"Mommy, where are the boys?" Annabelle asked as she walked in with Henry close behind. Henry made a beeline for his Godmother and hugged her hello as Annabelle followed suit.
"They're with Aunt Abigail. Daddy and I are going on a date. You my lady bug get to have a sleep over with Henry and Mary Elizabeth. Jack was trying to squeeze in as many date nights with his wife before having to leave her. Elizabeth saw the smile drop from Annabelle's face.
"Hey Baby, what's wrong?"
"Why can't I go?"
"To date night?" Elizabeth asked confused. She'd never questioned date night before.
"Because it's a special time for Mommy and Daddy," Jack piped in as he came through the back door with Lee. Annabelle tilted her head at her father with quivering lips,
"But I want to go. I won't see Mommy for weeks too, why don't I get to have dates with her?" Elizabeth's heart broke as she drew her daughter in her arms.
"Oh Baby, you and Mommy can have as many dates as you want before you go." Annabelle looked at her father,
"But I want to go tonight," Elizabeth smirked as she looked at her husband, he was no match for Annabelle Thornton's lip quiver and head tilt.
"Of course you can come Lady Bug," he said dropping a kiss to her head as Lee stifled a laugh. The kid was good.
Elizabeth got ready for their date night as Jack ushered Annabelle to take a shower and get dressed. Jack was shaking his head in disbelief as he entered their bedroom. Elizabeth giggled at the sight of him.
"She's good," she stated unnecessarily. Jack met her gaze,
"I don't even have any words right now." Elizabeth walked over to him and dropped a kiss on his cheek. She sympathised knowing how much he was looking forward to being alone with her which was now a rarity as a family of 6.
"You're a good sport Thornton,"
"She's her mother's daughter, as if I could ever say no to that face."
"Are you implying she's my mini me?"
"You know she is. In looks, in manner and everything in between."
"I'm pretty sure that's why she's Lee's favourite," she replied with a chuckle. Jack laughed knowingly. Lee loved and considered all of their kids as if they were his own but Annabelle Charlotte Thornton was in a league of her own.
"I'm sorry our date night got hijacked."
"She can be a part of the first part of our date but we're tiring her out and dropping her off at The Coulter's for bedtime." Elizabeth laughed,
Jack took his girls out to dinner. Annabelle felt very grown up in one of her dresses sitting at the table with her parents at a fancy restaurant. Annabelle kept them entertained throughout dinner and Jack was completely enamoured by his little girl and wife. Elizabeth loved how Jack looked at Annabelle, so doting and loving. Very much like her own father when she walked into the room. Annabelle in turn adored her Daddy in every way. It wasn't long before Annabelle tired, before dessert she had climbed on to Elizabeth's lap. Lovingly enveloped in her mother's arms her body began to relax and eventually despite her willingness to stay awake she had closed her eyes.
"What do you say we take our little Princess home to her godparents and we can have dessert after?" He suggested. Elizabeth nodded dropping her lips to their daughter's temple. Jack took care of the bill and asked for the valet to bring the car around before lifting their growing daughter from her arms. Elizabeth had called Lee to let him know they were on their way.
After dropping Annabelle off at the Coulter's Jack took Elizabeth for a drive at one of their favourite places. He like every other member of their family was trying to take as much time as they could to spend with Elizabeth, separately and as a family. Jack helped her out of the car and wrapped his arm around her shoulder as they walked towards the water.
"Thank you for tonight and for humouring the little one."
"You're welcome and I don't blame her."
"I know it's not ideal but it's only this year. The twins are just too small to be enduring such a long flight especially when they're being so fussy right now." Jack dropped his lips to her temple.
"Have you decided what you wanted to do? Whether you're staying here or heading to your Dad's for the duration?" Elizabeth knew his preference was for her to stay at her Dad's so she would have someone with her at all times.
"I will probably do both." Jack nodded understanding why she wanted to primarily stay home.
