This is something that's been rattling around in my head. It's a modern day take on Jack and Elizabeth based on the randomness of my thoughts. Remember it's fanfictio. So whilst I will attempt to stay true to Jack and Elizabeth and our idea of them...I may change it up. Depending on where it takes me. This story has taken a life of its own. Enjoy!
"I swear if Rosemary asks me one more time what I plan on doing about my current relationship status I may have to muzzle her," Auggie laughed as he patted the arm currently looped through his as they walked along the park.
"She means well," he answered empathetically. Having met Elizabeth's childhood friend on a number of occasions he had gotten to know her.
"I know she does but truly, once more and you're going to need to intervene."
"I got your back. Is everything all set for her birthday?"
"Yes, you're more than welcome to come by the way. She said to let you know."
"She dropped me a text earlier in the week. I do have something on earlier in the afternoon but she said to follow whenever."
"Yeah I'm pencilled in to sleep over so I am guessing that it's an all nighter. As far as all nighters go at this age." Auggie chuckled,
"We'll give it a good go, challenge accepted."
"I knew I could count on you." She replied. She was about to change the subject when she met a familiar gaze from about a hundred metres away. It was grinning widely at her. She broke into a smile ignoring the fact that her knees buckled momentarily. Noting the sudden change of countenance on his friend, Auggie followed her gaze. He watched as a handsome and unfamiliar face headed towards them.
"Jack!" She exclaimed in evident surprise. The familiarity of his name had Auggie standing straighter upon his approach, for he had heard plenty about Jack Thornton.
"Elizabeth," he replied with matching enthusiasm reaching for her in a hug.
"What are you doing here?" she asked.
"I've been transferred for a project." He answered as he reluctantly released her.
"Jack, please meet my friend Auggie, Auggie, this is Jack."
"Nice to meet you." Auggie said holding his hand out to Jack.
"You too."
"Jack, Beth and I are about to grab lunch why don't you join us?" Auggie extending an invitation to their afternoon plans. Elizabeth gave Auggie a subtle sideway eyebrow raise seeing right through him, to which he pretended he did not pick up.
"I would love to, but I literally just landed. My room wasn't ready so I went for a quick walk. I have a meeting with my boss in less than an hour. Rain check?"
"Of course." Auggie replied. Elizabeth couldn't help but feel disappointed.
"If you're both free tonight, would you like to join me for dinner?" Jack countered.
"I unfortunately have something on, but Beth you're free tonight?" Elizabeth turned her head to look at Auggie to throw him a glare before turning back to Jack,
"Are you sure you don't want to sleep? Aren't you jet lagged?"
"Not at all. I would really love it if we could grab dinner and hang out. You in?"
"That sounds nice. Which hotel are you at?"
"At the Hilton. Is your number still the same?" Elizabeth nodded.
"Great, let me make a plan and give you a call a little later after my meeting. Is that okay?"
"Sounds good Jack," Jack grinned.
"I'll see you tonight." Jack gave her another hug before shaking Auggie's hand once more.
"See you then." As he began to walk back towards his hotel he stole a glance back at Elizabeth and Auggie who continued on their walk. He watched as Elizabeth gave Auggie's shoulder a playful nudge as they laughed good naturedly, seemingly picking up from where they left off. He could see that they shared a special camaraderie.
"You are such as douche," Auggie chuckled
"I know, but he's here Beth."
"Auggie, it's been years."
"He's here Beth." He repeated,
"He's not here for me. Running into him was a coincidence."
"You clearly did not see how he was looking at you. How his whole face lit up at the sight of you."
"You're totally romanticising it," she replied with a nonchalant shrug.
"And you're in denial."
"There's just so much between us. I feel we have so much that was left unsaid."
"Now's your chance."
"I'm not sure it's something you just casually bring up in conversation."
"Why not? What do you have to lose?"
Elizabeth met Jack years before during a post she took right after she graduated from her teaching degree, at a small town called Hope Valley. It was an incredible two years that to date, she holds very close to her heart. She met people who have made significant impacts in her life. Most whom remained in her every day life.
From the moment they met, there was something between Jack and Elizabeth. It wasn't until her last year in Hope Valley did their circles collide and once it did they were like moths to a flame. Somehow always within the others vicinity. Every event, or gathering, somehow almost always had them gravitating towards each other. He made Elizabeth's heart leap in ways she never had before or imagined.
