Grandpa and Grandma Thatcher had insisted that Cody and Becky stay for the duration of the Thornton's visit so that Abigail and Frank would not have to travel all the way to Hamilton just to pick them up. Though for the most part it was to give the newlyweds some time to adjust to each other as a married couple before taking on full time co-parenting. Thought Abigail missed the kids, she was grateful for the time the Thornton's and the Thatcher's were giving them to enjoy their first weeks of marriage without having to navigate kids too, regardless how much they loved both loved them.
After talking to her parents and Jack at length, they had decided to renew their vows before they headed back home to Hope Valley. Frank, Abigail, Rosemary, Lee, Clara, Bill, Charlotte, Carson and Faith were making the trip to Hamilton for the wedding.
It meant it only gave them a couple of weeks to finalise everything, but Elizabeth admitted to Jack she liked that part as it meant there was no time for it to be blown out into a huge thing.
She had asked Clara if she would be willing to design her wedding gown. What she didn't know was that Clara had already designed and made her wedding gown knowing that one day her friend would need it.
Jack spent considerable time with his in laws, with and without Elizabeth. She appreciated that he was making an effort to get to know not only her parents, but also her sisters. Julie was especially fond of him and vice versa. She had always longed for a brother, and Jack slipped easily into that role for her. He looked out for her, and he also kept her in line. It amused Elizabeth that her husband grounded her little sister in a subtle and loveable way. In the same heartbeat Julie brought out the silliness out of her upstanding Mountie. During their trip she had caught him in several instances engaged in teasing banter with Julie and Becky who often joined forces to torture him. Their trip had also given he and Cody a chance to reconnect. By the third week, they were back to being inseparable as they were before he had left for the Northern Territories.
"Hey Sweetheart, where's your entourage?" he asked dropped a kiss on her head before sitting beside her on the couch as she read in the library. Kenzie was in a bassinet asleep beside her.
"You mean the little girl's entourage?" she replied with a chuckle eliciting a laugh from Jack.
"You make a valid point, but yes. Why are you two hiding out in the library?"
"Do you really need to ask?" she said dryly,
"Wedding?"
"Yes, if I get asked one more time about what kind of place settings I want, and whether I want a long or a short train veil, I may just elope…hang on, we have already done that. Why did we agree to partake in this wedding?" she wondered out loud.
"Because you deserve a wedding, and your parents deserve to walk their middle child down the aisle and throw her a celebration." He answered as he draped an arm around her shoulder. Elizabeth settled into the crook of his arm as she lay her head on his shoulder,
"Must you always be so reasonable? Remember the good old days when you were on my side? Before you became BFF's with my father and had my mother succumbing to your boyish charms?" she teased.
"Hey," Jack protested.
"You know they like you better than they like me these days?"
"Not possible, you birthed the Princess of this manor."
"Well I'm glad that will always get me through the line." She retorted.
"What else do we need to make decisions on? How can I help?" Elizabeth draped an arm around his middle,
"You can stay right here and keep me warm."
"Well that I can do."
The last weeks had been good for them. The journals had opened a door of communication for them both. It gave them windows to ask each other questions. Jack had many questions about her pregnancy, despite how detailed her journal entries were. She appreciated that he wanted to know every moment and every detail he missed. At night when he rocked Kenzie to sleep he would.
He cried as he read her account of the accident. She wrote him whilst she lay vigil beside Abigail fearing that the she would lose her best friend. She admitted to him that she didn't think she was strong enough to entertain the thought of losing Abigail and his absence. Her entries were raw and honest, whilst he always knew she was a great writer, her journal entries only made him be even more at awe at her.
"Have you asked Lee to be your best man?" she asked knowing Lee was his first choice.
"I was going to wait until they got here. I was going to ask Tom, but a part of me feels like I would be doing that because he's my brother, but it's Lee who fits the title in my life."
"I'm sure Tom will understand,"
"Have you decided who your Maid or Matron of honour will be?"
"Yeah, I am going to ask Rosemary. Abigail was at our real wedding. I know she won't mind."
"Will your sisters be okay with that?"
"Rosemary was there when Kenzie was born. She held my hand and talked me through it. Not just as I was delivering our daughter, but every day you were gone. It was Rosemary who was screaming at me when I passed out after Kenzie. I was bleeding out, Abigail was looking after Kenzie and Rosemary stayed with me. She refused to let me go. She refused to let me give into the exhaustion." Jack's arms tightened around her. Elizabeth never talked about her childbirth and he knew it was because she didn't want him to feel bad. The journals had helped with making that easier.
"I love my sisters, but Rosemary and Abigail they're my sisters too. With all that we face together in Hope Valley…Rosemary is who I want to stand beside me on our wedding day here at Hamilton,"
"Well if there was anything to absolve us from not including them in our first marriage ceremony this would do it." He teased.
"Thank heavens for that. I honestly cannot hear about it anymore for the rest of our lives.
On the week of the wedding Abigail, Frank, Rosemary and Lee arrived days earlier than everyone else. Elizabeth knew that Abigail was beginning to pine for her children.
"Mom!" Cody called out excitedly as he flew out of the front door followed closely by Becky who also missed her.
"Welcome," Elizabeth greeted. She and Rosemary shared an embrace while Lee held Mary Beth who quickly reached out to Elizabeth,
"Hi Aunty Elizabeth's little firefly. I've missed you." She said taking the little girl into her arms giving Lee a kiss on the cheek. After Abigail had hugged both her kids hello she hugged both Jack and Elizabeth.
"Where's my little muffin?"
"Well it's nice to see you too Abigail," Elizabeth teased as Frank dropped a kiss on top of her head.
