Hello! :-) Here is the latest chapter of my story. Thank you for your continued interest and support. I appreciate it very much. :-)

Chapter 15

I'm waiting for spring. I love all of the seasons in Hope Valley for their uniqueness, but if I had to pick my absolute favorite, I would choose spring. Spring is a time of rebirth and renewal. I feel I have already had mine, but nature has not yet had its annual rebirth, and as I glance out the window while I sit here and write, I see and hear the rain pelting against the glass. I feel the wetness and the cold, even though I am inside, toasty warm, thanks to the wood-burning fireplace. Yes, spring cannot come soon enough for me.

These past few weeks have been a challenge, but I am very grateful to write I have fully recovered and feel stronger than I have in a long time. Of course, my darling husband took excellent care of me. Once I began to feel a bit better, we were able to spend quality time with each other and with our children. Amelia, who unbelievably is now eight weeks old and has already changed so much, and I have bonded, and I couldn't be happier. She knows me, she looks for me and she nestles so comfortably and contentedly in my arms. We are back in our bedrooms, and I couldn't be more thrilled to be able to rock her and hold her and tell her how much I love her. Lucas has gotten pretty good at the rocking, too. He still worries about me overdoing it, so when Amelia sometimes fusses during the night or won't fall back asleep, he gets up and takes care of her. I'm awake, but I watch the two of them and am moved at how he has taken to fatherhood with a newborn. I never had any doubts or fears he would, but he had expressed his concerns to me on more than one occasion, even though I knew he couldn't have been any happier we were expanding our family. I understood his reasons, though, and assured him he would be fine. After watching him in action, especially when I had to be on the sidelines, I teased him for ever having a doubt about his ability as a father in any capacity. He gave me one of his patented shy looks that I've come to adore before acquiescing that maybe he would be able to navigate these new waters without falling out of the boat or having the boat capsize.

We are entering a new phase, though, as Lucas has begun to spend more time at the Queen of Hearts at my urging. I know he enjoys being there, and he needs to be there to see and talk with his employees and the patrons and to make sure everything is running smoothly. On Monday, I will return to the classroom, part-time. This will be a test for me, I do believe. I don't know that I'm quite ready to leave both of our children, but I also know I need to get back to doing one of the things I love most: teaching. The children have visited, a few at a time, and they fawn over both Amelia and Jack. Several of the children, including Allie and Opal, are excited Jack will be joining their classroom this fall. I am not sure I am ready for this step, but I know it needs to happen. Jack is so ready and eager to learn. Lucas has been working with him tirelessly to teach him French. Jack has picked up the language so easily and enjoys speaking it, for which I am grateful. The other day, Jack said to me: Maman, je t'aime beaucoup. Merci d'être ma mère et de m'aimer et de prendre soin de moi. J'adore papa et Amelia aussi, tellement. Je suis si heureuse que nous soyons une famille.

I know some French from my studies in Hamilton, so I knew the gist of what Jack had said to me, and I loved it, but I wanted to make sure I knew all of the words, so he and Lucas then told me in English what he had just said: Mama, I love you very much. Thank you for being my mother and for loving and taking care of me. I love Daddy and Amelia, too, so much. I'm so happy we are a family.

When I heard those words, tears filled my eyes. Lucas assured me Jack said those were the words he wanted to speak. I believed him. Our fears about Jack and Amelia have proven unfounded. He loves his little sister and sits for long periods of time just gazing at her. Sometimes he talks to her, which melts my heart, but most times, he is content to watch her and then he tells his father and me what he observed about her. He is very attentive and astute. I think those qualities will serve him well as he gets older and, especially, when he is in my classroom because there will be no favoritism. On that, Lucas and I totally agree.

In the past couple of weeks, Fiona decided to leave Gowen Petroleum. I know Henry and Mike are sad to see her go, but it is for the best. During the same timeframe, Clara asked if she could help Laura take care of the children when I returned to teaching. Rosemary and I thought that was a splendid idea, so Clara is going to leave the dress shop, and Fiona is going to work there with Rosemary. All three ladies are very excited about the opportunities that await them. Clara will still be able to sew, which pleases both her and Rosemary. Laura is very appreciative of the help, as her studies are getting harder and harder, and Clara is looking forward to spending lots of time with Amelia. Something tells me Clara is practicing for when she may become a mother. I'm happy if she and Jesse are still considering that possibility in whatever avenue they decide to pursue. I know they will make wonderful parents.