It had a promising start that somehow ended with a sudden halt.
With Elizabeth leaving for Sydney, it seemed like a better idea not to begin anything that would lead to heartache they were both not ready for. It was unspoken, but understood. They remained friends, and he was there to see her off as she boarded a plane back to Australia.
His aversion to technology such as email text messages and phone made it easy to lose touch. Two years later she ran into him in her visit to Hope Valley. Due to his schedule they did not see each other at all. He had been the last text she received before she boarded the plane again Sydney bound, and it was the last she heard from him and him of her. With all the constant life altering changes in Elizabeth's life at that time, it was easy lose touch with him once more.
Which is why it was surprising that the feelings she had long since buried threatened to resurface.
Elizabeth and Auggie carried on with their afternoon at the Museum of Contemporary Arts as planned. Auggie knew that Elizabeth wasn't quite ready to unpack Jack. Elizabeth kept Jack very close to her heart and it took awhile for her to tell him of their story therefore he knew just how shaken she was by his sudden appearance back in her life. As they walked through the exhibition he grabbed her hand in his, making her stop in mid sentence.
"It's okay to be freaked out," Elizabeth smiled at one of dearest friends and kissed his cheek,
"Thank you,"
"I know you're present, and I appreciate that but I understand if you need a moment."
"I feel like we just never got our chance Auggie, and I am scared to start thinking this could be our chance. Doesn't that sound ridiculous seeing as I don't even know how long he's here for, and was there really something or have I romanticised it all this time?" Auggie grinned,
"Don't you feel much better now that you managed to get all that out?" Elizabeth cracked up laughing,
"Yes, thank you."
"For the record, it's not ridiculous. I saw the way he was looking at you, and us trying to figure whether we were a we or what. Whatever went down between you or didn't, there's no faking how genuinely happy he was to see you and want to spend time with you. Just go with it. Enjoy tonight for what it is. No walls, no guards, no expectations. Just be you. You will soon find out whether what you were was a season or a foundation for what could be. I mean, you could have dinner with him and find him all kinds of unattractive." Auggie joked making her laugh once more. Before she could reply her phone began to ring,
"Hello," she answered uncertainly at a number she did not recognise
"Elizabeth, it's Jack." There was a way that he said Elizabeth in a way no one else ever did, as though it was a favourite word that rolled off his tongue, like a habit second to breathing.
"Hey Jack, you're still standing I'm impressed."
"I know right. So I'm still in a meeting with my Boss, we're on a quick break whilst he takes a call. He's assigned a company driver to me for my use, how about I pick you up for dinner tonight?"
"I'm happy to meet you back here in the city Jack, it's not a long drive for me."
"I know, but call me old fashioned but I'd like to pick you up."
"Ahh there it is, whoever said chivalry was dead had never met you Jack Thornton." Jack chuckled,
"7 work for you?" he asked
"7 works just fine. You've picked a good time to come to Sydney, it's Summer so at 7 it starts cooling down but the sun is out until 9."
"Great, that works for what I have in mind."
"You've been here for a few hours, what prey tell could you possibly have conjured up in that time?"
"Now Elizabeth, if I tell you that then it wouldn't be a surprise."
"Clearly, some things never change." She replied amused,
"I confess, very little has changed."
"Well that's not necessarily a bad thing,"
After she had confirmed that she will send him a text with her address she hung up the phone to find an Auggie grinning like the cat who swallowed a canary,
"Now if that conversation is to go by and somewhat reflective of what was years ago, I'd say my optimism just went up a notch."
"Hush you, I don't need to be nervous."
Like the friend that he was Auggie had agreed to get ready at her place before going out to his own thing for the evening. He knew she needed the distraction and he was more than happy to provide it. She wasn't the type to parade around her wardrobe looking for something to wear but she was the type to talk herself into a frenzy out of nervousness.
They were both showered and ready to go before 7pm and were engaged in a healthy competitive game of Bananagrams by the time Jack arrived. He knocked on the door drawing them both out of their bickering. Elizabeth's eyes lit up as she looked up to see him on the other side of her security door. Jack grinned back as she stood from her chair to unlock the door.
"Glad you found the place okay. Come on in," Jack handed her the bouquet of Gerbers and Iris' which he remembered to be her favourite and kissed her cheek.
