Monday morning Kate opened her eyes to noise downstairs. She was still in Elizabeth's bed, her sister asleep next to her as Kate sat up. The humming coming up the stairs told her whoever was in their house was probably more friend then foe. Kate wrapped her shawl around her against the early morning making her way softly down the stairs.
"Rosemary" Kate smiled seeing their friend moving about their kitchen.
"Good morning darling! You know I could't sleep last night, I was up before the sun and I was thinking of ways to make myself useful and I thought 'what better way then to go make breakfast for the Thatcher Girls." Rosemary smiled greeting her.
"It smells wonderful" Kate grinned going to watch the bacon frying in the pan on the stove.
"Yes, well I know Elizabeth's cooking skills are still subpar and with you girls both back to school today and everything you went through yesterday I thought you could use a nice hot, not burnt breakfast." Rosemary said. Kate choose, as she often did to ignore the little jabs Rosemary may added about Elizabeth's cooking. Over the years Kate had learned that Rosemary had a big heart and a willingness to help, she just sometimes rambled so much she didn't think about her words before she said them.
"Thank you, I should go wake Elizabeth up she's going to be late for her first day back" Kate said frowning a little that Elizabeth was still asleep, she was usually the first one awake in the morning.
"How is she? The poor dear I can't imagine what she's going through." Rosemary shook her head sadly, and there was the loving side to her.
"Good Morning" They both turned to see Elizabeth coming down the stairs offering them a smile.
"Ahh! There she is! Our brave and noble teacher! I made you breakfast! Start your day on the right foot and all that." Rosemary smiled sweeping back to the stove piling a plate full of eggs and bacon and toast.
"Thank you! My you have out done yourself. Did you make Lee's breakfast already too?" Elizabeth asked.
"Oh! Oh Lee!" Rosemary cried her eyes going wide as she covered her mouth. Kate giggled watching her.
"Rosemary, did you forget about Lee?" Elizabeth asked raising her eyebrows.
"I… I suppose I did." Rosemary sighed.
"Take him a plate, we can't eat all of this anyway." Kate said handing Rosemary another plate full of food before turning back to fill her own.
"Thank you! I should run, he's going to be wondering where I am, I will see you girls later" Rosemary waved as she headed to the door.
"Bye, Thank you!" Kate and Elizabeth called after her as Rosemary closed the door behind her and they both looked at each other laughing a little.
"Ready for your first day back at school?" Kate asked putting a bite in her mouth as Elizabeth absentmindedly shuffled food around her plate.
"I am, I can't want to be back in the classroom." Elizabeth nodded.
"Not hungry?" Kate asked watching her continue to play with her food and not eat it.
"I guess I'm just anxious to get back into the classroom." Elizabeth sighed taking a sip of her tea.
"And worried about Jack?" Kate asked softly watching her.
"Yes" Elizabeth sighed after taking a deep breath.
"Me too" Kate whispered.
"Well, worrying will do us no good, we have a big day ahead of us, chores to do, school to attend, a dog to feed" Elizabeth smirked looking down at Rip who was watching her waiting for her to drop a bit.
"I'll feed him" Kate said standing up.
"No, you finish your breakfast. I will, but if Rosemary asks, I ate this." Elizabeth said.
"Of course" Kate nodded.
"Here boy, come on" Elizabeth called patting her leg as Rip trotted after her out the back door.
"There Rip, you spoiled thing." Elizabeth emptied her plate into his food dish. Rip looked up at her whining.
"You can't eat either huh?" Elizabeth knelt down rubbing Rip's ears as he placed his head in her lap.
"I know, we miss him too." Elizabeth sighed.
"I'm dressed, I will meet you at school" Kate called hurrying down the stairs as Elizabeth came back in a few minutes.
"It's so early" Elizabeth glanced at the grandfather clock before noticing Laura standing by the door waiting for Kate.
"Good Morning Miss Thatcher." Laura grinned.
"Good morning Laura, where are you girls off to so early?"
"Just going for a walk" Kate said pulling on her boats.
"It's cold" Elizabeth frowned a little. It was early October, frost was on the grass and the the air was cold until a few hours later when she sun was all the way up.
"Please?" Kate asked.
"Alright, wear your coat, see you at school. If you get cold go to Abigail." Elizabeth said.
"Thanks, see you later" Kate grinned grabbing her coat as she and Laura hurried out.
An hour later Elizabeth made her own way to school with Rip trailing behind her. As they walked through town Elizabeth was surprised to not see any children playing or making their way to school. Rip went over to Jack's office laying down on the porch.
"Good morning" Abigail smiled coming out of the cafe.
"Morning, where is everyone today?" Elizabeth asked walking up to the porch where Abigail was sweeping.
"Oh you know children, they are probably all playing in the woods, how are you today?"
"Fine"
"Elizabeth, we both know that's far from the truth." Abigail said softly.
"He said he probably had three days of travel before he got there. He's not in any real danger yet. I'm mostly just tired, I feel like I have lived a while year in just a few days." Elizabeth sighed.
"You certainly did." Abigail nodded.
"I should get to school, find out where all my students are" Elizabeth said.
