Chapter 34 – Moving From the Row House
After leaving the Grady's, Elizabeth headed into town. She wasn't sure what she was going to do, but she was heading to the mercantile to pick up a few things and then she would be heading back to the row house to start packing up things to help Abigail. Abigail had gone back to the cafe to really start to see what she would need to order. She figured it would be better to make a list of things that she would have to order and get that in right away. She knew that she didn't have much time to pack the row house before they would have to move into the rooms above the cafe. While Abigail was working in the cafe measuring for curtains, it started to rain and she realized that the roof was leaking. She knew that she was going to need help and it would be more then what her and Elizabeth could do. Abigail moved some pots to catch the rain. She told herself that a little rain was good luck and that they would get everything done. Only it started raining harder for a bit and there were more places that leaked. Abigail just hoped that the roof could saved. Once the rain let up, Abigail went and talked to Jack about helping her with the roof. He let her know that he would take care of it and that he would also be there to help her with anything else that she needed.
That afternoon when Bo got home, he went to his room and saw the letters that his mother had laid out on his bed. He knew that they had come from Miss Thatcher. He wasn't sure that it would make a difference, but he figured they couldn't hurt. He knew that his Pa was expecting him to work in the mine, but if he was honest with himself it had felt really good to hear that he was actually smart. He just wished that his father would let him try to work with Miss Thatcher and not get all mad. Bo was pretty sure that it was because his father couldn't read either and that working in the mine was all that he could get. Bo knew that his father worked hard, but he wanted more. That evening as Bo was looking at the letters laid out around his room, things started making sense. He still had the school book that Miss Thatcher had left. He was able to make the word 'cat' because it finally made sense. He didn't tell anyone because it was just one word.
Thursday and Friday were busy. Abigail was trying to get the cafe cleaned up and livable. Jack fixed the roof. Elizabeth worked on packing up the house. Jack had promised to help them move that weekend if the weather held. It would still be a couple of weeks before the cafe was up and ready for customers, but Abigail was feeling better about things. On late Friday afternoon as Elizabeth was going to make a quick trip into town, she stepped out of the house and saw that the letters that she had made for Bo were laid out on the porch to make a sentence that she was trying to teach him. She was so happy. By the time that Abigail came home on Friday night, the cafe was clean and livable and she had ordered tables, chairs, silverware, dishes and material for curtains. She had also ordered paint and a few other things. She was able to scrub the floors both upstairs and downstairs. She was glad that she would be able to move most of the furniture that she had at the row house since she owned most everything in it.
Saturday July 16th,was the day that Abigail and Elizabeth were going to be moving from the row house to the cafe. Jack had let Abigail know that he would be there to help move the big stuff. What Jack didn't tell Abigail or Elizabeth was that he had talked to some of the older boys from Elizabeth's class as well as the Palmer brothers and they would be there to help. Even with the help and two wagons, it took most of the day to move furniture from the row house to the cafe. Abigail had headed over to the cafe when the guys took the first load and set out making sandwiches and cookies for the those helping. She also put a roast in the oven, since she had planned on inviting Jack for supper. Elizabeth stayed back at the row house and continued to pack some of the smaller stuff and direct what was to be taken. After the boys left and the Palmer brothers were getting tired, it was decided that the rest could wait since all the big furniture had been moved. Jack and Elizabeth headed back to town. They didn't talk, both had wanted to say something, but didn't. They enjoyed the silence. Jack let Elizabeth and Abigail know that he would be back after services to finish moving stuff.
Sunday, Abigail and Elizabeth headed to services in the grove. Since Reverand Anderson had left at the beginning of the month, it was Cat who lead things. She had a Sunday school lesson about the parable of the vine and branches from the Gospel of John. After people mingled and talked for a bit about Abigail moving over to the cafe building. She didn't say much, but that she was just trying something different and when she was ready everyone would know what she was going to be doing. Most people were satisfied with that, but there were a few that wanted to know more. Abigail was grateful for Jack coming to the rescue again.
"Abigail." Jack said. "I think that we should get moving. We still have stuff to move and I have rounds that I need to do later."
"Yes." Abigail said. "Thank you for helping."
With the Jack, Elizabeth and Abigail headed back toward town. Elizabeth and Abigail headed to the row house and Jack when to get the wagon from the livery. As they were moving stuff, Elizabeth tripped over a stack of things and fell right into Jack's arms. Jack didn't mind catching Elizabeth.
"I thought we weren't going to make it a habit of you falling into my arms." Jack joked.
"Very funny." Elizabeth said. "I tripped."
Jack just smiled a full dimpled smile at Elizabeth.
"Have I thanked you yet for helping us move?" Elizabeth said.
"About a hundred times." Jack said.
Elizabeth smiled a shy smile and whispered, "Thank you."
Jack just smiled and grabbed a few more things to load into the wagon. Elizabeth let out a deep breath as Jack walked out the door. As Elizabeth turned around, she knocked over a vase and it fell to the floor and shattered. She let out a huge gasps and looked down.
"Oh, no! No!" Elizabeth cried.
The sound of the crash and Elizabeth's gasp brought Abigail out of her bedroom.
"Elizabeth." Abigail said. "Are you okay?"
"How could I have been so careless?" Elizabeth said.
"It was an accident." Abigail said as she knelt down in front of Elizabeth and started picking up some of the broken pieces.
"No, no." Elizabeth said. "I wasn't paying attention, this is totally my fault. I wasn't looking were I was going."
"It is okay." Abigail said calmly.
"Abigail." Elizabeth said. "Please, let me clean this up."
"No." Abigail said. "I – I've got it."
"Of course." Elizabeth said. "I will reimburse you for the vase."
"Oh." Abigail said. "Don't be silly. This has been held together by glue for years. I mean, Peter broke it three or four times."
