No one was more relieved that their families were gone than Laura.  She loved everyone deeply but the strain of trying to avoid the topic of her miscarriage was very stressful.  Her loud sigh after she closed the door as she leaned on it did not go unnoticed by JC. 

Chuckling a little at her relief, he tugged her along behind him into the family room.  Falling into the corner of the couch, he pulled her down next to him, so close she was almost in his lap.  She automatically snuggled into his chest and relaxed for the first time since she had miscarried and certainly for the first time since the families had descended. 

“Glad they’re gone?”

Halfway asleep already, Laura mumbled something in response as JC pressed his lips to her temple and settled in for a nap. 

An hour or so later, Laura awoke with a start when the door slammed.  Brandon had arrived home from practice.  He grabbed a drink from the kitchen and plopped down into a chair across from where JC and Laura were as he announced, “What’s for supper?”

Stretching as she couldn’t stop a yawn, she glanced at the clock on the mantel.  “Wow, is it that late already?”

“Apparently,” JC said sleepily.  “How was practice?”

“Good, I think we will win the game next week, we are looking really good.”  He paused and went back to his original thought.  “Supper?”

JC stopped Laura from rising to prepare something.  “How about a pizza and movie night, just the three of us?”

“I’ll order!”  Brandon jumped up to order as JC and Laura said in unison, “No hot peppers!” 

Laura swung her legs up on the couch and laid down using JC’s lap as a pillow.  “You have the best ideas.  I didn’t really want to cook tonight anyway.”

“That’s why you married me, isn’t it?”  He smoothed her hair down and away from her face. 

“Hmmm… you could be right.”  She joked. 

Brandon made his way back in after ordering, asking JC for money.  JC lifted his hips to get to his wallet in his back pocket, grabbing it he tossed it to Brandon to get money as the two men argued over what to watch.  Laura settled the argument by declaring that if they couldn’t agree then they could watch the new romantic comedy. 

With horrified looks at each other, the men quickly agreed on another option that even Laura was looking forward to.  The movie had them laughing the whole way through even as they headed up to bed watching and listening as Brandon imitated parts of the movie. 

Hugging their son at the doorway to his room, Laura slid an arm around JC’s waist as they walked to their own room for bed. 

“I don’t know why you ever said you didn’t want to get married and have a family.  You do a wonderful job at both.”

“It’s because of whom I’m married to, you make it so easy.  I never would have tried this without you, you are the other half of me, someone I spent my life looking for and never realized until you charged into it needing a hero.”

“You really are, you know?  My hero.”  Their lips met in a promise and with desire gaining strength, he softly clicked the door shut behind him, never losing contact with her lips. 

***

Several weeks later, they again shared a movie night and pizza together, something that had become a weekly occurrence.  Brandon had headed upstairs, one of his friends had called and he wanted privacy, leaving Laura and JC downstairs by themselves.  JC sat in middle of the couch with Laura’s legs in his lap.  He was absentmindedly rubbing her feet and calves as he sat engrossed in the movie. 

Barely aware that Laura had answered the ringing phone, he was startled when her foot kicked his thigh, getting his attention to turn the volume down.  He tuned into her conversation, listening to the seriousness of her tone, wondering what he had missed. 

“How old is - ?”  She paused listening to the answer.  Her eyes met JC’s.  “I can’t make that kind of decision on my own, I need to talk to my husband.  Can you give me 10 minutes to talk to him about this?  Ok, can I reach you at the number that you called me from?  Ok, I’ll give you a call right back.”

Ending the call, she turned serious eyes on him.  “Since we are still foster parents, they called to ask us if we could take a little girl.  Her parents and older brother were in a car crash earlier today and were all killed.”

JC took a deep breath as he thought about it.  “How old is she?”

“Six.”

He started rubbing her legs again, thinking.  Something suddenly occurred to him.  “How do you feel about it, taking in a little girl, she will need a lot right now and what about a baby of our own?”

Closing her eyes, she pondered her answer.  “I think we should do it.  I know we are still trying for a baby of our own, but how can we turn down a little girl who needs help?”

He studied her eyes, deciding he liked what he saw.  “Then I think we should do it, let’s check with Brandon though too.”

“I’ll go get him,” JC tightened his grip on her legs, stopping her from getting up. 

“No need,” he pulled out his cell phone and quickly sent a text to the boy upstairs.

“That’s sad,” Laura commented.  “We don’t even need to get up anymore and we are all in the same house.”

He shot a sly grin her way as loud footsteps clomped down the stairs. 

“What,” Brandon whined as he entered the room.  “I was busy!”

“Sit down, we need to talk to you.”  Brandon looked between the two of them at JC’s statement. 

He sank into his normal chair. 

Laura started to explain.  “We got a call a few minutes ago asking us to take in a little girl who lost her parents and brother today.  She doesn’t have any other family.  We wanted to see what you thought about bringing her here to live with us for a while.”

“Like you did with me?”  Brandon questioned.

“Yeah, kind of.”

“I think you should do it, you were both there for me in the worst time of my life.  I don’t know that I would still be alive if you hadn’t cared enough to take me in.  If we can do that for another kid, I think we should.  I’ll help out in whatever way I can.”

“Brandon, we are so proud of you, I hope you know that.  This little girl is only six but will need a brother to lean on.  Hers is gone, but I know that you can help her through this, maybe better than Laura and I.”

“Yeah, well…”  Brandon lowered his eyelashes to hide the moisture. 

Laura sniffed.  “I need to call them back and tell them to bring her over.”  She walked into the kitchen to make the arrangements as JC looked at his son with great pride.  He was turning into a remarkable young man.