HARRIS TOWN, 1932

Emma Thornton sighed as she closed her trunk and prepared to leave her parent's home for the second time. This time, she was twenty years old and heading to her first teaching assignment. All the hard work at teacher college was finally paying off.

After almost two years of no open positions, she finally heard about Hope Valley. It was pretty great to think of teaching in the school and church her own father had built for her mother who had also taught there.

She was nervous but mostly anxious to get on with it. Her life was waiting and she was ready.

She heard a knock at the door. "Come in, Dad."

"How'd you know it was me?" He walked in with his dimpled grin, slightly greying hair, and ever present cane with all of his ten children's names carved down the stem, three year old Bradley being the last.

"Lucky guess."

"The car is here to take you to the train station, Em."

She nodded and stepped into the comfort of his arms. "I love you, Daddy."

"I love you, Em. I'm so proud of you." He kissed her forehead and stepped back.

Em sighed and wiped her cheeks. "I'm ready."

Will walked in the room and picked up her trunk. "Better get a move on Em. That driver looks ready to leave you."

"You're the driver, Will."

"Like I said."

"Patience is a virtue, little brother."

"Yeah, so they say. I've never quite mastered that."

She, however, was the one that knew that patience was something he excelled at. As he saw his twin, Drew, marry his girlfriend Carrie Hogan the previous summer, she could see the longing in his eyes for a family of his own. Even though he would deny it until he was blue in the face, he was patiently waiting for the person that would complete him and fill his heart.

As was she. But first, it was time to teach and make a difference and that meant saying goodbye to her family and the place she'd called home for as long as she remembered.

OUT BY THE CAR

Elizabeth stood holding Bradley on her hip as she watched her daughter getting ready to move away. The comfort was in knowing she was going to a familiar place.

"Mama? Em go?" He pointed at his sister.

"Yes, sweetie. Why don't you go say goodbye?"

She set him down and watched as he ran over for "hugskiss" as he called them. Em picked him up and held him tight. "Love Em," he said with a loud kiss to her cheek.

"Love you too, Bradley."

Maddie, Nate, and four and a half year old Rachel and almost four year old Leah walked up to say goodbye as well.

Maddie grabbed her hand and pulled her off to the side. "Em, I have to tell you something."

"Better make it quick. Will is impatient this morning."

"I'm pregnant!" she whispered in her ear.

Em smiled. "Congratulations! I'm so happy for you."

"Thank you and one more thing. Nate and I are moving to Hope Valley too."

Em squealed and jumped up and down as she hugged her best friend and sister. "When?"

"As soon as we find property there for our ranch. Hopefully soon. I don't want to be moving late in my pregnancy."

"I'm so glad."

"Em! This car is leaving in two minutes, with or without you."

"Hold your horses, Will!" Em kissed Maddie's cheek. "I'll see you soon."

"I'll write to you."

"I'll write back."

Em walked over and kissed her nieces. "What's with the frowns, girls?"

"We miss you Auntie," Leah said with her lip sticking out.

"Nonsense. You'll see me again very soon."

"Promise?"

"Yes, I do. I never break my promises."

They both rushed forward into her arms and held on. "Love you, Auntie," they said in unison.

"To the moon and back, honey bees."

A few moments later, Will and Em were on their way to the train station. "Thanks for driving me, Will." He shrugged. When he pulled up to the depot, he carried her trunk to the porter then returned to Em. "Will, maybe you should move to Hope Valley too."

"And do what?" He had only ever worked on a ranch. He didn't have any other skills.

"Maybe be Nate's partner on his ranch."

"Nate?"

"Maddie just told me that they are trying to find land in Hope Valley. I bet if you pooled your money, you could both move faster."

"Don't get your hopes up. I'm needed here."

"Of course you are, Will, but this could be a new start for you too."

"All Aboard!" the conductor yelled.

"Think about it. That's all I'm saying." She hugged him and kissed his cheek. "I love you, Will."

"Love you too. Be safe."

Will drove the car back through town and then to the edge of the woods that led to the stream. He got out and walked to the fishing spot, not expecting to see Carrie and Drew.

Seeing them together, barely able to keep their hands off each other as newlyweds, Carrie's tummy swollen with child. It only just served to remind him that he didn't have anyone in his life to have those feelings for. Sure, he denied wanting a family, but he did in fact, want one.

