ONTARIO, CANADA, SCHOOL FOR VETERINARY MEDICINE, 1938

Jack Thomas Thornton Jr., otherwise known as Jay, sat back against his headboard in the dorm and opened his first letter.

He smiled, his deep dimples popping, as he thought of his Sara, his best friend, the girl he loved. She was beautiful and quiet and he missed her. The good thing was, it was almost Christmas, so he would be seeing her in about two weeks when he traveled home. It was going to be the best Christmas for both of them.

"Dear Jay,

I'm counting the days until I see you again. It's been so long since we've seen each other and the only thing that keeps me from going crazy is knowing that you're coming home soon.

I try to keep myself busy at the ranch, tending to the horses with Dad or helping Abbie at the boarding house, but at the end of the day, I can't sleep because you aren't home.

Losing Mom this last year has taken its toll on Dad, I'm afraid. Thank goodness for your parents and their kindness in pulling him through, or I'm afraid I may have lost him too."

Jay thought about the telegram he received about nine months before, stating that Maggie had passed. His heart had broken for Kevin, Amy, Sara, and his own parents. It turned out, Maggie had died from cancer after being sick for awhile.

Kevin, of course, struggled, but Jay's parents, in true Thornton fashion, kept him going with good old fashioned friendship and love.

"I hope your last year of school is going well. Have you decided where you're going to start your practice in the summer? I'm hoping it's here in Harris Town, with me."

Jay smiled. Even if he didn't decide on Harris Town, wherever he went, Sara was going too. She just didn't know it yet.

….

HOPE VALLEY

Caleb walked in the door at his house and sighed. Moving again. He was grateful his kids were older and easier to move.

"Ames?"

"One moment," she called from the kitchen. He walked in the kitchen and smiled.

"Hey, beautiful."

"Hi." She smiled and then kissed him hello. "How was your day?"

"Ok. I got a telegram."

Amy nodded. She had been expecting a move any time now. They had only been promised three years in Hope Valley but they had stayed five. "Where are we headed?"

"Buxton. It's supposedly another three year assignment."

On the upside, it was pretty close to Harris Town so the grandparents would be nearby. The downside was moving the kids again and missing the siblings and cousins in Hope Valley. "How long before we need to move?"

"Three weeks."

"What about Christmas?" They were supposed to go to Harris Town this year. She really needed to check on her Dad.

"If you pack up everything, I will move our things. You can take the kids to Harris Town."

"Without you? Caleb, we can't be apart at Christmas. We will move with you. Maybe a few weeks after we get settled, I'll take them."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. Now I'm just nervous about telling the kids."

"After dinner." She nodded and went back to cooking.

…..

Livy laid in bed, listening to Max singing to his son across the room as they rocked. Isaac was two, almost three, and loved his Daddy. He followed him around the library during the day and "helped" him sort books and do paperwork. It really was the cutest thing. Livy smiled as Isaac giggled.

"Moo moo!"

"Shhh, buddy. Gonna wake Mama."

"Song!"

"Old MacDonald had a farm…" Max sang quietly.

"E I E I."

"O," Max sang, tickling his feet.

"No tickle, Dada," he giggled.

"Ok, boys. How can Mama sleep if you're being so adorable?"

"Mama!" Isaac pointed to her. "No seep, Dada."

Livy swung her legs over the side of the bed. "Whoa, babe. Where are you going?"

"To the bathroom."

"Potty!" Isaac told him. "Me hep Mama."

Isaac slid off Max's lap and grabbed her hand. "Aww, thank you, love, but I think Daddy better help too."

Livy stood up, stretching her back. Bed rest was taking its toll on her back, in addition to being almost nine months pregnant. "Oh, gosh. I cannot wait to be out of that bed for good."

He slipped his arms around her and hugged her. "I've missed hugging you, Liv." He kissed her softly and smiled.

"Me kiss!" Max picked him up and kissed his cheek. "Mama." He leaned toward her and kissed her lips.

"Love you, Isaac."

About three months before, Livy had started bleeding. She was very scared that she was losing the baby. However, Amy put her on strict bed rest and she had almost made it to term. After the scare, moments like this one, where all they were doing was simply being together and loving each other, were priceless to her.

….

Back at Caleb and Amy's, dinner was done and they had all gathered to the living room to talk.

"Ok, guys. Dad needs to tell us something," Amy told them.

Everyone stopped, even almost six year old Lily, and looked at them.

"I got a telegram today, from Mountie Headquarters. It told me that I have a new assignment."

"What does that mean?" Lily asked.

"It means we're moving…again," Meri told her, obviously upset about the situation.

"Moving? I don't want to. This is where I live," Lily pouted. Lily didn't remember moving the last time. She had been very young.

"Not any more," Meri told her.

"Meredith, let your Dad speak."

"Yes, Mama."

"Kids, I know moving isn't always fun, but it's what we need to do as part of this family. We have three weeks before I need to be there. Next week, I'm going to go check out the house we'll be moving to. Chances are it won't be as big as this one…"

Mason stopped listening. He was trying to figure out how to tell his parents that he didn't intend to go with them. It wouldn't be easy but he couldn't leave his girl. The one they didn't know about, and after he graduated in the summer, he had a job at Uncle Lee's sawmill. He could support a family.

"….so we will need everyone's cooperation to make this work. Mama needs everyone to pack their things and she will help you organize it."

