January 2nd, 2028

The center of town was still recovering from New Years. She was stopped at a red light, noticing a few of the towns people walking along the sidewalk, a couple with children in tow.

Rubbing her swollen, pregnancy hands, Alice caught her wedding ring twinkling in the winter sunlight.

Her engagement ring sat flushed against it perfectly. Over the years, Clayton altered the ring with two more diamonds: for their children. Then this anniversary, he gave her another ring, - an eternity ring, interlaced with aquamarines, citrines, diamonds, pearls and sapphires: their birthstones.

She had to admit, it was a very sweet gesture on Clayton's part.

Feeling a little warm as she pulled herself out of her daydream. She reached for the temperature dial before looking back up at the road, Alice gripped the staring wheel of her BMW, the car Clayton insisted on buying her for the space needed for their growing family.

Very unnecessary Christmas present Alice mumbled, the new leather smell filling her nostrils.

Alice was now twenty years old and six month pregnant with their third child. She was hopeful this was the last pregnancy and she couldn't help but chuckled at the thought on how she got in this condition.

It was a very drunk, reckless 4th of July party.

She cried and cried when she saw those pink lines a month later. Ellerie was only barely two years old, Spencer was just three.

Alice thought they were done. They agreed!

She sulked for days after, cursing Clayton. Total silence, iced-out treatment. He was a little pleased with himself, he wanted another baby.

He wants a whole football team!

Alice changed her tune once she heard the heartbeat, while she held that scan picture in her hand.

Now she was hoping this one was a girl. She wanted another girl. Clayton was adamant that it was a boy. Celia had a pool going with the family.

Everyone was rooting for a girl but Clayton.

Marie, Daisy or Charlotte.... Perrin Elizabeth?
Alice was still working on baby names in her head.

She arrived home, getting out of her car to collect the mail before she made the long drive back to the house. Corn fields to the south all along the boundary line that rustled in the breeze as she got back into the car, mail thrown quickly on the passenger seat without a single thought.

Alice picked up a few envelopes. Scanning them, nothing of importance. A water bill, a postcard from June. She looked so tan, smiling alongside Kevin on their Greek getaway the last time they called.

She smiled down at the postcard, always happy for them.

Alice then moved on to a red envelope, not making much notice as she attempted to open it, stopping, as her daughter squirmed in her car seat. She glance back at her review mirror. She signed as little tired, placing the mail back on the passenger seat. Alice made a mental note to look the red envelope and the rest of the mail later as she place the car in drive.

The Miller house was over one hundred and fifty years old, a wedding present from Clayton's parents. The original farm house that Alice and Clayton renovated with the money from selling Alice's mom house back in Boston. It neighbored his parent's farm to the south and sat on fifteen acres of land. It had seven bedrooms, plenty of space, so much so that even Celia had called a room hers since she stayed so often during the college break.

When Alice pulled up to the house. There was no movement. It made her anxious as she drove into the garage. She carried her daughter into the kitchen.

"Back door Open" the house spoke. Clayton assisted on the most secure home, with its state of the art security systems and panic rooms, especially after their son was born.

All it did was scare Alice every time someone walked through the door.

She walked over to the pin pad, the house was disarmed as she typed in the numbers. Alice then placed the mail on the counter. She turned on the light as Ellerie gently greeted the cat, Duck, a black tabby, stretching against the living room couch.

Clayton was very against him when Spencer found him in the paddock.

"He is not allowed in the house! Duck will be a barn cat" Clayton announced as Alice laughed, hiding her mouth as he had his back turned,

Boy, he was wrong. Duck moved in the house after only a few hours.

He hasn't left.

After settling her daughter down for an afternoon nap, Alice sat down at the kitchen table, a cup of decaf coffee in her hand. She was feeling especially fatigued today as she strolled on instagram, a little jealous of Celia's college life.

Alice had to study courses online due to the fact she got pregnant very quickly after the wedding.

It put a hold on a few things but Alice didn't mind. She was on the fast track to graduating early with a degree in social work at the University of Dallas with a minor in physics, Alice was working part time at the local high school in town as a teacher's assistant.

She had to admit that she missed her friends, even Toby, who was now in New York studying accounting under the guidance of her brother, Fredrick. Toby texted her from time to time, much to Clayton's dismay.

Snapping back, Alice looked towards the stables.

She finally saw her husband and she felt relieved, as he carried a bucket of grain to three waiting, hungry mares. Spencer was following him in his green boots. He was so much like his daddy as he walked behind him, helping with the horses.

Clayton suddenly noticed her staring through the glass wall of windows. He smiled and quickly she gathered a coat, placing her hair into a long ponytail before walking over to him from the house, leaning against the wooden fence of the paddock.

"Mommy" their son excitedly called over to her, making his way as she scooped him up in her arms.

"Hey babe" Clayton called over to her. His eyes soft as he walked over to the gate, locking it behind him as he walked through.

Three years had gone by, Clayton didn't look any different, though his hair a little longer. Curling at the nape of his neck. He was still strong despite losing a little bit muscle, but still protective and she was so in love.

Spencer rested his head on her shoulder. Alice suddenly felt very pregnant as her bump got in the way.

Clayton kissed her, leaning down. He still smelt of peppermint.

"I've missed you" he whispered into her hair, lingering.

"I've only been gone for a few hours. I had to run errands for work. Ellerie also needed picking up from your parents house. She's in the house, napping"

He moved his hand towards her belly.

