Elizabeth Kensington hurried down the busy street of Boston to the train station, carrying her daughter, Audrey. She carried a large suitcase in her other hand, which held all of the clothes she could cram into it.

"Mama? Are we almost there?"

"Yes, baby. Can you maybe walk? It might go faster." She set her down and grabbed her little chubby hand and started walking again. Audrey tried to walk as fast as she could, but her four year old legs were not as long as her Mama's.

"Too fast, Mama," she whined.

"Sorry Audrey. I'll slow down, but try to hurry, I don't want to miss our train."

"Ok."

Finally they arrived at the North Union Station and Elizabeth paused to take a breath. She heard the train whistle signifying it was time to board. "Audrey, we have to get on the train. We need to hurry one more time, then I promise we can rest." Her daughter was exhausted and about ready to cry.

If Elizabeth thought about the circumstances that had led to this point, she would be on the verge of tears herself.

A MONTH BEFORE

They were in a hospital room. Charlie was ill. He had been feeling sick for weeks but he and Beth had assumed he had been working too much. Now he was in a coma.

The doctor had diagnosed cancer about a week before. Beth sat in a chair next to his bed, holding his hand, wiping tears that frustratingly kept appearing every time she wiped them away. She was losing him, the only man she had ever loved. Her best friend, Audrey's father.

They grew up in Boston together, falling in love by the time they were fifteen. Their fathers were successful business men, taking Charlie into their shipping business after he turned eighteen. Charlie and Beth married shortly after that, both families supporting the union completely, settling into a very comfortable life.

Six years later, there she was, twenty four years old, soon to be alone, a widow, with a four year old daughter. She didn't know what she would do to support them. Surely Charlie would have set up some sort of account in the event he passed, but she never got a chance to ask him. She had thought they had more time.

She watched his chest rise and fall. His breath was rough and shallow. He had stopped squeezing her hand as soon as he slipped into the coma. Now the only sign of life was his breathing and it hurt to listen, but she needed to. She needed to hear every last breath.

The day after he slipped into a coma, he stopped breathing. Beth was holding his hand when it happened. She thought at that point, she couldn't possibly have any more tears left, but she did. They came from her heart and she couldn't stop them until two weeks later when she made up her mind to pull it together and be strong for Audrey. She needed her Mama to take care of her and stop feeling sorry for herself.

Much to Beth's dismay, no account existed to provide them with even a little bit of money to get them through. The only option she had was to teach. She had gone to teacher collage for two years when she was sixteen. She had even taught at a prestigious private school for a semester and then she married Charlie, figuring she would never need that degree.

She looked in newspapers for a few weeks, looking for anything that would support her family of two. Nothing was available until one day, an advertisement caught her eye for a teacher in a small town in Canada, Hope Valley. The name was sweet but the town was hundreds of miles away from Boston. On the other hand, she had no family left there. Her parents had both died two years before in an automobile accident. She was an only child herself, as was Charlie. His parents had moved to New York the year before to open a new business, a branch of the shipping business that had been so successful in Boston.

So, maybe it was nerves that told her not to do it. She made up her mind to think about it, but to keep looking.

One week later, tired and running out of money, she sent a telegram to Mayor Avery in Hope Valley, letting him know she wanted the job. He responded a day later with a confirmation that they would accept her on a trial basis, one month.

It was better than nothing. She would need to impress them though, because moving herself and her four year old hundreds of miles to somewhere that she would only be for a month was scary and perhaps foolish. There were no guarantees in life, she had proof, so she had to take a chance.

BACK ON THE TRAIN

Elizabeth ushered Audrey inside their first class compartment and shut the door. She had spent the last of her money on the compartment. She knew that a four year old would handle a four day train trip a lot better if she was comfortable. The compartment had a large bed and it's own washroom and the tickets included meals for all four days. It was extravagant but in Elizabeth's mind, necessary.

"Mama? I'm hungry."

Elizabeth fingered Charlie's wedding ring which now hung on her neck. It had become a habit when she was anxious or tired or just missing him. Now it was all three.

"Ok, baby." She glanced at his pocket watch that she kept in her handbag. "They will bring us food in about an hour."

"How long is that?"

"Not long. Let's go see where we will be sleeping and put our clothes away." She tried to be excited to keep her emotions in check and to keep Audrey occupied. They unpacked their clothes, putting them in the dresser and then Elizabeth sat on the bed. All of the sudden a wave of sadness hit her. Just the action of putting her and Audrey's clothes away reminded her of the last trip she and Charlie had taken, alone. It was their fourth anniversary. Her parents had watched Audrey and Charlie had surprised her with a weekend trip to New York. They stayed in a fancy hotel and didn't leave it the whole three days they were there.

"Mama? Are you sad?"

"Yes, I am, but I'll be ok." She smiled bravely and wiped her tears.

"I miss Papa."

"Me too, baby." Audrey climbed up on the bed and into her arms, hugging her neck.

They took a few moments to cry and then change clothes. Elizabeth put on yet another black blouse and black skirt. She was only putting on what was expected of her. She didn't intend on wearing mourning clothes once she arrived in Hope Valley. She didn't want anyone's pity, she just wanted to take care of her daughter.

THAT NIGHT

Elizabeth put Audrey to bed and then went to write in her journal. She had always kept a journal, ever since she was a child. She had managed to stuff most of the ones she had filled over the years in the bottom of her suitcase. There were so many memories, all involving Charlie and she wanted to hold on to them as long as possible.

He's been gone a month and I still feel lost. My heart is broken and I don't know that it will ever be fixed. He was my best friend, a wonderful husband, a caring father and now, he's under the ground, miles away from me and I'll never see him again, or hear his voice, or feel his arms around me, or his lips on mine.

How can it be possible to ever be happy again? How long will it take to not miss him every minute of the day?

Elizabeth shut her journal, curled up in a ball on the couch and sobbed. She cried herself to sleep for what seemed like the millionth time.

IN THE MORNING

Elizabeth looked at herself in the mirror of the washroom. Her eyes were red and puffy, she had dark circles under her eyes, and her dark curly hair was in need of a good brushing. She washed her face in cold water and used her fingers to brush her hair. Then she rewrapped it into a bun at the base of her neck to complete her sad widow look. Charlie had loved her hair down, loved to run his fingers through it. She couldn't bring herself to wear it that way anymore, or call herself Beth. It was his name for her and no one else's.

"Mama? Someone's at the door."

Elizabeth knew it must be breakfast so she touched his ring and took a deep breath, ready to face the day.

THREE DAYS LATER

"Mama? Are we almost there?"

Elizabeth was convinced that was her favorite question. She asked it at least a dozen times in the last few days, but now, she could answer with a yes.

"Yes, baby. We will be there in just a few minutes." Elizabeth went to look out the window, trying to see anything that would indicate she had made the right decision. Then she saw it. It was huge and beautiful and it was like nothing she had ever seen before. "Audrey, baby, come see these mountains!"

Audrey ran over and looked out the window.

"Wow Mama! So pretty!"

She felt the train slow down and then a few moments later stop. She looked out the window and saw the depot, a new building with benches outside and people waiting to board.

"Hope Valley, Mrs. Kensington. Time to go!" the conductor informed her through the door.

"Thank you!" She felt nervous and maybe a bit excited. She took a deep breath. "Ready, baby?"

"Yes, Mama. I'm sick of the train."

"Me too." She held out her hand and they walked out the door, suitcase in hand.