"Will! How are you?" Carrie asked as she waddled over to him.

"Fine. Sorry to intrude."

"You're not. Come fish with us."

"No thank you. I need to get back."

"Did Em get off ok?"

"Yeah. I'm surprised you two didn't come to say goodbye."

"She stopped by yesterday," Drew told him. "We said goodbye." Stopped by the house Drew had built Carrie. Will still lived at home.

"Have a good day," Will told them, walking away before Carrie could attempt to change his mind about staying.

Will drove the car back to the livery where Uncle Travis kept it. Then he headed to the store to let him know he was back.

"Thanks for letting me drive the car, Uncle Travis."

"Anytime, Will." He looked at him closely. "Want to talk about it?"

"What?" Will asked.

"Whatever it is that is making you upset."

Uncle Travis was his uncle for all intents and purposes, but he was also a friend and his boss. The man knew him very well, and Will's face had always given away his emotions.

"I'm not happy here in Harris Town anymore, Uncle Travis."

Travis gestured to the stool for Will, who promptly sat down. "Why do you suppose that is?"

"I don't know." He knew, he just didn't want to say it out loud. Jealousy wasn't an admirable quality.

"I'll guess." He paced, tapping his chin. "I've noticed that after you have seen your brother and his wife, you get a little testy."

"I don't…"

"Hang on, son. Don't bother denying it. I could be wrong but I'm just telling you what I've seen."

Will pressed his lips together and crossed his arms.

Travis continued, "Now, I've known you since you and Drew were knee-high to a grasshopper and I've been your boss for the last two years. I know you, Will. I can see the want in your eyes to walk your own path. Am I wrong?"

"No, but I can't leave Dad."

"Why's that?"

"He's getting older, Uncle Travis. He relies on me to keep things running."

"You are a very hard worker here at the store and I'm guessing you work just as hard at home. However, I can tell you with absolute certainty, he would never want you to feel trapped."

"I didn't say I felt trapped." However, that was exactly how he felt.

"But you do, Will. You should talk to your parents."

"No, I shouldn't. If I said I was trapped, it would break Mom's heart."

"Don't say that word, but they need to know how you feel."

Will left the store a few moments later and walked straight to Maddie and Nate's house. He knocked on the door and Rachel and Leah opened the door. "Uncle Will! Come in."

He walked in and smiled as the girls hugged his thighs. "Hi, girls. Is your Daddy here?"

"Yeah, he's kissin' Mama in their room," Leah whispered.

"Doesn't anyone do anything but kiss in this family?" he asked himself.

"I'll get him," Rachel told him. She ran off to the other room.

Maddie walked out to get Leah and ushered her down the hall. "Nate will be out soon. Did you want something to drink?"

"No thanks."

She poured herself a glass of milk and then looked up as Nate entered, giving him a smile that seemed to hold a secret. "I'll leave you to it, then." She walked past Nate, touching his arm and then they were alone.

"What brings you by, Will?"

"I heard you are looking for land in Hope Valley to start your ranch and I was wondering if you would like a partner."

"You, I assume?"

"Yeah. I've been working for Dad for like five years and at the store for two. I've saved every penny. I'd like a fresh start, Nate and I'm a hard worker."

"Can I talk to Maddie about it and get back to you?"

"Sure."

"Just so you know, no one knows about this yet. Maddie and I are keeping it quiet for now."

"Ok. You know where to find me."

THAT NIGHT

"Babe, hold that thought for a few moments," Nate told Maddie as she kissed his neck, trying to get his attention. Honestly, she always had his attention but he wasn't going to stop her from trying.

She sighed and laid her head on his chest, her arm around his waist. "Are we going to talk about Will? He's not exactly something I want to talk about when I want to be romantic."

"I know, I'm sorry, but I told him I would talk to you and get back to him."

"Ok, go ahead."

"He said he heard we were trying to find land in Hope Valley. How do you suppose he heard about that, sweetie?"

"I may or may not have told Em, but I didn't think she would go tell anyone, especially Will. I was so excited, Nate, I needed to tell someone."

"Well, regardless, he knows and he wants to be my partner on the ranch."

"Partner? How do you feel about that?"

"I don't know. I wanted to do this to prove myself, but it would help us get it done faster if we pooled our money. Maddie, what do you think?"