Much to Lucas's and my delight and relief, Faith is returning to town. Once I had begun to feel better, we read her letters and were saddened by what she wrote and how she blamed herself completely for what had happened. Lucas and I did not feel that way at all, and we rushed a return letter to her letting her know that. She wrote back and thanked us profusely for our support. She also wrote she had reached out to Carson and while there were still things they needed to work out, she longed to return to Hope Valley. We wrote and told her she should return since this is her home. We do not hold her or anyone at the Infirmary responsible. We want her to give herself another chance. A few days ago, Carson told us Faith had called him and said she was coming home. While he was subdued and uncertain what her return meant, we could tell he was nonetheless relieved she had chosen to return to Hope Valley. We agreed with him. As long as Faith was in Hope Valley, the two of them had a chance. They just had to begin to figure things out and decide what they wanted to do and how they wanted to make their professional and personal relationships work. We sincerely wish them the best and look forward to seeing Faith so she will know we hold nothing against her. We also can't wait for her to meet Amelia.

Lucas stood at the bottom of the staircase, observing his wife unbeknownst to her. She stood at the window near the front of the house, wearing, from his angle, what looked to be a very meditative expression. After checking on their daughter who was sleeping soundly nearby, Lucas, curious to know what occupied his lovely wife's mind, crossed the room to stand behind her, wrapped his arms around her middle, and placed his chin on her shoulder.

"Penny for your thoughts," he whispered against her right ear.

She smiled and covered his hands with hers.

"I just finished writing my latest journal entry," she said, still looking out the window at the falling rain. "It felt so good to be writing again, even if it was my own thoughts and not my novel. I appreciate the fact I can sit and write like I used to with no discomfort or pain. I will never take that for granted again. We have so much to be thankful for, sweetheart."

"I totally agree."

Elizabeth turned within the circle of her husband's arms to face him.

"You must be exhausted," she said, tracing her finger along his bearded cheek as she scrutinized his appearance.

He gave her a puzzled look. "What are you talking about?"

"I took a few moments while standing here to reflect on everything you have done for me and for our family since I gave birth. Lucas, Amelia is eight weeks old. Do you realize everything you, and you alone, have done in these past eight weeks? I think you need a vacation, even though I've encouraged you to return to work. What was I thinking?"

Lucas chuckled. "First of all, my love, I have not done everything by myself. We have had a lot of help, especially from Rosemary, Lee, Bill, Carson, Francine and Laura."

"And your uncle," Elizabeth added, after she'd thought for a moment.

"Him, too, and Clara and Jesse and Abigail. Sweetheart, we are so fortunate. I took care of my family, which is what I am supposed to do."

"But you've hardly slept," she countered.

"I've gotten enough sleep. We knew Amelia's schedule would mean interrupted or sleepless nights. I just want to make sure you are getting enough rest, Mrs. Bouchard. Me? I'm fine."

Elizabeth studied him for a long moment. "You do look as handsome as ever, my darling," she conceded with a small smile. "But I think you need more rest, too. I can get up more during the night."

"We'll see," he said, not wanting to outright overrule her but not sure he was on board with the idea either.

She smirked. "I know what that means, Mr. Bouchard," she said playfully. "But I am not done pleading my case. You'll see."

"And I know what that means," he returned with a grin, before placing his forefinger under her chin to tilt her face towards him. "I love you, Elizabeth, and I am very grateful we are standing here having this conversation. Do you know what an accomplishment this is?"

She nodded and leaned in closer. "I'm very grateful, too, and I'm most grateful for you," she said, and after lowering her eyes for a moment and then glancing up with slightly parted lips, she invited his lips to brush against hers in an ardent and fervent kiss they had not shared in what felt like an eternity.

