Hello! I hope you enjoy this latest chapter! :-)
Chapter 18
At Abigail's Café, the six women sat in a corner with two tables pushed together eating lunch and chatting amicably. Clara had asked Julie to sit next to her so they could catch up. Julie congratulated Clara on her nuptials and gushed over her ring. When Clara had asked about her status, Julie shared she had a suitor, but she wasn't sure he was the right one.
"You want to make certain you have found 'the one'," Clara agreed.
"Definitely. I mean, if I could find someone like my sister found Lucas, I would be so happy."
"I'm glad you like him. I like him, too. I'm so happy for Elizabeth. I think they are wonderful together."
Julie sighed. "They are. I'm happy for her, too. They are so in love when they are together."
"You know Elizabeth caught the bouquet at my wedding, so…"
Julie sighed again. "My sister's life is so exciting right now. I would have never thought after Jack died she could be this happy and thriving the way she is. I'm thrilled for her."
Clara nodded. "I think we all are."
"And you found love again. It's all just so wonderful."
"Have you ever thought about living here?" Clara asked. "Maybe you would find your forever love if you moved here. It certainly doesn't sound like Hamilton is leading you towards your destiny."
"I don't know about living here. I'm not sure my sister would approve or my parents for that matter," she said and laughed. "But I love to visit and see everyone and meet new people," she said, motioning to Fiona who had been half-listening to their conversation while also trying to remain engaged in conversation with the other women.
"You are Little Jack's godmother," Clara said. "You would have a reason to be closer to Elizabeth and him."
"I suppose. I haven't really thought about it. I do like some of the advantages living in Hamilton provides for me. I think I'm okay as long as I can visit here often. Especially if Elizabeth and Lucas are together. I would like to see more of them, along with Little Jack. It was nice seeing and chatting with Bill earlier, too."
The talk at the table went silent when Carson walked in with Lucas's uncle, and they chose to sit at a table off to the side near a window.
"Who is that with Carson?" Rosemary asked, sounding almost indignant she didn't know who the man was.
"That's Lucas's uncle," Julie replied. "He is so nice."
"So that's the uncle Carson mentioned," Fiona said approvingly.
Clara could definitely see the family resemblance and smiled.
"I can't believe I didn't know about this," Rosemary said.
Florence and Molly nodded their heads, too.
Where had Lucas been keeping this handsome man?
"He just arrived a couple of days ago," Julie explained.
"Carson met him because he saw them at the saloon," Fiona added. "How nice he invited him to lunch."
"Well, we absolutely must meet this man," Rosemary declared.
Florence and Molly agreed.
Julie caught Molly giving him more than one covert look and smiled to herself. She could not blame the woman one bit.
After they ordered, Carson leaned across the table to speak softly.
"Don't look now, but I think we've drawn attention to ourselves or rather you have drawn the attention of those nice ladies sitting in that corner."
Ernie could see the women and recognized Julie.
"I see Elizabeth's sister, but who are those other lovely ladies?"
"The one talking who looks very animated is Rosemary Coulter. She is Elizabeth's next-door neighbor."
"Her husband is Lee."
"Yes, that's correct. Have you met him?"
"No, I haven't had the pleasure, but Lucas talked about him in very glowing terms."
"They are a great couple, and they help Elizabeth a lot."
"That's what Lucas said."
"The lady with the long hair and lovely smile is Clara Flynn. She just got married recently. Her husband Jesse works with Lee. They are a great young couple as well. The dark-haired lady is my current assistant Fiona Miller. She used to be our telephone operator and did a magnificent job installing our telephones and running our switchboard, but now that's being done by the other two ladies, Florence Blakeley and Molly Sullivan, who has the red hair. I guess one of them is on her lunch break from the switchboard."
"Molly Sullivan," Ernie said. "Sounds like a lovely name. And Fiona is the one Mike has had lunch with. He mentioned her name to me in passing."
Carson smiled. "You seem to be very familiar with some of the people in Hope Valley. Good for you."
"My nephew has spoken very highly about a few of them, including you. I am very pleased he seems so settled here."
"He did raise a few eyebrows and made a few heads shake when he first got here," Carson admitted. "And here's one of them now."
Bill arrived at their table and set their plates down in front of them.
"Hi, Bill. To what do we owe this personal service? Oh, wait. I bet I know. You want to know who this fine gentleman is, don't you?
