she has closed herself off to me.  Dr. McIntyre gave her the green light to have more children once she completed her first cycle after the miscarriage but when I told Jessica what Dr. McIntyre said, she about bit my head off, telling me I didn’t care about the loss of our child.”

Adam got up and moved over to the banister and leaned against it.

“Dad, I mourned the child we lost, but after awhile, I was ready to try again.  I want more kids, Dad, I don’t want Jason growing up an only child, but every time I’ve brought it up, Jessica shoots me down, telling me she’s not ready.  She complains I work too much, leaving her and Jason at home all the time by themselves.  She barely lets me touch her anymore.  It’s almost like we’re living separate lives within our home.”

“Has she thought about getting grief counseling in regards to her miscarriage, Adam? Have you talked about going together as a couple? Maybe if she sees the loss was as profound to you as it was to her…”

Adam laughed and interrupted his father. 

“Dad, been there done that with her.  She told me I was calling her crazy, and she didn’t need therapy, she just needed time.  Well, how much time is time enough?  I need my family back, but my wife is slipping away.  She’s angry at me all the time now.  I don’t ever seem to be a good enough husband, or father in her eyes.  I guess I’m just frustrated.”

“So the answer is working all the time, Adam?” Ben asked his son,  with his brow arched.

“What’s that supposed to mean, Dad?” Adam asked with sarcasm in his voice. ” What are you insinuating?”

“I’m not insinuating anything, Adam, but you work all the time…”

“I’ve got a tremendous responsibility to you and the company you’ve worked hard to build, Dad,” Adam interrupted, his voice was tense.

Ben didn’t back off; he needed to drive his point home to his son that if he continued down the road he was on, he was going to lose his wife, his son, everything that made him happy, and Ben did not want to see this happen to his eldest son.

“Listen to me, Adam.  I’m your father, and I’m trying to get you to realize you don’t have a healthy balance of work and home life, and you need to find it quickly before it’s too late.”

“And look who’s lecturing about balance of work and home life; the great Ben Cartwright,” Adam strolled back over to refresh his cup of coffee.

“And what do you mean by that?” Ben’s voice became irritated at Adam’s lack of respect for his desire to help.

“Oh come on, Dad, when I was younger, there were many nights Hoss, Joe, and I, along with Inger when she was alive, and then Marie would spend many nights without you because you didn’t get home until after we’d gone to bed sometimes.”

“And I told you how looking back if I had it all to do again, I wouldn’t have wasted all those years working non-stop when you were younger, but I did what I felt I had to do to support my family.”

“And you don’t think that’s what I’m doing now, Dad?” Adam got in Ben’s face.

“You may be my colleague during the day, Adam, but you are still my son and always will be; don’t you forget that, do you understand me?  This company is your livelihood, but your marriage to Jessica and your son are bigger than this company, do I make myself clear?”

“Or what, Dad? Fire me? Demote me? If you don’t think I’m doing a good enough job, then replace me!  Maybe then Jessica will love me enough again to want another baby.”

“What has gotten into you, Adam? What makes you feel like you can speak to me with such lack of respect?”  Ben came and placed his hand on Adam’s shoulder.  “Are things that bad with Jessica, son? Talk to me!”

Adam tried to hold back the tears, but his tough exterior was crumbling. 

“I love her, Dad, but she’s slipping away.  I work so hard to give her everything she and Jason deserve; they both deserve the very best I can give them.”

“But have you thought what they want?  I’m sure Jessica would tell you what they desire is you.   They want what money can’t buy, and that’s you and time with you.”

Adam pulled away and walked back to the settee.  He sat down and looked at his father, who was standing over at the banister.

“That’s so rich, Dad.  I want nothing in the world more than to spend time with Jessica and my son, but I have to pay the mortgage, keep the lights on, put food on the table, clothed my boy who’s growing so fast, he requires new clothes almost every few months.  Those things aren’t purchased with love, Dad.  Not only do I have my family to take care of but I also have the stress of building my reputation and respect in the cattle and timber industry.  I don’t want to be only known as Ben Cartwright’s son.  I have to be able to stand alone if I’m going to gain the respect of these men you’ve done business with since I was a little boy.  I can’t rest on being Ben Cartwright’s kid.  I can’t, I won’t.”

Ben came back over to where Adam was sitting, sat down next to him, placed his hand on his shoulder and said, “You don’t have to sacrifice any of those things, Adam.  You’re doing well in making your name for yourself and building a reputation in our business.  Not only am I’m proud of you as my son, but the other officers of the company are proud of you also with all you’ve done during your tenure at Cartwright, Incorporated.  I’m only asking you not sacrifice your family on your journey.”

Ben got up and went back to his chair.  He sat down and looked at Adam, who’s emotionally drained demeanor was not going to stop him from making his point crystal clear to him; there was simply too much at stake.

“Where are Jessica and Jason this week?” Ben’s voice softened.

“Connecticut to visit her family and attend Austin’s graduation, why?” Adam asked as he looked at his father with a befuddled look.

“And why aren’t you with them? This a huge milestone in her brother’s life, don’t you think she wants to share that not only with her parents and brother, but with her husband, too?  And here you are, in Nevada, Adam, why?” Ben asked, his voice softened more.

“Because, the damn company, as she reminds me all the time, needs my attention,” Adam sighed.

Ben decided he needed to drop the conversation.  He didn’t want Adam to feel as if he as trying to meddle in his marriage or family life.  He only wanted him to think about finding balance with his work, marriage, and family life before it was too late.

“I got to go, Dad.  It’s too late to call Jessica tonight, and I’ll probably hear all about it tomorrow,” Adam got up and headed to the door, getting his suit jacket before opening the front door.

Adam stood with his hand on the knob and hesitated before opening the door.  His father sat in the chair and didn’t move to see his eldest son out to his car.

“Look, Dad, I know you mean well.  I don’t think you’re taking Jessica’s side over mine.  I know you want what’s best for both of us and mostly, Jason.  I’m not giving up on her or our marriage.  I love her, and I’ll do whatever I have to do for her and Jason always.  She just can’t ask me to give up on me or my dreams,” and he turned the knob and walked out the door.

When They Were Young ~ Chapter 7

When Jessica and Jason came home from Connecticut, Adam told her he wanted to work on being a better husband to her and father to Jason.  He realized when they were gone how much he missed his family, and he never wanted to lose them.  Jessica was happy to hear Adam had realized he was neglecting the needs of his wife and was cautiously willing to work with him on getting back on track with their marriage.

Jessica would make a point of going to The Ponderosa on the weekends with Adam and Jason to supervise the construction of their home on Adam’s family’s land.  As Adam had made strides to work on their marriage, Jessica, too, had made a pledge not to be so judgmental when Adam would have to take business trips or work late at the office late from time to time.

Adam focused on finding the balance between his family and work life which made Jessica happy.  At times when Adam would need to travel on business more than Jessica preferred, she worked within herself to keep her dissatisfaction of Adam’s travel schedule a minimum.  When Aaron Manning’s wife, Audra was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, Ben promoted Adam to second in command as Senior Vice President of Cartwright, Inc.  Adam had proved himself to his father, and company officers who agreed with Adam’s promotion by the board of director’s unanimous decision.

Jessica’s support of Adam’s new position at Cartwright, Inc. dashed when Adam was spending more time out of town on business pulling double duty while the search committee worked to find a suitable replacement for Adam’s vacated role of Vice President.  Adam assured Jessica it was only temporary, but when the search continued for more than six months, her patience had run its course.

Upon return from one of many business trips Adam had made in his new role, he came home to find Jessica’s welcome, not one he had received after previous trips.

Jessica was putting clean laundry away in the bedroom when Adam entered the room.  He came over to Jessica and gave her a kiss on her cheek and went into the closet to empty his suitcase down the dirty laundry chute and hung his suits to be taken to the cleaners on Monday for dry cleaning. 

Adam came out in his boxers and headed to Jessica who was facing away from him, folding towels.  Adam wrapped his arms around Jessica’s waist, kissed her neck and invited her into the shower to scrub his back.

“Adam, I have to finish this laundry, put Jason’s clothes away and get dinner started, I don’t have time to play wife with you in the shower.”

Adam could tell by Jessica’s tone and body language something was not right with his wife and decided to leave her to the laundry, and went to take a shower alone. 

When Adam came from the shower, Jessica had left the towels neatly folded on the bed and was no longer in the master bedroom.  After Adam dried off and put on a pair of sweatpants and t-shirt on, he took the towels and placed them in the linen closet in their bathroom.  Adam shaved and headed to Jason’s nursery to hug and kiss his son he had not seen in a week.

When Adam arrived in Jason’s nursery, he found Jason standing in his closet with his mother, who was hanging his clothes.  When Jason saw his father, he smiled and said jubilantly,  “Daddy!” and raised his arms to be picked up.  Jessica continued to hang the last of Jason’s shirts on the hangers and walked out of his closet as Adam reunited with his son.

“You going to be home for my birthday, Daddy?” Jason asked Adam as he looked intently into his father’s eyes.

“Of course, I am, Jason, I wouldn’t miss your birthday for anything,” he said as he tweaked Jason’s nose.

Jason hugged his father’s neck and wiggled to get down, grabbed Adam’s hand, and brought him back to his room to show him the new books he’d received.

“The man brought me books, Daddy.”

“The man? What man?” Adam asked with interest.

Jason looked at his father with a confused look and then shrugged his shoulders.  Adam didn’t question Jason any further and figured he would talk to Jessica about the mystery man later after Jason went to bed.

“Daddy, read me?” Jason looked up at his father with innocence, holding a book up to his hero.

Adam bent down to Jason’s eye level.  He took the book from Jason’s hands and looked into his eyes.  He could see the desire to spend time with his father, and this was his way of asking for son/father time.  Adam smiled, looked at the book, and then back and Jason.  Of course, I’ll read to you, but I smell Mommy’s cooking.  I bet dinner’s almost ready so how about this, after dinner, I’ll help you with your bath, and then after your pajama’s are on, and you’re ready for bed, you can sit in my lap, and I’ll read you this story,” Adam smiled at Jason.

“Yea, Daddy, thank you!” Jason jumped up and down.

Adam stood up and put his hand out, and Jason put his hand on his father’s, and they walked to the kitchen together.  When they entered the kitchen, Jason ran to his mother, who was at the stove checking the food simmering in the pots when she saw Adam and Jason enter the kitchen.  Jessica smiled when she saw Jason and he ran to her side and hugged her leg.

“Mommy, Daddy read me book tonight,” he said looking up at his mother with a big grin on his face.

“He is, I know you’ll like that. You’re giving Mommy the night off tonight huh?”

Jason looked at his mother with a quizzical look.  Jessica smiled and took a paper towel to wipe her hands.  She bent down and looked at Jason in his eyes.  “Mommy always reads to you; it’ll be fun for Daddy to read to you tonight, won’t it?” Jason nodded his head.

Adam called Jason to get in his booster seat at the table as Mommy would have dinner finished soon.  Adam finished setting the table with plates for him and Jessica and a plastic plate for Jason.  Adam placed a bib on Jason so he wouldn’t get food on his clothes.

“Don’t want bib, Daddy.  Jason big boy now,” he complained.

“Don’t worry about the bib, Adam, I’ll be giving him a bath after dinner anyway,” Jessica’s tone was cold.

Adam looked at Jessica, but she was still working on getting all of the food into serving dishes, so Adam didn’t question her and decided to talk to her about the man with the books and bib when they were alone.

After dinner, Adam helped Jessica clear the dishes while Jason waited at the table covered with food on the table, floor, and on his  clothes.

Jessica brought a wet rag over to where he was sitting and bent down to clean the travertine under his chair. 

“You know how to make a big mess when you eat, my sweet boy,” Jessica said tenderly.

“I sorry, Mommy,” Jason responded as he watched her clean up around him.

“It’s okay, my love, you’re only three.  I can’t expect you not to make a mess.  That’s why we eat in the kitchen and not in the main dining room.”

Adam helped Jason from his booster seat and cleaned the table with a wet paper towel.

“I’ll give him a bath once I’m finished, Jess, if that’s okay with you.”

“That’s fine, Adam, I can do the dishes while you’re bathing Jason.

“Daddy, I want you read me book!”  Jason protested.

“Tiger, I will, but first we have to get you cleaned up and ready for bed.  I just want to help Mommy by getting all the dishes in the sink first.”

Jason seemed content with Adam’s answer and waited while he came to unbuckle his seatbelt on the booster seat and lifted him out of his chair.

After Adam had finished, he came and picked Jason up and carried him to the bathroom.  Adam sat him down on the ground and started running warm bath water and then helped Jason undress.  He helped him into the bathtub, took a rag and had Jason stand up so he could wash his body, including the dried food which was on his face.  Jason started to cry when Adam washed his face.

“Hurt, Daddy,” complained Jason.

“Sorry, Tiger, but I have to scrub to clean your face clean,” Adam continued to wash Jason’s face.  “We’re almost done and then you can play in the tub with your toys while Daddy changes his clothes.

“I don’t want to play, Daddy, I want Daddy read me.”

“Jessica! can you please bring a towel for Jason, I forgot to grab one from the linen closet,” Adam yelled for his wife’s assistance.

Jessica arrived a few minutes later, leaving the towel on the sink without saying anything to Jason or Adam.

Adam looked at Jessica as she exited the bathroom with an arched eyebrow.  He didn’t know what had put Jessica in a sour mood since he’d been home but he planned to get to the bottom of things once he was alone with her in their bedroom.

“You finished now, Tiger?” he asked as he grabbed the towel and dried his hands.

“Daddy help,” replied the small voice as Jason put his hands out for Adam to help him from the tub.

Bubbles covered Jason from the soap Adam used to clean his body.  So Adam didn’t get soap on his clothes, he helped Jason stand and told him to be still while he emptied the water from the tub.  He placed the towel around Jason and picked him up in his towel.  He sat him down on the ground and dried him off.  Once dried, Adam told Jason to go to his bedroom and get clean underwear and pajamas from his drawer, and he would be in his room after he rinsed the tub and put the towel in the laundry.

Jason ran to his room, and when Adam entered, he found Jason on the floor trying to put on his superhero underwear.

Once Adam dressed Jason for bed, Jason smiled largely and said, “Kiss Mommy night.”

Adam smiled.  “Where is she? Do you know?”

Jason shrugged his shoulders; he didn’t know where his mother was.

Jessica heard Adam asking Jason where his mother was, and she shouted as she came down the hall, “I’m coming to my sweet boy.”

Jessica entered Jason’s room, and he ran and jumped for Jessica to pick him up. 

“Be careful, Tiger, you don’t want to knock Mommy down,” Adam said still kneeling.  Adam smiled as he watched the tender love between mother and son.  He thought about the days and nights he spent away from his young family and wished he had the same close relationship with his son his wife did but knew the travel would soon come to an end as the search committee had finally found a candidate for Adam’s vacated vice president’s position.  Adam and Ben would be conducting the final interview on Monday morning before making the announcement to the entire company.

“You smell so good after a bath, Jason” Jessica buried her head in Jason’s neck, capturing the essence of her baby boy while he was still young and innocent.

“I’m going to read Jason a story, and then I’ll come to bed,” Adam said as Jessica put Jason back on the floor.

“That’s fine, Adam,” Jessica replied as she walked out of the room.

Adam glared in Jessica’s direction.  He planned to get to the bottom of Jessica’s attitude before either of them went to sleep.

When Jason ran and jumped in Adam’s lap, Adam’s anger quickly changed, and happiness replaced his face as he was spending much-needed quality time with his son.

“Read, Daddy,” Jason said as he handed his new Dr. Seuse book to Adam. 

“One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish,” Adam said as he opened the book.  “Good choice, Tiger,” and Adam started to read from the first page.

Adam was able to get through most of the book before Jason fell asleep in his arms.  He relished the time he could spend with his son since he was away on business so often.  He saw the bond Jason had with his wife was much stronger than he had with him and it saddened Adam tremendously.

Adam put the book on the dresser and picked Jason up in his arms, gently placing him in his bed.  He pulled the covers up over him.  He stood for a few minutes staring at his sleeping son.  He smiled, and a tear fell from his eye.  He thought about the many things he had missed being away but relished in the memories he had of hearing him call him Dada for the first time, celebrating his birthdays, and watching him take his first steps.  Adam bent down and kissed him on the cheek and turned around, shutting out the light on his way out the door back to the master bedroom he shared with Jessica.

When Adam came into the bedroom, Jessica was coming out of the bathroom.  She had a pink silk long robe on and a towel around her head. 

“Is Jason asleep?” she asked as she headed to the chest of drawers to get a nightgown out to wear to bed.

“Yeah, he wanted me to read one of his new books, books that were given to him by a man, Jessica? Is there something I should know about?” Adam asked accusingly.

Jessica looked at Adam and frowned, “What on earth are you insinuating, Adam Cartwright,” Jessica asked as she took her hair out of her towel and started to dry it further.

“I know I’m gone a lot on business, Jess, and I’m sorry.  Dad and I are interviewing my replacement on Monday.  I’ll have to go on the road with him for a few more trips, but then he’ll take over most of the traveling.  Why, though, Jess? Why would a man give our son a gift such as books?”  Adam’s voice was angry with a tinge of hurt.

Jessica stopped drying her hair and stared at Adam, her anger peaked. 

“You’re sometimes gone every other week.  I’m left here with our son by myself to raise.  Our dear friends have moved, and you, you, Adam Cartwright are now insinuating I’m having an affair with another man? Even for you, Adam,” Jessica took off her robe and threw it on the bed. “I can’t believe all you’ve put our son and me through; you would compound it all by charging me with an affair!”

“Then who gave him the books? He said a man gave him the books! Tell me, Jessica!  Are you having an affair with another man when I’m not home? Is this why you never want me touching you? Because you’re getting it from someone else?”

Jessica slapped Adam across the face.  “How dare you accuse me of having an affair on you, Adam.  I’ve been faithful to you since the day we met.  I’ve never even as much as looked at another man because I love you!” She turned around and went back to the chest of drawers and started pulling out Adam’s clothes and throwing them at him.

“What are you doing, Jessica? Those are my clothes!” Adam yelled, his voice was angry

Jessica came walking back at Adam, her finger pointed in his face, “You come home, accuse me of having an affair without any merit, and you expect me just to let that one slide? You married the wrong woman if you wanted a trophy wife, Adam.  I want you out.  I can’t even stand to look at you right now.  I think all of that flying you’re doing has affected your thought process.”

“I’m not going anywhere, Jessica, this house is as much mine as it is yours.  I miss too much of my son’s life as it is now, and if you think I’m leaving, you’re delusional.”

“For your information, Adam Cartwright, the man, whom Jason is referring to is the FedEx driver!  I ordered the books online, and they were delivered today!  Jason was at the door with me when I answered the door to sign for them!  Jason knew it was the books, and he told the delivery man they were his new books!  I can’t believe you would, first, think I would have an affair while we’re married and second, you would take that of an almost three-year old’s sentence that a man gave him the books as I’m having an affair.  Good grief, Adam, I thought you were smarter than that.  If you’re not leaving, fine, but sleep in the guest bedroom, because I don’t want you in here with me.”

Adam picked up the few clothes Jessica had taken from the drawers and went into the guest bedroom.  He put things on the dresser, took off his clothes took down the bed’s comforter and went to bed.  The week’s traveling and long work days had taken its toll on him.

The next morning when Adam woke up, he went into the master bedroom to get a pair of jeans and a t-shirt.  Jessica was already awake and had made the bed.  Adam could smell bacon cooking in the kitchen, so he got dressed and headed to the kitchen.  He saw Jessica standing at the stove cooking Jason eggs.  Jason was sitting in his booster chair, and when he saw his father, he lifted up his arms and yelled, “Daddy!”

“Hi, Tiger, how did you sleep?  Did you enjoy the story I read to you?”

Jason nodded his head up and down with excitement.  “Read me more, Daddy!”

Jessica continued to cook breakfast and didn’t even acknowledge Adam and Jason’s conversation.  Jessica put the soft scrambled eggs onto his plate with a piece of toast and placed it on the table in front of Jason with a sippy cup of orange juice.  Adam looked at Jessica as she was walking back to the stove to begin breakfast for her.

“Breakfast, Adam?” Jessica asked in a very flat tone.

Adam walked over to Jessica’s side and looked at her, but she did not return his stare.

“Thank you, I would love some.  We’ll talk later when Jason’s down for a nap.

“I have nothing to discuss with you, Adam, orange juice?”

“I’ll get it myself; we have a lot to talk about, would you like some?

“This is not the time, Adam, not in front of Jason.  He’s young, but he’s not oblivious,” Jessica put bread in the toaster.

“Come on, Jessica, give me some credit, I told you when Jason was down for a nap,”

Jason stopped eating and watched the exchange between his parents.  His face did not register a child of happiness.  Although he didn’t follow all of his parent’s conversation, he could tell by the tone in each of their voices they were not happy, and it saddened him.

When Adam brought orange juice for him and Jessica to the breakfast table, Adam took Jason’s fork and picked up some eggs and tried to feed Jason eggs, but he turned his head.

“Are you done, Tiger? You didn’t eat very much this morning.”

Adam sat down and studied his son’s face.  He looked at his father and then at his mother and back to his father. 

Jessica sat the plate of bacon, eggs, and toast, on the table and sat down. 

“Are you waiting for Mommy and Daddy, sweetheart? Jessica smiled at Jason.  Jason flashed a big grin at his mother.  Adam smiled and took Jessica’s hand and said grace before they began to eat their morning meal.

After everyone had finished their breakfast, Jessica cleaned Jason’s face and put him on the floor while she and Adam cleaned the kitchen and the morning dishes. 

“I need to go to the grocery store; I’m going to take Jason with me.  Is there anything you need?” Jessica asked without any emotion.

“No, I’m fine, just get what you have on your list,” Adam said as he went back to his home office and said he had some work to do while she was gone.

Jessica was gone a few hours, and while she was away, Adam took the quiet time at home to go over the recommendations of the new candidate they had chosen to assume Adam’s role of vice president and prepared himself for the interview with the new vice presidential candidate on Monday morning.

When Jessica returned, Adam heard the door open, and Jason was crying.  Adam could hear Jessica talking to Jason, but couldn’t hear her words over his crying, but she continued to bring in the groceries.

Adam got up and went into the kitchen to find out why Jason was crying.

“He’s tired, Adam.  I wouldn’t let him get a toy he saw and wanted.  He needs a nap.”

“Why don’t you take him to his room and calm him down so he can go to sleep and I’ll put away the groceries,” Adam took the sacks from Jessica’s hands.

Jessica picked Jason up and told Adam over Jason’s crying there were more bags in her trunk that need to be brought in and left the kitchen with Jason to his room.

When Adam finished putting away the groceries, he realized Jason’s crying had stopped.  He went back to his room and saw Jessica rocking her son and caressing his head.  He had fallen asleep in his mother’s arms.  Adam came and picked Jason up and placed him in his bed.  Jessica got up and walked out without saying a word to Adam.

Adam went looking for Jessica and found her in the master bathroom and was getting cleaning supplies to start cleaning the basin, toilet, and shower.

“We need to talk about last night, Jessica,” Adam leaned in the doorway. 

“I think you said enough, Adam; you need to finish getting your clothes moved out of this room if you plan to stay here,” She continued to clean.

“Why are you doing this to us, Jessica?” Adam protested Jessica’s denial of discussion with him.

She stopped, turned around, and looked at Adam.  “What I’m doing to us?” she crossed her arms.  “Explain to me, Adam, just what have I done to us?  I think you need to look into the mirror and look at the reflection staring back and ask, what did YOU do to us?” She turned back to cleaning.  Adam stood quietly as he watched her clean.  He could see her wiping her eyes from time to time.

“Jessica, look at me,” but Jessica continued to clean.  “Jessica, I asked you to look at me,” Adam asked again.

Jessica stopped and turned around.  “Adam, I do not want to talk to you right now.  You continue to put your job before your wife and son, and I’ve tried to be patient while the company finds a replacement, but you crossed the line last night when you accused me of having an affair.  I’ve had enough, Adam!  If you plan to stay in this house, I’ll deal with you being here, but you must move out of this room, or I’m taking Jason and moving out.”

“I’ll move into the guest bedroom, but you’re not taking our son away from me or this house.  Jason has grown up here, and I will not stand by and allow you to rip him from the only home he’s known.  I’ll fight you with everything I have if you try anything like that.”

“Then get out of this room now, Adam, and I won’t leave.  I’m only allowing you to stay because I’m thinking about Jason’s well-being.  He needs his father, whenever you can find the time to be a father to him.”

Adam walked over to Jessica and looked at her closely in the face.  “Don’t ever use my son as a weapon against me again, Jess.  I won’t stand for it,” and he walked away but turned around before leaving the room.  “I love our son, and I love you, but don’t ever use my son as a weapon again.  Not cool, Jessica,” and he left and started moving his clothes to the guest bedroom.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Adam and Jessica had kept up a facade of a cohesive family unit in public since Adam was a high-level figure in a major company in the Reno area, but behind closed doors, the couple’s marriage had dissolved into name only.  Adam had confided with his family of the state of his marriage with Jessica.  Ben was disappointed in both Adam and Jessica for not trying harder to make their marriage work.  He had told both of them how before Inger and Marie died, they had both sacrificed along with Ben as he spent many days late at the office and sometimes on the weekends because they knew it was Ben’s dream to build the empire now known as Cartwright, Inc. and The Ponderosa Ranch.  Jessica cried in private at times thinking how she had disappointed her father-in-law she loved so much, but could not find it in her heart to forgive Adam for all her perceived wrong doings.

Several months had passed, and Adam and Jessica continued in their house together but practically led separate lives. The annual hospital charity ball was coming, and Cartwright, Inc. was a major sponsor of the gala this year.  Ben, Hoss, and Joe were attending as well as other board members and officers of the company with their spouses.  Adam came home after a long week at the office and found Jessica in the kitchen making dinner.

“You managed to get home at a reasonable hour tonight.  Your son will be happy to see you,” she said as she wiped her hands and went to the refrigerator to get vegetables to make a salad.

“I need to talk to you about the annual hospital charity ball coming up.  I need you to come as my wife.  Cartwright, Incorporated is a major sponsor this year and all of the officers, and their spouses are representing the company.”

“What about it?” Jessica asked as she was cutting carrots.

“I need you to accompany me as my wife.  As senior vice president, it would appear strange if I come alone, and everyone knows I’m married to you.”

Jessica stopped cutting the carrots and stared at Adam.  His face was tired, and she could see the sadness in his eyes.  The deep fractures in their marriage and the stress of being second in command had taken its toll on Adam.  Jessica felt a pang of sadness for her husband, but her perceived hurt he had levied on her and their son were things she was still working through within herself.

“Adam,” Jessica’s tone was soft, “I told you I would always accompany you whenever you had to be at an event where having your spouse with you was appropriate.  I plan to keep my end of the deal with this event as well.”

“Thank you,” Adam whispered and left for the home office to put his briefcase away and then to the guest bedroom to change his clothes before spending quality daddy/son time with Jason.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The evening of the annual hospital charity ball had arrived.  Adam finished dressing in his Armani tuxedo and went to the front door when he heard the doorbell ring.  It was Deanne, a teenager up the street who Adam and Jessica would ask to come and stay with Jason when they would need to be away from the house without Jason.

“Hi, Mr. Cartwright, you look very handsome this evening,” Deanne smiled as she entered the house.

“Thanks, Deanne.  Jessica’s still getting dressed.  Jason is already in bed, let me show you where the emergency information is at as well as contact information for the hotel in case there is an emergency, and you need to get a hold of Jessica or myself.”

Adam and Deanne went into the kitchen where Jessica had put instructions for Jason if he were to wake up as well as all of the emergency contact information and snacks for Deanne if she wanted while babysitting.

Adam showed Deanne how to work the new satellite to watch TV.  As Adam was finishing up, Jessica walked in to thank Deanne for babysitting so she and Adam could attend the annual new year’s eve hospital gala.

When Adam saw Jessica dressed in her new gown, his breath was momentarily taken away by her beauty, but he kept his reactions internally.

“Mrs. Cartwright, you look stunning.  You and Mr. Cartwright will be the best-looking couple at the gala tonight,” Deanne smiled.

“Thank you, Deanne, I appreciate it.”

Jessica wore a sea-blue trumpet mermaid chiffon gown with a sweeping train.  The strapless gown with a sweetheart neckline was encrusted with dark blue Swarovski crystals and scattered to lighter hues of blue to clear as they flowed down the dress with a slit up to mid thigh just to the right of the middle of the skirt.  She wore her hair in a soft up-do with soft curls flowing down the sides of her face and neck and held up with a Swarovski crystal hair comb. 

“It’s time to go, Jess,” Adam said without much emotion in his tone.

“Please don’t hesitate to call if there is anything you need or an emergency, Deanne, thanks again!” Jessica said as she followed Adam out to the back of the house where he was waiting with Jessica’s coat.

As Adam was helping Jessica put on her coat, he said, “You look beautiful tonight, Jess.”

“Thank you, Adam,” was her only response. 

The couple got into Adam’s car and headed toward Reno for the evening’s festivities.

When they arrived, the party was in full swing.  Adam took Jessica’s coat from her and took both to the temporary area coats were checked for all of the members attending the gala.  Once inside the ballroom, Jessica and Adam saw people dancing, talking, drinking and eating.

They found one of the many tables Cartwright, Inc. had purchased and found their seats.  Ben was coming back from the buffet and greeted his eldest son and daughter-in-law.

“Adam, Jessica, I’m so happy you were able to get here finally.  How’s my grandson tonight?”

“Hi Dad, Adam shook Ben’s hand, and Jessica gave her father a kiss on the cheek.

“Jessica, you look stunning as always.  Motherhood agrees with you,” Ben said as he held Jessica in his embrace.

“Thanks, Dad, I wanted to be beautiful especially for you,” she kissed his cheek again.

Adam looked around the room and saw someone he knew from many years before and wanted to say hello to them.  He whispered into Jessica’s ear that he saw someone he wanted to talk to and would be back shortly.

Adam walked over to the bar across the way and leaned into the shoulder of a woman who was wearing a fully sequined black gown.

“Long time no see, how are you?” he asked, and the woman turned around, and a large smile came to her face.

“Adam Cartwright!  Oh my gosh, how long has it been? I can’t believe of all places; I’d see you here tonight, and after all these years!  My gosh, how handsome you are.  How are you?” the woman said as she hugged Adam and gave him a kiss on his cheek.

“Dorian, this is Adam Cartwright.  He and my sister, Dana, were high school sweethearts.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Dorian,” Adam said as he hugged and kissed Dorian on her cheek.

“Dorian, I don’t mean to be rude, but do you mind if I speak with Michelle alone for a few minutes?”

“Not at all, Adam.  It’s great to meet you.  Hopefully, I’ll see more of you later? I’ll reserve a dance on my dance card for you later,” she winked at the handsome friend of Michelle’s.

Michelle and Adam went off to a corner of the ballroom to talk.  “Can I get you a drink?” Adam asked as he placed his arm around Michelle and directed her to a more intimate place to talk.

“No, I’m good, Adam.  How are you? My gosh, how many years has it been?” she asked as she hugged Adam again.

“Too much time, Michelle, and you’re looking beautiful as always,” Adam said.

Jessica saw Adam and the mystery woman embrace and kiss; she also saw him put his hand around her waist and take her to a corner of the room where they could talk alone.  She didn’t know who this woman was or why Adam wanted desperately to speak with her alone.  As she and Ben carried on a conversation, she continually watched Adam and the mystery woman as they smiled, talked, and hugged from the time to time.

“Michelle, I’m hoping you can put some closure as to what happened with Dana and me? When I saw her off at the airport on her way to Germany, she promised to keep in touch.  I never heard from her again, and I didn’t even know how to reach her at Georgetown.  She broke my heart, Michelle.  I thought we would be together always.”

“Oh, Adam,” Michelle hugged him, “I’m so sorry Dana ended your relationship the way she did.  When she arrived in Germany, she was missing you terribly.  She wanted to write and tell you what we were doing every day, but Mom and Dad kept us pretty busy seeing the country and taking us to Switzerland, Italy, and France.  Dad introduced us to some of the officers in his command and a 1st lieutenant, Anthony Smart and Dana hit it off instantly.  He and Dana started dating and by the end of the summer, they got engaged; she never made it to Georgetown.  They were married a year later.  She stayed in Germany, and when the Air Force transferred Tony, she moved with him.  They now have four children, all boys.  They are stateside again, living in Texas near San Antonio.  Tony is a career military man; he’s now captain and up for promotion to major.  Adam, she loved you very much, but when she met Tony, she knew he was the one.”

Michelle could see the sadness in Adam’s eyes.  She knew he and Dana were very much in love with each other and hearing the news of Dana’s marriage and children had to have shocked Adam.  Since Adam never had closure with his relationship with Dana, it came as a shock to him when he learned Dana fell in love and never came back to Georgetown, married, and had four children.

“How about you, Adam? I know you went to Harvard.  What are you doing now?”

“I’m sorry, I don’t mean to disturb, but I wanted you both to have a glass of wine; I hope you like Pinot Grigio, Adam,” Dorian said as she handed them each a glass of wine.  I’m out now, see you in a little bit, Michelle,” Dorian darted back to her table were her’s and Michelle’s husbands were waiting.

“To Dana’s happiness, Adam held up his glass and toasted with Michelle.”

“To both of your happiness, Adam,” she said as she clicked glasses with his.  “Now catch me up on your life.  Are you married? Kids? Are you working with your father?”

I have one child; a son, his name is Jason.  My wife, Jessica, and I met at Harvard and were married right after we graduated from college.  We don’t have any other kids.  I work for our company, Cartwright, Incorporated; I’m Senior Vice President.  Dad’s doing great and is still working hard.  He’s here tonight, by the way.”

“Is he? I need to find him and talk to him before either of us leave tonight.  It would be great to see him again.  I’ll have to tell Dana I saw you tonight, I know she’ll be pleasantly surprised.”

“Is she happy?” Adam asked with wonder in his voice.

“She’s very happy, Adam.  I know if you saw her with her husband and kids, you’d be happy for her, I promise.”

“It’s great to talk to you again.  I should get back to my family now.  Please stop and say hello, I know Dad would love to see you.”

Adam and Michelle parted ways, Adam to Jessica’s, Ben’s, and his brother’s table, and Michelle back to her friend’s and husband’s table.  Jessica’s anger and jealousy were at a pinnacle, but she remained calm and committed to being Adam’s dutiful wife while at the gala.

After a night full of fine wine, food, and dancing, the gala was a complete success, and the hospital was the primary benefactor of the guest’s generous giving.

Jessica was quiet on the way home from the party.  Adam didn’t have much to say either.  He thought back to the conversation he had with his old girlfriend’s sister.  There was a tinge of pain in Adam’s heart as he thought about Dana happily married with children with another man.  He remembered with fondness about how he and Dana had talked about their future together and she was now committed to another man.  Adam thought back to happier times with Jessica and wished he had wanted to show off his wife to his ex-girlfriend’s sister, but his current situation with his wife was not ideal and felt it was best not to cause any more friction in his marriage than was already present.

When he pulled into the garage of their home, Adam noticed Jessica had drifted to sleep in the passenger’s seat.

“Jess, we’re home, wake up,” Adam said as he gently shook her shoulder.

Jessica abruptly woke up, and when she looked around, she realized they were home and opened her car door and headed into the house, holding her heels in her hands.

Jessica found Deanne curled up on the couch watching a late night comedy show on one of the satellite channels.  When she saw Jessica come in the room, she stood up and turned off the TV.

“Did you have a fun time tonight, Mrs. Cartwright?”

“We did, Deanne, thank you.  Did Jason give you a hard time or wake up?”

“No, he slept all night.  I checked in on him a couple of times, and he was peacefully sleeping the entire time.  Jason’s just so sweet, Mrs. Cartwright, thank you for allowing me to come stay with him so you and Mr. Cartwright could have a night out on the town together.”

“Thank you, Deanne, I appreciate you coming over tonight.”

Jessica handed Deanne a $100 bill and told her she was tired and was going to head to bed, but Adam, who had come into the family room would see her to the door.

After Adam had seen Deanne safely to her car, Adam came back in and turned all of the lights out and went to his room and shut the door.  Adam took off his jacket and untied his bow tie.  He sat down on his bed and was looking through some of the contracts he had brought home with him to study over the weekend when there was a knock on his door.  When he opened the door, he found Jessica at his door, in her pink satin robe.  She had left her hair pinned up.

“Adam, can we talk?” she asked with a gentle voice.

Adam had not heard Jessica’s voice so kind to him in months.  “It’s late, Jess, can it wait until tomorrow?” he asked.

“I need you tonight, Adam.  I’m lonely,” she said as she placed her hand on his chest, unbuttoning more of his tuxedo shirt buttons.