When he drew her near, she willingly and hungrily let him deepen the kiss. Oh, how she had missed being this close to him and letting him show her how much he loved her, even though she knew this was the first time in a good long while she'd truly felt like the woman in love she had been and always would be. Their circumstances had caused a slight detour, not a derailment, and the passion and the fire he never failed to ignite within her when he was holding her this close and teasing and tantalizing her with his warm kisses and loving caresses returned in full force and almost overwhelmed her. Her senses coming alive at the pleasure of his touch assured her their flame was nowhere near ready to be extinguished.

"Welcome home, Mrs. Bouchard," Lucas said, smiling broadly and leaning his forehead against hers as he framed her face with the palms of his hands and caressed her cheeks with the pads of his thumbs.

She gazed at him, her pulse racing and her breathing uneven, while her sapphire eyes conveyed the love she held in her heart for this dear sweet man who she knew would do anything for her and their children.

"With you, being held within the security, strength and warmth of your arms, is where I will always want to be," she whispered, now leaning her head against his expansive chest, and then, looking up at him with adoring eyes, allowed herself to enjoy their closeness and their impromptu reunion again and again.

Welcome home, indeed.

She couldn't stop smiling from sheer joy that she and her husband had been able to reconnect in such an intimate and loving way.

After promising her husband she would not overdo it, Elizabeth sat down at her typewriter, the paper still sitting in the roller where she had left it weeks prior, to see if she could work on the chapter she had not viewed since late December while Lucas drove his car to the Queen of Hearts to see how things were going for what he suspected might be a busy Friday night.

"You two didn't have to take me to lunch," Fiona said to Henry and Mike, as they enjoyed a farewell meal with her at the saloon. "But this is very nice. Thank you."

"We wanted to thank you for all of your help," Henry said and smiled. "We're going to miss you."

"I'll miss you, too, but fortunately, I'll still get to see Mike."

She looked at him sitting next to her and smiled.

"I am very happy about that," Mike said, returning her smile.

"We are excited for you," Henry said. "I think working with Rosemary is definitely going to make you happier. Oil isn't for everyone that's for sure."

"You got that right," Lucas said, smiling as he approached their table.

He had seen them as soon as he entered the saloon and wanted to add his congratulations to Fiona. He was also very pleased Clara would be helping Laura. He thought both job changes were definitely good ideas and would work out well for all concerned as long as Henry and Mike would be able to find someone to take Fiona's place.

"Still don't want to come back, huh?" Henry teased.

"Not in this lifetime," Lucas said and grinned. "But I did want to congratulate Fiona. I think you've made a very wise decision to work at the dress shop with Rosemary. I believe your talents will be most appreciated and utilized. I hope you find the satisfaction you are looking for."

"Thank you, Lucas. And thank you for giving me the opportunity to work at Gowen Petroleum when I desperately needed a job. I know you didn't have to hire me. I don't want you to think I'm not grateful for what you did for me."

Lucas waved away her thanks. "We needed someone, and you were available. It worked well at the time, and now it seems, the time is right for you to move on. I do hope you will find a suitable replacement," he said to Henry and Mike, who exchanged glances.

"So do we," Mike said and shook his head.

"We've placed an ad," Henry said. "We'll find someone. It may take a little time, but it will be okay."

"How are Elizabeth and Jack and Amelia?" Fiona asked.

Lucas smiled. "I'm extremely happy to say everyone is doing fine."

"That's great," Mike said.

"Yes, that is great to hear," Henry echoed while Fiona nodded and smiled.

"Well, I will leave you to your lunch. Great to see all of you. I'm glad you chose the Queen of Hearts for your meal."

"Lucas," Mike said, before he stepped away. "I may want to set up another special dinner soon."

Lucas smiled as he looked from Fiona to Mike who seemed to be more in love than ever.

"Any time, Mike. Just let me know when."

Fiona glanced at Mike and then smiled inwardly, wondering what exactly Mr. Hickam had planned for them.

"You seem happy," Ernie said to his nephew when he approached the bar.