"It is nice to see you Elizabeth, you too Jack…but where's my little muffin?" They all laughed as they made their way into the Thatcher Manor.
The Thatcher Manor was big enough to house all that were attending from Hope Valley, and there was always the guest house for anyone else who came and wanted to stay. The Coulter's and now Hogan's would be staying in the Manor, as would Charlotte upon her arrival. Faith and Clara would be sharing a room, Carson, and Bill in another. Out of respect to Julie, Tom and his wife had insisted on staying elsewhere
Elizabeth and Rosemary went to feed their daughters whilst everyone caught up waiting for lunch to be ready.
"It seems the time away has been good for the both of you," Rosemary observed,
"Yes, it has been. We've been talking a lot. Being here has really helped us to come together as Jack and Elizabeth the married couple. As you can imagine my parents are making the most of having Kenzie here leaving us with a lot of time to be together and really talk. I gave him the journal," both Abigail and Rosemary knew about the journal. They had been privy to her writing in it in their presence.
"I'm so happy to hear that Lizzie. You two love each other so much. You just needed to learn how to be married together instead of apart and fill in the gaps in between."
"Rosie, I wanted to ask you a favour."
"Of course,"
"Would you be my matron of honour?" Rosemary stopped still and looked up at her friend,
"Elizabeth, I would be honoured. Are you sure?" she couldn't help but ask,
"I couldn't imagine anyone else standing beside me as I say I do to Jack before our family and friends."
"Abigail, your sisters?"
"No, I choose you Rosie." She said definitively bringing tears to Rosemary's eyes. Wordlessly she drew Elizabeth into an embrace,
"Nothing would make me happier than to stand beside you on your special day."
As they joined the others for lunch she gave Jack a quick nod as if to let him know that she and Rosemary have had the talk. Jack walked over to Rosemary and draped an arm around her shoulder giving her a brief side hug.
"Thank you Rosie, for everything."
"No thank you necessary Jack." Jack nodded and dropped a kiss on her temple before heading over to Abigail to take Kenzie from her.
"It's so lovely to have you visit again Abigail." Grace said as she passed her the rolls.
"It's nice to be back, and for such a special occasion."
After putting the babies down for a nap and leaving them to the capable hands of their fathers Elizabeth, Rosemary and Abigail headed out for the afternoon. Abigail and Elizabeth waited for Rosemary at a café as she finished a purchase for Lee in the store nearby.
"I asked Rosie to stand beside me as my Matron of Honour." Elizabeth said as she sipped her tea.
"Oh Elizabeth, she must be so pleased. I know how close you two have gotten,"
"So it's okay with you?" she said hesitantly,
"Of course it is. I understand. Besides, I think it would be greedy to want to be your Matron of Honour when I was already your Maid of Honour."
"Well when you put it that way,"
"Elizabeth, we don't need a role to be at your wedding. Being there is all we care about. Rosie too. Are you sure it's going to be okay with your sisters?"
"Well to be honest picking someone else as a Maid of Honour means they're not fighting over and about it. They'll both be bridesmaids along with Clara and Becky."
"Both of whom are very excited to be a part of your wedding. You know Clara and Rosemary designed your wedding dress after Jack left. They knew that your parents would insist upon holding a ceremony for you so they thought they would sketch out a wedding dress for you. Then as months passed they started working on it. I think for them it was a way to keep the faith that he would return. After he returned, they had put the finishing touches to it. So when you sent the telegram to say that you and Jack were looking to renew your vows in Hamilton, they were both quite excited."
"I was wondering how she finished a dress so quickly. I can't wait to see it"
"You're going to love it. You're going to make a beautiful bride."
"Oh Abigail, I am so glad you're going to be there." Abigail swallowed and nodded knowing the root of Elizabeth's sentiment.
"Me too,"
"Will you walk Kenzie down the aisle for me?"
"I would be honoured to. She's going to make an incredibly cute flower girl."
"You of course are not at all biased or anything."
"Not at all."
On the eve before the wedding Jack was sent to room with Tom for the night forbidden to see Elizabeth until the church, which amused Elizabeth to no end as he watched his face and whole demeanour protest. Unfortunately, as it was her father who suggested it, there would be no arguing. They had gone for a walk after dinner. With her arm looped through his they lapped that garden.
"Is it weird that it feels like we are actually getting married for the first time tomorrow? I mean we've been married for over a year, we have a little girl, but as tomorrow approaches I have butterflies in my stomach. You'll be waiting for me at the altar right?"
"Try and stop me," he replied drawing her into an embrace.
"Whilst we are married, I am really glad you are getting the wedding you dreamed of. I know how much it means to you to have your parents there. To have your father walk you down that aisle. How important it is for him to do that for you. I cannot imagine not being able to do that for Kenzie."
"I'm so glad you two have gotten to know each other better. I always knew you would end up loving each other if you both just gave the other a chance."
"He's quite remarkable, I can see where his daughter gets it from."
"I'm really glad I get to marry you again." She replied standing on her toes to kiss his forehead.
"Thank you for agreeing to marry me again,"
As he walked Elizabeth back to their room he laughed as Rosie and Abigail were there waiting for her.
"Should I be offended that you two had no faith in me that I would successfully drop my WIFE off at her door and leave her there."
"No, because it just means we know you. Now enjoy the rest of your evening. I believe Mr Thatcher and the rest of the men are waiting for you downstairs."
"That sounds fun. Alright, goodnight wife."
"Goodnight husband. I love you."
"I love you Elizabeth Grace Thornton."
"I should hope so, because you're already married to me," she replied teasingly as he drew her into one last embrace before releasing her for an evening with her friends.