Adam looked down at Jessica’s hand caressing Adam’s forest of chest hair with her nails.  He swallowed hard and looked back at her.  “What do you want, Jess, that can’t wait until tomorrow?”

Jessica got on her tippy toes and breathed into Adam’s ear, “I want you, I need you, tonight,” and then gently ran her tongue around the perimeter of Adam’s ear.

“Jessica, I don’t…” Adam’s sentence was stopped when Jessica began to kiss Adam passionately.  She placed both her hands on his face and put her lips to his, parting them with her tongue.  Adam quickly gave in; he had not had her soft, gentle lips in months, and they felt good next to his.

Adam broke their embrace and looked his wife.  He again tried to speak,  “Jess, what?” but again, Jessica stopped him from saying anything further, but placing her finger on his lips and quietly said, “Shhh.”

She took Adam’s hand and led him to the master bedroom, the room she once shared with him before their marriage began to unravel.

Once they reached the bedroom, she closed the door and untied her robe, letting it fall to the ground.  She walked to the bed, naked, and laid down in a seductive pose.  Adam’s heart was racing, and he could feel his excitement against the silk of his boxers. 

Adam started to undress, and Jessica nodded with a smile.  Adam wasn’t sure what the sudden change in Jessica was but he wasn’t questioning things, he only hoped this night would be a turning point in their marriage for the better.  Once Adam completely undressed, he joined his wife in their marital bed for the first time in several months.  They pleasured each other almost to day break.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Six weeks had passed since the benefit gala, and Jessica had softened her anger toward Adam.  The search committee’s final choice to assume Adam’s role as vice president was well received by both Ben and Adam the officers of the company were also pleased when they met the new replacement, and he shared his vision for the business’s  growth and potential.  Adam was finally able to spend more time at home, although he was guilty of still leaving early in the morning and at times working late into the evening.

The flu season was in full swing when Jessica woke up in the middle of the night not feeling well.  She started to throw up, and her stomach was unsettled.  She was afraid she had picked up the bug when she took Jason to the doctor for his annual check-up and boosters which were due.

After a week of feeling sick at her stomach, Jessica decided to take a home pregnancy test.  She had noticed her breasts were tender, and she had missed her last period.  She was scared and prayed she was just late, and her tender breast were a sign she was getting ready to start.  Jessica followed the directions carefully, and when the results of the test were available, she had a definite positive sign showing in the window of the stick; Jessica was pregnant.

Jessica felt her knees grow weak and grabbed the side of the counter to steady herself.  Once she was able to feel her feet on the ground again, she walked to the bedroom and sat on the edge of the bed.  She didn’t know how she felt.  She wanted to be happy, but she was scared.  She and Adan had been getting along better in the past few months, but their marriage was hardly secure. 

“How do I tell Adam I’m pregnant? Will he believe it’s his baby?  Will he be happy? I don’t know! I don’t know!” she cried out.

Jessica cried herself to sleep and woke up to Jason’s cries in his room.  She quickly got up and looked at the clock; it was 4:15 P.M.

After she had got Jason up, she gathered up any remnants of the pregnancy test and threw them away in the trash can in the garage.  She went back inside and began making dinner.  Adam called and said he would be home around 6:30 P.M. and if she wouldn’t mind making a plate for him and keeping it warm in the oven.

Jessica finished dinner around 5:30 P.M. and made dinner for her and Jason, and they ate at the table.  Jessica was going over the letters that were taught on Sesame Street that day and using words which started with the letter of the day.  She would say them to Jason and try to get him to repeat them to her.

It was 7:30 P.M. and Adam still had not come home.  Jessica was trying to remain calm, especially for her son who kept saying, “Daddy?” when he would hear a noise in the house, but Jessica would have to dash his hopes each time as she would tell him Daddy wasn’t home yet.

Jason was sitting on Jessica’s lap, and she was reading him a bedtime story when Adam finally came in the door.  He stopped at the door of Jason’s room, and he looked up at his father and smiled.

“Mommy read me story, Daddy,” he said with happiness in his voice.

“I see that, and you like the way she reads to you?”

Jason nodded his head and got on his knees and hugged his mother’s neck.

“I love you, Mommy.  Jason sleep now.”

“Okay, my sweet boy, go give Daddy a kiss goodnight, and I’ll tuck you in bed.”

Jason jumped down and ran to his father and hugged his leg.  Adam bent down and looked at his son and smiled.

“Daddy’s so proud of you, Tiger.  I love you.  It’s time for bed now.”

Jason ran to his mother, and she patted the bed, and he got in, and she covered him up.  She sat down and brushed his hair off his face.  She stared at him, and he smiled back at her.

“Love you, Mommy,” he said and closed his eyes.

“I love you too, sweetheart.  Sleep well.”

Jessica sat a few more minutes and watched as Jason’s body slowly relaxed as he fell into a deeper sleep.  Once he was truly asleep, she got up, turned out the light and shut his door.  She saw the light on in the master bedroom but decided to go into the kitchen and make herself a cup of herbal tea.

Adam came out from the back of the house and saw Jessica curled up on the sofa in the formal living room.  He stopped and looked at Jessica.  She looked back and him and after a few seconds, she smiled and said, “What, Adam?”

“Nothing, I’m sorry I’m late, that’s all.”

“Dinner’s in the oven, but when you didn’t come home when you were supposed to, I turned it off so it wouldn’t get overcooked.  You might need to warm it up in the microwave.

“Okay, thanks,” he said, and he started to walk toward the back of the house to the kitchen when he heard Jessica’s urgent voice.

“Adam wait.”

Adam stopped, turned around, and came back to where Jessica was sitting.

“What’s up?” he asked, pointing back to the kitchen. “I’m starving, can it wait?”

“No, it can’t, Adam, can you come and sit down for a few minutes?” Jessica’s voice was nervous.

Adam walked over and sat down next to Jessica.  He couldn’t imagine what was so urgent, but he sat down across from Jessica, he looked at her with great concern.

“What is it, Jess? Something is troubling you.  I already apologized for being late.  I was working with our senior counsel on the stipulations of a new contract we’re working on; it took longer than I thought but we had to have it back in their hands tonight for approval.”

“I’m not angry you’re late, Adam, just a bit disappointed, but that’s not what I needed to talk to you about.”

“Then what?” Adam was annoyed.

“I’m pregnant, Adam,” Jessica broke down and laid her face on the overstuffed pillow on the sofa, “I’m pregnant.”

Adam sat stoic for a few minutes as the words; I’m pregnant sunk in.  He remembered the night Jessica seduced him after the gala.  He knew it had to have happened that night, as he and Jessica had not had relations since that night.

“Jessica,” Adam’s voice was tender, “how do you feel about this? I mean, we’re not in the best place in our marriage right now.  Are you certain your pregnant? How do you know you don’t have the flu?”

Jessica rose her head and looked at Adam, her eyes were puddling with tears.

“Oh, I’m very pregnant, Adam, I took a pregnancy test today and it immediately turned positive.”

Adam wanted to be happy and share his excitement at being a father again, but he could not share his joy because his wife, the mother of his second child was crying.

“Look at the mess I made.  I seduced you because I was jealous, I was jealous of those two women you were talking to you.  I didn’t want to act like the jealous wife when you came back to the table, so I played it cool, but I wanted you to know you were still married, so I seduced you that night.  Now look at what’s happened.  Oh, gosh, how could I be so stupid!”

Adam sat a moment, as he looked at Jessica beating herself up for her seducing him and as a result, getting pregnant because of her insecurities and jealousy.  Adam felt a bit of anger and sadness at the same time that Jessica’s seduction was out of jealousy and not a genuine desire to make love to her husband again.  He had to know what drove her to such jealousy, and he wanted to know, even though Jessica was crying.

“What drove you to such jealousy you would pretend you wanted me?  You seduced me, Jessica.  You made love to me as if you desired me.  Was it all an act?” Adam’s voice was shaking.

“No, Adam, I do love you, but we had grown so far apart, I didn’t know how to get back to you!” Jessica’s sobs grew stronger.

“You just told me you seduced me out of jealousy.  Jealousy of what, the two ladies I was talking to that night? That was Dana’s sister and best friend, Jessica.  I’ve known Michelle for many years!  I hadn’t seen her in a long time and wanted to say hello to her.  I would have introduced you, but we were not exactly in the best place in our marriage.  I was afraid if I introduced you to my ex-girlfriend’s sister, you might not take it very well.  It seems I was right by not introducing you to her.”

“Whatever, Adam,” Jessica’s sorrow turned to anger, and she got up and started to walk back to their bedroom.

“I’m going to tell you one thing, Adam, and you can choose to believe it or not, but I do love you.  I’ve never stopped loving you.  You are a wonderful daddy to our son and even though you don’t put us first many times, I do love and appreciate all you do for us.  I’ll admit my seduction started out because of jealousy, however, when we were making love, I meant every emotion I shared with you that night.  I’m so happy to be carrying your child; I only wish you could share in my joy.”  After she had finished, she went back to the bedroom and slammed the door.  She threw herself on the bed and sobbed into the pillow sham.

Adam sat for a few minutes and let everything that just happened sink in.

“I’m going to be a father again,” he muttered smiling. 

He thought about Jessica and how vulnerable she must have felt having to tell him, given their relationship was still on shaky ground.  He got up and went to their bedroom and opened the door quietly.  He stood in the doorway and saw Jessica crying on their bed.  He could hear her saying things but could not make out the words.

Adam walked over to the bed and sat down beside Jessica and placed his hand on her back and began to rub it.

“Babe, I’m sorry if I made you scared or uncomfortable, it was never my intention.  I’m thrilled we’re having another baby.  I do love you, and I want to try to put our marriage back together again; for us, for our kids, but mainly for us.”

Jessica slowly turned over and sat up.  She looked at Adam and said, “I love you, too. Oh god, Adam, I love you, too,” she fell into his arms crying again.  She then looked up at him and said, “Are you as happy as I am?”

Adam looked at Jessica and put both of his hands on her face and replied, “Of course I am, Jess.  I’ve been waiting a long time, and it’s finally here.  We’re having a baby; I couldn’t be more excited.”

Jessica and Adam had recommitted themselves to each other.  Adam promised he would start being a better husband and father to Jason, and would be there every step of the way for the new Cartwright who would be joining their family soon.  Jessica promised to be more understanding when Adam would have to travel out of town for business or work late at the office.  He did commit to her he was always going to be with her at every OB appointment and looked forward to the day they cleared the first trimester and could share with family and friends of their new addition which would be making it’s arrival in late September/early October of that year.

When They Were Young ~ Chapter 8

Jessica’s pregnancy had developed without any complications as she found herself moving into her fifth month.  She and Adam had begun to heal the deep fractures in their marriage.  Adam had re-committed himself to his wife and Jason, and they were back on track as the loving couple they had been when they first were married.

As Sr. Vice President of Cartwright, Inc., Adam’s travel schedule was not as often as it had been when he was Vice President, fostering relationships with many of Ben’s original clients as well as developing new ones.  Ben was extremely proud of the work Adam had done and knew he would one day be able to leave one of his legacies’s to his son to continue in the Cartwright name.

It was a late May, and spring was beginning to warm to summer.  The weekend before the swing set Adam and Jessica had purchased for Jason’s outdoor entertainment had been delivered, and Adam had finally completed the build with the help of his two brothers.   Jessica was excited to watch Jason slide and enjoy the swings.  Jason had enjoyed the swing set for a few hours that evening and cried when Jessica told him he had to go in because it was starting to get dark and he would need to eat dinner and take a bath before going to bed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After church, all Jason could talk about on their way home was playing on the swing set in the backyard. 

“Mommy’s going to make lunch first, Tiger, while I help you change into play clothes.  You’ll need to eat first and then we’ll go outside and play.” Adam told Jason, who was sitting in the back of his car seat.

“Okay, Daddy,” was Jason’s disappointed answer.

Adam looked at Jason in the rearview mirror with one eyebrow arched.  He could see Jason mumbling about something but decided to let it go as he knew his son enjoyed playing outdoors and was quite an active toddler going on four.

Once Adam and his family arrived home, Jason ran to his room and pulled out shorts and a t-shirt he wanted to wear for the day outside on the swing set.  Jason brought his clothes back to Adam and Jessica’s bedroom where he found the door shut.  In his haste to change, he ran in and found Adam in his boxers and Jessica in her bra and panties as they were both changing out of their church clothes, Jessica into a jersey knit dress and Adam into jeans and a t-shirt.

Jason stopped as he knew he had done something he wasn’t supposed to have done. 

Adam called Jason to the bed and had him sit down; he sat down next to him.

“What have I told you about coming in when the door to Mommy and Daddy’s door’s closed?”

Jason’s face began to sour, and tears started running down his cheeks from his eyes.

Adam’s voice got more stern,  “Jason Benjamin, stop crying, you know to knock when Mommy and Daddy’s door’s shut.”

“I sorry, Daddy,” Jason sat with his head down and his hands in his lap.

Jessica walked to the closet when Jason barged into the room, and she put her dress on and came out to the room when dressed.  She walked over to the bed and sat down on the other side of Jason.  He immediately jumped up and got on Jessica’s lap.  Adam looked at Jessica, and she looked at Adam while she held Jason in her arms.  Jason rubbed Jessica’s growing baby bump.

“Baby, Mommy?”

“Yes, Jason, that’s your new brother or sister,” she said smiling at him and rubbing his head.

Adam got up and went to the closet to finish getting dressed.  He had planned to talk with Jessica later about backing him up with Jason so he would know he could not always run to his mother when Adam corrected him.  Adam and Jessica had taught Jason with the door shut, parents needed privacy and not to enter unless he knocked and they opened it, but if open, he was welcome to come in when he needed either or both of his parents.

Jessica took Jason’s clothes and helped him change from his church clothes to his play clothes.  After she had helped Jason get dressed, she put her hand out for him to take her’s, and they walked to the kitchen together for Jessica to start making lunch.

Adam came into the kitchen and got a glass from the cabinet and looked at Jessica.  “Where’s Jason?”

He stopped at his room to get a book.  I guess he decided to stay in there and act like he’s reading.  He loves his new books you got for him on your last business trip.

Adam poured himself a glass of orange juice and came over to the island where Jessica was putting sandwiches together for everyone to eat for lunch before going out into the backyard to watch Jason enjoy his new swing set more.

“Jess, I wish you would back me up when I have to correct Jason for barging into our room when the door was closed.  What if we had decided to make love before getting dressed?”

“He would have seen us being intimate and sharing our love, Adam.  He’s too young to know what is going on,” Jessica casually said as she stopped and went back to the refrigerator to get sandwich meat from the meat drawer.

Adam rolled his eyes; his wife was much more liberal about what was appropriate for their children.

“Jess, I don’t want him to see you naked, and I certainly don’t want him to see either of us satisfying the other either.  He’s too young to be asking questions as to what we’re doing.  They’ll be a time when we’ll explain sex to him and when it’s appropriate to share his body with the woman he loves.  I still don’t think it’s appropriate for him to see you naked.  It’s fine for him to see me naked because we have the same anatomy, and I can explain those things to him.

“Oh, Adam, he’s a very mature boy for his age.  Besides, during the day sometimes, when I feel the baby active, I pull up my shirt up and will pull my shorts or pants down a little and put his hands on my bump so he can feel the baby moving.  I want him to be as much a part of this pregnancy as you are.  He loves feeling his sibling moving in my stomach.  I’ve explained to him how he was in my stomach once, too.”

“Okay, Jess, let’s just not expose our son to things he’s not old enough to understand, that’s all I’m asking.”

“Duly noted, Adam.  I’m sorry, I should have reiterated to Jason the importance of showing respect to us when the door’s shut.  I’ll make sure we talk about it again tonight when I put him to bed.”

Adam kissed the side of Jessica’s face and walked to the cabinet to get plates, glass, and a plastic cup for Jason and sat the table as Jessica had lunch ready.

Jessica walked to the hall and called Jason to come as lunch was ready.  Jason ran to Jessica and took her hand, and they continued into the kitchen where Adam had just filled Jason’s cup with milk. 

After lunch, Adam sat with Jason at the table while Jessica put the dishes in the dishwasher.  Jason was telling Adam all the things he wanted to do on the swing set that afternoon and how he wanted to do them by himself and have his mommy and daddy sit on the furniture in the backyard and watch him.

As Jessica was closing the dishwasher door, the phone rang, and she picked it up.

“Hi, Mommy! How are you and Daddy? Adam, Jason, and I just finished lunch, and we were getting ready to go outside and watch Jason play on his new swing set.”

Adam and Jason continued talking when Adam heard Jessica’s voice change to an alarm.

“Mommy? What do you mean Daddy’s in the hospital?  What happened?”

Adam looked over at Jessica and saw her face was sad and tears started to pool in her big blue eyes, so he walked over and Jessica put the phone to where they could both hear.

“Jessie, we had come home from church, had lunch, and Daddy was sitting in his chair and reading the newspaper.  I had been outside doing gardening, and when I came in, Daddy was sitting in his chair, unable to move.  When I went over to him, he couldn’t speak; he only looked at me with fear in his eyes.  I told him I was calling 9-1-1, and he could only moan, he couldn’t talk.  We’re at the hospital; they’re working on Daddy now.  One of the doctors came out to tell me I should call his children as he’s in very critical condition; they had to put him on a ventilator.  Jessie, he can’t even breathe on his own anymore!”

Adam took the phone from Jessica, and she headed to the table, sat down and began to sob.  Jason looked at his mommy and didn’t say anything, but he knew something was terribly wrong.

“Mom, it’s Adam. We’ll get everything together, and we’ll be on the first flight to Connecticut.  I’ll call you when I have our travel information.  Have you called Austin?”

“Yes, Adam, he’s here with his fiancee, Olivia.  Adam, it doesn’t look good.  Glenn is very sick.  You and Jessica need to get here as fast as you can.”

“We will, Mom, I’ll let you know as soon as we are on our way to the airport.  Hang in there, Mom.  We love you, and we’ll get there as soon as we possibly can.”

When Adam hung up the phone, he told Jessica to put clothes for the three of them in suitcases, and he would get plane reservations made.  He also was going to call his dad to let him know what was going on, and he would be out of the office for several days at the least.

Jessica took Jason with her and was going to have to explain the emergency with his grandpa, and they would have to take a plane trip to Connecticut instead of playing on the swing set.

Adam called his father, and after HopSing had called him to the phone, he found his eldest son on the other line with sad news regarding his father-in-law.

“Dad, it’s Adam.  Jess’ father has suffered a massive stroke, and he’s in the hospital.  Dad, Charlotte said it didn’t look good.  They’ve had to put Glenn on a ventilator.  We need to get there as soon as possible.”

“Oh, Adam, I’m so sorry to hear this.  Please let Charlotte know she and Glenn are in our prayers.”

There was a slight pause, and Ben continued, “Adam, I’m calling Dan and Patrick to get the corporate jet ready.  You need to get to Connecticut as soon as you can, and the only way that’s happening is on the business jet.  They’ll take you there, and they can fly the plane back.  Once you’re ready to come home, you can charter, or fly commercial home, but right now, time is of the essence, and you don’t need to be at the mercy of commercial airline schedules.”

“Thanks, Dad, I know Jess will appreciate it very much.  She’s so worried about her dad.”

“As we are, too.  I’ll send Hoss down to pick you up and take you to the airport.”

“Thanks, Dad,” Adam’s voice began to crack.

After hanging up the phone, Adam went back to the master bedroom he shared with Jessica.  He found suitcases and other carry-on bags on the bed.  Jessica had stopped at Jason’s room, where she left him looking at his books.  She grabbed clothes and underwear for him and brought them into the master bedroom to pack with her’s and Adam’s clothes.

Adam came and took Jessica into his arms and held her tight.  Jessica broke down.  Adam rubbed her back.

“I called Dad; he’s calling Dan and Patrick; we’re taking the business jet.  Dad wants us to get there as fast as possible.  We can fly commercial home when Dad’s out of danger.”

Jessica’s sobs grew stronger as she hugged Adam tighter, she needed to feel his embrace and love.  She couldn’t thank her father-in-law enough for his generosity to provide the Cartwright, Inc. jet to take her, Adam, and Jason to Connecticut so they could be with her family and gravely ill father.  She planned to visit Ben and thank him personally upon their return home.

Jessica was finishing up the last of the packing when the doorbell rang.  Adam went to the door and found Hoss had arrived.

Adam invited Hoss in and gave him a hug.

“Thanks for coming, Hoss.  Jess and I appreciate it,” Adam said somberly.

“Dad told me about Glenn.  I’m sorry, older brother.  How’s Jessica?”

“She’s a mess.  She and Glenn are extremely close.”

“Let her know we’re keeping you and her family in our prayers.”

“Thanks, Hoss,” Adam smiled and patted his brother on his shoulder.  “Do me a favor, can you go into Jason’s room, make sure he has his shoes on, and have him pick out some books and a couple of toys to take with him on the plane.  I’m going to get the luggage and bring them to your car.”

“You got, Adam,” Hoss said and headed to Jason’s room. 

Hoss found a bag Jessica had left on Jason’s bed when he entered.  When Jason looked up, he saw his uncle.  He grinned, jumped up and hugged Hoss’ leg.

Hoss picked up his nephew and told him he was there to pick them up and take them to the plane for them to fly and see his grandma and Uncle Austin.  Jason didn’t ask why Hoss had not mentioned his grandpa but was excited to see his big uncle.  Jason and Hoss gathered up several books and toys, and Hoss put them in the bag and zipped it up.  As they were coming out of Jason’s room, Adam was coming from the master bedroom with luggage in both of his hands.

“Hey, Hoss, thanks for coming to get us today,” Jessica’s voice was sad and tired.

“No problem, ma’am.  I’m sorry to hear about your daddy, Jess.  I got a call from Dan when I was on my way here.  He told me he would have the plane ready when I got you guys there as he was headed to the airport as we spoke.”

“Thanks, Hoss,” Jessica started to cry again.  Hoss put the piece of carry-on down and went to Jessica and put his arms around her, and she wrapped her arms around her brother-in-law. 

Hoss arrived at the airport with his brother, sister-in-law, and nephew and found the Hawker 8000XP Cartwright, Inc. business jet ready to receive Adam, his wife, and son.  The co-pilot was doing his final inspection of the exterior of the plane and came over to Hoss’ car and helped him with the luggage as Adam; Jessica helped Jason up the stairs to the jet.

Once the co-pilot and Hoss had the luggage securely stored, Hoss boarded the aircraft and found Jessica securing Jason into his seat.  Adam was securing the two carry-on bags in the closet at the front of the plane.  Adam thanked his brother again and told him to thank their father and said they would call and give them an update once they arrived at the hospital and were able to get an update on Glenn’s condition.  Jessica came and gave Hoss a hug and thanked him for everything he and his family had done for her her, Adam, and Jason to get to Connecticut as quickly as possible.  The co-pilot waited quietly at the door for Hoss to say his final goodbye’s before exiting the stairs for him to be able to close the door and the captain to pressurize the cabin before take off.

Once Jessica and Adam had taken their seats and secured their seatbelt, the pilots arranged with air traffic control and were on their way to Connecticut.  Once airborne, Adam started making calls to ensure a car rental representative would meet their plane so they could get to the car rental office and pick up their vehicle. 

The flight was smooth, and Jessica was able to lean her seat back, close her eyes and relax as she knew she would be home in a matter of hours to be by her father’s side.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Once at the hospital, Adam, Jessica, and Jason took the elevator to the third floor and went to the ICU waiting area where they found Austin and his fiancee, Olivia.  After Jessica and Adam had hugged Austin, he introduced Olivia as his new fiancee.  Jessica and Adam hugged and kissed her on the cheek.

“Mom’s in with Dad.  They don’t want more than a couple of people in the room at a time, so that’s why Olivia and I are out here in the waiting room.  I know Mom will be happy to see the both of you.”

“Will they let Adam and I in together to see Dad?” Jessica asked.

“Yeah, I don’t think it’ll be a problem, Sis, just let the nurse who’s sitting outside the window of Dad’s room know who you are and there shouldn’t be a problem.”

Adam sat down with Jason on his lap.  “Jason, you’ll have to stay out here with Uncle Austin and Olivia while Mommy and I go in to see Grandma and Grandpa, okay?”

Jason’s face began to sour, and he started to cry.  “Jason, you can’t go inside with Mommy and Daddy because little boys aren’t allowed , so you need to stop your crying now.  There are other people out here in the waiting room, and they are tired and worried about their loved ones who are sick, so you need to stop this crying right now,” Adam’s voice was authoritative.

Jason tried to stop his tears, and he gasped for air as he tried to obey his father’s command.

Jessica came over and took her son’s hand, and he jumped off his father’s lap and came between Jessica’s legs and put his hand on his mother’s baby bump.

“Mommy and Daddy won’t be long.  Get Uncle Austin to open your bag, and you can show him your toys and books you brought okay?”

Jason nodded his head, as he looked at Jessica’s baby bump and rubbed it.

“Jason’s baby,” his voice was sad as he tried to be brave and not burst out crying again.

“Yes, that’s Jason’s brother or sister.  You’re going to be a big brother aren’t you?” Jessica said as she tried to hold her sadness in and put on a brave face for her son’s sake.

Jason nodded his head.  Austin came over and bent down to Jason’s level.  I want to see the books you brought.  Mommy told me you love to look at the pictures and read,” he looked up at Jessica and smiled.

Jason nodded his head and took Austin’s hand, and they walked over to one of the waiting room chairs.  Austin opened the bag, and Jason pulled out the books and showed each of them to his uncle.

When Adam and Jessica saw Jason was sitting contently with Austin and Olivia, showing them the books he’d brought, Adam and Jessica headed into the ICU to find Glenn’s room.  When they got to the nurse’s station, the inquired where room 317 was and the nurse pointed down the hall.

Adam and Jessica arrived at room 317, and the nurse who was sitting just on the other side of the room’s window working on her computer asked Adam and Jessica how she could help them.

“I’m Jessica; this is my husband, Adam.  We’re here to see my father, Glenn Bradley.”

The nurse escorted her and Adam in and when Charlotte looked up, she saw her daughter and son-in-law, stood up and hugged them both.

“How’s Daddy, Mommy?”

“Oh, Baby, he’s not good at all.  He’s unable to breathe on his own.  The doctors are not optimistic about his recovery,” Charlotte began to cry.

Jessica took her mother into her arms, and they cried together.  Adam stood stoic, trying to remain strong for his wife and mother-in-law.  He just stared at Glenn, lying lifeless in his bed, with a breathing tube inserted into his mouth.  Adam could only hear the sound of the vent breathing for him and weeping from his mother-in-law and wife.

“Adam, thank you for bringing Jessie home so she could be with her father.  I know he would want both of you here right now.”

“Mom,” Adam said as he took Charlotte into his embrace, “we wouldn’t have it any other way.  Dad and my brothers send their love and prayers to you and Glenn.”

“Thank you, Adam.  We love your brothers and father as part of our family.”

“Mommy, tell me again what exactly happened?” Jessica asked as she went to her father’s bed and picked up his hand.

“I came in from gardening in the front yard and found your dad in his chair; he couldn’t move.  His eyes were scared; his mouth opened a little bit.  I immediately knew something was not right and went over to him.  He could only follow me with his eyes.  I knelt down next to him, and he could only look at me, and moan; he was unable to speak.  I called 9-1-1, and the paramedics told me it appeared he’d suffered a stroke while I was outside.  They immediately got him into the ambulance, and we were on our way to the hospital.  After Austin got here, I called you and Adam.”

“What have the doctor’s told you so far, Mom?” Adam asked for more information regarding Glenn’s diagnosis.

“Well, they aren’t very optimistic.  While in the ER, he started to have breathing issues and his blood oxygen level fell dangerously low, so they decided to sedate him and put him on a breathing machine, and they immediately moved him to the ICU and here we are.

“Have they ran any tests or are there any plans to?” Adam continued as he watched his father lie lifeless in his bed.

“He mentioned a cat scan they did in the ER, and he’ll know more in the morning what their course of action will be.  They plan many neurological tests trough out the night.”

“Daddy, it’s Jessie.  Adam and I are here for you.  Jason’s with us, too, and so is your new grandchild,” her tear stained eyes began to cry again.

The hour was getting late, and Jessica had not left her father’s side since they arrived in his room.

“Jess, it’s time to go.  I need to get you and Mom home so you can get some rest.  We’ll come back up tomorrow morning before the doctor gets here so we can talk to him more.”

The morning came quickly, and Austin and Olivia were already at the hospital when Charlotte, Adam, and Jessica arrived.  Charlotte’s cousin’s daughter came to the house to stay with Jason so he would not get bored having to wait for his parents who were in with Charlotte in Glenn’s room.  The nurses also allowed Austin and Olivia to be in the room as well to be with his father until they were able to speak with the doctor.

When they arrived at the hospital, the nurse informed there had been no change overnight.  There were several doctors and techs in to run neurological checks as well as test Glenn’s breathing without the assistance of a ventilator.

The nurse who was in charge of Glenn’s care advised the family while they could stay in the room with Glenn until the doctor was ready to see them, if there should be an emergency, she would need them to leave quickly as their patient’s care was their utmost priority.

Charlotte, Austin, Adam, and Jessica had been at the hospital for just over a half hour when the nurse came in and advised the family the doctor was ready to see them and the nurse explained how to get to his office.  Once they arrived, the receptionist suggested them to all have a seat and the doctor would be with them shortly.  Charlotte’s eyes were swollen, and she was exhausted.  Austin comforted his mother and Olivia while Adam comforted Jessica. 

“I’m so afraid what the test will reveal,” Charlotte said as she dabbed her tear stained cheeks.

“Mom, we’ll make it through as a family, no matter what happens.  Olivia and I are not far away, and we’ll help with Dad’s care….”

“I’ll come when I can, too, Mommy.”  Jessica chimed in.  “I won’t be able to travel too much longer because Dr. McIntyre doesn’t want his patient’s traveling when they enter the third trimester but we’ll come and help when we can after the baby’s born.”

“I know it’s harder for you, Sweetheart, and Daddy’s aware of that, too, but I appreciate you all willing to help out when you can.”

As the family was talking about possible renovations they might have to make to the house to accommodate Glenn, the nurse called the family and led them to the doctor’s office where chairs had been moved in for everyone to sit while the physician explained Glenn’s test results.

Dr. Martin, Glenn’s neurologist, came in with Glenn’s chart.  He sat down at his desk and smiled at everyone, asking how they had slept the night before, to which they all said it had been restless because of their worry about Glenn’s health.

“I wished I had better news I could share with you regarding Glenn’s prognosis, however, Dr. Webber and myself were here until the early hours of the morning with Glenn.  We ran several neurological tests to see if we could find any signs of brain activity.  The CT scan in the ER yesterday showed massive brain damage from a hemorrhagic stroke, which is a bursting of a blood vessel in the brain which caused the attack.”

“Oh god, no!” Charlotte cried out.  Austin’s tears immediately started to flow, but he was trying to stay as strong as he held his mother in his arms while continuing to listen to the doctor’s findings.

Watching her mother’s devastation, Jessica also began to cry and took Adam’s hand.  He placed his other arm around Jessica and drew her to him for support.

The doctor continued, “We wanted to wait until today so we could continue to monitor Glenn to see if his pupils would respond to light, but both eyes were non-responsive.  To be certain, we conducted the same neurological tests again earlier, and there were still no responses to any of them.  The stroke was so massive, Mrs. Bradley, Glenn’s brain has died.  I’m so sorry to deliver such devastating news. When we placed Glenn on a ventilator to breathe, his brain was no longer sending the signal for Glenn to breathe, so the machine is doing it for him and this is why his heart is still beating.”

Charlotte looked at the doctor and said sobbing, “But if his brain has ceased telling him to breathe, how is it if his brain is dead, his heart is still beating? How can a machine tell his heart to beat if his brain cannot?”

The doctor was compassionate but very matter of fact.  “Mrs. Bradley, the machines are what’s keeping Glenn’s heart beating.  If the machine were to stop, his heart would eventually slow and stop beating, too.  Among the tests we ran to determine Glenn’s brain viability, was to halt the ventilator.  When we would, Glenn’s heart rate would slow and we had to turn it back on because he was no longer breathing.  When we would turn back on the vent, his heart rate would once again start climbing to regular beats per minute.”

“Are you trying to tell us my father’s died, Doctor?” Jessica sobbed.

“Yes, and no, Mrs. Cartwright.  You see, your father is not dead, in the sense, his heart has stopped beating, but his brain has died. Thus, the only thing keeping his heart beating is the ventilator.  If we were to stop the ventilator, he would cease to stop breathing, and his heart would eventually stop as well.”

“So what are you saying, Doctor?”  Austin asked.

Mr. Bradley, this is a very personal decision the family has to discuss and make together.  I can only tell you, medically, what Glenn’s prognosis is, and he can’t nor will he ever again be able to sustain life off a ventilator.  He never will be able to open his eyes; his brain has died.  If you decide, you want him to remain on a ventilator, he will stay in a comatose state and his heart will continue to beat, or you can remove life support, and his heart will slow and eventually stop, where at that time, we will officially declare his death.”

“Oh god, no!” whaled Charlotte, which caused her children to sob even harder, watching their mother’s gut-wrenching reality before their eyes.

“Doctor, we’ll have to discuss this as a family away from the hospital at Glenn and Charlotte’s home.  When do you need a decision?” Asked Adam, who was finding it increasingly difficult to hold his emotions in, but felt he needed to be strong for his wife and mother-in-law.

“There is no time frame we must have a decision, Mr. Cartwright.  We’ll continue to keep Glenn in the ICU on a ventilator until we’re instructed otherwise by Mrs. Bradley.  If she decided to keep Glenn on a ventilator, we would arrange to have him moved to a long-term nursing facility who are equipped for patients like Glenn.”

Adam drove Charlotte and Jessica back to Glenn and Charlotte’s home.  Austin was too emotionally upset so Olivia took Austin’s keys and she drove them back to Charlotte’s house so everyone could discuss what decisions were in the best interest of Glenn, and his current medical state.

As the sun set on a traumatic day for the Bradley/Cartwright family, they decided Charlotte would sign the paperwork to stop all life sustaining efforts for Glenn, since there was no possibility of any recovery.  Olivia and Adam both allowed Charlotte and her two children to make the final decision on their own without any discussion with them.  Like his father-in-law, Charlotte wanted Adam’s advice, and when requested, he told Charlotte that Glenn, her husband, had died, and his body was being kept alive by a machine.  He told her when they had come for Jason’s first birthday he and Adam were talking about his first stroke and how he was still fighting to recover fully.  He told Adam he never wanted to be kept alive on a machine if he ever was put in that situation. 

“Who I am would no longer exist, and it would crush my heart to know I was breathing because of a machine.  I’m not a machine; I’m a man!” he laughed with Adam.  “A proud Yale man, I told him,” Adam smiled, remembering the conversation they had the last morning they were at Adam’s and Jessica’s house before leaving for the airport.

“You never told me that story, Adam,” Jessica looked at her husband.

“We weren’t in the best place at that time if you recall, Jess, and besides, I didn’t want to upset you knowing your father talked about dying so personally with me.”

“I’m glad he did, actually, Adam,” Charlotte responded.  It makes this decision easier because I know that’s what Glenn would want me to do.”

“I think he did because he knew if that day ever came, you would ensure we did the right thing,” Austin spoke up.

“I love him, too,” Adam broke, “but seeing a man, who I knew to be vivacious and alive, is now laying lifeless in a hospital bed, unable to breathe on his own.  It’s not my father-in-law, it’s the shell of who he once was.”

Adam could no longer hold his emotions in and covered his face and bowed his head crying.  Jessica’s heart was breaking to see her husband so distraught knowing how the rocky start of her father’s and Adam’s relationship had blossomed into what it had become; how he entrusted his last requests to Adam and how he had brought peace to the tough decision they had to make.

Charlotte called the hospital and told the doctor of their decision but asked if they could allow things to remain as is until the next morning.

“Mrs. Bradley, we will not end life support until you and your family are ready.  I know there are many things you need to get in order first.  I’ll let you be the guide.”

Charlotte, Jessica, Austin, Adam, and Olivia all went to the local funeral home and began making the preparations to celebrate the life of Glenn Alan Bradley.

The family returned to Charlotte’s house after a few hours at the funeral home and dinner at a local restaurant which had always been a favorite place for Glenn to take his family when the children were younger.  Charlotte had all of the necessary papers together and put the file folder in the office for her to start making phone calls the next afternoon after they returned from the hospital.

The hour was getting late, and Adam went into the office and put his arm around his mother-in-law.

“There’s so much to do, Adam.  I have so many people I have to call.  We still have to contact the church, make arrangements for the funeral. How can I do it all?  How can I make arrangements suitable for the man who’s been my partner for forty years and my husband for thirty of those forty years?” she asked as she kept fumbling through the papers, not looking at any of them.

