Chapter 10: Back to School
A few weeks later- Jan 1916
A new year had arrived and in another week Elizabeth would be back in the classroom with her students. Today she decided to work on lesson plans up through the end of the school year so that way when the time came for her to leave in a few months lessons plans would be ready to give to whoever she choose to sub for her while she was at home awaiting the arrival of her baby. She would be good to go back to teaching in the fall since she was due in June and the school year started in September which gave her plenty of time to figure out a plan. After breakfast she got to work at her desk and after working for a while she decided that she would need to go to the mercantile to buy some supplies she would need for Monday when she went back to school. When she got to the mercantile she picked up what she needed then she inquired about the order she had placed last night for the baby items and Mr. Yost said;
"Mrs. Thornton your order will be here in a few days" Mr. Yost said
"Thank you, when it arrives could you possibly deliver it to the house" Elizabeth responded
"Of course that should not be a problem" Mr. Yost replied
After finishing that errand Elizabeth set off for home to continue planning for school before calling it a day and started to make dinner for Jack and herself and going to bed early.
A week later- A New School Segment Starts
Elizabeth woke up happy as today she would be seeing her students again today. She wondered if anyone would notice any difference in her now that it was pretty clear she was showing and it was noticeable. Elizabeth was about a week away from being four months in and she was enjoying it so far now that her morning sickness had gone away a few weeks ago and she was back to her normal self. Elizabeth knew that today would also be the day that Jack would start working for Lee at the sawmill. He had told her that when he got home months earlier he had resigned as a Mountie so he could enjoy their life together and she would not have to worry about him anymore and she was excited that he would always be safe from now on and be around for a longtime.
After they had eaten breakfast, just like Jack did every morning he walked her to school, but for the next couple of months he would be doing this as a precaution since she was now carrying their child and she got there safely without any incident. He would also pick her up after school as well. He knew it must be a fatherly instinct of some sort as well as a loving husband being concerned for his wife's safety, Jack thought to himself as he walked his wife Elizabeth to school before heading to report to Lee at the mill.
As soon as Elizabeth got to school she went straight to the chalkboard and wrote the first assignment on the board along with a welcome back message for her students. After she did that she picked up her cow bell and opened the door to the school house. Elizabeth had already noticed her students were catching up outside with each other. Soon Elizabeth rang the bell to gather her students inside and welcomed them back as they walked past her into the school house to take their seats. After everyone had entered she closed the door and walked to the front to get started for the day. As soon as she turned to address her class Opal raised her hand and said;
"Mrs. Thornton, something looks different about you" Opal said in her sweet voice that Elizabeth loved
" Thank you Opal as a matter a fact there is, can anyone else tell as well" Elizabeth asked her class and almost everyone raised their hands.
"Wow, you are indeed the most observant students I have" Elizabeth said, so she told her class what to expect in a few months from now
"In a few months I will be leaving to stay home for a while, but I will be back in the fall" Elizabeth tells her students
"Why, Mrs. Thornton" the children said all at once
"because, I will be home caring for my own child for a while" Elizabeth told her class, as she places her hand on her showing bump
"Are you having Mountie Jack's baby" Emily asked
"Yes, Emily me and Mountie Jack are having a baby" Elizabeth replies
"I will be leaving in April and you will have a sub until summer break" Elizabeth tells her class
"Do you have to leave us with a Sub Mrs. Thornton" Cody asked
"Yes I do, but I will make sure they will be patient with you and it will be someone from town" Elizabeth replies.
Once the questions from her students were out of the way she told them that for their first assignment to write a short paragraph in their copy books about their Christmas Holiday which you will then tell the class about later on .
Meanwhile at the sawmill Jack was learning from Lee about his new job working for his friend in order to support his wife and soon to be child on the way. Jack was so happy and looking forward to becoming a dad in a few months. He and Elizabeth have had countless discussions about children while dating. He could remember every single one and now their dreams were finally going to come true in a few months. He could hardly wait. He knew he wanted to not only be the best Husband, but he wanted to be a great dad as well. He also knew Elizabeth would be a great mother as he had seen her with the children she taught and she loved them and they loved her. He knew she would love their child just as much as the children she taught.
Meanwhile at school Elizabeth's students were slowly getting back into the school day routine. As the day went on her students kept asking her questions about the baby each time she would walk by their seats to check on their progress as they worked on their assignments. Elizabeth tried her best to answer their questions as best as she could. Pretty soon the school day was over and Elizabeth dismissed her students to go home. As she was straighten up her desk and gathering up her things Jack comes to escort her home, but first she says to her Husband;
"Jack, I first need to go to the mercantile to inquire about items I ordered for our little one last month then we can go home" Elizabeth said
"Okay don't take too long, I am sure you are tired after a long day of teaching" Jack replies
"I won't Jack, I will be quick" Elizabeth responds
As soon as they get to the mercantile Elizabeth goes inside and inquiries about the items she had ordered last month and Mr. Yost says they have arrived and asks;
"would you like them delivered in a short while" Mr. Yost asks
"yes how about in an hour or two" Elizabeth asks
"Of course Mrs. Thornton, see you later" Mr. Yost replies
After finishing up her conversation with Mr. Yost Elizabeth and Jack go home and she takes a little nap. After she wakes up from her nap Mr. Yost arrives with the items she had ordered for the baby and Jack helps him unload them and bring up to the nursery so that Jack can assemble them later on and Elizabeth puts up the baby clothes until storage can be put together. After helping Mr. Yost unload the items Jack offers to make dinner so Elizabeth can rest for the night and she accepts Jacks offer which Elizabeth enjoys being cared for so well by her sweet husband. Elizabeth knows Jack would do anything for her and he does because they love each other for one another no matter what it is. They knew from the moment they met that they were meant for each other, but they did not know it yet, until a year later after they had met five years ago.
After dinner Elizabeth decides to take a nice long bubble bath and to relax before spending some time with Jack for some one on one time since they only have a few months before they won't have much alone time once their child is born Elizabeth knows before bed. Every time Jack sees his beautiful pregnant wife he falls in love at the sight of her over again because it makes him happy to see her and he loves that they are starting their own family just like they had always talked about. He knows their child will just be beautiful because they made it together. As soon as she gets into the bed Jack does his nightly ritual of talking to Elizabeth's growing belly which is now showing and says;
"we can't wait to meet you little one, we already love you so much" Jack says as Elizabeth smiles at how sweet her husband is as she watches him talk to their growing baby inside her, which makes her happy then they drift off to sleep.