Bill looked in Ernie's direction. "I do like to meet and greet new customers."
"Of course, you do," Carson said. "Bill Avery, this is Ernest Bouchard. Ernest Bouchard, Bill Avery."
"Bouchard?" Bill queried. "You must be a relative of Lucas's."
"Indeed. I am his uncle."
"I see," he said, his gaze narrowing.
"Is that a problem?" Ernie asked, noticing his reaction.
"Your nephew," Carson explained, "bought out the saloon from under Bill. I don't think he's ever quite forgiven him for that. Isn't that right, Bill?"
"Oh, my," Ernie said. "I can see where that might cause some friction between you and my nephew. But this appears to be a thriving establishment, so you must be doing well despite not owning the saloon."
"I help run the café," Bill said, "but I don't own it. I also happen to be Hope Valley's judge and former sheriff, so any issues I may have with your nephew are not solely because he bought the saloon."
"I hope he hasn't been in legal trouble," Ernie said.
"I'm assuming, since you are his uncle, you know about Gowen Petroleum."
"I know a little about it," Ernie said, not wanting to say too much until he'd had an opportunity to ask Lucas more about this Bill Avery.
"Well, let's just say your nephew is lucky he didn't end up involved in a trial with Henry that could have gone very badly for both of them if some information had not been uncovered that changed the outcome. Unfortunately, that information also shed new light on just how ruthless Henry Gowen can be when he's doing business. If you have any influence over Lucas, I would advise you to tell him to find someone else to partner with. Enjoy your meal, gentlemen."
Bill left; Ernie shook his head.
"Sounds like he doesn't know the latest about Henry or Lucas."
"We haven't said too much to the townspeople. I think most of them are aware Henry left town, but they don't know about his medical condition."
"Lucas told me everything, including what Bill said to him about Henry. I am sorry my nephew is involved in all of this, but I vowed to do everything I can to help him. I will ask him about Bill. He doesn't seem to care for Lucas. I wonder if the feeling is mutual."
"From what I've seen, I don't think Lucas has much of a problem with Bill, but he knows Bill isn't fond of him, so I think he just tries to steer clear of him."
"Sometimes," Ernie said, sounding as though he were speaking from experience, "that is the wisest thing someone can do. If my nephew has learned that lesson, I am grateful."
If Elizabeth had any thought of trying to get some sleep, Lucas's words snapped her wide awake. She sat up on the settee, trying not to let panic set in.
"Wait? What? Lucas, how did I lose track of the days? Your mother cannot be arriving tomorrow. You're teasing me, right? You just wanted me to be alert. Okay, I'm alert. Lucas, please tell me you are kidding."
With gentle fingers, he brushed the hair away from her worried eyes. "Judging by the look on your face, I wish I were. But no, sweetheart, I am not teasing about this. My mother is due to arrive tomorrow. But don't worry. You don't have to meet her immediately. My uncle and I will be there, and my mother will need to get settled in. The three of us have a lot of catching up to do. We can wait a day or two until you are feeling more comfortable."
"No, sweetheart," she said, shaking her head even as she appreciated his thoughtful offer. "That would not be right. I should be there with you when your mother arrives. She knows we are courting. I am sure it would please her to see me with you."
"Are you sure? I mean, of course, I would love to have you with me to greet my mother, but I don't want you to feel pressured. And I am certain my mother would understand."
"No," Elizabeth reiterated, holding his hands in hers. "I want to be there. With you."
He kissed her hands and smiled. "Everything is going to be fine, my darling. Trust me."
She nodded because she did trust him. Implicitly. Unfortunately, that did not stop the butterflies from taking up residence once more. Hearing Little Jack's voice distracted her for the moment.
"I think Jack is awake. I need to tend to him."
"Of course."
She headed up the stairs to check on her son. She found him sitting up and looking around. His face no longer looked flushed from either crying or not feeling well for which she was thankful. His blues eyes looked bright and alert, and his pleasant demeanor seemed to indicate he'd had enough sleep.
"Are you feeling better?" she asked, as she removed him from his crib. "Let's sit down for a minute so mommy can look at you. What was going on with you last night? Why would you not stop crying?"
She sat on her bed and held him in her lap, checking to make sure he didn't have a fever and that he seemed to be his usual happy self. She hugged and kissed him and told him how much she loved him.