"How is Jr?" He said, Alice giggled at that name. He was really trying to push his own name since he let her name their first child, Spencer Levi Miller. They both agreed on Ellerie Renae Miller second time around.

"Perrin Elizabeth is fine. Very active" Alice smiled as Clayton moved his hand back to his side

"Perrin?" he said, a little taken back as Spencer stirred in her arms, wrapping a lock of her hair around his small fingers.

"Yes Perrin. It's a family name. My great aunt Perrin, remember her?" Alice beamed, trying to hide her laughter as Clayton stared blankly. He shook his head as he started walking back towards the stables with the empty feed buckets.

Alice followed him with Spencer still in her arms.

The stables were Clayton's domain, Alice hated horses and didn't come in here often, only to grab eggs from the chook house or all the coffee cups while she was loading the dishwasher.

She glanced toward the red truck, it was parked near his work bench, covered with a few old bed sheets. It brought back so many memories for them that Clayton didn't have the heart to part with it, but instead doing everything he can to keep in going.

"Oh, your mom wanted to know if we wanted them to still look after the kids for us on Saturday?" Alice said, placing Spencer down on the ground, he was getting too heavy for her to carry him now. Her back hurt a little as she watched him walk towards the empty horse stalls.

Clayton said without hesitation, his back toward her "We don't have plans do we?"

Alice was leading against the stable roller door, arms folded as Clayton reached for his coffee. She was pretty sure that it was a few hours old, possibly ice cold too, but she didn't bother to say anything, instead ignoring that gross thought.

"Well we didn't really celebrate our anniversary. Plus I need a break and a little romance"

Clayton cocked his eyebrow, turning towards her as she shook her head, smiling.

She couldn't get more pregnant than she already was her thoughts giggled

"Ok. Saturday date night then. A late anniversary dinner. I'll book somewhere and bring on the charm"

She was excited at the thought of makeup and perfume. Wearing a dress that didn't have spilled juice or food stains on it from fussy toddlers.

The cool wind whipped around her as she pulled her coat closer around her. It was unusually cool for Dallas this time of year.

"Have you heard from Ruth?" Alice said, low, changing the subject as she looked back towards the driveway. Her fingers gently brushed over her locket, its delicate swirls. Over the years it had a gained few scratches, but it always remained her of her parents.

Clayton signed "No. Her phone is off. Daniel still calls, gives me updates. They are happy Allie, married. Ruth is pregnant again with a second one. They are living in San Francisco. She seems better"

Alice held back tears, subconsciously placing a hand on her own pregnant stomach. Ruth wasn't talking to her ever since his death. She needed time and Alice understood that but it had been three years and no word. Ruth hasn't even met Spencer or Ellerie and Alice hadn't met Ruth's children either.

No pictures, calls, emails. Nothing in three years.

Tears pricked her eyes as she looked down at her fingernails. They were looking worse for wear, since she hadn't had time to visit a nail salon in a few months.

"Allie. It wasn't your fault. It needed to happen. Ruth, she's just stubborn. She loved him and he brainwashed her" Clayton said over to her, most likely sensing that Alice still felt guilty.

"I know." Alice said, her emotions almost getting the best of her. Not wanting to cry, Alice quickly wiped them away with a faint sniffle and turned back on her heels as she made her way along the mismatched pavements leading to the house.

It wasn't even twenty minutes when Spencer followed her into the house. She never worried about him wandering off, more of Ellerie.
"Mommy. I'm hungry" he said as he made his way to the couch, knowing how to turn on the TV.

He was the splitting image of his dad, but Spencer had Alice's green eyes, something she was secretly grateful for.

"Well. We are having macaroni for dinner tonight. Lots of cheese with broccolini, maybe pumpkin. Sound good?" Alice leaning over to her son, kissing the top on his head. His nose scrunched up in disgust.

We were going to have a fuzzy Spencer tonight? Alice thought as she turned on Netflix for him, the cartoons holding his interest as she made her way upstairs to her sleeping daughter.

Ellerie looked so peaceful. Her room was closet to the master bedroom. Alice worked on it for days as her due date creeped closer and closer. It was a room of soft, pale blue and floating clouds.

"Ellie" Alice whispered, stroking her locks hair. Her daughter stirring as Alice looked towards the dusk, the orange glow perching towards the corn fields.

The rest of the night went smoothly, no fussy Spencer who ate all of his dinner without complaint. Even Ellerie gave it a good try, leaving out the pumpkin.

Alice took that as a win.

Before long, Alice heard Clayton's footsteps downstairs as Alice gently closed the door behind her sleeping daughter, both now sleep for the night. Alice quickly making her way back downstairs to her Clayton. Excited for alone time

"Hey baby" that Texan twang greeted behind her. A whisky in hand. His free hand wrapping around her pregnant waist.

She yawned, leaning into him. Alice just wanted to melt into him

"I'm feeling very pregnant today. I'm so tired. So sick of feeling fat and uncomfortable. I hate you"
Clayton chuckled, cupping her bump

"Only three months to go. When's the next appointment?"

"Next Thursday at two-thirty. I can't do this again. No more babies after this one. I'm done Clay" Alice said, stretching and rubbing her neck as they sat down on the cough, getting comfortable as Clayton moved his arm, wrapping around her shoulder.

Alice could feel him smirking as he kissed her neck, reaching for the tv remote.

"We'll see. Maybe in a few years I can convince you for a fourth. We are going to have at least six children if I get my way"

Alice laughed, a little afraid that he was serious as they settled down for the rest of the night.