"I am. I think Elizabeth has finally healed completely. She sat and wrote in her journal and was standing for a long period of time without any signs of pain or discomfort. She was sitting at her typewriter when I left."

"That is wonderful news, son," Ernie said. "I hope this is the new beginning you and she have been waiting for."

"So do I. Elizabeth plans to return to the classroom on a part-time basis on Monday. I think that will be the real test, but the fact she wants to do it fills me with hope."

"Great timing that Clara will be working with Laura."

"I agree. I'm very happy Clara will concentrate mostly on Amelia. I know Jack and David keep Laura busy."

Ernie looked at him with a keen eye. "And you're planning to be there, too, aren't you?"

Lucas looked at his uncle and then shook his head. "How do you know these things?"

Ernie smiled. "You're not exactly a mystery to me. Does Elizabeth know?"

"I haven't said anything, but I think she may be relieved. It may just be for the first day or two. I want to make sure Amelia is well taken care of."

"That is your duty as a father," Ernie agreed.

"Yes," Lucas said, pointing at his uncle, excited he understood that concept. "That's exactly what I told Elizabeth when she tried to give me too much credit for doing what I needed to do: take care of my family."

"But," Ernie cautioned, "you have to let Clara be the main caretaker so Amelia will get used to her."

"I know, I know. I will, shall we say, observe from a distance?"

Ernie chuckled and then shook his head. "I hope we will see you here more often than not; otherwise, I'm afraid your wife will have something to say to you that you may not want to hear."

"Yes," Lucas said, reaching for a towel to help wipe the glasses. "I know what you mean."

Francine looked up and smiled when she heard the door click and saw Faith enter the Infirmary.

"Faith! Welcome back. It's so good to see you."

"Hi, Francine. Thank you. It feels strange but also good to be back. How are you?"

"I'm fine. How are you?"

Faith shrugged. "I've been better, but I'm doing okay. Is Carson here?"

"He went to the mercantile to buy a few things. He should be back soon."

"Thanks. I'll see if I can find him."

"Okay. Faith?"

"Yes?" she said, turning in mid-stride.

"You look good. I truly hope you are thinking about returning. We both miss you very much. So do the residents who come here. You always made them feel comfortable. They miss that and you."

Faith offered her a wan smile. "Thank you, Francine. I've missed being here, but I don't know if I'm ready to return. I need to speak with Carson."

"Of course. I understand. I hope you find him."

Faith waited at the bottom of the stairs and saw Carson exit the mercantile. Her heart fluttered at the sight of him, but she told herself to remain calm. This was the beginning. If they could talk for a few minutes, that would be a start, but there was so much more they needed to do before she could even think about returning to the Infirmary much less return to an engagement with the man she knew she still loved and probably always would.

"Faith!" Carson said, when he reached the last step and saw her waiting for him. "I wasn't expecting you today."

"I know. I caught an earlier train. Once I'd made my decision to return, there didn't seem to be a reason to put it off. Can we maybe take a walk and talk?"

"Of course. Let me put these in the Infirmary."

The rain had stopped, but the clouds remained. The air smelled fresh, though, and Faith thought it would be better if they were outdoors for this conversation. He joined her shortly after dropping off the supplies inside the Infirmary. An awkward silence ensued before they began their stroll down Main Street.

"I just….," Faith finally began. "I need to tell you I'm not completely sure why I decided to come back, but I knew I couldn't leave things the way they were between us, workwise and relationship-wise. I'm very confused, Carson, but unfortunately, time away did not give me the answers I was hoping for, so I thought maybe if I came back here, I could figure things out. We….could figure things out."

"Yes, Faith, absolutely. That's what I've wanted all along. For us to figure things out. Together."

She nodded. "Okay. Why don't you come to my place tomorrow night for dinner so we can talk?"

"I would like that very much. I'll be there."

"Good. It's a….date."

They both ceased walking and looked at each other.

"If that's what it takes for us to try to begin to make things right, then a date it is," Carson said.

"I just….I'm not ready for anything more."

Her eyes implored him to understand.