Jack made sure that their Christmas and New Year was a remarkable one. It was tough for all of them to think that they would be separated for several weeks. Jack could see that Annabelle was struggling at the thought of not being with her Mommy for so long that he was concerned enough to tell her that if she didn't want to go, she didn't need to.
"Hey Baby," Logan looked up as Elizabeth stood by his bedroom door,
"Hi Mom, everything okay?"
"Yeah bud, you up for a walk with Mom?" Logan smiled and nodded. Elizabeth looped her arm through his as they made their way down the beach.
"Want to tell me what goes on in that handsome head of yours?"
"Nothing," he began but chuckled knowing she wasn't going to take that as an answer. With only days before they were leaving he was more and more pensive.
"I feel bad that you're going to be alone because of me,"
"Oh Sweetheart, it's not your fault. It's no one's fault."
"But if it wasn't for me, we wouldn't have to be going to Hope Valley right now and for so long."
"Baby, you have no control over that. It was just timing. I need to you stop feeling like you're responsible for something that's not within your control. No one blames you, not your Dad, not me, no one. You hear me?' Logan nodded as Elizabeth wrapped her arms around him.
"I love you kid, up to the moon, around the stars and back again."
"I love you Mom,"
Elizabeth left the boys with Lee and Rosie to take Jack, Logan and Annabelle to the airport. She thought it would be easier not having to wrangle the twin pram with all of their luggage and the emotions she could feel brewing from her three travellers. Annabelle was glued to her mother's side as the boys loaded their luggage on to a trolley.
"Let's have breakfast," Elizabeth suggested after they had checked in. Jack nodded wordlessly. She slipped a hand into his and gave his cheek a kiss. Jack wrapped an arm around her and drew her close to him. She rubbed his back gently and reassuringly. Annabelle sat on her mother's lap throughout breakfast.
"You guys, days will go quickly." She said trying to reassure them,
"Mom's right, and we will call Mom every day."
"You better," Elizabeth said wryly,
After breakfast Logan offered to take Annabelle to the bookstore in front of the restaurant they were at to pick out books for the plane. Elizabeth knew it was because he was giving them time to to say their goodbyes. Jack immediately moved his chair closer to his wife and wrapped his arms around her. Elizabeth dropped her lips to his chin as she snuggled in his embrace.
"I know you're less than thrilled to be going to Hope Valley without the other half of our family, but Jack you need to be present. Logan needs to see that you're there, that you're okay about being there." Jack dropped his lips to her temple,
"I know. I promise."
"He feels like it's his fault that our family is torn in half for such a long time. I don't want that for him. He should be able to enjoy this time, especially after the year he had."
"I promise, he will have an amazing time. Promise me you'll call me every day,"
"Jack, of course."
"Elizabeth, thank you."
"For what?" She asked confused,
"For what you do, and how you love each and every one of us. I know how hard it was for you to make the call I was never going to make. You always put us first. Me, the kids, our family."
"That's what families do. It's what you do for the people you love."
Elizabeth had an arm around each of her child as they walked towards the gate when it was finally time to say goodbye.
"You be good for Daddy and Logan okay?' she said to her baby girl who nodded as she wrapped her arms around her mothers waist. Elizabeth turned to her not so little boy,
"You have fun okay Kiddo. Enjoy your time with your grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins Say hi to them for me."
"I will Mom. Try and get some rest whilst we're away okay. Go to Gramps,"
"You and your Dad need to sing another song. Remember Uncle Lee and Aunt Rosie live a few houses down. Aunt Abigail and Uncle Noah are also close by. I will be fine and yes I will get some rest. You guys better go." Elizabeth watched as Annabelle's lip began to quiver and picked her up,
"Mommy loves you,"
"Up to the moon, around the stars," Annabelle continued,
"And back again," Logan finished, wrapping his arms around them both. Jack too a quick photo of them before joining in the group hug.
