"Your mother and father should be in any time." Elizabeth said as she put a plate of eggs in front of Aaron at the table. It had been two weeks since Bill had died and life was slowly returning to normal. Everyone was back at school and work, Kate felt like she could breath a little easier each day, even though they all still had waves of grief at times.
"Are they bringing back my brother today?" Aaron asked taking a bite of his breakfast.
"If it's a brother or sister I don't know, but they probably won't be bringing them back with them today." Elizabeth said wiping Tommy's chin with her napkin "
"Where's Auntie?" Abby asked buttering her toast.
"She is at the cafe but she should be done by lunchtime."
"That reminds me I wanted to go into town and pick up our train tickets." Jack said softly as Elizabeth nodded.
"What tickets?" Will asked his mouth full of food. He got a stern look from Elizabeth before he sheepishly swallowed his food.
"Well it's a... Surprise trip." Jack said glancing at Elizabeth.
"A surprise trip where?" Abby asked.
"Well, alright but you can't tell Auntie." Jack sighed.
"Why?" William asked.
"Because, because it's a surprise." Elizabeth said.
"Well alright, are we all going on this trip?" Abby asked.
"We are, we are going to visit your mother's cousins in the city." Jack said.
"Yay!" Abby and Will cried, Tommy joined in though he wasn't totally sure what was going on.
"Are we taking the train?" Tommy asked.
"We are taking the train to Hamilton and staying in the big house, do you remember it?" Elizabeth asked Abby.
"I think so, with the big garden?" Abby frowned trying to remember.
"That's right" Elizabeth smiled, they had not been back to visit Hamilton since Will was a baby.
"How long are we staying?" Will asked.
"Just a few days, we can visit cousin Julie and Viola and Uncle Tom. Maybe go to some museums, have a fancy dinner at the hotel."
"And taking the train." Tommy added.
"And taking the train." Elizabeth nodded with a laugh.
"Alright, I'm going into town to see about some tickets and talk to a man with a secret." Jack whispered kissing Elizabeth's cheek.
"Be good boys, I'll be back in an hour and we can see about playing some baseball." Jack winked at the boys.
"Bring your boots it looks like snow." Elizabeth called, Jack nodded pulling on his boots and heading towards town.
Jack left the mercantile with the book of tickets in his hand as he went down the stairs. It did certainly look like they would be getting some snow as he pulled his coat tight, he spotted Eric heading towards the cafe.
"Ahh Eric" Jack called waving him down.
"Good morning Jack." Eric said as Jack fell into step beside him.
"Morning, listen I wanted to talk to you about something."
"Alright"
"Elizabeth and I are planing to take Kate and the kids on a trip to Hamilton to visit family, thing us, Kate still thinks we're leaving town for a while in a month or two. I don't want to spoil your surprise but it won't make much sense when she hears we're taking a trip. Also there are now four chatty little ones in the house who know about the Hamilton trip so I don't know how long we will be able to keep it a secret." Jack said.
"Oh yes, sorry."
"No need to be sorry, just wondering what the plan is." Jack teased.
"I want to tell her, there has just been a lot going on and I didn't want her to feel like I was overshadowing anything." Eric said glancing towards the office Jack used to share with Bill.
"I know, that's smart. But she is ready, we're all ready for life to move on." Jack sighed.
"Alright, I'll tell her then, can I come to dinner tonight?" Eric asked.
"You bet, see you tonight." Jack smiled patting his arm.
"How was it?" Elizabeth asked as Jack walked the path back home as she greeted him on the front porch.
"Great, I got our tickets and Eric is coming for dinner tonight to share a bit of news." Jack smiled.
"Thank goodness I'm not sure I could keep that secret another day." Elizabeth grinned.
"Well only a few more hours." Jack smiled kissing her as they lingered out on the porch. They both turned as they heard a car driving up the path.
"Hello there!" Lee called stopping the car.
"Well there's our travelers." Elizabeth smiled as Jack opened the door helping Rosemary out.
"We found a straggler on our way in." Lee said as Kate jumped out of the back seat.
"How are you, how was the trip?" Elizabeth asked giving her a hug as Jack shook Lee's hand warmly.