"They're beautiful Jack, thank you." She said blushing slightly.
"You're welcome,"
"I'll leave you kids to it. If I jiggy out of here I can make it just in time for my dinner reservations. I so did not realise how late it has gotten. Thanks for hanging today B. Good to see you Jack."
"Thanks for today Augs," Elizabeth said hugging her friend gratefully.
"It was good to see you too Auggie." Jack replied shaking Auggie's hand once more. As Auggie made his way down Elizabeth's unit complex stairs Elizabeth closed the door behind him and turned to Jack who stood there with a shy boyish grin. Without a word, in the spirit of spontaneity and no regrets Elizabeth walked over to him and hugged him. Though surprised, there was no hesitation in Jack's reciprocation. He immediately engulfed her into his arms hugging her tightly. There was a sense of familiarity about it. Physical affection had always come easily for them. It was almost second nature, habitual.
Looking back on their photos only recently, his arm was always around her shoulders, or his hand on her knee, chin on her shoulder. They were little things, yet they meant so much, especially to Elizabeth who had never felt so un-inhibited with anyone who was outside her close circle. In that moment it was like they were transported back to that time in their lives.
"As weird as it sounds, God I've missed you!" he said in a whisper
"As weird as it sounds, I whole heartedly concur," Elizabeth confessed. After a few more minutes they reluctantly parted.
"How about that tour?" she suggested quietly stepping out of his embrace.
"Lead the way."
After the tour they made their way down to the car. Admittedly Elizabeth's head was spinning with possibilities. At the same time there was still so much more to talk about and she had to keep reminding herself to keep her wits about her. It had almost been three years since she last saw him, since she heard from him and now it was like no time had passed and they had been catapulted to what their life might have been, could have been.
On the drive they caught up on the latest in each others lives, so absorbed in conversation that Elizabeth wasn't paying attention to where they were going. When they pulled up at Lady Macquarie's chair she looked at him curiously. Jack just smiled. As they stepped out of the car Henry, their driver handed Jack a blanket and a picnic basket.
"Shall we?"
"Wow, how did you even know about this place? You've been in the country barely eight hours."
"I asked around. Come on let's get settled." Elizabeth couldn't help but get caught up in his enthusiasm. She was reminded of how attractive his boyish charm and was and apparently still is.
Finding the perfect place to have their picnic they set up on edge of the dock. It was a fairly cool night with no wind making it a comfortable evening by the water.
"So tell me how did you end up in Sydney?" she asked curiously.
"Dumb luck?" he answered with a grin.
"Highly doubt it." Elizabeth replied wryly.
"Ah, there's that blind faith I know and love."
"Seriously…"
"Well there were a couple of offers, New Zealand or here. New Zealand was a consideration but when they offered Australia, it seemed a no brainer. I've always wanted to come, and well it also helped that I would know people here. That I knew you were here. Which is silly I know as we haven't had anything to so with one another in years, but I don't know. It just became the deal breaker."
"Well as a veteran of moving to another country not knowing a soul, knowing that someone is on the other side that you know is definitely a comfort."
It was a lovely evening getting reacquainted with each other. It had been a long time and there was so much to know about the other that they wasted no time. After dinner, they had given Henry the blanket and picnic basket before going for a walk.
"Has it sunk in that you're here?" Jack shook his head with a smile.
"Not really. I think I'm too excited and a little jet lagged."
"I bet, it'll hit you soon enough. Just remember to breathe in and out."
"I'll be sure to remember that."
"Have you checked in back home?" Elizabeth inquired knowing how close he was to his family.
"Yeah, I called Mom just before I left to come and pick you up. She says hi by the way."
"Aww, say hi back to Charlotte when you speak to her again."
"I will do. Elizabeth," Jack said hesitantly.
"Yeah Jack."
"I have something to tell you, in the spirit of full disclosure."
"Uh, sure go ahead." She encouraged, her heart rattling around inside her.
"I have a son." He said softly, yet the love and pride shone brightly from his eyes.
"Oh wow! How old is he?" she asked, knowing full well that wasn't the question she really wanted to ask.
"He's five." Elizabeth didn't need to do any calculations in her head. She knew that in her last trip, he would have been married, which made it not a coincidence that they always managed to miss each other. It also hit her, that he probably was still married.
"That's a great age. Your wife must have her hands full with him."
