"Mom. Dad is on TV," seventeen year old Sydney announced.
Elizabeth came in to the living room and sat on the arm of the couch. She grabbed the remote and hit the volume button until she could hear what the mayor said. "Captain Jack Thornton, of the Dillon Fire Department, will now give his feedback and thoughts on today's tragedy."
Elizabeth sighed and stared at her handsome man in uniform. She was so proud of him it was almost overwhelming.
"Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen," he began. "As you are aware, this morning around six o'clock, a fire broke out in the 2000 block of Hudson Street, downtown Dillon. It started in the Lake apartment buildings and because of high winds, quickly spread to the houses surrounding it. At this time, we cannot say why this happened or if it was arson. We will keep you updated on the findings of the investigators as they become available. Please know, the thoughts and prayers of the Dillon Fire Department are with the families and friends of those lost in this tragedy. Thank you."
Elizabeth sighed again and quickly said a prayer of gratitude that her own family, including Jack, was safe and uninjured. The fire was on the other side of town from where the Thorntons lived but the high school was just down the street. Thankfully, school had been cancelled to keep the kids safe.
Elizabeth looked down as little Rylee Coulter touched her knee. "Hi, sweet pea. Are you hungry?" The two year old nodded her head and reached up for Elizabeth to pick her up. Elizabeth picked her up and gently pulled her pacifier out of her mouth and smiled. "Use your words, Rylee. Are you hungry?"
"Yes, eat, pease."
Elizabeth didn't understand why pacifiers were so relied upon. Her children never had them when they were babies. Yes, it made for quieter afternoons, but it still seemed unnecessary.
The back door flew open and Liam ran in with his friend Tyler. "Mom? What's for dinner?" Liam asked Elizabeth. Before she could answer, he continued. "Can Ty stay for dinner? We're starved!" Elizabeth chuckled at her son. Everything with him was either a question or a dramatic statement, pretty typical for his age of fourteen.
"Let's see," she started. "Pizza, yes if his mom says ok, and you're always hungry. There are apples and pears on the table. Help yourselves." Elizabeth propped Rylee on her hip and lifted Quinn off the counter. The boy was a monkey and could climb on anything.
The boys each grabbed a piece of fruit and ran back outside just as the phone rang. "Little Bees Daycare, this is Miss Libby, how can I help you?" Elizabeth answered.
Elizabeth was known as Miss Libby to the children. It was too hard for them to say Elizabeth so she shortened it. "Yes, I have an opening. First I would like to set up an interview," she informed the caller. "Yes, it is my rule to do so, to meet the child and his or her parents and for them to meet me." Elizabeth listened patiently as she snuggled the now dozing Rylee against her chest, who had apparently been more tired than hungry. "Yes, sir. Tomorrow at nine is perfect. See you then." She hung up the phone and laid Rylee in the playpen in the living room.
"Syd, can you please order the pizza for dinner? Dad will pick it up on his way home."
"I'm going out tonight," she informed her mother without even looking up from her cell phone.
"Since when do you make plans without asking me or your father?"
"Can I go? Gavin wants me to go to the movies."
"Who else is going?" She started picking up the toys that Rylee had scattered around the room.
"Sally and Henry and Tyler and Katie."
"What time?"
"The movie starts at nine."
"Curfew is eleven. How will that work?"
"Come on, Ma. It's Friday night."
"Ask your father when he gets home."
"He'll just say no. He doesn't like Gavin." Elizabeth held her tongue because what she wanted to say was not going to help.
The boy that caught their daughter's attention was eighteen, which was strike one in Jack's opinion. Strike two was his tattoo, always visible on his left bicep and strike three was the piercings that decorated his nose and ears.
Elizabeth sighed and noticed Quinn sitting on the counter, his hands in a bag of chips. "Quinn!" She rushed over and picked him up, setting him on the floor. "Good thing your mom will be here soon."
"Sydney Grace, please order the pizza." Syd flicked her eyes in her mother's direction and scowled. "Three large, one cheese only, one veggie, one meat, and stop with the attitude or you aren't going out for sure."
The doorbell rang and Julie walked in. "Where's my Quinnie?"
"Mama!"
"Julie Thornton, your son…"
"What did he do this time?" She picked up her "Quinnie" and kissed him all over his little round face.
"Let's see, where shall I start?"
"No need to start anywhere. After today, you won't need to watch him anymore."
"Why is that, Julie?"
"I lost my job. I will be staying home to take care of him myself."