"Oh wonderful." Rosemary smiled.
"Come in come in let's get you some lunch." Elizabeth ushered them inside.
"Don't we have a son somewhere around here?" Lee asked.
"Clearly he didn't miss us very much." Rosemary chuckled.
"The kids are playing in the barn. I'll go get them." Jack chuckled.
"I'll join you." Lee nodded as they headed toward the barn.
"Sit down I'll get you some tea." Elizabeth said as Kate and Rosemary sat on the sofa.
"So did you find a baby?" Kate asked.
"Oh no! Wait for me to get there!" Elizabeth cried quickly filling two tea cups. Lily crawled over to Rosemary lifting her arms to be held. Rosemary scooped her up cuddling the baby in her lap as Elizabeth brought over the tea tray.
"As a matter of fact we did." Rosemary beamed.
"Oh how wonderful!" Kate cried.
"It was so perfect, we saw her and we were drawn to her right away, then we heard her name and it was just meant to be."
"What's her name?" Kate asked.
"Mary Elizabeth." Rosemary cried.
"Oh that is meant to be!" Elizabeth gasped
"She's almost one, just a little older then this little lady." Rosemary smiled tapping Lily on the nose.
"They can grow up to be best friends." Kate smiled.
"And of course she will love her Auntie Elizabeth." Elizabeth said making them laugh.
"What does she look like?" Kate asked.
"She has big brown eyes, and these little curls that are almost orange, and she is just starting to try and walk." Rosemary beamed.
"Oh look at you already gushing over your baby." Elizabeth smiled.
"I am. I can't wait to bring her home." Rosemary sighed as Lee and Jack came in with the kids.
"Can you stay for lunch?" Elizabeth asked.
"Thank you but we should get home. We need to talk to Aaron and maybe do some shopping." Rosemary said.
"Or course, we will see you in Church tomorrow." Elizabeth nodded.
"Thank you for keeping him for us." Lee said.
"Oh anytime, you are welcome anytime Aaron, you keep Will and Abby out of trouble." Elizabeth said giving the little boy a hug.
"Have a good day." Jack said, they waved as the car left.
"Is Aaron getting a new baby?" Abby asked.
"He is, he is getting a new baby sister."
"Why doesn't Aunt Rosie just have a baby the regular way?" William asked.
"Well because there are a lot of children without mothers and fathers who need a home. Aunt Rosie and Uncle Lee wanted to give one of those kids a home." Jack said.
"Yeah, orphans like Mama and Auntie were." Abby added.
"Well yes, they are children in need of a home." Elizabeth nodded.
"That's right, and she won't be a very little baby, she will be a bit older then Lilly, so you guys will get to play with her even sooner." Jack said.
"What's her name?" Tommy asked.
"Mary Elizabeth." Kate smiled at her sister.
"Did they name the baby after you Mama?" Will asked.
"Well she's a gift from God, for your Aunt and Uncle, and that's her middle name so they would know that even though she wasn't born into their family, she was made just for them." Jack said as Elizabeth smiled softly.
"She's perfect." Abby smiled.
"Hello" Eric called opening the front door.
"Hi Eric!" Will cried from where he and Tommy were playing. Kate was sitting at the piano bench with Abby and she looked up surprised.
"Hi, what are you doing here?" she asked going to greet him with a warm hug.
"Jack invited me to dinner." Eric said as Jack nodded.
"Dinner will be ready in a few minutes. Elizabeth said checking the roast in the oven.
"It just started snowing, do you want to take a little walk before we eat?" Eric asked.
"Sure." Kate smiled as Eric helped her into her coat.
"Can I come?" Abby asked.
"No, you stay here and help me set the table." Jack said quickly. Abby frowned as Kate closed the door following Eric out. Snow was falling softly already dusting the ground. Willow jumped up as Eric scratched her ears following them as they started walking down to the pond.
"This is a beautiful spot." Eric said looking out over the water to the grass and woods beyond it.
"'It really is." Kate nodded.
"I have something to tell you." Eric said, he brushed snow off the log by the pond taking off his scarf for Kate to sit on before sitting down beside her.
"Is everything ok?" Kate asked.