Elizabeth looked at Abigail and could see the sadness in her eyes when she talked about Peter and the vase.
"I always told him not to play ball in the house." Abigail finished with a quiet sob.
"Oh, Abigail." Elizabeth said. "I'm so sorry."
"It's not the vase." Abigail said. "We built a life here together the three of us."
"I can only imagine how difficult this is for you." Elizabeth said.
Abigail tried to hold back the tears as she looked at pieces of the vase in her hands.
"I think I would like to take this vase with me, too." Abigail said.
"Of course." Elizabeth said with a sigh. "I will get the glue."
Abigail stopped her and looked at her for a moment.
"Elizabeth." Abigail said. "I'm … I'm really happy I'm not in this alone."
Elizabeth looked at Abigail and her face softened.
"Me, too, Abigail." Elizabeth said softly.
Elizabeth took a deep breath and a smile came to her face.
"We're both embarking on a new adventure." Elizabeth said. "I embarked on the adventure of coming here alone. Moving forward we will face them together."
Elizabeth got up and went to get something to put the pieces of the vase in. They would glue it back together at the cafe. Jack had come in and saw the exchange, he was moved at the way Elizabeth handled everything. He knew that he was in love with her, now he just had to figure out a way to tell her. Jack knew that he had trouble talking and being alone with Elizabeth or even close to her made it exponential more difficult. It was after supper when they had unloaded the last of the stuff from the row house. Abigail offered to have Jack stay and eat, but he said he would grab something later. He had rounds to do. Even thought they had spent the previous night at the cafe, they were so tired that they hadn't had time to unpack anything. They had just gone to bed right away. Now they had time to unpack things. Abigail and Elizabeth were upstairs. Abigail was unpacking a box and looking around.
"This is going to take some getting use to." Abigail said.
"Don't worry." Elizabeth said. "It will start to feel like home before you know it."
"I am sure your right." Abigail said. "It is just different. I think that it will help when we get stuff put away and things aren't everywhere."
"I know that will help." Elizabeth said. "It is like you said when were were packing – love travels with you …."
"Wherever you go." Abigail finished.
"Wherever you go." Elizabeth repeated with a smile.
Monday, Abigail was working downstairs in the cafe to try and get things ready. It didn't take long for Jack to knock on the back door.
"Need some help?" Jack asked.
"Do you mind painting?" Abigail asked.
"How about I run back and change first." Jack said.
"Sure." Abigail said. "Just come back in the side door there when you are ready."
Jack headed back to the jail to change and Abigail got the paint and brushes out and ready. When Jack came back in everyday clothes, he knocked and just came in. He picked up a can of paint and brush that he saw Abigail had set out for him. She was already painting with another set.
"Thank you for helping with all of this." Abigail said.
"Although, it is mostly selfish on my part." Jack said. "The sooner you open, the sooner that I can eat here."
"Oh." Abigail said. "And the sooner I can start cooking for hoards of hungry miners."
Abigail looked over and saw how careful Jack was being while painting, especially around the edges. She wasn't being anywhere as neat.
"You seem like a natural with the paint brush." Abigail said. "You remind me of Noah like that. He loved to paint around here. He always said there were so many beautiful views."
"That there are." Jack said. "I like painting. It can be relaxing."
Abigail just looked at him.
"Painting walls can be relaxing." Jack said quickly.
"Perhaps you might consider painting a mural on one sometime." Abigail said.
"A mural?" Jack asked.
"Yes." Abigail said. "You know a nice view of Coal Valley. Perhaps some beautiful mountains."
Jack just looked at her.
"I have no idea what you are talking about." Jack said.
It was Abigail's turn to just look at Jack.
"Noah painted the old mural for the Founder's Day play." Abigail said. "It takes a special kind of person to see things from an artist's perspective."
"I wouldn't know." Jack said. "Besides, where would I do that?"
"Really." Abigail said.
"Nope." Jack said. "I'm just a simple wall painter, ma'am."
Monday while Abigail was working in the cafe, Elizabeth went to the Grady house and decided to talk to Martha. She told her that Bo had left the letters on her porch and she knew that he had figured it out. She had brought the letters back and was having tea when Bo and his father came home. When they walked in the house Carl didn't look happy. Elizabeth and Martha both stood up.
"Carl." Martha said. "Please try to keep an open mind and just listen to what Miss Thatcher had to say."
"I already heard everything there is to hear." Carl said with anger in his voice.
"Bo." Elizabeth said picking up the reader that she had brought.
Elizabeth found the page that she wanted and walked over to Bo and his father.
"Would you read to us?" Elizabeth asked.
"That's it." Carl said. "Bo, you don't have to."
Bo took the book and looked around. He took a deep breath.
"The …." Bo started.
After a deep breath he slowly ready the entire sentence. "Cat …ran fast. The … fast … cat … ran. Run, run, run aft … aft …."
"After." Elizabeth whispered.
"After." Bo said. "The … bat … fast cat run fast."
"Dear Lord." Martha said.
"How?" Carl asked.
With that Bo lead them up to his room and showed him the letters that Miss Thatcher had made him. His father picked up an s. Elizabeth could tell that someone had made Bo more letters, because his room was covered with letters and words.
"I can see 'em now, Pa." Bo said. "I can finally see them and everything makes sense."
"What is this?" Carl asked.
"S." Bo said. "S for snake."
Elizabeth let out a breath that she didn't realize that she was holding.
"S." Carl said quietly.
Martha stood there and watched her son and husband with amazement and love.
"And this." Carl said pointing to something on Bo's desk. "What does this say?"
"Cat." Bo said. "C – A – T. It says cat."
"Cat." Carl said quietly.
Martha went over to her husband and son. Elizabeth excused herself and left.