"I just want you to be happy. If partnering with my brother will accomplish that, you should do it."

It wasn't that Nate wasn't happy being a partner with his father but he wanted a new start with his family. Figuring out how to break it to his father was the next hurdle.

He looked down at his beautiful wife of over five years. She was a wonderful mother and wife. She made him very happy, but something was missing and he hoped moving on his own land would accomplish filling the void. He touched her olive cheek with his fingertip and smiled. "I love you, Maddie Carlin," he whispered before he kissed her slowly.

"Mmm. I love you too."

T & T RANCH

Will laid in his bed, listening to eleven year old Jay snoring across the room. He would miss the kid. Ever since he was born, he had been loving and kind just like their father and looked just like him too. He helped on the ranch, feeding the pigs and chickens, even milking the cows on occasion when Will was busy with other things. The best part was, and true to Jay's personality, he did anything you asked him without complaint.

Will had decided to wire Uncle Lee in Hope Valley, hoping he could secure a job to not only make extra money, but to keep him busy until he and Nate found land for their ranch. He may have been jumping ahead a bit, considering he hadn't agreed to partner with him yet, but he felt it was a good move.

Then, once the job was secured, he would break the news to his parents, not mentioning Nate and Maddie at all.

HOPE VALLEY, LATE EVENING

Em's train pulled into town around eight o'clock. She was tired and hungry but too excited to let that dampen her spirits. The first thing she needed to do was find Clara Flynn who was allowing her to stay above the café. Clara said she would bring her husband with her to transport Em's trunk.

She had met Clara years before when they visited so she knew who she was looking for.

She stepped off the train into the darkness, made a bit less dark under the street lamps placed around the depot.

"Emmy!" Em turned at the sound of her nickname.

"Clara!" she yelled back, with a wave. Clara moved toward her, hugging her once they were close enough. "It's good to see you."

"You too, Em."

Em smiled at the dark haired woman, a few years younger than her own mother. She was so very grateful for her friendly face and the roof over her head, free of charge. She had a feeling they would be fast friends.

Clara slipped her arm through Em's. "Let me introduce you to my husband."

They walked over to a tall man with medium length brown hair and a smile that conveyed how much he loved his wife. "Jesse, this is Emma Thornton, Jack and Elizabeth's daughter. She's the new school teacher who is going to live above the café."

"Nice to meet you, Emma. Clara has told me all about you."

"Just call me Em. It's nice to meet you, Jesse. Thank you for helping with my trunk."

"You're welcome, Em."

As they walked to the café, Em stopped. "I need to send a telegram. Would that be possible this late?"

"Yes, Mike Hickam runs the telegraph office next to the café. He stays open quite late."

"Uncle Mike does? I didn't know that. I haven't seen him in so long."

"I completely forgot he was your uncle. Small world, I suppose."

Em hurried to the telegraph office. "Uncle Mike?"

"Em! Oh my, you have grown. Now I feel old." He opened his arms and smiled as she walked right into them.

"Sorry about that," she said with a giggle. "How are Aunt Viola and the kids?"

"Just fine. She will be so excited you're here."

"I am too. Would you mind sending a telegram for me?"

"Sure thing. Where to?"

T & T RANCH

Elizabeth was awake, listening to Jack's even breathing as he slept. She couldn't believe Em had moved away to Hope Valley. She missed her terribly but was at the same time grateful everyone else was still close by except for Caleb.

She knew they were all getting older and even Carlie would probably be courting someone someday soon, since she was almost sixteen. In the mean time, she was feeling bittersweet about it all.

"Babe?" Jack mumbled as he moved over and snuggled against her.

"Shhh."

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I thought I heard Bradley." She sat up and grabbed her robe.

"Elizabeth, Carlie will get him if something's wrong."

"He needs me." She left the room and walked to the girls room, opening the door quietly. Of course, everyone was sleeping. Bradley hadn't made a peep. He laid there, his little rear end up in the air, snoring softly.

"Mama?" Kiki said, tugging on her hand.

"What?" she whispered.

"Will you hold me?"

She looked down at her seven year old beauty and smiled. "I'll sit next to you for a moment, until you fall asleep."

Kiki scampered to the bed and climbed under the covers. Elizabeth sat down next to her, happy to be needed. It was a good feeling.