Staying in between us
Chapter: Their Coming
Previously on Staying in between us...
"Elizabeth Thatcher! You are the most important person of my life. You mean the world to me. I know I didn't plan to find you but God had a better plan in mind. And I'm so glad he did. You are the best thing that's ever happen to me. Elizabeth Thatcher will you marry me?" Jack said on one knee while holding Elizabeth's hand.
Elizabeth smiled with tears in her eyes of happiness.
"Yes, I will marry you Jack Thornton" Elizabeth said as Jack stood up and kissed her.
After they were done Jack put the ring on Elizabeth's finger.
"I love you Elizabeth Thatcher"
"I love you too" Elizabeth smiling at Jack.
"Always" they both said with a laugh.
To be continued...
{Currently in hope Valley}
Three weeks later
The scarlet fever had past and the rest of the Hope Valley healed properly. Things were starting to go back to normal.
{At the jail house}
Doug decided to stay with Jack for a while. He took a couple weeks on leave from the Mounties.
"I wonder what Elizabeth is cooking tonight for dinner?" Jack asked out loud and more to himself.
"If it's anything compared to her burnt chicken I'm not sure I want to know" Doug laughed.
Jack laughed.
"She has got some better from when we first met" Jack said.
"I hope it's shepherd's pie. She makes a mean shepherd's pie just wait" Jack rubbing his stomach and thinking of the taste.
"Abigail's recipe?" Doug asked him while leading in the front of the desk.
"Yes" Jack laughed leading back in his chair.
"I think I'll eat at Abigail's tonight. I heard there is meatloaf tonight" Doug said looking up from his files of paper.
"You are always welcomed at Elizabeth's for dinner you know" Jack asked curious on why his friend is changing his mind.
"Well ever since I came I haven't gave you and Elizabeth a dinner alone yet. I don't want to intrude" Doug said looking at his papers that he had in his hands.
"You could never intrude! You are family" Jack told him.
"Well if you say so" Doug asked a little questionable.
"I know so. Don't think another thought about it" Jack told him while sipping his coffee.
Doug nodded his thanks.
After a couple of minutes of silence. Jack broke the quietness.
"Did you ever hear back from Mountie headquarters about the man we were looking for?" Jack standing up and walking towards the back room.
"No, I haven't. Maybe I should go back and see if I can find him again" Doug told him.
"Well if you do I'll come with you" Jack said coming back in the front down.
"I can't ask you to do that. You have a wedding to plan for remember?" Doug reminded him.
"Now Doug..." Jack started but was cut off by Doug.
"Nonsense you need to stay here with Elizabeth. I'll tell you what I find" Doug told him.
"This was my case too Douglas Burke. I would like to finish it" Jack said. Jack would only use his full name when Doug was in trouble or he was getting his attention.
"Jack. What will Elizabeth say? You just came back from something a couple of weeks ago" Doug trying to reason with him.
"Let me deal with Elizabeth. Trust me she will be okay with it. She knows this is my job" Jack said.
Doug was silent.
"When did you think of leaving?" Jack asked him.
"Beginning of next week" Doug told him. It was four days away.
"You'll need someone you can trust to protect your back" Jack spoke.
"Well if you could come it would be helpful" Doug said.
{At the schoolhouse}
"Four times four. Anyone know the answer?" Elizabeth asked while going through the math lesson.
Not many of her students liked math so most of the time they would get distracted by other things.
Cody raised his hand.
"Yes, Cody?" Elizabeth called on him.
"Sixteen" Cody answered.
"Correct very good Cody" Elizabeth told him.
"Now next one I need someone to come and do it on the chalkboard" Elizabeth said out loud.
"Hattie can you please come to the board and work this problem out?" Elizabeth asked her.
"Yes, Miss Thatcher!" Hattie replied and made her way up to the chalkboard.
Opal raised her hand then spoke before Elizabeth could answer for her to speak.
"Miss Thatcher! When will you and Mountie Jack get married?"
"Well Opal I think maybe we should get back to the..." Elizabeth was interrupted by another question. This time from Robert.
"Are you still going to be teaching us after you get married?" Robert asked worried.
"You have to Miss Thatcher I don't understand fractions yet" Philip said worried about it now.
"Who will be your replacement?" Harper asked her.
"I don't want another teacher" Opal frowned and hugged brownie.
"Settle down Children. We need to get back to our math lesson now" Elizabeth told them all.
"Are you leaving us, Miss Thatcher?" Hattie turned around from the chalkboard.
"I'm not leaving you guys. Once Mountie Jack and I get married I'll still be teaching. I wouldn't leave you guys" Elizabeth said.
"We love you too Miss Thatcher" Anna said standing up and giving Elizabeth a hug.
Now the rest of the class giving her a hug.
"Thank you. Now back to your seats everyone. You won't get out of this math lesson that easily" Elizabeth smiled.
"Aw" everyone sounded disappointed then laughed.
{At Lee's office}
Rosemary and Lee went back to their normal day to day tasks. Lee decided to take more time off during each day to spend time with Rosemary. Rosemary was having a lot of morning sickness and didn't feel like doing anything just yet in the mornings. Supposedly Rosemary was pregnant a week or two before they found out.
"I brought you lunch Lee" Rosemary said coming in the door.
"Yum! Smells good" Lee said as Rosemary put the basket down on the desk.
"How is working going?" Rosemary asked as she was setting everything out.
"Two more businesses want to work with us" Lee said picking up some fried chicken.
"That's wonderful Lee" Rosemary said giving him a hug.
Lee smiled.
"How has the sickness been this morning?" Lee asked her a little worried.
"Not as bad as yesterday" Rosemary trying to smile.
"Well that's good then" Lee trying to cheer her up.