"Yes, actually better then ok. You see three weeks ago I went to Jack seeing if there was anything I could do to help you all stay. Something so he wouldn't have to take the Mountie job." Eric said.
"But there wasn't was there?" Kate asked.
"Actually there was, we came to an agreement. He sold me this part of his land." Eric said.
"Jack would never sell his land, he said it was family land " Kate frowned.
"I know, I explained to him I intend to build a house on it, a house for me and you to live in." Eric said. Kate felt her mouth fall open as she looked at him trying to see how serious he was.
"I'm not asking you to marry me right now, I want to make that so much bigger and more special. But I don't think it's a secret I intend to spend the rest of my life with you. Jack and Elizabeth have known for a while and they were keeping it a secret. I was going to tell you sooner but then we lost Bill and I didn't want you to feel like I was overshadowing your grief." Eric stood up looking out over the land.
"You want to build us a house here? She asked starting to walk around the pond to the empty land on the other side. Eric jogged to catch up.
"Yeah, is that ok?" Eric asked.
"Yes, yes I love that idea." Kate grinned throwing herself into Eric's arms. He beamed picking her up and twirling her around in the snow kissing her.
"I have so ideas, I'm going to bring them to Lee on Monday." Eric said setting her down.
"What ideas?" Kate asked.
"Well, I thought we could put a front porch right here to watch the sunrise." Eric said starting to map out the house with his feet.
Across the pond Elizabeth looked out the window.
"Looks like he told her." Elizabeth smiled.
"And looks like she likes the idea." Jack laughed.
"You know I love the idea of her getting older, but I always dreaded the idea that she would one day grow up and move out. I was always a little afraid that she would move far away. It is a weight off my shoulders that she will be close by." Elizabeth sighed.
"Oh I never doubted that Kate would go far. Come on now she hasn't been far from your side for as long as I have known you."
"I know, but you never know! She looks so happy." Elizabeth sighed turning back to the stove.
"What's Auntie doing?" Will asked glancing out the window.
"I don't know but I'm sure she will tell little children when its appropriated for them to know." Jack said shooing him away from the window.
"There's a lot of adult stuff around here today." Will muttered to Abby as he started helping her set the table. Elizabeth smirked putting the roast on the table.
"Time to eat?" Tommy asked running over.
"Not yet, we're waiting for Auntie and Eric to come back in, go wash up you three." Elizabeth said as Jack ushered the kids into the kitchen wash bin.
"Alright little lady I have a some special mashed peas just for you today." Elizabeth hummed putting Lily in her high chair as Eric and Kate came through the door in a rush of giggles and snow flakes.
"Ahh just in time." Elizabeth smiled.
"You kept a secret from me!" Kate cried pretending to be mad at her sister.
"I had to! But I'm so happy for you both." Elizabeth smiled hugging Kate tightly.
"Can we eat now?" Tommy asked.
"Yes of course please sit down. Who would like to say Grace?" Elizabeth said as they sat down. Kate smiled bowing her head as Jack gave thanks for their meal.
"So the kids took that well." Eric said as Kate stood out on the porch with him.
"Well they don't know that I will eventually live there too, but they seemed to like the idea of you living so close." Kate smiled.
"One step at a time." Eric smiled.
"I do love the idea." Kate whispered looking out over the land, the map Eric had made in the snow was covered with fresh snow but Kate felt the image still in her mind.
"Of us living together?"
"Yeah." Kate felt herself blush a little.
"Me too, I like it even more now that it means you won't have to leave me."
"I like that too." Kate whispered. Eric smiled kissing her firmly. Kate allowed him to and he took her breath away. She felt Eric gently push her against the side of the house where they couldn't be seen if someone was looking out the windows. He continued to kiss her soundly and when he pulled away Kate heard herself breathing as she opened her eyes slowly.
"This will be a good thing to do when we have a house." Eric whispered make Kate laugh a little.
"I should head home before the snow gets deeper."
"Good luck." Kate smiled handing him the burning lantern.
"See you in church tomorrow." Eric whispered kissing her one last time before heading down the road. Kate smiled to herself going back inside and taking off her boots as Elizabeth came downstairs and Jack was clearing the table.
