That evening.

Sam felt terrible for what he said to Jessica, but he knew it needed to be done.

Still, he felt bad and couldn't go to sleep without at least messaging her.

*I'm sorry for texting so late, and I'm sorry for upsetting you. I just don't want you to get hurt again. I love you with all my heart, and you know that, Jessica. Please please just think about this decision. No one can change that drastically.*

*I love you too, Sam. But I do believe a person can change. And I love Danny. I know he won't hurt me again. I know what I'm doing. Please just let me do what's best for my family.*

*You know I'm always here.*

*I know. Thank you.*

And with that Sam and Jessica moved on.
Jessica planned her trip back home, and Sam prayed she would just see Danny's true colors.

***

August.

"I don't want to go back, mommy.."

"I know, Autumn.. but we're only going to be in the apartment for a couple months before we can get into the new house."

"I have to share a room with Julia!" Autumn whines.

"Aww!  She's not that bad, Auttie." Jessica laughs.

"I love her, but she's one! I don't want to sleep with a one year old."

"It's only for a little while, baby."

"Alright." Autumn sighs.

**

The first night back in the apartment, Danny actually cooked for the family.

"I'm so proud of you, baby!" Jessica smiles.

"Yeah well I was alone for all those months!" He laughs. "I learned a little something."

"Well everything looks delicious! Let's dig in!"

Jessica and the girls really enjoyed the meal Danny prepared for them.
After dinner was bath time for Julia and Autumn.

"I go wih sissyyy!" Julia says standing in the bathroom in a diaper and pink T-shirt.

"I don't know if sishy would like that." Jessica laughs.

"I go wih sishy!" She smiles, stomp her feet and pulls on her shirt.

"Can she bathe with you?" Jessica asks.

"Mom!" Autumn whines.

"I was just asking! Come on, stinky. Sissy needs privacy." Jessica picks Julia up and kisses her belly.

"Ah! Noooo! Sishyyyyy!" Julia reaches for her sister.

"Ugh! Why is she so cute?! Come on, it's fine!"

"Are you sure?" Jessica asks.

"Yes, it's fine."

"YAY!" Julia claps her hands.

"Just don't pee in the water, please!"

"Oh she always does." Jessica chuckles.

"Great." Autumn says with a straight face.

**

"Goodnight, Auttie." Jessica places a kiss on her daughter's forehead.

"Goodnight, momma."

Jessica smiles then walks over to Julia.

"Night night, baby girl."

"Nigh nigh! I gon sheep wih sishy!" Julia attempts climbing out of her crib.

"No, Julia. You stay put."

"No I sheep wih sishy!"

"No ma'am, in your bed like a big girl."

"No I baby!"

Jessica giggles and kisses her forehead.
"Well then you sleep in your little baby crib!"

"No I sheep wih sishy!"

"Julia." Jessica says in a serious tone.

"Mommy." Julia placed her hands on her waist and matched her mother's face.

Jessica laughs at her little furrowed brow.

"Go night night."

"No."

"Julia!"

"No!"

Jessica sighs and lays her back down.
Julia begins fussing loudly and kicking her legs.

"Julia, you're making mommy sad!"

"No sad! Why sad?" Julia stands up and looks into her mother's eyes.

"Because you won't listen to me.." Jessica then covers her face and leans forward on the railing of the crib as she pretends to cry.

"No mama! No cwy! No cwy, mama!" Julia pats her head then lays on her.

"I go sheep!"

"You will?!" Jessica pops her head up and smiles.

"Ya, mama! Shee?" Julia lays down with her bottle and teddy bear.

"Oh good! Thank you, little love!" Jessica smiles and tucks her in.

Julia laughs. "Nigh nigh, mama!"

"Nighty night, baby!" She smiles.

**

After the girls were tucked in, Jessica returned to the bedroom.
She sat Theodore on her legs and he started fussing.

He then signed Milk repeatedly.

"Mommy's coming, Teddy.."
Jessica situated him on her breast.

"How does he know that?" Danny asks.

"To sign?  I've been teaching him."

"How did you learn?"

"I took a class." Jessica smiles.

"Oh really?  That's cool."

"Yeah, Autumn and I did.... I'm not going to lie to you.. Sam paid for it!"

"He did?"

"Yeah.. are you mad?"

"No.. No, that was nice of him.  Did he take the class too?"

"....Yeah."

"Why?  He doesn't need to talk to him."

"Well he was just being nice since Theo is Autumn's brother.  She wanted him to take a class, it's not a big deal, really."

"Still kinda irritating but okay."

"Honey, it's fine!" Jessica smiles and leans over to kiss his lips.

"Yeah well.. I guess no matter what, I win."

"What?"

"I have you.  I win."

"Oh Danny!"

**

The next morning.

Jessica woke up early with the baby and went in to check on the girls.

Jessica looked into the crib and panicked when Julia was nowhere to be found.

She then turned to Julia's bed and saw Julia sprawled out on top of her.

Jessica laughed and nodded her head.

"Your big sister is a nut!" She whispers to Theodore.

