Chapter Twenty One

The sound of Mary squealing in delight rang through the yard, as Nick 'chased' her around the yard while Jarrod and Heath played with their daughters. Elizabeth sat with Nick's sister-in-laws and mother near the edge of the lawn. They were discussing how long it would be until the men brought the children back to them. That is, until the talk turned to babies.

"No," Teresa shook her head and smiled when Rebecca asked her if she and Heath were going to hire someone to take care of Isabella for a few months when the new baby came. "As the oldest of nine children, I can assure you I helped my mother plenty of times. Two children will seem like a piece of cake. What about you?" She grinned at Rebecca; her sister in law had just found out she was carrying her with first child, not counting the niece she and Jarrod had taken in.

"Jarrod and I have talked about it. After all, I'd like to get back to my work at the hospital and," Rebecca turned her head and smiled at Elizabeth, "No offense intended, as much as I would love to take you to San Francisco with us to watch Caroline and the new baby when it arrives, you belong in a city as much as bird belongs in a cage."

Elizabeth chuckled as she glanced towards her daughter, who had just 'tackled' Nick, and told Rebecca not to worry. "Why should I be upset?" Elizabeth told her, "It's no secret I don't like cities." She might have said more, only Mary ran up to the group and climbed upon her mother's lap; Nick wasn't far behind him, as were his brothers.

Victoria, thinking it might be time to go inside, stood up. "I think I'll go ask Silas if lunch is almost ready."

"Don't worry about us." Nick stopped his mother in her tracks, as she started to head for the house. "If Elizabeth has no objection, I'd like to take her and Mary out for lunch. After all, I won't be able to do it tomorrow… café's going to be closed on Christmas Eve and Christmas."

The fact that all eyes, including Mary's, went to Elizabeth made her feel rather uneasy. With no warning, she shocked everyone when she practically flew out of her chair and headed for the house while telling Nick she wanted to go home. "I'll get Mary's doll first; she left it inside."

"Elizabeth," Rebecca started to speak only to have Nick interrupt her as he gently guided Mary to Rebecca.

"Leave this to me." Nick said as he hurried after Elizabeth. Once he caught up with her, he said nothing until they were inside. Once the door was shut behind them, Nick stepped in front of Elizabeth, who was heading for the living room, and stopped her.

"Why are you going home? All I did was offer to take you and Mary to lunch." Nick, who had literally reached out and taken a hold of her shoulders, let his hands drop to his side. "What's wrong?"

Elizabeth sighed and walked over to the stairs that led up to the second floor and sat down on the third one up; Nick sat down beside her and waited for her to speak. Finally she turned her head and looked at him. "I felt as if four walls were closing in on me."

Nick felt a wave of guilt roll over him. He had thought he was doing pretty well at pacing the courtship. "I'm sorry; I didn't think I was going that fast or pushing you in anyway." His voice betrayed him and told Elizabeth how badly he felt.

"On no, Nick," she exclaimed and turned towards him a little bit more. "You're not pushing at all and, I admit, the patience you've been showing me is astounding considering how impatient you can be."

The compliment made him feel sort of strange only he appreciated knowing he was indeed making progress in that area. "Then why feel like that?" He laid his hands on her shoulders and asked with concern in his voice.

At first she didn't answer only, after a few rather stressful, silent, minutes, she let a huge sigh and said, "I should have said walls of fear. Nick," she looked at him, her eyes full of concern, "Everything's so perfect…you…your family…" she shook her head, "I can't get George and Agatha out of my mind. I can't stop seeing them showing up and doing heaven knows what."

For a split second Nick could have strangled the two people he'd never met as his mind replayed a scene from a mere two days ago.

"Hey!" Nick, who had been leaning back in a chair that was tilted up against the outside wall of the home Elizabeth and Mary were using; it was on the porch, opened his eyes and yelled as he felt his hat being taken off his head. His hollers turned to laughter as he saw Mary standing next to him…with his hat now on her head. Only problem was, it was halfway down the child's face. She squealed with delight as Nick sat the chair down and, reaching down, lifted her up onto his lap while readjusting his hat on her head. Needless to say, he had to keep one hand on the back of it to keep it from falling off. However, he was unprepared to hear the question that came out of the child's mouth as she looked at him.

"I know you and momma are only courting, and maybe you won't marry, but do you think I could still call your mother, Grandma? Mine hates me and momma. She does nothing but cause trouble for us any time she sees us."

"They're not family, nor are they friends." Nick put his hands on the side of Elizabeth's face, tilting it back just enough to make sure she was looking at him. "If they show up and do anything, I'll have no problem telling them where to go and how to get there." As he finished speaking, Nick found himself moving his face closer to hers. He might have succeeded in kissing her, as Elizabeth was not fighting him, only the front door swung open and a six and a half child bounded into the foyer and plopped in between them…never once noticing she'd interrupted anything.

"What's for lunch?" Mary looked up at her mother and Nick with one of her innocent looks on her face.

Nick couldn't help it, he looked from Elizabeth to Mary and then back to Elizabeth and busted up laughing…as did Elizabeth. Their reaction naturally got a scowl out of Mary as she asked the question again. The only answer she got was her mother and Nick standing up and telling her they'd have to wait and see what Silas had prepared. Then they took her hands towards the dining room while they were swinging her back and forth…the whole time they were looking at each other and laughing. Needless to say their behavior gave Victoria, who had just come out of the kitchen, and the rest of Nick's family, who came into the house just as Nick, Elizabeth and Mary headed for the dining room, cause for more than a few words later on that evening.