"She definitely did." He answered dropping his gaze to his feet.
"Did?" she asked her heart beginning to ache sensing that what was to come would indeed be heart breaking.
"She died a few months ago. Car accident."
"Oh Jack, I'm so sorry." She said tearfully wrapping her arms around his middle. Jack gratefully returned her hug, comfort washing over him the moment she did.
"What's his name?"
"Logan, he's a ball of energy. Smart, funny, beautiful, just like his mother."
"What was her name?"
"Emily. I met her probably a couple of months after you left to come back here. She had this amazing ability to make you feel as though you were the most important person in the world."
"She sounds lovely Jack. I'm sorry you lost her so suddenly." Elizabeth said sincerely, her heart breaking for him. She led him to the nearest park bench and sat down. There he began to pour what was in his heart, about his loss, about his crushed dreams, his regrets, and his guilt. When he had no more in him, they sat in comfortable silence.
"Thank you." Jack said turning his gaze to look at her as she stared out into the Harbour Bridge and city lights allowing everything he had told her to sink in. Elizabeth met his gaze and smiled, dropping a quick kiss to his shoulder.
"What are friends for?" by then she had reconciled that he wasn't there as some romantic gesture realizing after so many years that it was her he loved all along, and it was her that he could not live without. She inwardly chuckled at her over active imagination. Jack draped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close.
"Elizabeth, I truly have missed you."
As they walked back to the car Elizabeth encouraged him to talk about Logan. She loved watching his face light up as he talked about his five year old. She could see just what an amazing father he was.
"Once I've settled in Tom will bring him over. I'm hoping within the next few weeks he will be here. Tom will stay for a bit to help out with him."
"How is Tom going?" Tom was Jack's younger brother and the less serious one of the two.
"He's good. He's excited to be coming over. Especially since you're here."
"That's so sweet. I'm looking forward to seeing him too. It has been way too long."
The topic of conversation lightened as they headed back to her place. He walked her to her door and hugged her tightly as they bid each other goodnight.
"It's so good to see you again,"
"You too," she murmured into his chest.
"I'll call you tomorrow."
"Talk to you then. Drop me a message when you get back to the hotel so that I know you got there okay."
"I will do." As she closed the door behind him, she leaned exhaustedly against her door. She could hear him pause outside her door as though he was waiting for her to get settled in. When she moved her hand to flick on the switch, he finally headed down the stairs.
The following morning from both Jack and Auggie from the night before. Auggie asking how it went and Jack telling her he had a great time the night before. While she got ready for the day she called Auggie,
"Brunch?" He answered the phone with no greeting, eliciting a laugh from Elizabeth,
"Sure, want to go to the 9:30 service with me? Then we can head to Coogee for brunch and hang at the beach?"
"Sounds like a plan, do you want me to come and get you?"
"Nah, I'm contemplating on going to tonight's service. It my Sunday off so it'd be good to experience the night time service."
"Fair play, I'll meet you at Costa Café,"
Just as she was leaving her place she sent Jack a quick message to say that she too had a good time and it was great to see him again. As she drove out of her driveway her phone rang,
"Good morning Elizabeth,"
"Morning Jack, how'd you sleep?"
"Not too bad considering the time difference."
"Good to hear. What time are you heading over to your Boss' house for Brunch?" She asked knowing that was on his morning agenda.
"It's at 11:00 so I should probably start getting ready. Are Chino shorts, a button down shirt, with boat shoes acceptable?" Elizabeth laughed,
"Very much so. Don't forget your sunglasses and make sure you have suitable sunscreen on for that porcelain skin of yours," she added teasingly.
"Very good tip, even if there was a jab right at the end,"
"There there," She placated,
"Are you on your way to church now? It's still early," he observed,
"Yes I am. Auggie is coming so I'm meeting him at the café to grab a coffee before heading in."
"Great, hey there's a service on tonight right?"
"Yes, 6pm at my campus but there's a 5pm and 7pm at the one nearer to your hotel."
"Will you go with me to the 6pm and maybe grab dinner after?"
"Sure, sounds like a plan. Once you're done with brunch why don't you meet us at the beach and we can go straight to service after that. Night church is pretty casual. You'll find most of the demographic will have spent the afternoon at the beach before service too."
"When in Sydney?"
