As soon as she enters the café, she could see him sitting at a table in the corner. She takes a deep breath, preparing herself for the talk that was coming. Not now, not in public like this, but it was coming.
He looks up as she approaches, apprehension on his face. "Can we talk?" Their eyes meet fleetingly. He nods slowly, "I have business to take care of, we could meet in the library later?" A voice from beside her startles her, an unknown man is standing next to her, looking between them. The business he has to take care of. "I'll see you in the library when you're done". With that she says her goodbyes and goes to talk to Minnie in the kitchen.
She's browsing the shelfs in the library without seeing the books. Her mind is on the conversation to come, it weighs on her shoulders like a rock. But it must be said, her decision has been made. She realizes now that she's been unfair to both men for a while. Her behavior has been unacceptable, this much has been obvious from her fight with Rosemary.
A couple children enter the library, excited to see her. "School start tomorrow Mrs Thornton! It's been such a long time!" Opal beams her, her smile so wide it hurts her cheeks looking at it. She chuckles and smiles back, "this summer did seem very long, I can't wait to have all of you back in my classroom. What book are you returning?" Elizabeth helps Opal pick out a new book and return the last one.
At last, the quiet returns, but it's too quiet. She considers leaving for a little bit, coming back later. But then he's in the door opening, looking warily at her. She manages a smile and moves closer to him. For a moment she hesitates, knowing she's going to hurt his feelings. "Lucas..." She trails of again, not knowing how to begin. "These last couple of weeks have been difficult for me, for us. When you let me go the other night, I realized something. You have been so patient with me, so kind. Even when I hurt you and pushed you away. I want to thank you. I love you, but I'm not in love with you. I love you the same way I love Lee and Bill, as a friend." Once again, she trails off, unsure of what else to say. Is there really anything else to say?
He looks at his feet and doesn't answer for a long moment. "I would have waited forever for you Elizabeth, for however long you needed. I… I hope he makes you happy, in a way that I can't. I wish things were different, but I still value your happiness above all else." He finally looks at her, showing her the emotions previously hidden. The crushed hope in his brown eyes, his shoulders hanging a little, the weariness in the set of his mouth. She feels like she has to apologize, which is silly. "I'm sorry Lucas." He shakes his head, "no, don't be. This is your life, you should do what makes you happy. Like I said, I could see there's something between the two of you. I'm glad you worked it out in the end."
The silence reigns between them, no other words needed to be said. She looked into his eyes and said a quiet goodbye before heading to the door.
She smiles at Clara's happiness upon seeing Jesse and Nathan ride into town. She could barely hide her own happiness at Nathan's return. Their eyes meet and she moves closer to Newton. "I know you have things to finish, but maybe we could talk later?" Her tone is hopeful, something he picks up on. Unbidden, his heart speeds up, could it be? He barely manages a nod, really can't bring himself to say even a word. She cocks her head to the side, worried. "Are you okay?" Another nod, "yes, yes, we're both fine. I'll see you later." With an apologetic look he gently nudges Newton forward.
She's sitting on the front steps of her house watching little Jack play with his toys in the last rays of the sun. "Hi Jack! Hi Mrs Thornton!" Both of them look up at the girl approaching them. "Hi Allie, how are you doing?" The girl gives a small smile, "I'm doing good, this was my last day helping out in the mercantile. I'm excited to go back to school with my friends tomorrow." Little Jack toddles over and hands Allie his train. She accepts it with a smile and is drawn into the game he's playing with his trains, the dog and the Mountie.
Elizabeth looks on with a smile on her face. This, this is what she hopes for. If tonight goes well. Footsteps on the gravel path cause her to look up, and there he is. Walking towards her, Jack and Allie. Looking tall and strong, still in uniform. Allie jumps up to greet him with a hug, which he gladly returns. Of course, Jack wants in on the fun too. With a big smile on his face he approaches the steps she's sitting on. "They look like they're having fun eh? Mind if I sit?"
Once they're sitting next to each other, the shyness sets in. She knows fully well that everything is going to change after this, but she's ready. He leans his elbows on his knees and peers into her face, maybe gauging her mood? "Nathan. I want to apologize, I've been terrible to you while I was working this all out. Leaving you so suddenly when we were going to get dinner together. Leaving, no, running away after you told me you love me. I wasn't myself but I can only blame myself for this mess that I made. Nathan, I should have told you this weeks ago, when you first told me. I should have told you when you told me love is worth fighting for in the jail. But, I'm telling you now. Nathan, I love you. I'm in love with you."
The smile on his face was wide enough to attract Allie's attention, not that either of them noticed. "Lizbeth, I've been waiting for this. I was trying to give you space to work it all out, I shouldn't have sprung my confession on you like that, it was unfair. But, now that you started it… I love you too." He chuckles in disbelief, barely believing that this was really happening. But then she leans forward and connects her lips with his in a really soft, passion filled kiss. It was quickly broken up by a squeal. Allie and Jack had both stopped playing and were looking at their parents. Allie jumps up and was in their arms in a flash, Jack quick behind her. Before they knew it, Elizabeth and Nathan had their arms full of both Allie and Jack. Their eyes meet over their children and they smile. In the middle of it all, his hands finds her left hand, bare of the rings that were there earlier. "I love you." "I love you too."