“Mom, Jess, Austin, Olivia, and I are here to help you.  We do not expect you to do it tonight.  You’re emotionally drained, we all are, and we all need to try and rest as much as possible.  Tomorrow is a very hard day, and we need you to try and get some sleep tonight.”

Charlotte looked up at Adam, and he smiled at her. “I’m so glad Jessie found you.  She’s a lucky girl to have such a wonderful loving husband.”

“I’m the lucky one, Mom.  You and Dad have been wonderful to me always; even when I first met Dad,” Adam laughed.

“Adam,” Charlotte asked as tears started down her tear-stained cheeks again, “would you do me the honor of reading Glenn’s eulogy?”

“I would be honored, Mom.  Yes, I’ll be happy to,” Adam’s voice choked.

The next morning came all too quickly.  Austin and Olivia drove to Charlotte and Glenn’s house, and Adam drove the family together to the hospital in Glenn’s Lincoln Navigator.

Once they arrived, they went to room 317 and found Glenn in the exact state they had left him the previous day. The nurse who was attending his room was entering the latest vital information into his chart via her computer. 

“Hi, Mrs. Bradley, and family.  Mr. Bradley’s condition has not changed as you know.  He’s not in any pain.  His blood pressure is good, and his heart rate is stable.  The doctor told me you’re allowed as much time as you want; there is no rush to leave.  When you are ready, Mrs. Bradley, the doctor will come after I have you sign some paperwork.  At that time, he’ll disconnect the ventilator.  Is there any other questions I can answer for you?”

“Once the doctor has pronounced,” Jessica’s voice started to crack, “my father has died, will we be able to stay for a little while longer with him?”

The nurse’s face was sorrowful and compassionate.  “Of course, Mrs. Cartwright.  Again, you’ll be able to stay as long as you want to.  We do have empty beds at the moment, so we wouldn’t need to rush you out to prepare the room for a new patient.”

The family decided they would take their turns saying their goodbyes.  Olivia went first, as she had grown to love her new soon to be father-in-law.

“I looked forward to our first dance at our wedding, but I know you’ll be dancing with us from Heaven.  I love you, Dad.  I’ll always appreciate you telling me to call you Dad when Austin and I announced our engagement.  You were the daddy I never had since my father was killed in the line of duty when I was a baby.  I’ll always love you, Dad.  Sleep well, and I’ll see you again someday.”

Olivia kissed her future father-in-law on the cheek and walked out of the room.  When Olivia walked out, Austin was the next one to go in and talk with his dad.

“Dad, you were always there for me.  When I was young, you and Mom would come to all my soccer games, sitting out in the heat to watch me play.  You celebrated with me when I won and consoled me when we lost, telling me life was full of joy and disappointments.  Remember when I had so much trouble with chemistry in high school?  I couldn’t have passed without you, Dad.  I wouldn’t have ever made it to Yale had you not been there to help me through that entire semester,” Austin laughed as he took his father’s hand.  “Dad, I’m so grateful for you and Mom.  I can only hope to be a fraction of the man you are, and the husband and father to Olivia and our kids you’ve been to Mom, Jessie, and me.  Dad, I’m going to miss you!” Austin started to sob, “but I know you’re going to be always watching out for us from Heaven.  God is going to love your laugh, and the memory of it is what will help me smile when I’m missing you the most.  I love you, Dad.  I’ll never forget you.”

Austin bent over and kissed his father’s cheek and walked out, wiping his eyes.

It was Adam’s time to go in and wish his father-in-law godspeed on his journey to his heavenly home.

“Glenn…Dad,” Adam began, “gosh, how much our relationship has grown.  I’ll always treasure our first meeting and how much hell you gave me being a Harvard man,” Adam laughed, holding his father-in-law’s hand, “but I’ll never forget the smile on your face when I saw you walking Jessie up the aisle at our wedding, and you placed her hand in mine,” Adam’s eyes gushed waves of tears. “You put her hand in mine, and you held both our hands so tightly for a few seconds.  I can only imagine giving your precious daughter to me was one of the hardest things you ever had to do.  If Jess and I are blessed to have a girl…”  Adam broke down and laid his head on the rail of Glenn’s bed. “Oh, god, Dad, you’re never going to meet your new grandchild.  I promise you, though, I’ll try and always be the best father to your grandchildren, and the best husband to your daughter.  I want to make you proud of us and know that when you gave me her hand, I would protect her forever.  I love you, Dad.  Peace be with you now and always.”

Adam laid Glenn’s hand gently back on the bed.  He leaned over and kissed Glenn’s forehead and walked out of the room.  He couldn’t look at Jessica but could see out of the corner of his eye; she was holding her mother like a little child.

It was Jessica’s turn to go in.  Her relationship with her father was always strong.  Saying goodbye to the man, she always looked up to was going to be one of the most difficult things she had ever had to do, and now the time had come so she took a deep breath and walked in.

“Hi, Daddy,” her voice was tender and childlike.  I can’t believe it’s come to this.  I never prepared myself for this day.  What do I say to the man who in part gave me life? What do I say to the man who was there to kiss my boo boo’s, celebrate my accomplishments, and hold me when I had a break up with a boy in school I just knew I was in love with,” Jessica laughed through her tears.  She picked up her father’s hand looked at its strength and stroked it.  These hands were always there for me, and I smiled every time they held me.  They held my hand and gave me to my beloved husband, remember, Daddy? Remember when it was just you and I, your baby girl? When I was a bride?” “Jessica’s voice cracked.  “Now I’m a mommy, Daddy.  Jason loves you so much.”  Jessica looked down and rubbed her baby bump, and then looked back at her father. “It saddens me that you’ll never meet your new grandson or granddaughter, but I’m going to tell them all about you, and how much I know you would have loved them and spoiled them, just like you do Jason.  Daddy, you’ve made me into the woman I am today.  I promise always to be the best mommy I can be.  I want to teach my children the same values you and Mommy taught Austin and me.  Daddy, I love you, I’ll never stop loving you.  I don’t want to say, goodbye, Daddy!  Why do I have to?” Jessica sobbed.  “I’ll always be there to watch after Mommy here on earth, and I know you’ll always be watching all of us from Heaven.  Oh, Daddy,” Jessica cried.  When she caught her composure, she stood up, lowered the bed rail and took her father’s hand and placed it on her baby bump.  “This is your grandchild, Daddy.  I want you to feel him or her one last time.”

Jessica bent down and placed a tender kiss on the side of her father’s lips that did not have the ventilator tube come out of it.  She walked out and into Adam’s arms for comfort.

Charlotte composed herself and walked in.  She stood for a moment and stared down at her husband.  She then smiled and sat down next to him.

Forty years, Glenn.  Forty years you’ve filled my life with laughter and love.  I still remember the night you came to my window, and I snuck out of the house.  I can’t believe my parents never knew we were gone.  I think had they found out, they would have forbidden me from ever see you again.  It was God’s plan though wasn’t it? Our life was His plan, and this is His conclusion for you.  Oh, Glenn, I look at our children and see you shining through each of them, we’re so blessed with Jessie, and Austin as our children.  We have two amazing kids, a beautiful grandson, and now we’ve been blessed with Jessie giving us another.  Be with her, Glenn, when she has her new baby.  She’ll need Adam, but she’ll need her Daddy, too.  How do I have the strength to say goodbye to my best friend, my lover, my life partner?  How do I ever thank you for everything you’ve given me?  Your companionship, your strength, our children, Jessie, and Austin.  I could live the rest of my life talking about the blessings you’ve given me, Glenn, but the greatest blessing you have given me was your unselfish love,”  Charlotte could no longer hold her tears in, “and now I have to give it back to the one who gave you to me.  I love you, my dear man, my lover, my life.  We fulfilled our vows, our promises we made so many years ago when we said we would love and take care of each other until death separated us.  I only hope I can give to you in death, what you gave to me in life.”  Charlotte looked at Glenn’s hand and took her husband’s left ring finger and slipped off his wedding band he never took off.  “You promised this ring would never come off as long as you lived.  You fulfilled that promise, Glenn.  I remember the words our minister spoke to us when it came to exchanging of rings; a circle has no beginning, no end, and this ring symbolizes this in your union.  I’ll wear your ring around my neck to always remind me there is no beginning; there is no end, just like our love for each other.  I love you, my dear husband, I’ll miss you physically, but you’ll live in my heart for eternity.” 

Charlotte came out of Glenn’s room and the rest of her family came and they all hugged each other as one.  Charlotte looked at the nurse and said, “You can call the doctor now.  I think we’re ready.”

The nurse called the doctor, and he told her he would be down shortly. 

The nurse took the family into a private room within the ICU, and she handed the clipboard with the forms that needed to be signed by Charlotte before the doctor arrived.  The nurse explained what each of the forms meant and the importance of signing them.  Charlotte signed each of them as directed by the nurse.  Once all of the forms were signed, she took the family back to Glenn’s room to wait for the doctor to arrive.  After the doctor came, he once again asked Charlotte if this was her wish and she was no under any duress to sign the papers which she confirmed because she knew it was what her husband wanted.

Once the doctor asked the two important questions, he turned to the ventilator and switched it to the off position.  The room went quiet and after a few minutes, the heart monitor showed Glenn’s heart slow and eventually flat line meaning Glenn’s heart had stopped.  The doctor looked at the clock and pronounced death at 10:42 A.M.

The doctor allowed unlimited time for the family to be with Glenn’s body and when they left, he would call the funeral home and transfer the care of Glenn’s body to them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The day of the funeral arrived.  Family, friends, and colleagues of Glenn’s flowed into the church and took their seats. 

Ben, Hoss, and Joe arrived at the church.  When Adam saw his family, he grabbed Jessica’s hand and went toward them.  Adam hugged his father and held him tight.  Jessica embraced both of her brothers-in-law, trying to hold back her tears but seeing Adam holding his father in his embrace tightly, couldn’t stop the tears as she realized she would no longer be able to enjoy such delights as hugging her father.

“I can’t believe you’re here, Dad!  Thank you so much for coming.  It means so much to Jess and me, and I know Charlotte will be pleased you made the trip, too.”

“Son, we wanted to be here for you, Jessica, and Charlotte.  They’re like family to us, and when you called and told us about Glenn’s death, I immediately had Lana make reservations.  We arrived late last night but knew you were busy helping Charlotte and Austin, so we waited until today to let you know we were here.  We’ll go take our seats, and we’ll see Charlotte afterward.”

“No, Dad,” Jessica spoke as she came and hugged her father-in-law.  You’re family to us, and you‘ll walk in and sit with us in the front row.  I insist.  Let’s find Mommy; I know she’ll be happy to see you.”

Jessica and Adam took Ben and the two boys over to where Charlotte was talking to a few of her neighbors who had come to pay their respects to Glenn.  When she looked over and saw Jessica and Adam with Ben, Hoss, and Joe, she excused herself and swiftly walked over to greet them.

“Ben, thank you so much for making it here,” Charlotte began to cry again.  “I know Glenn would be so pleased.”

Ben took Charlotte into his arms and hugged her tightly.  “You and Glenn are family, and there is nowhere else we would be at this time.  We want you to know the Ponderosa is always open to you and Austin when you need to get away.  We have fresh air, beautiful mountains, and a gorgeous lake. ”

“Thank you, Ben,” Charlotte leaned back and smiled at her son-in-law’s father.  “Oh! I forgot to mention to you,” she turned and found Austin, and waved him over with Olivia.  “Ben, this is Olivia, my soon to be daughter-in-law.  Olivia, this is Ben Cartwright and his sons, Hoss and Joe.  They came to be with us today from Nevada, isn’t that wonderful?”

“It’s good to meet you, Ms. Olivia; Hoss said as he took and kissed the top of her hand.

“Ma’am, pleasure to meet you,” Joe said as he shook Olivia’s hand and then Austin’s hand.

“Olivia, you’ve got yourself a good one!” Ben grinned.  I can vouch from personal experience with his sister!”

Thank you, Mr. Cartwright, I’m the lucky one, though.  Austin is wonderful to me, and my mother loves him very much, too.”

“Is she here today?” Ben inquired.

“Unfortunately she couldn’t be with us today.  She tripped yesterday and tore her rotator cuff; she’ll have surgery next week.  She’s in a lot of pain, and she’s staying with her sister because she’s unable to do anything until she has surgery.  She’s also pretty out of it because she’s on constant pain medication.”

When the minister arrived, he came to the hearse carrying Glenn’s body and said a blessing over the casket as they removed it from the vehicle.

Once everyone was in place, the organist began the opening hymn, and the casket was escorted in by the six pallbearers followed by Charlotte, Jessica, Jason, Olivia, Ben, Hoss and Joe and several of Charlotte’s and Glenn’s nieces and nephews.

After everyone had been seated, the minister spoke about Glenn and the life he’d led, the business he’d help build, and the family he loved.  Sniffs could be heard throughout the sanctuary as the minister intertwined his life with his spiritual life.  Once he was completed with his talk, he invited Adam to come to the lectern to speak about his father-in-law.

“When Charlotte asked me to talk about her husband, my father-in-law, I was honored and of course accepted,”  Adam stopped for a moment to try and put his emotions in check.  “You see, Glenn and I got off to a rocky start when we first met, although I always understood Glenn’s hesitance toward me because of his desire for his daughter to attend and hopefully one day marry a man who she’d  meet at Yale.” 

The attendees laughed as they all knew what a proud Yale man Jessica’s father was.

Adam smiled, “When he found out I went to Harvard,” Adam nodded his head and laughed. “The first evening was rough, I cannot tell a lie but what Glenn didn’t know at the time was how much in love I was with his daughter, and I knew the first day I laid eyes on her she would be my wife,” Adam said as he looked at Jessica sitting in the first row next to her mother.  “Jess was horrified and cried that night, thinking her father would run me off.  Needless to say after that, Glenn and I became very close and the day he gave me his daughter’s hand in marriage, I promised I would take care of her and any future children we had, always.  Glenn got to see his first grandchild born, and he knew another was on the way, but he’ll have to see him or her from Heaven,” Adam’s voice began to choke.

“I talked to my wife and brother-in-law and asked them to tell me about their father, what he was like when they were younger, and what they loved about him the most.  Jessica said when she was small, Glenn would escort her to the ice rink in the winter and when it was time to couple’s skate Charlotte would tell him to take Jessica on to the rink and they would hold hands and skate around while the music was playing.  When it was over, Glenn would pick her up and spin around while she giggled in his embrace.  Jess remembered she always looked forward to Friday night because Glenn would always make sure he’d be home to take them to their favorite hamburger hangout and he would let them order whatever they wanted.  She said, Mommy always made us eat very healthy throughout the week, but Daddy always said the key to living a healthy life was to give into indulgences once a week. Austin remembered how his father always encouraged him to play sports when he was younger.  He tried little league baseball and he didn’t care for it too much, but Glenn told him it was okay! Not every sport was for everyone.  Austin said he tried several others, but it wasn’t until he found soccer, he’d found his passion, and excelled at it.  So much so, he was awarded a sports scholarship to where else?” and the entire congregation said, Yale! Adam smiled and chuckled, “Yeah, his son was a Yale man, and it pleased Glenn to no end.  I asked Charlotte what she loved most about her husband, and she told me his laugh and zeal for life.  She said when Glenn had his first stroke, he vowed to her he would work hard to walk again because he wanted to walk his only daughter down the aisle at her wedding, and he did.  I think the smile on his face was not only because it was one of the happiest days of his life but he had fulfilled his goal of coming back from the stroke to walk his Jessica down the aisle as a bride.  Jess, Austin, and Charlotte told me life wasn’t always perfect in the Bradley household, but one thing they never let waiver was their love for one another.  They said it was cliche, but love was the glue that even in the most turbulent times kept their family together and they hoped they could continue that same passion with their families.  We bid you a fond farewell, Dad.  We will always miss you, but your love for us all will live in our hearts forever.”

As Adam stepped down from the lectern, he took a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped his eyes.  He took his seat next to Jessica, and she put her arms around him and kissed him on his cheek.

“Thank you, my love, for a beautiful eulogy about Daddy.  I know he would have been proud of his Harvard man.”

The minister sat for a moment and then got up to give his final blessing over the casket.  The pallbearers each assumed their position on each side of the coffin, and they escorted Glenn’s body back to the awaiting hearse to carry him to a private burial service.

After the burial service was over, the family arrived back at Glenn and Charlotte’s home where they were greeted by many family members and friends.  Charlotte introduced her children and grandchild to everyone and thanked them for coming.  Friends and church members had brought a lot of food and were working together to replenish it as it was consumed.  They also kept the kitchen clean as they used it to warm up food and stage it to be taken out to the main dining area.

Jessica and Adam laughed as friends and colleagues of Glenn told them stories of when she was a young girl and some of the mischief she would get herself into, much to Glenn’s and Charlotte’s chagrin.  Many people congratulated Jessica on the upcoming birth of their child and wanted to know if they knew if it was a boy or girl.  Jessica said they had not found out and were still deciding if they wanted to know or if they wanted to leave it a surprise like they had with Jason.  She told them they would have to decide before her next appointment which was just after they got back home.

As the day came to a close, friends and colleagues left and told Charlotte they were there for her when she needed them, all she had to do was call, and she thanked them.  After the last person had left, a few of the ladies from the church guild had made a final clean of the kitchen and dining room as well as put up the leftover food in the pantry and refrigerator.

Jessica was exhausted, and Adam told her to retire to her old bedroom where they were sharing with Jason while staying with Charlotte.  Adam saw his father and two brothers to their car as they were leaving to return to their hotel.  Adam put his arm around Charlotte as they headed into the house.  They stopped and looked at everything, including the recliner Charlotte had found Glenn on the fateful day he had suffered the massive stroke that took him from those he loved so dearly.

“This house feels different now, Adam.  Almost cold and sterile.”

“Mom, it’ll feel that way for awhile, I’m sure.  Adjusting to life without someone you’ve spent thirty years with will take some adjustments, but Dad will be with you in your heart always.”

Charlotte turned to her son-in-law and hugged him.  “Thank you for loving my daughter.  I know she’s far from perfect, and she can be a bit of a drama queen sometimes, but she does love you, Adam.  She loves you with every ounce of her being.  Never forget that.”

“Don’t worry, Mom, I love Jess as much or more than she loves me.  We’ve had our moments, as you’re aware of, and we’re still finding the balance.  It’s not always easy, but we’re trying, and we’re each giving 100%, and that’s all we can each ask for.”

Charlotte told Adam he looked exhausted, and he needed to get sleep.  They had a lot of things to get done in the two days that were left before they had to return to Nevada.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Adam, Jessica, and Jason chartered a plane to get home as soon as possible as Jessica’s OB appointment was the next day after they arrived home and Adam didn’t want to tire her or Jason on a full day’s trip back to Nevada.  Jessica was still somber at the loss of her father and Adam held her in bed until they fell asleep that night.  When morning broke, Jessica woke early to make breakfast.  Since her OB appointment was at 9:30 A.M., Adam thought he might work from home until it was time to go to Jessica’s appointment and then head into the office in the afternoon.

After getting out of the shower, Adam got dressed and went in to see how Jessica was doing before heading to their home office.

“Hey, Babe, how are you doing this morning? Did you sleep well?” Adam asked as he came over and gave her a kiss on the side of her head.

Jessica signed deeply.  I’m still trying to get used to not having my daddy I can call anymore,” Jessica wiped a tear from her eye.

Adam got the pitcher of orange juice from the refrigerator and came to Jessica, sat the pitcher down on the island, took her hand and pulled her into his embrace.

“I know, Babe, and I’m so sorry.  I wished I knew how to make everything better for you, but only time will help.  What I can do is be here for you and our kids, and when you need to talk about Dad, we will,” he stroked his wife’s back.

Jessica looked up at Adam and smiled.  “You know, Adam, I’m thankful we’re back together again.  I know the catalyst of us working things out was this baby, but I don’t doubt you would have been there for me when Daddy died had we not been in a good place,” Jessica laid her head back on Adam’s chest.

“You’re right, Jess, I would have been there for you, Mom, and Austin, but I’m just glad we’re back together, and you’re here for me.  I trust you’ll always be here for our kids and me.”

Jason came into the kitchen, and he was rubbing his eyes.

“Hey, Tiger, how did you sleep?” Adam asked as he bent down to hug his son, who was wearing his superhero pajamas.

“Jason wants Mommy,” he said as he put his hands out for his mother to hold him.

Adam gave Jason to Jessica, and she held her son tightly in her arms.  Adam suggested she put him in his booster seat, and he would finish up breakfast.

“Do you want milk or orange juice?” Jessica asked her son who sat at the table, his eyes heavy, trying to wake up.

“Milk, Mommy,” Jason, replied.

Adam put scrambled eggs on a plate for him and a piece of bacon and a small amount of fresh fruit salad.  Jessica got a spoon and handed it to Jason, and he started to eat his eggs.  He put his spoon down and begun to pick up his fruit with his hands.

“Eat with your spoon, Baby,” Jessica said sitting down and then handed the spoon back to Jason.

Jason took the spoon from Jessica and sat it down.  He then bowed his head and started to pout.

As Adam placed Jessica’s plate and his on the table, he sat down and saw Jason was frowning.

“Jason, your mother, wants you to eat with a spoon, not with your hands, now stop pouting and eat your breakfast,” his voice was authoritative.

Jessica and Adam started to eat their breakfast, and Adam watched Jason continue to sit with his head down and a frown on his face.  Jessica looked at Adam and slowly nodded her head at him as to not say any more to their son.

Jason eventually picked up his spoon and played with his food and then put a piece of fruit on his spoon and put it into his mouth and continued to do the same with his eggs.  Just as Jessica and Adam finished, Jason was finishing up his breakfast as well.

“Why don’t you take Jason and get him dressed for the sitter and I’ll clean the kitchen,” Adam said to Jessica.

Adam could see the sadness in Jessica’s eyes and felt he needed to stay with his family one more day now that they were home.  He stopped and called his admin, Gretchen, and told her he would not be in the office, but staying home so he could be with his wife and son.  He reminded her he would be unavailable for a few hours while he was at Jessica’s OB appointment but she could reach him at home afterward.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Jessica Cartwright,” the nurse called, and Adam and Jessica got up to head back to the ultrasound room after being weighed at Dr. McIntyre’s office.

“Everything going okay since your last appointment, Jessica? the nurse asked as she noted Jessica’s folder with the updates of her blood pressure, weight, and temperature.

My father passed away about ten days ago, and we just returned from Connecticut last night.  Everything’s been fine with my pregnancy, however.

The nurse stopped and looked at Jessica and Adam with compassion.  “I’m so sorry, for the loss of your father, Jessica,” the nurse said. “I’ll be sure and note this life event in your chart as well.  Dr. McIntyre wants all life events noted during pregnancy.”

Once the nurse noted everything, she then turned to Jessica and explained it was time for her ultrasound.

“We might be able to determine the sex of the baby with this ultrasound.  I need to know if you or Adam will want to know the sex? I have it noted you didn’t want to know the sex with your last pregnancy.”

Jessica looked at Adam and he at her.

“I’m good either way,” Adam said to Jessica looking at her.  I’ll let you decide if you would like to know ahead of time this time.”

“Thanks, Buster,” she smiled and laughed.

Jessica turned and looked at the nurse who was smiling.

“I don’t know, I hadn’t given it much thought since we’ve been so busy, we haven’t had a chance to talk about it.  I do kind of want to know but not really,” Jessica scrunched her nose as she was undecided.

“It’s not unusual, Jessica, that parents can’t make up their minds when asked this question, especially when it’s not their first. I’ll tell you what I can do for you.  If we’re able to determine the sex of the baby, I can write it on a piece of paper and place it in a sealed envelope.  I’ll give it to you, and if you decide as a couple you would like to know, you can open the envelope and find out together.  If one wants to know and the other does not, then the one who wants to know can open the envelope and find out alone.”

“I don’t want either of us to open the envelope unless we both want to know if that’s okay with you, Babe,” Adam interjected.

Jessica nodded her head in agreement, “I can live with that,” she smiled at her husband.

The nurse had Jessica lay down on her back, and she pulled the extension of the table out for her feet. She pulled Jessica’s blouse up to just under her bra and pulled her pants down to just above her pubic area.  The nurse placed a paper liner over both her shirt and pants so they would not get ultrasound gel on them and began the ultrasound.  She would put the probe in certain places of Jessica’s baby bump and take pictures.  She would point out different parts of the baby’s body when she got to them. 

“Have you been able to determine the sex of the baby yet?” Jessica asked.

“No, not yet, they’re a bit modest at the moment, but I’m going to keep trying.  If I’m able to determine the sex, I won’t say anything until the end of the ultrasound, and you can tell me then if you want to know or if you want me to put it into an envelope, or not know at all.

The nurse continued moving the probe around and snapping more pictures.  When she got to the end of the ultrasound, she began to print out the pictures for Dr. McIntyre to look over while she was cleaning Jessica’s belly and helped her pull her pants up and put her blouse back down and helped her sit up.

“Well, were you able to determine the baby’s sex?” Adam asked anxiously.

The nurse smiled and nodded her head yes.  They allowed a very good look, do you want to know?”

Adam and Jessica looked at each other.  Jessica bit her lip.

“Oh, I don’t know!  With Jason, it was so easy to say no, because we wanted it to be a surprise but this time, I just don’t know.  I kind of want to know, but then there’s a side of me that enjoys the element of surprise.”

“Why don’t we have her put it in an envelope, and we can find out together in the privacy of our home with Jason as well so we can find out together as a family,” Adam smiled.

“Okay, it’s settled, we’ll take it in an envelope, please,” Jessica smiled at the nurse.

“Okay, I’m going to make a set of ultrasound pictures for you as well.  I’ll cut out the picture where I was able to determine the sex and put it in the envelope with boy or girl written on a piece of paper for you.”

The nurse helped Jessica off the table and took her into an exam room and told her Dr. McIntyre would be with her shortly.

As the nurse exited the exam room, Dr. McIntyre was standing at the desk between 2 of the exams room.  The nurse put the ultrasound pictures into her folder and placed into the pouch hanging on the door.

“Dr. McIntyre, Jessica Cartwright is ready for you.  Pictures have been added into her record.  She and her husband have elected to have the sex and image put into an envelope, and they’ll be surprised later at home with their son.”

Without looking up, Dr. McIntyre nodded he understood the information his nurse was conveying to him.

Once he’d finished noting his last patient’s information, he grabbed the chart from the exam room door where Jessica and Adam were waiting.  He quickly went over her medical stats taken upon her arrival and noted the life changing event which had just taken place; he quickly looked over each of the ultrasound images which were taken by the nurse.

Dr. McIntyre knocked and entered the exam room.  He shook Adam’s and Jessica’s hands and sat down on his stool at his desk.  He looked up and Jessica and Adam and stared at them momentarily with a sad face.

” Just read the notes about your father, Jessica, my deepest sympathies to you and Adam.  How are you coping?”

Jessica sighed deeply and felt the tears well in her eyes and wiped them before they had a chance to fall against her cheeks.

“It’s hard, Dr. McIntyre.  I mean, Daddy will never get to meet his grandchild, and he was so excited when I called him and Mommy to let them know we were pregnant again.”  Jessica’s voice trailed off and then got shaky, “He loved being a grandfather more than anything, Dr. McIntyre.”

Dr. McIntyre rolled over to Jessica and took her hand into his.  “I know losing a parent is incredibly difficult, especially when you’re so close to them as I know you were with your dad.  My mother died when my wife was pregnant with our son, and it was hard for me because it was our one and only child, and I’m her only kid, so she was very excited, too.  You’ll have a wave of emotions over the next year, and you’ll never stop missing him, but eventually you’ll get to an acceptance stage.  I’m sure your dad is very proud of all you’ve accomplished in his lifetime.  It’s evident he did a great job raising you, and I’m sure you’re carrying on those same attributes in raising Jason and will with this little one.”

“Thank you, Doctor,” she whispered trying to keep the dam of emotions from breaking open.

Dr. McIntyre grabbed a tissue and handed it to Jessica.

“I understand you and Adam don’t want to know the sex of the baby yet; you want to find out in the privacy of your home with Jason, correct?”

“Yes, sir, we want to share it with our son at the time we find out.  We feel Jason should be present at the same time we find out so we can let him know.  He touches my belly all the time and says, Jason baby.  You know that don’t you, Dr. McIntyre,?” Jessica looked at him with a skeptical look, wondering if she’d mentioned that the last time they were there.

“Yes, I do,” Dr. McIntyre said with a  smile as he was writing in Jessica’s chart.

“Can I ask you a question about the baby’s sex then?  I don’t expect you tell me what it is; I just have one question, though.”

“Jess, you said you didn’t want to know until later when we’re home,” Adam protested.

“Oh, Adam, I don’t want to know the sex, I just have a question about it, that’s all.”

Adam sat back and shook his head smiling.  Dr. McIntyre looked at Jessica.  He’d known her for many years and knew how she was when she would get excited about something, and he could tell the suspense was killing her.

“It depends on what the question is, Jessica because you know I know how you are.  You’ll try to get it out of me without me knowing what you’re doing until it’s done, and I don’t want to spoil the surprise with your son.”

“I know, Dr. McIntyre, and I promise, the question I have will not divulge the sex.”

Dr. McIntyre stood up and prepared to measure Jessica’s belly and listen to the heartbeat with his fetal stethoscope. He then leaned against the counter and said, “Okay, ask away but if I feel you’re trying to get the sex out of me, you might as well save your breath,” Dr. McIntyre winked at Jessica.

Adam sat back and watched the banter with his wife and her favorite doctor she had a great relationship with since coming to Nevada.

“All I want to know, Doctor, is it very clear what the baby’s sex is in the picture?”

Dr. McIntyre grinned, and he raised his eyebrows, “Oh, it’s very clear.  The sex is definitive of what it is.”

Jessica was antsy, “Darn, he didn’t say he or she,” she said below her breath.

“Okay, young lady, let’s lay back now so I can measure the growth of this little one.”

Dr. McIntyre helped Jessica lay back and raised her shirt and took measurements and said things were progressing as expected given the gestation of her pregnancy.  Dr. McIntyre had her lay still and quiet so he could listen to the fetus.  Once finished, he said everything sounded normal, and the heartbeat was normal as well.

As Dr. McIntyre was helping Jessica sit up, he looked at her and smiled, “So you thought you would trip me up did you?”

“What do you mean, Dr. McIntyre?” Jessica asked innocently.

“Don’t play that game with me, Jessica Cartwright,” Dr. McIntyre smiled.  I know you were hoping I would slip and say he or she, but I wasn’t going to do that.  I might have to answer to your husband if I did.”

Adam got up and came over to shake Dr. McIntyre’s hand.  “Thank you for not falling for her spell.  She traps me like that all the time, she’s quite the master at it, especially when it comes to a birthday, anniversary, or Christmas gift,” Adam winked at Jessica.

Jessica punched Adam in the arm lightly and protested, “I do not, Adam….Okay, maybe a little,” she grinned.

Dr. McIntyre laughed and explained he was very pleased with the progress of this pregnancy and would see her next month and looked forward to hearing their thoughts when they learned the sex of their second child.

Jessica and Adam walked out of the room with Dr. McIntyre, shook his hand and told him they looked forward to their next visit.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After lunch, Adam and Jessica went to the formal living room together, and Jessica had Jason sit on his father’s lap.  Jason jumped on Adam’s lap, and Jessica began to speak.

“Daddy and I went to see Dr. McIntyre today.  He is the doctor that helped Mommy deliver you into the world when you were born, and he’s going to help Mommy with this baby, too,” Jessica explained as she rubbed her belly.

“When we were there today, the nurse did what they call an ultrasound on Mommy’s tummy, so they could see the baby growing inside.  They did the same when you were in Mommy’s tummy, too.”

Jessica pulled out the pictures and showed them to Jason.  Adam pointed out the baby’s head, legs, and arms.

“See the baby sucking its thumb?” Jessica asked as she pointed to the child’s thumb in its mouth.

“No, baby, no suck thumb,” Jason said to the picture.

“It’s okay, my sweet boy, the baby can suck it’s thumb now, but when it’s born, we don’t want it to suck its thumb because we don’t want their teeth to come in wrong.

“The answer to whether you have a sister or brother is in the envelope Mommy’s holding,” Adam explained to Jason as Jessica held up the envelope.  “Shall we see if you have a brother or sister?” Adam asked Jason.

Jason nodded his head yes.  Jessica’s hands started to shake.

“Oh my gosh, I don’t know why I’m so nervous.  I would be happy with a boy or a girl.”  Jessica looked at Adam.  She had a worried look on her face.  “Do you prefer one over the other, Adam?” she asked.

“No, Babe, I just want our child to be healthy and happy, that’s all that matters to me.”

“Okay, here it goes!” Jessica said as she opened the envelope and pulled out the piece of paper with the sex of the new Cartwright addition.

Jessica read the word on the piece of paper and started to cry.  She handed the paper to Adam, and he read the words aloud. 

“Congratulations, Adam and Jessica, you have a baby girl.”

Adam tried to hold his composure but the excitement of having a daughter was more overwhelming that he thought it would be and he broke down crying, “I have a daughter, I have a daughter!”

Jason looked at his father and then looked at Jessica. 

“Come here, my sweet boy,” she held her arms out. Jason came to Jessica, and she put his hands on her belly.

“This is your sister, Emily, and she’ll be here in a few months.”

“Jason baby,” he said and then grinned at Jessica.

“Jason’s sister, my sweet boy,” Jessica said tenderly.

“Daddy, you want to come say hello to your daughter?” Jessica asked Adam.

Adam wiped his eyes, and he moved over next to Jessica, and he put his hands on her baby bump and said, “Hi, Princess, it’s Daddy.  I can’t wait for you to make your entrance into the world and I can hold you.  I love you, my sweet baby girl.”

“Jason read, Mommy,” he said as Jessica curled up on the couch next to Adam to look at the picture of their baby girl flashing her goods in the ultrasound.

“Okay, Sweetheart, go to your room, get a book, and bring it back in here.  Mommy and Daddy will read the book to you together.”

Jason ran back to his room and looked at what books he wanted to read but decided he wanted to stay in his room and play.

“Adam,” Jessica said as she rested her head on his chest, and Adam closed his eyes trying to imagine holding his daughter for the first time in his arms.

“Daddy told me he just knew I was having a girl.  I asked him how he knew, and he said he just had a feeling I was having a girl this time.  He said he couldn’t wait because he wanted to spoil his granddaughter like he spoiled me,” she said with a melancholy voice.

“I know, Babe, I remember him saying that when we called to let him and Mom know you were pregnant again.  He was so sure you were having a girl.  If there were two things which you could not dispute about Glenn Bradley was that he loved his wife, children, and grandchildren.”

Adam closed his eyes and placed his hand on Jessica’s stomach.  She put her hand over her husband’s, and she sighed.

“I miss him, Adam, I don’t know if I’ll ever get over not having my daddy to talk to anymore.”

“Jess, you won’t be able to talk to him or hear his voice anymore, but you’ll always be able to speak to him with your heart.  Even though life can steal our loved ones from us physically, our hearts will always protect the memories we had with them, and they will live with us forever.”

A half hour or more had passed, and Jessica noticed how quiet the house was.  Jessica lifted her head from Adam’s chest and looked toward the hallway leading to the bedrooms.

“Adam?” Jessica asked with a concern in her voice.

“Hmm,” Adam responded without opening his eyes.

“Where’s Jason?” the alarm in her voice was leveled up higher.

“You told him to go to his room and get a book, why?” Adam said with the same calmness in his voice.

“Adam, Jason never came back! Where is he?”

Adam opened his eyes and jumped up.  Jessica jumped up after him and went with him toward Jason’s room.  When they arrived, they found books scattered on the floor and Jason had laid down with a book opened and he was sound asleep.

“Oh, my baby!” Jessica cried quietly, “he’s sleeping like an angel among all of his favorite books.” 

Jessica and Adam went into Jason’s room, and while Jessica started to pick up all the books off the floor and put them back on the bookshelf, Adam picked Jason up and placed him in his bed.  Jessica came over and stood next to Adam, and they both watched their baby boy sleep.

“You should see him, Adam, during the day or at night.  Jason wants to be such a big boy and read to his mommy.  Jason read Mommy, he’ll tell me, and I let him read me the story.  It’s so cute, Adam, he looks at the pictures and starts making up his story.  He’ll turn the pages and tell me all about it.  I’ll comment to him about how exciting the story is and thank him for reading it to me.”

Adam turned Jessica to him and held her tight in his arms.  He closed his eyes tight, thinking about the beautiful bond his wife and son had made since his birth and how Adam wished he could share the same bond with his son his wife did.  I can’t make the same mistake with our daughter, he thought to himself, and I must try and right the wrong with our son starting today, his thoughts concluded.