Rosemary being so sick lately hasn't really been herself. She has been feeling terrible.
"If you mean feeling sick then yes much better" Rosemary said not very happy.
"I didn't mean that sweetheart. I just mean't it's good that it was not as bad as yesterday" Lee rubbing her shoulders.
Rosemary looking forward.
"Just trying to make you feel better" Lee told her.
"How about we go to Abigail's tonight for dinner? So you don't have to cook. Sound good?" Lee trying to cheer her up.
"That sounds nice" Rosemary told him with a little smile coming from her face.
"Great it's settled then" Lee said.
{At the jailhouse}
"I told Elizabeth I would meet her after school" Jack said standing up and going over to get his hat.
"That's okay. I need to go send a telegram again" Doug informed him.
"We will meet you at Abigail's" Jack told him.
Doug and Jack walked out of the jailhouse.
"Okay see you then" Doug said as he walked the opposite direction of Jack.
{In the woods}
Two robbers were now outside of Hope Valley. They couldn't afford two horses so they got a mule. The two men had to ride together. Which looked funny because it was a small mule.
"Are we almost there?" the man said behind his leader.
"We get there when we get there, Ed" the leader said.
One minute later.
"Are we there yet?" the man asked again.
"Well we are about as close as we were one minute ago, Ed" the leader said starting to get annoyed.
"How close is that then?" the man curious.
"You sound as bad as a little kid" the leader told his partner.
"Well are we there yet?" the man asked again.
"Surprisedly yes, we are there" the leader said trying to get off the mule.
"Okay let me get off first" the leader said.
Struggling to get off the horse he falls off and takes his partner with him.
"I said let me get off first" the leader mad at Ed his partner now.
"Sorry George" Ed told him.
"What is the plan? How we going to get in town?" Ed asked George the leader.
"Let me think" George put his hand to his chin and started rubbing it.
Ed looking around and spotting something.
"What is that, George?" Ed hitting the side of his arm to get his attention.
"Shhh. I'm trying to think on what to do" George not paying attention.
"George look" Ed still bothering him.
"Ed! If you don't get me time to think I won't know what to do" George turned around and faced him.
"Won't matter now. Look over there" Ed pointed.
George finally giving in and looked where Ed pointed at.
"Oh dear" George said worried.
{At the mercantile}
"Is that all you need constable?" Ned asked Doug.
"Yes, thank you for helping me" Doug said as he turned to leave.
"Oh constable. Can you give this letter to Jack for me?" Ned asked him before he left the store.
"Since I assume you are going to meet him now" Ned told him.
"Yeah of course" Doug said taking the telegram from Ned. And pushing it in his pocket.
Stepping outside he then takes the telegram from his pocket and starts to read it. Since it was from Mountie headquarters he knew it would be okay for him to read it. Jack would probably tell him about it later anyways.
Looking over it Doug looked up from the paper.
"Great" Doug said out loud.
{At the schoolhouse}
"Okay Children don't forget to do your homework tonight" Elizabeth told the children of the class.
Every student on the edge of their seats.
ready to leave and be in the fresh air.
"Class dismissed" Elizabeth said raising the cowbell and ringing it.
All the kids piling out of the classroom.
Jack then walking in the room while Elizabeth was cleaning her chalkboard.
"How was school?" Jack asked while walking towards her.
Elizabeth turning to face the voice from behind her.
"It went well. My students got a little distracted from math today" Elizabeth chuckled.
"Ah I see. I never liked math when I was a boy" Jack said remembering his school boy years. Then taking Elizabeth's hands in his.
"Doesn't mean it isn't important to learn. I have to find a way to make them more interested in the lesson" Elizabeth said thinking.
"Do examples of day to day things. Well take Cody he likes to play baseball so say there are four baseballs for one team and six for the second team. Let him figure it out by that" Jack suggested.
"That's a good idea" Elizabeth looked like a light bulb went off in her head.
"You get an A+ young man" Elizabeth smiling and laughing.
"I know what is better then an A+" Jack smiling with his dimples.
Elizabeth wondering what that could be.
"What is that?" Elizabeth asked curious herself.
"This" Jack said as he leaned in for a kiss.
Once they departed Elizabeth replied, "You're right again."
"You ready to go? I told Doug we would meet him at Abigail's" Jack said holding out his arm for Elizabeth to grab.
"Yep all ready!" Elizabeth said grabbing his arm.
On the way there Elizabeth was curious about something.
"Jack? Do you think Tom will be able to come to the wedding?" Elizabeth asked.
"I hope so. I think he will. He wouldn't want to miss it" Jack said wondering himself if he brother would come or be able to.
"I hope so too" Elizabeth said smiling at Jack.
"Have I mentioned I love you?" Jack smiling at her.
"Yes" Elizabeth squeezing his arm.
"Well I love you" Jack told her.
Before Elizabeth could reply Doug came up to them.
"Hey you two! Are you two ready to eat some lunch?" Doug laughed while patting Jack's back.
Jack looking over at Elizabeth to see if she was ready.
"I'm ready" Elizabeth said.
"Me too! Let's go" as they all headed inside.
Doug forgot about the telegram at first. So he didn't mention it while they were eating. All three of them were having a wonderful time when someone came running into the cafe.
"Constable" Hickam said out of breath.
"What's wrong Hickam?" Jack asked him.
"You have to come see this" Hickam said leading the way outside.
Jack, Doug, and Elizabeth followed him outside. A crowd of people were already outside looking up at it.
"Up there" Hickam pointed up towards the hills.
"What is that?" Elizabeth asked not knowing what they are looking at.
Before Jack or anyone could reply Gabe came running towards Jack now.
"Mountie Jack" Gabe said slowing down once he got to Jack.
"What's wrong?" Jack asked him worried.
"Their coming"
To be continued...