"I am still mad you kept that secret." Kate smiled at them.
"Like we really had a choice. Are you happy?" Elizabeth asked.
"Yes, very happy." Kate smiled glancing at Jack.
"Come on you, time for bed, let's let the ladies of the house talk." Jack smiled scooping up Lily.
"Well, let's hear it." Elizabeth said making Kate smile as she sank into the sofa and her sister sat down beside her. The warm fire was crackling casting shadows on the wall as the rest of the house was quiet.
"What do you want to hear?" Kate asked pulling up her feet and tucking them under her.
"Everything, the house, how he told you, how you feel!"
"Well I was surprised, but glad, so glad. Especially now what we don't have to leave in the spring, we can stay here and have everything we need."
"It did seem to work out perfectly, and, did he say anything else?" Elizabeth pressed.
"Well, he did say that this wasn't a marriage request, that he wanted to wait and do that right, but I kind of feel like it was. I mean it was a big part of our future." Kate said.
"That you agreed to!" Elizabeth beamed.
"Yeah I did."
"Are you happy?"
"I am, I think I'm still in a state of shock, but I am really happy." Kate smiled.
"I'm so happy for you then." Elizabeth pulled her sister in for a warm hug holding her close.
"You are acting like you have a secret today." Rosemary said as she and Elizabeth walked home after church the next morning. Lee and Jack ran ahead with the kids as Rosemary, Elizabeth and Abigail walked along behind.
"What ever makes you say that?" Elizabeth asked switching Lily to her other hand as the baby grabbed for her earrings.
"You chew on your bottom lip when your not telling us something." Rosemary raised her eyebrows as Elizabeth's jaw dropped.
"Is that true?" Elizabeth cried turning to Abigail.
"It is. Abigail chuckled as Elizabeth reached up touching her slightly chapped lip, maybe she had been chewing on it.
"So, what is it?" Rosemary asked.
"Oh, well I can't talk about it yet."
"Why ever not!" Rosemary frowned.
"Because it's not my secret to tell." Elizabeth shrugged.
"Humm, not yours to tell, but you know it, that means it must be Kate's!"
"It is, and that is all your getting out of me Rosemary! You will have to wait for Kate to tell you."
"Well when on earth is that going to be?"
"At supper tonight that's why she wanted to have you all over to our house." Elizabeth said as the big house came into view. Jack was pushing Abby on the swing chatting with Lee as the three boys ran around playing with Willow.
"Well very well, I never did get something out of either of you when you were covering for the other." Rosemary shrugged giving up and deciding to wait as Elizabeth smirked.
"Somethings can't be penetrated, those two and there secrets between each other is one for sure." Abigail agreed.
"What about you Rosemary, any word from the orphanage?" Elizabeth asked.
"Actually yes, we are going to pick up Mary in five days. Can you keep Aaron for us again?"
"Of course! Oh Rosemary that's amazing!" Elizabeth cried.
"I'm excited, and nervous, Lee pulled out Aaron's old crib, and i made some nice yellow curtains for her room, and plenty of dresses." Rosemary smiled.
"I would offer you some of Lilly's things but with Mary being older it's a little backwards isn't it." Elizabeth said as they laughed.
"It is, we won't be needing the little cradle that's for sure."
"Oh us as well, I think we are going to put the cradle away soon and move this little girl into a crib, she's almost outgrown it." Elizabeth nodded poking Lily's nose making the baby smile.
"Not leaving it up for the next one?" Abigail teased.
"Not right this second. I don't know, Jack has brought it up but I'm enjoying being back at school for now. Four is a lot for me right now, besides it's a little strange, Kate is older, she might be married and having a baby of her own with in a year."
"Oh don't say that she is still a little girl, a little girl who used to fall asleep on my sofa while you were up late grading papers because she refused to go to bed without you." Abigail cried.
"I know, well I don't know. Nothing is for certain, who knows. But for now, baby things are going into storage." Elizabeth smiled.
"At least your girls will be so close in age, who knows maybe one day they will be as good of friends as you too are." Abigail smiled as Rosemary and Elizabeth grinned at each other.
"Oh there's Kate!" Rosemary pointed to where Kate and Eric were standing on their new land laughing together as they looked over a piece of paper.