“Our son is a lucky boy to have such an amazing, loving mommy.  I think he learned from the best mother he could have,” Adam smiled and kissed Jessica’s nose.

Adam and Jessica walked out of Jason’s room but left the door open.  They didn’t want him to be scared when he woke up, especially if he slept for several hours and the sun’s setting caused his room to fall dark.

When They Were Young ~ Chapter 9

A few months had passed since the death of Jessica’s father, Glenn, and while she still missed him terribly, she was moving into the acceptance stage of her grief and starting to prepare for the birth of her new daughter, Emily, due in late September.

Jessica’s and Adam’s marriage was back on track again, and Adam made every effort to put his family first before his work.  Even when Adam had to be away on a business trip, he made sure he kept them to only a few days at a time so he wouldn’t be away for too long from his family.  He promised Jessica when she reached her eighth month of pregnancy; he wouldn’t travel at all because he didn’t want to miss the birth of his daughter.

Hoss had graduated from the University of Nevada at Las Vegas in the winter before Glenn’s death and had joined Cartwright, Inc. as a Director of Timbering and had hit the ground running his first day in his new role.  He had spent the summers of his senior year at high school and the throughout college as an intern learning the business in anticipation of assuming a director’s position once he graduated. 

Adam and Hoss had worked for months building and fostering a new relationship with a sustainable timbering company in the northwest and had finally won a multi-year contract with them and Ben couldn’t be more proud of his two sons. 

Ben wanted to take the family out for a celebratory dinner, but Jessica had offered to make dinner as she thought it to be a more intimate celebration at her’s and Adam’s home. 

“Are you sure you’re up to making such a grand dinner at seven months pregnant, Jess?” Adam asked Jessica when she made the offer.

“I’ll be all right, Adam.  I’m just having a baby, and I’ve done it once before,” she smiled as she changed into lounging pants and one of Adam’s t-shirts.

When Adam came into the kitchen to head to work, Jason was sitting at the table with a book and telling a story to Jessica based on the pictures of each page.  Adam leaned on the island and listened to Jason babble on with his almost four-year-old vocabulary as Jessica gathered fresh fruits and vegetables from the refrigerator.  After a few minutes, Adam looked at his watch and noted the time was getting late, and he needed to get on the highway and into rush hour traffic.

“I gotta go, Babe, I’ll see you tonight,” Adam whispered as he came up behind Jessica.  She turned her head up, and Adam dropped a kiss on her lips.  He then went to Jason and bent down and gave him a kiss on his head and ruffled his hair a bit.

“Daddy, stay!” cried Jason as he got down and went to grab Adam’s leg.

“Tiger, Daddy’s got to go to work today, but I have a surprise for you tonight.  Grandpa, Uncle Hoss, and Uncle Joe are coming over for dinner to see you tonight!”

“Poppy?” Jason said, not able to form the word grandpa just yet.

Adam smiled as he picked up Jason in his arms, “Yeah, Poppy, Tiger,” and placed him back on the ground.

Jason ran to Jessica and lifted up his arms and yelled exuberantly, “Poppy, Mommy!”

Jessica picked Jason up in her arms, and they walked out into the garage with Adam.  As Adam was getting into his car he looked at Jessica with a stern face. 

“Be careful picking Jason up, Jess.  I don’t want you to lose your balance.”

“I’ll be careful, Adam, I promise,” she said and then blew him a kiss.

Adam smiled and got into his car, backed out of the driveway and headed to work.  Jessica closed the garage door, and mother and son went back inside to prepare for the special celebration dinner later that night.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As the sun gave way to another evening, Adam arrived home and found the kitchen dark except for the light over the professional gas stovetop.  A wonderful aroma filled the air, and he saw the wall oven was at a low heat.  He turned the light on and found a crown roast was cooking with a meat thermometer stuck inside registering the temperature of the meat.

As he headed to the master bedroom, he stopped at Jason’s room and found his son was sleeping peacefully in his bed.  He continued to the master bedroom and found the only light on was in the bathroom.  He stopped at the door leading into the bathroom and found Jessica was in the tub taking a bubble bath.  She was caressing her baby bump and breasts with the bubbles.  She had not noticed Adam had arrived and was watching her.  She leaned her head back and closed her eyes as her hands slid over her soapy body.  Adam could feel the excitement growing between his legs, but continued to watch his wife enjoying herself in the tub alone.  When Jessica opened her eyes, she saw Adam leaning on the door jam watching her, his lips curled upward.

“Adam, I didn’t know you were home.  How long have you been standing there?” Jessica asked as she got onto her knees and then carefully stood up to get out of the bathtub.

Adam brought a fresh towel to Jessica and wrapped it around her body, then wrapped his arms around her, and whispered into her ear, “Long enough to watch you and get aroused by what you were doing to yourself.”

“I didn’t know you were watching me,” Jessica blushed.

“Jess, there’s nothing to be embarrassed about, it’s perfectly natural, and the bath is the perfect place for it.”

“And I guess you’re the expert?” Jessica looked up at Adam still blushing.

“Well…” Adam smiled and gave his wife a kiss on her nose.  He took her hand and placed it on his trousers. 

Jessica dropped her towel and unbuttoned Adam’s pants, and he loosened his tie and started to unbutton his shirt.

“It’ll need to be a quickie,” Jessica giggled.  Jason will be up soon, and I need to finish dinner.”

“I don’t think that will be a problem,” Adam said as he removed the remainder of his clothes and they moved into their bedroom.

Adam spooned Jessica and soon, he was pleasuring his excitement with his wife.  In their haste; Adam had left the door to their bedroom opened.  Jason had awoke from his nap and could hear noise coming from his parent’s room. He stood in the doorway as he watched his father moaning and grunting as his mother was calling her husband’s name.  He then turned back and went to his room and got toys from his shelf and began to play with them until his mother came to get him.

When Adam and Jessica got dressed, they went to check on Jason to see if he was awake yet.  Jessica went into his bedroom and found him in the middle of his room playing with a bunch of toys he’d pulled off his shelves.  When Adam entered, and Jason saw him, he started to cry whales of tears.  Jessica looked up at Adam, and he shrugged his shoulders.  Neither parent could imagine what had happened to make Jason react the way he did when he saw his father.

“I’ll go check on the meat while you calm him down,” Adam said over Jason’s sobs.

When Adam left the room, Jason’s sobs diminished and Jessica had him sit in her lap.

“What was that all about, my sweet boy?” Jessica asked in a soft tone.

“Want Poppy,” Jason cried.

“Poppy will be here soon, Sweetheart,” she said rocking her son back and forth.

When Jason’s tears had subsided, Jessica looked down at him sitting in her lap on the floor.  Jason touched Jessica’s very pregnant stomach and said, “Jason baby.”

“Yes, that’s Jason’s sister, Emily.  Are you excited to be a big brother?”

Jason nodded his head and continued to touch Jessica’s belly.

“Oh, she’s kicking, Jason!  Mommy’s going to take your hand and let you feel your sister kicking!”

Jessica lifted her t-shirt and placed Jason’s hand on her stomach.  When she felt the baby kick, Jason looked at Jessica and laughed.

“Did you feel Emily kick Mommy?” Jason laughed harder at Jessica’s question. 

“We need to pick up your toys now, Poppy, Uncle Joe, and Uncle Hoss will be here soon!”

Jason took his toys and handed them to Jessica who knelt down next to the shelves which kept Jason’s toys and books.

When mother and son walked into the kitchen and Jason saw Adam, he furrowed his brows at Adam.  Jessica looked at Adam, and Adam shrugged his shoulders.  Neither parent could understand what had made Jason distrust his father all of the sudden.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After dinner, the two Cartwright families were enjoying dessert and coffee and were talking about the future partnership Hoss and Adam had worked on solidifying.  Jessica had noticed Ben being reticent and sitting back.  He had barely touched the made from scratch lemon pie she had made -Adam and Ben’s favorite- and his cup was still full with coffee.  She noticed the color in his face had started to fade.  As Jessica made eye contact with Ben, her face turned to concern.  Ben continued to look at her and she at him as the three boys continued to talk and laugh.

“Dad, are you feeling okay? Do I need to call an ambulance?” Jessica’s voice was alarmed and loud to get her husband and brother-in-law’s attention.

“No, dear, just not feeling well tonight.  It’s been a hard week at the office.  I’m ready for a few days off; that’s all.”

Hoss and Joe decided to call the night short and take Ben home.

“I’m sorry, my dear.  I know you worked so hard for dinner and being pregnant…It’s just been a long week,” Ben sighed.

“Dad, it’s okay.  Your health is more important to me than any dinner is.  We’ll do it again after Emily’s born okay?  You and the boys can come over and goo-goo over your new granddaughter and niece,” Jessica smiled.

Ben gave Jessica a kiss and Adam a hug.  The boys kissed their sister-in-law and hugged their brother, and they were back on their way to the Ponderosa, this time with Hoss driving.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Adam,” Jessica shook her sleeping husband, but he didn’t wake up right away,

“Adam, it’s time to go to the hospital, Emily’s on her way,” Jessica said as she shook Adam a little harder.

Adam woke up abruptly and looked at Jessica as his eyes tried to focus on her sitting up on one arm.

“I’m in labor, Adam.  Emily’s on her way; we need to get going!” Jessica’s voice was more urgent.

Adam leaped out of bed and threw on a pair of Harvard sweatpants and a t-shirt.  He called his neighbor down the street who on occasion would look after Jason so they could enjoy an evening out.  She quickly arrived, and Adam and Jessica were on their way to the hospital.

Jessica and Adam arrived at Labor and Delivery, and she was immediately checked into her birthing room as they could tell she was in active labor.  A pair of scrubs were given to Adam so he could change.  While in the bathroom, he could hear Jessica’s cries as sharp labor pains were apparent.  The nurse was working feverishly to get her into a gown and the fetal monitor hooked up to measure her contractions.

“I need to push!” she cried with the latest contraction.

“Try to breathe, Jessica, the doctor, will be in shortly to check you.  I don’t want you bearing down too soon.”

“I can’t help it, the contractions are so hard, I feel like she’s coming!”

The nurse called the nurse’s station and had them send for the doctor quickly so they could check the status of Jessica’s labor.

“Dr. McIntyre!” Jessica screamed when she saw her favorite doctor.

“Hi Jessica, I was here delivering another baby when they told me you had been brought in.  I was standing at the nurse’s station when they called and said you were feeling the need to push.  Let’s take a look to see where you’re at.”

After a quick examination, Dr. McIntyre told the nurse to prepare for delivery.

“What?” Jessica said as she saw everyone scurrying around the room.

“What’s going on?” Adam asked with an alarm in his voice.

“There’s no need to panic; you’re both going to be parents very soon.  Jessica, I need you to listen to me.  There is no time for an epidural this time.  You’ll have this baby before they can even get here, understand?  On the next contraction, I want you to start pushing.”

After about thirty minutes of pushing, the newest Cartwright was delivered to Adam and Jessica:  Emily Elizabeth Cartwright was born at 3:27 A.M., on October 2nd and weighed 8lbs 13oz and was 22 inches long.

Dr. McIntyre placed her on Jessica’s stomach, and she and Adam got the first look at their baby daughter who was screaming at the top of her lungs. 

As Dr. McIntyre was preparing the umbilical cord to be cut by Adam, he commented, “Oh, Adam, you’ve got a feisty one on your hands!”

“Oh my gosh! I can’t believe she came so fast! Thank goodness you were here, Dr. McIntyre!”

As Adam cut the cord, Dr. McIntyre smiled at Jessica, “I aim to please.”

Emily was taken from Jessica and Adam by the nurse, and she told them she was going to get her cleaned up and brought back to them as quickly as possible.  Jessica went on to deliver the placenta while the nurses were cleaning up the first girl born into the Cartwright family.

Once Emily was all cleaned up and swaddled in a white blanket with pink, blue, and yellow baby feet, and a pink cotton hat, she was placed into her mother’s arms and the nurse had the baby latch on to Jessica’s breast to begin nursing.

As Adam looked at his daughter’s face cleaned up for the first time, emotions overtook him, and he went and leaned against the wall to steady himself.

Jessica looked over at her husband and asked, “Adam, are you okay?”

“I’m all right, Jess, I’m just…” he couldn’t speak as his emotions overtook him and he was breathless.

Adam sat down, and he could no longer hold back his feelings.  He and his wife had come a long way.  They had been through many trials and tribulations together, and he felt incredibly blessed to be sharing this incredible moment with his wife and sharing in the birth of their new daughter.

As Jessica was watching her newborn suckle her breast, tears started to run down her face.

“I wished Daddy were here to see his new granddaughter, Adam.”

Adam scooted his chair to the side of Jessica’s bed, and he leaned over to kiss the side of her head.

“Me, too, Babe,” he whispered.

When Jessica was finished nursing Emily, she started to cry again as she put her to her shoulder to burp her.  Her cries were shortly interrupted by a burp but continued to cry afterward.  The nurse took Emily and placed her into her father’s arms for the first time.  Adam looked down at his baby girl and started to speak to her tenderly.

“Hi, Princess, it’s Daddy.  I’m so glad you finally made it; we’ve been waiting a long time for you to arrive!”

Emily settled down and stopped crying when the nurse placed her in Adam’s arms.

“I can already tell, she’s a Daddy’s girl,” Jessica smiled.

“Yeah, that’s alright with me. Emily’s my princess.”

After a short stay in the hospital, Adam was able to bring his two girls home, and Jason got to meet his sister for the first time.  Jason immediately grew attached to his baby sister and was always at Jessica’s side as she changed her diaper, nursed her, and put her to bed.  Jason wanted to read his sister a bedtime story each night before she went to bed so when Jessica would be nursing her before bedtime, Jason would sit in the small glider they had bought for him, and he would read away while Jessica nursed his baby sister.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

At Emily’s first month of life, Adam had invited his father and brother over to dinner.  Jessica was feeling the itch to try a new chicken recipe and since the chicken was one of Ben’s favorite proteins she was excited to try it out.  She made a favorite of each of the boys as well:  loaded smashed potatoes for Joe and biscuits for Hoss.

When the three Cartwright men arrived, they each took turns holding Emily and Jason made sure they each knew she was his baby sister who had been in his mommy’s tummy. 

Jason asked if he could read a story to them.  Adam ensured they didn’t have a genius on their hands; he only would look at the pictures and babbled off words of which most were not understood but had so much expression to them.  They were all delighted and couldn’t wait for Jason’s story time.  Adam told Jason reading a story to them just before his bedtime would be best as he had to have his dinner and bath first.

As Ben and his two boys were enamored with Jason and his story, Adam helped Jessica with the final preparations of dinner for them and Adam’s father and two brothers.

Adam told his brothers and father to head to the dining room as Jessica had dinner ready; he would be along shortly.

After everyone had finished dinner, Jessica brought out a homemade apple cobbler with fresh cream.

“I love the fall when apples are in season.  I don’t make sweets too often, but I can’t think of a more special occasion to have something sweet than when I’m sharing it with my husband and his family.”

Adam poured coffee for everyone and tea for Jessica.  They had all started to eat their dessert and marveled at how fresh and tasty everything including the flakiness of the crust Jessica had made for the cobbler topping. 

Jessica had been laughing at a story Adam told about Jason when he was a baby when she turned and saw Ben’s face was almost white, and he had only lightly touched his cobbler and coffee.  She moved her hand to his hand and said loud enough for everyone to hear, “Dad, is everything okay? You don’t look so good.”

The three boys stopped talking and turned their focus to their father who was sitting still, slumped a little in his chair.

“My chest, it feels like an elephant is sitting on it,” he whispered, hardly able to speak.

“I’m calling 9-1-1,” Adam said as he leaped from his chair and ran into the kitchen.  Hoss jumped up and went into the bathroom and got a rag and drenched it with cold water and came back to the dining room and placed it on his father’s head.

Jessica knelt down next to her father-in-law and told him everything would be okay; Adam was calling the paramedics.  She took his wrist and checked his pulse.

Soon, the sounds of sirens could be heard getting stronger as they came up the street.  Joe went outside to motion them they had arrived at the house with the emergency.  The paramedics came in, and Jessica moved the boys away, giving the paramedics enough room to work on Ben.

“This is Ben Cartwright; he’s fifty-three years old.  We were having dinner when I noticed he was losing color in his skin, and he didn’t look right.  He said he felt like an elephant was on his chest,” Jessica told the lead paramedic as they gently moved Ben to the gurney and he applied EKG leads as his partner started an IV line.

“Mr. Cartwright, have you had any past cardiac issues?” The lead paramedic asked as he placed the oxygen tubes in Ben’s nostrils and started the flow of pure oxygen into Ben’s body.

“No,” was Ben’s only weak response.

After the paramedic had checked the EKG, he told his partner they needed to get going with their patient.

“Mr. Cartwright, it looks like you might have had a heart attack.  We’re going to take you to the hospital.  Your family can follow behind, but we need to get going now, okay?”

Ben just closed his eyes and turned his head, and the paramedics raised the gurney to the upward position and rolled him out to the awaiting ambulance.  When the ambulance left, Adam walked back in and told Jessica she needed to stay back with Jason and Emily.  He and his two brothers headed out to Ben’s SUV and Adam drove them to the hospital.  Jessica had remained calm throughout the entire ordeal, but when she was left alone at home with her sleeping son and daughter, she turned and saw all of the dishes still sitting on the table as they had left them when the emergency happened.  Memories about her father’s stroke and eventual death came flooding back. She sat at the table in the chair Ben had been sitting in, and she started to sob.  She couldn’t bear the thought of losing her father-in-law so soon after her father.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Family for Ben Cartwright,” the nurse called out to the waiting room from her check-in-desk.

Adam got up and headed to the desk.

“I’m Adam Cartwright, Ben Cartwright’s son.”

“The doctor is ready to see you now if you want to follow me,” she said as she got up from her desk and headed over to the door leading into Emergency and opened it.

Adam motioned for his brothers to get up as they were being taken back to see the doctor and then hopefully their father.

Adam and his brothers were led into a small room where Dr. Michael Anderson was waiting.

Dr. Anderson met them with a smile and greeted each of them with a handshake and asked them to sit down so he could explain what was going on with their father.

“I understand the wife of one of you is a nurse and was the first to see your dad’s health was deteriorating, is that correct?” The doctor asked.

“Yes, my wife, Jessica, was an ER nurse here for a little while before having our first child,” Adam spoke up.

“It’s a good thing she noticed he wasn’t well and called 9-1-1 when she did.  Your father went into cardiac arrest in the ambulance, and one of the paramedics was performing CPR when they arrived.  We were able to get his heart started again, thankfully.”

“What happened?  He was fine earlier today!” Joe stated.

“Heart attacks can happen suddenly, or they can come on gradually throughout the day, and symptoms don’t surface until the attack is going on,” Dr. Anderson said.

“We’ve done preliminary blood work and other cardiac tests.  Mr. Cartwright’s was moved to the ICU for heart patients; he’s in critical condition.”

“So what happens now?” Adam asked the doctor.

“The cardiologist will be in to see him tomorrow and order more test to determine the damage that was done to his heart and what other actions need to be taken at that time.  He’ll be here for at least a week; I would imagine.”

“Can we see him?” Asked Hoss.

“Yes! Of course!” Dr. Anderson said.

The boys got directions to the ICU ward for cardiac patients, and when they arrived, they went to the nurse’s station and inquired to what room was their father’s.  The nurse pointed to the room a few doors from the nurse’s station.  As they approached the room, the critical care nurse who was assigned to watch Ben overnight got up and introduced himself to the three boys.  He explained his father received medication for his pain, and they were able to stabilize him before bringing him to the ICU, but they were monitoring him closely.

They went into the room, and when Ben heard footsteps, he opened his eyes and smiled when he saw his three sons.

“Jessica at home with the kids?” he asked with a groggy tone.

“Yeah, Dad, but she’s worried sick about you.  I’ll give her a call when we leave.”

“I’m sorry to mess up the evening like this, boys.  This was your special day today,” Ben said as he turned and looked at Hoss.

“Don’t you worry, Dad, we just want you to feel better soon,” Hoss responded.

“Dad, we’re going to go so you can get some rest.  We’ll be back up here tomorrow after we’re able to speak with the doctor,” Adam said as he patted him on the shoulder.

“Give Jessica my love, Adam,” Ben said as he closed his eyes back and drifted to sleep.

The three Cartwright boys left the room and headed back to the car.  Adam stopped and called Jessica at home, filled her in with what he knew in regards to Ben’s health status and said they were on their way back to their house.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ben was released from the hospital but was told he would have to retire as the heart attack had damaged a significant portion of his heart and he would not be able to continuously sustain the day to day pressures of running the family business any longer. 

Ben formally resigned his position as Chairman and CEO of Cartwright, Incorporated, and the board unanimously appointed Adam as the new Chief Executive Officer with existing board member, George Lawson, as Chairman of the Board.

Several months after bringing Emily home, the pressures of assuming a large company such as Cartwright, Inc. was starting to take its toll on Adam.  Hoss was promoted to Vice President of Timbering and was helping Adam as much as he could, but the brunt of responsibility was laying square on Adam’s shoulders.  He found himself staying later and later at the office and at times, having to spend both weekend days working to try and keep everything running smoothly.

At first, Jessica took things in stride as she knew taking on the top spot at his father’s legacy was crucial to him but she quickly found Adam was missing out on important times in his young family’s lives, and it was beginning to wear her down.  She was feeling the stress of raising two babies, and it was hard on her.  She began to voice her dissatisfaction to her husband, but he could only respond he had the weight of his father’s company and the employee’s livelihood on his mind and was sorry he couldn’t be there for his family more than he was.

Adam began to travel more often and for longer periods of time again.  Emily was colicky and at times, the stress of her constant crying was almost more than Jessica could bear.  Charlotte had come out to visit and help Jessica with her new daughter, and she would cry to Charlotte she saw Adam falling into the same trap again, putting his job before his family.  Charlotte loved her son-in-law and told her daughter to be patient with him as he was trying his best to provide for her and his family.

Adam had found a pocket of time which he was able not to travel as much, but he found himself the first one in the office and many nights was the last one to leave.

Even after Dr. McIntyre had given Jessica and Adam the green light to resume intimate relations, they found themselves not spending as much time together in the marital bed other than sleeping.  Jessica was exhausted raising two babies during the day, and when Adam was not traveling on business, he spent many nights late at the office and would be too tired for anything more than sleep when he came home.

One evening, Adam arrived home around 7:00 P.M. and found Jessica on the floor with Jason and Emily.  Jessica had made a pallet on the floor with one of the beautiful babies quilts her mother had made for her granddaughter, and she’d placed Emily on her tummy, and she was beginning to raise her head.  Adam walked by and found his young family enjoying play time together.  Jason saw his father and got up to give him a hug.  He saw Emily raising her head but after a few minutes would lay her head back on the pallet again.

“Hey, Babe,” Adam said flatly, “when did Emily start raising her head?”

“Well if you would spend more time with your family, Adam, you would have known your daughter has been raising her head for about a week now,” Jessica’s voice was curt.

“Please watch your tone with me in front of our son, Jess,” was Adam’s only comment, as he kneeled down to hug his son.

“I don’t know why you’re so concerned with how I speak to you, Adam, when you don’t even care to be around and be a father to your son and daughter,” Jessica said as she went over to check Emily’s diaper.

“I’m not going to argue with you, Jess, in front of our children,” he said has he got up and walked back to the master bedroom.

Jessica got up and took Jason to his room.  She told him he could play for a few minutes and then it would be time for a bath and to go to bed.  When she saw Jason was content with his toys, she took Emily to her room, changed her diaper and put her in her pajamas, and put her in her crib.  She went back to the master bedroom where she found Adam packing his suitcase.

“And now where are you going?” Jessica cried.

Without even looking at Jessica or responding to her tone, he calmly said, “I have to go to Texas for the next two days.  I’ll be back on Friday.”

“I wished you would put as much energy into our children and me as you do into that damn company, Adam.”

“Jessica, I’m not going to pick a fight with you tonight.  I’m too tired.  Didn’t I hear you say Jason needs a bath?”

“Yes, and Emily needs to be fed.  Which do you want to do? If you’re going to be home, you can at the very least be a father to your children.”

Emily had been switched to soy milk at her three-month check-up to see if she could tolerate it better than breast milk.  The doctor had told Jessica it wasn’t anything to be alarmed with; some babies just didn’t tolerate breast milk and needed to be switched.  Once Jessica had started her on soy milk, the colic had subsided.

“I’ll feed Emily if you give Jason a bath,” Adam responded with tiredness in his voice.

“Of course you will, anything to spend more time with your princess than your son.” Jessica bit back.

As he headed into his closet to hang up his suit trousers only wearing his boxers and dress shirt, he looked at Jessica with an arched eyebrow at the remark she’d made.  He turned around and came back out over to where Jessica was standing with her arms around her waist.

“And what are you insinuating with that statement, Jessica?”

“Take it the way you want to take it, Adam,” and she left the room to draw a bath for Jason.

Adam watched Jessica walk out of their room.  He shook his head and continued to get undressed out of his work clothes and into something more casual.

After he had put on sweatpants and a t-shirt, he went into Emily’s room and found her laying on her back.  When she saw her father, she grinned at him.

“How’s my Princess today? Were you a good girl? Adam said as he picked her up.  Jessica had changed her into her warm pajamas and folded the mitts around her hands so she wouldn’t suck on her hands or fingers overnight. 

When he went into the kitchen, Jessica was in there and had a bottle ready for Adam to feed Emily.  Adam took the bottle and didn’t say anything to Jessica, and he walked out back to Emily’s nursery, sat in the glider and fed her.  She latched on to the nipple of the bottle and began to suck feverishly.  She stared at Adam as she ate.

“You’re a hungry girl tonight, aren’t you, Princess? Must be all that lifting of your head.  Pretty soon you’ll be sitting up and saying your first words and Daddy hopes he’s here to witness them all,” he said with a smile and happy tone.

Adam was burping Emily when Jason came running into Emily’s room without any clothes on.  Jessica came running after him.

“Hey, Tiger, where are your underwear and PJ’s?” Adam asked as he gently patted Emily’s back, trying to get her to burp.

“Sorry, Adam, he got away from me, he wanted to come and see Emily.”

Adam glared at Jessica and then looked down at Jason.

“Tiger, why don’t you go with Mommy and put on your PJ’s and then you can come back and give Emily a kiss goodnight.”

“Read Emmy, Daddy,” Jason pouted.

“Jason, it’s time for you to go to bed, it’s late.  You need to put on your PJ’s, brush your teeth, and then you can give your sister kiss goodnight, understood?” Adam’s tone was authoritative.

“Jason read Emmy,” he cried as he walked out of the room.  Jessica glared at Adam and started to speak but saw Adam arch his brow at her and she walked out without saying another word.

Adam returned his attention to Emily who had laid her head on his shoulder and was sleeping soundly.  He got up and went over to her crib and placed her gently on her back.  Since Emily was wearing warm pajamas, he elected to leave the covers off of her for the night.

Adam went to Jason’s room where he found Jessica was finishing dressing him for bed.  She looked over at Adam but didn’t say anything to him.  She was still fuming at how he had dismissed his son’s desire to read to his baby sister, and she was still furious.

“Daddy read me?” Jason asked in a happy tone to Adam.

“Of course I will, Tiger, go get a book and bring it to me,” Adam said as he sat down on the glider in Jason’s room.  Jessica left the room and went to the kitchen to clean the dishes before retiring for the night.

As usual, Jason fell asleep about half way through the story, so he tucked him in bed, turned out his light, and closed the door quietly behind him.

Adam went to the kitchen and then to the refrigerator and asked if there were any leftovers.

“There’s not any leftovers.  I never know when you’re coming home at a decent hour anymore, so I stopped making enough food for you.  Sit down and I’ll fix you a sandwich,” Jessica said cooly.

Jessica sat the sandwich down with carrot sticks on a plate and poured a glass of orange juice for Adam to drink as well.  She had placed the sandwich and carrot sticks on the plate with a splash of green to finish off the simple meal.

“Thank you.  You even make a sandwich look beautiful; I appreciate the effort, Jess,” Adam’s voice had softened.

Jessica sat down at the kitchen table with a basket of baby clothes and baby burp rags.

Jessica continued to fold the clothes without answering Adam’s appreciation, and Adam just continued to eat his sandwich and finish his orange juice, there were not any other words exchanged between the married couple.

After Adam had finished, he thanked Jessica again for the sandwich and took his plate and glass and placed them into the dishwasher.  He walked out of the kitchen and back to their master bedroom without as much of another word.

When Adam was no longer in sight, Jessica stopped and sighed deeply.  Tears welled in her eyes.  She felt like she was losing her husband to his job once again and the pain of the thought was tearing at the very core of her being.  She shook off the emotions and finished folding the laundry and placed the basket in Emily’s room to be put away the following day.

When Jessica got back to the master bedroom, she found Adam sitting in bed, reading a book.  He saw Jessica come in, and he studied her movements as she took off her clothes and put on a pair of silk pajamas.  She got in bed and sat for a moment; she was unable to look at Adam.

“Jess, I’m sorry I was late.  I’m sorry I didn’t tell you ahead of time about the trip, it came up suddenly today,” Adam’s voice was contrite.

Jessica looked over at Adam, a tear was falling from her eye.

“You’re always saying I’m sorry, Adam, but they’re empty words when there’s not any action of change behind them.  I feel like a single mom all the time, raising our kids.  Jason misses you.  He’ll hear a car go by, or he’ll think he hears the garage door open, and he’ll look at me and say, Daddy?  I have to break his heart and tell him, no, not this time, baby.  We love you, Adam, but sometimes love just isn’t enough anymore!”

“What are you saying, Jessica?” Adam’s tone was alarmed.

“I’m saying you need to be with us more.  You need to put your family first, Adam!” Jessica pleaded with her husband.

Adam closed his book and put it on the nightstand next to his side of the bed. 

“I’m doing the best I can, Jessica, and you know it.  I’m learning an entirely new function.  I was thrust into this role prematurely.  I’m not blaming my father for this; I’m just doing what I have to do to keep the lights on and food on the table.  I’m working hard to keep you in the lifestyle to which you’ve become accustomed.  I don’t see you complaining about those things.”

“How dare you, Adam.  I would give up every fancy handbag or dress in that closet if I could have my husband back!  You think all I care about is material things? If I weren’t a lady, I would use some choice words with you just about now.  I can’t even believe you would speak to me like that.  I’m the mother of your children.  How dare you!” She laid down with her back to Adam.

Adam turned over and put his hand on Jessica’s shoulder.

“Don’t touch me, Adam,” Jessica said crying.

“Jess, I’m sorry…never mind.  I didn’t mean to hurt you.  I’m tired; I want to go to sleep, but I wanted to wait until you came to bed.  I wanted to tell you how much I love you and adore our children and what an amazing mom you are, but I blew it.”

Jessica didn’t say anything, but she did turn over and look at Adam who was laying down with his head propped up on his hand.  She could see the sadness in his eyes, but the hurt she felt he’d levied on her was so much deeper she couldn’t see beyond her pain.

“You said you were tired, Adam.  Turn off your light and go to sleep.  I’m sure you’re leaving for Texas early tomorrow,” she said as she turned back over and turned out her light.

Adam waited a few moments and then turned over and shut off his light.

When Jessica woke up the next morning, Adam had left for Texas.

When They Were Young ~ Chapter 10

 

When Adam returned from Texas, things were still icy between him and Jessica.  Adam had elected not to call Jessica while he was away and she was furious with him.  Jessica accused him of not loving her but most importantly, not loving his children.  Jessica’s fury at her husband was at its pentacle, and she didn’t know how she could ever forgive Adam for what he had done to his children.  Jessica once again asked Adam to leave, but he refused.  Adam told her he had at least two lives he wanted to live for, and if she didn’t want to be the third, it was her choice, but she would be the one to leave, and if she decided to do so, she was not allowed to take Jason nor Emily with her.

 

Ben and Hoss saw the long hours Adam put into his work at Cartwright, Inc. and while they could see the effect it was having on him at times physically, they were not privy to the toll it was taking on his marriage and family life as well.  Ben could see the sadness in Adam’s eyes; he reminded his eldest son about finding a balance between his work and home life.  Ben also told him he had others, including his brother, whom he could share the load of his work with so he could be home for his wife and children at a reasonable hour every day.

 

While Adam was away on one of his many business trips, Ben had invited Jessica to come and bring the kids up to the Ponderosa to have dinner with him, Hoss, and Joe so that they could visit with his grandchildren and his other two boy’s nephew and niece.

 

After dinner, Hoss and Joe pulled the checkerboard out and decided to show Jason the fine art of playing checkers while Ben and Jessica went into his office to talk privately.

 

“You look tired, my dear.  How are you? How is it having two little ones now?”

 

“Oh, Dad,” Jessica bowed her head and started to cry; she couldn’t get another word out.

 

“Jessica?” Ben got up and came over to where she was sitting and sat next to her, handing her a tissue to wipe her eyes.

 

“I’m sorry, Dad, I didn’t mean to break down.  It’s, it’s just been so hard lately.  Adam’s never home anymore, and when he is, he’s working so late, he might as well be out of town on business.  I’ve been thinking of speaking with human resources at the hospital and going back to work at least part time.  I need some adult stimulation.”

 

“What about the kids, Jessica? Who would keep Jason and Emily?” Ben looked at Jessica with grave concern on his face.

 

“The hospital has a daycare where I could leave them while I’m working.  I know it’s not optimal, but I’m desperate, Dad, I feel like the walls of our house are closing in on me.”

 

“I don’t want to interfere in your marriage, Jessica, but have you discussed this with Adam? What does he say? I don’t think having my grandkids at a hospital daycare is in their best interest at such a young age, but I do understand your concerns.”

 

Jessica laughed and looked over at her father-in-law and said, “Marriage? What marriage, Dad? Adam hasn’t even called us this business trip, and he usually calls at least once or twice a day.  I know I haven’t been the best wife to him either but, Dad, Adam doesn’t have any idea what I go through.  Besides, these kids are just as much his as they are mine and for him not to call and at the very least check on them…”

 

“Jessica, I do understand,” Ben interrupted, “but Adam works incredibly hard for you, Jason, and Emily…”

 

“I’m sorry, Dad, and I mean no disrespect, but you sound just like Adam.  I get that he works hard for us, and I appreciate it, I do, but he has to realize we’re his family, and we should come before that damn company.”

 

Jessica began to cry again.  “I’m sorry, Dad, I don’t mean to share the marital woes between your son and me.  It’s not fair to you, and I would never want to feel you would have to choose sides.”

 

“I’ll always be here for you, my dear, I hope you know that.  You’re the mother of my grandkids, and if nothing else, it earns you a special place in my heart.”

 

“Thanks, Dad,” Jessica smiled and leaned over to give her father-in-law and put a kiss on his cheek.

 

Jessica and Ben heard loud cheers from the great room as Joe beat Hoss at a game of checkers.  Ben and Jessica came out of the office, and Jason jumped down from Joe’s lap and ran to his mommy.

 

“Jason won, Mommy!”

 

“You did!  Good for you, my sweet boy.  Now give Uncle Joe and Uncle Hoss a kiss goodnight.  It’s getting late, and we have a long drive home, and you still need to take a bath when we get there.

 

“Okay, Mommy.”

 

Jason ran over to his two uncles and gave them each a hug and kiss goodnight.  He then came to his grandfather and lifted his arms to Ben and said, “Hug, Poppy, please.”

 

“I think Poppy might stick, Dad.  He can’t quite say Grandpa, and he always calls you Poppy when he refers to you.  I hope it’s okay,” Jessica said as Hoss helped her with her coat.

 

“It’s fine, my dear, in fact, I like it better!” Ben smiled as he ruffled Jason’s hair.

 

Hoss saw Jessica to her car and helped get the kids buckled into their car seats and Jessica was on her way back down the mountain toward Carson City to put her babies to bed for the night.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Ben had called Gretchen the morning of the first day Adam was back at work from one of his many business trips.  He asked her to block several hours off Adam’s calendar because he needed him to come to the Ponderosa as Ben knew of contract negotiations which were coming up and he needed to get Adam up to speed on them.  Ben had not been able to spend much time with Adam on the contracts so he used it as a ruse to get him out of the office and up to his childhood home so he could spend some quality time with his son and talk with him about the concerns Jessica had shared when she had made her last visit with Jason and Emily.

 

Adam showed up at The Ponderosa at noon, per his father’s request.  They spent the first half hour having lunch, talking about how things were going at the office.  Adam gave Ben an update on the deals he and Hoss had been able to negotiate and how he was looking forward to one day having his youngest brother join the group and keep the legacy alive for future generations of Cartwrights.

 

After Ben and Adam had finished lunch, they moved into the great room and sat down.  Hop Sing brought in a coffee service, and Adam poured himself and his father a cup to enjoy.