"Absolutely. Let me know when you're done so I can tell you where we're at. Maybe just get Henry to drop you off. Parking is a nightmare in the afternoon. I can just drive you back to your hotel." She sensed his hesitation but grinned when he finally agreed to her driving him home.
Due to traffic she and Auggie barely had time to get a coffee before going into the service. Truth be told Elizabeth was relieved to hold off on the interrogation that was coming her way.
Once service was over they made their way to Coogee in Auggie's car and because it was still early they had found prime parking in front of the beachside café they were known to frequent. Absently she perused the menu while Auggie observed his friend. Elizabeth had barely said anything about the night before which left him curious about what had unfolded. She wasn't upset, nor was she extremely enthusiastic, and when asked how the night before went, she simply answered with 'well'. In all of their friendship, succinct would not be a word he would use to describe her. Once they had ordered he pried,
"What happened?" he asked treading carefully.
"He's married, he has a son." Auggie dropped his coffee cup into the saucer, the look on his face was so comical that she couldn't help but laugh.
"Excuse me?" he did not see that coming.
"Yeah, he has a five year old."
"So his wife is following him here?"
"Ah no, it seems she was in a horrible car accident a few months ago and they lost her. The move in large part was a new beginning for him and his son. The opportunity was timely, but welcomed. Too many memories of her I guess."
"Wow, I'm sorry Beth."
"Don't be. I think you and I both have an over active imagination. He's a great guy, a wonderful friend. It's not his fault I had romanticised us all this time when really I should have just accepted long ago it wasn't meant to be." Whilst Auggie could see what she was saying there was no denying that Jack cared about Elizabeth. In the way he looked at her, regarded her, but perhaps she was right they had both romanticised it.
"So where to from here?"
"Where we left off, as friends." She said it was such finality that he knew she had gone into self preservation mode.
Jack met them at the beach as planned and the three of them had a lovely afternoon. Sensing that Elizabeth was not ready to be alone with Jack he had stayed until with them until they had to go to church that evening dropping them back off at the church where her car was parked. As they arrived they were met with Rosemary her fiancé Lee, Abigail and her husband Noah, Carson and Faith. Their Hope Valley crew that had long since relocated to Sydney. Jack grinned widely at the sight of them as they engulfed him with hugs all around. Elizabeth had sent them all a message earlier that morning after making plans with him knowing they too would want to see him.
"You guys, it's so good to see you all." He said pleasantly surprised.
"Well no one can gather this group the way one Elizabeth Thatcher does." Lee answered as he draped an affectionate arm around her. Elizabeth smiled up at him with an eye roll,
"You're just a little biased," Jack noted that the closeness between them all had not only remained but strengthened and he was sorry to have missed it all. He and Lee were good friends and he wished that they hadn't at all lost touch.
"Let's go on in before it starts without us," Lee and Carson were flanked at either side of Elizabeth as they entered the auditorium with their significant others on the other side leaving Jack sitting between Abigail and Rosemary. Elizabeth wasn't silly, she knew the boys were on protective mode. They were all there to witness what was and could have been. They knew how it had hurt Elizabeth. Lee had known about Emily, but they had left before it got serious and by the time it got serious he and Rosemary were also back in Sydney and they had lost touch with Jack.
After church they had all headed to Abigail's Diner. She and Noah had bought and were running their own diner whilst raising their three growing kids Peter, Becky and Cody. Elizabeth spent quite a lot of time there. Especially when it had first opened, helping out where she could. These days she used it as a hideaway when she needed to mark homework and her place was too quiet. She pulled an occasional shift here and there when required, which in fact they all did.
As they walked through the door 15 year old Peter was wiping down the counter while 12 year old Becky was finishing her homework at the other end of the counter. Becky's face lit up as she saw Elizabeth,
"Aunt Elizabeth," she shrieked excitedly jumping off her stool throwing her arms around Elizabeth's waist. Elizabeth hugged the young girl tightly against her.
"She has that effect on most children, but most especially Stanton kids." Noah stated to Jack amused,
"I remember," he replied.
"You should see her with Cody our youngest, he gets monopoly at all times." Abigail added.
"Okay stop, it's not that bad." Elizabeth protested as she opened an arm to Peter who came to hug her hello before greeting the others.
"Jack you remember our son Peter and our daughter Becky." Abigail introduced.
"Yes, but they are a lot bigger than I remember them to be."