TWO HOURS LATER
Elizabeth heard the garage door open and then close. She smiled as she felt the familiar jitters in her stomach just thinking about seeing him. They had been married nineteen years the next month, June, and just the thought of seeing him made her heart beat faster too. The man was exceedingly handsome, the hair on his temples starting to be laced with gray strands. He denied it, of course, but they were there, nonetheless. He had sexy, fine lines around his eyes, which he claimed were from smiling at her too much. Oh, and his dimples…
"Hey babe, I'm home," he called as he and Lee Coulter walked into the kitchen, three pizzas and a bottle of Pepsi in their hands. Lee was a lieutenant at the fire department in town so he often rode with Jack to and from work, bringing Rylee and taking her home at night.
"Dada!" Rylee yelled, running up to her father.
"Hi, baby girl," Lee said, hugging his daughter.
"Mama?"
"Yes, let's go see Mama. Where's your passie?" Elizabeth handed him the pacifier and kissed Rylee goodbye.
"Bye Libby," the tot said as she waved.
After Lee and Rylee walked out, Elizabeth smiled at Jack. "Hi, Sweetheart." He walked over to her and kissed her, wrapping her in his arms for a moment. She touched his face, sighing. "You looked awfully handsome at that news conference."
"Yeah?" He smiled, his dimples showing.
"Yeah, you in that uniform. My goodness." She kissed him again, slipping her arms around his neck.
"Gross guys," Syd said as she entered the room. "Do you have to do that in the kitchen? It should be like a health code violation or something." She opened the pizza box and grabbed a piece.
"Sydney, seriously?" Jack said.
"What?"
"You know we eat dinner as a family. No exceptions." It had always been the rule. Syd dropped the pizza back in the box and grabbed her purse. "Where are you going?" he asked her.
"To the movies."
"Did you ask first?"
"I asked Mom."
"And I told her to ask you. Movie is at nine," Elizabeth informed him as she set the table.
"You would be late for curfew. Sorry Syd."
"Its Friday! Why can't I go?"
"You know why. Text that boy and tell him not tonight." Jack referred to Gavin as "that boy" which annoyed Syd to no end.
"Gavin," she said slowly, a bit of disrespect in her voice, "is already on his way."
"Then he will have to go back home once he arrives."
"He could stay for pizza," Elizabeth suggested. "That way she could still see him." Jack looked at Elizabeth for a long moment and then agreed.
Jack went to go change while Elizabeth finished setting the table for six, instead of five.
Jack walked into the living room just as Syd was greeting "that boy" at the door. Gavin slid his hand awfully low on Syd's back, very close to her rear end. Jack cleared his throat, making Gavin jump and remove his hand.
"Mr. Thornton," he said with a nod. Jack nodded and looked at Syd.
"Dinner time."
LATE THAT EVENING
Jack and Elizabeth sat on the back porch, swinging and talking, just as they did every night. "That boy…"
"Jack, what did he do that was so bad?" She snuggled closer, her hand on his knee.
"He needs to watch where he puts his hands. His hand was very close to her butt. If I hadn't walked in…"
"You did walk in, though."
"Elizabeth, I don't like him. He's not right for her." He stood up and looked out into the darkness.
"She's your daughter, your baby girl. I don't think anyone will ever be good enough, do you?"
"No, probably not," he mumbled. All he could see was the future, his daughter, pregnant at eighteen, left by that boy to raise the baby on her own. Her life ruined, never able to finish or even start college, working at the ice cream place for the rest of her life. She deserved better. That boy was not what she deserved.
"Be careful, my dear. If you keep them apart, it's only going to push them together and make them go to drastic measures to see each other."
"You sound like you are speaking from experience, Elizabeth."
"I may be. It makes sense though, don't you think?"
He smiled and wrapped his arms around her slim waist, pulling her close. "Who did you take drastic measures to go see?"
"What?" He raised his eyebrows. "Oh, well that was a long time ago."
"Tell me. Obviously an old boyfriend. Please tell me it wasn't Charles."
"You know I never dated Charles."
"Yes, I know. Who was it?"
"Um, I think we should change the subject."
"Why?" She bit her bottom lip and looked away. "Was it me?" She nodded. "What? Your parents love me."
"Now they do. They didn't always."
"They didn't?" Jack was completely shocked. He never got any impression from Elizabeth that her parents didn't like him. "Why not?"
"When they figured out I was seeing you, I was nineteen."
"So?"
"So, you were twenty two and I was their first daughter."
"No one would be good enough."