After everyone went to bed, Mason found his parents in the kitchen. "Mom, Dad? May I talk with you, please?"

"Hey, Mase. Sure, have a seat," Caleb told him.

Mason sat down and willed himself to remain calm and respectful, no matter what they said. "About moving…I would like to stay here."

"What? We can't leave you here," Amy told him, starting to panic.

"I wouldn't be alone. Uncle Tom has an extra room and…"

"No, Mason…"

"Ames, let's hear him out," Caleb said, grasping her hand. "Go ahead, son."

Mason took a breath before continuing. "I have a plan to graduate in the summer and work at the sawmill. I already have it lined up."

"Mason, what's her name?"

Mason's head snapped up, surprise on his face. "Who?"

"The girl. I recognize the look. I had that same look about seventeen years ago myself," he said squeezing Amy's hand.

"Marie."

"Ah, the storekeeper's daughter? Patrick is the last name?"

"Yes, sir."

"Do you love her?"

"Yes, sir."

Caleb could see the pleading look in his son's eyes, the want to stay with his girl. "Let me talk to your mom, ok?"

"Listen, I love both of you, but I'm ready to make my own way now. I don't want to leave her."

"I can't promise, Mase. Let us talk, ok?"

"Yes, sir." Mason stood and then bent down to kiss his Mom before leaving the room.

"Caleb, I know what you're thinking and I don't want to leave my child here. He's only fifteen."

"Three things. He's our child, he is going to be sixteen this summer, and I don't want to leave him here either."

"What's your plan then?" She stood up and started mindlessly scrubbing the already clean counters.

He walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her. "Babe, remember being sixteen and being so in love it hurt to be away from each other? Remember when I came here for the summer and we wrote back and forth?"

"Yes, it was so hard and I missed you so much." She turned and looked up at him. "There were at least a few times, I almost bought a ticket to come see you because I couldn't take it anymore."

He smiled and kissed her forehead. "He loves her, Ames. He is in the same place we were. How can we keep them apart when we know how much it will hurt him?"

…..

The next morning, Caleb did his rounds, ran an errand, and came back home to talk to Mason. He and Amy had come up with a compromise the night before and he needed to let Mason know what was going on. It was Saturday so everyone was off doing things. He hoped Mason was home.

"Mason?"

"He's not here, Dad."

"Thanks, Joe. Do you know where he went?"

"Probably to see…I don't know for sure."

"It's ok, Joe. I know about Marie."

"Ok, good."

"How are you feeling about moving?"

"I don't know. I'll miss everybody but I guess I don't mind moving."

"Are you sure, bud?"

"Yeah. I'm sure." Caleb was relieved. He knew Joe was only nine so a girlfriend wouldn't be an issue, but he figured maybe he would miss his friends from school. "I'll be with you and Mama, so I'm ok."

Caleb hugged him and kissed the top of his head. "I love you, Joe."

"Yeah, mushy stuff, Dad." Joe smiled and ran back upstairs.

Caleb headed upstairs to find Amy. He found her. "Ames? What's wrong?"

She was crying on the bed into a pillow. Then he realized what it must be. They'd been trying for about four years to have another baby. Since Maggie died, Amy had wanted it more than ever, but every month, the same disappointment. "I thought….I mean I was a week late, Caleb, but, I guess I just can't have more babies."

He sat next to her and held her, wishing he could take her pain, but knowing he couldn't.

"Maybe this move will help us? A different place, different people. Maybe we just need a change."

"I don't know. I guess I just need to find a way to be happy with things the way they are."

"I'm sorry, Ames." She sighed, put on a brave face, and stood up.

"I'm ok. I'm going to start making packing lists." He was always amazed at her strength.

"Hey, any idea where Mason is?"

"Fishing. He said he'd be back by dinner."

…

AT THE POND

Mason and Marie sat on the edge of the dock, fishing poles in the water.

"Mase? What's wrong?"

"Not a lot."

"Hey, there's something. I can see it on your face."

He turned toward her, his knee bumping hers. "I don't know if it's something we need to worry about yet."

"But…?"

"Dad got a new assignment. In Buxton."

"You're moving."

"I told them I didn't want to go. I don't want to leave you."

"What did they say?"

"They would talk about it. I haven't heard yet."

Marie leaned her head against his shoulder and sighed. "I'll miss you."

"We don't know what they're going to say yet, Marie."

"I do. This is what happens. People I love always leave. Why should this time be any different?"

"Hey, I'm not everyone else and even if I have to move, it's only until summer. Once I graduate, I'll come back here. I have a job."

"What if they don't let you come back? Then what?"

"I haven't figured that out yet."

…..

After dinner, Caleb knocked on Mason's door. "Come in," he told him.

"Hey, can we chat?"

"Sure." Mason put his book down and looked at his dad.

"So Mom and I talked. We know what it's like to be in your situation, Mase. We lived it. It is extremely hard to be apart from the one you love and we did it for a few years."

It was good to hear that they understood, but Mason could hear the "but" coming a mile away.

"But we want you with us for a bit longer. You are only fifteen and you need to graduate. You belong with us right now. However, we are giving you a ticket to come see her in the spring."

"You know that isn't the same, Dad. I don't want to leave her."

"Mase, this is a good thing for you to learn. As adults, we constantly have to do things we don't want to do. It's part of being responsible. This is one of those times."