Lee, Noah and Carson pulled a few tables together to seat them all. It was quiet for a Sunday night which they didn't mind. It would mean that Abigail and Noah could join them instead of running the joint. At 8:30 Becky went upstairs to bed, which was where their home. Followed closely by Peter who still had to finish his homework.
After their dinner was served Noah had closed the Diner and sent their cook and remaining waitress home leaving them with the place to themselves. The following day was a public holiday for all therefore no one was in a rush to go home.
"So Jack what brings you to Sydney?" Lee asked,
"Work actually. After I got married I opted switched from being a police officer to computer forensics. It turns out I was good at it and I enjoy it." He could tell by the surprised look on all of their faces non of them knew he had been married. The looks on their faces was almost comical. Instinctively he looked to Elizabeth who gave him a supportive smile encouraging him to go on,
"Not long after we got married, my wife Emily fell pregnant and I felt a responsibility to her and to my son Logan to be there and to not throw myself in front of danger so I decided to take a somewhat sideways step. There were a couple of opportunities to take on the study and I took it. Worked hard and by the time Logan was born I had fully transitioned out of active duty. During that time there was a high demand for computer forensics and it was just great timing for me. I climbed through the ranks pretty quickly. They've been offering me transfers for a few years, but I didn't' want to uproot Emily, especially as Logan was still so little and I didn't want to take her away from her support system." Each of them could see just how much he loved his wife, and whilst Elizabeth had heard it all the night before, hearing it the second time felt like twisting the knife that had been thrusted into her chest when he first told her.
"It wasn't until," he paused, unsure if he could go on. Propriety aside Elizabeth placed a hand over his from across the table and locked eyes with him, giving him that little boost of strength he needed to get his words out.
"Until Emily was killed in a car accident a few months ago." There was a collective gasps around the table and their hearts went out to him.
"It felt like after she died that Logan and I were just going through the motions, and I knew we couldn't stay there. That we both needed a change, and Sydney came up. It was one of the places where I knew people. It was the place where I knew the best people I have ever known." He said meeting Elizabeth's gaze again. Abigail rose from her chair to wrap her arms around his shoulders.
"We're glad you're here Jack. Welcome home." Elizabeth gave his hand a firm squeeze before got up to put the kettle on.
After Elizabeth had headed back to Sydney, her childhood best friend Rosemary decided to go home too. Followed closer after by her boyfriend, now fiancé Lee. Whilst Elizabeth had taught elementary school, Rosemary was the high school drama teacher. They had both graduated from their teaching degrees and decided to take on a post far from home for their first teaching stints. Their Visa's were initially for only two years and whilst the opportunity to stay was available Elizabeth decided to go home due to personal reasons and Rosemary wanted to go home with her.
Despite the age difference Abigail and Elizabeth were incredibly close. When Elizabeth lost her mother shortly after she arrived back to Sydney Abigail had hopped on a plane to Sydney to be there for her. As timing would have it, the financial institution that Noah worked for had set up an office in Sydney and offered him a position and after talking with Abigail they decided to make the move.
Carson and Faith came to visit and backpack around Australia after their crew had all decided to move to Sydney and they hadn't left since, falling in love with Sydney as the others did. Luckily being a doctor and a nurse allowed them to make the move without a problem. Out of all them it was Carson who knew of Emily. But even though he and Faith remained a year after everyone else had left, he hardly ever saw Jack between both their long and unpredictable hours.
As Elizabeth put the kettle on for tea and start the coffee machine to make coffee Rosemary silently started setting up cups on the counter to assist her. Elizabeth knew she was being supportive, that without a word being spoken that her best friend of too many years understood her. Rosemary could tell by Jack's countenance that he had already told Elizabeth and that he drew strength from that. She also knew that out of all of them it was important that Elizabeth be the first to know. That she could not have imagined Jack telling that story publicly without doing so privately with Elizabeth first. It was just they way they have always been. He always put her first.
Abigail joined them shortly after pulling desserts out of the desserts fridge. As she passed Elizabeth she had given her friend a subtle squeeze in the arm before continuing on with putting their dessert plates together.
"Bea, is it next Sunday you want me to put the basketball ring up at church?" Lee asked from the table trying to lighten up the mood and change the subject for Jack who looked at him gratefully.