 

“Adam,” Ben said with a touch of angst in his voice, “I brought you up here today to talk about contracts, but also, I thought it was time we had a heart to heart, father and son talk.”

 

Ben could see his son’s form stiffen a bit.  Adam then got up and walked over to the banister at the foot of the staircase.

 

“Listen, Dad, I’m a grown man with a wife and two children, I don’t…”

 

“Don’t need what, Adam, advice from your father? A good swift kick in the pants?” Ben’s voice became authoritative.

 

Adam turned around and stared at his father for a moment.

 

“Jessica asked you to talk to me, didn’t she?” Adam asked accusingly.

 

“This has nothing to do with Jessica asking me to do anything, Adam,” Ben’s voice was more agitated.  “She brought the kids up several days ago when you were away on one of your many business trips. I could see she was tired; she was sad.  She was not a woman who was in love and a happy mother of two.  Quite the contrary, Adam.”

 

“So basically you turned the key, and Pandora’s box opened up, and she told you what a horrible husband I’ve been and an even worse father to our kids, right?”

 

Adam’s voice got high as he imitated Jessica, “Dad, Adam puts that damn company before the kids and me.  He’s gone all the time; he never helps me with the kids; we aren’t intimate anymore, I just don’t know what to do with him,” Adam then imitated Jessica crying.

 

“That’ll be enough, Adam.  I will not have you talking about the mother of my grandchildren that way.

 

“And I’m a grown adult, Dad, and I don’t need you getting in the middle of my marriage or family life.”

 

“What family life do you have, Adam? If you don’t straighten up and start paying attention to the needs of your family, you’re going to lose everything:  Your wife, your children, then what will you have?”

 

“She’d never take my kids from me; I’ll fight her with everything I have and she’ll be sorry she ever even as much threatened to do anything so foolish,” Adam’s voice was cold and calculating.

 

Ben got up, went and stood in front of Adam.  He looked at him as if he didn’t even know the man who was his son.

 

“What has this job done to you, Adam?  Don’t you see your wife is crying out for help from you?  Jessica needs her husband and the father of her kids back.  She’s tried everything, she told me, but you can’t see beyond making this company a bigger success than it already is, but where does it leave you, Adam?”

 

Adam sat on the third step of the staircase and placed his face in his hands.  “Every waking minute of my day I think about the lives of every employee at the company.  If I fail, the whole house of cards come crumbling down, then what? They lose their jobs, their livelihood, but most of all, I let the company you built with blood sweat and tears fail.  It’s a lot, Dad.  I do the best I can, but when I come home, I just hear Jessica tell me what a failure I am as a husband and a father.  I’ve stopped coming home for her; I come home now for my kids.”

 

“Don’t say that, Adam, don’t ever say that.  If you take that attitude, your marriage will inevitably fail and then what will that do to your kids? They’ll be left to grow up splitting their time between their parents and who wins in the end?”

 

“She’ll never allow that to happen, Dad,” Adam said self-assuredly, as he walked over to pour himself another cup of coffee.

 

“You don’t think so, huh? Well, that wasn’t the vibe I got from her the other day, Son.  She was telling me she wanted to pursue going back to work again, even if it was just part-time.  She said you were always gone and when you were home, you were always at the office, and she needs adult stimulation.”

 

Adam turned and looked at his father with a surprised expression.

 

“Yes, Adam, she told me that, but you’ve been too self-absorbed in your work even to see she’s crying out for her husband and father of her kids.”

 

“Well obviously I’ve done nothing right so far, what do you suggest I do then?”

 

“You need to take some time off.  Take a family vacation if you want to, but you need to get away from work.  You need to go home and talk to your wife and listen to her.  Hoss and Aaron will handle things at the office, but you, Adam, need to put your home life in order before you don’t have a home to come to again.”

 

Adam walked to the door and put on his suit jacket.  He turned to his father who was still standing at the staircase.  He opened the door and said, “Thanks, Dad, I love you,” and walked out the door.

 

As Adam drove back down the mountain, he wiped away a rogue tear which tried to escape his eye.  He loved his wife and loved his kids just as much.  He thought about losing them, and it was like a punch to the gut, and he had to breathe to catch his breath just thinking about it.

 

“I have to make things right, no matter what.  I love Jessica; I love our kids; I can’t imagine waking up without them in the same house every day,” he said to himself as he drove back toward Carson City.

 

Adam pulled into the garage around 3:30 P.M.  He got out of the car and walked into the house.  Jessica was feeding Emily when she heard Jason yell, “Daddy home!”

 

“Hey, Tiger, how’s my boy?” Adam asked picking up his son and giving him a tight hug.

 

Jessica continued to feed Emily on the couch in the family room and watched Adam with their son.

 

He then looked at Jessica and said, “We need to talk.”

 

“Okay,” was Jessica’s response without any feeling as she took the bottle from Emily’s mouth and put her up on her shoulder to burp.

 

“I’m going to go change my clothes and put on something more comfortable, would you like to come with Daddy?” Adam asked his son.  Jason shook his head yes, and Adam took his hand, and they headed back to the master bedroom together.

 

When Jessica finished, she and Emily went to the master bedroom and sat on the bed.  Adam had taken his suit off and was just in his boxers when they came in.

 

“Daddy home, Mommy!” Jason said very excitedly.

 

“I know, my sweet baby boy, isn’t it great?” Jessica’s pretended to be happy.

 

“I went to see Dad, today, Jess.  He summons me to the Ponderosa like a child.  I thought I was going there to have lunch and talk about contracts but what I got were lunch and a lecture.”

 

“Adam, the kids and I had dinner with Dad and the boys the last time you were out of town.  He could see things were not right with me, and he asked.  I tried to hide my feelings, but he saw through me like a thin pair of white pants,” Jessica bowed her head, thinking she had angered Adam more.

 

“Dad said you wanted to go back to work again,” Adam’s voice was very distant and showed no emotion.

 

“I’ve been thinking about it, yes,” Jessica said as she laid Emily on her stomach on their bed.

 

“Were you ever planning on telling me your plans?” Adam said as he slipped on a pair of shorts and t-shirt.

 

“You’re never home, Adam.  Even when you’re here, you’re not present, and it’s hard to talk to you.”  Jessica said rubbing Emily’s back.

 

“I hope you know this is not something I want you to do, Jess.  I can provide for this family; I don’t need you to work to help out financially.”

 

“Can we talk about this later tonight when the kids are asleep? I don’t want to talk about this in front of them, especially Jason,” Jessica said as she helped him on the bed so he could play with his sister.

 

“We’ll talk about it, you can count on that,” Adam said as he sat down and looked at Emily and smiled.

 

“Hi, Princess, it’s Daddy! You’re growing like a weed, my sweet girl!”

 

Emily looked up at her father, grinned and gave him a baby giggle.  Adam picked her up and hugged her tight.

 

“I miss you when I’m gone.  I miss you and your brother very much.”

 

Jason got up and came to sit in Adam’s lap.  Adam put his arms around both his children and loved them with his eyes closed.  Jessica could see the love in Adam pouring out to his kids and tears filled her eyes.  She only wished they could experience this daily instead of whenever Adam found the time to be home with his family.

 

“I didn’t count on you being home for dinner.  I’ll need to make more salad.  Can you take care of the kids while I get dinner ready?”  Jessica asked timidly.

 

“Of course I will,” Adam said as he ruffled Jason’s hair.  What about you, Princess, you want to hang out with the guys while Mommy makes some grub for us?”

 

Emily grinned at her father.  Jessica could see the bond Adam was forming with their youngest child, and it warmed her heart.

 

When dinner was ready, everyone sat down at the table.

 

“This looks really good. Jess, Thanks,” Adam said as he cut a small piece of lasagna for Jason and placed it on his plate, cutting it into small bites for him to handle.

 

“Thanks, Adam, I’m glad we can eat as a family.  It’s been awhile,” Jessica said as she put salad on her plate.

 

Adam, Jessica, and Jason enjoyed dinner while Emily sat in her exersaucer so Jessica could keep an eye on her while they ate.

 

After they finished dinner and the dishes put away, Adam offered to give the kids their bath.  Jason went into his room to take off his clothes, and Adam took Emily into her room to remove her clothes and diaper.  He carried her into the bathroom where he found Jason already there taking out his bath toys.

 

Adam sat Emily on the bath rug and started to fill the tub and added children’s bubble bath to the water.  When the tub was near one-third full, he helped Jason in and put Emily in the safety ring for babies.  Adam turned around to grab a rag, and he heard splashing and Emily begin to scream.

 

“Jason! Stop splashing, you’re getting soap and water all over your sister and you’re scaring her!” Adam yelled with authority.  Jason began to cry because Adam’s tone had scared him.

 

Jessica heard the commotion from Jason’s room as she was preparing both the children’s room for bedtime and she came running in to see if everything was okay.

 

“What’s going on in here?” Jessica’s voice was frantic.

 

“I’ve got this, Jessica, I think I know how to bathe my kids,” Adam said as he was wetting the rag to wash Emily.

 

Jessica came over to Adam and took the cloth from his hand.  “Why don’t you go in the other room, watch TV, or read a book.  I’ll take care of the kids.”

 

Adam didn’t argue any further with Jessica because he didn’t want to upset the kids any more than they already were, so he got up, grabbed a hand towel from the rack, dried his hands and tossed it on the sink basin and walked out.

 

Both Jason and Emily were still crying, so Jessica picked up Jason from the tub and put a towel around him.  She then lifted Emily out and wrapped her in a towel.  She bent down and looked at Jason in the face.

 

“Remember what Mommy told you last night, you can’t splash water at Emily, it’ll scare her, she’s just a baby,” she said with a soft tone.

 

“Jason sorry, Mommy,” he said as his crying subsided.  “I sorry, Emmy,” he said and kissed her on the side of her head.

 

Jessica smiled at Jason and told him what a sweet big brother he was to his sister and told him to go into his room and she would be right with him.

 

When Jessica got into Emily’s room, she called, “Adam!  Can you come to Emily’s room please?”

 

Adam had gone into his office, and when he heard Jessica call for him. He came to Emily’s door.

 

“Did you need something, Jess?” he asked with a flat tone.

 

“Yeah, I do,” she said sarcastically.

 

“Can you either come finish getting Emily ready for bed or go help our son?  He needs to put on his underwear and pajamas.

 

“I’ll finish with Em, you go help Jason,” Adam said as he took the diaper from Jessica’s hands.

 

“Thank you,” her voice was tired, and she walked out of Emily’s room toward Jason’s down the hall.

 

Adam started putting Emily’s diaper on her, and she started kicking her feet and smiling at her father.

 

“You think it’s funny, do you? You didn’t think it was funny a few minutes ago.  Mommy make it all better, Princess?”

 

Adam reached over and grabbed the pajamas Jessica had laid out for Emily to wear.  Adam kept trying to put Emily’s feet in the legs, but she kept kicking her legs laughing at Adam as he would grab her leg and almost have her foot in the pajamas and she would kick her leg free again.

 

“Okay, Princess, I need to put this sleeper on you.  Mommy would kill us both if you slept in just your diaper. ”

 

Adam was finally able to get Emily’s pajamas on her and just as he was finishing, Jason ran into Emily’s room with his underwear and pajama pants on to give Adam a hug goodnight.

 

“Read me, Daddy?” Jason asked as his father picked up Emily from her changing table.

 

“Of course, Tiger.  Let me get Mommy to put Emily to bed, and I’ll be in your room in just a minute.

 

Adam saw Jessica leaning on the door jam of Emily’s room.

 

“Emily’s all ready for bed, can you rock her so I can read to Jason?”

 

Jessica walked in and took Emily from Adam’s arms.

 

“Make sure he brushes his teeth first.  I don’t want you to have to wake him up to brush his teeth once he falls asleep.”

 

Adam nodded his head and walked out of Emily’s room.  Jessica could hear Adam call Jason back to the bathroom to brush his teeth before they went back to his room to read a bedtime story.

 

Once both kids were asleep, Adam came back to the master bedroom where he found Jessica getting ready for bed.  She didn’t say anything to him when she saw him enter the room.

 

Jessica was standing with her shorts unbuttoned and in her bra when Adam grabbed her hand and led her to the bed.

 

“Adam, I’m exhausted, I don’t…” Jessica whined, but Adam interrupted her, “I’m not trying to start foreplay, Jessica, I need to talk to you,” Adam’s voice was calm.

 

“Then what do you want? I’ve had a very long day, and I’m ready to take off my makeup and go to bed.”

 

“Please, just sit on the bed.  I want to talk to you,” Adam’s voice remained calm as he sat on the bed next to Jessica.

 

“I need to start this conversation with, I’m sorry,” Adam said as he held Jessica’s hand.

 

Jessica took a deep sigh and replied, “Adam, it’s not that I don’t forgive you, it’s I’ve heard those two words so many times now, they just don’t have any meaning to me anymore.  What are you sorry about?”

 

Adam got up off the bed and went over to the French doors that looked out onto a deck in the backyard.

 

“When were you planning to tell me you wanted to start working again?”

 

Jessica got up and went back to the chest of drawers and continued to get undressed.

 

“You’re never home, Adam, I need some adult stimulation.  While you’re off drinking fine wines and eating fancy foods, making multi-million dollar deals, I’m home raising two babies on my own.  I need some adult conversation, too, Adam.  The one thing that I know and love is nursing, so I’ve inquired about going back to work part-time.”

 

“And who’s going to raise our kids when you’re working, may I ask?” Adam’s voice grew more tense but still calm.

 

“They’ll come with me, I’ll leave them in childcare, and I’ll get them on my way home.”

 

“I don’t want a stranger raising our kids, Jess, and I certainly don’t want them being in a hospital with all of those germs.  They don’t have fully developed immune systems yet.”

 

“First of all, Adam, the daycare is in the administrative wing of the hospital, and there’s no way they can come in contact with patient’s germs.”

 

“You don’t understand, Jess, I don’t want my children raised in a daycare!” Adam’s voice became more agitated.

 

“And I don’t want you traveling all the time. I want my husband back! I want my children to have their father present, but we can’t always get what we want can we?” Jessica took off her shorts and tossed them aside to put in the laundry later.  She turned around and continued, “You think the world revolves around you and that damn company, Adam.  All you think about is multi-million dollar deals.  I’m faced with crying kids and dirty diapers.  I need help!” she turned back around to get pajama shorts out of the drawer.

 

“I’m going to try and make things right again.  I’m going to take a couple of weeks off, and I want to work on our marriage, and I want to be a husband to you and a father to our children,” Adam said somberly.

 

Jessica stopped momentarily and then shut the drawer quietly.  She slowly turned around and looked at Adam with disbelief.

 

“Our marriage can’t be healed in a few weeks, Adam, but I appreciate you finally realizing your priorities need to be rearranged,” she went over and sat back down next to him.

 

Adam looked back up and stared at the bedroom door for a minute and then looked over at Jessica and calmly said, “I know things will take more than a couple of weeks to put us back on track, but you’re right! I haven’t been a good husband; I haven’t been a good father…”

 

“I never said you weren’t a good father, Adam, don’t put words in my mouth, that’s not fair.  What I said was, you haven’t been here as Jason’s and Emily’s father.  I would never accuse you of being a bad parent because you’re an excellent father…when you’re around,” Jessica’s voice was defensive.

 

“All I’m saying, Jess, is that I want to stop and reset.  I’m willing to do it starting now, but I need a willing participant in you.”

 

Jessica let out a heavy sigh, and her voice got shaky as she begun to break down responding to Adam about working on their marriage.   “Adam, when I walked down the aisle to be your wife, I knew things wouldn’t always be roses and lollypops.  In fact, I knew there would be times when our marriage would be tested.  I’m not saying I’m the perfect wife.  I’m far from being the perfect mother, either.  I married you, but sometimes I feel I’m fighting against an affair you’re having with that damn company…”

 

“Jessica, don’t start with my father’s company.  He worked so hard to make the company what it is today, and I won’t allow you to be so flippant about how far it’s come and how I helped my father make as successful as it is.  What I wasn’t prepared to be is thrust into the CEO position when I was.  I’ve let you down, I’ve let Jason and Emily down, and I’m prepared to do what I can to put us back on the right road again.”

 

“Thank you, but I don’t know how many more times I can believe you will change, Adam,” Jessica started to cry.

 

Adam took Jessica into arms, “Thank you, Jess, for opening your heart up to allowing me to be a better husband and father again.  I do love you more than life itself.  Without you and our kids, I’m nothing, and I don’t want to live my life without you.  Thank you for loving me enough to not give up on me.”

 

“Adam, I do love you, I’ll never stop loving you, but I need you to love your kids and me more than your job.”

 

Adam hugged Jessica and held her tight without saying anything else.

 

“Let’s go to bed, I’m exhausted,” Adam said as he handed Jessica her short pajama set.  Adam picked up Jessica’s shorts she had tossed to the side and headed into the closet to put the shorts down the laundry chute.  He undressed and headed into the bedroom where he found Jessica already in bed.  When he got in bed, she met him in the middle and cuddled up with him in his arms.  As he held Jessica in his arms, he surprised her when he said, “What do you think about taking a vacation to Hawaii?”

 

Jessica sat up and looked at Adam with disbelief.

 

“Are you serious, Adam? I look like a whale right now.  Baby fat didn’t come off as easy with Emily as it did with Jason and besides, I gained more weight with her as well. I don’t know that I could even fit in my bikini right now even if I wanted to wear it.”

 

Adam turned over and put his hand down Jessica’s pajama shorts and squeezed her bum, “Your body is gorgeous to me.  I see a beautiful woman; I don’t see a whale.”

 

Jessica giggled and wiggled next to her husband, “Adam, stop playing with my butt!”

 

Adam pulled his hand out of Jessica’s shorts and placed it on her waist.

 

“If you don’t want to wear your bikini, we’ll go buy you a new bathing suit for you tomorrow you’d feel more comfortable in.  We’re not leaving until the day after tomorrow.  Besides, we need to ask Deanne up the street if she can go with us and help with the kids.  We’ll get her room either next door or close by.  The kids can stay with her at night so we can get re-acquainted,” he winked his eye.

 

Jessica’s face dropped, and she looked at Adam, “You’re serious, aren’t you? Do you really want to go to Hawaii in two days?

 

Adam looked at Jessica and said, “I’m deadly serious, Jess, I want to prove to you how much you and our family mean to me.  Tomorrow morning, I want to get airline tickets and hotel reservations, and I want to be in the Islands in the next few days.”

 

Jessica laid down and put her hand on Adam’s chest.  “What island do you want to visit?”

 

“How about we go to Kona on the Big Island of Hawaii.  It’s beautiful, it’s quiet, and we can relax.  You can go to the spa, and we can enjoy time with each other as well as with the kids.”

 

Jessica dropped a kiss on Adam’s lips, “I hope we can find a flight for all of us.  How about you go down to Deanne’s house tomorrow, talk to her and her parents, explain what you want to do and hopefully she’ll be able to go with us.”

 

The next morning, Jessica and Adam got up early and made breakfast before Jason or Emily woke up.  Adam brought his laptop computer into the kitchen and found a flight for him, Jessica, Deanne, and Jason.  Adam also purchased a seat for Emily so they could keep her in her car seat during take-off and landing, as well as place her back in her car seat if she got tired and wanted to go to sleep.

 

When Adam explained to Deanne and her parents the plans he had made for his family and how he would take care of every expense for Deanne as well as pay her for her babysitting services, she gladly accepted, and her parents approved.  Adam asked if she wanted to go shopping for any resort clothing, he and Jessica would be going shopping at some of the local shops in town, and she was more than welcome to join them, and he would get her any clothes she needed for the trip.  She said she had everything she needed and offered to take care of the kids so they could shop kid free.  Adam thanked her for her gracious offer and told her he would like to take Jessica to lunch after shopping, but they wouldn’t be gone for more than three or four hours.  She told Adam it was the least she could do for him allowing her to accompany them on such a wonderful vacation, even if she was going to be working part of the time.

 

When Adam returned home, he told Jessica Deanne was coming and she could buy the tickets.  He also told her he was taking her shopping for new resort wear and swimsuit and that Deanne had offered to come and watch the kids so they could shop in peace and he wanted to take her to lunch afterward.

 

Adam told Jessica he wanted to make all of the arrangements at the resort.  He not only wanted them to spend time together as a family, but he had some surprises planned for her, Deanne, and the kids.  He told her while he was making the arrangements, she needed to get ready for shopping as Deanne would be arriving in about an hour and a half to watch the kids while they went out.

 

Adam called the Hilton Waikoloa Village and made reservations for two rooms; one for him and Jessica, and one for Deanne.  He requested a crib for Emily and Deanne said Jason could sleep with her in a king bed.  Adam requested extra pillows be placed in the room as Deanne said she would feel more comfortable with putting a pillow barrier up so Jason wouldn’t roll off the bed since his bed was against the wall on one side with a guard rail on the other.  The reservations center confirmed two ocean view rooms in the Makai Lagoon Towers across from each other for a week as well as a family dolphin excursion and spa treatments for both Jessica and Deanne, while he spent time with the kids.  Adam also booked a luau on their last night at the resort to cap off what hoped to be a fun filled relaxing vacation for the entire family.  Adam gave the reservations agent his credit card information, and she also booked him a rental car and told him he would be able to pick it up at the Kona Airport upon arrival.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Aloha! Welcome to the Hilton Waikoloa Village,” the lovely Hawaiian greeter said as she placed a lei on Adam, Jessica, Jason, Emily, and Deanne and kissed them on the side of each of their cheeks as they arrived into the open air lobby of the lavish resort.

 

They each thanked the lovely greeter dressed in a traditional Hawaiian dress, lei necklace, and headband.

 

After getting checked in, Adam, Jessica, Deanne, and the kids took the train to the building where they would be staying.

 

“Adam, Jessica, why don’t you allow me to take the kids into my room with me so you two can enjoy a little alone time together,” Deanne said with a smile.

 

“I love your way of thinking, Deanne, and that would be great, thank you!” Adam handed Emily to her.

 

Emily started to cry, it had been a very long day for her, even though she had slept most of the way on the flight to Hawaii, the time change had been hard on her little body.  Deanne began to bounce her on her hip while Adam took her room key and inserted it into the slot and opened the door.

 

“Why don’t you go to our room and wait for the bellman with our luggage, Jess.   I’ll make sure the hotel has already put a crib and extra pillows in Deanne’s room as requested so we’ll know the kids are taken care of.”

 

Jessica took the room key for her and Adam and went on in the room.  Adam went with Deanne and the kids to make sure they had everything they needed.

 

As requested, the crib was already set up, and housekeeping had added extra pillows on the end of the bed so Deanne could create a barrier on one side of the bed so Jason would not roll off while he was sleeping.

 

“It looks like they delivered everything, Deanne, so you’re all set as far as the kids are concerned.  When the luggage gets here, Jessica packed some snacks for Jason in his suitcase.  Feel free to eat the snacks and drink the sodas in the mini-fridge if you have a snack attack.  We’ll meet you in about 2 hours for dinner; the concierge has made our reservations at Kamuela Provision Company, which serves steak and seafood right on the Pacific Ocean.  I’ll knock on the door when we’re ready to go so I can help you with the kids.  Jessica and I can’t tell you how pleased we were that you agreed to come with us.  It would have been hard to do everything if you hadn’t.”

 

“Adam, I can’t thank you enough for your generosity inviting me!  It’s such a wonderful opportunity, even though I’m working per say.  If you ask me, though, I’m not working at all!” Deanne smiled.

 

“The kids are very comfortable with you, and we wouldn’t have anybody else with us on this trip.  Jess and I appreciate you coming.”

 

Adam gave Jason and Emily a kiss goodbye.  Deanne kept them occupied so Adam could sneak out and go to his room across the way.

 

Adam used his other room key and entered the room he was sharing with Jessica.  He found her standing on the lanai, looking out onto the ocean.  He walked up behind her, wrapped his arms around her and laid his head on her shoulder.

 

“Penny for your thoughts?” Adam asked as he stared into the deep blue waters off their ocean front room.

 

Jessica wrapped her arms around Adam’s and let out a deep sigh.

 

“This is probably the first time since Jason was born where I had complete peace and quiet in such a tranquil place,” She turned her head to Adam, who was still leaning on her shoulder, “Thank you for bringing us here, it was just what the doctor ordered.”

 

Adam stood up and turned Jessica to him and took her into his arms.

 

“Babe, I’m sorry I didn’t do this sooner.  I have no excuses.  I was thrust into being CEO.  It’s not that I can’t do the job, it’s I don’t think I was ready for it.  It’s been a transition for me, and I should’ve asked for help, but trying to learn every aspect I could, I wanted to do it on my own.”

 

“Adam, I support you 100%.  I also know there are going to be times when you have to work late or go into the office early, but you have to understand your family should always come before your job.  You need to find a balance between work and family life.  We need you as much if not more than everyone at work does.”

 

“I know, and I’m going to try and work harder at it.  I guess Harvard taught a lot of things, but some things just can’t be taught can they?” He smiled at his wife.

 

“No, they can’t,” She stood on her toes and gave her husband a kiss on his lips.

 

Adam gave Jessica a light slap on her tush and told her they needed to get ready for dinner; they were meeting Deanne in a few hours to go down together to Kamuela Provision Company for dinner.  He started to unbutton her shirt and told her first he would like to spend a little time getting reacquainted with her first.

 

“Oh, Adam, I don’t even feel sexy right now.  I still have about twenty pounds I need to lose.  It’s bad enough I had to buy a new full bathing suit because I can’t wear my bikini right now.  I never thought I would come to Hawaii and not be able to wear my bikini,” Jessica frowned.

 

“Jess, your body is beautiful to me.  Besides, it’s not the only reason I love you.  You’ve given me two beautiful children; you’re a great mother, you’re an amazing wife.”

 

“Thanks, Babe, but I know I haven’t been the model wife for you.  I’ve been pretty difficult to live with lately,” Jessica bowed her head.

 

Adam put his finger under her chin and lifted her face to look at him.

 

“Jess, I’ve been the cause of a lot of your ire lately.  I’m not entirely innocent here,” Adam smiled, “Now, can we get re-acquainted? I miss making love to my wife.”

 

The couple shared intimate relations with each other and then showered together before getting ready for dinner.  Adam knocked on Deanne’s door, and she was ready with the kids and the family went downstairs to the restaurant for dinner.

 

“Aloha, Mr. and Mrs. Cartwright and Ms. Jennings.  We’re happy to have you join us for dinner tonight,” the Matre D welcomed the Cartwright’s, their children, and Deanne.

 

“Will you come this way? We have your table ready for you.  The hostess, dressed in traditional Hawaiian dress escorted everyone to their table next to a flaming torch overlooking the dark blue Pacific Ocean.

 

“This place is incredible, Adam,” Jessica said as they looked around after being seated, and got the kids situated, Jason in his booster seat and Emily in her highchair.

 

When the waiter came with the drink orders for everyone, vodka and tonic with lime for Adam, Mai Tai for Jessica, ice tea for Deanne, milk for Jason and apple juice for Emily, everyone ordered dinner.

 

“My wife and I will have the Chilled Ocean Sampler and Deanne will have the Keahole Lobster Chowder to start.  We haven’t decided what to order for the kids yet, can you come back in a few minutes?”  Adam asked.

 

“My pleasure, sir, I’ll see if you’re ready when I come back with your appetizers if this is okay,” the waiter responded.

 

“Sounds good, thank you,”

 

When the waiter walked way, Adam and Jessica took a drink of their spirited drink.

 

“This is good, Adam, how’s yours?” Jessica asked.

 

“Strong, but good, thanks,” Adam answered.

 

“What should we get the kids?”  Jessica asked as she looked at the Keiki menu for KPC.

 

“Jason would probably like the Maui onion rings and the spaghetti and meatballs,” Adam answered continuing to look at the menu.

 

“That’s a lot of food, do you think he’ll eat it all,” Jessica wondered.

 

“Okay, we can get the coconut fried shrimp.  He likes shrimp.  What are we going to do about Emily though? Shall we try some lobster bisque or maybe see if they can just bring some steamed shrimp and we could order some asparagus off the adult menu?  Neither of them will probably eat very much.”

 

“Yeah, we can do that.  Maybe instead of the onion rings for Jason, I would like to get a lobster bisque for them, and they can both give it a try.”

 

When the waiter came to take their order, Adam was ready to order the main entree and desserts for everyone.  Jessica decided to have the grilled Mahi Mahi with sautéed rainbow chard, pineapple, with green Thai curry butter.  Deanne requested the Center Cut Beef Tenderloin with charred onion, rosti potato cake, and Maui onion demi-glace, Italian parsley, and lemon vinaigrette.  Adam decided to try the Mauka Makai which was a surf and turf of a small center cut tenderloin, grilled lobster tail, lilikoi butter, rosti potato, and asparagus.  For dessert, they all decided to try the passion fruit cheesecake.  Jessica shared her dessert with the kids by cutting off a small piece for each child.

 

As they waited for their meal, Adam explained some of the things he wanted to do around the resort and how he’d planned to give the girls some time at the spa while he and the kids went to the pool for some dad/kid time together.  Adam also told the girls he had several surprises in store for the week and said the first one was in the morning with a dolphin experience at the Dolphin Lagoon at 10:00 A.M.  Jessica’s and Deanne’s faces lit up with excitement thinking about swimming and meeting the sea mammals up close and personal.

 

The family enjoyed their starters, and each commented on how fresh everything tasted and how the flavors were all delicate and well balanced.  Jessica cut a piece of shrimp and gave a small piece to each of the kids, and they both enjoyed it and wanted more.  Deanne gave Emily a taste of her lobster bisque and she liked it more than the shrimp itself.

 

They continued to talk about some of the things they wanted to do while at the resort and Adam told the girls about the volcano which still spewed lava, and was changing the face of the Big Island every day.

 

After dinner, Adam, Jessica, Deanne, and the kids retired to each of their rooms since the time change, and the early departure from Reno made for a very long day, and they were tired.  Adam went to his and Jessica’s room while Jessica went with Deanne to help bathe the kids and get them ready for bed.  When Jessica came back to the room she shared with Adam; she found him already asleep in their bed.  She took a shower, changed into her nightgown and fell asleep almost as quickly as she laid her head on the pillow.

 

Jessica woke up the next morning to the sun shining through the separation of the curtains and the sound of the waves from the ocean because the slider leading outside was open.  She looked over and found Adam was no longer in bed, so she got up and went out onto the lanai where she found him sipping on a cup of coffee, looking out onto the sunrise over the Pacific.  Jessica stood quietly behind Adam and watched him stare out into the waves crashing on the rocky lava formations.

 

Adam sensed he was not alone and turned his head and found Jessica was standing just inside the door.  When he saw her, he smiled and turned his attention back to the vast blue waters.

 

“You’re up early,” Jessica said as she came around and leaned on the edge of the lanai looking back at Adam.

 

“I couldn’t sleep.  I guess because it’s 9:00 A.M. back at home,” Adam responded, taking another drink of his Kona coffee.

 

“You looked pretty deep in thought when I first came out here, care to share what you’re thinking?  I would like to know what has my husband’s so deep in thought about,” Jessica said as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders.

 

“Oh, I don’t know,” Adam said as he stood up and poured himself another cup of coffee.  He gestured to the pot as to offer a cup to Jessica, but she declined. “I just thought why did this trip have to come the way it did? Why didn’t I see we needed this long before now? Sometimes I feel like I’ve failed you and the kids and it troubles me,” he said and then took another drink of coffee, squinting his eyes, staring into the morning sun.

 

“Adam, you’re a hard worker, and you care deeply about your father’s legacy, and all of the people who depend on Cartwright, Incorporated’s success.  You’re a great provider to the kids and me, and we appreciate you for that, but we also need the things money can’t buy, and that’s your love, your time, and your presence.”

 

“You’ll always have my love regardless, Jessica,” Adam retorted.

 

“I know that Adam, there’s no reason to be defensive.  I’m only pointing out that working as hard as you do does provide us a higher level of living we appreciate, however, if given a choice, I would rather live in a small three-bedroom apartment and have my husband and the father of our kids around more, that’s all I’m trying to say.”

 

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to be defensive.  I didn’t mean to insinuate you blurred money with the love I have for you, Jason, and Emily.”

 

“That’s what I’m saying, Adam, we need those things which money can’t buy, and that’s your love, your time and presence.  I guess what I’m trying to say to you is all the high-end homes, cars, and physical stuff have no meaning to us if we can’t share it with the most important person in our lives.  Hawaii, the Waikoloa Village, this is all wonderful, but without you, it means nothing.”

 

“I know, Jessica, and I’ll try to be more present to you and the kids,” Adam said as he came and wrapped his arms around Jessica.

 

“Just try, Adam?” Jessica looked desperately into Adam’s eyes.

 

Adam didn’t respond any further and pulled Jessica to his chest. He knew where his heart needed to be, but didn’t know how to make Jessica understand the struggles he faced every day with being CEO, husband, and father.

 

“Come on; we need to get dressed and have breakfast.  Put on your bathing suit; we have reservations for a dolphin experience at 10:30 A.M. today.”

 

Jessica and Adam walked into their room and changed into their swimming attire.  Adam put on a Harvard t-shirt with his swimming shorts and Jessica placed a matching bathing suit cover up over her bathing suit.  Adam called Deanne’s room to find she had already put the kids in their suits and bathed them from head to toe with sunblock.

 

When they all met in the hall, Jason was wearing his swim shorts with a superhero t-shirt.  He was also sporting the new hat and sunglasses Jessica had bought for him the day before they left Nevada.  Emily was wearing a metallic pink one-piece suit with a pink lightweight terry robe, nautical themed hat, and white sunglasses.

 

When she saw Adam, she put her arms out for him to hold her and he gladly took her into his arms and gave her a kiss good morning on her lips.

 

“Jason, kiss,” he said as he placed his arms up to Adam for the same loving he had seen his father give his sister.

 

Adam bent down and took his son into his arms and gave him a kiss on his cheek.  Emily grabbed Jason’s hat, and he started to cry.

 

“Stop that crying at once, Jason,” Jessica said sternly.  “We’re not at home, and I don’t want you waking up other guests who are still sleeping.”

 

When Jessica took Jason’s hat back from Emily and put it back on Jason’s head, Emily started to cry.  Adam could see the frustration building in Jessica, so he turned around and walked back into their room and let the door shut behind him.  Jessica looked at Deanne, and Deanne stared back and her and shrugged her shoulders.

 

“Emily, stop crying now, young lady.  You can’t take your brother’s hat.  How would you like it if Daddy took your hat from you?”

 

Emily’s crying slowed to a whimper and she stared back at Adam, who was continuing to look at her with a stern look on his face.  After a few minutes, he said, “We’re going to go eat breakfast now.  I don’t want any more crying.”

 

Once Emily was no longer crying, she and Adam came out of his and Jessica’s room.  Jessica was holding Jason, and they all went to the buffet at the water’s edge not far from their building.  Deanne helped Jessica with food for herself and the kids while Adam stayed at the table with Jason and Emily.  When the girls returned, they had pancakes for Jason and scrambled eggs for Emily as well as a plate of fresh pineapple and other tropical fruits and melons for the three adults and kids.  Deanne stayed back at the table while Adam and Jessica went back to the buffet to get breakfast for themselves.

 

“After breakfast, we’re going to the dolphin lagoon for the dolphin experience,” Adam explained to Jessica and Deanne.  Jason saw the excitement in his mother’s and babysitter’s face and he, too emulated their excitement.

 

“Tiger, we’re going to see some big fish,” Adam explained as he ate. “We’ll get to touch them and watch them do tricks.”

 

“What about Emily, Adam? She’s not old enough for this,” Jessica complained.

 

Adam looked at Jessica but didn’t say anything right away.  Jessica looked back at Adam.

 

“What? Did you check into Emily’s age ability before booking the time, Adam?” Jessica stopped eating and continued to look at her husband.

 

Adam sighed, “Of course I checked into her age, and you’re right, she’s not old enough.  You have to be at least two. However, I spoke with one of the trainers yesterday, and he told me it was okay if I stood in the shallow end with her while you and Deanne enjoy the dolphin encounter.  There are some things Jason will be able to do but some things he won’t.  I would like to eventually bring the kids back when they’re both older to do it again, but for now, we’ll have you and Deanne enjoy the full experience.  Jason can do some of the things like touch the dolphin and the trainer told me if he has a life vest small enough for Emily, I’ll be able to hold her in the deeper water where the dolphins can safely swim and she can see the dolphins up close and personal.”

 

“I don’t like you won’t be able to enjoy it, too, though, Adam,” Jessica continued.

 

“Jess, can’t you just be excited for what I have planned for you, Deanne, and Jason?”

 

“Okay, Adam, sorry! I didn’t mean to sound like I’m ungrateful.  I’m excited, but I just wished they could accommodate Emily, even at her age.”

