"We will be back on Sunday." Raely tells Aubrey once again as they stand in the living room before Traven and Raely head out. "You have our numbers and I left Jedediah's on a pad by the phone."

"Okay everything will be fine." Aubrey reassures her with a smile.

"I made sure that their was plenty of food in the pantry and fridge. Things should be okay. If you need anything call us." Raely rambles it was obvious to Aubrey that this was the first time she had left the twins over night and it immediately made her wonder what she would be like with Cole.

"Thank you so much, Aubrey. We will call when we get there." Traven voices his arm around Raely's waist. Aubrey tears her gaze from the example of love she so desperately wants.

"Alright, y'all have a good time." She tells them with a forced smile. They thank her once more before heading out the door and to the ranch pickup. As the pickup goes out of view in the dim lit morning she closes the door and locks it. No use in going back to bed, the boys will be up in less than a hour. With a sigh she pulls out her sewing machine and works on the curtain she is making for Traven and Raely.

Lord, I need your peace. I can't be what Cole needs while moping around because I don't have a love story. Thank you for being understanding and having such great grace.

"Momma, why are you up?" Cole's small voice asks.

"Because I figured you would be up soon." She tells him with a smile as she picks him up.

"I love you, Momma." He mumbles sleepily.

"I love you too, big boy. Why don't you go back to sleep?" She whispers kissing his forehead. Within minutes the child is sleeping soundly in his mother's arms.

Within thirty minutes all three boys are awake and bouncing around as she prepares breakfast. She takes the toast off the griddle and smears peanut butter on it followed by jelly. When three pieces are ready she buckles each toddler in his high chair. Not before striping them to their diaper, however.

"Dig in little mess makers." She tells them laughing.  Markus shoves the toast on his face leaving peanut butter and jelly all over his cheeks and chin. Jakeston laughs and takes a tiny bite. Cole stares at them before shrugging and taking a huge bite that sticks halfway out of his mouth.

"Remember your manners, plea-" She gets interrupted by a knock at the door. Slightly confused she walks to the door. When she opens it and Jedediah comes into view the light bulb sparks to life. Of course! He was feeding while the Long's were gone.

"Hi." She greets suddenly feeling nervous.

"Hi, I was just going to let you know that I took care of everything." He asserts with a smile that has Aubrey's knees going weak.

"Thank you. Uh, would you like to come in?" She never stumbled over her words, what was happening?

"That would be nice." He nods, his smile never leaving.

Jedediah follows Aubrey to the kitchen admiring her as they go. Her wavy blonde hair hung just above her shoulders. She didn't have particularly narrow shoulders, but they no means broad in comparison to his. The way her hips swayed as she walked had his head spinning.

"Jedi!" A dirty faced Markus exclaims bringing Jedediah from his thoughts.

"You are a dirty little boy." He smiles and shakes his head 'no' as Jakeston holds his peanut butter covered hands out to be held.

"Momma I'm done!" Cole declares.

"Just a minute, big boy, I need to get this going so we can have lunch."

Jedediah smiles at the cheerfulness in her voice. Tough didn't begin to describe her in his eyes.

"I can get him if you want." He offers.

"Uh, sure. There are wipes on the table." She directs with a smile.

He nods taking one and cleans Coles miniature hands. Moving to his face with a clean wipe Jedediah can't help, but to smile as the little one plays with the snaps on his shirt cuff.

"Maybe that will get you past inspection." He sets Cole on the floor before snapping the tray back on the high chair.

"Thank you." Her sweet voice rings.

"Sure. Now what about you two trouble makers?" He turns to the twins who are yelling at each other. "Hey, little Traven's I can't clean you up if you are fighting."

"They do look like Traven don't they?" Aubrey inquires with a small smile.

"They do. I thought they looked like Rae's dad when they were first born, but that quickly changed." He chuckles.

"They do change a lot when they are little."

The far off look accompanied by hurt that took up residence in her eyes made him want to cuddle her close to his chest. He shakes his head clearing the thoughts away. They were coming way too fast.

Lord, I need your help. This is going way too fast. My head is starting to spin.

Aubrey cleans Markus' face and hands while Jedediah does Jakeston. When they are done and back in their clothes for the day they scamper off to play with Cole.

"I am going to check the heifers in the pens, I forgot about them earlier, would you and the monkeys care to join?" Jedediah asks with a twinkle in his eye.

"We would be delighted to join you." She smiles and makes her way to her room finding her shoes along with Cole's. After finding the twins shoes she sits them down and wrangles the shoes on their feet. She takes Cole on one hip and Jakeston on the other with Markus holding her hand.

"Here let me take one." Jedediah offers taking Jakeston who held his arms out.

"Thank you." She smiles. The closer they get to the barn Cole wants down. Aubrey lets him down and makes him hold her hand as much as he wants to run over to see the horses. "You can see them in a minute."

"Jedi, are you going to ride?" Markus asks curiously.

"No, I'm just checking on the heifers in the pen." Jedediah tells him smiling.

"Oh."

"Are you going to rope the calves?" Jakeston asks.

"I'm checking to see if they have calves, but if they do I'm not going to rope them." Jedediah chuckles at the little boy's comments.

The band of five make their way through the barn and out the side door to the alley. Jedediah leads the way stopping in front of a large pen with heavy bred first calf heifers in it.

"You stay out here with Miss Aubrey." He tells Jakeston setting the little boy down before undoing the latch and entering the pen. He walks around the edge being sure to keep his eye on the cattle. Several of the heifers where snuffy and potentially mean. "Looks like there is a new little calf. Come around to the other side and you can see."

Aubrey leads the little boys around through the next pen and to the fence. They are peer in with eager eyes. Little calves are always cute anyway, but when you are a little kid it gets that much cuter.

Aubrey smiles at the intendment the little boys watch the little heifer calf suck at its mothers udder. Markus is the first to loose interest and runs over to a mound of dirt. Seeing him run from the fence with a mischievous twinkle in his eye Aubrey turns to make sure he isn't getting into trouble.

Jedediah stands at the fence not far from where the boys are gazing through. He studies the heifers bags and bellies trying to determine who will be next to calve. He glances back at the new calf and mother just in time to see Cole inches away from the calf and the momma cow getting ready to fight.

A/N
If you can't tell I love keeping you in suspense! 😂😁