"Yes please. I'd like to make the most of summer and it'd be a waste to spend a perfectly good Sunday afternoon cooped up inside." Elizabeth was heavily involved in youth ministry and spent her Sundays with teenagers.
"Great, Carson and I will put it together after the 9:30am."
"Thanks guys. I have it all in my car."
"I can move it to my truck tonight if you want." Lee offered.
"No that's okay. I don't need the boot space. No point in moving it to yours when I'll be there anyway but thank you Leland." She said appreciatively dropping a kiss to his cheek as she handed him his dessert. She laughed as Carson pointed to his cheek with a pout,
"What am I chopped liver? I'm helping too." Elizabeth rolled her eyes and kissed his cheek before messing up his hair.
Elizabeth returned to her seat beside Lee. He placed a hand on her knee giving it a squeeze. They exchanged a glance before she turned her attention back to the conversation going on at the table. Whilst Rosemary and Abigail may have been her best friends, Leland Coulter was right up there with them. Not having a brother, he had long since adopted her as a little sister. The fact that they were first cousins had helped that too. Lee was the son of her late mother's sister and whilst he lived in Hope Valley for most of his life, he visited often. In fact, he was the reason Rosemary had decided to join Elizabeth in taking a post at Hope Valley for a couple of years. They had flirted and for years but it wasn't until she had made the move did he make a move to pursue her. It was pretty obvious from get go that Rosemary and Lee were made for each other.
At three in the morning Rosemary was the first to put her hand up and say she was heading home. Elizabeth wholeheartedly concurred, she felt exhausted.
"Jack, you ready to go?" Jack nodded with a smile.
"Elizabeth if you're tired, I can always ask Henry to come and get me. At least that way you don't have to go out of your way."
"Don't be silly, I'm not that tired."
"Bea, I'll drive Jack home. He's on my way." Lee offered,
"Jack?" Elizabeth asked,
"That sounds great, thanks Lee." Jack replied.
"Then I'll take Rosie as she's on my way."
"Perfect."
Many hugs later she and Rosemary were on their way home. Rosemary lived a couple of unit blocks away from Elizabeth which was handy.
"Elizabeth," Rosemary began,
"I'm okay Rosie, I am. I had a head start. He told me last night." Elizabeth tried to reassure her.
"If anything, it allowed me to close a door on what was obviously not meant to be. I have a very over active imagination and the absence has fuelled that. Did I immediately think he showed up in Sydney as a grand romantic gesture, admittedly I had hoped so. But that was my over active imagination kicking in before sense did. Did it hurt to hear him tell me about the great love of his life who obviously wasn't me, ah yeah. But it's not his fault I felt that way about him and he didn't." Rosemary didn't agree that Jack didn't feel the same way back then. Nor that he didn't feel the same now to some degree, but she knew that Elizabeth was still processing.
"You know Lee was always going to drive him home didn't you?" Rosemary said with a chuckle,
"Yeah, I knew it the moment we made plans tonight, and even more so after he admitted to everyone he had been married. To be honest, I had counted on it. I wasn't really ready to be alone with him after last night's revelation. I need some time to actually process and apply the necessary boundaries. Which sounds methodical, but I have to be. It's Jack." Rosemary nodded fully understanding Elizabeth's cautiousness.
Elizabeth had showered and gone to bed with every intention of sleeping in so she had turned her phone off. She knew that if there was an emergency they would call her landline and Rosie was literally a few doors down. Upon waking up she had changed into her shorts and tank before heading to the beach for a run as she always did. Leaving her phone in the car and off. Therefore she wasn't at all surprised to find the numerous messages that awaited her. Most from her well meaning friends and a couple from Jack who also called her. As she started her car she listened to his voicemail,
"Morning Elizabeth, I hope you got some decent sleep in. Just wanted to see how you were and what you were up to today. Give me a call when you get a chance." Taking a deep breath she called him back.
"Hey Jack, sorry I missed your call earlier. I woke up, did some chores, went for a run and just turned my phone on."
"You've literally done a normal person's whole day in a few hours." He teased.
"Don't be fooled, I am not always productive in the mornings. It's just that my body for some reason thinks it's a work day and it woke itself up and I just went with it."
"Thanks for organising last night."
"No problem. They would have hanged me if I didn't tell them I knew you were here and seen you without telling them. You know how those guys are."
"It was really good to see everyone, and together. It was like a weird flashback."