"I know we're taking ten steps backwards, but this is where I am right now. I'm very unsure of everything: my career, my chosen path, where I belong, and especially…you and where you may or may not fit into my life and where I may or may not fit into yours. I'm sorry. But this is the best I can offer."

"Faith, I understand. I was so thankful you wrote and took the time to explain things to me. I will gladly take this. At least you are here, and you want to talk. To be honest, I wasn't sure you would even contact me, so this is major for me. I will be there, and there's no pressure on you to do anything. I can bring dinner if you want."

Faith gave him a small smile. "Thank you, but I'll cook something for us. I know we have to start somewhere."

"And what you have suggested is a great starting point. Faith Carter, I look forward to dining with you. Tomorrow night."

Confident his uncle, Rick, Gustave and the employees he had promoted to help him run the saloon had a busy night well in hand, Lucas said goodnight and drove home, ready to be with his wife and his family. He knew, in some respects, he had been shirking his duties at the Queen of Hearts for quite some time, but he also knew his family came first and being with them was his top priority, especially now.

He entered the darkened house and made his way upstairs where he found Elizabeth rocking Amelia to sleep. The sight of his wife holding their daughter and smiling and talking to her gave him pause that he had been the one chosen to share this time in their lives with her. He could only imagine how bereft she must have been having to do this all alone, every day and every night, with Jack. He knew he would never take the honor that had been bestowed upon him to be in her life with their children lightly.

He quietly entered the room and waved hello before sitting on the end of the bed.

"She's asleep," Elizabeth whispered. "I'm just not ready to lay her down yet."

Lucas smiled in understanding. He, too, sometimes had trouble letting Amelia go. She always felt so warm and cuddly in his arms, but he knew he needed to lay her down so she could sleep peacefully. He knew Elizabeth was aware of that, too, and she did finally lay their daughter in her bassinet so she could rest easy.

"You're home early for a Friday night," she said softly, as she returned to their bed. "Was the saloon busy?"

"Yes, but everything was under control when I left."

"I love that you want to be here, Lucas. I know things will become normal again as time goes on. I really am feeling good. You didn't have to leave so early."

"And I am very glad you are feeling better, but I want to be here. I'll be back in a few minutes."

Elizabeth knew he was getting ready to join her. This would be the first night since before she had given birth that she planned to ask Lucas to hold her while they slept. He had awakened her need for him with his warm kisses and gentle touches that had caused her to tremble with anticipation and excitement, and even though she was not ready to give herself to him completely, she longed to feel his arms around her while they tried to get some precious sleep.

He returned and found she had pulled back his side of the covers as if in invitation. He slipped into bed, ready to say goodnight to his wife so they could sleep, at least for the next two or three hours, when she scooted closer to him. She saw his surprise and gave him a tender smile.

"Hold me while we sleep, even if it is for only a couple of hours?" she asked demurely. "I love how close we were earlier. I want to feel that again, Lucas. I want to feel you again. Please?"

"Elizabeth, of course, I will hold you. You can be as close to me as you want whenever you want."

"Thank you, sweetheart. I love you so much."

"And I adore you, my lovely wife."

With his arms wrapped securely around her after they had kissed and said goodnight and turned off the light, Elizabeth laid her head on the soft fabric covering his chest and within five minutes, she had fallen into the most peaceful sleep she had had since before her pregnancy.

Amelia's cries woke her a few hours later. As she tended to their daughter, she looked at her husband who had not stirred and smiled. She couldn't wait to return to his warm loving embrace.

And soon, she would be able to be his wife in every sense of the word. Oh, how she looked forward to that day when they would be together again, sharing their love for each other as the happily married couple they were and always would be.

We've passed another test, my darling, she thought, as she continued to watch him from the rocking chair while he got what she knew, despite his protests, was some very much-needed sleep. And you were right. We are stronger because of it, and I am more in love with you than I ever truly thought I could be. You are one amazing man, Lucas Bouchard, and I know I will never stop being amazed because you will never cease to amaze me. I've come to realize it's who you are, and I promise to appreciate that about you, along with all of the other wonderful qualities you possess, every day of my life. I love you, Lucas. Thank you, sweetheart, for loving me.