Elizabeth took her husband and Nicole into the kitchen where she quickly put some water on to boil as well as some milk for Nico. Nicole sat down at the table while they sat John looked over at Elizabeth who was placing the warm milk into a glass bottle, one that Elizabeth has used for her son. John could see that Nicole was tired from her long day, he offered to feed Nico which Nicole happily agreed to. As John fed Nico his thoughts turned back to when he used to feed his own son over twenty years ago. While he was busy with the feeding, Nicole and Elizabeth drank their tea and talked about their children and the future they wished for them to have. What Nicole wished for was simple to one day leave their new farm in his name. Half hour passed, while they talked John had finished feeding and burping Nico who was now asleep in his arms. After feeling quite satisfied and full but he also felt safe as all babies should. Nicole didn’t seem to mind as John and Elizabeth cared for Nico the same as she and Coster do. Time seemed to go by fast as an hour and a half later there was a knock at the door and outside the door stood Coster.

“Excuse me.” Elizabeth said politely while getting up and walking to the front door, when she opened, she was greeted by a middle-aged man standing before her.

“May I help you?” said Elizabeth.

“Yes, I am looking for my wife and son.” he politely asked.

“Oh, you must be Coster Gage.” she answered quite pleasantly.

“Yes.”

“Please do come in.” Elizabeth stepped aside to allow Coster in. Once he was in and the door closed she began to walk towards the kitchen as he followed.

“She’s in the kitchen as with your son but he’s asleep in my husband’s arms.” she told him as they walked. Once they reached the kitchen and Coster saw that both were safe he asked for a warm drink to warm up which Elizabeth smiled and poured him a cup of tea. He took a seat beside his wife.

As she handed him the tea he inquired as to the health of his son. “How is my boy, Doctor.”

“I won’t lie to you. I told Nicole the truth, he is malnourished, under weight and running a fever. He will pull through this, but this beautiful little boy needs love as that can make the world of difference for him. I see that love in your eyes for him and I know he will live. I still can’t believe how they just left him and never made mention of him to anyone.” John responded quite bluntly as deep down he was still furious at the Scully’s.

Taken back by his honesty all Coster could say was “Thank you.”

The four talked for the next few minutes allowing Coster to finish his drink and to get warmed up. They talked about the gifts they were given to them and how to care for Nico in order to get his weight up and allow him to grow. The day started grow late and there was still much to do back at their farm as well as unloading the wagon. John wrapped Nico up and waited till Nicole had her coat back on before reluctantly handing Nico to her, as he missed the feel of a newborn in his arms. Coster carried the chest out of the house placing it in the back of the wagon. While John brought the other items out and placed them beside the chest. Nicole waited inside the doctor’s house as she didn’t want Nico to wake up from the noise of the chests hitting the wagon box. When the men were finished Nicole thanked Elizabeth for his kindness as well as extending an invitation to supper. Once Nico was better, an offer she gladly accepted on behalf of her husband. John and Coster helped Nicole (who had Nico in her arms) onto the wagon. Miraculously Nico never woke up, they said their goodbyes and headed for home. The journey home didn’t feel as long as the trip this morning. This time the ride home was one filled with new hope and a better future to come.

The Gages arrived home an hour and a half later with plenty of time still left in the day to get work done, both in the house and around the farm. Coster drove up to the house too let Nicole and the baby off. He then took the wagon to the barn to unhitch the team and get them warmed up. The barn left to them was well built with little to no draft but there was an added bonus for those cold days to come. In the corner of the barn was a wood stove, Coster lit the stove to give the barn an extra bit of warmth. Once the horses, cattle and chickens were in their pens he fed and water them all for the night. He continued with the chores till the sun went down. While he was busy outside Nicole was busy inside where it was warm, before they left, she had left a small fire going inside the fireplace. Once inside Nico woke up crying like a newborn calf. At first, she thought he was hungry, but he just needs a change of diaper and thou his fever made him cry a lot too. She changed him and wrapped him up in many layers of blankets so that he could sweat his fever out. This seemed to help as he stopped crying as he laid in his bassinet. Nicole didn’t want to leave him, but she had to help bring the supplies into the house. It took her six trips from the barn to the house but at last she had most of the supplies inside apart from the heavy items. Which were the two chest and the crib. She had placed all the boxes on the table and waited for Coster so that they could look together. She decided to start making supper for them which wasn’t much, but it was filling. She made steak, potatoes and biscuits enough to fill their bellies for the evening. Before she knew it Coster was done outside and ready for the evening.

“They’re all tucked in for the evening. How are we doing?” Coster said as he walked right up to a smiling Nico. “He looks better. He seems happy.”

“Nico knows that we are his family, and he feels loved so his health and spirits are improving because of this.” Nicole shook her head as she walked up to Coster.

“You know you’re right. We are his family just as he is ours. Now I see you waited for me to open up the boxes from our neighbors and the store.” Coster smiled looking over at tthe table.

“Well, this is our home, and I want us to make it right so it is only fair to do it together.” Nicole spoke warmly.

“Okay.”

The couple went to the table as the supper cooked and began to open the boxes. The first box was from the lady Sarah and her family. Inside the box was a lot of handmade clothes for a baby to a toddler. There were wooden blocks in the shapes of stars and moons as well as wooden horses and cows. As they went through the gifts Sarah gave them Coster realized that he forgot the crib and the two chests that the kind doctor and his wife gave them. He excused himself put on his coat and quickly brought them inside. They looked at the crib and admired its beauty as it was made from red wood. There were beautiful carved angels on the front and back with a feather bed inside for the baby to lay on.

“It’s perfect.” Nicole spoke, which Coster just smiled as he too thought it was perfect. He thought the angels will protect Nico as he sleeps.

Nicole folded the clothes and put them aside to look at the chests given by the Walsh’s.  Inside the first chest they found clothes not homemade but ones that you would find in shops. The clothes were very beautiful and expensive. On the bottom of the chest there were several blankets very old maybe a hundred years. Nicole thought the blankets should be returned to the doctor, so they set them aside. They looked further and found several baby booties that would fit Nico perfectly and some for him to grow into. Nicole took a pair and placed them on Nico’s feet to keep them warm as he laid in the bassinet. Coster opened the other chest and found several bottles as well as toys for a small baby to a few years. They finished going through the chests as the supper finished cooking. Coster cleared and set the table, Nicole warmed some cow’s milk and placed it in the bottle. As they sat down eat Coster picked up Nico and fed him his milk while he ate his meal. When they finished Nicole took to rocking him by the fire as Coster set up the crib with the feather bed and blankets. Coster set the crib up by the fire as the room they wanted for him was not ready. The room was too dark and too sparse for their child. With the crib set up she placed him down to sleep and for the first time since his birth Nico slept soundly through the night.

As Nico slept, Coster and Nicole put away the supplies he got from the store. When Coster went through the supplies he found the bear he bought for his son. He placed the bear in the crib beside his head which Nicole saw and just smiled to herself, continuing with the unpacking.