 

“They take the safety of the guest and dolphins into consideration, Jessica, Emily’s too young and could spook the dolphins,” Adam’s voice was more irritated.

 

Deanne sat quietly and ate her breakfast slowly.  She didn’t look at either Jessica or Adam.

 

Adam looked over at Deanne and could see the bickering between he and Jessica was unsettling to her.  He reached over and touched her arm, “I’m sorry, Deanne, it seems my wife doesn’t appreciate that I’m trying to plan fun and exciting things for us all.”

 

“It’s okay, Adam.  I’m excited about the dolphin swim.  A friend of mine in school went on a cruise with her family last summer, and they did a dolphin experience.  The pictures she brought back from there were amazing, and she said they had so much fun,” Deanne’s body language relaxed.

 

Jessica’s eyes widened when she saw Adam touch Deanne’s arm, but she didn’t say anything.  She smiled and told Deanne she was sorry and looked forward to swimming with the dolphins, too, and told her they would get a picture package she felt for sure they would have available so she could show her friend how much fun she had as well.

 

Once they had all finished eating, everyone headed to the dolphin lagoon.  There was another class going on before their scheduled family encounter.  While they waited, Jessica, Deanne, and Jason put on their life vests in preparation for their forty-five-minute session.  Adam also put on a life jacket, and while they didn’t have a life vest small enough for Emily, a floatation device that went on each of her arms was provided to her, and Adam was able to bring Emily out long enough to see the dolphins up close.  They all went to the water’s edge of the lagoon, sat on the benches, and watched the trainer use hand gestures, and the whistle blows to make the dolphin do different tricks.  As the dolphins jumped out of the water and danced backward on their tales, Jason screamed with giggles.

 

“Mommy, fish!” Jason said with great jubilation.

 

“Yes, my sweet boy, that’s a dolphin!” Jessica replied with excitement.

 

After the other guests had left the water, the trainer came over and introduced herself to Adam, and his family.

 

“Aloha, I’m Amy, and I’m one of the marine mammal experts here at the Waikoloa Village, and I’ll be guiding your experience today.  We have Kona and her daughter, Keo today.  I’ll give you a brief history of dolphins and provide you with an interactive experience with one of the ocean’s most amazing and intelligent creatures.  Is everyone ready to have a good time with these amazing creatures?”

 

Adam raised his hand a little and noted he would be staying back with his children but asked when he could bring Jason and Emily out to meet the dolphins.

 

“In the beginning, I’ll have you come out to waist deep water with the kids and I’ll bring the dolphins to you.  They’ll come up to everyone, and you’ll be able to touch them.  We ask that you have your son hold out his hands and the dolphin will swim up and pass under the palms of his hands.  Since the baby is still so small, we ask you don’t allow her to touch them as we don’t want the child to spook the animal and put her or the animal in harm’s way.  We do, however, want her to see the animal up close and of course get pictures with her and the rest of your family with the dolphins,” Amy smiled.

 

As Amy escorted the family out into the water, Jessica carried Jason, and Adam, Emily.  Amy blew her whistle, and the two dolphins started jumping up out of the water doing flips as they splashed back into the water.

 

The guide blew the whistle again, and the dolphins came up to her, and they stopped in front of her, holding their heads up with their mouths open for a piece of fish.  As she fed them small pieces of fish, she explained how the dolphins were not fish, but mammals.  “A lot like humans, they have the ability to swim underwater but have a blow hole, and have to surface to take in air to breathe before going back underwater again.  Some dolphins, she explained, need air every 20 seconds, but others only need it every 30 minutes.  Dolphins are believed to be an extremely intelligent animal.  While bottlenose dolphins like Kona and Keo here are the most commonly known dolphins, even orcas, also called killer whales, are also a type of dolphin!  Dolphins have several highly developed forms of communication. They have a signature whistle which allows other individual dolphins to recognize them.  Dolphins are altruistic animals. They are known to stay and help injured individuals, even helping them to the surface to breath. Their compassion also extends across the species barrier. There are many accounts of dolphins helping humans and even whales.  Dolphins sleep by resting one side of the brain at a time; this allows them to continue rising to the surface for air and to keep an eye open to watch out for predators.  Dolphins use echolocation to find food and navigate; this is their version of radar.  Dolphins can also jump as high as 20 feet out of the water,” and Amy blew her whistle, and the dolphins began to flip in and out of the water.  As the dolphins came and swam up to Adam, Jessica, Deanne, and Jason, the girls reached out and ran their hands over the skin of the animals.  Jason was a little apprehensive about holding his hand out to touch the dolphins as they swam by, but when he saw his mother and Deanne doing so, he, too, put his hand on the water and when the dolphin swam by, he squealed with laughter.

 

When the dolphin came up to Adam and opened his mouth, it scared Emily, and she turned away and started to scream and climbed Adam’s shoulder.  He almost lost control of her and decided it was safer to take her away from the dolphins so she would not scare them.

 

As they got to the water’s edge, he walked out and over to the benches and sat down.  Emily was still crying uncontrollably, and Adam tried to console his youngest child.

 

“Princess, calm down, Daddy took you out of the water.  The dolphin just wanted to come say hello to you.”

 

When Emily looked back out at the water and found she was a safe distance from the dolphins, she watched them intently as they swam up to Jessica, Jason, and Deanne and they were interacting with them.  Emily pointed and started to whine as if she wanted to go back out to the dolphins.

 

“No, Princess, I don’t want you to get scared again and frighten the dolphins.  We’re going to stay here,” Adam sat his youngest child on his lap, and they watched the family enjoy the magnificent sea creatures.

 

Jessica came back with Jason and had him sit with Adam after they had done all they could with a child of his age.  When Jessica headed back out toward the deeper water where Deanne and Amy had moved, Jason began to cry.

 

“Fish, Daddy! I want the fish!” Jason sobbed.

 

“Jason, stop crying.  You’re too young to go out to the deeper water with Mommy and Deanne.  Did you get to touch the dolphin? Did he smile at you?”

 

Jason nodded his head and began to cry harder.

 

“Jason, stop crying.  They allowed you to touch the dolphins, but that’s all you were old enough to do.”

 

Jason calmed his crying and sat on the bench next to Adam and Emily as they watched Jessica and Deanne grab hold of the dolphin’s dorsal fin as they rode them around the lagoon to their delight.

 

After they each had taken their turns around in the salt water on the older dolphin, the trainer continued to educate them more about the happy sea mammal.

 

“Dolphins can swim at a speed of up to 25 miles per hour for a long time.  They are about three times faster than the fastest human in the world.  The dorsal fin on every dolphin is unique, and it can be used to identify them from each other.  Even though dolphins are usually very mild tempered, they can be aggressive.  A group of dolphins is called a pod, and the bonds of dolphins in a pod are very intense.  They have been observed carrying for the sick, the elderly, and those that have been injured with great care.”

 

After swimming under water with masks and snorkels in the dolphin’s natural element with them, the encounter came to an end.  The women and Adam thanked Amy for the interesting information she provided about the intelligent sea creatures and told her they had a great time and hoped they could do it again one day when the kids were older.  Adam tipped the expert handsomely, and a representative escorted Adam, ladies, and kids to a building off to the side of the lagoon and told about the different packages of pictures available for purchase as lifetime memories of their unique encounter with the friendly animals of the sea.

 

After they had purchased the package of memories, everyone headed to the pool area.  Once they arrived, Jessica and Deanne bathed the children in another layer of sunscreen since they had been in the salt water lagoon.  As they were applying the sunscreen, Adam informed the girls he had made reservations for them to have a pampering session at the Kohala Spa.  Both girls lit up with excitement.

 

“Who’s going to take care of the kids?” Jessica asked.

 

Adam looked at Jessica with an arched eyebrow.

 

“Are you insinuating I can’t take care of the kids while you’re away getting pampered?”

 

“Oh no, not at all, Adam, and I can’t believe you would even have to ask that question.  I just know they’re both a lot to handle at one time.”

 

“We’ll stay in the shallow end of the pool, and when they’re tired, I’ll take them back to our room, and they can lay down, and we’ll all take a nap.”

 

“Okay,” Jessica said with a little discomfort in her voice.

 

“Look,” Adam said as he got up and took Jason off her lap then took her hand and helped Jessica stand.  He then went over to Deanne, took Emily from her arms and helped her stand up, too, “you girls go have a great time.  Afterward, I’ll meet you back at the room.”

 

“Thanks, Adam, two treats in one day, I’m so appreciative,” Deanne grinned.

 

“Thanks, Deanne, I only wished my wife showed as much enthusiasm,” he said with a tense voice.

 

Jessica stared at Adam through her sunglasses for a few moments and then turned to walk away, and Deanne followed behind her.  Adam stood and watched them until they had turned the corner toward the spa.

 

Adam sat Emily down on the chaise lounge and showed Jason the swim ring he had for him to float in and how to use it.  He put floatation bands on each of his arms for added protection.  He picked up Emily and the child flotation device he had for her and they went down to the shallow end of the pool.  Jason stood on the step while Adam placed the floatation device in front of him.  He held Jason’s hand, and he stepped into the ring and let go of Adam’s hand and began to float around and giggled with joy.

 

“Swim, Daddy!” he said with excitement.

 

“Yes, you are!  That’s my tiger,” he replied back with the same element of excitement in his voice.

 

He then tried to put Emily in her flotation device to guide her around the shallow water, but she was not having any of it.  She started to cry and dug her fingers into Adam’s shoulders.

 

“Emily Elizabeth, Daddy won’t let you drown, there’s a seat, and it will hold you up.”

 

Emily continued to cry, so Adam didn’t try any longer.  He held her in his arms and bounced into the water and made faces at her to get her to stop crying.  She finally stopped and was laughing at Adam’s funny faces.

 

“You’re splendid with the kids, are they yours?” The beautiful young woman in a hot pink string bikini asked with an Australian accent.

 

Adam turned around and saw a well-tanned blond hair blue eyed woman standing behind him in the water.

 

“Hello!” he said with a big smile as he tried to be nonchalant as he checked out the young lady’s sculpted body through his sunglasses.

 

“Yes, they are my children.  My wife and our babysitter have gone to the spa for the afternoon.  I wanted to spend some quality time with my kids, just us three.”

 

“That’s beautiful,” the young lady said.

 

“My name is Tanya.  Me and my mate,” she said pointing to a beautiful young brunette sunbathing on the lounge chair near the pool, “Gina, are here from Melbourne, Australia on holiday.”

 

“I thought I detected an Aussie accent,” Adam smiled.  “Are you two girls here alone or with your husbands?”

 

“Oh, no,” Tanya laughed.  “Gina is recently divorced, and my partner is back at home.  I wanted to get Gina away for a bit.  She needed to let her hair down after she and her partner split.”

 

“I’m sorry to hear about your friend,” Adam’s voice was somber, thinking about how close he and Jessica had come to divorce.

 

“Who is this cutie in your arms?” Gina asked as she tickled Emily and she turned her head in shyness.

 

“This in my youngest, Emily, and this little guy floating nearby is my son, Jason.  We live in Nevada.”

 

“Aw, nice, I went to Nevada once on holiday, and loved it.  We had a fantastic time.”

 

“We live up north in the Sierra’s, near the border of California.  Maybe you’re familiar with Lake Tahoe?”

 

“Oh, right, yes! Gorgeous lake she is, great skiing, too!”

 

“We live not far from the lake, but we also have a house very close to it and we sometimes will spend the weekends there.”

 

After about twenty minutes talking while Adam watched Jason float in his ring around the shallow end of the pool, Gina called to her travel companion.

 

“Tanya, I’m hungry, let’s go kobba!” Gina shouted as she put on her bathing suit cover up.

 

“On my way, Mate,” Tanya said as she headed to the steps to get out of the pool.

 

“It was a pleasure to meet you, Adam, and you have a couple of cuties there,” Tanya smiled.

 

“Maybe we’ll see you around again!”

 

“Likewise, Tanya,” Adam said as he tipped his hat to her.

 

He watched the two girls walk off toward the pool bar, and he saw Tanya pointing in the general direction of the shallow end where she had met Adam and his kids.  Emily had started to get cranky, so he felt it was time to take them back to the room and put them down for a nap.

 

Once back at the room, Adam changed Emily out of her swimming suit and diaper for the water and put a regular diaper and sundress on her.  He helped Jason change into shorts and a t-shirt and laid them both down on the king size bed he shared with Jessica.  Adam had put a pair of shorts on but left his shirt off.  He used the decorative pillows to keep Jason from rolling off while sleeping.  Adam put Emily in the middle, and he laid on the other side.  It was not long before all three Cartwrights were asleep as the time change was still affecting them all.

 

A few hours had passed when Jessica came into the room and found her kids and husband sleeping quietly together.  Emily and Jason were sprawled out on their backs, and Adam was asleep on his side with his arm across Emily.  She could see the three of them were sleeping soundly, so she decided to take her book and sit out on the lanai and read while the rest of her her family slept.

 

Jessica hadn’t been reading long before Adam came out and he sat in the other chair on the lanai.

 

“How was your massage?” he asked, Jessica.

 

“Very relaxing, thank you.  After the massage, they had us get into a mud pool, and we bathed in mud and then rinsed off in a shower with natural spring water.  How about you? How were the kids?

 

“Jason took to the water like a tadpole; he loved it.  Emily, not so much.  She clung to me tightly, I probably have bruises on my shoulders,” Adam laughed.

 

“I’m going to have to get her swimming lessons, so she’ll get used to the water in a swimming pool.  They say kids are never too young to learn to swim.  I’ve just never done it because we don’t have a pool.”

 

“She let me go down in the water a little bit, but she wouldn’t let me take her under the water, she screamed if I tried.  Tanya tried to tell her I had her tight in my arms but she didn’t want her head to go under,” Adam shook his head.

 

“Tanya? who’s Tanya?” Jessica stopped reading and looked at Adam with a questioning face.

 

“She and her friend, Gina, are here on vacation from Melbourne, Australia.  Tanya came up to me to say hello, and we struck up a short conversation.”

 

“Did you now?” Jessica said as she shut her book wanting to know more about this mystery woman from down under.

 

“Oh, Jessica put your jealous face away, there’s nothing there.  She was just a lady who saw me with the kids and came to say hello and introduce herself.  We had a short conversation, and that was it.”

 

“If you say so, Adam,” Jessica said as she turned her attention back to her book.

 

After a few minutes, Adam asked Jessica if Deanne had a nice time and she confirmed she did.  She also told Adam she gave her an hour alone so she could call her parents or take a short nap if she chose to, before bringing the kids over so they could get ready for dinner.

 

Adam could hear the jealousy in Jessica’s voice and tried again to put her mind at ease about the Australian ladies he met at the pool.

 

“Jessica, I promise you I didn’t know the two women before today.  I was playing with the kids when Tanya came up to me and struck up a friendly conversation.  There was nothing more to it.”

 

“I believe you, Adam,” Jessica replied, but did not sound convincing as she continued to read her book.

 

“You know, there is no reasoning with you sometimes.  I work hard to give you a comfortable life and show you how much I love you, but you criticize me for not spending enough time with you and the kids, so I take time off from work to bring you on a tropical retreat, but you get mad at me when a woman I don’t even know comes up and wants to talk to me.  I just can’t win with you!”

 

“I’m not angry, Adam, I’m just exhausted.  The massage relaxed me so much; I would love just to lay down and take a nap…”

 

“Why don’t you then?” Adam’s voice raised in frustration.

 

“Don’t be mad, Daddy,” said the small voice that came from the open sliding door.

 

Adam and Jessica both turned quickly and saw their son standing just inside the room, rubbing his eyes.

 

Jessica leaped up and gathered her son in her arms.

 

“We’re not upset, my sweet boy.  Mommy’s just having a conversation with Daddy.  I’m sorry if we woke you up,” she said as she kissed the side of Jason’s head.

 

Adam walked back into the room as Emily was left lying on the bed alone.  He wanted to make sure she was not in danger of rolling off in her sleep.

 

Jessica walked back in with Jason in her arms.

 

“Do you want to lay down with Emily and me for a little bit? Mommy’s tired and she would like a little sleep.”

 

Jason nodded his head, and Jessica sat him on the bed, and he crawled back to the other side of the bed where he had fallen asleep with his sister and father.  Jessica laid down and closed her eyes.  Adam went back out to the lanai and laid on the chaise lounge and soon drifted back to sleep as well.

 

After a few hours, Jessica woke up, but Emily and Jason were still sleeping.  She walked out onto the Lanai and found Adam sleeping on the chaise lounge.  Jessica could see Adam’s chest was pink as was his face.  She woke him up and told him to come in as he was getting sunburned.

 

Adam got up and headed into the bathroom to take a shower while Jessica got the kids up and called Deanne who was awake and already dressed.  She told Jessica she could bring the kids over and she would get the kids bathed and dressed for dinner.

 

After Jessica had come back from leaving the children with Deanne, she went into the bathroom and started taking off her clothes.  Adam had finished his shower and had wrapped a towel around his waist and was shaving his facial scruff.

 

“You got quite a bit of sun on the lanai today, Adam, be sure you put plenty of sunscreen on tomorrow when we go back to the swimming pool,” Jessica said as she placed a towel on the edge of the bathtub next to the shower.

 

“We’re not going to the pool tomorrow; we’re taking a road trip to the other side of the island, and visiting the Volcano National Park and taking a helicopter ride over the volcano,” he said nonchalantly and rinsed his razor and then combed his hair.

 

“Oh, that sounds exciting, I’m looking forward to it.  I know Deanne will be excited as well,” Jessica said as she turned on the water, stepped in, and closed the frameless glass door behind her.

 

Adam applied some vitamin E lotion to his chest and face that Jessica had packed to help with the sunburn and went into the room and got a fresh pair of shorts and a sports shirt.  He was putting on his sandals when Jessica came out of the bathroom with just a towel around her body and hair.

 

“I won’t be long.  I don’t want to put any makeup on tonight since I had a facial at the spa today, I hope you understand,” she said as she reached into the dresser drawer and got a pair of panties out, dropped her towel, and put them on.

 

“You’re beautiful just the way you are now, natural,” he said leaning back on the bed and looking at his wife standing before him in just her panties and towel wrapped around her head.  “I wished we had a few hours together before we went to dinner.  I want to run my tongue on every inch of your body right now,” he said as he enveloped her body through his eyes.

 

“Adam, stop,” Jessica said as she took the towel down and started to towel dry her hair.  My breasts are not perky anymore from breastfeeding Jason and trying with Emily.  My stomach still is giggly from my second pregnancy.  I don’t exactly feel very sexy right now,” she said tossing her towel onto the bed and getting her bra out along with a short skirt and white sleeveless blouse.

 

“Your breast are beautiful to me not only as something I enjoy while making love with you but they mean so much more to me because they were used to feed our children when they were babies.  As for what you consider your giggly belly, I see it as the area which carried our two kids.  You may see yourself as fat and unattractive.  I see a beautiful sexy woman I want to explore every inch of her body with my hands and mouth,” Adam said with seriousness in his voice.

 

“We have tonight, Adam,” Jessica said as she put on her sleeveless top and then her skirt before buttoning the blouse.

 

Once Jessica finished dressing, she went back into the bathroom and quickly blow dried her hair.  When she came back out, she had pulled her hair into a ponytail.  Jessica found her sandals and put them on her feet.  She and Adam walked across the hall and knocked on Deanne’s door.  She answered the door with Emily in her arms, and when she saw Adam, Emily put her arms out to be held by him.  He took her into his arms, and Deanne came out with Jason, and they all headed to the Boat Landing Cantina for dinner.

 

Once seated, the waitress took drink orders for everyone.  Adam ordered a Corona on tap while Jessica ordered a Kohala Coast Margarita.  Since Deanne was underage, she ordered a Diet Coke with fresh lime.  Jason had milk and Jessica ordered Emily apple juice.

 

The waitress returned with the drinks and table side guacamole which included Big Island avocado, Kula onion, jalapeno, cilantro, lime, salt, and crispy corn chips. After the server had made the fresh guacamole and placed it in the center of the table with the chips, she took everyone’s order.

 

Deanne ordered the shrimp tacos which consisted of corn tortillas, chili garlic shrimp, shredded romaine, Kamuela tomato, Monterey Jack cheese, avocado crema, sour crema, salsa fresca, Mexican rice, and black beans.  Jessica was tempted with the shrimp tacos as well, but since she had shrimp the night before, she decided to try the BLC Taco Salad with Kekela Farms greens, and chipotle lime vinaigrette in a crispy flour tortilla.  Mexican rice, black beans, avocado, cucumber, carrot ribbons, pickled red onion, Hamakua, cherry tomato, radish, and jicama which rounded out the salad.  Jessica added braised shredded chicken to top off her salad.  Adam ordered the Ahi Poke Tostada which consisted of crispy corn tortillas, fresh ahi, black beans, shredded romaine, Kula onions, avocado salsa, Chile Toreados, Sambal, soy syrup, seaweed, and green onions.  Adam ordered Jason a Cheese Quesadilla from the Keiki menu for the Boat Landing Cantina.  They had provided Jason with a fresh set of Crayons to color on the back of his menu and gave him a new orange color bracelet to go with the dark blue one he had received at the restaurant the night before as well as the yellow one he had received at breakfast that morning.  Jessica told Adam to order the braised shredded chicken taco for Emily, and she could eat the meat and cheese out of the taco.  After dinner was complete, the waitress came back and asked if anyone had room for dessert.  Deanne said she was full and had no more room, but Jessica said she would be happy to share a tres leches cake with Adam as she didn’t think she could finish one on her own, so Adam ordered another beer and a dessert with two forks.   Adam offered the strawberry mango, bird of paradise tuile cookie to Deanne, which she graciously accepted when the waitress brought the dessert.  Jessica had allowed Jason and Emily to each have a scoop of Tahitian vanilla ice cream for their dessert.

 

Adam finished his second beer as he explained the morning would be an early one and since they would be leaving at the start of breakfast hours at Water’s Edge.  Adam had worked with the hotel staff to have a picnic basket for them.  Breakfast consisted of egg and bacon sandwiches with sweet pastries and fresh squeezed orange juice.  There would also be a thermos of fresh brewed Kona coffee and hot tea to enjoy.  For lunch, the hotel provided assorted meats and cheeses along with house made chips, fresh fruit, and homemade bread.  Adam explained the drive to the other side of the island was about 2 hours, and he wanted to take the time to stop at one of the gorgeous waterfalls for a lunch picnic after visiting the Volcano National Park, and before the helicopter ride but they would eat breakfast on the way out.  Adam also told the girls he had planned time for the girls to shop for souvenirs and clothes at some of the island boutiques along the way back to the resort.

 

“The helicopter tour I’ve booked is one of the best tours they have of the Hawaii.  It’s called the Big Island Spectacular.  We’ll discover both the Big Island’s beauty and its volcanic fury.  We’ll see the famous Kilauea volcano, which has been continuously erupting since 1983.  The pilot will fly over lava flows and black sand beaches. I picked up one of the brochures at the hotel lobby when we arrived, and it said we’ll see Madame Pele’s lava and volcanic badlands, then explore the lush rainforests of the Hamakua Coast.  The brochure also says we’ll see the Kohala Mountains and beautiful waterfalls that cascade thousands of feet into the rainforest.”

 

“Adam, you’re spoiling me.  First this amazing trip, the dolphin experience, a trip to the spa, now a helicopter over the island’s volcano!  I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to show you how appreciative I am,” she said as they all got up from the table to leave back for their rooms.

 

Adam took Deanne into his embrace and told her seeing her face light up with each of the surprises he had planned for them made him feel good, and he told her he was so happy she was able to come on the trip with them.   He also thanked her for allowing the kids to stay with her overnight so he and Jessica could have some quiet time to themselves.  Jessica’s eyebrows raised when Adam hugged Deanne, but she decided not to say anything in front of the person they had hired to bring along to help them with the kids.

 

Once back at their rooms, Jessica went in Deanna’s room and helped her once again get the kids ready for bed.  When she got back to the room she shared with Adam, she found him in his boxers, laying on the bed reading a book.  She came over to the bed and sat down next to him and looked at his chest.

 

“Your chest is getting a bright red, does it hurt?”

 

“No, it’s fine.  I think it looks a little worse than it feels, but I’ll make sure I wear plenty of sunscreen tomorrow so it won’t get any worse.  Before that, though, could you take care of this?” Adam asked, placing Jessica’s hand on the erection protruding from his boxers.

 

“Oh, Adam, I swear, all you men think about is sex all the time,” she said as she got up and started to undress for bed.

 

Adam got up and came behind his wife and pressed himself up against her back and began to nibble on her neck.

 

“You excite me, and thinking about making love to you gets me excited,” he said between the nibbles.

 

“Or is it Deanne that got you so hard?” she said as she pulled away and folded her blouse and skirt.

 

Adam pulled away and looked at his wife with surprise because of the accusation she just levied on him.

 

“What’s that supposed to mean, Jess?”

 

Jessica turned in just her bra and panties and said, “I saw how you placed your hand on her arm today and then hugged her tonight.  Seriously, Adam? She’s old enough to be Joe’s girlfriend,” she said as she turned back around and unhooked her bra and put into the drawer.

 

“Well if you didn’t know how to kill the mood, you just learned how to do it,” he said as he headed back toward the bed.  He turned around and looked at Jessica who was putting on her nightgown.  “You must have a pretty low opinion of me these days to think I would even have those types of thoughts about our babysitter.  She’s a lovely young lady, so gentle and sweet.  She loves our kids and takes such good care of them.  For you to think I have any type sexual feeling for her, or any other woman for that matter is just sick, Jessica.  What has gotten into you? It seems like you’re trying to pick a fight all the time.  Are you not enjoying this trip?”

 

Jessica saw the pain she had caused Adam when she saw tears well in his eyes.  She was moved by his raw emotions and became remorseful.  She came to Adam and sat down on the bed next to him.  She gently touched his shoulder and quietly said, “I’m sorry, Adam.  I was way out of line…”

 

“Yes you were, Jessica,” Adam said with conviction.

 

“I know, and I’m sorry.  I don’t know what came over me.  I would never in a million years believe you could ever be attracted to someone who’s a minor.  I know you have better morals than that…”

 

“Forgive me if you give me a reason to wonder sometimes, Jess.  I know I’ve hurt you.  I know the pain is deep, but I’m trying to make it up the best way I know how, but you have to meet me half way if we’re going to make it work.”

 

“I promise, I’ll try, Adam, and again, I’m sorry, and I mean it with all my heart,” she said as tears filled her eyes.

 

Adam saw the tears in Jessica’s eyes and took her into his arms and held her tight, “Please don’t cry, Jess.”

 

“I’m sorry, Adam, I don’t do it for sympathy.  I’m so angry at myself for allowing my imagination run wild like it sometimes does.  I just don’t understand why I say the things I sometimes do,” she continued to cry.

 

“Jess, I’m not angry anymore, please stop crying.  I can only think it’s the pain I’ve caused from my being absent as your husband.  Don’t be so hard on yourself.  Let’s go to bed; we have an early morning tomorrow.

 

Adam placed the wake-up call at 6:00 A.M. and got into bed with Jessica. Adam moved toward his wife and put his arm around her waist, and the couple fell asleep until the phone rang with the pre-recorded message wishing them a good morning.

 

The valet driver brought the Jeep SUV to the portecochère in front of the lobby, and the bellman opened the doors and assisted the Jessica in the front seat.  Once Deanne secured Jason and Emily into their car seats; the valet helped Deanne on her side next to Emily who was sitting in the middle between Jason and Deanne.  Adam tipped the valet and got into the driver’s seat, and they headed toward the exit leading to the highway toward Hilo.  Once on the road, Jessica opened the breakfast basket and handed Adam a cup of coffee and danish.  She poured a cup of tea for her and Deanne and filled two cups with milk for Emily and Jason.  Emily handed a breakfast sandwich to Deanne for herself and Jason.  She took one of the breakfast sandwiches and asked Deanne to break it in small pieces for Emily to eat.

 

“Mommy, I want a donut,” Jason said as Deanne gave him his breakfast sandwich.

 

“You eat your breakfast, and if you still want a donut afterward, I’ll give you one then, okay?”

 

“Okay,” Jason said as he took a drink of his milk out of the non-spill cup.

 

“Do you want a bacon and egg sandwich, Adam?” Jessica asked before taking the first bite of hers.

 

“I’m good right now, Babe, thanks.  When we get to the park, we’ll take the Crater Rim Drive Tour after we stop at the visitor’s center. I would like for us to stop at the steam vents.  The brochure said ground water seeps down to the hot volcanic rocks in the area and returns to the surface as steam.  The area between the caldera’s edge and outer cliffs of Kilauea Caldera is a treeless plain. The ground just a few feet down is so hot that tree roots can’t survive, but shallow-rooted grasses and plants grow there.”

 

“I wonder if you can smell the sulfur from the lava?” Jessica asked Adam as they were driving and finishing their breakfast.

 

“I’m not sure, but if we can, and it’s too much for the kids, we’ll get back in the car and continue down the road to the lava tubes.”

 

“What did the brochure say about the lava tubes, Adam? I wonder how they form?” Deanne asked from the back seat.

 

“It’s called the Thurston Lava Tube, Deanne.   After a twenty-minute one-third mile walk through a tree fern forest, we’ll come upon a cavelike lava tube is at the end.  The lava tube, discovered in 1913 by Lorrin Thurston, was a local newspaper publisher.  At that time the roof of the tube was covered with lava stalactites, but disappeared over time by souvenir collectors.  We’ll take the strollers for the kids as it’ll be too much for Jason to walk and to carry Emily.  As far as how they form the brochure said lava tubes form in two main ways.  Near eruptive vents, lava flows are commonly fed by channels. With time, the channel edges can build upwards and arch over the stream eventually forming a roof and becoming a lava tube.  Away from the vent, the tubes usually evolve from the molten interior of the flows.  Cooling of the flow from the sides and top form strong walls containing increasing amounts of flowing lava. The cooling walls continue to constrict the flowing stream until the roof of the tube is pushed up.  The floor of the tube is melted allowing the lava flow to bore downward.”

 

“How exciting, I can’t wait to see it!” Jessica said looking back at Deanne who also nodded her head in agreement.

 

After the trip to the Volcano National Park, Adam headed east toward Waikoloa where they had reservations for their helicopter tour.  Adam had chosen to stop at Akaka Falls on the way for their picnic lunch.  Once lunch was complete, he found a strip of souvenir shops and boutiques where the girls took a little time to go shopping while Adam stayed back and entertained the kids.  After the shopping, the family continued to the Blue Hawaii Helicopter offices.  They boarded the helicopter which gave them an aerial view of the beautiful Kohala Coast as well as a flyover of the Kilauea volcano vent where they were able to see steam and molten lava pouring out of the top of the vent down to the sea changing the island’s shape every day.

 

When the tour was over, Adam purchased two DVD’s one for them and one for Deanne.  They headed back to the Hilton Waikoloa Village in time to get ready for dinner at Imari Japanese Restaurant.

 

Luckily, Jason and Emily both fell asleep in the car as did Deanne, and rested when they reached the resort.  After leaving the SUV with the valet, Adam, Jessica, Deanne, and the kids took the train back to the building they were staying in, and they all changed into resort clothes and headed to dinner.

 

Once seated, the waitress gave everyone a few minutes to look over the drink and food menu before coming back to take their order.  Once the drinks and food was brought to the table the Teppanyaki chef arrived to prepare their meal.  Jason saw another waitress carrying a fascinating drink, so when the waitress came back with their drink selections, Jessica inquired what juices were in the child’s drink.

 

“The green flash has melon, orange, pineapple, and peach juices in it.  It’s a favorite among kids, I’m sure your little guy will like it,” she smiled.

 

“We’ll take one of those for Jason, and if you have apple juice, we’ll get that for Emily please.”

 

Adam ordered the adult drinks which were, a Kona Golden Ale for himself, a Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand for Jessica and a cup of hot Japanese tea for Deanne.

 

For dinner, Adam and Deanne ordered Marinated Beef Kushiyak which consisted of citrus soy marinated flat iron steak, green onion, sesame seed, and cabbage.  Jessica ordered the Furikake Mochiko Chicken which consisted of marinated chicken thigh, green onion, cabbage, and sesame seeds.  For the main entree, Adam ordered the Tempura Sampler which included the catch of the day which was swordfish, shrimp tempura, Kula onion, zucchini, carrot, eggplant, asparagus, daikon, grated ginger, and tempura sauce.  Both Jessica and Deanne were savoring the Miso Butterfish which included tempura green beans, miso butter, sweet soy, and pickled ginger aioli.  For the kids, Jessica ordered off the Keiki menu for Imari.  She ordered shrimped tempura for Emily and the tempura chicken for Jason.  The waitress gave Jason a red bracelet to add to his collection of bracelets from the different restaurants within the resort.   Once all of the food and drinks had been delivered, the Teppanyaki chef came and started preparing everybody’s food while putting on a fantastic show detailing all of his culinary skills.  After dinner, everyone was tired and decided sleep was more enticing than the delicious dessert display, so Adam signed the check to his room, and they all headed back to their respective hotel rooms.  Deanne told Jessica to go on in with Adam, that she had rested and could bathe the children before putting them down to bed for the night.  Jessica was thankful, and she and Adam gave their kids a hug and kiss goodnight and headed into their room.

 

Once in their hotel room, Jessica went and opened the sliders to the outdoors.  The full moon’s light illuminated the waves crashing on the volcanic rocks.  Jessica soaked in the sea air.  Adam came out and put his arms around his wife and placed his head on her shoulder and his arms around her waist.

 

“I can’t believe our last day is tomorrow,” She said as she put her hands over his.

 

“I have a couple’s massage planned for just the two of us tomorrow afternoon underneath a magnificent ocean front canopy.  It’ll be a full body massage we won’t soon forget.”

 

Jessica turned in Adam’s arms and kissed him tenderly on his lips.

 

“Thank you for thinking of just us, Adam, we need some alone time, and the couples massage will be so romantic for us.  Deanne can take the kids to the pool, and there is a place there at the pool they can have lunch.”

 

“We’ll meet our two masseuses at the place where we’ll have our massage.  There is a place for us to undress.  They said they like for us to be completely undressed, but I don’t think you’ll mind.  They cover the body except for the areas which they are massaging.”

 

“I don’t care if my whole naked body’s exposed, the thought of having a full body massage is so exciting to me,” Jessica said as she laid her head on her husband’s chest.

 

Jessica then remembered her husband is not as carefree as she is and looked up at him.

 

“Adam, how do you feel about it? What happens if you get an erection from the massage?”

 

“What if I do? I’m sure I would not be the first one it’s happened to; I’m sure they’re used to it.  Besides you can take care of it when we get back,” He winked and kissed Jessica’s forehead.  “They don’t touch your genitals, but they’ll be massaging my legs, and I’m looking forward to the relaxation of it all.”

 

“I can think of a few body parts I would like to explore and be explored tonight, Mr. Cartwright,” Jessica said as she began to unbutton Adam’s shirt.

 

“You do, do you?” Adam said as he pressed himself against Jessica’s sundress and held her tighter in his arms.

 

Adam began to kiss his wife passionately and then picked her up and took her back inside and laid her down on the bed and began to undress himself.  Jessica sat up and took off her dress and slipped off her panties, unhooked her bra and tossed them to the floor.  They indulged in each other’s fantasies until the wee hours of the morning.

 

As the moonlit glow of the night gave into another beautiful Hawaiian morning, Adam woke up to him spooning his wife’s naked body.  He kissed her tenderly on her shoulder to which she moved but did not wake up.

 

“Jessica,” he whispered quietly into her ear, but she didn’t move.

 

“Jess, wake up, it’s morning,” he said a little louder.

 

Jessica moaned but just turned her head more into the pillow to shield the light penetrating her closed eyes.

 

“Jess, it’s time to get up,” Adam said as he gently slapped his wife’s bum and climbed over her to get out of bed.

 

Jessica turned over on her stomach and buried her head in the pillow and moaned it was too early.

 

“I’m going to get a camera out and take a picture of your naked body and your legs spread apart if you don’t get up now,” Adam laughed.

 

“You wouldn’t dare,” she said into the pillow.

 

“Oh, wouldn’t I? Do you trust me not to?” he said as he sat on the bed and rubbed his wife’s back.

 

Jessica rolled over and opened her eyes and smiled.  She picked up the pillow and threw it at Adam and said, “No, I don’t!” and got out of bed.

 

Adam jumped up and caught his wife as she ran into the bathroom to take a shower.  He turned her in his arms and kissed her passionately.

 

“This is how I want to wake up every morning with you, Babe,” he said as he kissed her and let her go so he could turn on the shower.

 

“Care to join me?” he asked as he got into the shower.

 

“Don’t mind if I do!” she said as she walked into the shower and shut the glass door.

 

The couple showered and then got ready for their final day at the resort.