"So this will be the dining room, and the living room, and we can put the stairs here."
"Stairs?"
"Yeah, one set going up and one set going down." Eric grinned.
"Down!?"
"Yup, i have seen them in new houses, its a root cellar, and storage and whatever else we want. It required a lot of digging, but it's like a foundation." Eric nodded.
"As long as we have indoor pluming and a nice feather bed I'm happy."
"And here I was thinking I would be marrying a Hamilton princess." Eric teased as Kate wrapped her arms around his waist.
"Nope, just a Hope Valley country girl." Kate grinned as Eric bent kissing her gently.
"Hello there!" Rosemary called, they both turned to see the women coming down the path.
"Hi Rosie" Kate called waving back.
"Should we tell them now?" Eric asked.
"I thought we wanted to tell them over dinner?"
"Well we are all right here." Eric shrugged smiling. Kate grinned at him feeling both nervous and so excited. Eric waved them over. Jack and Lee came as the kids played and Kate looked at all the people in front of her, every single one of them meant so much.
"We have some news to share." Eric said.
"Oh my goodness!" Rosemary cried capping her hand over her mouth. Lee put an arm around her to still her.
"Not yet." Kate told her making Abigail laugh.
"Well, Jack sold me this land, I own this half and I'm going to build a home here, for Kate and I." Eric said.
"Oh my goodness isn't this just perfect!" Rosemary cried as Abigail smiled tear coming to her eyes as she hugged Kate tightly.
"You know." Kate said glancing at her sister who hid a guilty look.
"I did know, but it's still so special hearing it from you." Abigail smiled.
"Congratulations, let me know what I can do to help." Lee smiled shaking.
"I'll take all the help I can get."
"Tomorrow morning we'll draw up some plans." Lee grinned.
"I'm so happy for you both!" Rosemary smiled hugging Kate tightly.
"Your quiet tonight" Jack said as he poured feed into the grumpy cow's stall for the night. Kate reached out petting Gracie's nose after giving her some hay.
Really?" Kate asked
"Yes, I thought you would be over the moon about sharing your news." Jack frowned leaning on the shovel looking at Kate in the dark lantern light.
"I am, I just.. It makes me miss Bill, he should be here for things like this. Rosemary and Lee adopting a baby, Eric and I talking about building a house. I missed him tonight." Kate whispered.
"I know." Jack nodded sitting down on a hay bale as Kate sat beside him.
"That's the thing about grief, it's like waves. Sure there's the first big storm when it happens, then slowly, the water starts to go back out to see, then just when you think it's gone, another wave can come and hit you. It tends to happen during the best moments in life, because that person should be there beside you... and they aren't." Jack said softly.
"It's like this forever?" Kate asked.
"There's always a piece of your heart missing, after a while it won't hurt so bad, but you always hold space for them. I felt it today too. Bill would have been around that table, probably with little Tommy on his knee, laughing and talking with the rest of us." Jack nodded.
"He would have."
"But, we hold a place for him in our hearts, and we keep him alive through stories and memories, and someday it won't hurt as much as it does now."
"Part of me wants to hurry to that day and stop the pain, another part of me doesn't because I'm afraid to know a life without him in it." Kate sighed.
"I know, that's grief." Jack nodded. They sat in silence for a minute before Kate stood up dusting off her dress as Jack reached for the lantern. Kate made sure the stalls were locked up tight.
"You know Kate, I know it's not the same as him being here, but Bill did know Eric was buying the land to build a house to live in with you. He approved, he was happy for you, he would have been celebrating today." Jack said.
"Really?" Kate asked with a little smile spreading on her lips.
"Yeah, he was glad. " Jack smiled.
"Thank you, that's good to know." Kate grinned as Jack pulled her into his side for a hug.
"He was so proud of you Kate."
"He was proud of you too Jack." Kate whispered.
"Go in it's getting cold, warm up by the fire Elizabeth probably made some us some tea, I'll finish up" Jack said. Kate nodded heading towards the house. Jack closed the barn doors behind him locking them up tight and glancing up at the clear winter sky full of stars.
"Good night Bill" Jack whispered.