"I bet. I think we sometimes take it for granted that we all ended up in the same hemisphere, but I truly cannot imagine having it any other way. I think moving back to Sydney was easier because of it."
"It's amazing. I never realised how much I had missed it all. It also made me realise how terrible I was at keeping in touch and that was all me."
"Well, you're here now. You get the option to take the motley crew or leave it. The door is always open to you." She assured him. She wanted him to know that he was always welcome but she didn't want him to feel obliged at the same time.
"Thank you. Lee pretty much said the same thing last night,"
"That Leland is a good egg, you can always count on him." She stated somewhat biasedly
"That he is. Ah Elizabeth,"
"Yes Jack,"
"Are we okay?" he asked uncertainly. Elizabeth bit her lower lip and let out a slow breath.
"Of course we are." She didn't need to ask why he was asking.
"I just,"
"Hey, were okay." She said once more wanting him to believe it, in truth wanting herself to believe it.
"There's no reason for us not to be Jack." And that was also the truth. No matter how the initial impact of his confession had her heart crashing down, there was no reason for them not to be friends.
"I'm glad, because you mean a lot to me Elizabeth."
Jack and Elizabeth talked for a little while longer before agreeing to meet at Abigail's Diner that afternoon for an early dinner. The moment she hung up, her phone rang again. Laughing she picked up,
"Leland, you have eery dog senses."
"I'll take that as a compliment."
"You always do. If you're checking how I am, I'm okay. As I said to Rosie, I had a head start. I guess it answers any questions I had about what could have been. That at the end of it all, he just didn't feel that way about me. It's humbling but it's also a definitive answer to a question that has always plagued me unanswered. It's better to know right?"
"Beth, I don't think your timing was right but I honestly believe Jack Thornton cared and cares about you."
"Oh Lee, I know he did and does. I have never doubted that. I just wasn't the one he was willing to risk it all for. To fight for you know?"
"Bea, I think you scared the pants off him. You were both still so young, and you had this amazing connection, one that remains unparalleled. There's that whole you came from an affluent family, and you had your whole life waiting for you back in Sydney."
"I would have given it all up Lee," she said in quiet confession.
"I know Bug."
"Anyhoo, moving on. Rosie said you guys have menu tasting tonight. That sounds fun."
"Yes, I'm looking forward to it. Slight segue, Rosie wants to invite Jack to her birthday. I assured her you would be cool with it, but throwing it out there."
"Of course I'm okay with it. You guys need to stop treating me like a delicate porcelain doll. So not necessary, especially when it comes to Jack. Please, treat him as you always have. I think he could use all the support he can get."
"Consider it done, but you can't blame us all for looking out for you."
"I know, and please please please know I appreciate it. But, I'm a big girl, I can take care of myself and that's in large part because I have all of you ready to catch me if I fall splat on my face."
"Always." He promised.
As the weeks came and went Jack had slipped into all their lives somewhat seamlessly. Most of all Elizabeth's. He had been officially initiated into her most important friendships and family. He and Auggie got along swimmingly and Elizabeth often teased them that they had traded her in for each other, which of course couldn't be farther from the truth. To everybody but Elizabeth, Jack looked at her as though she had hung the stars and moon.
Jack met her Dad early into his arrival and whilst he was protective of his middle daughter he was genuine and a lot more down to earth than what Jack had imagined him to be. A part of him felt incredibly foolish for the perceptions he had of Elizabeth's family simply because of their affluence. He should have known better because Elizabeth exuded nothing of arrogance or entitlement and if it hadn't been for someone outside their circle pointing out that she was Elizabeth Thatcher of Thatcher Industries, heiress to tycoon William Thatcher, he would never have made the connection.
With Elizabeth's help Jack had found the perfect place for himself, Logan and temporarily Tom. He had found a house by the water only fifteen minutes away from where Elizabeth lived. It had three bedrooms with enough room in the front yard for an active five year old. Jack had told Elizabeth how much Logan had loved the water and it was her idea to find something near the water. Luckily for Jack housing was subsidized therefore it gave him the opportunity to find just the right place. Nothing too big or extravagant, but homey. It was a crew effort. From shopping for furniture, to moving him in, to setting up Logan's room. They had all been a part of it. Jack knew how lucky he was to have such friends and it wasn't lost to him just how big of a part Elizabeth played in that.