 

At breakfast, Adam told Deanne he had scheduled a couple’s massage for the late morning, and she could take the kids to the pool and then to the Lagoon Grill for lunch afterward, and they would meet her at the pool after their massage.

 

“I’ve also left the best surprise, in my mind, anyway, for our last night here.  We’re going to a luau!”

 

The girls were both excited, and Jessica said she had heard about them but didn’t really know what all they entailed.

 

“Legends of Hawaii is the name of the luau here at the Waikoloa Village. They call it, The Big Island Story, which brings to life the ancestral song (mele) and dance (hula) that retell the epic stories of Hawaii and her remarkable people.  It features exotic dance, music and entertainment for the whole family with hula & fire dancers as well as a large Hawaiian buffet.  We’ll watch the history of the Hawaii Island unfold with pulsating drums and flames.”

 

“It sounds like a lot of fun!  I know I sound like a broken record every morning, but I can’t thank you enough, Adam, Jessica, for having me on this trip with you and the kids.  I’ve had the most incredible time, and Jason, Emily, and I have a great time at night after bedtime baths.  I usually read them both a story, and they’re out like a light before I finish reading to them.”

 

“That sounds familiar,” Adam smiled, and Jessica nodded in agreement.

 

Once breakfast was over, Adam and Jessica headed to the seaside cabana for their couple’s massage while Deanne took the kids to watch the dolphins again and then on to the swimming pool for a little bit of swim time before lunch and then an afternoon nap.

 

Adam and Jessica arrived at the cabana where their massage was to take place.  They found one of the masseuses there to greet them.

 

“Hello, my name is, Aikane, and Alana will be coming in a few minutes.  I understand we’re doing a full body couple’s massage on you both today?

 

Adam and Jessica both nodded yes, and they looked at each other with a loving smile.

 

“Excellent.  There is a small room just over in the corner,” Aikane gestured to where the changing room was, “and you can change in there.  You’ll find there is a towel you can wrap around your body.  We ask you take all of your clothes off.  However, we understand if you feel more comfortable leaving on your undergarments.  Please know, however, at all times, your body will be covered in towels except where we are performing the massage.  When you return, we ask you lay face down on the table first.  We’ll start with your head, and work down your body from there.  Once we reach the top of both your legs, we’ll have you turn over on your back and work the front part of your shoulders, chest, and legs.  The full massage will take approximately an hour to ninety minutes.  Do you have any questions for me?”

 

“Does anyone ever fall asleep on you?” Jessica asked.

 

Aikane laughed, “Quite often, and it’s okay! That means we’re doing our job and they are relaxed.  The sound of the waves, the cool breeze coming off the ocean and the relaxing massage calls for lights out,” she laughed.

 

“I suppose you’ll wake us up if we’re asleep when you tell us we need to turn over and we don’t respond,” Adam smiled.

 

“Oh yes, we’ll gently nudge you until you wake up,” Aikane smiled.

 

Just as she was giving her last instruction, the other masseuse, Alana, arrived and introduced herself.  Jessica and Adam went to the changing room and took off all of their clothes.  Jessica wrapped the towel around her covering up from her breasts down to just below her bum and Adam put a towel around his midsection.  They walked out, and each of the masseuses gestured Adam and Jessica to lay on their stomachs.  They were asked to loosen their towels, and the masseuse hung each side over the table.  The masseuses put towels over their legs and before the massage began, they explained they would not be using any oils with the head, however, once at their neck; they would then transition to an organic jojoba oil.  As the massage began, a recording of soft Hawaiian music played in the background.  When the masseuse working on Adam came to his shoulders, she could feel the tightness in his neck leading to his shoulders.

 

“You have so much stress in your muscles, Mr. Cartwright, I’m going to work on releasing the tightness, please let me know if it becomes too uncomfortable for you.”

 

Adam moaned in agreement; he was relaxing from the masseuse’s powerful strokes on his shoulders and back.

 

Once the couples massage was complete, Adam and Jessica got dressed and decided to take the time alone together and walk hand and hand while they explored the grounds of the resort.  They took the water taxi to the lobby where they found a jewelry shop that carried some exquisite Tahitian pearls and other precious metal island jewelry.  As Jessica was looking at the pearls, wondering if she should indulge in such a beautiful pair of earrings, she found Adam looking at the Hawaiian Island jewelry collection they had.  Jessica walked over to where he was standing and gazed at the jewelry he was checking out.

 

“Are you thinking of getting a gift for Deanne?” she asked as she continued to look at the different collections they had which were made of gold and precious stones.

 

“Yeah, I would like to get you both something.  Did you see something you would like?” Adam asked as he wrapped his arm around Jessica’s waist and kissed the side of her head.

 

“I saw a pair of Tahitian pearl earrings in the case over at the other end of the store.  What were you thinking for Deanne?”

 

“I can’t decide if I like the palm tree or the plumeria flower,” Adam said as he continued to study the sparkling pieces in the display case.

 

“Aloha, is there something we can show you more up close?” The saleslady asked.

 

“My husband would like to get one of these necklaces for our babysitter who came with us on this trip to help us with our two children,” Jessica smiled.

 

“How lovely.  Do you have a preference on which one of these beautiful pieces you would like to consider more carefully? The saleslady asked.

 

“I don’t know, Jess, what do you think? I’m torn between the palm tree and the flower, but the sandal is so beachy and would be a great memory of Hawaii.

 

“The floating plumeria pendant comes in several colors of gold.  It also comes adorned with either inlay of black opal or diamonds.”

 

“Maybe we could buy one of these for Emily to give to her when she gets older?  Opal is her birthstone, and it would be something we could keep until she’s old enough to take care of it.”

 

“Yeah, I like that idea, Jess.  “Well take one of the plumeria flowers with the opal inlay, but I’m still undecided what other one I would like to get for our babysitter.”

 

“I think the sandal with the diamonds is just too cute,” Jessica said.  “But it’s your choice, Adam.  I think it’s very sweet you would like to do something so nice,” Jessica said as she put her arm on his back and rubbed it.

 

“If you like the sandal, we do have several different styles,” the saleslady said, and she motioned for Jessica and Adam to step down to another display case.  “We have the sandal in yellow, white, and rose gold, however, we also have the pendant with an inlay of abalone or opal in the foot of the sandal with diamonds encrusted on the straps.”

 

“Oh, Adam, I love the one with the abalone inlay, it sets off the diamonds on the strap.  I think this is the one we should get for her.”

 

“I agree, Jess, I think she would like this one a lot.  We’ll take this one as well,” Adam looked up and smiled at the saleslady.

 

“Very good.  Is there anything I can show you now, Ma’am?” the saleslady smiled at Jessica.

 

Jessica smiled broadly, looked at the saleslady, and took Adam’s hand and said, “Come with me.”

 

Adam followed behind Jessica holding her hand, and the lady took the sandal and plumeria necklaces and set them next to the register and came to the display case where Jessica and Adam were standing.

 

“I would like to see these, please,” Jessica grinned.

 

“These are a beautiful choice,” the saleslady commented as she took the white gold Tahitian black pearl petals and diamonds with omega back earrings.  “These are 14K white gold with 9-10mm Tahitian black pearls and 0.31 Karats of diamonds.”

 

Jessica put one of the earrings to her ear and looked at it in the mirror and then up at Adam.  Adam smiled and said, “They look beautiful on you, would you like those?”

 

“Can I?” Jessica asked like a child, smiling from ear to ear.

 

“I can see how happy they make you and if they make you happy, then, of course, there’s no question the answer is yes,” he said as he kissed her forehead.

 

“Yes! I’ll take them, please,” she said giddily.

 

“Very good, is there anything else I can show you?” the saleslady asked.

 

“No, I think we’ve done enough damage to my credit card today,” Adam laughed.

 

“Okay, if you’ll follow me over to the register right over at the other counter then,” the saleslady gestured to the register located at the other side of the store.

 

As Adam and Jessica went to the register to pay for the jewelry, the other salesman was boxing the two pendants, and the saleslady was coming with the earrings already packed in an elegant display case.

 

As the saleslady wrote up each of the jewelry pieces on a sales slip, Adam pulled out his black American Express and laid it on the counter.  After the saleslady had everything written up, she handed the sales slip to Adam for approval of all the purchases to which he nodded his head.  She took his American Express and when the receipt printed, she presented it to Adam to sign.  Once he scribbled his signature on the receipt, the saleslady handed the elegant bag with their purchases to Jessica and thanked them for coming in.

 

“Mahalo, Mr. Cartwright, Mrs. Cartwright, and I wish you both a beautiful day,” the lady smiled.

 

As they exited the lobby, the ran into Tanya and Gina going back to their room; they had been out on a day’s excursion to Kona.

 

“G’Day, Adam, fair dinkum to see you again,” Tanya smiled.  “You remember my friend, Gina?”

 

Adam nodded his head yes and introduced the two ladies to Jessica and explained they were the ladies he’d met at the pool when he was alone with the kids when she and Deanne had gone to the spa.

 

“This is our last day at the resort.  We leave for Maui tomorrow for a week and then back to Melbourne,” Tanya said as Adam and Jessica sat next to the ladies on their way back to their building.

 

“Today is our last day as well, but we’re back to Nevada tomorrow morning.  I’ll have a week at home, so when you return to Australia, I’ll be returning to work,” Adam smiled.

 

Jessica sat silent and studied Tanya and Gina and noticed their slender forms and how wonderful they looked in shorts and halter tops.  Adam continued to talk to the ladies and didn’t see Jessica was looking off trying not to look like she was checking out both of the women.  When they came to their stop, Adam wished both Tanya and Gina a safe journey to Maui and then back home to Melbourne if he didn’t see them again.  Jessica also gave them each a smile and wave as she and Adam exited the train.

 

As the couple was entering their building to the elevator, Jessica commented, “They seem like nice ladies.  They look good in their shorts, too.  I remember those days, but that was two babies ago”.

 

“Jess, I’ve told you, I love you no matter what.  You’re beautiful to me, and the baby fat you say you have is a badge of honor, in my opinion,” Adam said as he took Jessica into his embrace as they waited for the elevator.

 

“Thanks, Babe, but from a health standpoint, I need to lose these twenty pounds I didn’t lose after giving birth to Emily.  It’s not good for my heart, my knees, my anything,” Jessica smiled.

 

When they made it back to their room, there was a large box laying on their bed.  When Jessica entered the room, she saw the box and looked at Adam with wonder what it might be.

 

“Well, why don’t you open it?” Adam said with a knowing smile on his face.

 

Jessica opened the box, and it contained a deluxe kukui with kukunaokala twist.  The lei for Adam was a strikingly masculine lei combining two favorites entwined together with the deluxe kukui with ficus and sea shells along with the kukunaokala.  There was also a beautiful custom haku lei for Jessica, and matching lei to wear around her neck.

 

“I got us these for the luau tonight. Deanne also got a set in a different flower combination.  I had them to match the dresses you got yesterday.  I hope you’ll both wear them tonight,” Adam smiled.

 

“Babe, they’re gorgeous,” Jessica said as she put the flower lei on her head and turned to Adam to show him.

 

“You look gorgeous, but you’d be even more beautiful wearing only the lei and nothing else,” Adam winked.

 

“I swear, Adam Cartwright, if I didn’t know you better, I’d think you wanted another kid,” she smiled as she came over to her husband and wrapped her arms around him.

 

“NO! he laughed, two is plenty.  I’m happy with having a boy and girl, thank you very much,” he kissed Jessica on her lips.

 

Jessica took the lei off her head and took the dress from the closet, laid it on the bed and took the flower lei she was to wear around her neck and put it on top of the dress.

 

“Adam, it’s perfect, what do you think?”

 

Adam came over to where Jessica was standing and looked at the dress and lei and then looked at Jessica and winked, “I still think it’d look best on you with nothing on.”

 

“You’re insufferable, Adam Cartwright,” she gave him a light slap on his chest.

 

Adam touched his chest and laughed, “I can’t help if I find my wife so sexy after all these years.  You can’t fault a guy for that can you?”

 

“No, I suppose not,” Jessica said as she picked up the lei and placed it back in the box. and then moved it to the table in the corner of the room.

 

“We better get ready for the luau, it’ll be starting soon,” Adam said as he began to get undressed to take a shower.

 

“Why don’t you go ahead of me.  I’m going to start packing our things as we have an early departure tomorrow morning,” Jessica said as she headed to the closet to get out the large suitcase they had brought for both of their clothes.  “I’m going to call Deanne to see how the kids are and if she needs any help packing their things.”

 

Adam finished undressing and left his shorts and polo shirt laying on the bed so Jessica could pack it in the suitcase.

 

Jessica picked up the phone and dialed Deanne’s room.

 

“Hello?” Deanne answered with a happy voice.

 

“Hi, Deanne, it’s Jessica, how are the kids?”

 

“Hi Jessica, they’re great.  They’re still sleeping.  We stopped back at the dolphin lagoon again.  Jason wanted to see the big fish again,” she laughed.  “We then went to the pool, and we swam for a while.  I was able to get Emily to try her float finally, and once she trusted she wasn’t going to fall through, she loved it and laughed as I moved her around the pool.  She cried when I told her it was time to go.”

 

“Adam’s going to be so jealous; he said he tried everything and she didn’t have anything to do with the float.  I’m glad you were able to get some use out of it and that she liked it.  If Lake Tahoe weren’t so cold all the time, it would be put to good use to swim in the lake.  Did you get a box when you came back?”

 

“I was here when they delivered them, thank you so much! The leis are stunning, and they match my dress perfectly!  I assume they’re for the luau tonight?”

 

“It’s Adam you need to thank.  He was the one who bought them and had them delivered.”

 

“You have the best husband, Jessica.  He’s so thoughtful and thinks of everything.  I hope I can find a man who’s as kind and loving as Adam is,” she said.

 

“Yes, he is, isn’t he?” Jessica said with a touch of doubtfulness in her voice. “Do you need me to come over and help you pack the kid’s clothes?” she asked, changing the subject.

 

“Nope, I’ve gotten everything packed for all three of us except for what we’ll be wearing on the plane tomorrow.”

 

There was a slight pause, and then Deanne spoke again, “Jessica,” she said timidly.

 

“Yes, Deanne?” Jessica responded.

 

“I want to thank you again for the wonderful vacation you and Adam gave me.  I know you think I was coming along as the babysitter and honestly, I felt more like a part of your family, like a younger sister to you and Adam, and these were my cousins or niece and nephew.  I’ve had the best time ever, and I don’t know how to thank you enough.”

 

“I know I can speak for Adam when I say how it’s been our pleasure and how we’ve enjoyed having you here with the kids and we adore you, too. I need to get going so I’ll be ready by the time we need to leave.  We’ll knock on your door when we’re ready to head to the luau.  Looking forward to seeing you in your dress and lei,” Jessica said smiling.

 

“Me, too, Jessica!  I have Emily’s dress hanging over the chair and Jason’s shirt, and shorts are hanging over the other chair so as soon as they wake up, I’ll get them dressed.  If they don’t wake up in the next half hour, I’ll have to wake them up, but I hope it doesn’t come to that.”

 

“Oh boy, do I know!” Jessica laughed.  “Okay, give me a call if you need me, I’ll be right over.”

 

Jessica hung up and went into the bathroom and found Adam was out of the shower and shaving.  Jessica undressed and got into the shower.

 

“I’m going to wear my new earrings tonight.  When would you like to give Deanne her necklace?” Jessica asked as she wet her hair.

 

“Oh, I don’t know, what do you think? Should we wait until after the luau? Should we have her come into our room, and we give it to her before?” Adam asked as he rinsed his razor.

 

“I think it would be nice if we give it to her before, that way she can wear it with her new dress tonight, I think it would look cute with the dress as the abalone has a lot of those same colors.”

 

Adam came over to the glass door and said, “How about this, one of us will give her a call and ask her to come over to our room with the kids, and when she gets here, we’ll give it to her here in our room.”

 

Jessica soaped up hands and started to rub the soap over her chest and stomach and smiled, “Thanks, Babe! I can’t wait to give it to her.”

 

“I need to leave.  Watching you soap up yourself is getting me excited,” Adam winked.

 

Jessica flicked some soap suds from her hand onto the glass shower door, “Get out of here, sex machine, we don’t have time for even a quickie before the luau,” she laughed.

 

Adam let out a deep laugh as he went out into the room to finish getting dressed.

 

When it was close to the time they needed to leave for the luau, Jessica called Deanne and asked her to come over with the kids to their room as they were almost ready to go.  Deanne got the kids together to came over to Adam and Jessica’s room.  Adam opened the door and invited in their babysitter and two children.  As soon as Emily saw Adam, she put her arms out for him to hold her.  He took her and closed the door behind everyone.

 

Jessica smiled when she saw Jason and bent down to give him a kiss on his cheek and gave Deanne a hug. Both Deanne and Jessica complimented each other on how beautiful they looked in their Hawaiian dress and Jessica started to cry when she saw Emily in her Hawaiian dress and little lei around her neck.

 

“Look at me, Mommy!” Jason said as he showed off his little matching lei his father was wearing.

 

“Don’t you look handsome, my little boy!” she said as she bent down and picked him up.

 

“Deanne, Jess and I wanted you to come over this evening before we left because we wanted to give you a small token of our appreciation for coming with us this week and helping us with the kids.”

 

“We took this trip for Adam to relax because he’s been working long hours at the office and being away on business trips.  We wanted a balance of family time, and alone time and of course we consider you family as well, so we were so excited when you could come with us.”

 

“I’ve had a blast, and I can’t tell you what a great time I’ve had while being here the kids and I have had a great time together.  I don’t know how I’ll ever be able to thank you.”

 

“Just seeing how well you’ve taken care of the kids and how happy they are and the fun they’ve had is thanks enough, believe me,” Jessica smiled.

 

“And with that, we have a small token of our appreciation, and we would like to give you this.  Jessica wanted to give this to you before the luau because she thought you ought to wear it with your dress.”

 

Adam handed the bag to Deanne, and her mouth dropped when she saw the name on the bag.

 

“I, I, I don’t know what to say, Adam, Jessica.  Gosh!  You have been so incredibly kind to me; I’m just so taken away by your generosity,” she said as she took the box out of the bag.

 

Deanne opened the small box exposing the sandal with the abalone and diamond pendant with chain and gasped.

 

“Oh my gosh! this necklace is gorgeous!”  Deanne looked up at Adam and Jessica, “thank you so very much!”

 

“You’re welcome,” Adam said smiling as he came and took the box from her hands and removed the pendant from the box.  He unhooked the pendant and Deanne moved her hair to the side, and Adam put the necklace around her neck and hooked the clasp together.  Deanne adjusted it around her neck and held up her hands showing it off for the first time.

 

“It looks stunning, Deanne,” Jessica said as she came and hugged her babysitter and friend.

 

“I’m speechless,” she said as she gave Adam a hug and then Jessica.  You guys are just so generous beyond words,” she said as she started to break down in tears of joy.

 

Jessica grabbed a tissue on top of the dresser and handed it to Deanne.

 

“Don’t cry, Deanne! You’ll ruin your makeup, and besides, I’ll start crying next!”

 

“Ladies, we need to get moving otherwise we’re going to be late,” Adam said as he headed to the door.

 

Everyone left and headed out the door and down toward the elevator.  Jessica showed Deanne her brand new Tahitian pearl earrings Adam had bought her when they bought the necklace.  Deanne complimented Jessica on the earrings and how gorgeous they looked in her ears.

 

Once they arrived at the luau, Adam handed the employee at the entrance the tickets for the three adults and two children.  She gave him their receipt stubs, and another employee escorted them to the photography area, where they posed together for a picture and then shown to their table near the front center of the stage.  They were seated at the end of the long table so a highchair could be put on the end for Emily and a booster chair was provided for Jason.  The large pavilion quickly filled up as show time drew closer.

 

As the sun was setting on another beautiful Hawaiian day, the lights grew dim, and the show began with female dancers in the traditional Hawaiian skirts and leis entered with the male dancers twirling sticks of flame.  After the welcome dance, the host of the show explained the history of the luau; the ceremony performed, and how the ancient way of roasting the pig was still used to this day.  After everyone had gone through the buffet line for their dinner, the show was to begin.  Each of the tables were released in sections to get in line on either side of the stage on each side of the table to get their food.  Servers were available to help people in need of extra assistance with getting food from the buffet.  Once service was complete, the story of the Big Island of Hawaii began.

 

After the show had come to a climatic end, the performers came back out on stage and were available to take pictures with the guests if they so desired.  Jessica, Adam, Deanne, and children were able to get their pictures taken with the dancers before heading back to their rooms to finish last minute packing before heading to bed for an early wake-up call the next morning for their flight back to Nevada.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

The day after arriving back in Nevada, Adam called the office to let Gretchen know he was back and let her know he would be at the home if she needed him for anything urgent that came up.  She told him there was a few flare ups but Ben had come in to help out as much as he could while he was away.  She told him to enjoy the rest of his much-deserved vacation, and she would let him know if there was anything that needed his attention that could not wait for his return.

 

“It’s good to be back home again, but I sure miss the tropical island life,” Jessica said.  “Maybe we should look at buying a house on one of the islands, and we could spend summers there.”

 

“I was just thinking the same thing, Jess.  I love the quiet, relaxed life of the Big Island, but I’ve always wanted to visit Kauai.  I hear it’s breathtaking there and you don’t have to worry about a volcanic eruption leveling your town.”

 

“Before the next time you can get away, I’ll get in touch with a realtor, and we can make an appointment with one and go see some homes for sale or even look at land to build a home.  We have our home at The Ponderosa, but wouldn’t it be wonderful to have a home on the islands, too?”

 

“It does, Jess, and we’ll look into it the next time I can get away.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Adam and Jessica had been home a few days when an urgent call came from Gretchen.  Tom, the director of cattle, had been undermining the company for the past several months and had put some of the company’s key contracts in jeopardy, included their largest account, Beckel Meats of being canceled due to his negligence.

 

Adam was called to the office to handle the termination of Tom’s employment.  When the realization that Tom’s mismanagement of contracts had put the company in jeopardy of failing, Adam had to act quickly to save the company from not only defaulting on said contracts, but he had to work from keeping the failures from collapsing the business as a whole.

 

When Adam came home from work, Jessica could see the anger in Adam’s eyes as well as the stress in his face.

 

“I have to go to Texas.  Tom has put us almost into default, and we’re in jeopardy of losing everything if I don’t act quick,” Adam said matter of factly as he started throwing clothes onto the bed.

 

“How long will you be gone? You’re not even supposed to be back at the office yet.  Can your other officers not handle this crisis?” Jessica asked frantically.

 

Adam stopped at looked at Jessica with almost disbelief in his face.  “I don’t think you grasp the enormity of the situation, Jess.  Everything my father has built, all of the employee’s lives could be ruined, and you want other officers to handle this?”

 

“Adam, I understand you feel the need to be the savior of this company and all who work there.  You told me last time you were going to make your family your priority and it seems you’re putting the company ahead of us yet again,” she said with her hands on her hips.

 

Adam stopped and looked at Jessica once again with disbelief.  She didn’t seem to grasp if Adam didn’t act quickly, there would be no more company.  He would no longer be CEO, his family’s legacy, destroyed.

 

“I don’t have time to deal with you about this; the corporate jet is waiting.”

 

Adam put his suits and other clothes into his suitcase and kissed each of the kids on his way to the garage.  Jessica followed behind him.  When he got to the garage, he turned and found Jessica’s eyes were tear soaked.

 

“I’m sorry, but I have to go, Jess, I’ll call you when I get to the hotel,” he kissed her on the lips, turned and walked out of the house and to the car.

 

After a week, Adam returned home and spent the next several weeks working tirelessly at the office day and night, and most weekends, trying to undo the damage that had been done by Tom’s mismanagement.

 

Just when things had started to stabilize at work, Adam came home one evening, and when he entered the garage, he found all of his clothes packed in suitcases with a note from Jessica sitting on top.

 

Adam, the kids and I have reached the end of our rope.  I’ve asked you time and time again to put your wife and children before business, and you promise you will, but you’ve broken the promise yet again.  I can no longer live in a marriage where you continue to put your job before your family you claim to love. Therefore, I’m asking you to leave.  If I’m going to live my life as a single parent, I need our lives to move forward with just me, Jason, and Emily in it.  You’re more than welcome to see the kids when you can find time in your busy schedule to put them first ahead of the business and can give them your undivided attention and love they so richly deserve from you.

 

Jessica

 

Adam was tired.  It had been a long week, and this was the last thing he thought he would have to deal with when he came home.  He came into the house and ran into Jessica as she was coming out of Emily’s room after putting her and Jason to bed.

 

Adam held up the note and looked at Jessica, “What is this supposed to mean?  Do you care to explain?”

 

Jessica walked around Adam and continued to the kitchen to finish putting the dishes from dinner she’d had with the kids in the dishwasher without saying a word.

 

“Jessica!” Adam yelled.

 

Jessica turned around and looked at Adam.  She came back to him hurriedly and spoke quietly but forcefully.

 

“Do you mind? Your children are trying to go to sleep!” and she turned back around and headed back to the kitchen with Adam following behind.

 

When they reached the kitchen, Adam came up next to Jessica, “Do you care to explain this note?” Holding it up to where she could see it.

 

Jessica stopped and took a deep breath in before looking at Adam and said calmly, “I’ve had enough, Adam.  Your children deserve a father; I deserve a husband, neither of which you can be, so I’m asking you move out.  I don’t care where you go.  You can go to our home at The Ponderosa, a hotel, I don’t care, but you can’t stay here.”

 

“In case you haven’t realized, I’m the one that pays for this house. You can’t kick me out of my home.

 

“Jessica turned off the water, grabbed the hand towel, and walked around Adam back to the master bedroom.  Adam stood there a minute and pinched the bridge of his nose.  He got a bottle of water from the refrigerator and went to the master bedroom to change his clothes.  He saw the light on, and when he walked in, he found Jessica taking her clothes out of the chest of drawers.

 

“What are you doing?” Adam asked irritated.

 

“I’m leaving.  You said you wouldn’t leave, and I couldn’t make you since you pay for this house, so I am.  I’m not going to wake up the kids tonight, but I’ll be back first thing tomorrow morning, but you’ll have to stay home until I can get here.  You can’t leave them alone so you’ll have to wait until I arrive.  I’ll try and be here around 7:00 A.M. because I know how important it is that you get to the office as early as possible, even though it’s Saturday,” Jessica’s voice was calm, but shaking.

 

“Jessica, don’t do this,” Adam asked calmly.

 

Jessica threw the clothes she had in her hands onto the bed and looked at Adam with disdain.

 

“Don’t tell me what I can and can’t do, Adam!  I’m done living by your wishes and your rules.  I asked you to go, if you won’t, I will,” and she continued to put clothes in her suitcase.

 

“I won’t let you take Jason or Emily with you, Jess.  If you want to leave, then go, but I won’t let you take my kids, not tomorrow, not ever,” Adam’s voice turned from irritation to anger.

 

Jessica stopped and put her hands on her face, trying to hold back the tears.

 

“Please don’t make me hire a lawyer, Adam, because you know you won’t win!   I don’t want to fight you; I want this split to be amicable.  Please don’t do this to this to Jason and Emily, Adam.  Not if you love them the way you claim you do, just let us go!”

 

“This is the only house they’ve ever known, Jessica!  I won’t let you rip them from the only place they’ve ever known!” Adam’s voice rose again.

 

“You just don’t get it, Adam!  How long have we been putting up with this? How many times have you told me, no, promised me, we were the most important thing in your life?  We were until the next big deal or the next crisis when we then took a backseat yet again.  I can’t do it any longer, Adam.  Now I’ve asked you nicely to leave.  If you don’t want to, then I will, but Jason and Emily will come with me.  I don’t want to get a lawyer and fight you, Adam!” Jessica’s voice broke, “I will though if you force my hand,” Tears were running down Jessica’s face; she looked at Adam with hurt and pain in her eyes.

 

A child’s cry coming from the entrance of their room stopped the argument suddenly.  Adam turned around quickly, and they both found Jason standing there crying.

 

Adam picked Jason up and held him in his arms.

 

“Don’t be mean to Mommy, Daddy,” Jason kept crying.

 

Adam held Jason to his shoulder and rubbed his back.  “Daddy’s not being mean to Mommy, Tiger, we’re just having a disagreement, but Daddy didn’t mean to scare you.  I’m sorry if I did.  Let’s go back to bed.  Daddy will stay with you until you fall back to sleep.

 

After Adam left and took Jason back to his room, Jessica walked into the bathroom and washed her face.  She started to gather her makeup and skin care regimen and brought them to the bed, and put them in her suitcase.  When Adam returned, he found Jessica continuing to pack.  Adam came over and put his arm on Jessica’s and stopped her from putting any more of her things into a suitcase.

 

“Please stop.  If you want me to go, I’ll leave, just don’t keep me from Jason and Emily.  I love them, and I don’t want them to think I’ve abandoned them,” Adam’s voice choked.

 

Jessica could no longer hold back the tears.  “I won’t, Adam.  I would never withhold your children from you ever.  Thank you for putting them before yourself and allowing us to stay here.  I’m going to contact the hospital Monday to get back to work so I can support us.”

 

“It’s late, Jess, and we’ll talk about it later, but I ask you wait until we speak before considering going back to work.  If you don’t want me living here with you and our kids, let me at least continue to take of the three of you,” Adam’s tears were falling like a waterfall.

 

“Just go please,” Jessica could hardly speak.

 

Adam turned around and headed toward the bedroom door.  When he got to the threshold, he turned around and saw Jessica standing with her back partially toward the door.  “I love you, Jess.  I love Jason and Emily, too.  You’re my wife, and I’ll always love you,” and he turned and walked back toward the garage.  He went out and put the suitcases Jessica had packed and placed them in his car, pulled out of the garage, and headed toward the house he shared with Jessica at The Ponderosa.  When Jessica heard the chirp of the house alarm, she knew Adam had left, and she fell on the bed sobbing.  Jessica knew the decision she’d made for her, Jason, and Emily had changed their lives forever.

 

Information about the Hilton Waikoloa Village and dolphins are courtesy of my experiences while a guest at the Waikoloa Village as well as the hotel’s website and a dolphin encounter.  http://www.hiltonwaikoloavillage.com/; http://www.onekind.org/education/animals_a_z/dolphin/; and http://www.dolphins-world.com/dolphin-facts/

 

Other information about the Big Island of Hawaii and Volcano National Park at Hilo, HI were from my personal experience on the island and national park as well as http://www.gohawaii.com/big-island.

Lavatubes:  http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/volcanowatch/archive/1996/96_08_30.html

Blue Hawaiian Helicopter:  http://www.bluehawaiian.com/bigisland/tours/big_island_spectacular/

 

 

When They Were Young ~ Chapter Eleven

 

Adam woke up in his home at The Ponderosa the next morning alone.  He had tossed and turned all night, and his sleep was constantly interrupted.  His face showed the exhaustion of a long week and lack of sleep.

 

Hoss had come from the stables not far from Adam’s home the night before and saw the lights on at Adam’s home when he was on his way back to the main house.  He had told Ben he had seen the lights on and stopped by to check and make sure nobody had broken in.  Hoss was walking up to the front door when he saw Adam through the window in the living area, and everything appeared to be okay, so he turned around and left.  The next morning, Ben called Adam to let him know Hoss had seen him at his house and wanted to make sure everything was okay because he usually let him know when he and his family were coming to stay at their house for the weekend.

 

“Hey, Dad,” Adam’s voice was tired, “can you come up for a little bit? I need to talk to you about some things.”

 

“Sure, Adam, I’ll be right over,” Ben said without noticing there was an indication in Adam’s voice something was troubling him.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Hi, Mommy, how are you?” Jessica’s voice was tired and sad.

 

“I’m good, Baby, how are you? How’s Adam? The kids?” Charlotte’s voice was chipper.

 

“That’s why I’m calling, Mommy,” Jessica began to cry.  “Adam and I have separated. I asked him to leave last night,” her sobs grew stronger.  “I just can’t take it any longer!”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Hey, Dad, come on in,” Adam said, his voice was tired and distant.  “I just made a pot of coffee, can I get you a cup?” Adam asked as he headed back to the kitchen to pour a cup of java.

 

“I’d love one.  Where’s Jessica and the kids? Are they still sleeping upstairs?” he asked as he followed Adam into the kitchen.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

You told me your trip to Hawaii was a new beginning, and you were getting close again with each other? What happened?”

 

“Mommy,” Jessica was able to gain control of her emotions again. “things were good between us when we got back from Hawaii.  I wanted to work on being more patient with Adam while he grasped being CEO.  Everything was good then all hell broke loose again at work.  Some director of theirs had a friend with a start-up company which is directly competing against Cartwright, Incorporated and he started to undermine some of the contracts so they would lose faith with Cartwright and want to move their business to his friend’s company or something like that.  Adam had to up and leave at a moment’s notice for a week almost as soon as we got back.  Once he returned home, he was working day and night trying to undo the damage he’d done.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“No, Dad, they’re at the house in Carson.  When I got home last night, I found Jessica had packed all of my clothes in a couple of suitcases with this note on top of them,” Adam handed the note to Ben that Jessica had written for him to read as he went back to pour them each a cup of coffee.

 

Ben read the letter and looked up at Adam with a worried look on his face.

 

“I went inside and asked her what she meant by the note.  She just walked by me as if I wasn’t even there.  I followed her into the kitchen, and I told her I wasn’t leaving the house to which I paid the mortgage for until she told me why she was doing this.  She walked back to our room and started taking her clothes out of the drawers and packing them.  She said if I didn’t leave, she was leaving and would come get the kids this morning since they were already sleeping.  Dad, she’s lost her mind.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Jessica, sweetheart, you know I told you the day you got married Daddy, nor I would ever interfere in your marriage or the raising of your children, and I don’t plan to start now, but isn’t this a bit of a hasty decision?  Have you thought about what this will do to Jason and Emily?”

 

“Of course I have, Mommy!” Jessica’s voice got defensive.  “I’m sorry, Mommy, I didn’t mean to be disrespectful,” her voice calmed.  “I’ve thought long and hard about this.  Adam has told me time and time again he was going to start putting us first.  He promises every time but then something happens, and it’s back to more of the same.  I’m tired of being a single mother!  I’ve thought long and hard about what it will do to the kids.  I saw my best friend growing up living in a fractured family, and it was hard on her to have to spend the week with her mother and she only saw her daddy every other weekend.  Adam’s never here for Jason and Emily, so they probably won’t even be phased by it…”

 

“Oh, Jessica, don’t say that.  You know not having Adam living at home with them, even though he does travel a lot, will affect them,” Charlotte interrupted.

 

“I know, Mommy, but if this is what I have to do to get him to start being a father to his kids, then I’m prepared to do what I have to do.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Ben handed the note back to Adam.  “I don’t think this will come as a surprise to you, son, but this doesn’t come as a surprise to me.  I tried to warn you this would happen if you didn’t find balance between family and work life.”

 

“Thanks for the support, Dad,” Adam’s voice was sarcastic as he snatched the note from Ben’s hand, and he walked into the living room over to the window.

 

Ben followed him into the living room and stood for a few minutes looking at Adam staring out the window.

 

“I’ve always tried to be the perfect son, Dad.  I went to Harvard so that I could learn about business and engineering, and come back to help you continue to build the empire you always told me you dreamed about since I was a little boy…”

 

“Adam, it was my dream, it didn’t have to be yours.  I appreciate you wanting to be my partner in continuing the family legacy, but not at the expense of your marriage, family, or happiness.  I told you that when we had our talk before you went to Hawaii.”

 

“Dad, if I didn’t want to continue the legacy, I would have told you. I saw you work hard every day, night, and weekend, when I was a kid.  Inger was so faithful, and Marie was supportive of your dream.  I know had Mom lived, she would have been by your side as your partner because that’s the woman you told me she was.  I thought Jessica would share in my desire to continue our legacy for Jason and Emily, but apparently, I was wrong.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Sweetheart, I support you with whatever you feel you need to do for not only yourself, but for Jason and Emily, too, but I have to ask you, do you think this will only put more strain on Adam’s and yours’s relationship?”

 

“Mommy, I need to be independent.  I need to find my way in life with my kids on my own.  I want to return to nursing.  I plan to call HR on Monday and talk to them about coming back to work.”

 

“Jessie, Jason, and Emily are as much Adam’s kids as they are yours.  You need to be sure he provides for you a monthly income to help take care of them properly.”

 

“I don’t want his help, Mommy; I can do this on my own.  He doesn’t want me to go back to work, but he isn’t going to control what I do any longer.”

