Chapter 41
"Excuse me", Lucas said a little louder than necessary but since no one had answered when he knocked, he opened the door a crack. He was shocked to see Elizabeth and Nathan in such a compromising position. It still shocked him every time he saw them together as husband and wife. He had thought Elizabeth was his but he was wrong. He could tell from the look in her eyes that she was Nathan's girl.
Nathan and Elizabeth stood up quickly and straightened their clothes. Elizabeth wiped her lipstick that had smudged on Nathan's lips. Lucas then said, "Constable Grant, there is a young woman that was at the saloon meeting with Gustav. She said that she is in town to see her sister. I thought that since you would be heading there on your way home that you wouldn't mind escorting Miss Thatcher to the Thornton residence". Lucas sounded a little condescending. He was suspicious why Elizabeth hadn't told her sister about her marriage. Lucas moved aside allowing Julie to enter the Mountie office, before he turned and went back to the saloon.
Julie ran to Elizabeth and gave her a big hug. Elizabeth hugged her back and said, "why didn't you wait for me at the train station? Lee and I had brought the car to pick you up. He took your bags to the house and I came to town to look for you. I was just about to ask Nathan to help me find you". Julie looked over at the Constable. He looked familiar as if she had met him before but couldn't place him. Elizabeth led Julie outside and said that Nathan would walk them home as soon as he changed out of his uniform. Julie wondered why the Constable would be escorting them home. Was Elizabeth in some sort of danger or was it something else?
Nathan didn't think Julie had saw them kissing but he knew Lucas had. He seemed to be under the impression that there was something devious going on. Julie was going to be in for a shock when she heard the news. Nathan knew Elizabeth wanted to tell her after dinner but Julie had to be curious why Elizabeth was in the Mounties office waiting for him to change before walking her home. Nathan took care when he changed trying to make a good impression on his new sister-in-law. When he thought he looked alright he went outside and offered an arm to each of them before heading towards the row houses.
Rosemary had sent Laura home when Lee returned with Julie's bags. He took them up to their guest room before returning to Elizabeth and Nathan's house. He was trying to help Rosemary with dinner knowing Elizabeth had planned to help. Bill was pitching in with the cooking as well because Lee could hardly boil water. While the adults worked on dinner Allie had taken little Jack out front to play with his toys. She knew that dinner would be ready soon but they were waiting on the guest of honor and their parents. She hadn't met her new aunt when she was in town for little Jack's christening but she had seen her. She was quite beautiful and sophisticated looking.
Nathan was getting more anxious the closer they got to the house. Elizabeth could feel him tensing up. Without thinking she moved closer and hugged his arm giving him her support without words. He looked over and smiled. Elizabeth's movement surprised Julie. She wondered if the Constable was more than just a friend. Julie noticed that the Constable wore a wedding band so either he was married or widowed like Elizabeth. Julie noticed that Elizabeth still wore her wedding rings but Julie thought to herself, those rings look a little different or maybe it's just the light. Julie thought that she'd get a better look at dinner.
As they got closer to the house Elizabeth could hear little Jack and Allie's laughter. They must be playing outside while waiting for them to get home. As they came around the curve, Allie noticed them and smiled. Elizabeth grinned back because she loved her children so much. Little Jack looked up and yelled, "Mama, Dada", before running towards them. He ran straight into Nathan's legs and Nathan scooped him up and hugged him. Nathan loved his son as much as he loved his daughter. He would do anything for his family. He put his free arm around Allie and went into the house. Elizabeth hooked her arm with Julie's arm and led her into the house.
Julie looked flabbergasted, she wondered why little Jack called the Constable "dada" and why they all just walked right into Elizabeth's house. Julie looked around and saw Bill, Lee, and Rosemary. None of them looked surprised. They all looked at home like one big, happy family. Julie felt like an outsider, like they knew something she didn't. Julie plopped down onto the sofa and just blurted, "would someone like to tell me what's going on"? Everyone looked at each other and didn't know who should tell Julie or how to tell her the secret that was kept from her for months.
Julie's eyes traveled around the room and came to focus on a cluster of photographs. There were several photos, a few she recognized like Elizabeth's wedding photo when her and Jack married, a photo of Jack and Elizabeth before they married, and one of Jack in his uniform but there were several new ones too. There was one of Elizabeth and the Constable dressed up, one of Elizabeth and little Jack, one of the Constable and his daughter, she assumed. The biggest surprises to her were the new wedding photo of the Constable and her sister and the family photo of the Constable, Elizabeth and their two children. Julie grabbed Elizabeth by the left hand and looked closely at her rings. They did look different. Julie stated, "those aren't the rings that Jack gave you", she looked at her sister and watched her shake her head no.
Elizabeth took a deep breath and replied, "no, these are the rings that Nathan put on my finger four months ago when we got married. I wanted to tell you in person. We hope to tell mother and father during our visit, the end of next month. I wanted them to meet Nathan and Allie. Hopefully Viola will be home then too. Please Julie, don't tell them before I do. I love Nathan with all my heart and I can't imagine my life without him. Allie is his niece that he has raised since she was four, after his sister died. After we married, we finalized her adoption so she is now our daughter. As you saw, Nathan loves little Jack like his own and little Jack loves Nathan as his father. For the first time in my life Julie, I feel truly blessed and incredibly happy". While Elizabeth was talking to Julie, Nathan had come to stand behind her and put his arms around her. Elizabeth relaxed into his embrace and entwined her fingers with his. There was no way Julie couldn't see the love in their eyes.
Rosemary knew that Julie needed time to process and she was getting hungry so she announced that dinner was served and they all sat down to eat. While they are were eating, Julie watched everyone. She saw Nathan cutting up food for little Jack and encouraging him to eat. She saw Elizabeth and Allie laughing and more importantly she saw every little touch and gaze between her sister and her new husband. Julie saw how the four of them were a family and part of a bigger family that included the Coultiers and Judge Avery. As the night went on, she started to feel like she was a part of that family as well. She knew that Elizabeth was home, Nathan was her home now.