"Exactly. A few years after we got married, they started to love you."
"After we got married? Oh my goodness, Elizabeth. It's amazing they let me marry you at all."
"They couldn't have stopped me. I loved you from the beginning."
She had. From the moment she saw him, she felt like their lives were meant to mix, somehow. They had been at the Dillon Community Fair at the end of the summer with some of their friends. Elizabeth was with Lee and his new girlfriend, Rosie. Jack had come with his brother Tom and Tom's girlfriend, Sara.
As the two groups sat in the bleachers for the demolition derby, Elizabeth found herself sitting next to Jack, who she found extremely cute and charming. Jack wasn't complaining either.
The two talked for the two hours that the derby lasted and found themselves not wanting to part when their friends were ready. "Give me your hand, Jack," she had told him. He held his hand out and watched as she wrote her phone number on his palm.
"What happens if I need to wash my hand?" he had teased her, a twinkle in his beautiful green eyes.
"Don't." She smiled and looked back at him as she walked away, leaving quite the impression on his heart.
THE NEXT MORNING
Jack took Liam fishing at the lake just outside town and Syd went to the local ice cream shop where she worked on the weekends.
Elizabeth wiped down the counters and straightened the kitchen and living room. At exactly nine o'clock, the doorbell rang. She opened the door and gave her best welcoming smile.
"Good morning. I'm Elizabeth, or Miss Libby. Come in, please."
Frank and Abigail Hogan and their son, Connor walked in. Elizabeth knelt down in front of Connor. "Hi, Connor. I'm Miss Libby." Connor stared at her, not reacting.
"Miss Libby?" Abigail began. "There is something we need to tell you."
Elizabeth stood up and looked at them. "Ok."
"Connor was born deaf. He doesn't speak except using sign language."
"Oh. Ok. That's fine."
"Miss Libby, do you use sign language?" Frank asked.
"One of my cousins is deaf. I know some. I can learn the rest."
Frank touched Connor's shoulder and then signed while he spoke. "Connor, can you say hi to Miss Libby?" Connor shook his head and then ran to Abigail. "He's pretty shy. Do you know how to say hello to him?"
Elizabeth searched her brain for a moment. "Maybe if you refresh my memory." Abigail smiled and showed her the correct sign.
After about an hour of signing and getting to know the Hogan's, Elizabeth accepted Connor into her daycare and the Hogan's were relieved.
It turned out, Abigail owned the bakery downtown. Elizabeth hadn't realized because she tried to stay off sugar. Frank was the minister at the Methodist Church ten miles away.
Jack and Liam walked in as the Hogan's were leaving. "Jack!" Abigail said, surprised.
"Hi, Abigail. This must be Frank and Connor?" Jack shook Frank's hand and signed hello to Connor, surprising Elizabeth.
"Jack, how do you know Abigail?"
"She runs the bakery downtown."
"Yes, but…is that where you know her from?"
"Yeah, Lee and I and some of the guys go there for coffee and doughnuts a few times a week."
"You eat doughnuts? I thought we didn't eat sugar."
"Well, Sweetheart, you don't eat sugar. I don't see a reason not to indulge once in awhile."
The Hogan's left shortly after the sugar conversation. Elizabeth went to start lunch. "Honey?" Jack asked, walking into the kitchen.
"Hmm?"
"Are you mad?" He stepped up behind her and slipped his strong arms around her.
"No."
"Are you sure? You seem at least irritated."
She turned around and looked at him. "I'm irritated but not at you. It bothers me how hard I work to eat right so that I can look good but you can eat doughnuts a few times a week, and pizza, and who knows what else and you look like some sort of model out of a sports magazine." What she would have given to join the family for pizza the other night, but she had a salad instead.
"First of all, all the hard work you do to look good, pays off. You look amazing. I brag to the guys at work that you're hot and I can't wait to get home to you."
Her cheeks turned deep pink. "You don't!"
"I do. Second, I work out everyday at the station so that I don't need to be so strict with myself."
"Everyday?"
"Yeah."
"Well, apparently all that working out does the trick."
"Face it, babe. We are both too hot for our own good." He laughed and then kissed her, rendering her speechless.
Once she recovered, she looked around to make sure Liam was no where near the kitchen. "Jack?"
"Yes, my adorable, sexy, hot wife?" He started kissing the particularly sensitive spot just behind her ear.
She rolled her eyes and laughed. "I think that I want to go off the pill."
"Um, ok but you could get pregnant."
"That's the idea."