 

“So is this what it’s about, Jessie? You think Adam is controlling your life and that’s why he doesn’t want you working?  I know I’m not privy to all that goes on in your marriage but I’ve never gotten any vibe from him that he’s controlling you or the kids.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Elizabeth, Inger, and Marie were extraordinary women, Adam; there is no doubt about it. However, Jessica is her own woman.  She loves you; I know she wants you to do you what makes you happy; she’s told me as much on many occasions, but Jessica also deserves to be loved, and cherished, but she deserves a partner who knows how to balance his work and family life, too.  You’re a smart man, Adam, I don’t think I need to remind you of that,” Ben came over and put his arm on Adam’s shoulder.

 

Adam jerked away and headed back to the kitchen to get another cup of coffee.  The lack of sleep had caused him to be short tempered.

 

“Jessica can be all about her sometimes, Dad, but I put up with it because I love her.  She’s such the victim, and she has you right where she wants you, which is falling for her, I’m the victim, Adam’s the villain attitude.  It seems she’s got you under her spell.  Thanks, Dad, for your support.”

 

“I’m not taking anybody’s side here, Adam, and you can cut the disrespect.  You may be running the company now, but I’m still your father.”

 

“I’m sorry, Dad, it’s just been a long week, and I didn’t get any sleep last night.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“I know, Mommy, I don’t think Adam is purposely trying to stop me from working so he can control the kids or me.  I need to make my own money so that I can feel independent again.  I fully expect Adam to share in not only helping with the kids monetarily, but he needs to put his kids first and learn when it’s time to stop being CEO and start being a daddy.”

 

“I won’t argue with you there, Honey, however, when you were a baby, Daddy often worked long hours and many weekends.  I was left to raise you and then when Austin came along, the both of you alone many times.”

 

“I don’t remember Daddy ever not putting his family first, Mommy,” Jessica got defensive about her late father, whom she adored.

 

“Glenn was an excellent husband, and father.  He was a great provider for his family, both emotionally and financially, however, he had plenty of shortcomings, too, Jessie.  There was a time I almost left your father when you were a baby.”

 

“Mommy! You never told me that!” Jessica’s voice grew with concern.

 

“You were very young.  I went home to my mother and father and cried my eyes out, saying Glenn was working all the time and not paying any attention to me and you.  My mother told me the vows I took were for better or worse, good times and bad. I thought about those words, and while I still had my issues with him working so much, he started working more at home when he could, and he learned over time to put his work away and close the door to his office and be a husband and father.  Of course, there were times when he would fall into the same rut again, but he would soon realize he was doing and stop it before it was able to get out of control.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“You and Jessica need to talk, Adam.  Don’t try to force her hand.  She’s hurt right now, and you need to let her have her space, but love her and be supportive of her and her feelings.”

 

“I just don’t want her getting a lawyer involved in this separation, Dad.  She doesn’t realize seeing her packing her bags last night telling me if I didn’t leave she was hurt me deeply.  She said not to fight her for the kids because I wouldn’t win.  I don’t want to fight her, Dad; I don’t want lawyers getting in the middle of our marriage.   We need to work this out between the two of us.”

 

“You need to take a shower, give her a call, and go see her.  You need to listen to her, and you two need to learn to compromise with one another.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“So what are your plans, Jessie? Do you want a divorce? Have you contacted a lawyer?”

 

“Oh, I don’t know, Mommy.  Right now I just need my space.  I need Adam to step up as a husband and father.”

 

“You need to talk.  All you’ve done is react to your feelings and right now, your emotions are ruling your life.  You need to press pause, take a deep breath and try to work out some arrangements with Adam. I’m not going to tell you what it should be because that’s a decision only you and Adam can make for yourselves as a couple and as parents of two young children.”

 

“Okay, Mommy, I promise to try and keep a level head about everything.  I’ll talk to Adam, listen to him, but right now, I need my space.”

 

“I’m not saying you can’t stay separated while you try and work things out.  I’m just telling you not to chop off your nose to spite your face.”

 

“Thanks, Mommy, for listening, I love you.”

 

“I love you, too, Sweetheart.  Call me if you need me.”

 

“I will, Mommy, goodbye.”

 

Jessica hung up the phone and laid down on her bed.  Tears filled her swollen eyes from her crying all night.

 

“Mommy, are you okay?” was the small voice standing at the door of the master bedroom.

 

Jessica sat up and saw Jason; his face looked sad.  She invited him to come and sit on her lap.

 

“Mommy, don’t cry.  Why are you crying?” Jason asked Jessica as he wiped away a tear from her cheek.

 

“Mommy’s sad right now, my sweet boy.  Let’s get Emily.  I need to talk to you both together.”

 

Jessica sat Jason down on the ground, and they walked together to get Emily.  She had just woken up and was standing in her crib.  When she saw Jessica and Jason walk in, she squealed with excitement.  Jessica picked up Emily out of her bed and put her on the changing table to take off her nighttime diaper and put a fresh daytime one on her.  When she got her dressed, she took them both into the den and had Jason sit next to her on the couch and held Emily in her lap.

 

“Jason, Emily, I know you’re still too young to understand this, but Daddy is not living with us anymore.  You’ll still see him, but he’s going to be living at our house near Poppy.”

 

“Why, Mommy?” Jason’s face turned sad.  “I want Daddy to live here!”

 

“I know, Baby, Mommy does, too, but right now Mommy and Daddy are not happy with each other, and its better Daddy not live here with us right now.”

 

“I want Daddy to live here, Mommy,” Jason started to cry, which caused Emily to start crying.

 

“Jason, don’t cry,” Jessica started to cry again.  “Daddy still loves you both very much, but right now, it has to be this way, and I’m sorry.”

 

Jason got on Jessica’s lap and laid his head on her shoulder.

 

Adam decided it was best he wait to try to get more rest before he attempted to call Jessica and talk things out with her.  He was tired, and his body craved sleep.  Adam took a morning run, and when he came back, he took a long hot shower, which relaxed him.  After he had got out of the shower, he dried off, put on a pair of clean boxers and laid down on the bed and fell asleep.

 

The morning turned to early afternoon when Adam woke up.  He felt refreshed, but was still exhausted from the sudden change he was forced to make in his life.

 

He sat up on the edge of his bed and rubbed his face.  He looked at the phone, picked it up, and dialed Jessica at their home in Carson City.

 

Jessica heard the phone ring and saw it was their number from their home at The Ponderosa.  When she answered it, and said, “What do you want, Adam.”

 

“Jess, we need to talk.”

 

“I have nothing to say to you right now,” her voice was cold.

 

“Jessica, why are you so unreasonable.  I respect that you don’t want me home, but,” Adam paused for a moment.

 

“What, Adam?” she asked curtly.

 

“We just need to talk,” he said with resignation in his voice.

 

“I’ve called Deanne, she’s going to come pick up the kids at 3:00 P.M. and take them to Chuck E. Cheese, you can come over then.  Just don’t be late.”

 

“I won’t. I’ll be there,” Adam’s voice was calm.

 

Jessica hung up the phone abruptly, and Adam looked at his end of the receiver and then ended his extension.  He laid back down and closed his eyes to see if he could rest a little while longer before getting up and putting jeans and a shirt on to head to the house he once shared with Jessica to see if he could try and start mending trying to mend his broken marriage to the woman he loved more than life itself.

 

When Adam arrived, he rang the doorbell to the front door.  When Jessica answered the door, she stood and just stared at Adam.

 

“Are you going to let me in?” he asked.

 

Jessica opened the storm glass door and gestured for Adam to come in.

 

“I just made myself a cup of tea, would you like some coffee?” she asked as she headed toward the kitchen.

 

“Yes, thank you.”

 

“Stay in the living room, I’ll be right back,” she continued to walk into the kitchen to get her mug and one for Adam with coffee.

 

When she returned, she handed Adam his, and he took a sip and thanked her and gestured for her to sit down.  Jessica sat down, by crossing one of her legs and sitting on them.

 

“I’m not going ask you to let me come home.  It’s obvious you’re still furious with me, and I’m going to honor your wish.”

 

“Then why are you here, Adam?” She interrupted.

 

“Look, Jess, I’m trying to be reasonable, but your starting to upset me.  Quit acting like a spoiled baby and let me speak will you?” Adam’s voice was irritated.

 

“So now I’m a spoiled baby, am I?  I’ve put up with your promises for the last time, Adam.  I can’t do it anymore.  You’re the one that left this marriage, not me, and you say you’re reasonable, and I’m the spoiled baby.  Okay, go ahead, say what you feel you need to say.”

 

“If you no longer want to be my wife, then so be it, but Jason and Emily are still my kids, and as much as you want to take them away from me, I won’t let that happen.”

 

“I never said I was going to take them away from you, Adam, it’s something you’ve conjured up in your own mind,” Jessica said smugly.

 

“Fine, if that’s the way you see it.”  Adam’s tone was dismissive.

 

“If you don’t want me living here, okay, but I do want to continue to take care of you and our kids.  I want to continue to pay the mortgage on the house; I want to continue to pay all of the bills, we’ll just have everything transferred to home at The Ponderosa or my office.”

 

“Adam, I don’t need your money,” Jessica’s voice was exasperated.

 

“JASON AND EMILY ARE NOT UP FOR DEBATE, JESSICA!” Adam started to shout; he was not going to allow her to use Jason and Emily as weapons to get to him.  “I WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO USE THEM LIKE PAWNS IN A CHESS GAME.  THIS IS REAL LIFE, AND THEY ARE OUR CHILDREN, NOT GAME PIECES!”

 

“THEN WHY HAS IT TAKEN YOU ALL, THIS TIME, TO REALIZE THEY ARE YOUR CHILDREN, ADAM!” Jessica shouted right back at Adam.  “YOU’RE NOT MY BOSS, ADAM; YOU’RE MY HUSBAND.  JASON AND EMILY ARE YOUR CHILDREN, SO WHY DON’T YOU ACT LIKE THEIR FATHER!!!!”

 

Adam collected himself and calmed down.  “That’s what I’m trying to do if you would quit fighting me!”

 

“What is it that you want then?” Jessica asked again, almost crying.

 

“I want to take care of their every need.  If I can’t be here for them emotionally, and to help raise them, I need to ensure I can take care of them financially.”

 

“Okay, I’m sure you’ll be fair, so whatever you feel you need to provide for their wellbeing, feel free.”

 

“Jessica, please,” Adam said pinching his nose.

 

“I’m not going to close our joint checking account.  Feel free to utilize it as you always have.  I trust you, even though I know you don’t trust me.”

 

“Okay, I’ve listened to your demands, now it’s time you listened to mine,” Jessica said, her voice was shaking.

 

“What are your demands, Jess,” Adam’s voice was tired.

 

“I’m going back to work…”

 

“I thought we’ve been through this, Jess,” Adam interrupted.

 

“DON’T INTERRUPT ME!” Jessica screamed.

 

Adam wanted to scream back at her but knew it would get them nowhere so he only apologized for interrupting her and asked her to continue.

 

“Adam, I need my independence.  I won’t fight you on taking care of Jason and Emily financially because you’re their father and it is the right thing to do, but for me, I need to earn my own way.  For so long I’ve been solely dependent on you as your wife and Jason and Emily’s mommy.  Somewhere I lost Jessica.  I need to find her again,” she broke down crying.

 

“I’m sorry you feel you’ve lost yourself, Jessica.  I hope your decision to break up our family helps you find whatever it is you feel you need to be whole again. I just don’t want my children raised in a daycare, Jess.  I work so hard to provide a comfortable life for you and the kids.”

 

Jessica remembered what her mother had said to her earlier that day about compromise, so she decided to take a different approach with Adam while still trying to earn her wings of independence.

 

“Look, how about this.  You need to make time for the kids. I want you to come and get them every other Friday night by 6:00 P.M. and have them home by 6:00 P.M. on Sunday.  I’ll agree to stay home with them when they’re with me, but when they’re spending the weekends with you, I’ll work those weekends.  Can you live with that, Adam?”

 

“Yeah, that’s fine, if that’s what you feel you need, Jess.” Adam’s voice was resigned again.  “I just ask you don’t get lawyers involved in this.  We can keep this agreement amongst ourselves.”

 

‘I won’t as long as you can live up to the arrangements,” Jessica’s voice got weak again. “You’ve disappointed me time and time again. Don’t disappoint Jason and Emily, Adam!  They don’t deserve it, danmit, don’t hurt your kids any more than they’ve been hurt.”

 

As the weeks went by, Adam and Jessica remained estranged from each other, and Adam kept his word about having Jason and Emily picked up by 6:00 P.M. every other Friday and returned home by the same time the following Sunday.  If Adam could not break away from the office, he would have his father, Hoss, or Joe come and pick them up from Jessica.  When anyone other than Adam would come to pick them up, Jessica would make sure Adam knew of her dissatisfaction when he would return them home on Sunday night.  Adam had learned just to let Jessica rant about his unwillingness to put his kids before his job.  Adam knew he was doing everything he felt he needed to do to make his children his priority and make them proud of him as their dad and to give them what they needed to grow up feeling loved by both him and Jessica as well as their grandfather and two uncles.

 

As the summer gave way to fall, Jessica had planned Emily’s second birthday party at her house.  Charlotte had come for a week leading up to her birthday.  Charlotte made sure she came the weekend she knew Jessica would have the kids so she would not interrupt Adam’s short time he would spend with his children.  She spent the week with Jessica buying decorations and picking out presents for her granddaughter to open on her birthday.  The day of the party arrived, and Jessica had fixed a gourmet lunch in Emily’s honor.  Ben and Hoss came with Adam, but Joe was away at school, and was unable to attend but had sent a card and special present for his only niece.  Adam enjoyed seeing Charlotte again, and she ensured him while she hated to see him and Jessica at odds, she was happy to see he was continuing to be the wonderful father she knew he had always been.  Adam told her he was glad she didn’t have any ill will toward him because she was a very special mother-in-law to him and he never wanted that to change.  The day was filled with laughter and fun.  Jessica helped Emily open her gifts and the family enjoyed Emily’s special day without any animosity or strife.

 

Adam had arrived late Tuesday morning to the office after a dental appointment.  He was in his office when the receptionist at the front desk called Gretchen to let her know there was a man there to see Adam.  Gretchen advised the receptionist Adam’s calendar was full and he would not be free to see any clients or visitors.  The receptionist said she needed her to come at once as the man told her it was urgent he see Adam.

 

Gretchen came to the front desk and the receptionist pointed to the man dressed in a fine suit.  Gretchen walked over to see how she might be able to help him.  He introduced himself and explained why he was there and why he needed to see Adam.  Gretchen went and told the receptionist she would escort the young man to Adam’s office and when it came time for him to leave, she would escort him back to the front.

 

Gretchen had the gentleman sit in one of the leather wing backed chairs just off to the side of her executive desk area while she went in and told Adam there was a man to see him and it was urgent.

 

When Gretchen came out, she showed the gentleman into Adam’s office and closed the door behind her.

 

“Are you Adam Cartwright?” asked the gentleman.

 

“I am, and who are you? Do we have an appointment today?” he asked, looking at the man with a confused look as he was not familiar with the man’s face or why he needed to see him so urgently.

 

“My name is Angelo Brown; I’m a constable for the county of Washoe. I have some legal documents I need to hand to you personally.  If you have any questions, you may contact the county clerk listed on the papers or the attorney of record.  Do you have other questions for me?”

 

Adam looked confused.  He couldn’t imagine why he was being served legal papers. The first thing that came to his mind was there was possibly legal action being taken against the company from Tom’s mismanagement.  Since the papers were sealed in the envelope, Adam only shook the constable’s hand and they each wished each other a good day.  Adam opened his door and told Gretchen she could see Mr. Brown to the door and walked back into his office, shutting the door behind him.

 

Adam walked to his desk and sat down.  He took the letter opener on his desk and opened the envelope and pulled out the papers.  When Adam unfolded them, he saw Jessica’s name as the plaintiff and his name as the defendant.

 

“What the hell?” Adam said under his breath, and his heart started to race.  He continued to read further where he came to the words, Complaint for Divorce with Children.

 

“Oh, Jessica, no!” he cried quietly.  He threw the papers across the room and wept into his hands for a few moments.

 

“Why!  We just had a beautiful birthday for Emily and we got along so well!” he said to himself.

 

He gathered his emotions and dried his eyes.  He thought about the beautiful day he had shared with his estranged wife, mother-in-law, children, his father, and brothers.  He then realized how Jessica had known this was coming.  How could she have already met with a lawyer and filed the petition for divorce, and been so casual to me and my family at Emily’s party just a few days before, knowing this was coming? He thought to himself and became furious.  He went and grabbed the papers and his suit jacket.  He calmed himself before he opened the doors and walked out of his office.  He told Gretchen to cancel the rest of his meetings as he had emergency business to take care of and would not be back for the rest of the day.  He went to the parking garage, got in his car and headed to their home in Carson City.

 

When he arrived, he rang the doorbell and Jessica answered the door.  Adam stood there seething as he stared at her.  Jessica’s face stayed emotionless as Adam held up the petition for the divorce.  Jessica opened the door without saying anything, and Adam walked in.

 

“Where are Jason and Emily,” Adam demanded, his voice was low and controlled.

 

“They’re at Mother’s Day Out today,” Jessica’s voice was as emotionless as was her face.

 

“What is the meaning of this, Jess? You knew about this on Sunday, yet, you didn’t say a thing, WHY!?!” he demanded to know.

 

Adam’s sudden yell frightened Jessica, and she jumped.  Adam realized he had scared his soon to be ex-wife and he calmed down.

 

“Why, Jessica? Just explain to me, why?” Adam’s heart was breaking.

 

“I can no longer be married to you, Adam.  I’m ready to move on with my life as a single woman again.”

 

Adam laughed.  “I’ve done everything you’ve asked.  I know I haven’t always been able to get the kids personally, but when I couldn’t, I was always home in time for us to have dinner together, spend time with them before having to bathe them and put them to bed.  I don’t look at work again until they are back with you.  What offends me the most though is how you have the nerve to serve me divorce papers two days after my daughter’s second birthday.  You should be ashamed of YOURSELF!” his voice grew as he threw the papers in her face and walked away, but then turned back around and came close to her again.

 

“When you asked me to leave, you never intended to get back together, did you?” He asked laughing, he was still in shock his wife could be so callous.  “You led me on, playing on my emotions that one day we would be able to put our marriage back together again.  I don’t EVEN KNOW YOU ANYMORE!” he yelled in her face and turned to walk away again.

 

Why, Jessica!  WHY! He kept raising his voice.

 

“STOP SCREAMING AT ME, ADAM!” she demanded.

 

“EXPLAIN TO ME THEN!” he started to yell again but caught himself.  He shook his head to collect himself.  “Explain to me why you’ve done this to us?” Adam’s voice started to break.

 

“There is no us anymore, Adam,” she started to cry.  “Us died a long time ago.  “It’s time, Adam,” she began to cry.

 

Adam kept pacing back and forth.  He was beside himself with emotional pain at the disillusion of his marriage to Jessica.

 

He came back toward Jessica and said breathless, “I’ve loved you since the first day I laid eyes on you in freshman English class.  I knew I wanted to make you my wife that day.  I’ve never stopped loving you.  How can you do this to us?  To us, Jessica, TO OUR KIDS!”

 

“You just don’t get it, Adam!  You keep putting all the blame on me!”

 

BECAUSE YOU’RE THE ONE WHO FILED FOR DIVORCE!” he screamed again.

 

“STOP SCREAMIN AT ME, ADAM!” she yelled through her tears.  “If you’re going to continue to scream at me, I’m going to insist you leave.  I’ve filed for divorce.  I want out of this marriage.  If you fight me, so be it, but it’s over.  Let me go, Adam, LET ME GO!”

 

“Okay, if you want out, consider your wish granted,” he said, and he stormed out of the house.  He darted to his car and sped away.  He drove back to his home at The Ponderosa and called his friend, Steve, in Dallas.  He explained what had happened and while Steve’s heart was breaking for his best friend, he remained calm and asked him to fax him a copy of the divorce complaint.  Once Steve received it, he called Adam back and gave him the name and contact number of a family attorney he knew of at a family law firm in Reno.  Steve told Adam he had already contacted him, explained the situation, and had made him an appointment to see him the next morning at 9:30 A.M.  Steve advised everything Adam needed to bring to the appointment along with the divorce complaint.   Adam thanked Steve and told him he would be in touch with him after the meeting.  Steve expressed his regrets for the sad news about the impending divorce and told Adam if there was anything he could do for him to please let him know.  Steve offered to come up the following weekend, but Adam said he had the kids and wanted just to be with them alone because their lives were getting ready to change drastically yet again and he had to figure out how he was going to make his kids realize that while his marriage to their mother was done, him being there father or this love for them would never change.

 

The next morning, Adam met Landon Michaels at his office near Cartwright, Inc. in downtown Reno.  Adam handed him the divorce complaint as well as all of his other relevant documents Landon needed to file Adam’s appropriate response to Jessica’s petition for divorce.  Landon read over everything carefully and advised Adam they could fight Jessica if he didn’t want the divorce.

 

“As I gathered everything together last night, I decided if she wanted this divorce, she could have it.  I didn’t want to fight her any longer.  I don’t want this to affect Jason and Emily more than it already has.  I just can’t lose custody of my kids,” Adam said.

 

“There is no reason why the court should not grant joint custody of the minor children, Adam.  Jessica is not asking for sole custody in this complaint.  She is, however, asking for majority custody, meaning she would have custody of the children throughout the week and you would have them every other weekend, every other holiday, and a month in the summer.  She’s seeking child support as deemed by the state of Nevada. She’s requesting no spousal support, however.”

 

“When we first were separated, I offered to continue the mortgage payments on the house, as well as take care of all bills and related expenses to the upkeep of the house.  I would like to continue in this manner.”

 

“I don’t see any request for this action. However, I will write it in our response to your desired wish as part of the minor children’s support.”

 

“Thank you.”

 

“Mr. Cartwright, are you satisfied with Jessica’s request for the two minor children’s to be placed in her care as the majority custodial parent?”

 

Adam sighed.  He desperately wanted to be a complete family again and be a full-time father to his children but the reality of becoming a weekend father was now weighing heavy on his mind.

 

“If Jess feels it’s in the best interest of Jason and Emily,” he sighed deeply, “so be it.”

 

“Adam, if you consider her requests of the court is neither genuine or acceptable to you, we can apply for a hearing to which the court will hear both sides as to why she wants to end this marriage and why we believe the custody should be changed from the request in her petition, but it’s up to you.  I can only advise you in this process and advocate for you in court.”

 

“I want what’s best for the children.  If she agrees to my terms for support, I won’t fight her on the custody issue.”

 

Several hours passed while Adam and Landon hammered out all of the details for their response to Jessica’s complaint about the divorce and custody of Jason and Emily.

 

Landon explained once they filed the reply and Jessica was served with the papers, the two lawyers would get with the clerk and schedule a date for the hearing before the judge, and a verdict announced.   Orders of the divorce in regards to custody, support, the splitting of marital assets, etc. would be spelled out and agreed to as well.

 

“I’ll have the response written tomorrow, and a processor will serve Jessica on Friday, Adam.  I’ll be in touch with you when I hear back from her lawyer.

 

Adam stood up and shook Landon’s hand.  He thanked him for seeing him so quickly.

 

“It was my pleasure, Adam.  Steve is a good friend of my brother’s.  I’m just sorry we had to meet on a professional level such as this.”

 

“Thanks, Landon.  I know you said Jessica would be served in a few days with our response.  Should I try to contact her about talking to Jason and Emily before or should I wait.”

 

“At this point, I would not contact her until she’s served on Friday morning.  You have the kids this weekend, correct?”

 

“Yes, I pick them up at 6:00 P.M..”

 

“You’ll probably hear from her after she gets the papers.  If she doesn’t contact you, just pick up the kids as normal at six.  I do strongly recommend you talk to the kids about the divorce sooner rather than later.  They are young, so they may not quite grasp what divorce is but you can try to explain it to them as best as possible.  I can’t tell you how to break the news to your children, however, I’ve been down this road with many couples with children, unfortunately.  I can only advise you two break it to them together if she’s willing.”

 

The work week came to a close and Adam did not hear from Jessica after the papers were served.  He did receive an email from his attorney that Jessica had received their response and that her lawyer had been in touch with him and they were working with the court on a date for the hearing. and he would be in touch.

 

Adam was working with Gretchen on notes for the next officer’s and director’s meeting when he glanced at his clock and noticed the time was 4:45 P.M.

 

“Damn, I’ve got to go.  The traffic is going to be horrific, and if I’m late, Jessica will skin me alive.  Adam gave Gretchen orders on what to wrap up for the day before leaving herself, and they would pick up on Monday morning.  Adam grabbed his suit jacket and was out of the building like a rocket.

 

He pulled up to Jessica’s house about 6:05 P.M. and ran up the sidewalk to the door and rang the bell.  Jessica answered in a pair of jeans and long sleeve t-shirt.  She opened the storm door without saying anything nor broke a smile when she saw Adam.

 

“I’ll get the kids,” she said softly and started towards the back of the house.

 

“Jess, wait,” Adam requested as he grabbed the storm door from closing, but didn’t move from the front entrance.

 

Jessica stopped momentarily and then turned around and stared at Adam.

 

“I know you received my defendant response today.  Before we go today, I think we need to sit the kids down together and tell them about the divorce.  I want to be able to answer any questions they have while we’re together this weekend.”

 

“I see, so you want to be sure and let them know this was my fault and make me out to be the villain, right?” Jessica’s voice was cold.

 

“No, that’s not what I’m saying, Jess.  Our kids are two and almost six.  They’ve already had their lives torn apart by us, but we need to let them know Daddy is not coming home ever and soon we’ll no longer even be married anymore,” Adam choked when he said he and Jessica would no longer be married.

 

“This was all so avoidable, Adam,” she said as she walked back over to him.

 

“Yes, it was, Jessica!  Remember, you filed for divorce, this is not what I wanted for us,” Adam tried to stay calm, as he knew his children were home and he didn’t want to fight with them in ear shot.

 

“You know, Adam, you’re the master manipulator.  You just don’t seem to get that this divorce was not something I wanted…”

 

“You sure could have fooled me,” Adam laughed not believing what he was hearing.

 

“Stop interrupting me! Did you ever think that maybe this was one of the reasons I can’t be married to you any longer? You don’t hear me!  It’s all about what happens in Adam Cartwright’s world, and everyone else is just a spectator…”

 

“I will interrupt you again, Jessica, because you’re living in a fantasy world if you really believe what you’re saying!  Who manipulates who? I’ve told you I love you and the kids.  I know it’s not always optimal that I have to be away on business and sometimes and work longer hours, but I do it for you and the kids because, oh I don’t know, I love you? I want to provide a wonderful life for you, Jason, and Emily? But you want it like it was when we were in college again, Jess, but newsflash, we’re adults now, and this is the real world, sweetheart,” Adam said sarcastically.

 

“Go to hell, Adam,” she said with tears in her eyes, and she turned around and saw Jason standing in the room, listing to their argument.

 

Adam and Jessica stood motionless as they saw the sadness on Jason’s face.  He just stood and stared at his parents.

 

Adam turned around and leaned against the wall.  He couldn’t even look at Jason because the hurt in his son’s eyes and face told the entire story; the separation of his parents was taking a hard toll on him.

 

“Come on, my sweet boy,” Jessica said as she took his hand and walked with him to the back of the house to get Emily who was playing with her doll in her room.

 

After a few minutes, Jessica arrived with both kids and their suitcases.  When Emily saw Adam, she ran to him, and he picked her up and held her tight.  Tears filled his eyes as he thought about not waking up in the same house with her ever again and not watching her grow into a beautiful, intelligent woman he knew she would one day be.  Jason tentatively came over to Adam and waited for him to bend down and give him a kiss and hug.

 

“Why don’t you come over here with Mommy and Daddy so we can talk to you about something that’s going on which involves all of us,” Jessica said as she took Jason’s hand and led him over to the couch and they sat down.  She picked Jason up and placed him on her lap.  Adam came and sat down on the other couch next to the window and sat Emily on his lap.

 

“Mommy has decided she cannot be married to Daddy any longer so I’ve filed for what’s called a divorce.  I know you don’t really know what that means but Mommy and Daddy will not be married anymore,” Jessica said bluntly.

 

Jason sat stoically on Jessica’s lap, and Emily emulated her older brother on Adam’s lap.

 

“Daddy home,” Emily whined softly, and she got up and turned around and held Adam’s neck.

 

“Princess, Daddy has his own home now.  Daddy no longer lives here with you, Jason, and Mommy.”

 

“Why, Daddy? Emmy loves you,” she cried.

 

“I love you, too, Princess.  Daddy will always love you.”

 

Jessica and Adam both knew Emily nor Jason grasped the magnitude of what they were talking about meant.  What Emily did know is her father used to come home, and now when he did, he would take her and her brother to their other house without their mother, and it made her very sad.

 

“Don’t do this, Jessica, it’s ripping our kids hearts out,” Adam choked.

 

“Adam, please, don’t,” she cried, holding Jason in her arms as he began to cry.

 

After a few minutes, Adam got up and carried Emily in his arms and took Jason’s hand to come with him.  They both cried all the way to Adam’s car, and Jessica held each of their tiny faces in her hands as she gave them each a kiss goodbye once in the car.  Adam buckled them both into their car seats and shut the door.

 

“I’m sorry it had to come to this, Adam,” was all Jessica could say with tears in her eyes as she handed the suitcases to Adam and ran back into the house.  She knew if she stayed any longer, the pain in her children’s eyes would be too much for her and she would not want them to go with Adam for his weekend he had been waiting for two long weeks.

 

Adam watched Jessica run into the house and shut the door.  He wiped the tears from his eyes and got into the car and drove to the highway and back toward The Ponderosa.  The kids spent a fun filled weekend with Adam and his father and brothers.  Adam introduced Jason to the new horse he had bought for him.  He told him each time they came, Hank, the stable foreman, would give him riding lessons until he was strong enough to ride his new mount independently.  He told him by the spring, they would go riding together with Adam and Emily on Adam’s horse, Sport, Ben on Buck, and Jason on his new mount, Jake.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

The morning of the final hearing had arrived.  Adam showed up promptly at 8:30 A.M. and met his attorney, Landon Michaels, in the courtroom.  They were going over what after a couple of hearings and mediation meetings with Jessica and her lawyer, would be the final ruling of the court regarding Adam and Jessica’s divorce, custody, the division of assets and financial obligations for Adam in regards to support for Jason and Emily.  As Adam was asking a question, they both looked up and saw Jessica walk up with her attorney, Gregory Williams, and they sat at the opposing table.

 

Adam looked handsome in his black Armani suit and red tie.  Jessica looked smart in a navy blue pencil skirt, short blazer and light pink silk blouse with matching navy pumps. Jessica did not look at Adam or his attorney as she walked in and sat down.  She immediately began to converse with her attorney until the bailiff called the court to order.

 

The judge hearing the case was the Honorable Janet Dubose, who was known to be extremely fair in all cases of divorce brought before her court.  Both Adam and Jessica were pleased Judge Dubose presided over their case.

 

“Good morning, Mr. Williams, Mr. Michaels, Mr. and Mrs. Cartwright.  It is the understanding of the court both parties have come to an agreement, and the papers have been drawn up in the pending matter of Cartwright, v Cartwright, where petitioner Jessica Cartwright is seeking dissolution of marriage from defendant Adam Cartwright and primary custody of the two minor children, Jason Cartwright, six, and Emily Cartwright, two,” she said as she moved papers around on her desk.

 

“This is correct, Your Honor,” Gregory Williams stood up and said and then Landon Michaels stood up and agreed.

 

“Okay, let’s begin.  In the case of Cartwright v Cartwright, Jessica Cartwright, plaintiff, Adam Cartwright, the defendant, it is ordered effective this day, the eighth day of July, in Washoe County, Nevada, the petition for dissolution of marriage is granted.  Petitioner, Jessica Cartwright and defendant, Adam Cartwright will share custody of the couple’s two minor children, Jason, six, and Emily, two, with Jessica Cartwright holding primary custody.  The defendant, Adam Cartwright, will assume custody of Jason and Emily on the second and fourth Friday of every month at 6:00 P.M. Pacific at their primary residence in Carson City, Nevada, and return them to said residence no later than 6:00 P.M. the following Sunday, unless otherwise a previously agreed to time or place is arranged by both parties.”  The judge continued the reading of her order as she turned the page.  “It is further ordered by this court, the defendant, Adam Cartwright, is ordered to pay plaintiff, Jessica Cartwright, the sum of $10,061 in spousal and child support each month.  The plaintiff, Jessica Cartwright, may not move residence more than one hundred miles from the minor children’s current primary residence with the children unless otherwise agreed to by the plaintiff, Adam Cartwright, and this court authorizes, until both minor children have reached the age of eighteen.  It is further ordered, plaintiff, Adam Cartwright, will also assume full financial responsibility for the monthly mortgage, all utilities, and all associated costs to the upkeep of the primary residence of Jason and Emily Cartwright until both have reached the age of eighteen years.  The defendant, Adam Cartwright, is ordered to continue full responsibility of insurance liability for both minor children until the eighteenth birthday or graduation from college, whichever comes later of each minor child.  Are there any questions?”

 

Both attorneys for Adam and Jessica both stood and did not object to the ruling of the court so far, so the judge continued to read the final ruling as it pertained to property obtained during the marriage.

 

“The court further orders all property which was assumed during the marriage is thus considered communal property and will be divided equally in two equal parts except for the primary residence, which Jessica Cartwright will live with the two minor children until both children have reached the age of eighteen, at which time, the house will be sold, and the sale be divided equally.  Should both parties agree to sell the property before both minor children come of age, the sale will be divided equally at that time.  I have a list of all other marital assets, and it is the ruling of the court the distribution of assets has been approved.  Plaintiff, Jessica Cartwright, is awarded a fifty percent share of stocks and bonuses awarded to defendant, Adam Cartwright, at the time he assumed Chief Executive Officer of Cartwright, Incorporated.  It is further ordered in the unforeseen death of defendant, Adam Cartwright while Jason and Emily are minors, all holdings and ownership of the company and subsequent life insurance for Adam Cartwright will be held in a trust for the minor children, until both parties have reached the age of eighteen at which time the trust shall be divided equally.  A separate trust will also be administered by a third party to continue financial responsibility for said minors until the age of eighteen or graduation from college, whichever comes later.  The trust will also provide financial support of minors, Jason and Emily Cartwright, and administer such payments to custodial parent, Jessica Cartwright.  The trust will also provide for tuition, books, room and board to the college or university of choice for each said minor as long as higher education commences by the age of twenty-two.”

 

The judge continued to read the rest of the orders in the divorce settlement.  Once the final ruling was complete, attorneys for both parties stood and accepted the terms on behalf of their clients.  The judge requested both parties come to the bench and sign the final decree.  Jessica first, followed by Adam with their attorneys as their witness.  The judge signed off on the order, and then was signed and sealed by the clerk, and with that, Adam and Jessica were no longer married.

 

Before the judge closed the hearing, she said, “I’ve presided over many divorce hearings, and I like to give the same words to each couple before I depart.  It’s never easy to see a union which was brought together in love dissolve in divorce.  However, in my many years on the bench in family court, I’ve not only seen families brought together through adoption, but I’ve seen parents use their children to tear each other apart through divorce.  If I can only give you each a word of advice, always remember your kids are each a part of you, and while your marriage couldn’t stay together, remember your kids love you both equally, so respect their love for your ex-spouse and don’t try to work them against the other.  They love and need you both.  And with that, I call this hearing to a close.”

 

After the judge hammered the gavel, Jessica, Adam, their two attorneys, and all present in the courtroom stood until the judge had left into her chambers.  The attorneys for both Jessica and Adam each shook their client’s hands and exited the courtroom after telling them when the certified copy of the final decree was ready, they would send it to them via overnight courier service.

 

Adam and Jessica were left standing in the courtroom alone.  They looked at each other, neither of them feeling any anger or contempt for one another at that moment.

 

Adam walked over to Jessica and said, “It’s official, we’re no longer husband and wife.”

 

“Yeah,” Jessica’s voice was nervous, “as quickly as we were pronounced husband and wife, our marriage was dissolved just as fast.”

 

“I’m sorry, Jessica, I really am.  I love you.  I’ll always love you because you are the mother of our children,” Adam smiled.

 

Jessica’s form softened, and she smiled back, “Thank you, Adam.”

 

Adam held out his arms and asked, “Can I have one last hug?”

 

The couple stood in an embrace for a few minutes.  Both Jessica and Adam fought back the tears at the reality that they were no longer husband and wife.  When they separated, Adam pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and gently dabbed the tears from his ex-wife’s eyes.

 

As they walked out of the courtroom, Adam said, “My life will always be richer because of you being a part of it, Jess.  I hope I can be the father Jason and Emily deserve.”

 

“Just put them before work, Adam, that’s all I ask.  You know they deserve having their father present more than ever now.  You do that, and you’ll have no problems with me,” she smiled.  She blew a kiss and waved goodbye as she walked out of the courtroom and Adam’s life.

 

~The End~