"Mama," he said, and then became restless in her arms.
"Okay. I guess you're ready to go downstairs. Lucas is here," she said, "and we are going to have a picnic in the front room. Won't that be fun? You can play with your toys and visit with us. Maybe Lucas will read you a book. Would you like that, my sweet boy? Come on. Let's go downstairs and see Lucas. Let's go say hi."
As she stood with her son in her arms, her eyes fell, as they often did, to her wedding photo. She walked to her dressing table and picked up the frame with her free hand.
"Oh, Jack," she said, staring at his handsome face, "somehow I know you are watching all of this and smiling. I feel as though you are the one who has led me to this point. I can't explain it, but ever since I read your letter this last time, I have had such peace and joy that Lucas is in my life. He helps guide me in the known even as I feel you are guiding me in the unknown. I'm going to meet his mother, and I have to tell you I am scared. But in a good way. I know this is a major turning point for me. Finalizing my novel is about to become a reality. I am very happy, Jack. Happier than I ever thought I could be once I lost you. Thank you for always believing in me. Your trust and now Lucas's trust helps me more than I could ever truly express. I am blessed, and I never want to forget that."
She showed the picture to her son, as she always did, and told him that was his daddy. He pointed at her in the picture and smiled.
"Mama," he said.
She kissed his smooth cheek and then returned the frame to her table.
"Let's go downstairs," she said, snuggling her son closer to her, "we have a picnic waiting for us with Lucas."
When the two men finished eating their meal, Carson told Ernie they needed to stop by the ladies' table or he would never hear the end of it. Ernie smiled and said he would enjoy meeting them.
"Good afternoon, ladies," Carson said, after approaching their table.
"Well, it is about time you made your way over here, Dr. Carson Shepherd," Rosemary said.
"My apologies," he said sincerely, his blue eyes dancing. "We wanted to enjoy a nice meal, but we had no intention of slighting you wonderful ladies."
"Well, I should say not," Florence said, her tone curt.
Carson chuckled. "Let me introduce you."
"Florence Blakeley, Molly Sullivan, Rosemary Coulter, Fiona Miller and Clara Flynn, I would like to formally introduce you to Lucas's uncle Ernest Bouchard. He prefers to be called Ernie. Ernie, these are five of Hope Valley's loveliest ladies, and I know you are already acquainted with this lovely young woman, Julie Thatcher."
"It is a pleasure to meet all of you," Ernie said, his voice sincere.
He smiled and gave a slight bow to each woman individually, while also acknowledging Julie once more.
"Thank you," the ladies said one by one.
Molly's gaze seemed to linger for a beat or two longer than the others. Ernie's brown eyes twinkled in response.
"How long will you be here?" Rosemary asked. "I assume you are staying at the saloon."
"The length of my stay has not been determined," he answered. "And yes, my nephew has provided me with a wonderful room at the Queen of Hearts."
"You must meet my husband, Lee Coulter," Rosemary said.
"Yes, and mine, too," Clara agreed. "Jesse Flynn works with Lee."
"It would be my pleasure to meet both gentlemen," Ernie assured them.
"I think we may get a card game going tonight," Carson said. "I'll talk to the other men."
"Don't forget about Mike," Fiona said, and then blushed slightly when the other women looked at her. "I mean, I know he likes to play cards at the saloon."
Rosemary nodded knowingly. Clara had her suspicions but was happy to hear Fiona say that. Florence and Molly suddenly felt as though they had been left out of the loop.
How had these things been going on in Hope Valley that they were not aware of?
"He's on my list," Carson assured his assistant. "Now, if you ladies will excuse us."
"Of course," Rosemary said. "Carson, how is Faith doing?"
"She's fine. Thank you for asking. Still studying hard and looking forward to returning here."
"We can't wait to see her," Clara said.
Carson smiled. "I'll let her know. We should be going."
"It was a pleasure meeting all of you," Ernie said. "Julie, I am sure our paths will cross again, and I look forward to it."
His gaze stopped for a moment on Molly, who felt her cheeks warm slightly, as she, too, wanted to steal one more glance at the dashing man before he left the café.
The women noticed the exchange; Molly was grateful when they chose to talk about how handsome and nice he seemed rather than to ask her what that was all about. She had no idea and didn't want to take the time to think about it. Yet.