Just then, Autumn woke up. She scratched her eyes and yawned quietly.

"How did this happen?" Jessica chuckled.

"She woke up during the night crying because she had a nightmare, so I got her out so she could lay with me."

"Aw, you're such a sweet sister!"

"Thanks.. can you get her off of me?"

"Sure." Jessica chuckles.

She gently moves Julia to the side, trying not to wake her.

"Nooo.. I sheeping.." Julia whines.

"Just move off of sissy, baby."

"Wha-" Julia gasps. "BABY!"

"Yeah the baby's up!"

"Hi!!" She smiles.

"I need to turn his hearing aids on, you wanna watch him get excited?"

"YA!" Julia nods.

"Okay!" Jessica turns them on and says, "Good morning!  Hi, handsome!"

"Hiiii!" Julia smiles.

Theodore giggles and kicks his legs.

"Him got his gasses!" Julia kicks her legs and pokes her eye.

"He does!  Now he can see your pretty face!"

"Ya!" She laughs.

Theodore smiles and swings his little arms with excitement.

"Him happy!"

"He is, isn't he?!"

"Ya!"

"So sissy told you had a bad dream? What was it about?" Jessica asks, gently rubbing Julia's back.

"Monster! They go BOOOOO! They no nice!" Julia pouts her lips and nods her head.

"Aw baby girl! I'm so sorry! But I'm glad sissy was here to make it better."

"Yeah, lub ma sishy!" Julia cuddles into her big sister.

Autumn chuckles and wraps her arms around her little body. "Love you too!"

"Aww!"

"Teo! Teo!" Julia lifts her arm for little Theo to join them.

"Aww! Theo, go hug your sissies!" Jessica sits him between the girls, and he just laughs his little head off.

***

October.

"You want some boobie milk, Theo?  Is that why you're crying like that?"

Theodore signs milk then rubs his chest to say please.

"Aw well thank you for saying please! Here, Mommy is all ready now!"

Jessica situates him on her breasts and lightly pats his bottom.

"All better.. see?" She smiles.

Theodore hums and holds his mother's breast as he eats.

Danny is currently out of town on a business trip, leaving Jessica alone with three kids. Two under the age of two!

The plan for today is to drive into Minnesota to spend Halloween with Sam and Landon like every year.

**

"Sham! I in ma stume!"

"Julia! Oh my gosh, that's a cool costume!"

"I sheep!"

"She's little, she's a lamb!" Autumn says.

"Haha! Well you are just about the cutest little thing!"

"Daddy!" Autumn pouts.

"Hey, you are too!" Sam wraps his arm around her.

"Yeah, yeah!" Autumn playingly rolls her eyes.

"Ah! Jess, did she just roll her eyes at me?"

"I think she did, daddy!" Jessica giggles.

"Wow! Where did sweet baby button go?!" He taps her nose.

"Daddy!" Autumn laughs and hugs him tightly.

Sam then looks at Jessica with a smile.
"And how's momma button doing?"

"The original button!" Jessica laughs.
"I'm doing well, thank you! How are you?"

"Pretty good, thanks.  Hey!  Theo, how are you, buddy?"

"Here, you want him?  He's heavy!" Jessica hands him to Sam.

"Yeah, come here, little guy!" Sam lifts him in the air making him laugh.

They went on trick or treating and things were great!
Sam then decided to invite them over to the house.

While the kids played in Autumn's room, Sam and Jessica sat on the couch talking.

Jessica leaned back with Theodore sleeping peacefully on top of her.

"So how are you?  Be honest."

Sam chuckles. "I'm doing well.. Landon is great! Things are okay right now."

"Yeah?  Well that's good.. How is he doing in school?"

"He's doing really well!  He loves it."

"That's great!"

"How are you?  How's the house coming?"

"Ugh!  Don't ask!" Jessica rolls her eyes.

"Oh no.  Not well?"

"I mean it's fine.. but it's taking forever!
I have three kids, Sam!  We have five people in a two bedroom apartment!  I mean, that's nuts!" Jessica laughs.

"Wow!  Yeah, that's enough to make anyone a little crazy."

"But at least it's happening!  Danny has been really great, Sam.  He's totally changed!" Jessica says

"Really?  Well that's great, Jess.  I'm happy for you."

Jessica smiles. "Thank you."

"So.. anymore babies in the future?" He chuckles.
"I know you said you didn't want to shut the shop down just yet."

"Well actually!" Jessica smiles.

"Stop!  You're pregnant?"

"God No!"

Sam laughs.

"Not quite yet!  Danny and I were talking, and after we get moved in and into some sort of routine.. we're gonna try for One More!  And then that's it." Jessica laughs.

"Hah!  Well that's exciting." Sam smiles.

"I know!  But that'll be a while!  Plus, I want my little teddy bear to be the baby for a while longer." Jessica looks down and softly pats Theodore's bottom.

"Of course!"

Jessica gives Sam a beautiful smile before kissing Theodore's head.

Sam watched her and felt so much love in his heart.
She is so beautiful, she's an amazing mother.  A terrific friend.

Her only flaw?  She wasn't his.