"You want a baby?"
"Yes. I have for awhile."
He stepped back and stared out the kitchen window. "You want to start over? We are within a few short years of having this house to ourselves. I was looking forward to that."
"Ok, well it was just an idea." He watched as her hope flew out the window, taking her joy with it. Apparently it was very important to her.
"Honey…"
"Its fine. If you don't want a baby, then you don't. I won't force you." She handed him his plate and walked out the door, grabbing her purse as she went. "I'm going to the park."
Elizabeth walked to their Tahoe, got in, and drove off, heading to the one place she knew she could have time alone. The park. It was about a mile from their house. There was a river at the edge and a bench that faced it, under a canopy of trees, creating the peaceful atmosphere she sought.
Elizabeth had wanted a baby for more than a year, however she never had felt it was the right time to bring it up. Jack's mom, Charlotte, had become ill, diagnosed with breast cancer, went through chemo and radiation, and then, thankfully survived. Julie and Tom had moved to town, relying on Elizabeth to watch Quinn while they worked. Sydney had become a bear to live with and Jack had finally received his promotion to Captain.
She had thought that since things had calmed down, it was a good time to approach the subject.
Apparently not. She wiped her eyes and sighed.
"You really want this, don't you?" Jack walked up and sat down.
"I need time alone, Jack."
"You can have it, after we talk." He grabbed her hand and looked at her.
"Yes, I want this. I have for over a year."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Jack, with your mom, and Julie and Tom, and your promotion, I didn't feel like I could bring it up. I guess it doesn't matter." She stood up and watched the ducks in the river and he followed.
"Of course it matters. Everything that matters to you, matters to me, Love." He touched her face, marveling at her beauty. "I hope you know that." She nodded and hugged him tightly, her head on his chest. "Can I think about it?"
"Sure," she said, thinking, what's a few more days. Or a few weeks, as it turned out.
THREE WEEKS LATER
Elizabeth was brushing her teeth and getting ready for the day when Jack walked into the bathroom. He smiled, kissed her cheek, and threw her packet of pills in the trash can. "Jack?"
"Elizabeth, from the day I started loving you, I promised myself that I would always try to make you happy. I know you want this badly and if you think it will make you happy, then I think we should go for it."
"Are you sure?" She smiled up at him. Her hope was back.
"Yes, I'm sure. Truth is I've missed having a baby around."
"Thank you!" She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him soundly. "I love you."
"I love you too." He started to walk away but turned back. "Two weeks. You and I are going away for our anniversary. The whole weekend."
"Perfect."
He left for work and she walked into the kitchen to get things set up for breakfast. Liam walked in and sat down, his cell phone in his hand, furiously texting someone.
"Morning, Honey. Did you sleep well?"
"I guess." He continued texting.
"Five minutes."
"What?"
"Five minutes and the phone sits on the table so we can actually have a conversation with each other. You know the rules."
"Fine."
Syd walked in and sat down, her phone also in her hands. "Syd? You don't look good, sweetie. Are you feeling ok?" Elizabeth walked over and felt her head. She didn't feel hot, but she looked pale, almost green.
"I'm fine." She picked up her phone but frowned at the screen.
"Waiting for a text?"
"Yeah."
"I'm making breakfast and then you need to head to school. It's getting late."
"I'm not hungry. I'm going to go get dressed," Syd said, walking off to her bedroom.
Syd sat on her bed and closed her eyes, taking a few deep breaths to hopefully settle her stomach. Her phone vibrated, making her pop her eyes back open and check it. It was just her friend Katie. She could talk to her at school.
Three weeks since she'd heard from him. Why did he leave? Yes, they had made a mistake, but how could they work things out if he stayed away?
His parents said that he had gone to California to stay with his grandparents. Why right before graduation?
She thought back to the night everything changed. Her parents had told her she couldn't see him because it was a school nigh, so she waited until they were asleep and snuck out, walking to the corner of their subdivision to meet him. They went to get ice cream and then parked on the dead end road just outside town.
At first they just kissed, however things progressed and got out of hand, until it was too late. He drove her home and the next day at school, he pretended nothing happened. Something had happened to her though. She had done something that she had sworn to herself and her parents that she would never do. He told her she was overreacting but her conscience told her otherwise.
Now, her guilt was eating at her and she couldn't even talk to the one person she wanted to talk to, because he left her.
The smell of eggs and bacon wafted under the door, sending her stomach into a frenzy. She ran for the bathroom and vomited until she had nothing left.