"Lucas!" Elizabeth said, when she and Little Jack returned to the room. "This looks wonderful! Look Jack, Lucas has a blanket for us on the floor and some of your food and your toys and also food and drink for the two of us. This is so sweet. I would have helped."
"I thought maybe Little Jack still wasn't feeling well, but I also thought he might be hungry and you might be, too."
"How did you know about his food?" Elizabeth asked, as she sat her son on the blanket and then joined Lucas.
"I was helping Julie pack his food before you came downstairs. Like I said, once I saw you, I knew we would not be heading out, so she unpacked everything while you and I were talking."
"I'm sorry we didn't make it to the pond," she said, stroking the side of his beard with the pad of her finger. "I'm still a little concerned about what caused him to be so fussy since it is so unlike him, but he doesn't have a fever and his eyes are clear. He seems to be okay now. I just hope we don't have another night like last night."
"If you do, don't worry about tomorrow, okay?" Lucas gave Elizabeth a serious look. "I mean it."
She bit her lip as she nodded. "I really hope he sleeps, and I sleep. What time is your mother arriving?"
He offered her a tea sandwich which she gladly accepted. "This looks delicious. Thank you."
"Some time in the afternoon. I think my uncle knows. I'm going to check with him."
"We can go to church and then get ready to meet your mother."
"That's what I was thinking, too."
She took several sips of the cold water he had poured for her and then leaned her back against the divan so she was sitting next to Lucas who had done the same thing. After feeding Little Jack several bites of his food, which he enjoyed, she closed her eyes and sighed. Lucas reached for her left hand and intertwined his fingers with hers as he watched her.
"Are you all right?" he asked.
She nodded. "I'm resting my body and my mind for just a minute. This feels so good."
He let her be, thinking she would most likely fall asleep, but a few minutes later, he felt her squeeze his hand lovingly and knew she was still awake.
"Thank you," she said, opening her eyes and turning to look at him, "for everything."
He nodded and gave her an affectionate smile. "You're welcome."
Little Jack, standing in front of Lucas and holding a block in his hand for him to take, ended the moment.
"You remember we played blocks?" Lucas asked him. "Wait. I almost forgot. I have something for you."
"Lucas, what did you do?" Elizabeth asked, but then she smiled when she saw what he held in his hand.
"I saw this, and thought of you, Little Jack," he said, his voice animated. "This is to add to your collection."
Little Jack smiled, dropped the block, and reached for the small stuffed animal to pet it.
"You have a bear, a dog, a duck and now a lamb," Lucas said, his tone sounding almost teacher-like. "You have quite the collection of animals, don't you?"
"Jack, you need to thank Lucas. Can you say thank you? Thank you. What about lamb? Can you say lamb?" Elizabeth coaxed her son. "Lamb?"
Little Jack held the soft toy close to his chest and smiled. He took a step closer to Lucas, pointed at him and said, "Lu-cus!"
"Oh!" Elizabeth exclaimed, her voice almost at a squeal and her eyes shrouded with happiness as she clapped her hands in front of her and shared a heartfelt smile with Lucas, who had been rendered speechless. "He said your name! My son said Lucas! I am so proud of you, my sweet boy. You said Lucas. Yes, you did."
"Lu-cus!"
Laughing at his mother's ecstatic reaction, he repeated the name several times and then climbed onto Lucas's lap so he could hold him while he cuddled with his lamb.
"Thank you, Little Jack," Lucas said, holding the boy close to him. He wanted to call him son, but he knew it was too soon. "You just made my day."
He didn't think he could adequately express what he felt, hearing Elizabeth's son call him by his name. He had never experienced such a moment when a young child recognizes who you are and could only imagine what parents must feel when their child calls them "mama" or "dada" for the first time. He felt as though his heart would burst from the love he felt not only for this precious boy's mother but also for this precious boy himself. He continued to hold him and gently rock him in his arms while Elizabeth, rubbing her son's back and smiling at him, looked on with eyes shining bright with tears of joy. This scene truly made her feel as though they were a family and that thought did not frighten her in the least.
She knew she was exhausted which caused her mind to play tricks on her, but when she looked upward to give thanks, she could have sworn she saw Jack's image smiling down on them. She whispered a huge thank you in her heart as she continued to enjoy this moment of pure love and joy that had taken place in her home. She knew she would never forget what had just happened. Lucas knew he never would either.