"I will walk with you." Abigail nodded as they made their way to the school house.
"Where are they?" Elizabeth wondered again surprised to not find any children playing in the school yard as she opened the door to the school house.
"Surprise!" Voices called out making Elizabeth jump. She was greeted by all her students and Rosemary. The room was decorated, Welcome Back was written across the board.
"Welcome back!" Anna cried.
"We missed you" Emily grinned
"I missed you all too!" Elizabeth smiled trying to hold back the tears in her eyes as she smiled at all her children.
"We know we have to do school work, but we wanted to have a little party for you." Gabe said.
"The children did this all on their own." Rosemary smiled.
"We don't want you to be sad about Mountie Jack" Opal said.
"Well, I am very happy now that I am with all of you" Elizabeth assured her.
"So? We can have a party?" Kate asked raising her eyebrows.
"Well, we can't let these perfectly good cookies go to waste." Elizabeth smiled.
"Hurry!" Everyone cried.
A week went by, then another. Things were starting to fall into a routine even if it did feel wrong without Jack. Elizabeth found her thought often drifted to him whenever there was a quiet moment. She was constantly worrying and thinking about him. As a result she tried to stay busy, school took up most of her day, and she spent her afternoons helping Abigail or chatting with Rosemary or spending time with Kate. Evenings were the worst. Dinner and the hours after had become time they enjoyed spending with Jack. He was often over to eat with them and then playing a game with Kate, chatting with Elizabeth and just spending time together. Now there evenings were quiet, as if they had forgotten how to fill their time without Jack.
"Are you going to start writing again?" Kate asked as she sat on the couch reading her book glancing over at Elizabeth's type writer sitting on her desk.
"I guess I'm just waiting to be inspired." Elizabeth sighed finishing the dishes as she went to join Kate. Rip got up from his bed by the stove with a little moan before laying back down at their feet. There was a fire in the stove as they seemed to gather together, hunkering down for another evening without Jack.
"Did you stop by the mercantile today?" Kate asked.
"Yes, I think Mr Yost is starting to take pity on my the amount of times I ask him if theres a letter." Elizabeth sighed.
"Everyone understands." Kate said.
"I just wish we would hear from him. That he's safe." Elizabeth sighed. They had both written Jack two letters I the past two weeks but had heard nothing back.
"I'm sure we will when he can write. He's busy right? He didn't go up there on vacation." Kate said.
"I know, so, what are we going to do for your birthday?" Elizabeth asked.
"I don't really feel like celebrating much to be honest." Kate shrugged.
"All the more reason to celebrate! We can have a party at Abigail's, all the kids from school. Bill, Rosemary, Lee, Faith.."
"Chocolate cake?" Kate asked.
"Chocolate cake" Elizabeth grinned.
"Good Afternoon Mr Yost." Kate said walking into the mercantile.
"Ahh Miss Thatcher!"
"I don't suppose there's any mail?" Kate asked. Either she or Elizabeth had been into the store twice a week the past two weeks asking.
"Actually, there is." Mr Yost smiled reaching into their cube and handing it to her. Kate instantly recognized the hand writing before even looking at the return address.
"It's Jack" Kate grinned.
"I thought that would make you happy" Mr Yost smiled.
"Thank you!" Kate cried as she hurried from the store running down the street.
"Elizabeth! Elizabeth!" Kate yelled running back to the school where Elizabeth was finishing cleaning up after the day.
"Elizabeth there's a letter!" Kate yelled and Elizabeth was already out of the school house hurrying down the steps as Kate was still running across the field.
"There's a letter from Jack" Kate grinned handing her the envelope as Elizabeth opened it pulling out two pieces of paper.
"Here" she said handing one to Kate with her name on it taking the other with her own name. Just seeing Jack's familiar hand writing make her feel so much better. They silently retreated to separate side of the school house to read their letters. Elizabeth felt her heart lighten as she read what Jack had wrote. He didn't say much about what he was doing there, just that he missed her and loved her and was looking forward to their wedding and coming home to her. It was short and sweet but everything she needed. Elizabeth glanced back at Kate who was smiling as she closed her own letter.
"What was your about?" Elizabeth asked.
"He told me about a joke he heard in camp that I'm not supposed to repeat to you." Kate said making Elizabeth chuckle despite herself. Had Jack been home she would have had stern words with him, but now, it just made him thankful Jack and Kate had the relationship they did.
"And he said to take care good care of Rip and that he would be home when he could." Kate finished.
"I miss him." Elizabeth sighed.
"Me too." Kate nodded softly
"Come on, Abigail wanted us to have dinner with them." Elizabeth forced a smile onto her face.
"Do you think Jack will be home by Christmas?" Kate asked.
"I don't know. It's already middle of October, I think we probably shouldn't count on it." Elizabeth said softly gathering her books.
"But, we haven't had Christmas without Jack in four years. You two were supposed to finally make it to the Mountie Ball this year." Kate frowned.
"Jack needs to do his job, there will be other years." Elizabeth shrugged as they stepped down the stairs leaving the school house behind.
"Sometimes, I think you are just as brave as Jack is" Kate said softly glancing up at her.
Elizabeth just gave a little smiled as they made their way into town.